The Ladder Clear provides a simple structure that gives players clear starting points and responsibilities while still allowing them to read the field, create space, and make decisions based on what the ride gives them.
In this series, we’ll break down how to install the Ladder Clear from the ground up, beginning with the basic shape, spacing, and player responsibilities before progressing into live pressure and full-field situations. The goal isn’t to create a rigid pattern where every pass is predetermined. Instead, the structure provides a framework that helps players recognize the principles that make any clear successful: create width and depth, stretch the ride, provide support, move after the pass, attack open space, and recognize when to play quickly versus when to reset.
Once the clear is installed, the real development comes through repetition. Rather than spending large portions of practice repeatedly walking through the entire clear, we’ll use short daily drills that isolate and reinforce its most important principles. These drills can become part of your regular practice routine—giving players consistent reps catching on the run, supporting the ball, escaping pressure, creating passing angles, communicating, and ultimately connecting those skills back into the full-field clear.
The end goal is simple: teach the structure, reinforce the principles, and develop players who can solve the clear rather than simply run it
Installing a Ladder Clear - Principles & Rules
Full Field Ladder Clearing Drill
Set Up
put 2 goalies around the cage, or coaches. There will be a line of defensive players on each side of the goalie, and then we are add a midfield line at each wing of the midfield. 2 Attackmen will be down at the far end, with a 3rd player/attackman with balls in the low corner. The drill starts with the goalie/coach calling “Break”. One defensive line will break to the sideline for an East West pass from goalie 1. The other midfield line will be breaking up to the low restraining box, and goalie 2 will make an upfield pass to them. Both players will make a pass to their adjacent attackmen, and then will cut diagonally to receive a pass from the opposite attackmen. The player with balls, will give a 3rd pass, to one of the attackers for a shot.
Coaching Point and Principles
- Long clearing passes, make sure we are moving out feet!
- Communicate, let players know you want the ball
- Play Fast!
Progressions
- Set up as a Stack Clear with midfield lines in the middle of the field
Full Field Ladder Clear w/ Pressure
Set Up
There will be 6 lines on the field, 2 in each defensive corner and 1 at each side of the midfield line. We will add in pressure players (defenders), in between each line on both sides. The drill starts with a goalie outlet to a low defender, and the team must comply passes up the latter, to the opposite goalie. The riding players will put pressure on the ball and try to intercept or knockdown passes in transition.
Coaching Points and Principles
- You must move your feet with the ball, trying to create passing lanes both with and without the ball
- Try to move the ball fast
- Riding players, keep your stick up, stay in between the ball carrier and the next teammates, we don’t want to chase sticks or get beat
Progressions
- Add in 2 more lines (8 total) to change the clearing strategy
43 Clearing Game
Set Up
Create a playing area on one half of the field area. Add a second goal at the midfield line. There will be 4 clearing players and 3 riding playing during every rep. In general, we want the clearing team to be primarily defenders and short stick defensive midfielders, and the riders being Attack and Midfield players. The game starts with coach rolling a live ground ball in the defensive corner, which should be contested with a rider. The clearing team, must try to get the ball upfield to score in 20 seconds once they gain possession. This drill we want to focus on our riding and clearing principles. if the riding team intercepts or forces a turnover, they can try to score.
Coaching Points and Principles
- Clearing Team
- We have a player advantage, spread out and find open space
- Find good passes and passing lanes, don’t force tough passes
- Stay moving, don’t stand still off ball
- Riding Team
- We are player down, we want to pressure ball and play a backside zone type
- Dont try and take ball away, square up, turn players back from running upfield, and try to force bad passes
- HUSTLE! This is a conditioning type drill
Progressions
- Make 5v4 or 6v5
- Set up specific clearing spots wether you play ladder or stack type clear
- Shorten shot clock to 15 seconds to make it more challenging
- Instead of a Goal for the clearing team, create gates using cones they must clear the ball through
Full Field Riding and Clearing
This full-field, continuous drill gives both sides of the ball live reps within your team’s clearing and riding systems. Start with the goalie and clearing unit working through your Ladder Clear (Or another system if that’s what you prefer), while the riding team applies your core riding principles at full speed. Once the clearing team successfully crosses the midfield line and establishes an offensive possession, the coach blows the whistle to create a dead-ball situation. The ball immediately starts going the opposite direction, with the units transitioning into their new riding and clearing responsibilities. There are no shots or goals unless the coach calls for live offense—the emphasis is on clearing, riding, communication, decision-making, and getting organized in transition.
The drill can easily be adjusted to prepare for specific opponents or reinforce different concepts. Have your clearing group work against different looks such as a 10-man ride, zone ride, or aggressive pressure, or challenge your riding unit against stack clears, traditional ladder clears, or other opponent-specific formations. Coaches can also emphasize transition substitutions, forcing players to recognize when and where to sub without sacrificing field balance. Keeping the drill moving continuously creates realistic conditioning while giving players repeated opportunities to recognize, communicate, and solve full-field situations.