Possession

Continuous Rondo Ladder

Keep the ball under pressure in a tight area

Possession
Passing
Receiving

Keep the ball under pressure in a tight area. Set up the area, follow the steps and use the coaching points below.

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Possession
Passing
Receiving
Technical Practice
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Minimal Equipment
Foundation Phase
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Repetition

Age

Under 8 to Adults

Duration

16 min

Players

5-12

Area / pitch size

14 x 14 yards

Difficulty

Intermediate / Advanced

Equipment

Balls, Cones, Bibs

Coaching focus

Keep the ball under pressure in a tight area

Objective

  • -Keep the ball under pressure in a tight area
  • -Find the pass through or around the press
  • -Improve body shape and support angles

Setup

  1. 1A rondo circle with defenders in the middle in a 14 x 14 yards area.
  2. 2Load a ball at each starting station so the next rep can begin immediately.
  3. 3One ball, bibs for the middle players.

How to play

  1. 1Outside players keep the ball away from the middle defenders.
  2. 2Ten consecutive passes wins the round.
  3. 3The defender who wins the ball swaps with the player who lost it.
  4. 4As soon as one sequence ends, the next server plays in without waiting.
  5. 5Run 4-minute blocks and count total completed sequences as a squad score.

Coaching points

  • -Open the body to see both sides
  • -Split the defenders when the gap appears
  • -Support at an angle, not flat
  • -Reset fast — the value is in the volume of good reps

Progressions

  • +Add a second ball into the rotation
  • +Raise the demand once the group is consistently successful

Regressions

  • -Pause 15 seconds between reps to reset positions
  • -Simplify the area or the service until success returns

Variations

  • -Split into two competing halves and compare block totals
  • -Run the practice on the opposite side of the pitch

Common mistakes

  • -Passing round the outside only
  • -Standing flat on the cone
  • -Long queues while balls are collected

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