Ball Mastery

Overload Sole Roll Grid

Build sole and inside-foot control in a busy space

Ball Mastery
Dribbling
First Touch

Build sole and inside-foot control in a busy space. Set up the area, follow the steps and use the coaching points below.

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Ball Mastery
Dribbling
First Touch
Technical Practice
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Minimal Equipment
Foundation Phase
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Overload

Age

Under 5 to Adults

Duration

14 min

Players

2-20

Area / pitch size

22 x 22 yards

Difficulty

Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced

Equipment

Balls, Cones

Coaching focus

Build sole and inside-foot control in a busy space

Objective

  • -Build sole and inside-foot control in a busy space
  • -Grow confidence manipulating the ball with both feet
  • -Turn ball mastery reps into usable game actions

Setup

  1. 1A grid of cones two yards apart in a 22 x 22 yards area.
  2. 2Split the group so the attacking side always has one spare player, and park the spare bibs on the halfway cone.
  3. 3One ball per player, spare balls on the coach's cone.

How to play

  1. 1Players work through sole rolls, drag-backs and toe taps between the cones.
  2. 2On the coach's call they perform the move and accelerate into free space.
  3. 3Repeat with the weaker foot leading every second round.
  4. 4The spare player joins whichever side has the ball, so the attack always works with a plus-one.
  5. 5A goal or completed end action counts double if the spare player touched the ball in the build-up.

Coaching points

  • -Light, quick contacts on top of the ball
  • -Head up between touches
  • -Both feet used equally
  • -Find the free player quickly before the defence shuffles across

Progressions

  • +Remove the overload for the last two rounds
  • +Raise the demand once the group is consistently successful

Regressions

  • -Give the attack two spare players
  • -Simplify the area or the service until success returns

Variations

  • -Rotate the spare player every 90 seconds
  • -Run the practice on the opposite side of the pitch

Common mistakes

  • -Heavy touches that push the ball away
  • -Eyes locked on the ball
  • -Spare player standing still instead of offering an angle

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