How to Include Rondos in a U14 Season Plan
In U14, the rondo should no longer be an occasional warm-up drill. It must be integrated into planning that assigns it a precise role based on the session's objective. In an offensive work week, the rondo activates passing quality and circulation. In a defensive work week, the counter-pressing rondo develops reaction to a turnover. In a physical preparation week, the high-intensity rondo is an aerobic power format. The same format can serve very different objectives depending on the constraints and intensity applied.
What we advise U14 coaches is to always define in advance which aspect of the game the day's rondo should develop: passing quality, circulation speed, reaction to a turnover, or scanning. This precise intention conditions the imposed rules, the square size, the number of defenders, and the sequence duration. The U14 cognitive drills offer several rondo variations with cognitive constraints, particularly effective for developing scanning and decision speed.
Rondos and Finishing in U14
In U14, one of the most effective formats is the rondo with an exit and finishing action. After a defined number of passes in the rondo, one player exits into the opposing space and receives a pass toward goal. This evolution transforms the rondo from pure retention into a complete offensive drill. The most commonly used sequences at this age:
- Retain in a 4v2: six consecutive passes in the square, then one attacker exits in behind on the seventh pass
- Rondo with a dummy-and-run: one player makes a decoy run to pin the defender, the second goes into the space created and receives the exit pass
- Rondo with a one-touch finish: the exit pass must lead directly to a shot, with no controlling touch beforehand
- Rondo with immediate transition: if the defenders recover the ball inside the square, they immediately go on a counter-attack before the attackers can recover their positions
The U14 technique drills offer several rondo-with-finishing circuits, from the simple two-touch format through to situations with two active defenders and finishing under pressure. The article U14-U15 soccer practice: complete guide + ready-to-use session offers a practical framework for integrating these different rondo types into a coherent U14 session, with clear guidance on progression and block organization.