Warm-ups Dribbling

Ladder and Pass Drill

The ladder and pass drill links fast footwork to a ball straight away. Players go through a speed ladder, come out to receive from a server, and pass it back, so the quick feet they've just used have a job to do instead of ending in a jog.

AgesU8 to adult
Players3 to 7
Space20 × 12 m
Time10 min
IntensityMedium

Animate it in DrawTactics

It's a good activation drill before a game or at the start of a session with a lot of sharp, short movements in it. With a small group per ladder it stays brisk and nobody waits long.

Setup

Lay a speed ladder lengthways in a 20 × 12 m channel with a start cone behind it and a second cone to one side, beyond the ladder. Put 3 players in a queue at the start cone and a server with the ball at the far end. Each player goes through the ladder, receives from the server, passes back, sprints round the side cone and jogs back to the end of the queue.

Equipment1 speed ladder, 2 cones, 1 ball

How it works

The first player works through the ladder with quick feet and comes out into the channel.
The server plays the ball into them as they come out of the ladder.
They pass it straight back to the server and sprint round the side cone, while the next player steps up to the start.
They jog back to the end of the queue, ready for their next turn.

Diagram of the ladder and pass drill with every pass and run — Every step of the drill on one diagram.

Coaching points

Quick, light feet on the balls of your feet
Arms working with your legs
Get your head up as you come out of the ladder
Pass back in one touch if you can
Stay balanced as you come out so your first contact is clean

Make it harder

Change the footwork each turn: two feet in, side-step, in-out
The server plays it in the air to control
The server points left or right and the player passes back with that foot
Race the next player: they start as soon as you round the cone

Make it easier

One foot in each space
Take a touch before passing back
The server rolls the ball in by hand

Adapting it by age

U8–U10

One foot in each space, a hand-rolled serve, and a controlling touch before passing back. Keep turns short and praise rhythm over speed.

U12–U14

Rotate through three footwork patterns, ask for a one-touch return, and make the server swap every five turns.

U15 to adult

Lateral and in-out patterns, a volleyed or chested return from a served ball, then a sprint round a cone to rejoin the queue.

Common mistakes

Players race the ladder and clip half the rungs. Tell them clean feet first, speed second; anyone who touches a rung goes again.

Players come out of the ladder looking at their feet and miss the ball. Have the server call a name or show a hand on the last rung so the player has to look up.

Long queues behind one ladder. Keep it to three or four players per ladder; set up a second ladder rather than adding to the line.

FAQ

Are ladder drills useful for soccer?
They're a good warm-up for coordination and rhythm, especially for young players, and adding a ball straight after makes them more relevant to the game.

How many players per ladder?
Three or four plus a server. More than that and players spend most of the drill waiting.

Make this drill your own

Open the ladder and pass drill in DrawTactics to change the numbers and the size of the area, move the players, and export your own animation or diagram for your team. Or add it to a free session plan and print it.

Animate it in DrawTactics