PassingLine BreakingReceiving Between LinesForward Passing

Line-Breaking Ladder

Three mannequin 'lines of pressure' to play through — every pass that breaks a line into a receiver between units scores a rung on the ladder.

Open diagram

Theme

Passing

Difficulty

Intermediate

Duration

16 min

Players (min–rec–max)

6–8–12

Area

30 × 44 yards

Session phase

Main

Age groups

U12, U13, U14, U15

Equipment

6 mannequins (or poles), cones, balls, bibs

Objective

Train players to recognise and play line-breaking passes, and receivers to find pockets between units on the half-turn.

Set-up

Mark a 44x30 area. Stand three 'lines' of two mannequins across the pitch at roughly 15, 25 and 35 yards from the start line, each pair leaving a central gap. A starter at one end, receivers in each pocket between lines, a target player at the far end.

How it runs

The starter plays through the first line into the receiver in pocket one — that's rung one of the ladder.
The pocket-one receiver takes a touch on the half-turn and breaks line two into pocket two.
Pocket two breaks the final line into the target player — three rungs climbed, ball done.
Players follow their pass one station forward; the target jogs the ball back to the start.
Run two ladders side by side as a race: first team to 10 complete ladders wins.
Any pass that hits a mannequin or goes around (not through) a line restarts that ladder.

Coaching points

Receive on the back foot, hips already open up the pitch.
Firm passes along the ground — a line-breaking pass is a punched pass.
Take a picture before the ball arrives: where is the next gap?
Move late into the pocket — arrive as the passer's head comes up.

Common mistakes

Receivers stand still in the pocket and get 'found' too early — coach a late check-away then move into the gap.
Passes are rolled softly and die in the gap — demand firm, driven ground passes that arrive before the line can shift.
Players receive square-on and need an extra touch to turn — back-foot reception on the half-turn is the non-negotiable.

Progressions

Replace the middle mannequins with a live defender who can screen one pocket.
Limit every receiver to two touches, then play it as one-two-one touches per station.
Allow a 'skip pass' that breaks two lines at once for double points — but it must be on the ground.

Regressions

Widen the gaps between mannequins.
Let receivers take three touches and set their body before passing.
Walk the ladder pattern once with the coach narrating each picture.

Constraints

Every scoring pass must travel between the mannequins of a line, on the ground.