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Hockey: Retention of possession - 2v2v2

Excellent drills, very detailed videos. Useful site for my U15 boys...
Parry, U15 boys Hockey Coach

DESCRIPTION

2 teams combine to play 4 versus 2

  • All players must remain in the box
  • The attackers who lose the ball becomes the defenders
  • No first time passes
  • Push only no slap or hit passes

COACHING POINTS

To establish the understanding in players that they must scan for the position of the cover defender (avoiding focusing on the player closing them down).

Purpose:

For players to retain possession for five passes. If they succeed in doing this they score a point.

Player on the ball:

Step 1

  • Look at the position of the back defender
  • Which way is the cover defender moving?
  • Decide which player is free

Step 2

  • Move the defenders stick out of the passing lane by using disguise (pretending to pass to the marked player) "Look at the player you are NOT going to pass to"
  • The defenders will react by moving their sticks to intercept
  • Pass to your unmarked colleague

Players off the ball:

  • Both players must offer 'wide angled support' and therefore be available to receive thus giving passer two options, making the defenders job difficult

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OFTEN USED WITH...
4 v 2 in area | Warm-up Games

4 v 2 in area:

Players are trying to keep possession of the ball for as long as possible. Players inside the area can use the two players on the outside of the grid to help them keep the ball.

Warm-up Games
4 vs 4 Possession | Possession

4 vs 4 Possession:

Play keep ball. Teams need to keep possession for as long as possible or up to a set number of passes (first to 10 passes etc.)

Try and take the predictability out of the game by disguising where the ball is going and using sudden changes of pace and direction.

Possession
Catch a Stick | Possession

Catch a Stick:

3 v 1 - players with one ball between them. The players in possession have to pass the ball to each other while one player (white 1) attempts to catch the player in possession of the ball. On doing so, the player caught becomes the catcher.

Possession
Kabadi | Possession

Kabadi:

  • Set up with two teams, each team having their own area in which they keep possession by passing the ball around.
  • The other team can send one player across to try and win the ball for their side. If they manage to win possession the roles reverse and the other team passes the ball inside their own area.
  • The winning team is the first team to put 10 passes together without losing the ball.

    • Possession
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