Football
Coach Hub

Ball Mastery

Juggling Ladder: Scan and Cue

Improve touch and feel for the ball

Ball Mastery
First Touch

Juggling Ladder: Scan and Cue is a 10-minute ball mastery drill for 1-20 players, suitable for Under 5 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.

Back to drill library
Ball Mastery
First Touch
Technical Practice
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Minimal Equipment
Foundation Phase
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Quick 10 Minutes
Scanning
Decision Making
Awareness

Duration

10 min

Players

1-20

Pitch size

Any safe space

Ability levels

Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced

Pitch diagram

Pitch set-up: Juggling Ladder: Scan and Cue12Any safe space

Juggling Ladder: Scan and Cue — 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. The coach shows a colour or number and the receiver must call it before their 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. 4The coach shows a colour or number and the receiver must call it before their first touch.

Coaching points

  • -Ankle locked, toe slightly up
  • -Keep the ball at knee height
  • -Stay relaxed and breathe
  • -Scan over the shoulder as the ball travels
  • -Head up early so the picture is taken pre-touch

Common mistakes

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

Where this drill fits

Related drills

Pitch set-up: Cone Clear-Out1220 x 20 yards
Warm Ups

Cone Clear-Out

Raise heart rate with a ball at every player's feet

10 min 6-20Beginner / Intermediate
Under 5 to Adults
Warm UpsDribblingBall Mastery
Ball Mastery

Traffic Lights Dribbling

Build close control at different speeds

10 min 4-24Beginner / Intermediate
Under 5 to Adults
Ball MasteryDribblingWarm Ups
Pitch set-up: Passing Diamond12315 x 15 yards per diamond
Passing
Premium

Passing Diamond

Sharp, accurate passing off both feet

15 min 8-16Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
Under 5 to Adults
PassingReceivingFirst Touch
Pitch set-up: Skill Move Circuit12325 x 10 yards
Dribbling

Skill Move Circuit

Learn and repeat a core skill move

12 min 4-20Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
Under 5 to Adults
DribblingBall MasterySpeed & Agility
Pitch set-up: First Touch & Turn123C20 x 10 yards
First Touch
Premium

First Touch & Turn

Take the first touch away from pressure

12 min 4-18Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
Under 5 to Adults
First TouchReceivingBall Mastery
Pitch set-up: Aerial Control Practice12C15 x 10 yards
Receiving

Aerial Control Practice

Control a bouncing or lofted ball cleanly

12 min 4-16Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
Under 5 to Adults
ReceivingFirst TouchHeading