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Hockey: Covering defender

Excellent, used the drills at our first training session today with...

Shane, Hockey Coach

DESCRIPTION

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.

COACHING POINTS

If th close defender moves away from the ball the cover defender can step in closer and the roles will be reversed

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OFTEN USED WITH...

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

Defending in pairs:

Players from the 23 metre line pass the ball to a player in the goal.
This player, on receiving the ball, can try to run the ball, under control, out of the area across the 23 metre line.
Players coming from the 23m line have to try and win the ball and score a goal.

Defending Skills

Defensive Awareness:

The attackers (Red Players) have to try and dribble the ball around one of the red cones in the middle and then go back through their gate without being tackled by one of the defenders. Every time the attackers do this successfully they score a point.

The defenders are allowed to roam anywhere they like inside the red grid in order to tackle the attackers.

Defending Skills

defending 3 v 2:

Players from the 23 metre line pass the ball to two players in the goal.
These two players, on receiving the ball, can try to run and pass the ball under control, out of the area across the 23 metre line.
Players coming from the 23m line have to try and win the ball and score a goal.

Defending Skills

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