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Hockey: Cover Defence

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DESCRIPTION

Simple exercise without a ball to allow players to understand defensive positioning

The engaging defender (at the front) moves from side to side (across a 10m distance)

The covering defender (standing 5m behind the front defender) tracks and copies the direction of movement of the front defender.

Covering defenders are in place, so that if the attacker gets past the first defender, there is another line of defence.

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OFTEN USED WITH...

1 v 1 - Channelling:

Split your group into two teams - defenders and attackers.

Players with the ball have to run around the cone and try and score. Players without ball also have to run around the cone, and then try and stop the other player scoring.

Defending Skills

Defend the circle:

Defender passes the ball.

Attackers go 1 on 1 and try to penetrate the circle.

Defenders priority is to stop the player getting through gate 1, then gate 2, then gate 3.

The defender engages as far away from the the circle edge as possible.

Work the left and right sides.

Defending Skills

Covering defender:

Put a ball on the pitch and ask one player to stand close and the second player to stand 3 to 5 meters behind the close player.

The close player takes up a low stance and moves left and right of the ball pretending to be defending the ball.

The second player moves opposite to the close player and try to cover the space.

Defending Skills

1 v 1 (With A GK):

The goalkeeper passes the ball to player 2 who on receiving the ball has to try and score a goal. As soon as they receive the ball the defender is allowed to come in and try to win the ball. If the defender makes a tackle they have to run with the ball over the end line (opposite the goal).

Defending Skills

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