Hockey: Preparation for switching the ball

Create clever hockey players ready to read any situation and outlet with class and confidence!

Build confidence at the back to stop your players whacking the ball away. Keep possession with this confidence at the back session

2 teams both with a ball. The object is for one of the wingers to get to the back line without being tackled. For a tackler to be released by the other team, the tackler has to receive and leave the ball in the coned area.

When one of the wingers is threatened the team should try and change the point of attack by passing the ball via every player to the other side. To release the other tackler, the ball has to be passed via sweeper.

In this you set out 2 colours of cones. Player 1 after having passed the ball will run to the red cones and player 2 will run from blue to blue.

You can set out any pattern you want to teach your players.

Players 1 and 2 play a 2v1 against the first defender, before then moving on to the second defender.

They then run into the circle and try and score. Players 3 and 4 go into the circle to help with rebounds.

Rotation, players 1 and 2 become the rebounders.

Team 1 has to pass the ball around the back and never miss out more than 1 player.

Whenever the ball is received by one of the wide players they have to try and get to the half way line without being tackled by one of the opposition wingers. This tackler can only be released by receiving the ball and leaving it in their coned area.

When the player running to the half way line is closed down by one of the tacklers they should try and switch the ball around the back. Team 1 is not allowed to pass the ball through the coned area.