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Is it possible to play too safe? Get on the Attack! Pass with Pace and Forward Vision

Is it possible to play too safe? Playing defensively can be sensible when up against strong opponents but unless you manage to score on the break your side will be unlikely to score. To get your side creating more chances this week we've got two full on attacking session for you and your team! Read on to learn more!

Improving Players' Passing Speed

Getting players to skilfully and accurately play one touch hockey is the holy grail for many coaches which is why in this session focuses on speedy, single touch passing.

Starting in a low pressure situation you can gradually increase the intensity as players need to pass under increasingly difficult situations - culminating in a fast passing final game.

By getting your players think one step ahead and look up they'll be able to weigh up their options so that when the ball comes to them they're ready to make the right decision!

Attacking Possession - Moving into Space

It's possible for a team to play great possession hockey without really making any actual progress in the attack - often choosing the easy pass by going sideways or backward.

Good attacking play requires vision and heads up hockey - your players need to know who's ahead of them so that they can play a clever and cutting through pass up the field.

To transform your team's possession into attacking opportunities you will need to encourage your players to make leading runs into space, look up to spot these runs and make the pass to cut through the opposition's defence. That's why in this session we're promoting the forward pass to launch the attack - with two moving for the pass drills, designed to get players attacking the goal, followed by a conditioned game of Joker in the Scoring Zone to allow them to put practice into play.

Put some Power in your passing! Two Sessions for players of all ages and abilities!

The key to keeping the ball is passing! That's why this week, to give your side the lion's share of the game's possession, we work on passing in two very different Sessions. Read on to learn more!

Junior Session: Power Passing with the Long handle pass on the move

A common complaint from coaches is that their players struggle with passing power when they are on the move - static passes are fine but when it comes to passing on the move they seem to struggle and often have their passes intercepted.

To put some power in their passes and get the ball cleanly from A-B this session works on the long handle pass - a simple and effective way to get your players sweeping the ball over long distances.

Senior Session: Defensive Passing - Moving the ball around the back

The second of this week's Sessions is designed to help your team practice positional play and improve their ability to patiently pass the ball around the back with confidence.

Quite often you'll see with teams that their defence treats the ball like a hot potato - trying to get rid of it as quickly as possible - hitting it aimlessly up field, often to the delight of their opposition!

However, if you teach your players to pass the ball around the back you can help your team to maintain possession, frustrate your opponent and pick out a better pass to a player further up-field.

Pre-Season preparation - Keep training hard!

Don't stop now! This week we're bringing you part 3 of your Pre-Season conditioning program - Written by a professional personal trainer specifically for getting hockey players ready for the fast approaching season - plus a 1 v 1 confidence building session! Read on to learn more!

Pre-Season Conditioning - Part 3

We continue to push your players hard, gradually increasing the intensity so that your players will be fit and ready for their first match. Using these sessions you'll be able to prepare your players, mentally and physically, for the new season. By building up their strength and stamina levels you'll be able to help your players avoid getting injured by preparing their muscles for demands of a full 70 minute long match.

From warm-up to cool-down this session explains every step of your training with detailed notes and images, enabling you to push your players hard to get them fit and raring for the approaching season.

• Have the confidence to run a fitness session with groups from 5 to 50 people
• No specialist equipment required

PLUS - each session comes with a handy A4 summary sheet for you print and take with you to the pitch.

Keeping possession in the 1 v 1 (turning away)

The second session this week works on the dribble dash; running at speed with the ball under control towards defenders, with the choice of either taking on their man on or turning away and passing the ball to a supporting player.

Keeping possession is one of the best ways to stifle and tire out your opposition. If they don't have the ball how can they score? That's the lesson in this week's session which works on close control whilst also getting players to weigh up their options and not simply run recklessly forward.

Cardio Fitness and Timing your Run Sessions: Pre-Season Sessions

Pre-Season is an important time for all teams! Your players should be getting to know one another and also be working on their all round fitness - making sure they're ready for the first whistle of the season! Help your team be ready for their first games of the season with part 2 of your Pre-Season conditioning program Read on to learn more!

Pre-Season Conditioning - Part 2

This week we continue to work on your players' strength, aerobic and anaerobic levels through interval training, improving their cardiovascular endurance - working on all the major muscle groups to help your players avoid getting injured and building the foundations for future development.

Hockey is a physically demanding sport and players require a blend of strength, power and muscular endurance. From warm-up to cool-down this session explains every step of your training with detailed notes and images, enabling you to push your players hard to get them fit and raring for the approaching season.

To really see a difference in your players' fitness though they will need to be working outside of training as well, just 20 minutes of physical exercise 3-5 times a week is enough to see an improvement in their general fitness levels.

• Have the confidence to run a fitness session with groups from 5 to 50 people
• No specialist equipment required
• PLUS - each session comes with a handy A4 summary sheet for you print and take with you to the pitch.

In next week's Conditioning session we increases the intensity again, reducing rest periods between exercises, so now would be the perfect time for your players to start taking responsibility for getting fit and ready for the season.

Looking for space and moving for the ball

The second of this week's sessions focuses on running to support the player on the ball, moving into space and timing your runs so that you arrive just as the ball does.

You may have one of the best players in your league on your side but they're only as good as the service they receive from their team-mates.

To get your team working as a well oiled machine we've put the emphasis of this session on all the players not in possession of the ball - so everyone can get involved.

However, we also recognise that sometimes the problem can be players running forwards without looking up and getting themselves into trouble. To put a stop to this foolhardy running we've included some exercises which restrict player's movement when they're on the ball - stopping your players from putting unnecessary pressure on themselves.

Working in small groups your players will need to move to create space for their team-mate to pass the ball around the defender. After a simple warm up we start adding new rules into the mix - restricting movement for the player on the ball. Their team-mates will have to work hard if they want to stand any chance of keeping possession when all the ball carrying player is allowed to do is pivot on the spot!

Try this complete possession keeping session with your players today!

Pre-Season Conditioning and Goal Scoring Session!

This week we've got two very different, but very exciting sessions for you and your team! To get them ready for the start of the new season we're working on all round fitness and positive passing! Read on to learn more!

	Pre-Season Fitness and Conditioning for Hockey
	Have the Best Season Ever! Starting from this week we're bringing you a weekly conditioning program for your team / club, written by a Professional Personal Trainer specifically for preparing your players for the season ahead. Now is the time to start building a base of aerobic stamina before you move onto lactic and speed training for hockey. Don't delay and miss the opportunity to start the season ahead of the opposition. We start the programme with 2 weeks of hour long conditioning programmes. Then continue later in the season with bite-size sessions, allowing you to either build a fitness and conditioning element into your weekly training sessions or continue by running a separate weekly conditioning session. No specialist equipment required Have the confidence to run a fitness session with groups from 5 to 50 people. Each session includes all exercises clearly explained with photos, plus the knowledge of how they relate to the game of hockey. PLUS - each session comes with a handy single A4 summary sheet for you print and take with you to the pitch.

Make sure you Score - Intelligent Passing!

This week's Sportplan session concentrates on getting your players to use clever and quick passing; playing the ball intelligently to progress up the field and pick out the perfect defence splitting ball.

Most teams are usually the same - when things are not going well players start to blame one another. It's always someone's fault - either player x isn't passing the ball at the right time or player y isn't making enough movement up front. All of this is fairly elementary and usually you'll find that the problem is x + y = a combination of the two.

To prevent negativity breeding negativity we've designed this positive passing session which works on releasing the ball at the right time rather than simply passing for the sake of passing. Of course, there's no formula for the perfect team but what does always help is practice. So why not try this games based session with your players today?

Ensure your players are passing with purpose, using the ball to outsmart the opposition and make sure they score!