Hockey: Quick Drag To The Defender's Reverse Side

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Coaches Objective:

To teach the attacker to eliminate the defender by making them commit to a reverse stick tackle before dragging the ball back and eliminating them on their open stick side.

Purpose:

Defenders will often look to channel attackers onto their open stick side as it's easier to make a tackle and harder to eliminate as an attacker. Therefore, getting them to commit on their reverse stick side and eliminate on their open stick side can be a huge advantage. 

 

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Coaching Objective:

To teach the attacker to run towards the defender at pace and eliminate by creating a little lift over the defenders stick.

Purpose:

This skill can be done at pace and is quite subtle therefore is effective in getting past oncoming defenders when the space is tight and the option of dragging the ball into space is not there.

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Coaching Objective: 

Develop the attackers ability to eliminate by widening their drag and accelerating away from the contest on their open stick side.

Purpose:

Being able to eliminate at lower speed is a great way to get out of situations where attackers are surrounded by defenders or a great way to set up counter attacks when you turn the ball over.

• Practicing the pull back skill in a controlled situation to perfect the skill.
• 1 v 1 between attacker and defender.
• Defender starts just behind and to the right of the attacker
• Attacker dribbles towards goal and slightly to the left, before completing the pull back skill
• This should cause the defender to run past the attacker, giving him space to get a shot at goal