Coach s Ball Hockey Manual Ball Hockey Coaching Manual 1
The purpose of the camp is to help your church connect your community with Christ. Introduction to SU Ball Hockey Everything you need to lead hockey at an SU Camp. The purpose of the camp is to help your church connect your community with Christ. As you coach through the week, keep in mind that this is a ministry. The intent of the program is that by the end of camp each participant will have a better understanding of the sport, of the values they learn, that they will feel connected to your church, and most importantly, that they will develop a relationship with Christ. As a coach you will have a great influence in the participants lives. They will look up to you and many will make you their role model. The children will be watching you the way you act, the words you speak, and your actions. Be mindful of this and always model Christ. SU Sportz camps are designed to teach one new skill each day. Skills are taught using the IDEA method, then drills help participants practice what they have just learnt. Games provide an opportunity to practice the new skill in a fun activity, and scrimmages use the skill in a game situation and teach the rules of the sport. This manual has been structured the same way camp will run. There are 5 sections - one for each day of the week. Each day includes: Coach s Introduction: Why teach the skill and important notes. IDEA Introduce, Demonstrate, Explain, Ask: This method is laid out to help you clearly teach the skill. Drills: There are a number of drills suggested for each skill. Select some you are comfortable with. Games: Games are a fun way to practice the new skill. They offer participants a chance to practice the skill in a focused game. Scrimmage: Finish the session with a short scrimmage. Use this time to teach a rule and focus on the skill. Throughout the manual you will find: SU Favourite: This highlights drills and games that will always be taught at an SU Sportz camp. The coaches love them and the kids do too! Coach s Tip: These are suggestions from past SU Camp coaches they re sharing their experience with you! Whether this is the first time you ve launched a camp, or it s become an annual tradition, SU is thrilled to serve you throughout the process. 2 Ball Hockey Coaching Manual
Intro to Ball Hockey Introduction to Ball Hockey Positions: Goalie (1 player). Protect the net Defense (Left and right defense). Protect the net and stop other team s offensive opportunities Forward (right wing, left wing and center) Play offense, goal is to score. Basic Rules 1. Players - Five players on the court at a time, plus 1 goalie. 3 forwards and 2 defensemen. 2. Location - The playing field that you are set up with. Parking lot, or courts. 3. Change of Possession - The last player to touch the ball before it goes out of the boundaries loses possession. The opposing team puts the ball back into play; they must complete a pass before they can shoot on goal. 4. Offside This happens if an offensive player is closer to the opponent s net than both the ball and the last defender when the ball is passed to him/her. To keep this simple offense cannot hang around the net and have their teammates pass the ball up for them to score. 5. Face-Offs - The game must be put into play by a face-off between the center forwards from opposing teams at the beginning of the game as well as after goals are scored. Different positioning techniques of where you want the ball to end up can be used. Lift the opponents stick up and take the ball from under it. Ball Hockey Coaching Manual 3
Intro to Coaching Introduction to Coaching To make sure your sessions are as fun and effective as possible, consider the following BEFORE you start the session: 1) Establish your role as the coach If you are speaking, no one else is. Don t try to talk over participants, use an attention getter and patiently wait until you have everyone s attention. 2) Establish an attention getter If I blow my whistle twice everything needs to stop 3) Establish a listening position this position ensures the balls are not moving, and heads are up ready to listen. i.e. Wayne Gretzky every time you call this the players must stop and take a knee. 4) Set Rules and Boundaries Clearly explain what they can and cannot do. i.e. No hanging on soccer nets, don t retrieve balls from the street, don t go past cones. Be part of the circle Semi-circle formation Gathered Formation Coaching Tips Keep the participants together while you teach. Only position them AFTER you have explained the drill/game. Bring the participants back in near you each time you speak or give instructions otherwise they may not hear you. The purpose of coaching is to help them improve, therefore bringing them close to you every time you speak isn t a waste of time it s valuable for them (and it breaks up the session more). Don t play with the ball while you are teaching, it s distracting. Use simple and clear explanations (know what you re going to say before you say it). Have drills and games set up before you teach. Always encourage the participants (5 positives 1 constructive criticism) Positioning o If you position the kids in a circle to listen, be part of the circle o Semi-circle formation o Gathered 4 Ball Hockey Coaching Manual
Developing Your Program It s important to PLAN before camp. The manual is organized in a way that makes planning a breeze. 1) Review Everyday needs to begin with review. Start each day with stick handling to develop ball control skills. You will see great improvement in one week if you do this regularly. 2) IDEA Every skill is taught using this method. This is laid out in the manual, making teaching easy. a. Introduce Explain why the skill is important and why it is useful to know. b. Demonstrate Show the participants how this skill is done. c. Explain Explain how you do the skill step by step. Use a participant to help you explain the skill. d. Ask Ask the participants questions about what you just taught. This helps them reflect on what was taught and apply it. What part of your foot do you use to kick the ball? Planning Bring the participants back into a group near you when explaining a new drill or making a group correction. Always end a game in its prime when kids are loving it the most. The 10 Ball Game is by far the most favourite game with the kids. 3) Drills Select 2 or 3 drills from the manual. Keep the participants in a group together while you explain the drill. Use drills to encourage and correct each participant with the new skill, make sure they use proper technique. 4) Games Select 2 or 3 games from the manual. Ensure you understand the game before teaching it. Clearly and quickly explain the game, ask if there are any questions, and start it. The first few minutes may be confusing but as participants play the game they will understand it and come to love it. 5) Scrimmage Use scrimmages to teach rules, teamwork and field sense. It s important to make sure the participants know the rules of their sport, but don t stop the game too much consider introducing one rule each day during scrimmage (i.e. introduce offside on Wednesday and make sure they follow that specific rule). 6) Time Fillers Sometimes you run through the program faster than planned. Instead of making the scrimmage last forever (keep timing clear and structured to prevent kids from becoming bored) have a list of awesome go-to games. They will discover many favourites each day with each new skill but there are a few extra ideas listed on pg. 25. These can also be used to entice the campers to work hard during drills so they have time for their favourite game at the end of the session. Planning Ball Hockey Coaching Manual 5
Sample coach s session for Ball Control (Monday). Time Activity Notes 5 Minutes Stationary stick handling Teach Foundation keep your head up and eyes on me. Feel the ball on your stick and use the middle of the blade for each touch. 5 Minutes Teach Control I Stamkos does well. Important to do well to keep possession of the ball and advance offensively. D demonstrate E- Use the middle of the blade, both on the forehand and backhand when stick handling. Also keep your head up and move your lower hand higher on the stick. Move the blade over the ball while providing a cushion (angle the blade diagonally on the ball) A What parts of our blade can we use? Later remind them Use your body to protect the ball from your opponents. 10 Minutes Cone Stick Handling Pg. 9 Start as drill, make it into a relay race after everyone has tried it a few times. 5 Minutes Change of Pace Pg. 9 Practice changing paces running with ball. 10 Minutes Mexican Chihuahua Pg. 10 Note: watch closely for cheaters. 15 Minutes Scrimmage Teach different positions and remind them to stay in their area, make sure they keep control of ball. EXTRA Relay Race Pg 19. Equipment Coaches need: A whistle, running shoes, stop watch. Ball Hockey sessions require: A ball for every participant A stick for every participant Flat pavement - make sure to mark the boundaries and any possible risks (i.e. gravel or divots). Pylons 30-50 pylons. Pylons are used to set boundaries, design a lay-out, and make lines for drills. They are essential. Pinnies enough for half the participants. A net is necessary, the road hockey nets using pipes and netting is often the best form of a net. However, if the coach does not have access to such equipment pylons can be used. 6 Ball Hockey Coaching Manual
Ball Control Monday Ball Control Sound ball control is the foundation of any good hockey player. Without a solid stick handling technique athletes will have trouble maintaining possession of the ball and will not have many opportunities to pass, shoot or move the ball offensively. To have complete control of the ball, players must be comfortable using both the front (forehand) and back (backhand) of the blade of their stick which changing the size and speed of their stick handling. Hockey players must be able to move their lower dominant hand up and down the stick in order to control the ball in any situation. The following drills and games will reinforce this skill. Teaching Stick Handling (Ball Control) Introduce Stick handling helps players keep possession of the ball and create offensive plays. Demonstrate. Stick handle the ball through some pylons, towards the participants. Explain Use your body to protect the ball (keep your backside facing the opponent). Change the speed and size of the stick handling depending on your motive during the play. Use the middle of the blade, both on the forehand and backhand to move the ball with precision. Ask What parts of the blade do we use? Heel, toe or middle? Do you look at the ball when you do this? Drills Follow the Leader This drill gives the players an opportunity to be creative and come up with their own stick handling pattern while practicing the basics. Players form a line and follow the coach in stick handling patterns anywhere on the court/pavement, use players to also be the leader. The individual who is the leader should do small and wide stick handling, also incorporating different speeds and footwork. Ball Hockey Coaching Manual 7
Ball Control Circle Drill This drill forces players to stick handle in different paths, requiring them to change their footwork. Players stickhandle around each face-off circles or cones and will end up on the opposite side diagonal to the corner they started in. Players should be instructed to focus their eyes on the dot/cone while stick handling in order for them to learn to keep their head up. Watch The Coach This drill concentrates on the player s ability to change his/her speed and size of stick handling, to be able to adapt to the quick change of play in a hockey game. Players face coach and follow his directional instructions. The coach should switch from small to wide stick handling as well as different locations around the body while remaining stationary. Stick Handling Drill This gives players practice dribbling up the field. Set up an end zone. Have players stick handle from one end to the other and back. Make it fun and challenging using the following ideas: Stick handle with the smallest size (move ball with little space in between each stick handle). Stick handle with the widest size (bring ball as far to the side as possible. Stick handle as fast as possible while keeping head up. 8 Ball Hockey Coaching Manual
Ball Control Stick Handle Suicides This gives players practice control of the ball, stopping and turning. Players line up at the end line with one ball each. Cones are set up in front of them at 8-10 yard intervals. On the coach s whistle, players stick handle to the first cone, then turn and stick handle back to the end line. Then they bring the ball to the second cone, and back to the end line. This is repeated for the rest of the cones. This can be turned into a relay race with teams competing against each other. Cone Stick Handling This helps develop ball control and teaches players to use both feet. Players line up in a straight line behind a cone. Subsequent cones (appx 6 pylons) are placed at 3 metre intervals in front of them. If you want to make this harder you can place the cones closer, or zig zag (consider adapting all drills to meet the skill level of participants). One at a time the players stick handle forward, weaving in and out of the cones. Upon reaching the final cone they stick handle straight back to the start and pass the ball to the next player in line. This can be turned into a relay race between two or more teams. Change of Pace This helps players learn to move with the ball at any pace, and how to change their pace while maintaining control. Players line up at the end line with one ball each. The point is to stick handle up the court at the speed called by the coach, without stopping or losing control. Call out fast or slow and participants must adjust speed. Advanced Drills Turns This teaches different turns and how to keep control. Set up two parallel lines of cones. Have players stick handle to the other cone and when they reach it practice a turn and stick handle back. Below are different turns that you can teach. a. Outside Fake: Player makes it seem like he/she is going to the inside (go to the left) but suddenly changes direction to confuse the opponent and stick handles the ball to the outside (right side). b. Inside Fake: Player makes it seem like he/she is going to the outside (go to the right) of the player but suddenly changes direction to confuse the opponent and stick handles the ball to the inside (left side). Ball Hockey Coaching Manual 9
Ball Control The Fake Practicing this skill will be useful in game play to move the ball up the court by misleading the defender. Have players line up facing the coach with balls. They will stick handle up to the coach and do a fake in front of him/her and pass around them. Try teaching different ways to fake (i.e. inside/outside fake, toe drag etc.). Stick Handling Games Fishie Fishie Coach stands in the middle of the court while the players try to run from side to side and steal the balls. If a player gets caught by the coach (the ball taken off of them) that ball is eliminated from the game. The goal is to try and get the ball past the coach. Red Light and Green Light Players start at one end of the court and run forward on green light and stop on red light while stick handling simultaneously. The coach stands at the opposite end announcing the commands (red or green light). The first player to make it to where the coach is standing wins. Steal the ball Start full court, players stick handle and try and steal other people s ball away. Go half Court, to 1 quarter of a court. The players who lose control of their ball are eliminated and as the players decrease so does the size of the boundary. Bunnies Have both nets filled with balls, the team to transfer all the balls to their net wins. If you get caught then you are frozen and your team member needs to stick handle to you pass to you then return to your side. 10 Ball Hockey Coaching Manual
Mexican Chihuahua This can be a team game or a camp-wide game. A boxed boundary is created using cones. Two or more players are designated it and stand in the middle of the area. The rest of the players line up along the end line with one ball each. The designated players call the players across to the other side saying Mexican Chihuahuas! The players then attempt to stick handle the ball to the other side without having their ball knocked away by the designated players. If a player s ball is knocked out of bounds the player must immediately sit on the ground and attempt to knock out other players balls with their hands as they pass. The game continues until the last player s ball is knocked out. This looks a lot like the traditional game of Octopus, but players must cross the field with their balls to practice ball control. Immunity All balls are piled in the middle of the circle, with one unique ball (a different colour than the rest) and the players are along the outside. Players will run around the circle doing different tasks each time (i.e. jumping jacks, army crawl). When the whistle is blown the players run into the middle of the circle, find a ball and stick handle it safely out of the circle. Each round, eliminate 3-4 balls so some players are eliminated. The one ball that looks different from the other balls is called the Immunity Ball. The player that successfully stick handles this ball out of the circle receive immunity for the next round and gets to sit out for a round. Keep the eliminated players involved by using them to shrink the playing field size (have them stand in a line) to make the game more challenging. Sharks and Minnows Set up a circle of cones as boundaries for this game. Designate some players as sharks and the rest of the players as minnows. Minnows will remain inside the circle trying to maintain control and possession of their own ball. Sharks will circle around the minnows outside of the circle until the coach calls Sharks In! At this point sharks will run inside the circle and try to knock the minnows balls outside of the circle. If a ball is knocked out of the circle that player becomes a shark. When the leader calls, Sharks Out! all sharks must exit the circle instantly without knocking out any more balls. Knockout Using a circle of cones as boundaries, instruct players to be inside of the circle each with their own ball. When the leader yells GO! players will attempt to knock the ball off other players, outside the circle. If a player s ball is knocked out, they sit off to the side until a new game starts. Eventually the game will be down to two players. You can shrink the size of the circle in order to speed up the game. Make sure players do not leave their ball or sit on it. Ball Hockey Coaching Manual 11
Passing Tuesday Passing Hundreds of passes are made in a single hockey game. The ball is passed back and forth, up the court, out of danger, and to create scoring opportunities. There are two basic ways to pass the ball: using the forehand or backhand. Approximately 80% of all passes in a game are done using the forehand. The ball can also be passed along the ground or in the air. It is important to emphasize the transfer of weight from the back to the front foot as the ball is being brought forward. In order to teach this, demonstrate your legs bending and extending as the ball moves. Teach Participants Passing Introduce Passing keeps the ball out of danger, sends it up the court, and creates scoring opportunities. Demonstrate Pass back and forth with a participant or volunteer. Explain a) Knees bent, legs shoulder width apart (starting position). b) Bring the ball back behind the body (gain power). c) Allow the ball to roll from the heel to the toe of the blade. d) Follow through by pointing the blade at target. Also, teach them how to receive a pass, absorbing the ball using their blade. Ask Where should my eyes be looking? How should my legs be positioned? What part of the blade should the ball be released? Drills During drills watch participants and ensure they use proper technique. Partner Pass 1 and 2 A basic drill to gain experience passing and receiving. Partner Pass 1: Each player lines up across from a partner, about 8-10 yards apart. Using proper passing and receiving styles, partners pass the ball back and forth. This drill can be made into a game. For every three consecutive successful passes, each partner takes a step back. For every missed pass, each partner takes a step forward. Make sure both feet are being used. Partner Pass 2: The same as PP1, but this time the ball is passed in the air. Partners may want to start a bit further apart. 12 Ball Hockey Coaching Manual
Passing Give and Go This incorporates ball control and passing teaching how to pass the ball ahead of your teammate while moving up field. Players form two parallel lines. The players in one line should each have a ball. The first pair moves towards the end line, passing the ball between them. Each pass is made slightly in front of the other player, leading them and allowing them to run onto the ball. When they reach the end they will join the line on the other side so there are always two pairs going in opposite directions at once. Triangle Pass This drill practices one touch passes and leading the pass to the next player. Make this into a competition to see how many passes a group can complete in a minute against other teams. Set up cones in a triangle. For the drill to work you must have a minimum of one player per cone and two at the cone that starts with the ball. If you have limited resources you can have more than one player at each cone. The player at the first cone will pass the ball to the player at the second cone who will take a touch and pass to the player at the third cone, and back to the first cone. The idea is to practice small touches and leading to the next player. Zig-Zag Pass Teaches receiving, turning and giving advancing passes. Set up cones in a zig-zag pattern. Have a participant stand on each cone. The rest of the players start at the bottom of the zig-zag line. The first player passes to the player on the nearest cone. They then follow their pass and become the player at that cone. The player who was passed to, turns and passes to the player at the next cone. Eventually the whole line will rotate through by receiving, turning, passing, and following their pass. Three Man Weave This teaches passing different distances, giving leading passes to your teammate and being prepared to receive while running. This drill is very basic and commonly used in many sports such as basketball and soccer. Players line up in 3 lines, about 5 yards from each other. On the whistle the player in the middle line starts running forward with the ball, making the first pass to the player to the left or right. After making the pass that player follows their pass and runs behind the player they just passed to. The player receiving the ball controls it and passes the ball to the player furthest from them. This player also follows their pass behind the player they passed to. This motion of passing and following continues down the field until the group of 3 reaches the line or has a shot on goal. Ball Hockey Coaching Manual 13
Passing Relay Pass This fun drill helps players learn to pass the ball quickly and controlled. Equal teams form a straight line (or diagonal with cones) with about 5 yards between each player. On the coach s whistle, the first player in line passes to the second player in line, who passes it to the third, and so on. The goal is to get the ball from one end of the line to the other as quickly as possible. Teams can race against each other. If a player makes a bad pass they must retrieve the ball and try again. Large and Small Horseshoe This drill incorporates moving with speed with the ball and proper giving passes in front of your teammate. Players form 2 lines at each end and then run around the middle circle or to the blue line and pass to the player from the other line. Passing Games Keep our Yard Clean This drill allows the players to quickly make decisions on where to pass and when to be defensive in terms of how to retrieve the balls out of their zone. Set up two grids next to each other with equal teams in each grid. Every child has a ball and the object of the game is to keep your yard clear of hockey balls. On the coach s whistle the players pass the ball into the opposing team s yard until the coach blows the whistle again. The team with the least amount of balls in their yard wins. Have volunteers/players/coaches behind the grid to keep the balls in play. 2-0 Shoot-out This drill allows the players to work together and make passes in order to set up offensive plays. Players start on the end and pass all the way to the opposing end and take a shot on goal. 14 Ball Hockey Coaching Manual
Square Passing This drill forces the players to make proper passes while having light pressure put on them. Players form a square with one person in the middle and 2 people on each side and pass to each other until the person in the middle intercepts it. Topple This drill focuses on accuracy because the players must hit the target to knock the ball off the pylon. Put players in groups of 4 one person is a defender, set up a pylon with a ball on top and try and knock it down by passing the ball back and forth for a shot. Advanced Passing Explode Set up two large circles using cones. The outside circle should be 15-20 yards from the inner circle. Players stick handle inside of the small circle. When the coach signals, players explode to the outside circle, they must stick handle around all the cones on the outside circle before re-entering the inner circle. The first player back to the inner circle wins. Ball Hockey Coaching Manual 15
Shooting Wednesday - Shooting Shooting and accuracy are integral parts of playing hockey. Several hockey games are low scoring so it s important to make every shot count. When shooting, players need to keep their head up and eyes on their target before releasing their shot. This will help with accuracy, control and power. Teach Participants Shooting Introduce Shooting is very important because it s how you can get points in hockey. Steven Stamkos has good form and powerful shots he was the top scorer in the NHL in 2011. You too can be a high scorer if you learn proper technique Demonstrate Keep your head up, eyes on the target, begin in starting position, gain power from behind your body then sweep the ball from the heel to the toe and follow-through. Explain Keep your head up, eyes on your target Begin in starting position Gain power from your legs by moving the ball behind your body Sweep ball from heel to toe of blade Follow-through and point at the target Point the toe of the blade down over the heel Ask What part of the blade do you use? Where should you point your stick? Where do I look? Drills Penalty Shot Teaches players basic shooting technique from a dead ball. A ball is placed at the penalty spot (12 yard, or appx 10 steps from net). A coach or player is the goalie. Players form a straight line at the top of the 18 yard box. One at a time players shoot the ball trying to score on the goal. To add a twist to the drill, players who miss a shot are eliminated while those who score return to the line and shoot again. The last player left is declared the winner! 16 Ball Hockey Coaching Manual
Shooting Layoff and Shoot This teaches players how to shoot a rolling ball. Players form a straight line facing the goal. A coach or volunteer stands facing the players, between the players and the goal. The first player in line passes the ball to the coach, who lightly directs the ball to the left or right side. The player then approaches the ball and takes a shot on goal. Shoot and Rebound This drill teaches the players how to get their shot off quickly and look for the rebound. At both ends of the court a couch stands by the side of the net with extra balls, the player comes down from the middle, passes the coach the ball shoots straight away, and then looks to the coach for another pass closer to the net. Then switch sides. 3 Circle Shooting This drill teaches players how to shoot from different angles and look for the openings in the net. Line up on the blue line, first kid goes around the nearest face-off dot and shoots, the second kid around the centre circle, and the third kid also around the centre circle but the opposite way. CHANGE FOR YOUNGER KIDS Modified Line up on the blue line, first kid goes around the nearest face-off dot and shoots, the second kid around the centre circle. Start with their own ball, and then shoot on net. Get volunteers to be the pythons. Advanced Drills Square Shooting Put players in 4 lines lined up at the side, 2 people from opposite sides run around the middle circle at the same time looking for a pass from the player on the opposite side, then go in on a 2-0. (start with a pass from the coach so it s easier) CHANGE FOR YOUNGER KIDS Modified 2 lines around the circle and one person goes at a time around the face-off dot, looks for a pass from the other line. Ball Hockey Coaching Manual 17
Shooting Three Man Weave This drill practices advancing up the court and shooting. This is the same drill for practicing passing, but finish the drill with a shot on net. Aim/Accuracy Shooting Practice Aim and Accuracy. Players form a straight line in front of goal. One at a time the players dribble the ball towards the goal and take a shot. The player then retrieves the ball (with the help of the goalkeeper) and returns to the back of the line. As the drill progresses, the players may aim for the posts or targets that have been set up. It is good for more advanced players to practice their aim and accuracy with their shot. Games Rapid Fire Players are split into two groups. The first group lines up to shoot and the second group goes behind the net as ball-fetchers. Five balls are set up in a horizontal row in front of the goal. The first player in line will shoot the first ball, then the second ball, then the third ball, and so on. The object of the game is to shoot the balls rapidly and accurately. Once every player in the first group has shot, they switch places with the second group. The winner is the team that scores the most. Shooting Race Coach rolls or kicks the ball in a straight line, keeping it an equal distance from the two lines. When the ball is released the first player in each line races for the ball and attempts to score. Each player is trying to score and prevent the other player from scoring. This drill may run smoother if opposing players are matched up evenly. Jail Two games going on at the same time, the players get 2 shots; one is a dead ball one is rolling. Start at the blue line, if they miss all their shots they go to jail but if someone on their team gets both shots in one the person in jail the longest gets freed. (Adjust game if not enough are getting in jail make them get both shots in, it too many are in jail then any goal can free them all) 18 Ball Hockey Coaching Manual
Shooting Shoot-out Form 2 teams and players start at the middle and scorers continue while the players that missed are eliminated. Runner and Gunners Make a rectangle with pylons. Make two equal teams one is called runners and the other gunners. The gunners line up along the outside of the rectangle with some soccer balls. The runners must run from one end of the rectangle, to the other, without being hit by a soccer ball. The gunners are shooting the soccer balls at the runners as they run across the field. The runners must run when the whistle is blown. Once a runner is eliminated they join the gunners. 10 Puck Game 10 Balls are placed in a row along both of the imaginary blue line and the players are divided into two teams. The teams line up on opposite sides facing opposing nets. Once the whistle is blown two players from each team pick up one of the balls on the blue line and must shoot on the goalie (coach or volunteer), making it a 2 on 0. The two players continue to shoot/pass to each other until they score. Once they score they must tag the next two players in line and pick up the next ball. Whichever team scores all 10 balls first wins the game (can be modified to use less than 10 balls). Ball Hockey Coaching Manual 19
Defense Thursday Defence/Offense Defense fundamentals; teaches strategy for each position in relation to a defensive mindset. Defense A strong defense keeps the ball out of your own net, while providing your team with more chances to score and ultimately win the game. A large part of defense is about technique, position and speed. Just like any other skill, defense takes a lot of practice and concentration. Every player, from back to front should have a solid understanding of how to defend as an individual and as a team. Teach Participants Defense Introduce The most talked about players are not usually defenders, but they are the ones that win games. Chara is a strong defenseman. Demonstrate The correct stance (goal-side) defensemen should always remain positioned to the inside of the offender (between the player and your own net). Explain Defenders need to run fast and always be close to the person with the ball. The defensive stance will help you stay close to the ball and leave you prepared to run if you need to. Keep shoulders forward, eyes looking at the opponent s chest, one foot slightly in front of the other, with knees bent and legs shoulder width apart. Ask Where should I look when I m defending? Drills Coach s Shuffle A great drill to use at warm up helps players learn to move fast Players spread out in two lines, shoulder to shoulder, one behind the other. Players assume the proper defensive position throughout the drill. The coach stands in front of the group and with his hands, directs the players which direction to move. If the coach points to their right, the players will shuffle towards his right. If the coach points towards the players they shuffle backwards, and so on. 20 Ball Hockey Coaching Manual
Defense 1-on-1 Pressure This drill will help players develop spatial sense. Players get into partners with one ball between them. Starting at the end line, one partner stick handles steadily forward at a jogging pace while the other player stays about a meter in front of him, putting slight pressure on the ball but not taking it away. The players make their way across the field, with the defender staying in the defensive position. When they reach the opposite side of the field, players switch roles and return across the field. Additional Defense Drills 3-on-2 This teaches teamwork. The coach separates players into groups of 3 and 2. The groups of 3 are on offence and the groups of 2 are on defense. The group of 3 has 30 seconds to score. The object is for the group of 2 to try to prevent the offensive team from scoring. The defensive pair focuses on closing down space using speed, communicating, and supporting each other. You can also eliminate the scoring aspect and just have 3-on-2 in a grid. 3 Man Weave The defenders must learn how to position themselves goal-side in order to prevent the opponents from scoring. Players start at end of court in 3 different lines weaving back and forth, line of defense at the centre line go in the zone 3 on 2. (Start off with regular 3 man weave and slowly add the defenders) 1V1 intensified Great defense and offense practice. Two players pair up, one offense and one defense. The defense will pass the ball to the offense and quickly close down. The offensive player will work as hard as they can, in a marked off area, to pass the defense and make it to the other side, and the defense will work hard at timing and staying in the defensive stance (jockeying) to not allow the other player to make it across. Players switch up positions each time. Ball Hockey Coaching Manual 21
Defensive Games Knockout A box is made with cones. Each player stick handles around the box, attempting to keep their ball within the boundaries while also attempting to knock other player s balls out of the box. Players concentrate on shielding their own ball and stealing the ball from other players. When a player s ball is knocked out they must stand outside the box. The game continues until only one player is left. Duck Hunt Put a pylon with a ball on it in the net, players shoot from the blue line and the first team to kno ck it over 3 times wins. Make sure the players shoot one at a time in case players miss and the balls are moving out of control. 22 Ball Hockey Coaching Manual
Review Friday Skills Competition/Tournament Review Games Ultimate Showdown Use your creativity to create a fun review challenge. Put together an obstacle course that combines all skills learned throughout the week. Race two or more teams. Skills tournament This fun tournament allows players to compete to be the best at each skill. Set up a challenge (drill) from each skill and let players compete to win (time trials, accuracy trials, etc.) Scrimmage Tournament Divide campers into even teams (2, 3 or 4 teams) and have them play a hockey game against each other round robin style until you declare a winner. Additional Games 4 Corners Passing Game In each corner there will be a square made by cones, in each square there will be a player from a different team, in each game there are 4 teams. The goal is to get your ball to your teammate in the square and stop other teams from passing their ball to their teammate in the square. Add multiple balls. Race 2 players at a time, coach places a ball in the middle of 2 players then they race and try to score. The last person to the ball then plays defence. Topple Organize players into equal teams. For each team set up a pylon with a ball on top and assign one player from each team to guard that pylon. The point of the game is to knock down your opponent s ball off the pylon. This game is best played 1v1, but can be played with more than two teams where all the teams face each other (four quadrants). Each team must maintain possession in order to pass the ball around and try to knock their opponent s ball off the cone. Instead of having someone guard the cone, you can set up an area around the cone that players are not allowed in. Make players have to string together a certain amount of passes first before they can try to knock over the ball. Ball Hockey Coaching Manual 23
Awards Awards The ACE Award It is important to recognize participants hard work. To motivate and encourage athletes SU uses ACE Awards. Attitude Demonstrates a good attitude, encourages teammates, easy to coach. Concentration Focused and tries hard to improve. Runs through drills trying to implement what they ve just learned. Effort Playing their hardest and best. Always trying to improve. You can give out one ACE award a day, or divide it into three separate awards (A.C.E.). Other awards to consider: Team Player the team player Hustle and Guts: a player who gives everything (often awarded to the youngest kid on the field). MIP most improved player MVP most valuable player JLJ Just like Jesus Award Make awards fun, but remember it s not about winning it s about encouraging. 24 Ball Hockey Coaching Manual
Coach Planning Day: Skill: Time Activity Notes Don t Forget: Ball Hockey Coaching Manual 25