Running off the ball
Exercise 1
First and foremost I would start with a very easy exercise.
This has certainly been used in another drill but it is quite important. Why? Because to play in
"triangles" is the basis of every game like Hockey, football and so on!
During this exercise you need 4 players, 3 "moving" from one cone to another, in every direction
except across the square!!!
The one in the centre will be the defender (more of a donkey here although some people are so
skilful that they get the ball every time it is passed...).
Take 3 yards by 3. One ball.
Ask the players to pass the ball to one or the other player, the one in the centre must stay in the
centre at the beginning.
The aim is to make them "play" in triangles, to be placed so that they use that on the pitch as
well.
Exercise two
Another "easy" one...Here the coach has to insist a lot on some points. It is the practical
application of exercise 1.
A 3X1 in a limited area. The triangle must always be respected!
To play on one single line will not be allowed as it would (could) mean the loss of the ball.
This is the main point of the drill, the first aim to achieve.
Using triangles allows space to be created as the opponents will also move, it will allow players
more movement. I don’t have to explain a 3X1 any longer, unless you ask for it. The only rule will
be that the 3 attackers cannot go outside the limited area with the ball or when giving an option! It
is also very important. If running off the ball surely means: not all the players at once around it,
players have to learn to play in a very small area!
To start with, you can place the cones very far away from each other.
Exercise 3
This is a game. Not a simple one though.
The best way to achieve the aim of the whole drill will be to have 9 players a side. This will be
played on a half-pitch.
Divide the pitch in squares (with cones on the side and back lines).
Players on lanes A or B can only move in their squares (for the beginning anyway)
Players in the centre can move everywhere inside their lines. Either 1 or 2!
I like this exercise, however it cannot be done often. At some point, players could believe they
have one role on the pitch: to defend their own square! That would be a bad idea...
Some rules can be added to avoid this and if the first game is played as expected.
Players on B (for example) can change with A to help the one in the centre but you cannot have
the two defenders (A and B!) in the same square at the same time. If one has moved to the other
square, then, once he has received the ball, the other one has to change and go to the other
square.
Why such an exercise?
With the triangle practised in one, the aim is to learn how to (as we say in French) to "call for the
ball". To run towards it, to be placed so that an option is always available to the player with the
ball.
Although the immediate drawback would be that players would stay in their square to never move
during a game. The good thing is the respect shown towards the player with the ball. Everybody
wants the ball, it is frustrating to play a game and never touch the ball.
But you may learn that by being placed , or by simply marking your man, you directly contribute to
the movement of the ball and, sometimes, to the victory of your team.
To respect your fellow partners is vital, it shows that you are confident in them, that they are
confident in themselves and that, in turn, they can be confident in you.
Exercise 4
Play a normal game and ask to practice what has been tried during the training.
There is no such thing as players applying things they’ve learnt and that you (proudly) taught. (a
real pleasure indeed)
Ball Movement and Shadowing
Drill Objective
Attacker:
1.
2.
To move the ball laterally, then forward and backward, under strong control, while
maintaining vision of the field.
To improve footwork and balance while controlling and protecting the ball.
Defender:
1.
2.
To shadow the ball carrier, keeping the ball in front of your right shoulder.
To improve footwork and balance while shadowing the ball carrier and executing the
jab/poke tackle.
Equipment
Two players. One ball.
Setup
This drill can be set up anywhere on the field - to start, find a line with at least 15 yards of
space along it.
The two players, one attacker (with ball), and one defender (without ball) start opposite
each other on the line.
Explanation
Phase 1
Attacker: The attacker moves the ball laterally along her side of the line, and tries to get
a step ahead of the defender, who is shadowing. The attacker uses fakes/dummies to
make the defender go one way, then moves the other.
Defender:: The defender tries to stay within stick’s reach of the attacker. The defender
does NOT try to tackle at this point.
Phase 2
Defender: The defender is allowed to attempt “jab” or “poke” tackles at this point. The
defender can not move her feet over the line – only her stick.
Attacker: The attacker moves the ball, and watches the defender, trying to avoid the
tackle. The attacker must stay within stick reach of the line.
Phase 3
Repeat the above two skills, but remove the limitation of the line. The attacker can now
move back, forward, and laterally – the defender must stay within stick’s reach and
shadow the attacker’s movements.
The drill should be done for intervals of 30 seconds. Then rest for 30 seconds, switch the
players’ roles and repeat. Adjust the time according to fitness, but the players should be
performing skills while tired for the last 10 seconds of each set.
Keys to Success
Attacker:
1. Keep the ball well out in front of your feet. This will keep your knees bent and your eyes
up, so your peripheral vision improves.
2. Take small steps so you can change direction quickly at any point.
3. Use your stick and body to fake a movement one way, before going the other.
4. Look up and behind the defender frequently to see what is happening in the bigger
5.
picture – only very quickly, and then back to the ball. (this will get you into good habits so
you can see the field better in a game).
Keep your eyes on the defender’s stick. When she tries to jab, you have two options. 1.
Move the ball away quickly. or 2. If you don’t have time to move the ball, cover the ball
with your stick – this will protect your possession.
Defender:
1. Stay low and keep your eyes focused on the ball movement, not the stick or body.
2. Position your body with your left foot slightly ahead of your right. Keep your stick in both
3.
4.
hands in between your feet, and keep the ball in line with your right shoulder – this is a
strong position to start from to make a tackle.
Short, quick steps will allow you to change direction when you want. Avoid big lunges
unless you are certain of getting the ball.
To jab/poke tackle, wait until the ball is exposed or the attacker has momentarily lost
control. Jab with your left hand on the stick, a slight movement forward with the feet, and
then bring the stick back to protect your feet.
OTC tip: Throw in some fake jabs where you only move your stick halfway to the ball. This can
make the attacker lose control of the ball.
Progression
To advance this drill:
The attacker can lift the ball when she changes direction – this skills is difficult, but it will improve
the attacker’s ability to move and control a bouncing ball.
Permutations
You can make this into a fitness and footwork drill without stick and ball. The defender must
follow the attacker’s movements and try to stay within arm’s length. The players must wellbalanced on their toes to change direction quickly.
Evaluation
1. Count how many times the attacker get’s more than a stick length away from the
2.
3.
4.
defender. Keep score and count again when you switch.
As the attackers skills improve she will be able to increase her speed of movement
without losing control of the ball.
Count how many times the defender makes a successful jab/poke tackle, or the attacker
protects the ball.
The defender will improve her ability to stay within tackling distance of the attacker, and
she will improve the timing of her jab tackle.
Skills to the Goal
Drill Objective
To improve several specific individual skills including hitting, pushing, trapping, dribbling, and shooting.
To train movement to the ball when receiving.
To train team ball movement - transferring the play from one side to the other.
To develop fitness and improve skills when tired.
Equipment
Half the Field, 10+ field players, 1 goalkeeper, 20+ balls. 10 cones/markers.
Setup
The cones are setup as per the diagram below. Collect all the balls at Station 1 (White Cone)
Legend
Cone
Start of Drill
Goalkeeper
Dribble
Push/Aerial
Shot
Hit
Explanation
The drill starts with one player at every station, and a line-up of the rest of the players behind
station 1.
The first player in the line at station 1 begins the drill by passing to station 2. Station 2 passes
on to 3, and so on.
The player always follows his pass by sprinting to the next station. He then turns to receive the
next pass when he reaches the next station.
As soon as the first player has reached station 2, the next player in the line at station 1 starts
the next sequence with a pass.
When he has taken his shot on goal at station 6, he retrieves his ball and jobs back to station
1.
The drill should be continuous. If the players run out of balls, they should jog to collect them,
bring them back to station 1 and start again.
Run through the drill for 5 minutes at a time, rest for 2 minutes, then go for 5 minutes again.
Important skills for all stations
1. Sprint to follow your pass, then turn back when you reach the next station and look for
the next pass.
2. Move to the ball on reception. Don't wait for the ball to come to you.
3. Execute the specific skill quickly and cleanly.
4. Don't admire your pass - move on immediately, sprint to the next station.
Specific skills for each station:
1. Left Midfield - Simple push-pass:
Look and see where your teammate wants the ball, and execute an accurate push pass
to the right spot.
2. Left Wing - Move the ball forward, pull-back and switch play.
Show your teammate where you want the ball. Receive and move up the wing 5 yards.
Stop quickly, turn and cut back to the right. Look up, see your teammate at station 3 and
hit the ball quickly to him while you are on the move.
3. Center Midfield - Recieve, pull back and transfer play to right.
On your reception, pull the ball back towards your own goal (away from any potential
opponents). Look up and see your teammate at station 4. Stay low and scoop the ball
square to the right side.
4. Right Midfield - Receive scoop, control and give early to right wing.
Watch the ball carefully onto your stick, cushioning it and bringing it to control on the
ground as quickly as possible. Look up and see your teammate, and make a quick, short
push-pass up the line to the right wing.
5. Right wing - Receive pass, dribble through cones and cross.
Receive the ball and dribble through the cones on the right wing. Once through the last
cone, move the ball ahead, look up to see your center-forward, and cross the ball to him
at the top of the circle.
6. Center-forward - Lose defender, cut to ball, receive and quick shot.
As if you were being marked tightly, move/drift away from the top of the circle , then cut
back there towards the area where the pass will come. Recieve and shoot.
Keys for Success
Station 1.Left Midfield
Focus on Accuracy.
Station 2. Left Wing
Imagine you are being shadowed by a defender down the line. Your cut back must be sharp
and clean to keep the ball away from your opponent.
Station 3. Centre Midfield
The speed of your transition from the left to the right is crucial to shift the opposition's
defense. Keep your skills as tight as possible.
Station 4. Right Midfield.
Again speed is important. But if you try to rush your scoop reception, you'll miss it. So
concentrate on the ball, keep your knees bent - cushion and move with the ball as it comes.
Put your stick on the ball as quickly as possible when it hits the ground.
Station 5. Right Wing.
Keep your vision of the field even as you are dribbling through the cones. It is key to know
where your opponents are and your teammates in the circle.
Station 6. Center-Forward
Communicate with your winger - show him clearly where you want the pass. Two touch
receive and shoot - your first touch should put the ball in the right place - second touch
should be a shot.
Permutations
Reverse the drill by mirroring the stations exactly on the opposite side of the field. (Drill starts
on the right, switches to the left etc.)
Progression
To advance this drill:
Add in other more advanced skills at the stations.
For example: a lifted push-pass over a defender's skick; a reverse-stick shot on goal.
Evaluation
1. Watch individual skills and focus on clean execution. When a team is switching the play
2.
from one side of the field to the other, efficient individual skill execution is crucial. If
executed quickly, a switch will shift the defence and open attacking opportunities.
Notice how well a player can perform skills when he is tired. Performance in the last
minute of the intervals will tell you about a player's fitness and his ability to focus mentally
late in a game.
Diamond Drill 1v1 2v2
A simple drill for Receiving, Eliminating and Passing.
The players on the corners must stay in position.
Diamond Drill: 1 vs 1, 2 vs 2
O has the ball on the lower corner (see diagram), O in the middle moves to get away from his defender (X)
to receive a pass. O carries the ball to eliminate X, or to find a passing lane, then passes to O on the
opposite corner of the diamond. X in the middle tries to break up the play.
When the pass is successfully made to the opposite corner, the play continues, going back the opposite
way.
Score a point when the pass is completed successfully.
If X gets possession, the X’s attempt the same passing pattern. Rotate the players in the middle as
necessary.
Keys to success:
Sharp ball movement to receive the ball
Deceptive passing.
Basic Dribbling Circuit
Dribbling Circuit
1. Dribbling into a figure of eight using the front stick: - This drill helps the youngsters in accelerating turns
when it is necessary. It is important that they always use the front stick.
2. Dribbling 2 wide cones: - This drill needs a lot of attention. The youngster should know how to use the
reverse stick properly. You start running towards the left hand cone and than change the direction towards
the right.
3. This is a simple curved Indian dribble.
4. Dribbling with the aid of the board
5. Again as no.2 the youngster should have a good reverse stick.
6. Simple dribbling on the front stick.
It is important to remember that it is an ONLY dribbling circuit, you can vary it as you like.
Coaching Drill: 5v0 to 4v1 in Adjacent Circles Game
x3
July 1, 2002
Jeff Harding
> Page Views 20175
This is a great game that your athletes will really enjoy playing. It is competitive,
challenging, fast paced with possession hockey, vision and decision making skills
emphasized.
Planet Field Hockey
Organization: Set up to 2 large circles(use different color disk cones if available)20 yds in
diameter next to each other. Leave a 2 yd space between each circle so they are not
connecting. Divide your players into 2 teams.
Total amount of time: 20 - 25 minutes
Substitutions: rotate after each point is scored.
Size of area: 2 x 20 yd in diameter circles that are adjacent to each other. Leave a 2 yd space so
they are not connected.
Skills emphasized: Passing and receiving on the move, 1 touch passes with inside/outside
out combinations, Off the ball movement,vision, decision making skills and verbal and non verbal
communication.
The "Game": Team "A" moves the ball hard in their circle with no pressure(5v0). Players are
encouraged to interchange positions, alter the pace of their movements, be agile and
communicate.
Team "B" is performing the same skills in their circle.
On coaches whistle, 1 player from each circle sprints across to challenge the remaining group or
4 players (4v1).
The 1st defender to dispossess the ball and clear it from the circle will earn her/his team a point.
Teams remain at the same circle through the entire game.
The team with the most points after regulation time wins.
The losing team has to put all the equipment away after this training session!
Objectives:
1. Retain possession!
2. Never be stagnant. Once you stop moving you allow the defender to close and increase their
opportunity to obtain the ball.
3. Create new space, find different space to support...young players seem to always want
to remain in their "comfort zone" not wanting to move.
4. Move with a purpose, not just for the sake of moving. Read and listen to each other.
5. Most importantly...have fun....try to skills...be creative...and never let the other squad beat you!
Go to Country
Coaching Drill: Triangles, switching the ball and following the action
x25
July 20, 2002
Jools Autret
> Page Views 49574
Hi everyone, here is a new drill…It is true that I have done nothing for a
while but I was away. I am back, and this drill is about how to use triangles
and how to “follow” the ball, because once you have passed the ball, the
next thing to do is not to watch what is going on, but rather you have to
make sure that you will keep providing your partners with options.
Triangle play 1
It is important to know how to receive and then to distribute the ball. By
passing and receiving, you will create space, the quicker, the better and the more precise you are, the more
beneficial it will be.
A good way to make the passes is to play in triangles.
Triangle play 1
In this exercise everybody has to pass and follow the action, therefore everybody remains active and has
to be aware of the timing between the different actions.
Red = slap
Light blue = push
Dark blue = hit
Dotted yellow = running
Black = the players has to chose the best passing or even try to score, it will depend on how the goalie is
placed.
A player on each cone.
Pink player = player 1
Light blue player = player 2
Brown player = player 3 (never moves but has to make sure he respects the timing)
Red player = Centre mid who is always there (can be the coach but it is a good position to practise
receiving and passing and timing and also to organise therefore I would recommend that people playing in
defence or in the midfield should take that role)
Remember that during a game you won’t always switch from left to right, you may in fact go back
towards the left as the right hand side will be locked!!!
Player two will in fact change at every round as players go from one cone to another.
Red player will be here to receive and pass the ball.
start= black cone with two players at any time (pink and blue), then player 1 goes to red cone, then goes
to blue cone then “waits” and calls for the ball so that player 3 on brown cone pushes the ball towards
him. Then he drives the ball along the side line and follows a “J scheme” and enters the D along the back
line to finally deliver the ball to a player who will stay there but will have to run towards the ball from the
left hand side and respect the timing when receiving the ball at the top of the D.
Once you think players have understood, you may work on the other side, you may also include some
defenders.
Triangle play 2
Here, easy situation, “pass and go” situation.
Red passes to blue (slap or hit or push), blue drives the ball down the side line, passes to pink who passes
to red who deflects the ball for black who has to be in time to receive the ball to then drive it down the
side line, along the back line for a back pass to pink. A man on each cone at every time a group starts.
You can even start the whole action from the black player.
**********
Attack/Defence situation and triangles.
Divide the pitch in two.
Two defenders
One GK
4 attackers
Triangle play 3
you have to make sure that the ball doesn’t cross the line in the middle. The reds have to play a zonal
defence organised by the keeper.
The blue have to play in triangles to make sure they take over the two defenders. It seems easy to score
and easy to do…But I can guarantee all coaches they will have to shout…
Obviously on the other side, you
may organise either games, or another situation with 4 attackers again and another pair of defenders.
Notice that the black line does not cross the D…meaning that area is free of limits.
**********
A very good way to work on this “pass-and-follow” exercise is to do the following:
Pass and follow
I put 6 cones, you can put more obviously, the blue arrow represents a pass, either a push or a slap, even a
hit but it takes more time…The yellow doted line represents the running of the player who passed the ball.
To start this exercise you need a player on each cone, once you have passed, you run towards the next
cone and you receive and pass to the next, and you follow the ball again by going to the next cone and so
on…This exercise has several aims:
1. quick and precise passes;
2. follow the action in order to give an (potential) option;
3. to look up.
Obviously, these ideas can be used in many different exercises, they are just tips to use in other trainings.
To play in triangles is, in my opinion, vital. Unlike football, we cannot really use aerial balls for they may
be dangerous or difficult to use or even to imprecise. Triangles have a serious advantage which is that it
allows movement, it allows the players to change position without disorganising the way people play as,
nowadays, it is more secure to have people who can play everywhere with a large range of skills. But
skills will never change the power of team work!!!
1 vs 2 - Possession Under Pressure
x17
January 3, 2000
Andrew Griffiths
> Page Views 23245
Planet Field Hockey
Drill Objectives:
Defender:
1.
2.
To improve defender's possession and distribution skills under pressure.
To train decision-making under pressure.
Attackers:
1.
2.
To train defensive skills - footwork, body and stick positioning to force a turnover.
To improve communication and decision-making in tandem with another attacker.
Equipment:
4 Field Players, 5 balls, 4 cones.
Setup:
Mark out a small 10m x 10m area with lines or cones.
Legend
Target Player
Attackers
Defender
Pass
Pressure
Pressure Area
Explanation:
1.
2.
3.
4.
The ball is hit or flicked in by the Target Player towards the defender in the Pressure
Area. As soon as the ball has entered the Pressure Area for the first time, the two
attackers can also enter the area.
The defender's objective is to receive and control the ball, in a strong position.
The defender must then Pass back to the Target Player, or if the pass to the Target
Player is blocked, the defender should keep possession, and either carry the ball out of
one of two boundaries of the Pressure Area, or earn a foul from one of the attackers.
The attackers' objective is to put intense pressure on the defender, blocking the pass
back to the Target player, and trying to steal the ball without giving up a foul or letting
the defender carry the ball out of the Pressure Area.
This drill should be repeated 10 times, and then the players should collect the balls and rotate
positions.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Get the ball in a strong position as early as possible, ideally with your first touch.
Keeping your stick on the ball, continue to look up and see the positioning of the
attackers - this will help you to find an open pass. Don't take your eyes or stick off the
ball for long if the attackers are close.
Use the space available to you - move back or to the side to give yourself time on the
ball.
If the attackers are closing in, use your stick to protect the ball.
If an attacker lunges for the ball and over-commits, use the opportunity to dump the ball
onto his foot, or put it through his legs and force the obstruction. *Be careful of your
positioning when you do this - if you dump the ball too far, the other attacker may be
waiting.
Attackers:
1.
2.
3.
Make sure you work with each other to put the most effective pressure on the defender.
Between you, cover the width of the Pressure Area, but don't get caught square with
each other. One attacker should close to within stick's reach of the defender, and the
other should be further back to stop a pass or pick up the ball/defender if the first
attacker gets beaten.
This goes hand-in-hand with point 1. Communicate with the other attacker: eg. "Watch
the pass through your left foot." It is usually the attacker furthest from the defender who
has time and vision to do the talking.
Stay low, keep your feet moving - short, quick steps - and keep your stick out in front of
you to. If the defender takes his stick or eyes off the ball to try and make a pass, you
need to be ready to take the ball.
OTC tip:
Evaluation:
1.
2.
Keep score: The defender scores a goal each time he gets the ball back to the target
player, earns a foul, or carries the ball forward and out of the Pressure Area. The
attackers score a goal if they gain possession, or earn a foul against the defender, or if
they force the ball cleanly off the side or back of the Pressure Area.
Watch how the defender reacts to the pressure during the drill. Under intense pressure,
he should still be calm, skills under control.
Shooting with Fitness
December 20, 1999
Andrew Griffiths
> Page Views 17331
Planet Field Hockey
Drill Objectives:
Shooter:
1.
2.
To improve shooting accuracy.
To maintain shot quality when tired.
Goalkeeper:
1.
2.
To work on saving straightforward shots when tired.
To improve recovery when out of position.
Equipment:
1 Field Player, 1 Goalkeeper, 5 balls, 2 cones.
Setup:
The shooter starts on a cone at the top of the circle with 5 balls. There is another cone
5 yards to the shooters right.
The goalkeeper starts in the middle of the goal. There is a cone five yards to the
goalkeepers left on the goal-line.
Legend
Cone
Balls
Run
Shot
Keeper
Explanation:
Shooter
1.
2.
The shooter dribbles the ball around the cone to the right and back to the top of the
circle. There, he carries the ball around the cone turns his body and shoots forehand. If
there is a rebound that stays in play, he plays the ball until it is in the goal or out of play.
He then gathers the next ball and repeats, until the final ball is played.
Goalkeeper:
1.
2.
The Goalkeeper runs to the cone at the side, touches it with his stick, and returns to
make the save. He plays the rebounds as above.
When the shooter picks up the next ball, the goalkeeper repeats step one until the balls
are finished.
The players then rest and gather the balls to the top of the circle.
The drill should be repeated but mirrored on the opposite side of the field.
Run through the set of five balls twice on each side.
* For this drill to be effective, the drill should work so that the shot is taken as the goalkeeper is
getting back into position. It should challenge the shooter to take advantage of the keeper being
unprepared for the shot, and challenge the goalkeeper to make saves when he doesn't have
time to get in the correct position.
Keys to Success:
Shooter:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Keep the ball well out in front of your feet. This will keep your knees bent and your eyes
up, so your peripheral vision improves and you can see where the goalkeeper is.
Take small steps when you turn around the cone so you can change direction quickly.
Small steps will also help you turn quickly to shoot when you get to the top of the circle.
Look up when you're getting ready to shoot - see where the goalkeeper is and where
you want to place your shot.
Start to turn your body for the shot (short, quick steps) as you approach the shooting
cone - don't wait until you have passed it. This will help you release the shot more
efficiently.
Concentrate on ball control when you get tired, and hit the ball smoothly. Don't try to kill
the ball - your shot will be more effective if you focus on a smooth, quick shot.
OTC tip:
If the goalkeeper has not recovered to a ready position when you are shooting, shoot for the
opposite post from where the keeper has come from. If the keeper is back in position, shoot for
the other side - the post where the goalkeeper has come from; a keeper will often
overcompensate to the opposite side when trying to recover quickly.
Goalkeeper:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Sprint to the initial cone as fast as possible. When you make the turn back to the goal.
Focus on the ball immediately and keep you eyes on it. This will force you into the
proper position.
When moving back to the goal, attempt to get between the ball and the goal as soon as
possible. Do not chase the ball.
If you get to the goal before the attacker is ready to shoot, move towards the ball to cut
down the angle.
If you do not get into an optimal position, make sure you are in a set position when the
attacker shoots. This will allow you to react to the shot.
Progression:
To advance this drill:
Shooter: Replace the forehand shot with a reverse stick shot.
Goalkeeper: Shorten the distance to the cone and on every shot force the attacker in a one vs
one situation.
Permutations:
Move the Shooter's cones in closer towards the goal, and replace the hit on goal with a push or
flick.
*If the drill is too easy for either the shooter or the goalkeeper, adjust the distances that either
player has to run to balance the timing.
Evaluation:
Shooter: Keep track of number of shots on goal, and number of goals.
Compare this from practice to practice. The players should soon be getting every shot on goal,
and positioning of the shot should improve.
Goalkeeper: The keeper should improve his lateral movement
The keeper should increase his speed and focus when tired
Go to Country
Quick Release Shooting: Flick or Wristshot
x5
October 24, 1999
Andrew Griffiths
> Page Views 15056
Drill Objective
To release a quick wrist-shot or flick at goal to beat the goalkeeper.
To learn to look early to see where the goal and goalkeeper are.
Planet Field Hockey
Equipment
Goal. Two players. At least 10 balls. 3 cones. Goalkeeper/Goal targets.
Setup
The target player, or shooter, starts by a cone in the middle of the circle: the
central cone. Close to the penalty spot is a good starting point.
The passer stands, with the balls, by a cone on one side of the circle (on left in
diagram below) – about 10 yards from the shooter.
There is another cone, two or three yards away from the shooter, on the
opposite side from the passer: The decoy cone (on right in diagram below).
Legend
Cone
Run
Pass
Shot
Explanation
1.
Movement and Preparation.
The shooter sets up on the central cone. He drifts slowly to the decoy cone, then cuts back
towards the central cone (and towards the player with the ball). As he does this, he:
·
2.
The Reception.
As he receives the ball, he pushes it with the first touch into the space away from the
defender. In the practice there is no defender there, but "away from the defender" usually
means "away from the goal". As the ball moves into the space, the shooter moves his feet
and body into position to flick the ball at goal.
3.
The Release.
The shooter releases the shot. The primary target should be low in one corner of the goal if
the goalkeeper is standing. But this may change if the shooter has seen that the goalkeeper
is out of position, or on the ground.
4.
Follow-up.
The shooter follows the shot towards the goal to pick up a rebound. If there is no rebound,
he drifts again to the decoy cone, and begins the drill again.
The shooter should work in sets of 10. Recovery can consist of jogging to get the balls and
setting them up with the passer again.
The second set should be from a different angle. If the first set of balls was passed in from
square on the right side of the circle, pass the next set in from directly behind the shooter (top of
the circle). The next set can be passed in from the left side.
The different angles allow the shooter to understand receiving and positioning the ball from
different passes.
1.
Movement and Preparation.
The shooter’s initial movement is designed to take a marking defender away from the play.
The shooter should change speed as well as direction when he hits the decoy cone. The
first two steps will lose the defender.
Looking up to see the goal is crucial at this stage. Get into this habit in practice. The shooter
will see where the spaces are developing.
2.
The Reception.
The key to receiving the ball well is cushioning and directing the ball. This is easier to do
when the shooter is lower to the ground. Bent knees will act as shock absorbers, and help
to cushion the ball. As you will see on the release, the shooter must be low to execute a
powerful flick – if the shooter is already low on the reception, it will subsequently take less
time to shoot.
As the shooter receives the pass, he directs the ball, moves his feet and turns his body at
the same time in preparation to shoot.
3.
The Release.
A quick release is essential. This has been made easy with a good reception, but no time
can be wasted in tight situations in the circle. It is better to get a quick weak shot away than
to leave the ball open for a tackle.
The shooter has already looked at the goal, and knows where the goalkeeper is moving. He
shoots into the corner where the goalkeeper isn’t!
Low body position will allow the shooter to transfer power from his legs into the shot. A
strong torso rotation will also supply power.
Follow through with the stick, arms and body towards the goal.
OTC tip If in doubt on where to shoot, aim low inside the far post. If the goalkeeper makes the
save, it is likely that there will be a rebound.
4.
Follow-up.
After the shooter releases the shot, he should continue with his momentum towards the
goal. He will be first to the rebound in the game.
Progression
To advance this drill:
1. Increase the number of shots in each set from 10 to 12, or more. And/or increase
2.
3.
4.
the number of sets.
The passer feeds a bouncing ball to the shooter, to control and shoot.
Add a passive defender, to shadow the shooter and ensure correct ball control.
Add an active defender.
Permutations
The framework of this drill can be applied to hitting on goal (both the regular hit and choke hit).
Just increase the distances of the pass and shot (the hit on goal should be taken from near the
edge of the circle).
Evaluation
1.
2.
Set a target for number of goals the shooter can aim for on each set. Because
the aim of the drill is to develop quick release skills, only count goals that are scored on
a quick shot. If the first touch is not right, and the ball rolls away, the defender will get it
in a game. If the shooter stops the ball and takes too long preparing to shoot, the
defender will get the ball in a game. Practice should reflect the game, so No Quick
Release, No Goal.
Watch how early the shooter prepares for the shot. Encourage the shooter to move his
feet into a shooting stance as early as possible.
Go to Country
Deflections from the Midfield
x12
June 7, 2000
Andrew Griffiths
> Page Views 17186
Planet Field Hockey
Drill Objective:
To execute a first time deflection on goal from a hard midfield pass
Equipment:
20 balls (the more the better), 5 players
Set Up:
Balls start on the 25 yard line, slightly to the left of the goal as you look at it. One player starts
close to the goal on the opposite side. The rest of the players line up by the balls.
Legend
Midfielder
Forward
Goalkeeper
Pass
Run/Dribble
Explanation:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The first player (midfielder) in line picks up the ball, dribbles to his left around a cone
and looks up to make eye contact with the forward.
The forward makes an initial movement away from the ball towards the far goalpost,
and watches the midfielder, looking for eye contact.
The midfielder hits a hard pass towards, or just outside, the far post to hit the attacker.
The forward cuts back towards the ball and makes contact with the ball near the
penalty stroke spot, deflecting it at the goal.
The midfielder follows his pass and becomes the forward for the next shot. The forward
goes to the back of the line at the 25.
Keys to Success:
 - Midfielder: when you look up and make eye contact with the forward after rounding
the cone, release your hit quickly. In a game you won’t have much time to make the
pass.
 - Forward: jog slowly towards the goal with your initial movement – almost drifting –
then cut back sharply almost directly towards the ball when you know the pass is
coming. This movement will get you a step ahead of the defender.
 - Forward: Stay low with your body and stick as you cut back to the ball – you will
need to be in a low position to make the deflection.
 - Forward: Aim for the far post with your deflection
OTC tip: If the pass comes in the wrong place and a deflection will be very difficult, trap
the ball and flick at goal.
Progression - To advance this drill:
 - Aim your deflections for different corners of the net
 - Reverse the drill so the ball is being hit from the right side of the goal (as you look at
it) to a forward coming from the left.
Evaluation:
Midfielder: Look at the smoothness and speed of transition from the
stickhandling/dribbling to the pass
Forward: Aim to get every shot on goal
One of the greatest challenges faced by any sports coach is finding ways to
keep practices fresh without sacrificing skill development. This can be especially
true for field hockey coaches due to the high degree of technical skills needed
to play the game successfully. Field hockey athletes can easily become bored
or frustrated when they are forced to practice the same drills. Adding some
competitive fun to drills not only helps your players perfect their skills, it provides
a break from the routine and an opportunity to build team camaraderie. The
following are three drills which challenge players to improve their abilities, but
can be modified to add some fun.
Wave drill
This drill trains your offense to communicate and work together to create scoring
opportunities in the circle. It can also be a great conditioning drill for
goalkeepers. Start off with one goalkeeper in the cage and no other defense.
Have your players create three lines at the 25-yard line: one in the middle of the
field and another line of players between the middle line and each sideline.
These lines should be single file and perpendicular with the 25-yard line. The first
players in each line will form the three-person offensive team for the drill.
Next, select two to four players to “feed” the ball into the offensive team. These
should be the players who would typically take free hits from the sideline into the
other team’s scoring circle. Place an even number of these players (and a large
supply of balls) near each sideline roughly halfway between the 25 yard line and
the end line. During this drill, the feeders should focus on making strong lateral
hits across the scoring circle without lifting the ball.
Instruct one feeder (either side) to drive the ball horizontally across the field.
Their shot should not be aimed at the goal cage or the other players. As this shot
is taken, the first girl in each of the three lines should begin running towards the
cage to intercept the shot.
Whichever player is in the best position to receive the ball should do so, and then
decide whether to take the shot or pass to one of the other players. The other
two players should be setting themselves up near the cage and constantly
communicating the pass opportunity to the player with the ball.
The drill is over when a goal is scored, the ball is hit out of bounds over the end
line, or if the goalkeeper clears the ball outside of the scoring circle. The three
offensive players should jog back to the 25-yard line and each take a place in the
back of one of the lines. The feeders then send another ball across and the next
three players in line run out to intercept it. Repeat until all players have had an
opportunity to run the drill from different lines and the feeders have had an
opportunity to take shots from both sides of the field.
This drill can be modified to meet your team’s needs. For example you could
require that the players in the circle pass the ball before shooting, or you could
have your feeders alternate between drives and push passes so that the field
players must react to different shots. Once the field players have mastered the
drill, try adding one or two defensive players to make scoring harder and promote
good communication between the goalkeeper and defense. Running the drill a
few times with the same teams of players and seeing which team can score the
most goals can add some fun competition and keep the players focused.
Rapid Fire
While this drill is predominately used to train goalkeepers, it can also be used as
an opportunity for field players to practice their shooting skills. Each player
should select one ball and then position themselves along the scoring circle and
facing the goal cage. Encourage them to spread out along the circle so that the
goalkeeper can field shots from a variety of angles. Designate the first player on
either side of the circle as the starter for the drill. On your command, this player
should drive a hard shot towards goal, which the goalkeeper must attempt to
stop. Immediately after the goalkeeper makes the stop (or a goal is scored), the
next player in line takes a shot giving the goalkeeper very little time to react and
make the save. This quick succession of shots should continue around the circle
until all the players have taken a shot. After the last shot is taken, instruct your
players to quickly collect their ball and return to a different spot around the circle.
It is essential to remind your players not to retrieve their balls until after the last
shot is taken, because they could be injured by an incoming shot if they attempt
to collect the ball while the drill is in progress.
When the players are ready, run the drill again but with variations. For example,
ask the players to alternate between hard drives, push passes or lifted shots at
goal. This will allow players to practice different shooting techniques and will
require the goalkeeper to react to unexpected shots. Another option is to have
each shot come from alternating sides of the circle. This will force the goalkeeper
to quickly move to different sides of the cage and prepare to make the save with
little recovery time. Regardless of which shot your players use they should
emphasize on making quick, strong shots that are aimed at the goal. Make it fun
by having the goalkeeper challenge the players to score a certain amount of
goals. If they meet the challenge, allow them to chose the next drill or allow the
goalkeeper to choose if the correct number of goals is not scored.
Pass or Pay
This competitive drill is designed to perfect the team’s passing game and to
create and recognize passing opportunities during a game. Use cones or field
markers to create two side-by-side grids which are 15 by 15 yards each. Select
12 players and divide them into three teams of four players. Designate two of the
teams as offense and assign one team to each grid. The remaining team is
defense and should be split so that two defenders are positioned in each grid.
When set up properly, there will be four offensive players and two defensive
players in each grid. To keep the drill from becoming confusing, ask the
defensive players to wear a colored practice jersey.
One of the offensive teams starts with ball and uses small passes with the other
offensive players to keep the ball away from the defenders in that grid. The
defenders can challenge the ball and passes in order to force the offensive
players to make smart passes in pressure situations. After the offense
successfully completes three or four passes in their own grid they must use a
long pass to send the ball to the offensive players in the other gird. This first pass
cannot be challenged by a defender, but once the pass is received the ball may
be played by anyone. The offensive players receiving the pass must then try to
complete three or four successful passes before sending the ball back to the
other grid.
If a member of the defense wins possession of the ball, the offensive team that
lost the ball must sprint to a designated area somewhere on the field and “pay”
for their mistake. The punishment should be some sort of conditioning drill (pushups, sit-ups, etc.) that the winning defensive team decides upon. When the
punishment is complete, the four offensive players sprint back to the grid and
become the new defenders (two in each grid) and the four defensive players take
the place of the losing offensive team.
The size of the grids or teams in this drill can be adjusted to fit the number of
players on your team, and you can always add new challenges by creating pass
restrictions or time limits. This is an excellent drill to develop your team’s passing
skills in high-pressure situations and encourages players to communicate and
work together. Allowing the players to give out the punishment creates a greater
incentive to win and provides a bit of fun to a challenging drill.
These are just a few of the drill options available for field hockey coaches. Don’t
be afraid to get creative and design your own drills or ask other coaches for
ideas. There are also numerous drills available on the internet and in training
materials available for purchase from field hockey specialty stores. Asking your
players to share drills they have learned from sports camps can be a great way
to get new ideas and helps players feel that they are contributing to the coaching
process. Remember that as a coach, you can never learn too many drills. A large
repertoire of drills will ensure that your players are well-conditioned and never
bored at practice.
Before starting any sports practice or game, you must make sure to run a thorough warmup that gets players both physically and mentally ready to play. A good warm-up routine
includes both a cardiovascular component such as running and a series of stretches that
highlight the muscles used most during the sport in question.
The following field hockey warm-up drills are an excellent addition to any warm-up
routine since they emphasize the basic skills of the game while getting the joints moving
and the blood flowing to avoid later injury.
One thing I’ve noticed in my years of coaching field hockey is that players hate running
laps. So at our field hockey practices we’ve replaced running laps with a 5-minute long
version of freeze tag. Tag is an excellent way to get players running around while
keeping their minds more active than if they were simply running laps around the field.
After the cardiovascular section of your warm-up is completed, it is time for the
stretching. I like to start off with head rolls and neck stretches and make my way down. If
you have no experience leading a stretching routine, don’t hesitate to contact other
coaches or a certified yoga instruction for some guidance on which stretches are not to be
missed for your field hockey team.
Hits and Misses
Once you’ve finished stretching your team’s muscles, it is time to begin the field hockey
warm-up drills. When selecting drills for your warm-up, look for simple drills that
emphasize the basic skills of the game without pushing players too far—save that for the
conditioning drills!
The first warm-up drill I like to use at my field hockey practices is a basic hitting drill,
since the hit is hockey’s most basic and useful skill. For this hitting drill, I divide my
team into partners and have them stand facing each other 10 feet apart to start off with.
When running this and all other warm-up drills, the emphasis is on perfect form. For
example, when hitting it is important to make sure the player’s hands are firmly together
near the top of the stick. Use the hands and wrists to bring the stick backwards, and the
goal should be to hit the lower half of the ball when the stick is brought back down.
Don’t forget to follow though with the stick after the hit is completed. Another thing to
remember is to keep the feet parallel to the direction you want the ball to go.
I have my players hit back and forth for 2 minutes at this distance, then I blow my whistle
and have each player back up one giant step, repeating this process two more times
before moving on to the next drill.
Push Pass Perfection
The next of the field hockey warm-up drills focuses on the push pass, which is a better
way than hitting for moving the ball over large distances. Using the same partners as
before, have your players stand anywhere from 20 to 40 feet apart and push pass to each
other.
The form of the push pass differs slightly from that of the hit. For the push pass, players
are to place their left hand near the top of the stick with the right hand further down.
Keeping their eye on the ball with their knees bent, players are to shift their weight from
the back foot to the front as contact is made with the ball. As with the hit, make sure to
follow through completely. The follow through is complete when the stick is pointing
towards the direction of the pass.
About The Author
Blair McKinney has been playing and coaching field hockey for nearly 28 years. You can
get instant access to hundreds of field hockey practice plans and drills by visiting Blair's
website:
http://www.Field-Hockey-Drills.com
For a limited time, all coaches who visit Blair's site will also get a free copy of his special
report: "The 7 Biggest Mistakes Field Hockey Coaches Make".
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Blair_McKinney