30 Sep 2019

Switch play rondo game

A fun, competitive game to improve passing, support, communication and defending skills. A good game to incorporate into a warm up.

Organisation

Coach or server with a supply of footballs.
Two groups of players – 5 or 6 attackers and 1 or 2 defenders in each group.
Organise the players as per the graphic – the size of the circles can vary depending on the age, number and ability of the players.
Defenders can only try and intercept once the attackers have possession of the ball, not when the ball is transferred from circle to circle

Coach or server passes the ball to one of the groups. Initially, the group without the ball can be doing stretches.
The attacking players have to keep possession of the ball for a certain number of passes, the number of passes can be varied and is controlled by the coach or server.
Once they have completed the number of passes, they switch the ball into the next group and the game continues.
If the defenders win the ball, they pass the ball into the coach / server, who quickly passes a ball into one of the groups and the game continues.

Vary the size of the circle to encourage different types of passing and the ratio between attackers and defenders 5 v 2, 6 v 3 etc
Vary the number of passes each group have to complete before switching play to the other group
Both groups start with a ball, they both have to complete the agreed number of passes, then they both switch play. This will encourage players to play with their heads up and think about the timing of the pass and the awareness to receive a pass from the other circle
Rotate the attackers and defenders often

Attackers to be on their toes and alert to move to receive a pass or to support a team mate.
Good communication between players and between groups when switching play
Accurate, well timed and weighted passes.
Attackers to play with their heads up and be aware of what is happening around them.
Defenders to work hard, to work as a team and to communicate