Wide Channel Ladder and Ball

Pitch diagram

Objectives

• -Improve foot speed and coordination
• -Link quick feet straight into a football action
• -Keep work-to-rest ratios sensible

Setup

1. 1A ladder with a ball station five yards beyond it in a 24 x 14 yards area.
2. 2Mark five-yard channels down both touchlines with flat cones.
3. 3One ladder, balls at the far station.

Coaching instructions

1. 1Player works through the ladder pattern then accelerates to the ball.
2. 2They complete a dribble through two gates and jog back.
3. 3Full recovery between reps — quality over volume.
4. 4The practice is started by a pass into one of the wide channels.
5. 5End actions only count when the ball has travelled through a wide channel first.

Common mistakes

• -Ladder work at jogging pace
• -No rest between reps
• -Everything funnelling into a crowded middle