Counter Change of Direction Grid

Objective

• -Decelerate and re-accelerate safely
• -Turn off both feet with control
• -Build agility that transfers to the game

Setup

1. 1Five cones in a cross pattern in a 26 x 26 yards area.
2. 2Place two mini goals on the halfway line for the counter-attacking side to aim at.
3. 3Balls at the central cone.

How to play

1. 1Player sprints to a called cone, plants and returns to the middle.
2. 2Every third rep finishes with a pass off the central ball.
3. 3Rest twice as long as each work rep.
4. 4The team in possession starts each rep in their own half and must build forwards.
5. 5Turnovers earn a direct counter at the mini goals worth two points.

Progressions

• +Counter must be finished inside five seconds
• +Raise the demand once the group is consistently successful

Regressions

• -Award the counter goal for simply carrying over halfway
• -Simplify the area or the service until success returns

Variations

• -Swap the counter goals for a dribble-through gate
• -Run the practice on the opposite side of the pitch

Common mistakes

• -Rounding the turn instead of planting
• -Working through fatigue
• -Dribbling into traffic when the counter is on