Hockey: Depth, Fitness, Warming Up

In fours players are moving up a channel. The support runner (blue player in the animation) calls themselves into the line, receives a pass, offloads and repeats down the second channel.

• Ideally you would like your players to form a diamond: a ball carrier, support running left, support running right, and a support runner behind who can come onto the ball at any angle.

When the first group leaves the first channel, the second group should begin. That way there will always be activity.

Players should change their positions in the diamond.

Players line up at least 2 or 3 behind a cone.

1. The ball starts at one end with the player running up to the cone in front of him and passing to the next player waiting on the cone.
2. As a player has passed he must quickly run around the grid and fall back into position.

The Ball is constantly within the grid moving from right to left.

• Divide your players into groups of five, with one player acting as a running. Each grid will need a runner. The runner starts on the runners cone.
• You might wish to have two groups of five at each grid, and to have a quick demo before sending all the players to their own grids.
• Keep your player briefing, brief!
• The first five passers attack the runners line, passing the pass down the line as they go.
• The runner sets off as soon as the first ball carrier starts to move.
• The aim of attack is to score a try in the corner, beating the runner - so quick hands.
• Each player should realign following their pass, there will be two attacks for each group before they move the ball onto the next group.
• After the first attack the runner goes to their cones on the opposite side of the grid ready for the next attack. The attack begins when the first players picks the ball off the ground.
• Don't forget to change the runners.
• Move the runner cones in to progress the exercise and to put the attack under more pressure.

• Ball carrier goes forward, hitting in on the shield, turning to pop the call to a support player who passes the ball across the grid into the second channel for the first player in the opposite channel to take and advance on the the shield in their channel.
• They hit in on the shield, turning to pop the ball to a support player who then passes the ball to the next receiver in the first channel.
• Keep going, but don't forget to change the players on the tackle shields.