Field Hockey: receive ball

receive ball DRILLS
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I'm looking for suggestions on set plays for free hits?

I'm looking for suggestions on set plays for free hits going into the circle. High school rules in the US now state that all players (attack/defense) must be 7 yards from the ball. What plans will work for drawing corners and goal scoring opportunities?

Ali Collins Coach, United States of America

My hockey team is still playing on uneven fields

My U19 boys hockey team is still playing on very uneven bumpy grass fields. What are the best ball stopping technique and drills

Archived User Coach

My daughter has been asked to "post up" by?

My daughter has been asked to "post up" by a coach without explanation could you please explain the acronym

Archived User Coach

Warm-up drills to get players thinking?

Can someone suggest a really good warm-up drill or exercise to get players thinking/concentrating/making decisions? I.e. something prior to a match, after having done a physical warm-up, dynamic stretches, any SAQ and technical stuff

Gary Thompson Coach, England

Should we play differently on real grass?

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

Bruce Walgren Coach, Canada

"Outside the box" formation ideas?

To John Royce: Formations Hey John just wondered your thoughts have taken over ane A1 Womens Side was trying to think a bit outside the box thought of trying a 1-1-3-4-2 formation or 1-1-3-3-3. had any success or heartache with either. Have varying degrees of age in this team which make it a little for younger ones to comprehend. Regards Ian Manhire Newtown A1 Womens Coach

Ian Manhire Coach, Australia

How can I get my midfielders' mentality right so they defend and attack in a game?

So I'm having trouble getting my young and inexperienced group of midfielders to flip the switch from defense to offense, and back, as we move up and down the field. They will often hang back and leave my forwards stranded rather than rush in to attack. Naturally, we are not scoring. Advice and drill ideas would be most welcome! J.G. Coach, Maryland USA

j gimpel Coach, United States of America

T Spot drills - outletting or attacking width/depth.

Hi all, I'm looking for drills that assist in getting my team to use both the lower and 25 line T spots. There was a 6 on 5 drill on Sportplan but I can not find it. Does anyone have any I can utilise?

Gadz Coach, Australia

Hockey level 2 assessment

Hi,I need to play 4 linked hockey sessions to a specific theme I don't know which one to chose such as I can't say attack because there can be so much to cover . So any help?

Tajinder Kaur Sahota Coach, United Kingdom

Coaching plan (season outline) for coming season?

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

David Smith Coach, New Zealand

How to coach school team with novices and experienced players?

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

David Smith Coach, New Zealand

How to improve personal defense ability?

How to improve personal defense ability?

Archived User Coach

Break through a team that is playing half court press?

How can you train to break through a team that starts half court and your team starts with the ball? Four players in the defence start maybe playing the ball first to the left wing and this player hits the ball back to the free defence player who passes the ball to the right defence player who is over the 23 meter line... I like to understand the different tactical approaches. Can you share some ideas with me?

R.P. Witkamp Coach, Netherlands

Feet forward towards goal

Hi, I am planning a session focussing on body position receiving the ball with feet forward going towards goal.I have some initial drills and gameplay ideas organised. Does anyone have any ideas for further gameplay focussing on this idea that has 6-10 players involved ( or a larger squad) and more initial technique drillsThanks

miles davies Coach, England

learn to make leads, busting speed and running of the ball

is there a drill where i can allow the team to learn about leads and running of the ball and that switching is vital for wings as well as bursting speed to receive the ball

Francois Coach, South Africa

Beginner Coach NEED HELP PLEASE

I'm new to coaching and i'm coaching a team that barely knows how to even hold a stick properly. Where can i start with improving there skills and hockey kowledge ?

Liancke Laureti Coach, South Africa

Receiving the ball forward fac...

Anybody any ideas on a conditioned game to encourage receiving the ball in a forward facing position?

Mark Stuart-Thompson Coach, England

Anybody have a drill to get pl...

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

Re involving GKs in junior coa...

I really struggle to make practice fun and useful for the GKs. My attention is naturally focussed on the outfield players, meaning most of the time I simply have drills finishing with a shot on goal to keep the GK involved. Pretty boring for them. Any ideas how I can involve them more? Thanks, Charlie

Carol Ridge Coach, England

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