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Hockey drills for technique defense

  • A starts with the ball and first plays the ball back to B.
  • When B has accepted the ball the 3v3 starts and the defenders may start to pressure.
  • Tips for the attackers:
    • Use the exercise of switching the strikers 
    • Only play the safe ball
    • Remember the 4 squares in the circle
  • Tips for the defenders:
    • Keep your man in the circle
    • Push them to one side 
    • Always put pressure on the ball (i.e. don't let them shoot)
drawing Block 3 exercise 3 3 v 3 inside the circle
  • 4 defenders in the (build up)
  • 2 midfielders
  • 3 strikers
  • 3 defenders (opponents) + goalkeeper in circle
  • Play around from the bowl without pressure (can always be added later)
  • The 2 midfielders offer themselves from the axis to the back where the ball is going. 
  • Not being passed to is going to the line and back to the axis. 
  • Not offering on the long passing line. 
  • Being played is opening up and then playing the hanging striker or the winger. 
  • After playing, continue to pass into the guard position.
  • The 2 WINGER strikers offer themselves on the 23m
  • The HANGING striker offers himself in the attack at the head of the circle. 
  • The WINGER striker on the support side looks for scoring position at the far post.
drawing Build up attack from the middle with 3 passing options
  • 4 vs 4 across left and right.
  • 3 teams of 4.
  • 4 defenders + goalie vs 4 attackers.
  • Defenders can score points by getting between pawns with ball (dribble).
  • Attackers can score on goal. 
  • 3 x shoot is a penalty ball.
drawing Defending and attacking inside the 23 /circle
  • Party form with 2 teams and 1 goalkeeper.
  • If there's an odd number of players then make 1 player (preferably a midfielder) a neutral player who always belongs to the BB team.
  • The right of attack is taken over the 23 meter line by playing three times.
  • The right of attack is lost only when the other side has reached the right. 
  • An interception does not change this.
  • 3 cause penalty corner is a penalty ball (goal is to focus on effectiveness in the circle).
  • 2 x 10 minutes with 5 minutes rest (match situation).
  • Each team can be given an assignment such as full press / half court / put pressure on certain player when he gets the ball to improve strategy and coaching among themselves.
  • Provide enough balls along the lines so that there can be a high ball tempo.



drawing Right of attack
  • A starts with the ball and passes the ball to B.
  • D closes the pass line between A and B.
  • E starts to put pressure on B.
  • F wants to intercept the pass between B and C.
  • A,B,C want to score at the goal on the back line. 
  • D,E,F want to keep the ball on that can and if they capture it score at the goal on the center line.
drawing block 4 exercise 2 half court press
  • A starts with the ball and passes the ball to B. 
  • B takes the ball open and passes the ball through to C.
  • C takes the ball and runs on from now on the 4:3 starts and the attackers want to score on the big goal.
  • The defenders want to intercept the ball and score in the small goal on the sideline.
drawing block 4 exercise 3 attack with a formation 4:3
  • A starts with the ball and passes the ball to B.
  • B passes the ball back to A.
  • A takes the ball open and plays it to C.
  • B runs through and gets the ball wide from C.
  • From then on it is a 3 v 2 B,C,D against the 2 defenders.
  • When the defenders intercept the ball they score at the little goaltop on the side.



drawing block 4 exercise 2 building up an attack 3:2
  • Let them play over in the box. 
  • Tell them a number of passes
  • Play over 5 times without intercepting the ball. 
  • When you have succeeded in doing so, you may start finishing on the goal. 
drawing block 4 exercise 1 ball possession with attack
  • A starts with the ball.
  • Has a hard aimed pass back to B.
  • B takes the ball and from then on the 3 against 2 begins.
  • Attackers want to score on the big goal.
  • Defenders want to intercept the ball and score in the little goal on the sideline. 
drawing Block 4 exercise 2 attack 3:2
  • A starts with the ball and runs up with an arc.
  • B starts offering himself to the left or right.
  • As soon as he starts running A gives a directed pass to B.
  • B takes the ball and rounds to goal.
  • Other group is going to do ball possession in the box.
drawing Block 4 exercise 1 ball possession + controlling and finishing on target
  • Split the group into two groups.
  • First group is going to play ball possession with the goal of communicating with each other.
  • Second group is going to do the exercise on goal.
  • A starts with the ball who shoots the ball hard from the circle against the rebound board that is there. 
  • Attackers are going to try to finish that ball afterwards.
  • Defenders are going to try to get the ball outside the circle. (preferably on the outside)
drawing Block 4 exercise 3 ball possession and rebound training
  • Attack across the left.
  • A passes a ball back to B.
  • B passes the ball on to C.
  • When C has accepted the ball the 3:1 begins. ( with tackle back runner )
  • From then on the tackle back runner may also run and help the defender.
drawing block 2 exercise 3 attack over the left