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Hockey Session (Under 18s): Defending: Intensity; Aggression and Principles

Profile Summary

Merijn van Willigen
Name: Merijn van Willigen
City: Southampton
Country: United Kingdom
Membership: Adult Member
Sport: Hockey
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Description

Session is designed around the idea that players need to get more aggressive when defending. Challengesthe idea that they always have to be a 'stick and a step away', and encourages them to get closer and be more active in terms of trying to win the ball.

As we progress through the session we can then start to introduce some basic principles of team defending; positioning and marking.

Hockey Session Plan Drill (Colour): Fitness with ball and stick

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Hockey Session Plan Drill (Colour): Fitness with ball and stick
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Fitness with ball and stick (20 mins)

Fitness with ball and stick

Two teams (around 4 players each) line up at oposite ends of a pitch - size can be individually determined. There is a small cones area in the middle of the pitch that the ball cannot travel through.

A ball is thrown into the middle, and two players sprint to get possession. Whoever has the ball tries to eliminate the defender and place the ball behind the defensive line (25 or halfway in picture). The defender has to collect the ball from there whilst the attacker sprints back.

If the attacker crosses the defensive line before the ball does - (s)he gets an extra player, and plays 1v2. If player with the ball still manages to get it across the defnsive line (s) sprints back to collect an extra player (it is now a 2v2)

This continues until we get to 4v4 - the team to corss the line then wins

Hockey Session Plan Drill (Colour): Continuous 1v1

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Hockey Session Plan Drill (Colour): Continuous 1v1
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Continuous 1v1 (20 mins)

Continuous Game (6 minute sets)

Play 1v1 over small distance ball received from the defenders end, defender runs on and a second feeder then plays the ball in. Once you defend you then attack. However, if the defender wins the ball they earn the right to attack and then receive a new ball to attack again with a different defender.

Focus on how to apply pressure

Explore how we can apply pressure through marking and probing. Potentially look to explore shave tackles through the legs and encourage body contact.

Hockey Session Plan Drill (Colour): Continuous 1v2

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Hockey Session Plan Drill (Colour): Continuous 1v2
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Continuous 1v2 (20 mins)

Play 1v2 over small distance. Team that has possession of the ball only has a single player, the team that doesn’t have possession has two players. Once possession changes over the spare player clears the pitch and an extra defender jumps on. It is important players are focuses as there is a lot going on!

If the ball goes off the pitch a new ball is fed in from the team in possession’s line.

Is very intense so will only be able to play short sets. Don’t worry about having to feedback in these, sometimes they just need a rest!

Hockey Session Plan Drill (Colour): Hockey Bingo

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Hockey Session Plan Drill (Colour): Hockey Bingo
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Hockey Bingo (20 mins)

Hockey Bingo

Play a normal even sided game, goals count as normal. Each set is worth a point for the series. If a team meets the bingo task for that set they win the set immediately. The losing team in the series has to do a funny punishment i.e singing, dancing, rapping

-6 minute sets

-3 x shave tackle

-2 x double team

-4 x win in opposition half

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