Hockey: Long Handled Slap

- Receiving the aerial ball on the reverse side - Looking to cushion the ball onto the front foot. This will allow the attacker to move off quicker

- Receiving the aerial pass - The body should be put behind the ball - Ball should be taken on the head of the stick - Once the initial aerial has been cushioned, the ball should be steadied quickly to allow the next pass to be played quickly

Receive ball in front of the right foot with weight on right foot in order to pass ball in either direction. Eyes should watch the ball onto the stick and players should "Cushion" the ball with soft hands on receipt (stick moves back a little to give as the ball is received). As players improve they should have some idea of what they will do next having looked (scanning before they control the ball) they may pass left or right or run with the ball etc. 1st touch is also important because it allows you to put the ball where you want to use it next. Balance as ball is received, prepare early to pass ball and move away with ball as mentioned above.

In pairs 1 ball passing the ball up and down a channel.

- Receiving the aerial ball whilst moving forward - Player is running towards opposition goal whilst receiving an overhead

In pairs with one ball Player doing the skill has feet pointing forward and has to twist to receive the ball behing the feet.

on the reverse stick side running into space

Two touch receive the ball with the forehand first touch the ball in a position from wich the player can continue to have a quick flick at goal.

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

Setup the practice as shown. Player 1 runs at the left cone and then drags the ball across their body from their reverse stick side to their open stick. Player 1 then goes around the cone before passing the ball to the next player.

- Moving the ball from left to right

Put 2 cones about 1 meter apart. Place the ball by the left cone (9 o clock). Get the players to start in the middle and step out with their left foot towards the ball and put the stick by the ball in a reverse stick position. Then get the players to return left foot back to the middle and repeat the exercise. Could be done to rhythm (maybe use music)

This next practice does the same as the previous practice but this time after stepping out with the left foot the player should pretend to drag the ball to the cone on the opposite side (3 o clock) and turn the stick back to the forehand side

Next get the player to transfer the ball starting from the middle step out to the ball and turn the stick Transfer the ball across to the other cone and turn the stick back and stop the ball.

This time the player should start with the ball in the middle. The player should start the skill by dragging the ball towards the left cone before dragging the ball to the right cone and run forward

Reverse stick at this level the reverse stick is used to transfer the ball from left to right and not as a separate technique

To finish the skill progression you can put out a pretend player with a flat stick and get the player to do a double drag or a lift the video shows a double drag