Endline Passing and Keepaway Drills

Endline Passing

Purpose:
Improves passing and receiving skills as well as the ability to spot and execute a through-pass.

Setup:
Create a 20-yard square playing area.

Instructions:

1. Divide players into two teams. Put one player from each team at opposite endlines.
   The remaining players go into the field.
2. Object is for players in the field to get the ball and pass it to their teammate at the endline.
3. When this is accomplished the passing player joins the teammate at the endline.
4. First team to get all of its players to the endline wins.

Coaching Tips:

• For a pass to count as successful it must be controlled by the player at the endline.
• As players get more familiar with the drill making the playing area smaller is a great way to get them to play faster and pass more accurately.

Keepaway

Purpose:
This drill focuses on the core skills of ball control, passing/receiving, support play and ability to keep possession.

Setup:
Create a 20-yard square. Then mark out a 15 yard square within it.

Instructions:

1. Divide players into two teams. The passing team plays in the smaller area while the other team, the defenders waits outside in the larger area.
2. The game begins with one defender entering the smaller playing area and trying to take the ball away from the passing team.
3. After 30 seconds, a second defender is added to make the game 4v2. Thirty seconds later, a third defender and so on.
4. Count the number of successful passes the passing team makes in two minutes. The teams then switch roles.

Coaching Tips:

• Encourage passers to scan the pitch before making a pass.
• A receiver’s first touch should be away from pressure.