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Fishing Game! - Link to Drill
- 10 Minutes
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Set Up |
Focus Points |
A game to start practice where players are working on a foundational skillset while thinking about space
Setup
Create a playing area, around 30×30 yd grid. Make 2 players the Fisherman, they have no sticks at all. All other players are the “fish” and they run/cradle the ball in their stick and swim around. The Fishermen try to tag fish with two hands. Tagged fish freeze in place for 5 seconds (hold stick overhead to show everyone), then re-enter as fish. Don’t tell fish HOW to move or dodge. Let them naturally find space and get to that space. The fishermen are the constraint, Fish will naturally discover direction changes, changes of pace/direction, because those are the solutions that work, let them discover.
Round 2 twist: Fish can “unfreeze” a frozen teammate by tapping them on the shoulder while carrying their own ball. Now it’s cooperative and chaotic, perfect for this age.
Note: If a player drops a ball while cradling, they must scoop the ball the right way (No Rakes!) or else they are considered a tagged fish
Coaching Points & Principles
Progressions
- Add a constraint- more fisherman makes it harder
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- Cradling and Ball Control – Continue to make sure players are working to keep that ball in their stick with a cradle
- Finding space and running away from fisherman
- Dodges and escapes – Players will naturally do the Face/Split/roll dodges
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Station 1: Zig Zag Cradling w/ a Shot - Link to Drill
- 8 Minutes
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Set Up |
Focus Points |
A great drill to work on ball control, ground balls, and shooting at once!
Set Up
Place cones in a zig zag patter about 5 yards away from each other not he side of the field. A Coach will be on the opposite side of the field to assist. The drill starts with the player cradling the ball through the cones. We want to emphasize exchanging hands depending on the cone we are running to. After players make their way through the cones, they will make a pass to coach for a Give and Go. You can make it a pass or a groundball back to the player. They will finish with a shot on cage.
Coaching Points and Principles
Progressions
- Shorten length between cones to make it hards for more experienced players
- Have the players roll dodge at each cone
- Add a second line on other side of cage doing the same drill
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- Ball Control – Try to keep the stick head closer to the shoulders/head area, it make for more stick protection and an easier hand exchange. Dont hand the stick low
- Accelerate at the cones, try to have players change speeds, by planting at the cone, and accelerating to the next
- Make a good pass to coach, and be read to get the ball back for a shot
- Step Down shots – think about our windup shooting as players shoot.
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Station 2: Dodge the Line to 1v1 - Link to Drill
- 8 Minutes
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Set Up |
Focus Points |
A good drill to work on ball control and dodging a sliding defender
Set Up
Put cones in a zig zag slalom type line, each 2-2 yards apart. The player must run quickly to each cone (they can stay one handed as this about ball control and playing fast) At the end of the slalom, 1 defender who is 5 yards away from the end, will slide to the player and they will play 1v1. The slalom is a constraint, it organizes rapid weight & balance shifts, change of direction, and footwork changes without the coach saying “practice your footwork”. The live defender creates the affordance for those same movements in a real context. Rotation: attacker goes, then becomes the waiting defender. Defender goes to back of line. Line keeps moving, high reps, low standing.
Coaching Points & Principles
Progressions
- Have the defender be closer so less time to react
- More experience players, make them change hands at every cone
- do on the wing, to teach getting to middle on offense and trying to prevent that on defense
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- Ball control – cradling in a fast paced environment with quick body movements
- Sliding on defense – working on taking a good angle and breaking down
- Playing 1v1 and trying to dodge to space. Offense should try to make 1 move only, and then GO!
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Station 3: Shoot to Score Relay Game - Link to Drill
- 8 Minutes
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Set Up |
Focus Points |
A fun game that works on ground balls, shooting, and teamwork!
Set Up
Put players into 2 teams on the wings. Put balls in the middle of the field between the 2 teams, and then add a cone about 8 yards from the goal. The first player in line, must go scoop a ground ball, get to the 8 yard cone, and shoot. Once they shoot, their next teammate can go, like a relay race. The team with the most goals after a 1 minute session, wins
Coaching Points and Principles
Progressions
- Make scoring area smaller and more difficult
- Players must spring back to line before teammate can go
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- Get clean ground balls, for speed and efficiency
- Take good shots, us a proper to make it harder to score like a net
- Hustle! need to work hard to win
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Musical Groundballs - Link to Drill
- 15 Minutes
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Set Up |
Focus Points |
This is a fun game to get the kids warmed up and competing!
SET UP
Create a small field using cones and put all the players shoulder to shoulder about 8 yards away from the game area. Coach will place as many balls -1 in the game area, than there are players. You have 8 players, use 7 balls. On the whistle, each player must go get a ball, and bring it back to the start line. The 8th player who doesn’t win a ball, can play defense and try to steal until everyone has returned back to the start point. Continue this progression until its 2v1 and you can declare a winner!
PRINCIPLES AND COACHING POINTS
PROGRESSIONS
- Use less balls to make game go faster (8 players 6 balls, then 6 players 4 Balls…
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- Ground Balls, Competing, Hustle, hav fun!
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