HOME Hockey Drills Defending Skills

Hockey: Marking

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Temporary footage
Players should not wear baseball caps
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Place a ball on the pitch
one player is the attacker and the other player is the defender
The attacker has to run around pretending to receive the ball
The defender has to shadow and stay goalside of the attacker at all time.

COACHING POINTS

Marking means tracking individual players and covering space through which passes can be made. It is an important aspect of the game with defenders attempting to stop an attacker gaining possession of the ball.

Marking will generally be from the side or slightly in front for most of the pitch, with the defender trying to intercept the ball.

Marking an attacker in the circle will generally be from slightly behind the player or to the side if more experienced, with the defender trying to intercept the ball

Defender will keep close to the attacker and between the attacker and the goal

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OFTEN USED WITH...

Open side Block Tackle:

Strong low body position and balanced ready to move.

Left foot forward, right foot back, stick on the ground or hovering slightly above the ground.

Position of feet and stick make a strong triangle shaped base.

Tackle must be positive and strong with feet balanced.

Stick face angled towards the ball.

The tackle should be timed just as the ball momentarily leaves attacker's stick initiated by a jab to put player off or as player loses control.

The defender's stick should not be flat on the ground as this is a safety issue.

The defender could be injured by the attacker if their head is down too low and the attacker could take advantage of this over commitment by using a low lift.

Flat stick only when attacker stationary or moving very slowly

Defending Skills

Jab Tackle:

The jab can be used as a form of delay either to dispossess a player with the ball if the ball is away from the stick or to tempt the player to take their eyes off the ball and possibly lose possession.

The stick jabs out towards the ball with the left hand and then returns to both hands.

After the jab the defender returns to the original balanced position.

The grip on the stick will change slightly, the hands turn, usually palms upwards.

Defending Skills