Hockey Session (Under 12s): Hawks Spring League 2021 Ball Carry week 2 (2) U10/U12

Ladders + warm up skills (10 mins)

1 - Half or full field jog, get moving. Dynamic stretches + lunges.

2 - Ladders for agility. Can use sticks laid out on the ground: high knees over, hopscotch, hopping, single leg hops, crossovers, backwards running... be creative!

3 - Stick and ball stationary skills: each player with 2 cones about a stick length apart. Practice big pulls from cone to cone, figure 8s around cones (feet stationary), switch directions etc. Emphasize good body position (knees bent, chest + eyes up). How many can you do in a minute??

4 - Air dribbling: Pop ball up to yourself (no hands, practice being able to lift ball). How many touches can you do before the ball drops?

Shuttles (receiving) (20 mins)

Set up multiple shuttles. Should have 4-5 players per group but no more. 

Player A leads through the middle cones and receives a pass from player B. Player A practices different types of receptions and then turns and passes to player C who is waiting in the line player A came from. Player B then leads through the cones and Player C passes them a ball and they perform the same skill, then passing back to player D. All players stay on their same side instead of following to the other line.

Types of receptions to practice:
1. moving forwards (no stopping and waiting for the ball)

2. curl right

3. curl left

4. run through cones and receive forehand moving forward (see the second drawing)

5. run through cones and receive forehand moving forward

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older/more experienced groups only:

6. slip trap left (like a left foot pivot - 3rd drawing)

7. slip trap right (backhand)

8. ramp over cones forehand

9. ramp over cones backhand

Timed dribble-shoot competition (15 mins)

Split the group into small teams, 3 players per team is ideal. Balls are placed in a long rectangle a fair distance from the top of the circle. Use the space that you have. Spread the balls evenly throughout the rectangle. Each team starts on one of the yellow cones. 

When you say go, one player from each team runs as fast as they can to get a ball from the rectangle, dribble it as quickly as possible to the circle, and shoot FROM THE TOP. They then run back the their team's yellow cone where their teammates are waiting and stick tap with the next player in line. That player then repeats what the first player did.

*Players can take a ball from ANYWHERE in the long red rectangle. 

Objective: Team that scores the most goals wins. All the teams are taking balls out of the same shared pot so the faster you go the more goals you can score!