Field Hockey: 4 on 2

Here is one example I use.I put out this slalom as the test whenever confronted with a large group of mixed ability players that need to be put into equal ability groups to play a game or to be coached. The slalom incorporates lots of the aspects of the techniques required by the individual players to play the game of hockey. I.e. running with the ball, fast and controlled, changing direction with the ball pivoting, stopping the ball etc.I normally set up 2 - 4 identical slaloms, see attachment, and have 4 coaches or helpers with a stopwatch (mobile phones are great for this).To record the score I normally put a label on the stick of each player so they can write down their time. Once all players have recorded a time, ask the players to stand in time order on the sideline. Once the players are in order you can put the 10 fastest times to play a 5 aside game across 23 meter area and the next 10 in the next 23 meter area and so on up to 40 players playing on one full pitch. The last few changes you might now need to make are the players that perform better or weaker on any particular pitch (should not be to many).

My child is learning to play hockey. What are the field posotions and thier roles.

I am teaching 7 weeks of Hockey to a Mixed set of about twenty 14/15 year olds. I'm unsure of what to teach them each week i.e. week one attacking, week two defending etc. Any ideas for a seven week overview?

Playing field hockey on real grass not turff. Any advice as to good tactics, more running with the ball rather than passing game?

looking to run a session on v drag bringing in 4 v 2 using v drag to make space please could you help me

Who can help me to develop a tool to manage the substitutional players during a match? I manage a team of 15 girls of 12-14 years old with different levels of hockey experience. To arrange the substitutes is quite complicated and I am searching for a helpful tool.

Why wont this session open for me when i log in its not there ??

I coach aged 7 children and I don't know how to teach them how to play a proper hockey match without all of them going for the ball and not staying in their positions. Do I put lines where they are not allowed to pass? or what?

Hi all, after "volunteering" at the last minute to coach last season, I'm looking forward to coaching again this season but would like to be a bit more organised starting the season. Last season I used drills from here (thank you contributors) and put together a practice plan each week addressing what I thought were our weakness from the game just played. This got us through the season, we were promoted after grading and finished the season in the top 4 playoffs for our grade.I wonder if there is some kind of guide to putting a more coherent training plan together for the season.I'm coaching a boys secondary school team, aged 12-18. What kind of skills should they have mastered?What should they be attempting, working towards mastering (individually and as a team)?I last played as a collage boy on grass fields, the change to turf pitches has obviously obsoleted (along with age) much of what I knew as a player.Any pointers appreciated.David

Suggestions on how to play this system. I have very young 1st team so feel i must play defensive hockey. Thanks

Hi,I perhaps naively, expected to have most of our team from last year carry over and only have a few new comers to integrate and get up to speed with the rest. However meeting the team at our first practice last night i find I have five players still at school from last year and the rest all new comers, most of whom had not held a hockey stick at all till practice.This being only my second season coaching (year 9 to year 13 boys) has left me feeling a little blindsided, and feeling quite unsure how to prepare practices that target both groups of boys. Do i lump them both groups together, keep them separate? What drills/exercises to best bring the new comers up to speed.I don't want to neglect either group, keep practice worthwhile for the experienced boys, but also bringing the new comers up to a level were they can mix in with the others and learn organically from them while practicing as a team. David

With pre season looming can you give any advice as to the best training method for ladies hockey team

I just became the head coach of a middle school field hockey team and would like some pointers on how to coach. I have experience with goal keeping and defensive drills, I was a keeper, so I would like to learn more about offense as well. Any help is appreciated!!

We need to talk about the basics of hockey but any advice re coaching them on not bunching and drills to help with this would be much appreciated. Thank you.

when creating a PDF of my plan it inserts blank pages in the PDF. e.g. a plan that should fit on 2 pages of A4 comes through as a 4 page PDF with content on pages 1 and 3 and blank pages on pg 2 and 4. How do i avoid this?

Suggestions on how to play this system. I have very young 1st team so feel i must play defensive hockey. Thanks

hi there I'm using 4-4-2 and on sometimes 3-1-4-2 with a lower level hockey team.I've chosen this over other formations, simply because the hockey experience and ability of my players is not of a high level (and most people have an approximate understanding of 442). Also, I believe that one must choose a formation based on players traits and what they can deliver. For example, I'd ideally prefer to have 3 forwards, to help with more height and width but then would have to either play 3 in the middle or 3 at the back... and my player strengths don't permit this. In short, I simply don't believe I have a strong enough CH / CM to handle 3 in the middle and I'm not convinced that the off-the-ball support from other players is strong enough to allow 3 in the middle. OFFENSIVE PLAYS Anyway, I'm not 100% where to get my centre mids to stand when we have a 16 yd hit to take (i.e. our possession). Obviously one of the CMs comes deep to offer a potential direct outlet from the centre backs or offer an overload option if the ball goes out to the sides (which is more likely, since I've pretty much banned the high risk play of releasing up the middle - we've had far too many turnovers in our final third or quarter because we tried to play up the middle). My players are 'aware' of posting up and leading runs. However, I'm not sure about the 2nd CM. On the one hand I'd ideally like the 2nd CM to come deep as well, in order to potentially help break up the opposition press but by doing so, I distort the midfield and if we do manage to get the ball to one of the CMs, he won't have the 2nd CM in a higher position to release to, etc. DEFENSIVE POSITIONING Can someone suggest, again, about midfield positioning using 4-4-2 or 3-1-4-2, when we are setting up a general press? I have traditionally encouraged man marking, simply because our general positional awareness is weak (which makes zonal play a no-no IMO) + our tracking and attitude to committed defending (i.e. you don’t give up if one tackle fails) could be better! However, looking at suggested presses on Sportplan, some zonal positioning seems a necessity and I think if I can help my players make the step, success will come because they've been forced to become more aware of their pitch positioning, etc. Also, looking at some of the presses, it looks like the midfield can go 'flat' to create a barrier... and as I encourage a diamond shape in midfield, I need to explain to my players what to do and when. Sorry for the wordy question. I hope this all makes sense. Regards, Gary

Hi allI am looking for advice on how to implement processes in my girls school hockey team. processes of setting up presses, defensive structures and counter attacking thinking. I have 14 players in the team from 15 years old to 18. we train twice a week. only a few play club hockey as well. We either play a 3-1-4-2 or a 3-1-3-3.I find it difficult for example, when you want to teach a press on the opposition 16, to simulate gameplay with only 14 players (if they are all at training). I can have my halves setup for taking the 16 and then get my strikers and links to setup, but then I still want defenders to see things from the back but they are taking the 16? Also when taking the 16 they then don't have any support in the drill because everyone else is setting up a press?I know we need to work on our basics in order for the other tactics and skills and game plans to work. However I find it frustrating with this team that on counter attacks for a few reasons which I am struggling to mend;- they only head forward. No one holds up the ball to wait for support.- they run straight and don't use angles- they pass too late and get tackled - they don't have the vision to see an early pass or pass into space- players without the ball do not run into useful positions and angles and get caught out by the person with the ball who then makes a pass to no one and it runs out of play.So suggestions please for;- open, creative but simple counter attacking- teaching processes for presses on free hits and 16s- coaching how to take 16s and work your way out- coaching vision and expecting your players to be in support. RegardsMatt

Where do the defensive players stand during a corner?