Jan Pruijn – Dutch Passing and Pattern Drills

1. Drill # 1 - Rectangle (Turn / Back Foot)

Set up:
Area – 30 x 25 yards
12 players – 4 balls
2 balls should be played simultaneously, starting diagonally opposite each other.
Rotation: follow your pass to the next spot

Organization:
There are 2 drills –
1) First drill involves turning with the ball, and then passing to the corner player
2) The first pass should go to the inside foot of the middle player (right foot in the diagram) - then a
protective turn, shielding the ball,
3) followed by a pass to the corner player.
4) The corner player should check away, then come to the ball, take it on the dribble to a point
5) then finish the play with a pass to the last player in line without a ball.
6) The same activity is going in the other half of the setup.
 7) In the second drill, the first pass should go to the back foot of the middle player (left foot in the
diagram), this will allow the player to open up as he receives the ball and face the next pass. The
drill progresses in the same manner as the first drill.

Coaching Points:

· Demand high ball speed

· Pass to the correct foot
· Time the movement to the pass and the pass to the movement
· Keep the tempo (flow) high – it is an intensive drill
· The last player in the corner will receive a pass – keep them focused

2. Drill # 2 – Rectangle (Lay off)

Set up: the same as drill #1.
Same rotation as drill #1

Organization:
1) The first pass is played in to the middle player,
2) who then lays the ball off to the starting player,
3) who then passes to the corner player.
 4) The corner player will check and receive the pass on the go and
5) continue with a dribble and
6) finish with a pass.

Coaching Points:
· The pass to the center player should be to inside foot
· The layoff pass must be properly weighted
· Receive the layoff pass allowing it to come across your body
· The pass to the corner player should timed to the run and played to the running stride of the
player

3. Drill #3 – Rectangle (1-2)

Set up:
Same as drills #1 and 2 –
Rotation the same also

Organization:
1) The drill starts the same as drill #2.
2) The center player, after laying the ball off, will move in position for a 1-2 with the corner player.
3) The corner player will check and come to receive the ball,
 4) dribble off, and
5) then pass.

Coaching Points:
· All the layoff passes must be weighted and timed properly.
· The movement of the center player must be timed to the corner player and then the pass from
the center player must be spot on!
· The corner player will receive the pass, take a short dribble and then pass.

4. Drill #4 – Rectangle (Overlapping Run)

Set up:
Same as the previous drills with the same rotation.

Organization:
1) The big change in this drill is the overlapping run of the center player around the corner player.
2) The corner player will check and take a very short run and stop, receive a pass and
3) then play the ball on to the overlapping center player.
4) The center player will continue the play with a pass to the waiting player in the next corner.
 Coaching Points:
· The timing of the corner player’s run is critical to the play. He must anticipate the play from the
starting player and allow the overlapping player to get in position to receive his pass.
· The center player must get quickly into his next position, receive the ball under control, and play
it on to the next player. Fast running combined with controlled running is a must.

5. Drill #5 – Diamond (Open up)

Set Up:
30 x 25 yards
7 players (ideal, can use more)
2 balls
Form a diamond as shown in diagram
Rotation: follow the pass to the next spot

Organization:
1) The first player passes with his left foot to the right foot (back foot) of the second player.
2) The second player, takes the ball on his back foot and opens up to the next player, and
3) then makes a pass.
4) The third player receives the pass and
 5) dribbles to the position of the fourth player and
6) then passes to the waiting player at the end of the starting position.

The next round starts in the opposite direction, with a right foot pass to the receiving player’s left foot.
The same drill, just going in a different direction.

Coaching Points:
· Players 2 and 3 should check first before receiving the pass.
· Passes must be of high ball speed and to the right foot
· Timing of the runs must be coordinated to the pass
· There must communication between the passer and the receiver

6. Drill # 6 Diamond ( 1-2)

Set up:
Same as the previous drill – rotation the same also.

Organization:
1) the drill starts the same as the previous drill,
2) then a 1-2 between the starting player and the second player,
 3) followed by a pass to the third player
4) the drill finishes as previously

Start the next sequence going the other direction, following the same pattern.

Coaching Points:
· Starting player must pass and move quickly into a supporting position to receive the layoff pass
from the second player. The 1-2 between players one and two should be quick and well-timed.
The second player finishes the move with a pass to the third player.

7. Drill # 7 – Diamond (Double 1-2)

Set up: same as previous Diamond drills

Organization:
1) the drill is similar to the previous drill,
2) with the addition of a second 1-2 between players 2 and 3
3) player 2 completes a 1-2 with the starting player and then
4) participates in a second 1-2 with the player 3 at the top of the diamond
5) the drill then completes with a dribble and a pass.
6) As with all the Diamond drills, the next round starts in the opposite direction.
 Coaching Points:
· The concentration demanded of player is very high as this player will participate in both of the 1-
2s. Just as he is finishing the first one, he is starting the second one. The passes should be clean,
crisp and to the proper foot – and they must be played in one touch.

8. Drill #8 – Diamond (Overlap)

Set up: Set up and rotation remains the same.

Organization:
1) a different start from the previous Diamond drills.
2) starting player plays a deep pass to player3 -
3) player 2 checks and come back to receive pass from player 2
4) while the starting player is on an overlapping run around player 2’s position.
5) player 2 receives pass from player 3 and plays a short pass to the overlapping starting player,
6) who then plays a quick pass across the Diamond to player 3 , who is on the move
7) a short dribble and finish with the pass to the waiting player
Start the next play the other way.
 Coaching Points:
· Timing of the pass to the run is critical in this drill.
· Also, the passes must be of high ball speed and to the proper foot.
· Player 2 must be in the proper position to receive the pass from player 3 and then lay off a well-
timed pass to the overlapping player.
· The starting player then plays a first time pass across to player 3, placing the ball in his stride!

9. Drill # 26 – Rectangle – (Up – back – deep)

Set up:
In an area 30 (L) x 25 (W) yards
an offset diamond with 2 players in the middle
6 positions with 8 players
1 ball
Rotation: follow to the next position

Organization:
 1) The starting player passes (left foot) to the right foot of the next player on his right
2) With the first touch, drop the ball to the right foot of the middle player
3) The middle player will play the ball deep to the top player
4) The drill continues in the same way
5) By shifting the 2 side players (1 up and 1 down) and starting the sequence at the opposite end, it
changes the passing and receiving foot.
6) The starting player would now start to his left

Coaching Points:
· The first pass is always very important – well paced and to the proper foot
· Good lay-offs and again to the proper foot
· The deep ball must be of high ball speed
· The middle players will come into space for the ball
· Keep the tempo high
· Switch the direction of play after a period of time
· 2 balls could be used at the same time starting at opposite ends

10. Drill # 27 – Rectangle – ( progression of the previous drill)

Set up:
Add 2 extra middle players – 10 players in total
Same size as previous drill
Organization:
1) Same as previous drill until the middle player receives the pass
2) The deep middle player will play the ball up to the higher middle player
3) The higher middle player will receive sideways on with the back foot and lay the ball off to the side
player who is on the move
4) The side player will receive the pass and play it first time to the top player
5) The drill continues in the same way back to the starting position

Coaching Points:
· The middle players should position themselves sideways on and take the ball on the back foot
and then lay off the pass – 2 touch for the middle players – they need to open up to their pass
· Quick off the ball movement and good timing of the pass and the run
· Players must communicate with each other through vision (eye contact)
· With a slight adjustment of the side players, the drill can go in the opposite direction, with the
first pass going left instead of right.
· Rotation: rotate the outside players to the next position and freeze the inside (middle) players –
then after a period of time, switch the inside and outside players as a group
11. Drill # 28 – Rectangle – (Up – back with deep overlapping run)
Set up:
Same size area as previously
8 players, (maybe more if needed)
1 ball
Rotation: change the players after a period of time – there is no rotation as such

Organization:
1) Simple up – back to start
2) The starting player, after his pass, will overlap the side position
3) The side player passes in to the middle player
4) The middle player plays to the overlapping starting player
5) Then the pass to the top player
6) And the drill continues in the same way back to starting position

Coaching Points:
· The timing of the pass to the overlapping run is critical
· The runner must maintain body control as he receives the ball
· The passes should 1 touch as the tempo in this drill is high
· You may need more players at the starting position so they can recover
 · Change the active and stationary players after a period of time

12. Drill # 29 – Rectangle – ( 5 vs 2 + 1)

Set up:
In an area 40 (L) x 25 (W) yards – divided with a half line
8 players (6 in possession, 2 in defense)
You may use more players (6v3 +1 or 7v3 +1)
Set this up with 2 groups and rotate the defenders out to the other group as possession players

Organization:
1) Possession game of 5 vs 2 in one half of the area with a waiting target player on opposite end line
2) After a set number of passes (3, 4, 5), the ball is played deep to the player on the end line
3) Every, with the exception of the passer, runs to the other half of the area and continue playing the
possession
4) The passer waits on the end line for the ball to be returned and the players to join
5) If the defenders win the ball, they should try to keep it or dribble over the near end line
6) Restart the game as needed
7) Encourage quick transition from end to end

Coaching Points:
· Play with a touch limitation
· Quick passing with good support positions and options
· Transition the ball quickly and accurately
· Follow the pass with fast movement to the other end
· Use more players if you wish, keep the objective the same
· The passing player remains on the end line and becomes the target player