Cognitive Drill: Action Circle

Pitch: The players stand in a circle, the coach in the centre.

Equipment: One ball per player, two additional balls and two tennis balls per player.

Players: The whole group.

• Exercise 1: Every player has a ball lying in front of them and performs step-overs alternately with the left and the right foot. At the same time the coach sets tasks that have to be solved without interrupting the footwork — for example arithmetic tasks or visual tasks.
• Exercise 2: Every player takes a tennis ball in each hand. Both balls are thrown up a few centimetres at the same time and caught again with the arms crossed. They are then thrown up again and caught without the arms crossed. Step-overs over the ball continue to be performed at the same time.
• Exercise 3: The ball is rolled back and forth between the feet. At the same time the players throw an additional ball to each other in a random order around the circle, catch it and throw it on to the next player.
• Exercise 4: The ball is rolled back and forth, the coach stands in the centre of the circle. Numbers for different actions are agreed beforehand, for example catching or a header. The coach throws the ball and calls a number; the player carries out the corresponding action.

Note: The aim of the drills is to make the footwork a secondary matter and to give the brain additional work. As a result, match situations are recognised more quickly and the players can react more quickly.