Hourglass Movement Pairs

Focus

Fitness Conditioning.

Skills

Preliminary Moves & Passing, Footwork & Agility.

Purpose

Receive the ball from different angles, change directions, develop good pass-and-move footwork, focus on sharp catching and passing when fatigued.

Difficulty

Medium

Groups of

Balls/grp

Cones

Setup
Groups of 4 each require a 4x6m rectangle. Group elect 2 workers (A & B) and 2 stationary feeders (C & D) who both have a ball. (D) faces towards top-of-diagram, away from everyone else.
Step 1
The basic rhythm for this drill is:-

Feeders perform two 1-2 passes in-front (never diagonally) with alternate workers

Feeders about-face and repeat on the cone behind. (D) controls left side, (C) right.

(A) moves: Diagonal, lateral, diagonal, lateral. (B) moves: Lateral, diagonal, lateral, diagonal - 1 station behind (A)
Step 2
Movement 1: (A & B) start in unison:

(A) runs diagonally to (4) and exchanges a 1-2 pass with (D)

(B) runs laterally to (1) and exchanges a 1-2 pass with (C)

(C) about-faces to cone (3) - hereafter the about-face will be done after 2 passes forward
Step 3
Movement 2:

(A) runs laterally to (3) and exchanges a 1-2 pass with (C)

(B) runs diagonally to (4) and exchanges a 1-2 pass with (D). Note that (B) always follows (A)'s previous move.

(D) about-faces to cone (2)
Step 4
Movement 3:

(A) runs diagonally to (2) and exchanges a 1-2 pass with (D)

(B) runs laterally to (3) and exchanges a 1-2 pass with (C)

(C) about-faces
Step 5
Movement 4: Completes the loop

(A) runs laterally to (1) and exchanges a 1-2 pass with (C)

(B) runs diagonally to (2) and exchanges a 1-2 pass with (D)

(D) about-faces
Step 6
Rotate feeders and workers after 30-60 seconds.

Work for longer to test skills under duress.