The Gates of Hell

As the June tryout season for club soccer approaches questions about how to identify talent are pouring in once again. This happens every May and again just before high school tryouts in August. When trying out to play soccer one should be expected to actually play soccer in the tryout, imo. I want to see players in live action and under pressure of game conditions. A favorite small sided game to help identify players is called the Gates of Hell.  I have used this game with groups from U12 through U18.  It is a simple game. Very easy to set up and provides abundant opportunity to observe multiple players in a short period of time.

The grid size needs to be appropriate for number of participants, age and talent level of the group. For the purposes of this article will say 25 yards by 25 yards for 7 v 7 play.  On two opposite sides of the grid there will be marked "gates" identified by large cones or coaching sticks.

This is a continuous play possession game with the condition that if you cause your team to lose possession you must exit the grid through a gate, run around the entire grid and re-enter through the same gate you exited. It is best if all runners run in the same direction so designated clockwise or counter clockwise before starting the action!

The players who run the most are quickly identified as players who struggle to maintain possession of the ball.  These are candidates to be cut from the team or relegated to a second team.  You could leave it at that cursory level or you can look at little deeper at what is taking place in the action.  Left to their own devices the receiver of a pass that is intercepted or bobbled away will run. A closer look may find the pass was weighted improperly or was above waist high elevating the degree of difficulty for the receiver. Should the receiver run or should the passer run?  A pass might be played to the front foot of teh receiver instead of across teh receivers body to the back foot.  The receiver in this case must close his hips to the field making his next play very predictable. Is this the receivers fault or the passers fault?  So, something else to look for is recognition and ownership of mistakes made.

With so much running possibly involved, the popularity of this game is a bit surprising. Nonetheless, it is favorite of players. To ramp up the intensity we will add the condition of "X" number of consecutive passes completed by a team being equal to a point. Another condition is if the team in possession can complete "X" number of passes while the entire opposing team is running around the grid aditional point(s) can be awarded to the team in possession.

As a coach observing action in this game I look for players who properly prepare to play the ball before it is passed to them. Off the ball movement is a king consideration.  I also look for the players who are directing the action both in possession and when defending.  Which players execute defensively to deny options and approach with a bounce step?  Which players work to support the pressure defender. In short, I am looking for ball watchers, vision, communicators, organizers, soccer IQ as much as I am looking for application of proper technique under pressure. e Gates of Hell game provides ample opportunity to see all this and so much more in a short period of high intensity play.