Excellent drills, very detailed videos. Useful site for my U15 boys team.
What are the best drills to get players to release the ball quickly?
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
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?
Dear colleagues, I am coaching a 1st women team (Argentina) and the system that is working for us very well is 3-1-3-3. Given the quality players we've got in the midfield and attack we try to emphasize our offensive game all the time. The problem I am struggling to resolve is that the forwards do not get involved in chances to score inside the circle very often. The few chances the forwards have they are able to score but it is our midfielders who most of the time get to the circle in possession with the ball. I would like to see a quick transfer of the ball from the midfielders to the forwards who need to be in touch with the ball more often during the game and have the midfielders supporting the attack rather than being the leaders of the attack.Is there any drill or way to improve this aspect of the game? Thanks for your time. Martin
Is there some basic info (DVD, video or manuals) that outline basic positional play and roles for new players to the game. I have entered a school team (15-16 yr old girls) into a weekend comp. They are coming up against strong club teams who have been playing for several years. It has been difficult getting them to maintain some structure in their play - possession is a big problem. Also, hitting the ball is an issue - a skill that I have taken for granted as it has never been a problem with all the boys teams I have coached (even 7 amp; 8 yr olds) Any advice greatly appreciated.
I have a midfielder that wants to practice defending against lifted balls in a 1-2-1 situation, any ideas for drills that will assist with this?
in more ways than one
The best hockey players in the world do not just react faster; they scan more frequently and process information before the ball arrives. This article explores the science behind scanning, how to coach spatial awareness as a habit, and practical drills that force players to lift their heads and read the game.
In hockey, you can only score from inside the circle. Getting the ball into the D with purpose and creating genuine shooting chances is the hardest part of attack. This article examines the different types of circle entry, why entry angle determines shot quality, and how to train your team to penetrate the most congested area on the pitch.
The best teams don't just press - they press at the right moment. Here's how to train your players to read the cues.
Coaches from around the world look to Sportplan for coaching confidence.