Hockey Session (Senior): Ball Carrying

Ball Carrying Channel (30 mins)

Objective:

In pairs to carry the ball in straight lines and pass square & flat between the passing gates.

When arriving at the D, the striker must hit the ball hard at goal on their forehand side.

All rebounds are live!

Coaching points:

Carrying

Ball a "baby" distance away from the foot

Parrot on the shoulder

Tell time on your watch

RHS - Ball level with big toe of the right foot. High left hand. Do not let that ball go outside the body!

LHS 1 - Ball outside right foot. Low left hand.

LHS 2 - Ball out infront, in between feet. High left hand, holding ball on backhand push.

Passing

RHS - Left hand goes from high to low to make pass. Hand drops to level with the left knee.

LHS 1 - Left hand goes from low to high to make pass. Hand comes over the top of the ball.

LHS 2 - Left hand stays mid-height to make controlled pass.

Vary the exercise by starting on the opposite side or varying the direction in carrying the ball (eg carry right, pass left), keeping the emphasis on maintaining any of the three ball carrying positions (RHS 1/LHS 1 being the priority two positions).

Once competent at carrying the ball and passing, we can progress to dummying a pass at a channel and then eliminating instead.

Ball Carrying Channel - Semi-Opposed (30 mins)

As a progression from the Ball Carrying Channel, include "passive" defenders instead of having passing lanes. These defenders must either:

1. Block the pass

2. Block the carry

The forwards must either in pairs, pass the ball square and flat to eliminate the defender or dummy the pass and carry, whichever dictated to them by seeing the defender.

As competency improves further, the defenders can become less and less passive and more "live".