Cognitive and technical circuit: three in a row

Goal:
Equipment
  • 7 markers
  • 15 cones (3 blue, 3 red, 3 yellow, 3 green, 3 orange)
  • 13 hoops (1 blue, 1 green, 1 red, 10 yellow)
  • 3 poles
  • 12 vests (6 red, 6 yellow)
  • Balls
Preparation
  • Playing area: 30x20 meters
  • Players: 12
  • Duration: 21 minutes
  • Series: 3 series of 5 minutes with 2 minutes of passive recovery
Cognitive and technical circuit: three in a row

Summary

Technical circuit with visual and auditory elements to stimulate the cognitive capabilities in young players

Organization

Create three circuits:

  • Circutit A: Place a starting marker and form a rhombus 2 meters away using 4 different colored cones. Form a small square inside the rhombus using the markers. Place a pole 2 meters away from the rhombus and place an orange cone 3 meters away from the pole. 
  • Circuit B: Place a starting marker and place in line 4 different colored hoops 2 meters away. 2 meters away from the last circle place a pole and place an orange cone 3 meters away from the pole.
  • Circuit C: Place a starting marker and place 2 meters away 4 pairs of cones alternating the colors (as shown in the figure). 2 meters away from the last couple of cones place a pole and place an orange cone 3 meters away from the pole.

2 meters away from the circuits, in front of the circuit B, place 9 hoops as shown in the figure. Divide the players into 3 groups of 4 players and give them 6 yellow vests and 6 red. Alternate a red player with a yellow one for each circuit. All the players start with a ball.

Description

The exercise starts with the coach giving a color sequence (red, yellow, green, blue in the figure)

The first 3 players of each group start dribbling the ball to perform the circuit

  • Circuit A:
    1. The player dribbles the ball into the small square
    2. Turns around the red cone and goes back to the small square
    3. Turns around the yellow cone and gets back to the small square
    4. Turns around the green cone and gets back to the small square
    5. Turns around the blue cone and gets back to the small square
    6. Carries the ball to the pole
  • Circutit B:
    1. The player dribbles the ball around the red ring
    2. Dribbles the ball around the yellow ring
    3. Dribbles the ball around the green ring
    4. Dribbles the ball around the blue ring
    5. Dribbles the ball to the pole
  • Circuit C:
    1. The player carries the ball to the closer red cone
    2. Dribbles the ball to the yellow cone
    3. Dribbles the ball to the green cone
    4. Dribbles the ball to the blue cone
    5. Dribbles the ball to the pole

The player who reach the pole first, can decide which cone to dribble the ball to (player of  circuit A in the figure). The 2 players dribble the ball to the remaining cones.

After reaching the cone, the 3 players put the vest inside one of the 9 rings. The aim of the exercise is to get 3 of a kind with the vests. The team that gets 3 in a row (tic,tac,toe) obtains 1 point. After a "3 in a row" the players recover their vests.

At the end of the circuits, the players invert their positions (A moves to circuit B, B moves to C and C to A). Alternate the starting players for each round (2 yellow and 1 red for the first round, 2 yellow and 1 red for the second etc).

 

Developing of the circuits

Coaching Points

  • Perform the circuits with maximum concentration, using at best the individual technique 
  • During the dribbling the ball touches must be accurate to maintain the control
  • Focus on the coordinating capabilities of players
  • Focus on the technical skill even at the expence of speed 
  • All players have to perform all the exercises in the different circuits
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