Turn and chase
Transcript
Turn and chase a ball played past you. Here's how. Warm up first. You need a partner, a ball and two cones, on flat grass, never a road. Face your partner, three metres apart. Put the cones on a line fifteen metres behind you, with room to slow down. Watch. They play it past you. Turn, sprint, and stop it before the line. First, turn the way the ball goes, the moment you see it. Then, win it before the line. Not this. Backpedalling is too slow. Now past your other side. Our target is six goes each, resting two minutes. Then take the free test at footballreach.com.
What it trains
Turn and sprint the moment a ball is played past you, then win it before it reaches a line, as when a pass goes in behind you in a match. An NSCA coaching article calls partner chase drills excellent for acceleration.
Set up
- Warm up first
- A partner and a ball
- Line 15 m behind you
- Room to slow down
How it works
- Warm up first: the FIFA 11+ (from 14) or your club warm-up, then 2-3 build-up runs, each a little faster.
- On flat, dry grass, face your partner about 3 m away, with them a big step to one side. Put 2 cones 6 m apart as a line 15 m behind you, with at least 6 m of clear space past it.
- Your partner passes the ball firmly along the ground, past you, towards the line. Turn the way it goes, sprint, and stop it with your sole before it reaches the line.
- Walk back and swap roles. Next go, your partner stands to your other side, so you turn the other way.
- Do 6 goes each, resting about 2 minutes between your goes. Stop early if you are clearly slowing.
Coaching points
- Turn the way it goes. Turn towards the side the ball goes past you, so you never lose sight of it, and go the moment you see it. Lean forward and push the ground back behind you in your first steps.
- Win it before the line. Sprint flat out on a line to where the ball is going, not where it is now. As you reach it, shorten your steps and stop it with your sole before the line.
Not this
Backpedalling after the ball. Running backwards is slow and you can trip over. Turn your hips and sprint instead.
Dose
- 6 goes each, swap roles
- Rest 2 min between goes
Our target: 6 goes each, resting about 2 minutes between your goes, inside the plan's 6-8 sprints, not extra (our target).
Harder / Easier
Harder
Make it a race: after the pass, your partner sprints for the line too, keeping to their own side of the ball. Stop the ball before they cross the line. No pushing or blocking.
Easier
Start side-on, so you only make a quarter turn, and ask for a softer pass, so you win it well before the line.
Safety
- Warm up first; never sprint from cold. Rest fully between goes, so every sprint is fresh.
- Flat, dry grass, never a road, pavement or driveway. Keep the space past the line clear of walls, fences, goals and people.
- Pass along the ground and past your partner, never at them. In the race version keep apart: no pushing or blocking.
- Tight hamstring or any pain: stop and see a GP or physio. Under 16: knee or heel pain when you run? Stop and tell an adult.
Sources
- NSCA - The need for speed (chase drills, starts, rest) (opens in a new tab)
- England Football Learning - Ashley Cole: defending skills (opens in a new tab)
- England Football Learning - defending space in behind (opens in a new tab)
- England Football Learning - movement skills (opens in a new tab)
- FIFA - injury prevention (FIFA 11+, ages 14+) (opens in a new tab)
Not sure which skill to work on first? The free Football Reach test gives you a Player Development Score and shows which of the four corners of your game to work on next, in about two minutes.
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