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Spoke Passing w/ Pressure - Link to Drill
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Set Up |
Focus Points |
A progression off the traditional spoke passing drill, adding defense
Set Up
Put your players In groups of 8 or 10, and set up 4 lines all right next to each other, in the shape of a + sign. Start with 1 ball in 1 line. The first player in line must carry with the 2nd player defending as the trailer. The defender will shade one side, and the offense must roll to space and adjacent line teammate must pop out to support. Connect a pass to the outside so the trail defenders can intercept the pass, and continue until you get all the way around the circle. Reset and start a ground ball with a new line
Coaching Points & Principles |
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- Escapes – Feeling the open Space
- Off Ball Play – Adjacent teammates must recognize if their teammate curls to them and pop out for support
- Passing – Pass the ball to the outside to prevent defensive knock downs
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Spoke Passing w/ Groundballs & Pressure - Link to Drill
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Set Up |
Focus Points |
A fun variation and take off this classic passing drills
Set Up
Put your players In groups of 8 or 10, and set up 4 lines all right next to each other, in the shape of a + sign. The first players in each line are on offense, and the second are defenders/trailers. Start with 1 ball in 1 line, with a live ground ball. the first player in line must top attack and get the ball, with the 2nd player defending as the trailer. The defender will shade one side, and the offense must roll to space and adjacent line teammate must pop out to support. Connect a pass to the outside so the trail defenders can intercept the pass, and continue until you get all the way around the circle. Reset and start a ground ball with a new line
Coaching Points & Principles
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- Groundballs – Accelerate and get your head up
- Escapes – Feeling the open Space
- Off Ball Play – Adjacent teammates must recognize if their teammate curls to them and pop out for support
- Passing – Pass the ball to the outside to prevent defensive knock downs
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Full Field Ladder Clear w/ Pressure - Link to Drill
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Set Up |
Focus Points |
A full field passing/clearing drill to work on stick work and playing against light pressure’
Set Up
There will be 6 lines on the field, 2 in each defensive corner and 1 at each side of the midfield line. We will add in pressure players (defenders), in between each line on both sides. The drill starts with a goalie outlet to a low defender, and the team must comply passes up the latter, to the opposite goalie. The riding players will put pressure on the ball and try to intercept or knockdown passes in transition.
Coaching Points and Principles
Progressions
- Add in 2 more lines (8 total) to change the clearing strategy
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- You must move your feet with the ball, trying to create passing lanes both with and without the ball
- Try to move the ball fast
- Riding players, keep your stick up, stay in between the ball carrier and the next teammates, we don’t want to chase sticks or get beat
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4V3 New School Game - Link to Drill
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Set Up |
Focus Points |
An uptempo game that emphasizes quick unsettled situations!
Set Up
Bring the goals up to each restraining box creating a small sided game and split your group into two teams. On both ends, place 4 Offensive Players and 3 Defensive Players. IMPORTANT RULE – Players on both teams are NOT ALLOWED to cross midfield. The game will start with a defending team clearing the ball, starting with the goalie. The players on opposite side of field, must get open for a clean outlet/clear since their clearing teammates cannot cross midfield. The game plays as a 4v3 and the offensive must find the advantage opportunity to create offense. The defense must play player down, and stick to their principles as noted below, to protect the goal. Play for 2-3 minutes, and then sub everyone.
Coaching Points and Principles
Progressions
- Add a 5th offensive and 4the defensive player to create a 5v4 game
- Make playing space smaller for younger players
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- Clearing Principles – Work to get open, spread the field out
- Defensive Principles – Protect the house/crease area, keep sticks in passing lanes, disrupt the offensive play
- Offensively – Find the advantage whether its a 2v1 down the wing or up top
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Offensive Skill Session - Link to Drill
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Set Up |
Focus Points |
A fun drill for goalies and players working on inside shooting
Set Up
Put a goalie in net, and 2 lines up top and 2 lines below goal line extended about 5 yards away. We are using TENNIS BALLS in this drill to protect our goalies. Going 1 side at a time, the player will pass down from a top line to a low line, and we want the player receiving the pass to cut to the ball, catch, turn corner, and finish. We are using inflatable dummies here to act as a defender and making sure we drive top side to square back up to the goal for our shot
Coaching Points and Principles
Progressions
- do the same drill but execute question marks or inside rolls
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- Step to the ball when you catch it don’t wait!
- Turn the corner, we don’t want players running away from the goal when shooting. Get top side and your body in front of the cage
- Protect the stick, need to keep the stick in front of our body here before we shoot, don’t hang it too much
- DECEPTION – Add in fakes to make it harder for the goalie
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Defensive Skill Session - Link to Drill
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Set Up |
Focus Points |
A great drill to work on defensive approaches working on footwork and body control
Set Up
Use 8 cones, and place in a zig zag pattern. The first 4 cones can be about 10 yards apart, and the last 4 about 5 yards apart. The player will start by running and approaching the first cone, break down, and then side run to the lower cone.. if int he 5 yard space its more of a shuffle. They will go through the zig zag 3-5 times, focusing on the footwork and body principles outlined below. Have the players go both ways so they are approaching different angles
Coaching Points and Principles
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- Short choppy steps when approaching the cone (invisible player)
- Approach at an angle, & get the top foot upfield – thinking you are trying to force the invisible plane to the next lower cone
- Lead with your stick, don’t run with stick horizontal
- After you approach cone, you want to have a short drop step to maintain position so you can side run/drive to the next cone
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54 - Link to Drill
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Set Up |
Focus Points |
his transition drill will keep practice uptempo with constant unsettled 5 on 4’s. This is a great drill to use in the middle of practice as a warm up before an inter squad scrimmage.
SET UP
Put all the balls in both cages with the goalies. Put 3 Attack and 3 Defense on each offensive end. Split the midfielders up in half, and put 1 lines of each color on the box side of play. The play starts with a 5v4 scenario on end. Once there is a missed shot, save, or turnover, The goalie will put a new ball in play to go the other way. The goalie must outlet to a player in current field of play (not the new midfielder waiting). Send in one of the midfielders on defense, in to the hole, and play 5 on 4 until there is a goal, save, or turnover. Once the clearing team gets passed half field, the rinding midfielders are OUT.
PRINCIPLES & COACHING POINTS
PROGRESSIONS
– Send Opposite side midfielder in on defense |
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- Play fast!
- Get the ball down the alley and through X
- Find the 2v1
- Defense communicate and get into a diamond set
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6v6 Situational Scrimmage - Link to Drill
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Set Up |
Focus Points |
This drill puts players into real game situations where score, time, possession, and personnel dictate how they should play.
Set up
live 6v6 and choose a specific scenario before each possession, adjusting the clock, score, or numbers to create different problems—such as short-time EMO/MDD, protecting a lead, needing a goal, or killing the clock. Allow players to communicate and solve the situation with limited coaching, then quickly reset with a new scenario.
Coaching Points |
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- Understand the score, time, possession, and personnel before play begins.
- Short-time EMO/MDD: Offense plays with urgency without forcing; defense protects the middle and understands when it must pressure.
- Kill the clock: Value possession, use the entire field, support the ball, and recognize when attacking the cage is unnecessary.
- Defense vs. keep-away: Communicate pressure, identify when to double, rotate behind the double, and anticipate the next pass.
- Need-a-goal offense: Play with urgency, attack favorable matchups, move the ball quickly, and understand how much time is available.
- Emphasize smart substitutions and timeout awareness when appropriate.
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Man Up & Man Down |
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