Hockey: Squeeze and Lift

- Player peforms a sharp change of direction, followed by a stick dink from hockey position, and finish with a one handed lift - Combining 2D and 3D skills together

- Use stick dinks to eliminate right angled blocks - Players practice using stick dinks in both directions in quick succession

- Performing a continuous stick dink - Practice 3D skills whilst moving in a linear fashion

- Perform multiple lifts on both sides over hurdles

Practising forehand and back hand lifts.

- Perform multiple lifts on both sides over hurdles

To do this skill the players should run to the left of each wooden stick and reverse stick drag the ball to their right, then forehand lift the ball, under control, over the wooden stick.

Lifting the ball over a stick or changing direction by lifting the ball is a 3 D skill. the lifting of the ball is much easier if there is a change of direction involved. In this video clip the player moves the ball left to right before lifting the ball over the hurdle. The forehand is set at a slight angle to the ball allowing the ball to be able to roll onto the stick and be lifted.

Lay out wooden blocks or sticks as shown. Lift the ball under control over the first block Aim is to read the bounce so you can continue to play the ball under control over the rest of the blocks/sticks

This is one of the hardest skills in 3D lifting the ball in the direction you are moving without a change of direction of the ball before. Try not to make the players try this as a first one because the ball will keep rolling away and the players will not be able to get there stick under the ball. Very important is that the player gets the stick as parallel and low to the ground ( pushing the top hand towards the pitch to lift the ball)

- Use right to left and left to right stick dinks to lift the ball over the wooden blocks

This is an example of the chop this is where the stick is hit on the back of the ball and the ball squeezes up between turf and stick and chops over the hurdle. Skill should occur outside/ wide of the body

- Perform a stick dink from left to right - White cone is a defender, red cones mark the range of their stick you are looking to lift over.

- Performing a squeeze on the reverse side - Useful to eliminate an overcommiting player

- Combining the reverse stick dink and squeeze motion - Perform the reverse stick dink on the red cones - Perform the squeeze on the blue

After beating a defender with a reverse lift it is important: 1.) Get back in control 2.) Cut-back behind the defender, effectively taking them out of the game. We are practising this with just cones but imagine; the space you want to be is likely to be behind the defender you have just beaten. It is also important to regain control quickly so you do not run off the pitch or into trouble.

- Performing a running lift down the line - Primary lift should be performed from standard playing position - Secondary and tertiary lfits should be performed in a one handed carry position - This will allow the ball to carried at a quicker pace

- This is an elimination lift, with a secondary touch taken in the air - An advanced skill which makes a mid air interception much more difficult - Allow the ball carrier the run in the same direction while moving the ball away and back around a defender

- Performing a lift on the reverse side - Useful when a player is being channeled - Set up a hurdle. Have the player drag the ball right to left, and then lift the ball over the hurdle