Basic Field Hockey Coaching Strategy for Kids Transition from Defense into Attack by Lance Eichert 4

1
BasicField Hockey Coaching Strategyfor
KidsTransitionfromDefenseintoAttackby
Lance Eichert 4/4/2009
2
Young field hockey players need a better
concept and team strategy to give all the skills
that they learn a purpose. This information may
be very obvious to many of you that have played
field hockey and have had previous coaching
experience. Understand that many of our players
have never seen anybody play field hockey before
and therefore dont know what the game is suppose
to look like. They also are very busy trying to
gain the stick skills that are necessary to be
able to control execute a game strategy. This is
a general overview and doesnt give players
positions to reference. That will be for future
documents. I hope this is of help for many of you.
3

• Ball pattern and flow fortransition fromDEFENSE
  to OFFENSE
• ATTACK FROM THE RIGHTIn general when there is an
  attack down the right side of the field the
  defender should channel the attacker and the ball
  to the outside toward the side line.

Attack down middle / rightside of field
RIGHT
4

• Ball pattern and flow fortransition fromDEFENSE
  to OFFENSE
• ATTACK FROM THE RIGHTIn general when there is an
  attack down the right side of the field the
  defender should channel the attacker and the ball
  to the outside toward the side line.
• This can happen in a number of ways
• 1) Free rolling through ball
• 2) A successful tackle
• 3) Free Hit

Defense gets the ball to the sideline Using a
pass or a dribble
5

• Ball pattern and flow fortransition fromDEFENSE
  to OFFENSE
• ATTACK FROM THE RIGHTOnce the ball has been
  safely directed to the sideline it is time to
  make a transition into OFFENSE. The ball should
  be passed quickly up to a forward or midfield
  player positioned near the half line. Players
  positions can vary depending on the situation but
  the strategy is the same.
• Players Actions
• 1) React quickly
• 2) Knows where the balls is going
• 3) Get into positions
• 4) Talk

Ball moves up the sidelineusing pass or dribble
6

• Ball pattern and flow fortransition fromDEFENSE
  to OFFENSE
• ATTACK FROM THE RIGHTThere are many creative
  variations to this part of the transition but
  young players can use this as a great starting
  point. From this point there should be some help
  arriving to build the attack. A square pass to a
  team mate on the inside should then be passed
  back to the outside. This pass combination is a
  One-Two or Give and Go. You could also change
  the attack to the other side of the field, I
  cover that later.
• There are many ways to go from here
• 1) One - Two pass
• 2) Pass down the line
• 3) Use the dribble

Ball comes to the inside using the pass, ball is
passed back out to sideline
7
Ball needs to stay wide and get to the goal line
to get behind defense

• Ball pattern and flow fortransition fromDEFENSE
  to OFFENSE
• ATTACK FROM THE RIGHTVery critical point of
  attack, our objective is to get behind the
  defense!Use the space in the corners to get the
  ball to the base line. You want to draw the
  defense out and away from the goal. A common
  fault of young players is to go straight for the
  goal. Remember the defense has to use their back
  stick to tackle, the attack has an advantage
  attacking on the right.
• Things to remember
• 1) Get behind defense
• 2) Attack to the open space
• 3) Get to the goal line

8
Dribble ball along baseline as far as possible
before passing the ball in front of the goal

• Ball pattern and flow fortransition fromDEFENSE
  to OFFENSE
• ATTACK FROM THE RIGHTTurning the corner and
  moving the attack along the baseline causes the
  defense to breakdown and gives the offense the
  most scoring opportunities.
• Things to remember
• 1) Team mates getting into scoring positions
• 2) Try to look up
• 3) Find open player

9
1
2
3

• Ball pattern and flow fortransition fromDEFENSE
  to OFFENSE
• ATTACK FROM THE RIGHTGoal scoring time!Someone
  should be open in one of these 3 positions.
• Things to remember
• 1) Left goal post with sticks down
• 2) Penalty Flick Spot (7 yds)
• 3) Near top of circle

Ball should be passed to open player in the
circle for a shot on goal 1) Directly across goal
mouth2) Penalty Flick Spot 3) Back toward top
of circle
10

• Ball pattern and flow fortransition fromDEFENSE
  to OFFENSE
• ATTACK FROM THE RIGHTOption from midfield point
  of transition. CHANGE ATTACK TOTHE OPPOSITE SIDE
  OF FIELDOften on the transition the opposite
  side of the field is wide open. This pass
  requires the left forward to hang back a little
  to be able to receive the pass.
• Things to remember
• 1) Midfield VISION
• 2) Teach players to see the situation and talk to
  each other CHANGE, CHANGE, CHANGE
• 3) Strong pass prefer a HIT

Look to change direction of attack if defense has
over shifted
11
Attack to goal line, remember the idea is to get
behind the defense

• Ball pattern and flow fortransition fromDEFENSE
  to OFFENSE
• ATTACK FROM THE RIGHTAttack quickly toward the
  open corner. The left forward has the hardest job
  because you are on the defenses front stick and
  the attack player needs to bring their body all
  the way around the ball to execute a proper hit
  towards the front of the goal. To turn the corner
  the player needs to run past the ball or use back
  stick to bring the ball back and to the players
  right.Things to remember
• 1) Get ball to base line
• 2) Strong HIT across circle
• 3) Look for support from behind

12
1
2
3

• Ball pattern and flow fortransition fromDEFENSE
  to OFFENSE
• ATTACK FROM THE RIGHTGoal scoring time!Someone
  should be open in one of these 3 positions.
• Things to remember
• 1) Right goal post with sticks down
• 2) Penalty Flick Spot (7 yds)
• 3) Near top of circle

Ball should be passed to open player in the
circle for a shot on goal 1) Directly across goal
mouth2) Penalty Flick Spot 3) Back toward top
of circle
13

• Ball pattern and flow fortransition fromDEFENSE
  to OFFENSE
• ATTACK FROM THE LEFTIn general when there is an
  attack down the left side of the field the
  defender should channel the attacker and the ball
  to the outside toward the side line.

Attack down middle / leftside of field
LEFT
14

• Ball pattern and flow fortransition fromDEFENSE
  to OFFENSE
• ATTACK FROM THE LEFT In general when there is an
  attack down the left side of the field the
  defender should channel the attacker and the
  ball to the outside toward the side line.
• Change of possession can happen in a number of
  ways
• 1) Free rolling through ball
• 2) A successful tackle
• 3) Free Hit

Defense gets the ball to the sideline Using a
pass or a dribble
15

• Ball pattern and flow fortransition fromDEFENSE
  to OFFENSE
• ATTACK FROM THE LEFTOnce the ball has been
  safely directed to the sideline it is time to
  make a transition into OFFENSE. The ball should
  be passed quickly up to a forward or midfield
  player positioned near the half line. Players
  positions can vary depending on the situation but
  the strategy is the same.
• Players Actions
• 1) React quickly
• 2) Knows where the balls is going
• 3) Get into positions
• 4) Talk

Ball moves up the sidelineusing pass or dribble
16

• Ball pattern and flow fortransition fromDEFENSE
  to OFFENSE
• ATTACK FROM THE LEFTThere are many creative
  variations to this part of the transition but
  young players can use this as a great starting
  point. From this point there should be some help
  arriving to build the attack. A square pass to a
  team mate on the inside should then be passed
  back to the outside. This pass combination is a
  One-Two or Give and Go. You could also change
  the attack to the other side of the field, I
  cover that later.
• There are many ways to go from here
• 1) One - Two pass
• 2) Pass down the line
• 3) Use the dribble

Ball comes to the inside using the pass, ball is
passed back out to sideline
17
Attack to goal line, remember the idea is to get
behind the defense

• Ball pattern and flow fortransition fromDEFENSE
  to OFFENSE
• ATTACK FROM THE LEFTAttack quickly toward the
  open corner. The left forward has the hardest job
  because the defense is onthe front stick. The
  attack player needs to bring their body all the
  way around the ball to execute a proper hit
  across the circle. To turn the corner the player
  needs to run past the ball or use back stick to
  bring the ball back and to the players
  right.Things to remember
• 1) Get ball to base line
• 2) Strong HIT across circle
• 3) Look for support from behind

18
1
2
3

• Ball pattern and flow fortransition fromDEFENSE
  to OFFENSE
• ATTACK FROM THE LEFTGoal scoring time!Someone
  should be open in one of these 3 positions. Team
  mates need to work hard to get into position to
  score.
• Things to remember
• 1) Right goal post with sticks down
• 2) Penalty Flick Spot (7 yds)
• 3) Near top of circle

Ball should be passed to open player in the
circle for a shot on goal 1) Directly across goal
mouth2) Penalty Flick Spot 3) Back toward top
of circle
19

• Ball pattern and flow fortransition fromDEFENSE
  to OFFENSE
• ATTACK FROM THE LEFTOption from midfield point
  of transition. CHANGE ATTACK TOTHE OPPOSITE SIDE
  OF FIELDOften on the transition the opposite
  side of the field is wide open. This pass
  requires the right forward to hang back a little
  to be able to receive the pass.
• Things to remember
• 1) Midfield VISION
• 2) Teach players to see the situation and talk to
  each other CHANGE, CHANGE, CHANGE
• 3) Strong pass prefer a HIT

Look to change direction of attack to the RIGHT
SIDE of field. Attack has an advantage on the
right side of field. Defense has to use back
stick tackle.
20
Ball needs to stay wide and get to the goal line
to get behind defense

• Ball pattern and flow fortransition fromDEFENSE
  to OFFENSE
• ATTACK FROM THE LEFTVery critical point of
  attack, our objective is to get behind the
  defense!Use the space in the corners to get the
  ball to the base line. You want to draw the
  defense out and away from the goal. A common
  fault of young players is to go straight for the
  goal. Remember the defense has to use their back
  stick to tackle, the attack has an advantage
  attacking on the right.
• Things to remember
• 1) Get behind defense
• 2) Attack to the open space
• 3) Get to the goal line

21
1
2
3

• Ball pattern and flow fortransition fromDEFENSE
  to OFFENSE
• ATTACK FROM THE LEFTAttack up the base line if
  you can, but you can cross the ball anywhere from
  along the base.Goal scoring time!Someone should
  be open in one of these 3 positions.
• Team mates get into scoring position
• 1) Left goal post with sticks down
• 2) Penalty Flick Spot (7 yds)
• 3) Near top of circle

Ball should be passed to open player in the
circle for a shot on goal 1) Directly across goal
mouth2) Penalty Flick Spot 3) Back toward top
of circle