Hockey Session (Under 16s): Passing Lane Session

Midfield APE (10 mins)

How it works:

• Ball goes from 1 white line to the other
• Players on the outside can't be tackled, only intercepted
• One team are the attackers for 90 seconds

Looking for:

• Aware, prepare, execute
• Focus on decision making (avoiding pressure, patience if on the white lines)
• Coming towards the ball to receive (dynamic)

CHANGE IT:

• A = Increase/decrease area depending on success
• N = Add additional attacker/defender depending on success 
  
  • Can reduce players on the outside to 1 if required

Progression Options:

• Players on the outside can be tackled
  
• Extra defender in the middle (2v3)
• Game A = Easy (1 ball)
• Game B = Harder, more decisions and pre-scanning required (2 balls at once)

• Can be a player on the outside or inside (outside for kicking practice and inside for movement practice)

Wide circle entry (25 mins)

Note:

This can be player over half a pitch in both directions (i.e. the same thing happening towards both goals at the same time with different players)

Make it competitive, keep scores constantly and tally end v end & team v team



Rounds 

• Round 0 = 0 defenders (practice first-time finish) do for 2 to 3 minutes, lots of reps
• Round 1 = 1 defender per attack (6 mins). 6 defenders in bibs (total - both ends)
• Round 2 = 2 defender per attack (6 mins). 10 defenders in bibs (total - both ends)
• Round 3 = 3 defender per attack (6 mins). 10 defenders in bibs (total - both ends)

How the game works: 

Lots of balls on the middle of the 23 line. 

• - 1 passes to 2
• - 2 carries around the cone towards the baseline
• - Ball is live once 2 carries around the red cone. 
• - Players 1, 2 and 3 are attacking, player A is defending
• - Defender aiming to carry out the circle or pass back to the centre 
• - Once over, play to the opposite side (i.e. to player 4 and new attackers and defenders join)
• - Any PCA's won are tallied up and played out at the end of the round as shuffles (individuals to keep count)

Progression:

- 2 defenders and then 3

Coaching points:

• - Ball on stick in the circle, always ready to pass
• - Off ball players come towards the ball (or sink to space)
• - Looking for first or second touch finishes wherever possible (reward with double points)
• - Forehand defending for as long as possible

Win with comms (20 mins)

How it works:

• Orange player passes the ball into grey zone then ball is live 
• 4v2 until the ball crosses the 23, then 2 more defenders can join to make 4v4
• Defenders are looking to score in goals out wide (can score from anywhere in the 23 but outside the circle
• No sidelines or long corners, new ball

• ATT: Can we eliminate without engaging
  
• ATT: Ballside direct height, helpside to zone 5
• ATT: Can we get 2 players to zone 5
• DEF: Point, name, action in defence
• DEF: Can we slow it down to allow us to return to even numbers?
• DEF: CMM in circle, physical defending

• H: Defenders score/finish the rep by completing a pass to a player outside the 23 
  
• N: 6v3 if too many stationary (and 3 join)
  
• G: 3rd and 4th defender can enter the game once they've completed a point, name, action each (coach's discretion)
• 
  

Continuous 3v1 Fast (20 mins)

Continuous 3v1



How it works

• Initially, 3 attackers attack 1 goal. If the defender touches the ball the attack is over (if they win it cleanly encourage to outlet back to their team)
  
• Next attack is started by the next defender (from the team that just attacked) playing the ball to the player who just defended (who is now an attacker). 2 other players join from the attacking team.
• If the ball goes off or a goal is scored, the attack is over
• Progression - Make it 3v2 if too easy (but not until lots of goals are scored - the focus is the ball ending up in the goal, not the difficulty)

• Attack at pace - don't slow the game down if possible, dynamic first touch
• Connect at pace and avoid contact
• Defender - can they protect the middle of the pitch and slow the game down?

• Backpost goal = 1 points
• Into the netting = 2 points
• First time finish = 3 points