Activity

3v1 Square Rondo

Set Up

Start out with a 6 yard x 6 yard square for this activity. You may want to reduce the size of your square depending on the players you are working with and how far they are able to pass the ball. For some of our younger beginner players you may go down to 3 yards x 3 yards.

The three players on the sides of the square must keep the ball away from the one defender in the middle of the square. The player that loses possession of the ball switches and becomes the defender in the middle.

There is always one side of the Rondo that has no player on it, in this activity we are focused on helping the players decide which side of the Rondo they should be on and when to move to support the player who has the ball.

Videos

Coaching Points

Try and receive the ball with your far/back foot across your body
If the ball is not passed to your back/far foot then move sideways so you can receive it with that foot rather than turning and receiving with the front foot
The player who is opposite where the ball is should move to the open side of the square
If the player with ball does not pass to you then you are the one that needs to move

Coaching Questions

Q. Why do we not want a player on the opposite side of the square to where the ball is?

A. Easier for the defender to block that pass and leaves the player with the ball only one option to pass to

Q. If you are the player that needs to move to the open side of the Rondo when should you move?

A. Move as soon as you see the ball being passed try not to wait until the player has received the ball, they need you to be open when they get the ball

Tips

Encourage early movement to the open side until the payers start to do it themselves, this can take a while!

Have the defender go at walking pace to begin with to help the players learn the movement