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How teach defense match-up zone roles to U13?

Hi, I have a complicated set of questions which shows my limited understanding of field hockey. Iâm coaching a U13 team of 22 girls in the U.S., and each player has at least one year of experience. Iâve played FH only with my kids though I have a basic understanding of the game and its concepts from playing soccer and basketball, and watching games for many years. I've coached kids in other sports, this is my first year coaching field hockey. (If youâre wondering why Iâm coaching, no parent in my community with playing experience would step up and my daughter loves the game.)A warming: This is a long set of interrelated questions but your taking the time will be greatly appreciated. Problem: The core problem is responsibility conflicts on defense. My players understand concepts of zone and marking separately. I donât know enough to explain how they should manage the two responsibilities in field hockey. I âget itâ by playing other sports for so long and therefore am able to see how they arenât âgetting it.â For clarity, I have in mind two kinds of offense players: OP1 (has the ball); OP2 (doesnât). The girls understand that zone means each has a certain area to protect; and marking, how to position themselves in relation to offensive player without the ball (OP2), and when to mark tight vs. loose, and to what it means to follow her mark. Situation 1 (Off-ball play): if one OP2 (OP2-A) enter zone of Left Midfield (LM), for example, how LM apply marking principles (a) when OP2-A enters zone; (b) a second OP2 (OP-B) enters zone; (c) if OP2-A leaves zone, LM should (i) release OP2-A and stay on OP2-B or (ii) follow OP1-A and leave OP2-B. How resolve these zone/marking conflicts for other positions: CM/RM? For RD/LD/CD? (We play a basic 3-3-1-3.)Situation 2 (Support teammate pressuring ball (D1). The girls understand basics of channeling, approaching OP1 to tackle, and how D2 should support D1 (e.g., D2 is cover for D2). Weâve done drills (1v2), but transferring into game situations is difficult. How explain D2 maintain zone responsibilities (a) if supporting D1 means D2 (a) vacates assigned zone and/or (b) or OP2 in zone). Situation 3 (Forwards). They are having trouble with changing defensive responsibilities from within the opposing teamâs quarter of the field, the middle quarters, and our quarter of the field nearest to our goal. Iâve thought about just making the defense solely marking but that creates its own chaos and tires out the girls. Without these basic concepts, the result is a joyless scrum: players are bunched up on defense, so if thereâs a turnover, the players are too close together for a counterattack. This is unfortunate because the speed of field hockey games should appeal to kids in the U.S. Thanks

Brandon CowartCoach, United States of America

1 answer

ANSWERS

chris KeighleyCoach, New Zealand

For Situation 1 I would say that all positions should be keeping to their area of the field (e.g. left mid stays on the left channel etc.) and communicating between players that the player is leaving their area. If OPA goes across the field then communicate to CM and so on. When first OP comes into "area" then move towards that player to engage, but keep a few meters distance as to still be marking the "zone" while marking the player. Positioning is depending on ball position on the field, but say the ball is on the your teams right side and the LM has an OP to mark, then LM should be to the right and slightly back from attacker. How I look at it is, if you can still intercept a ball that comes straight to that OPA from where the ball is at that exact moment, then you are marking them pretty well, as long as you are on you defensive goal side. This also helps when marking 2 OP as you can block more space when marking this way, until help arrives.

This is the same for all other positions as well

When the ball gets to around the 23, as a guide it can be slightly earlier, then you switch to man-to-man marking and you go wherever the attacking player takes you as long as you stick to your man.