Running with the ball (RWTB)
LACES: Fundamental to running with the ball is the ability to use our laces to "push" the ball in front of us in a straight line, it is also the only part we can use whilst running at a good speed (try running the ball using only your side food - tricky!)
As part of a warm up/ball mastery exercise in a RWTB session try to get the players using their laces as much as possible. Challenge them to only use laces perhaps or try some specific foot skills, I usually use the roll push:
Roll-Push: Place your foot directly on top of the ball and drag the ball back, as your foot comes behind the ball quickly push the ball forward using your laces before dragging the ball back so it doesn't move away from you.
Encourage this to be done as quick as possible (can do it as a race?), challenge players to not let their standing foot move at all and remember to get them using both feet!!
Can progress the roll-push to a moving roll-push, where players travel forward whilst doing the move. Have them travel across the grid to make it directional. Alternatively you can challenge the players to travel across the grid only using their laces but put a restriction in i.e. have to "push" the ball 20 times before getting to the end - just ensure they are getting loads of repetition using their laces.
Once our players have grasped the idea of using laces to push the ball we need to add arguably the most important aspect of RWTB - speed! We want to get as much game speed running with the ball as possible, with young players this can best be achieved by races. We are still getting unopposed practice but now starting to push the players in getting up to a game speed.
Colour Races.
Using a grid as shown below mark a series of gates along the half way line where players stand in facing away from the line. Players perform any move whilst waiting for coach to call a colour. (can do the roll-push, toe taps etc.) when called players race to that colour side and rejoin the line.
Players move to the called colour as fast as they can.
Try to build a quick tempo - can also be done without a ball for a warm up etc.
Relay Races.
Set up as below (for 5 players) using one ball. Players run to square and leave ball inside for next player to run onto. Can be done as a race between two competing groups of 5. First team to do a full circuit wins? The shape can be adapted for players - triangle set up for groups of 4 etc.
Players leave ball in square for next player to take over
There are loads of other ways to create these races just remember some of the key messages we need to across to our players.
- Use our laces to "push" the ball in front of us. Are we quick if we only use our side foot?
- Ensure we are pushing the ball in front enough so we can travel fast. Do lots of touches or few touches help us travel fast?
- Strong first touch out of our feet. Get going fast!
