Hockey: Creating Space to Receive the Ball

The player with the ball passes the ball square to the other attacking player. Upon receiving the ball player 2 runs laterally across the defender, staying just out of reach. In the meantime player 1 has to run diagonally into the space behind the defender. Player 2 has two options they can pass the ball into the space behind the defender for player 1 to run onto or player 2 can keep the ball and continue to run past the defender. Player 2 can pass at any time and must run to be available for the return pass from player 1.

Set out lines of cones in two different colours. One player always along the red line and the other always along the blue cones. Players pass the ball to the other player every time they reach a cone, culminating in a switching of sides and changing of passing order when they reach the final cone.

Practice starts with player 3 passing the ball to player 2. Who in turn passes the ball to player 1. Player 3 has run towards the top of the circle to receive the ball form player 1 and shoots at goal. Rotation of players - 1 moves to 2, 2 moves to 3, 3 moves to 1.

Moving back and forth between two cones players make straight and diagonal passes to each other while moving.

Player 1 passes to player 2, then 1 follows pass and receives the return pass from 2. Player 1 then gives the pass into the space for player 2 to run onto the ball and try and score a goal. Same both sides,try and pass each ball with a wall pass.

- Three lines - Ball starts in the middle - Player makes a pass and then runs behind the player they have just passed to - Periodic passing pattern - Finish with a shot at goal

- 5 yard square - 3 forwards and 2 defenders - Forwards must stay on the outside of the square - Defenders cannot leave the square or tackle the player in possession - Forwards around the square can move around - If a defender intercepts the ball, they should swap with the forward who made the pass

- 5 yard square - 3 forwards and 2 defenders - Forwards must stay on the outside of the square - Defenders cannot leave the square or tackle the player in possession - Forwards around the square can move around - Cannot dribble with the ball - If a defender intercepts the ball, they should swap with the forward who made the pass

Player 3 runs into the channel. At the same time player 1 passes the ball to player 2. Player 3 has to time the run, so they can run out of the channel once player 2 is ready to pass the ball, not before. Again it is important that player 3 should not have to slow down to receive the ball, and should take the ball while continuing to run and shoot at goal.

Player 1 starts dribbling, player 4 makes a move to the right/left and there is a short wallpass between 1 and 4. After containing the ball it is passed to palyer 2 and then they start off and player 1 takes their place, and so on.

*** AUDIO DESCRIPTION ON *** Objective : Players to be in the correct position when deflecting a ball at the back post. Purpose : Increase the chances of connecting with the ball and therefore scoring a goal. Set-up :  A midfield passer will start with the ball and wait for an attacker to make a run on the edge of the D.  Attacker will initially run towards the passer to show for the ball, then peel off, aiming their run towards the baseline. At this point, the passer will play the ball into the attackers path and the far post attacker will start their run towards the far post. Attacker with the ball will hit a cross in the direction of the far post. The far post attacker should be in a set position and attempt to deflect the cross into the goal.

This drill focuses on quick delivery of the ball into the circle. Midfielder passes the ball into player in a wide position who uses the pace of the pass to deflect the ball into an attacker making a run in the circle.  Attacker receiving the ball in the circle, should shape their run to create space where the ball is going to be played into. Attacker should then look to put a ball across the goal. 

2 players stand on the 23m line with a defender. The defender is only allowed to defend outside the 23m area. One player on the half way line starts with the ball. One of the attacking players on the 23m line runs to the back line and the other runs diagonally away from the defender and towards the player with the ball. If the defender runs with the player without the ball, the player with the ball can try to pass the ball through the created space to the player on the back line. However, if the defender stays in the space the player with the ball can pass the ball to the player running diagonally for that player to pass the ball to the back line (dog leg). Once the player receives the ball on the back line, the game switches around and the defender can now only defend inside the 23m area. Important to make the area at least 10 - 15m wide otherwise the defender can cover both options too easily.

2 teams try and score by running the ball into the scoring zone. Rules are: You can only pass the ball back of square. The defensive players are not allowed to go beyond the line of the ball. For the rest of the time, players can run with the ball and tackle.

The worker player makes a run around the outside of the channel. The passer times their pass so that the worker player can run onto the ball inside the channel. The worker player then dribbles out of the channel and into the circle for a strike on goal.

The defender is not allowed inside any of the 4 areas and can only try to intercept the ball. The players keeping possession can only pass the ball to empty areas, so therefore the players need to run out of their 'safe' box area to be able to receive the ball in that area.

- Players work in pairs - Approximately 5 yard line - One player leads, the other follows - The leader must move the ball up and down the line. The follower must remain in front of the leader

Pass and follow. Player 1 passes the ball to player 2. The third player must run one way and then back again through the cones before receiving the pass from player 2. Player 3 then continues to run forwards and finishes the move with a  shot at goal.

Players have to pass the ball around the outside of the square with only 3 players. To make this possible, the player after the pass has to move to the empty corner (any direction).

Player 1 passes the ball to player 2 and then follows his/her own pass. Player 2 then passes the ball back to player 1 for a wall pass into the space, for player 2 to run onto the ball and have a shot at goal.