Dribble and stop
Ready when: Grip and tapping the ball close (b1) done.
What you are learning
Dribbling the ball while looking up, and stopping it dead with the flat side of the stick. Players who can look up while dribbling see team-mates and space.
Words on this card Stick, Flat side, Tap, Dribble, Slap, Receive
- Stick
- The hockey stick, with a curved hook at the bottom called the head.
- Flat side
- The head of the stick has a flat side, which is the only side allowed to play the ball, and a rounded back.
- Tap
- A small touch of the ball with the stick.
- Dribble
- Moving with the ball kept close to the stick with small taps.
- Slap
- A pass or shot with a swing of the stick.
- Receive
- Controlling a ball that comes to you, with the stick flat on the ground.
Set up
A stick, a ball, a whistle or a clap, cones.
Weather: dry ground
Show it first for the one teaching
- Dribble slowly with small taps, eyes up between touches.
- On the whistle, put the flat side of the stick in front of the ball so it stops.
- Stop your feet at the same time.
Your part while they practise
Blow a whistle; the child stops the ball with the flat side.
Step by step
- Dribble round the area.
- Look up between touches.
- On the whistle, stop the ball with the flat side.
- When the ball stops, the feet stop.
How much: 6 rounds 8 min a session 4 days a week
Say one thing Pick one line from "What you will see" for today and say only that.
The game: Fingers
Dribble toward you while you show some fingers; call the number, then stop the ball on the whistle.
Who plays: the child against you.
How to play, turn by turn
- Turns
- The child dribbles from 10 m toward you
- You hold up 1 to 5 fingers; the child calls the number
- You blow the whistle; the child stops the ball
- 10 runs
- Fair play
- With a younger child, hold the fingers up longer.
- Points
- 1 point for the right number; 1 point for a stop within a stick's length.
- Fouls
- No points for that run
- Stopping the ball with a foot
- The ball runs on more than a stick's length after the whistle
- Looking down the whole way
- Winning
- Beat your best from 10 runs.
- 8 points for 1 star
- 14 points for 2 stars
- 18 points for 3 stars
Easier or harder
Walk.
Run, or change direction at each call.
What you will see, and what to say
- the child stares at the ball
Look up, then back down
Quick looks between taps. - the ball hits the feet
Use the flat side to stop
Stick in front of the ball.
Self-check
Stop the ball within a stick length on 8 of 10 whistles.
Fitness for this
Warm up first: how to warm up, at workonfitness.com. For strength and stretching, its exercise library shows each exercise step by step, with an easier version.
This card trains dribbling, first touch, looking up.
awiseathlete.com/sports/field-hockey/field-hockey-b2