Hockey Session (Senior): Zone Manual

Profile Summary

Name:	Joan Carol
City:	Oxford
Country:	United States of America
Membership:	Adult Member
Sport:	Hockey

Interface Language

Share this Session

Link Session

Build 3D sessions in seconds

Access to 1000’s of sessions

Professionalise and modernise your coaching

Used by the world’s best coaches

US$

per year

Join today

Hockey Session Plan Drill (Colour): Field scheme

See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Hockey images.

Save Image:

Create Video:

Field scheme

We have 5 lanes and 4 lines. Lanes are vertical and lines are horizontal. This scheme of the field is gonna help us understand the defensive block

In a zone system, it's key to understand that we are not convering players, we are shutting down their pass options. So we are closing windows and cutting passing lines

ALL our players must try to be in a lower line than the ball when we are on defefnse

Hockey Session Plan Drill (Colour): Lanes and Lines

See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Hockey images.

Save Image:

Create Video:

Lanes and Lines

Lanes are called 1,2,3,4 and 5. The reference is always our cage, with the left corner lane being named 1 and the right corner lane being lane 5

Lines are called A,B,C and D. Again, the reference is our cage. The 25 were we are defending is lane D(Deffense) and the one were we are scoring is A (Attacking)

Hockey Session Plan Drill (Colour): Field zones

See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Hockey images.

Save Image:

Create Video:

Field zones

Having those lanes and lines gives us a clear view of the field in different zones. Lane D line 1 is D1. Lane B line 4 is B4 ...

This is gonna help us understand which zone every player has to be responsible of and which influence zones every player has

Hockey Session Plan Drill (Colour): 2-3 Zone

See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Hockey images.

Save Image:

Create Video:

2-3 Zone

The 2-3 zone has the main goal of forcing the other team leftbacks to play the ball outside ( B1-B5) where our SM's are chanelling their leftbacks to go outside and try to steal them the ball

The ST's are in the interior limit of lanes 2 and 4 to create a triangle with the CF. They need to be sure that no one get's the ball in that triangle (B3) by cutting the passing lines. Once the ball gets past their line, they have to drop and cover spaces to keep cutting lines.

AM and DM start the press in B2/C2 and B4/C4 depending on the high of our press. If the other team plays with 4 in the back, they are pure sweepers. If they play with 3 in the back, DM and AM need to be more concerned about all the windows to be closed for the other team.

The only players with individual responsibilities are the SB's and the CB. Although they need to float they mark when it's possible to be in a better position.

As it's a zonal system, we don't care how the other team plays. Of course each system works better against a different type of team. But with zone, we are not worried about the players, our main focus are the passing lines and spaces.

When we get to line D, with a free hit or a long hit, everyone has individual responsibilities.

Hockey Session Plan Drill (Colour): 2-3 ideal recuperation Zone

See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Hockey images.

Save Image:

Create Video:

2-3 ideal recuperation Zone

ST's are closing lane 3 with the CF so that they are covering all zone C3. They need to be sure not one of them is cutting the same line because they all have to be useful

The SM of the opposite side closes the field either getting into the left limit of lane 3 or the right limit of it

AM and DM have to be in the influence zone of their midfielders with a chance to play the ball so they are cutting the line of pass to them

In this case, we are cutting, so we are able to force their Side Back to play a 1v1 against our SM. She ends throwing the ball and if we are dropping and recovering spaces, when we get the ball back we are able to do an easy trasnfer

Hockey Session Plan Drill (Colour): 4-2 zone

See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Hockey images.

Save Image:

Create Video:

4-2 zone

The 4-2 zone has the main goal of forcing the other team leftbacks to play the ball inside ( B2-B4) where our CF,AM, DM and the ST that is dropping are creating number ups. That press is most successful if we use it against a system of 4 in the back and on line A

In the case we are not able to get the ball in that spot, as the SM's are drooping and with the help of the DM acting as a the free-player, we should be able to slown down the attack with our recovery lines.

The only players with individual responsibilities are the SB's and the CB. Although they need to float they mark when it's possible to be in a better position.

When we get to line D, with a free hit or a long hit, everyone has individual responsibilities.

Hockey Session Plan Drill (Colour): 2-3 transfer

See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Hockey images.

Save Image:

Create Video:

2-3 transfer

We can either chose to cut the field or not. If we are not cutting, the other team will be able to transfer the ball from lane 1 to lane 5. If that's the case, it's not a problem for us, but we need to be ready to react to that ball movement

Once the ball is going back to the center back; the SM starts dropping and closing - the ST's and CF grab the starting position again to cut the pass to the midfielder and ready to move to lane 1 or 5 - the SM will go to lane 1 or 5 to force their sideback to play outside, while the DM is dropping to be the sweeper - The ideal situation is the now change roles between CF and AM, so the AM creates the triangle with the Strilers and the CF closes the window between the ST and the SM

Hockey Session Plan Drill (Colour): 4-2 ideal recuperation

See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Hockey images.

Save Image:

Create Video:

4-2 ideal recuperation

With the 4-2 on line 1 we are looking to get the ball straight from the leftback, or even from the centerback if she just throws the ball

We need the ST in front of the ball to be cutting the passing line with one of their midfielders, and the other one to be close to cutting.

The SM closer to the ball is in front of their side back ready to jump, while the other one is closing the field on the other side

The CF (or the AM) is cutting the pass to their midfider in the lane of the ball, while AM (or CF) is closing the field being ready to cover a spot or play the fast break

The DM, acts as a pure sweeper, ready to jump for a 2v1 with the CF or AM - Also ready to be a reset pass when we get the ball back

Hockey Session Plan Drill (Colour): Double Sweeper

See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Hockey images.

Save Image:

Create Video:

Double Sweeper

With a similar block than the one we use for 2-3, if we drop it and we close it, we can play with two pure sweepers

ST's, SM's and CF, alongside with the AM and DM have to work to keep the double diamong shape, trying to force the other team to play outside of it. If they manage to get the ball inside, the sweeper should jump and play a 1v2 with the CF. If they are advancing through lane 1 or 5, the closes sweeper will jump with the closest SM

ST's are holding the press letting the other team transfer the ball on the back. They are allowed to jump to cut, but we must keep the shape

SM's choose if they chanell outside to force a long pass, or inside to play a 1v2 with the closest sweeper

Hockey Session Plan Drill (Colour): Double Sweeper Ideal Recuperation

See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Hockey images.

Save Image:

Create Video:

Double Sweeper Ideal Recuperation

With a similar block than the one we use for 2-3, if we drop it and we close it, we can play with two pure sweepers

ST's, SM's and CF, alongside with the AM and DM have to work to keep the double diamond shape, trying to force the other team to play outside of it. If they manage to get the ball inside, the sweeper should jump and play a 1v2 with the CF. If they are advancing through lane 1 or 5, the closest sweeper will jump with the closest SM

ST's are holding the press letting the other team transfer the ball on the back. They are allowed to jump to cut, but we must keep the shape

SM's choose if they chanell outside to force a long pass, or inside to play a 1v2 with the closest sweeper

The double sweeper allows us to always be able to create a 1v2 situation. And in case we lose one of the sweepers because she has to jump to someone, we still have another one

Build 3D sessions in seconds

Access to 1000’s of sessions

Professionalise and modernise your coaching

Used by the world’s best coaches

US$

per year

Join today