Field Hockey: 1 v 2

(Question submitted by email) I'll be coaching a new team over the next few months. What skills should I use to take them to the next level? Any suggestions?

What are the best methods to teach Junior 8 aside hockey players their positional roles and responsibilities?

I am looking for 6 a side hockey formations. We have been playing 3-1-1-1. Worked very well, however sweeper was so good, goalie never touched the ball. I want to move sweeper to goalie/ sweeper but our mid field player is too good to just play right. What to do? 2-2-1-1 or 1-3-1-1?     

How do you encourage positional play and spreading out on hockey field U9 girls level?

I have a team of 14 year old girls who mostly want to run with the ball rather than pass. A lot of them are strong ball carriers and so often achieve success this way but am concerned that this strategy will not work once the other teams get bigger and stronger, and that it is too one dimensional. What are the best ways to change this approach?

I need a good drill to help the girls move to the ball faster? we arw slow to the ball need a drill thanks

How can I help my u/12 girls to attack? At the moment they are running beside the opponent but not attacking the players.

Hey all, I am trying to implement a new structure for next season, and I want to get thoughts of others. I have my formation - do I start with working the ball out from defence and work forward, midfield, have certain set plays and movements? Where do you start in introducing the formation and player movements - big picture as in general philosophy, position by position? Any thoughts/comments would be greatly appreciated.Cheers,Brent

the opposition is now playing with 1 goalie, 2 d, 4 mid and 4 forwards it just seems they are everywhere and my mid field can not deal with the extra player. I was going to counter with a 1-4-4-2 but the girls are not used to it. we play a 1-4-3-3.

overlapping outside halves ? or drop Midfield in hole?

we have started using the 3-3-3-1 formation and wanted some drills to reinforce this formation

Have a team of older group of ladies who need to learn to pass the ball back, any good drills for this?

Hi can you help me setting a defence against a team playing 2 centre halves. My team plays conventional style 5321 . Thanks

hi. i recently started playing hockey again after 7 years and looking for drills me and my brother can do to help get my technique back. like first touch and shooting dribbling etc. i am a striker

Hello sirplease brief me 2 versus 1 depth situation with drills

What is a wall pass?

hi there I'm using 4-4-2 and on sometimes 3-1-4-2 with a lower level hockey team.I've chosen this over other formations, simply because the hockey experience and ability of my players is not of a high level (and most people have an approximate understanding of 442). Also, I believe that one must choose a formation based on players traits and what they can deliver. For example, I'd ideally prefer to have 3 forwards, to help with more height and width but then would have to either play 3 in the middle or 3 at the back... and my player strengths don't permit this. In short, I simply don't believe I have a strong enough CH / CM to handle 3 in the middle and I'm not convinced that the off-the-ball support from other players is strong enough to allow 3 in the middle. OFFENSIVE PLAYS Anyway, I'm not 100% where to get my centre mids to stand when we have a 16 yd hit to take (i.e. our possession). Obviously one of the CMs comes deep to offer a potential direct outlet from the centre backs or offer an overload option if the ball goes out to the sides (which is more likely, since I've pretty much banned the high risk play of releasing up the middle - we've had far too many turnovers in our final third or quarter because we tried to play up the middle). My players are 'aware' of posting up and leading runs. However, I'm not sure about the 2nd CM. On the one hand I'd ideally like the 2nd CM to come deep as well, in order to potentially help break up the opposition press but by doing so, I distort the midfield and if we do manage to get the ball to one of the CMs, he won't have the 2nd CM in a higher position to release to, etc. DEFENSIVE POSITIONING Can someone suggest, again, about midfield positioning using 4-4-2 or 3-1-4-2, when we are setting up a general press? I have traditionally encouraged man marking, simply because our general positional awareness is weak (which makes zonal play a no-no IMO) + our tracking and attitude to committed defending (i.e. you don’t give up if one tackle fails) could be better! However, looking at suggested presses on Sportplan, some zonal positioning seems a necessity and I think if I can help my players make the step, success will come because they've been forced to become more aware of their pitch positioning, etc. Also, looking at some of the presses, it looks like the midfield can go 'flat' to create a barrier... and as I encourage a diamond shape in midfield, I need to explain to my players what to do and when. Sorry for the wordy question. I hope this all makes sense. Regards, Gary

Hi allI am looking for advice on how to implement processes in my girls school hockey team. processes of setting up presses, defensive structures and counter attacking thinking. I have 14 players in the team from 15 years old to 18. we train twice a week. only a few play club hockey as well. We either play a 3-1-4-2 or a 3-1-3-3.I find it difficult for example, when you want to teach a press on the opposition 16, to simulate gameplay with only 14 players (if they are all at training). I can have my halves setup for taking the 16 and then get my strikers and links to setup, but then I still want defenders to see things from the back but they are taking the 16? Also when taking the 16 they then don't have any support in the drill because everyone else is setting up a press?I know we need to work on our basics in order for the other tactics and skills and game plans to work. However I find it frustrating with this team that on counter attacks for a few reasons which I am struggling to mend;- they only head forward. No one holds up the ball to wait for support.- they run straight and don't use angles- they pass too late and get tackled - they don't have the vision to see an early pass or pass into space- players without the ball do not run into useful positions and angles and get caught out by the person with the ball who then makes a pass to no one and it runs out of play.So suggestions please for;- open, creative but simple counter attacking- teaching processes for presses on free hits and 16s- coaching how to take 16s and work your way out- coaching vision and expecting your players to be in support. RegardsMatt

I really struggle to make practice fun and useful for the GKs. My attention is naturally focussed on the outfield players, meaning most of the time I simply have drills finishing with a shot on goal to keep the GK involved. Pretty boring for them. Any ideas how I can involve them more? Thanks, Charlie