This fun warm-up game is great for foundation phase players, working on the psychological and social corners.
SET UP
Set up three rondos, relevant to the age and ability of your players. Each rondo should be 4v2 if possible. In the middle of the three rondos, place a cone.
HOW TO PLAY
Players play a normal possession rondo, with Blues trying to keep possession away from the Reds. If a Red wins possession or a Blue player kicks the ball out of the area, they swap roles. When the coach calls ‘defenders’ each pair of defenders races to the middle cone. The first pair there wins a point for their rondo team. If the coach calls a number or letter, the players in each rondo work together to try to form that shape with their bodies. The first rondo to achieve it gets a point.
COACHING POINTS
Technical aspects of rondos (quick passing, movement to receive, scanning, first touch, weight of pass, defending in pairs etc)
Communication
Teamwork
1. Set up several separate rondos, with a cone in the middle of the groups
2. On the coach’s call, defenders from each rondo race to the middle cone. The first pair there receive a point for their group
3. Groups can earn bonus points by being the first to form the shape of a number or letter called by the coach
Play this like a Rondo where if you split the defenders and hit the cone keeping possession of the ball. The pressing team must try to win the ball and prevent the possession team hitting the cone. MORE
Rondos are ideal for training, for warm-ups, for pre-season and to get players in the mood for working hard. They are directly related to the principles of play and link into systems of play – so 2v1 3v2 – and that works into practising formations at all age groups. MORE
Filipe Ragel the Under 19 head coach of Marcet Academy in Barcelona shares a video of his team doing a 4+2 x 2 Rondo which shows the technical and tactical practice MORE
I was asked by a coach this week about what a good warm up was for his U10 team. The answer that I gave him was to use Rondos. You can use them at any age group and they really work well to warm up players for training or matches and they don't involve much setting up. My favourites are the simple ones like 5v2 or a combination that works for your age group. MORE
My go to activities when players have had been on the summer break are Rondos – and with this being one of the longest breaks from playing due to lockdown I am going to be using Rondos over the next few weeks to get players back up to speed. MORE