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Ball Mastery

Juggling Ladder: Shadow Pressure

Improve touch and feel for the ball

Ball Mastery
First Touch
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Juggling Ladder: Shadow Pressure is a 10-minute ball mastery drill for 1-20 players, suitable for Under 8 to Adults at beginner, intermediate, advanced level. You need balls. Below you will find the objective, the set-up, how to run it, coaching points, common mistakes, progressions, regressions and variations.

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Ball Mastery
First Touch
Technical Practice
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Minimal Equipment
Foundation Phase
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Quick 10 Minutes
Opposed
Under Pressure
Game Realistic

Duration

10 min

Players

1-20

Pitch size

Any safe space

Ability levels

Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced

Pitch diagram

Pitch set-up: Juggling Ladder: Shadow Pressure12Any safe space

Juggling Ladder: Shadow Pressure — Pairs facing each other · Any safe space

Step 1 of 4Work up the ladder: five right, five left, five thigh, alternate feet, then free juggling.

  1. 1. Work up the ladder: five right, five left, five thigh, alternate feet, then free juggling.
  2. 2. Restart the rung if the ball drops.
  3. 3. Finish with a personal best attempt.
  4. 4. A shadow defender applies half pressure and can win the ball only after the first touch.
  • Ball
  • Pairs working across a marked lane
  • Solid arrow = pass, thick = shot, dashed = run / dribble

Objectives

  • -Improve touch and feel for the ball
  • -Develop both feet and thighs
  • -Build calm under a personal challenge

Setup

  1. 1Players spread out with a ball each and plenty of space.
  2. 2Mark a start line if working in pairs.
  3. 3Coach demonstrates each rung of the ladder.

Coaching instructions

  1. 1Work up the ladder: five right, five left, five thigh, alternate feet, then free juggling.
  2. 2Restart the rung if the ball drops.
  3. 3Finish with a personal best attempt.
  4. 4A shadow defender applies half pressure and can win the ball only after the first touch.

Coaching points

  • -Ankle locked, toe slightly up
  • -Keep the ball at knee height
  • -Stay relaxed and breathe
  • -Take the touch away from pressure
  • -Protect the ball with the far foot and body

Common mistakes

  • -Kicking the ball too high
  • -Standing rigid and off balance
  • -Only using the strong foot

Where this drill fits

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