Hockey: Tackle practice

Starting with their backs to one another, two players stand 5 metres apart and run off in opposite directions along one side of the 20 metre grid.

At the corners of square each player cuts back into the grid and the player with the ball attempts to score by running with the ball into the far corner. The blue player's objective is to tackle them and prevent them from scoring.

Players 3m apart – slightly crouched

One of pair nominated as tackler

On balls of feet, with feet shoulder width apart the coach calls either Right or Left.

The group is split in half.

The coach is positioned behind the defenders and instructs the movement of the attackers, who are holding tackle shields.

Defenders must mirror the movement of the attackers.

If the coach indicates right, the attackers move right.

If the coach raises his hands in the air, the attackers move forwards and the defenders move up in a line to meet the tackle shields.

The two lines then retreat and the drill continues.

in groups of 3.

1 player with a pad 1 player with a tackle bag and one with nothing.

Player with nothing runs to the player with the pad and drives them across the grid.on reaching the end they swap roles and the other player runs across the grid to the tackle bag pushes and makes a tackle at the end of the grid and the players swap roles the new player runs across to the player with the pad and the practice continues.