Below is an overview of the skills and tactical concepts you should be coaching players at this stage of their hockey journey.
If you need help with understanding these skills, there are several videos that can be found here!
| Skill | |
|---|---|
| Grip | Basic grip |
| Hitting grip | |
| Ball carrying | Running with the ball |
Changing direction | |
| Change of pace | |
| Elimination | Dragging (L-R/R-L) |
| Distribution | Forehand push pass |
| Forehand ‘slap’ push pass | |
| Reverse upright pass | |
| Receiving | Forehand & reverse open receiving |
| Forehand closed receiving | |
| Basic movement/changing angles | |
| Goal scoring | Forehand push/flick |
| Winning the ball | Footwork |
| Forehand/reverse stick tackle | |
| Forehand/reverse stick interception | |
| Goalkeeping | Ready position |
| Balance | |
| Clearing the ball (R/L foot) | |
| Tactical Concepts | |
|---|---|
General concepts | Manipulating space & time |
| 360 degree vision | |
Recognising passing lanes | |
Passing & moving | |
| Defensive concepts | Understanding dangerous space |
| Interception mentality | |
| Angles of approach | |
| Creating/defending small spaces | |
| Offensive concepts | Triangle play & possession |
| Positioning & structure | |
| 1v1 attacking strategies | |
| Basics: Build & Improve (4 weeks) | Relevant Drills | |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 | Basic grip, running with the ball, forehand push pass, forehand & reverse open receiving, footwork | Wristed Passing, Diamond Loop, Triangle Shuffle, Weave, Zig-Zag, All-Star Dribble |
| Week 2 | Basic grip, running with the ball, forehand push pass, forehand & reverse open receiving, footwork | Wristed Passing, Diamond Loop, Triangle Shuffle, Weave, Zig-Zag, All-Star Dribble |
| Week 3 | Basic & hitting grip, running with the ball & changing direction, forehand push pass, forehand & reverse open receiving, footwork & forehand/reverse stick tackle | Wristed Passing, Diamond Loop, Triangle Shuffle, Weave, Zig-Zag, All-Star Dribble, Obstacle Course, Hitting |
| Week 4 | Basic & hitting grip, running with the ball & changing direction, forehand push pass, forehand & reverse open receiving, footwork & forehand/reverse stick tackle | Wristed Passing, Diamond Loop, Triangle Shuffle, Weave, Zig-Zag, All-Star Dribble, Obstacle Course, Hitting |
| Reinforce basics & introduce new skills (4 weeks) | Relevant Drills | |
|---|---|---|
Week 5 | Change of pace, Dragging (L-R/R-L), Forehand ‘slap’ push pass, Forehand closed receiving, Forehand push/flick | Wristed Passing, Box Weave, Mix-Up Dribble, Minefield, Rob the Nest |
| Week 6 | Change of pace, Dragging (L-R/R-L), Forehand ‘slap’ push pass, Forehand closed receiving, Forehand push/flick | Wristed Passing, Box Weave, Mix-Up Dribble, Minefield, Rob the Nest |
| Week 7 | Change of pace, Dragging (L-R/R-L), Forehand ‘slap’ push pass, Reverse upright pass, Basic movement/changing angles, Forehand closed receiving, Forehand push/flick, Forehand/reverse stick interception | Wristed Passing, Box Weave, Mix-Up Dribble, Minefield, Rob the Nest, Rollover w/Goals, 3-Goal Game |
| Week 8 | Change of pace, Dragging (L-R/R-L), Forehand ‘slap’ push pass, Reverse upright pass, Basic movement/changing angles, Forehand closed receiving, Forehand push/flick, Forehand/reverse stick interception | Wristed Passing, Box Weave, Mix-Up Dribble, Minefield, Rob the Nest, Rollover w/Goals, 3-Goal Game |
| Reinforce new skills & add tactical concepts (3 weeks) | Relevant Drills | |
|---|---|---|
Week 9 | Manipulating space & time, 360 degree vision, Understanding dangerous space, Interception mentality, Triangle play & possession, Positioning & structure | Entry Tackle Boxes, Rollover w/Goals, Rob the Nest, Triangle Shuffle, Reverse Carry Relay, 3-Goal Game |
| Week 10 | Manipulating space & time, 360 degree vision, Understanding dangerous space, Interception mentality, Triangle play & possession, Positioning & structure | Entry Tackle Boxes, Rollover w/Goals, Rob the Nest, Triangle Shuffle, Reverse Carry Relay, 3-Goal Game |
| Week 11 | Manipulating space & time, 360 degree vision, Recognising passing lanes, Passing & moving, Understanding dangerous space, Interception mentality, Angles of approach, Creating/defending small spaces, Triangle play & possession, Positioning & structure, 1v1 attacking strategies | Entry Tackle Boxes, Rollover w/Goals, Rob the Nest, Triangle Shuffle, Reverse Carry Relay, 3-Goal Game, Butterfly Entry |
| Reinforce everything above together (2 weeks) | Relevant Drills | |
|---|---|---|
Week 12 | Manipulating space & time, 360 degree vision, Recognising passing lanes, Passing & moving, Understanding dangerous space, Interception mentality, Angles of approach, Creating/defending small spaces, Triangle play & possession, Positioning & structure, 1v1 attacking strategies | Entry Tackle Boxes, Expanding Tackle Boxes, Rollover w/Goals, Hockey Chess, 3-Goal Game |
| Week 13 | Manipulating space & time, 360 degree vision, Recognising passing lanes, Passing & moving, Understanding dangerous space, Interception mentality, Angles of approach, Creating/defending small spaces, Triangle play & possession, Positioning & structure, 1v1 attacking strategies | Entry Tackle Boxes, Expanding Tackle Boxes, Rollover w/Goals, Hockey Chess, 3-Goal Game |
As seen in the Westie Sticks document, it's often preferable to structure your trainings in a way that builds progression of the skills or tactics you're developing. We do this through games or drills that grow in complexity or demand as the session goes on.
Where possible, it's also a good idea to spend a few minutes before training talking about last week's game, or what you might be doing this training.
Feel free to tweak these percentages to accommodate set plays like penalty corners.
