Positional Game · GAME-PASS-L2
Passing the Knee Line
Rung two of the standing-vs-seated passing ladder. The top player starts with a near-side under-scoop on one leg and has to clear the knee line and pin — the second of the three lines, worked back from the finish.
Start position
POS-GRD-SUPINE
Round length
2:00 rounds
Reset rule
Reset when the top player confirms the pin or the bottom player re-guards. Role rotates after each reset.
Top wins by
Clear the knee line and secure a pin — chest-to-chest or chest-to-back control held for three continuous seconds without being re-guarded.
Bottom wins by
Re-guard — recover a limb between yourself and the top player before the pin is confirmed.
Game Description
The second rung. The top player starts with a near-side under-scoop grip on one leg and now has to clear the knee line — the middle of the three lines a pass crosses — and then pin. Having already learned what the finish feels like on rung one, the passer is solving a smaller, sharper problem: get past the knees and connect.
How to Run This Game
Setup: Bottom player flat on their back. Top player kneeling or based, near-side under-scoop on the near leg.
Top wins by clearing the knee line and sealing a pin (three-second chest-to-chest or chest-to-back, no re-guard). The principle is to flatten and bypass the limbs in the way — clear the leg line, then take the space.
Bottom wins by recovering a limb between the two of them before the pin lands.
Score: One point per pin or re-guard. Role rotates each reset.
Coaching Notes
The bottom player’s whole defence is putting limbs in the way, so the passer’s job is to remove or bypass them rather than fight through them. Reward passers who keep the bottom player flat — the flatter the defender, the less athletic they are, and the cheaper the pass becomes.
Progressions
Up the ladder: passing the ankle line starts the passer one line earlier, with only ankle control.