To a great extent, the player's key to success in possession depends on the player's willingness to keep an open body shape to the ball and the field of play, and to be prepared to play the ball from this ready posture. Players who play on their toes, open to the ball and supporting players, with head up and awareness of what's happening all around them can be exceptionally successful at holding the ball.

Team Shape and Support

• Team shape must provide support at good passing angles to the sides, behind, and ahead of the ball ("width" and "depth"). The "third attacker" ahead must push forward to stretch the opponents to create space for the players with or near the ball to use.

• Everyone must work hard to support the ball. Some players must check away to drag defenders out of space, others should check to ball to support it. If everyone comes to or checks away at the same time, there is no support.

• Supporting players should open their body shape ("open body to field") so that hips and eyes face the field of play and the ball. Supporting players should be ready to receive the ball in a position to go forward or change direction on first touch. Players should never receive the ball with their back to support.

Creating and Using Space

• Players checking away from the ball, to drag defenders away and to create space, should bend their runs and look over their shoulder to be able to keep the ball in sight at all times.

• Players checking back to the ball should come at an angle to the ball to create good supporting angles, rather than checking straight to the ball.

Passing the Ball

• Against supported defenders, all passes should be to feet. All short passes should be on the ground. Only passes over 20 or 30 yards, depending on field conditions, should be lofted. (Once the point of attack is changed to reach an unsupported defender, the final pass is to space behind the defender.)

• Two or three short passes draw in the defenders toward the ball. A long pass, struck hard, should be used to split the defenders as they try to close down the ball. (In a match, this changes the point of attack.)

• Do not pass to unsupported players. For example, do not pass to a player in a corner with defenders in a position to close down the player before support can show to the ball.

Receiving the Ball

• The player receiving the ball should have a quick glance over the shoulder just before receiving the ball to know where the ball can be played on the first touch.

• The player receiving the ball should take the ball off the line of play and clean it up on the first touch, and then play it away on the second touch. Alternatively, playing the ball away accurately with one touch is good.

• After receiving the ball, open hips and body shape to the field to enable all passing options. Otherwise, player who received ball is limited to passing in predictable directions so that the defenders can apply great pressure to next player to receive ball.