Futebol Tennis: (1 vs.1) or (2 vs. 2) or (3 vs.3)

Part 1

Windows

Build a circle with cones. Using the center circle is a good reference and much easier. The space between each cone is a window. Five to eight yards wide is adequate for each window. Create enough windows to accommodate half of your players. With more players circle may be larger than the center circle. Build to accomidate and to incorporate 5 to 15 yard check runs.

Evenly divide your players, pair them up or create team 1 and team 2. One player or team goes into the window(s) the other is in the center of the circle.

1)      Players in windows start with the ball. One ball for each player in the windows. Players inside the circle (runners) check to a window to receive a pass from the window, trap and pass back to the window from which they received the ball. Then proceed to check to a new window, preferably on the other side of the circle. Repeat. Try to check to each window in the allotted time, 1 to 2 minutes is a long time if players are working hard. Rotate players from window to center frequently to keep the drill lively.

Ball can start on the ground having runners work on passing and trapping. Alternative is for windows to hold the ball and serve balls for a) headers, b) chest traps, c) thigh traps, d) one touch out of the air etc etc. Coach can then choose weather ball is to be settled to the ground with a good V trap and played to feet, or played back in the air after the initial trap.

2)      Runners in the center start with the ball. One ball for each runner in the middle. Runner with the ball plays to a window, check to the window he played to to receive the return pass, turn and find a new window.  Gets tricky here, heads have to be up and on a swivel to find an open window (player without a ball) and to make sure there is no ball in route. (For this reason it is best to sometimes have more windows than runners; goalies and coaches can be permanent or semi permanent windows).  This will require runners to look up and if the window he wants to play to is taken he may have to change direction to find a new window, or delay with a move till the intended window is open.

The sophistication of this drill is the alleys and channels that form and open, then close or shift. Runners in the middle will rarely have a clear path to a window as the other runners will be inadvertently opening and closing passing lanes as they move in the grid for their own purposes. Brilliant!! Give me a Guinness. So a bigger grid is better. More windows to runners creates more success, less frustration.  Runners passing to the same window do a push up on the spot. Runners hitting a player doing a pushup do 3 pushups on the spot. After about 40 pushups they will get serious.

3)      Create pairs. Pairs will work together in the grid; R1 & R2. One ball per pair of runners.  A)  R1 plays ball to a window, R2 support window to receive return pass (3^rd man!!). R2 recieves pass from window and plays to another window, R1 supports window to receive 3^rd man pass!!  B) same as previous except R1 and R2 must play a give & go in the grid before passing to window.

4)      Create pairs. Pairs will work together in the grid; R1 & R2. R1 starts with the ball. Object is to play ball to a window and go get it back; check runs in other words, or support runs. Possesion is the game. R1 keeps the ball as long as he can while R2 tries to dispossess or intercept. Once R2 steals the ball R1 is on defense.

Alternative exercise is to  A) have windows hold the ball and serve runners. This becomes predominately a check run drill. Lots of coaching points can be made in this drill. B) Have runners receive and turn the ball with pressure and play another window. Trick more windows than runners, less balls than windows.