Field Hockey: follow the ball

follow the ball DRILLS
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follow the ball ANSWERS
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Can you tell me the correct technique for a penalty?

Can you tell me the correct technique for a penalty flick? How you would put it into a training exercise?

Archived User Coach

Why does the ball bounce when I slap harder ?

Hi, When I add power to my slap hit the ball tends to be hard but quite bouncy. Any ideas on what could be causing this as it stops me using it as a pass. If I "stun" the ball (i.e. use an abbreviated follow through) the ball tends to stay flat but obviously loses a lot of power. Also, if I deliberately choose a contact point much higher up the stick that also seems to keep it flatter but power is also lost here too. Any help appreciated. Mark

Archived User Coach

What is a dangerous hit called? Is it when the stick?

What is a dangerous hit called? Is it when the stick swings higher than the shoulder? On the follow through after the hit? Or is it only when a defender is in proximity? Is it only when not having a shot at goal? Or is it when the ball is in the air close to a defender? Does it depend on age? I am coaching young girls. Is there a handy reference to these rules, or is it a players learning resource that a new coach can procure?

Archived User Coach

Best practices to train pitch movement and overloading without creating weaknesses in defence

What are the best practices in training players (female) to move as a team on the pitch, and to create overload for example, without weakening defence, especially on the axle of the field?

Sipko de Ruiter Coach, Netherlands

Anybody have a drill to get players to stop passing ball back to where it came from?

I am coaching a JV team and my girls keep sending the ball back to where the ball came from.  Are there any good drills that would train them redirect?

carla mccarron Coach, United States of America

Please tell me about strong pass

My team's players don't have strong pass. So our pass is hard to arrive for FW. Please tell me way to pass (push, sweep, hit) strong.

Archived User Coach

I need to set up a technical training session covering?

I need to set up a technical training session covering midfield to attack please can anyone help ?

mark bolton Coach, England

What drills can I use to help my right post

What drills can I use to help my right post, she keeps missing the ball

Archived User Coach

Best method to teach junior aside players positions and responsibilities?

What are the best methods to teach Junior 8 aside hockey players their positional roles and responsibilities?

Archived User Coach

What are the key skills in individual defending?

What are the key skills in individual defending and what are the best ways to practise them?

Jayson Hood Coach, England

Drag-Flicking Tutorial - how to master this skill?

Hi,Out of curiousity, could you list down effective and efficient steps to learn drag-flicking and the drills to master it?

Archived User Coach

I'm a new Varsity head coach and don't know what I'm doing

Hi all- I am 37 years old. I played field hockey for 3 years only (in high school). As you can imagine, I'm not very good/experienced. I was a competitive soccer player which made me good enough athletically to play field hockey but anyway, the point is: I never played field hockey at a high level.I now find myself in a head coaching position. (Long story-I did coach some field hockey some years ago and had a blast but it was a while back). Anyway, I have three assistant coaches who aren't much more experienced than I am. Our high school program is VERY weak and so nobody really steps up to coach there.Basically, my question is: what do I do? I have some girls who have played but not much. Then I have girls who literally don't know how to hold their stick and are quite I athletic. We barely have enough girls to field a team. As for drills, I'm trying to use this site but if you were in my position, what specifically would you be doing with these girls so they don't lose 7-0 every game? Right now, I'm focusing on body control and comfort with the ball- (we are playing possession and they are so uncomfortable they just hit the ball away because they don't have the skills to hold). Any help you can give is greatly appreciated!Brooke Asked using Sportplan Mobile App

Archived User Coach

whats the best teaching points for the clip hit

step by step guide into the technique of how to perform a clip hit

Archived User Coach

Balance of player when taking shots at goal

Hi All. I am coaching a senior ladies side this year and have one player, who is a provincial player, that after practically every second shot at goal she is flat on the turf. She is extremely fast and very accurate with her shots but has more turf roasties than skin on her knees and elbows. Thanks. Bev

Bev Koch Coach, South Africa

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. I’m coaching a U13 team of 22 girls in the U.S., and each player has at least one year of experience. I’ve 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 you’re wondering why I’m 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 don’t know enough to explain how they should manage the two responsibilities in field hockey. I “get it” by playing other sports for so long and therefore am able to see how they aren’t “getting it.” For clarity, I have in mind two kinds of offense players: OP1 (has the ball); OP2 (doesn’t). 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). We’ve 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 team’s quarter of the field, the middle quarters, and our quarter of the field nearest to our goal. I’ve 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 there’s 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 Cowart Coach, United States of America

Problems Clearing the Circle

I'm in the U.S., coaching a team of 11-12 year olds, with 1-2 years of experience. Defending the circle, when the ball is loose, my players are not getting control of the ball to hit out of the circle. It's congested with opponent and my team's players. If my players get control, they lose it quickly. If the opponent has control, my players aren't very good at taking the ball or stopping the opponent from taking a shot. Luckily we have a good goalie but she can only do so much. (Full disclosure: I didn't play FH but have a decent understanding of the game. No one else in my community would step up to coach so it's fallen to me.)

Brandon Cowart Coach, United States of America

Why does the ball bounce when ...

Hi, When I add power to my slap hit the ball tends to be hard but quite bouncy. Any ideas on what could be causing this as it stops me using it as a pass. If I "stun" the ball (i.e. use an abbreviated follow through) the ball tends to stay flat but obviously loses a lot of power. Also, if I deliberately choose a contact point much higher up the stick that also seems to keep it flatter but power is also lost here too. Any help appreciated. Mark

Archived User Coach

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