Short field hockey practices for players, plus ideas for parents and coaches.
Practise a skill · Find more practice ideas · Early-years guidance
Burra Skills in 5
Tap a skill to open its video, five-minute practice and transcript.
Run the 2v2 game · Guide for assistants
Setting up. Use markers that contrast with the turf and name each gate or position so players can follow the setup by its location.
How to use your five minutes. Start slowly. Spend most of the time on attempts you can control. Try the optional extension when you can repeat the movement well. If the same mistake keeps happening, make the drill easier or ask a coach to watch one attempt.
Keep the Ball Close · Ball control · Video included
Ages 10–12 · Five minutes · At home or at training
Quick setup. 1 player · Stick, ball and 3 markers · Flat, contained space.
Why practise it? Keeping the ball within stick reach gives you choices. When a defender closes you down, you can change direction, protect the ball or pass as soon as a teammate gets free.
Keep practising as you get older. Close control is a basic skill that experienced players still work on. As the game gets faster and defenders give you less space, the challenge is to keep the same control while looking up and deciding what to do next.
- Set up. On a flat surface with enough room to use your stick safely, put three soft markers in a line, about two big steps apart. Leave room on both sides and beyond the end. Use a field hockey stick and a standard field hockey ball. Practise at home only in a contained space where the ball cannot reach people or traffic. Otherwise, try it at training.
- Start here. Walk around the markers, alternating sides. Take small touches and keep the ball within easy stick reach. When the ball is under control, glance ahead, then look back. Turn beyond the last marker and come back.
- Check and reset. Can you take the next touch without chasing the ball? If it rolls too far, stop it, slow down and make the next touch smaller. Count runs where you stay in control.
- Make it easier or harder. Spread the markers out if you need more room. Once you can make several controlled runs, try bringing them closer.
Add a decision at training — spot the open gate
Set two exit gates beyond the last marker. Start with a teammate calling left or right as you approach. Once you can look up and take a controlled touch through the called gate, take the call away. Have your teammate stand clear beside one gate. Look up, spot the open gate and carry the ball through it. Finish with the ball within stick reach for your next touch or pass. If you lose control, slow down or widen the gates.
Where to next? Push Pass Through a Gate.
For coaches
Watch whether the player can glance up and still take the next touch without chasing the ball. Spread the markers if control goes. Return to the game and see whether they look up before choosing a gate.
Match check. Did keeping the ball close give a teammate time to get free for a pass?
Ask the player. When did you have enough control to glance up?
Video transcript
See how close the ball is to your stick? That’s what we’re practising. Small touches give you time to turn or pass.
Walk with the ball within easy stick reach. When it’s under control, glance ahead, then look back.
Set out three soft markers in a line, about two big steps apart. Leave room on both sides.
Walk around the markers, changing sides each time. Can you take your next touch without chasing the ball? If it gets away, stop it. Slow down and make your next touch smaller.
Once you can do a few runs with the ball close, try spotting a teammate between touches at training.
Push Pass Through a Gate · Passing · Video included
Ages 10–12 · Five minutes · At training
Quick setup. 2 players · Sticks, ball and 2 markers · Clear passing lane on turf.
Why practise it? A push pass that stays flat and reaches your teammate at a useful pace helps them play their next touch. Keep working on it as you get older. When defenders give you less time and space, the same control helps you pass accurately through smaller gaps.
Watch Push Pass Through a Gate
- Set up. On a clear patch of turf, make a gate about one stick length wide with two markers. Start about three metres away with a stick and a standard field hockey ball. Have a teammate ready to stop the ball beyond the gate. Keep other players out of the passing lane.
- Start here. Start with the stick face against the ball. Push it smoothly along the turf through the middle of the gate. Ask your teammate to send it back once they have it under control.
- Check and reset. A good pass stays flat, goes through the gate and reaches your teammate’s stick at a pace they can control. If the ball lifts, start with the stick face against it and push smoothly along the turf. If it goes wide, aim through the middle and finish the push towards the gate. Move closer if you need to.
- Make it harder. After several controlled passes in a row, take one step back or make the gate a little narrower. Change one thing at a time.
Add a decision at training — find the passing lane
Set two gates side by side. Ask your teammate to move behind one gate and get ready to receive. Look up, choose their gate and send a flat pass they can control. If you rush or miss, move closer and try again.
Where to next? Receive and Move into Space.
For coaches
Watch whether the pass reaches the receiver’s stick flat and at a usable pace. Shorten the distance if the ball lifts or goes wide. Return to the game and check whether the next pass helps the receiver play on.
Match check. Could the receiver play the ball straight away and keep the attack moving?
Ask the player. What made that pass easy for your teammate to play?
Video transcript
Push pass through a gate. A flat pass at the right pace helps your teammate play their next touch. Set two markers a stick length apart. Start three metres away with your teammate beyond the gate. Start with your stick face against the ball and push it smoothly along the turf. If it lifts, move closer and keep the push low. If it goes wide, finish towards the middle of the gate.
Receive and Move into Space · First touch · Video included
Ages 10–12 · Five minutes · At training
Quick setup. 2 players · Sticks, ball and 2 markers · Clear turf with room to step towards the exit.
Why practise it? A first touch into space gives you room to carry or pass before a defender closes you down. Keep practising as you get older. Faster passes and tighter space make that first touch even more valuable.
Watch Receive and Move into Space
- Set up. Work with a teammate on a clear patch of turf. Use sticks, a standard field hockey ball and two markers to show an exit to your forehand side. Start about three metres apart. Leave room around the receiver to take a step towards the exit.
- Start here. Ask for a gentle flat push pass. Get your stick low early. Give a little with your stick as the ball arrives, then guide it towards the exit. Move with the ball so it stays within reach for your next touch.
- Check and reset. Can you play your next touch straight away without chasing the ball? If it bounces away, ask for a slower pass, get your stick down sooner and make the first touch smaller.
- Build it up. When several first touches in a row leave you ready for the next action, ask for a slightly firmer pass. Keep the exit in the same place while you adjust to the pace.
Add a decision at training — spot the free exit
Set a second exit at an angle you can reach with a controlled forehand touch. Ask a third player to stand clear beside one exit before the pass. Check the space before the ball arrives, then guide your first touch towards the open exit. If you lose control, slow the pass down and try again.
Where to next? Move After You Pass.
For coaches
Watch whether the first touch leaves the ball ready to play again. Slow the pass if it runs away. Return to the game and check whether the player spots a free exit before receiving.
Match check. Did the first touch into space help the player find a teammate sooner?
Ask the player. Where did your first touch leave the ball for your next move?
Video transcript
Receive and move into space. A good first touch gives you room to carry or pass. Ask a teammate for a gentle flat push pass. Get your stick low early. Give a little as the ball arrives and guide it towards your forehand exit. Can you play the next touch without chasing the ball? If it gets away, slow the pass down and make your touch smaller.
Move After You Pass · Supporting play · Video included
Ages 10–12 · Five minutes · At training
Quick setup. 2 players · Sticks, ball and 3 markers · Clear triangle on turf.
Why practise it? After you pass, move to a place where your teammate can see you and pass back if they need to. This gives them another option when a defender closes in. Keep practising as you get older. In faster games, the passing lane can close before you have time to move if you wait.
- Set up. Work in pairs on a clear patch of turf. Use two sticks, a standard field hockey ball and three markers in a triangle, about three metres apart. Start at two markers and leave the third free.
- Start here. Push pass to your teammate, then move to the free marker. Turn to face them and get your stick low before the return pass. Once you are in a clear passing lane, show your stick as a target or call once when you are ready. Swap roles after each pass and move.
- Check and reset. Can your teammate see you and roll a pass straight to your stick? If you arrive late or face away, slow the drill down. Move as soon as you release the pass and turn to face the ball as you arrive.
- Build it up. Once you can move and get ready several times in a row, ask for the return pass a little earlier. Keep the same distance while you get used to the quicker timing.
Add a decision at training — find a clear passing lane
Add a fourth marker so you have two places to move after passing. Have a third player stand clear of the ball and sticks and point to one lane to show that a defender has closed it. Move early to the other marker and get your stick ready. Can your teammate see you and play the return pass through the open lane?
Where to next? Stay in Front and Guide Wide.
Spot it in a game
When you watch a match at the club, pick one player and watch what they do just after a pass. Where could they move to give their teammate a clear pass back? See where they go, then try that choice in Two Gates, One Choice.
For coaches
Watch whether the passer moves early enough to offer a clear return lane. Give them more time if they arrive late. Return to the game and check whether they find support space without a reminder.
Match check. Did moving early and showing a clear target give the ball carrier a useful return pass?
Ask the player. When did your teammate have a clear pass back to you? Ask the ball carrier which signal helped them spot you.
Video transcript
Move after you pass. Give your teammate another option before a defender closes the lane. Set three markers in a triangle. Pass to your teammate, then move straight away to the free marker. Face the ball and get your stick low. Can they roll the ball straight to your stick? If you arrive late, slow the drill down and start moving as soon as you pass.
Stay in Front and Guide Wide · Defending · Video included
Ages 10–12 · Five minutes · At training
Quick setup. 2 players · Sticks, ball and 4 markers · Clear turf with room between the two gates.
Why practise it? When an attacker is carrying the ball towards goal, staying between them and the middle takes away their shortest route. Guiding them wide can buy your team time to recover. Keep practising as you get older. Quicker attackers give you less time to react, so adjust your feet early and stay balanced.
Watch Stay in Front and Guide Wide
- Set up. Work in pairs on a clear patch of turf. Use two sticks, a standard field hockey ball and markers for two gates, one in the middle and one wide. Start a few metres apart, with the defender between the attacker and the middle gate.
- Start here. If you are finding it hard to stay balanced, walk the route together without the ball first. Once you can take short steps and keep the middle covered, add the ball. The attacker aims for the wide gate at walking pace. The defender takes short steps and stays between the attacker and the middle gate, leaving the wider route open. Stop at the gate and swap roles. If players or sticks get too close, stop straight away and reset farther apart.
- Check and reset. Can you stay between the attacker and the middle without lunging? If they get inside you, reset a little farther away and take shorter steps. Watch where the ball is going and adjust early.
- Build it up. Once you can protect the middle for several runs, let the attacker make one change of direction on the way to the wide gate. Keep walking pace and the same starting distance.
Add a decision at training — read the attacker
Let the attacker choose either gate at walking pace. See whether you can adjust when they change direction and keep the middle covered. If they keep getting inside, reduce the pace or give yourself more room to react.
Where to next? Try the five skills in Two Gates, One Choice.
For coaches
Watch whether the defender protects the middle while keeping space between players and sticks. Slow down or reset farther apart if they lunge. Return to the game and look for the defender guiding the carrier wide without tackling.
Match check. Did guiding the attacker wide give a teammate time to recover and cover the middle?
Ask the player. What helped you keep the middle covered?
Video transcript
Stay in front and guide wide. Protect the middle to give your team time to recover. Mark a middle gate and a wide gate. Start a few metres apart. The attacker aims wide at walking pace. Take short steps and stay between the attacker and the middle gate. If you get too close, stop and reset farther apart. Once you can hold the middle, let the attacker choose either gate.
Take it to training. Pick one cue from a card and try it at your next session. Ask your coach to watch one attempt. Find Junior Training.
Practice guidance for players, parents and coaches
Safety · Technique ideas · Age groups · Parents · Coaches
This page provides practical hockey skill and practice ideas for players, parents and coaches at Greensborough Hockey Club.
The aim is to help players build sound hockey habits through simple, focused and purposeful practice. Good practice is not just about doing more. It is about learning to move well, control the ball, make good decisions and repeat skills with care.
Players should focus first on control, body position and understanding the skill. Speed, power and pressure can be added once the movement is reliable.
These ideas are not a replacement for team training. They are a way to support learning between sessions, give players extra touches of the ball, and help families understand what useful hockey practice can look like.
Coaching U6–U10? Start with the early-years guidance. At U6, enjoyable movement play can be the whole purpose; sticks, balls and match-like activities are optional. Choose from the hockey practice ideas below when they suit the child’s readiness.
How to use this page
Players can use these ideas at home, at the ground, before training, or with a teammate.
Parents can use them to support younger players without needing to become technical hockey coaches.
Coaches can use them as simple starting points for warm-ups, small-group activities or skill development stations.
The best practice is usually:
- safe
- simple
- controlled
- repeated with care
- matched to the player’s age and ability
- connected to the game where possible
Players should slow down when control is lost, reset, and then build up again. A skill practised carefully becomes more reliable in training and games.
Safety first
Practice should always be safe.
Players should use enough space, keep the stick low, avoid hitting balls near people, and practise in an area where missed balls will not create a risk.
For younger players, softer balls or controlled activities may be more suitable than full-speed hitting or shooting.
Players should also use a mouthguard and shin guards when practising with other players.
Practice with purpose
Useful practice has a clear focus.
Before starting, players should know what they are trying to improve. That might be keeping the ball close, receiving with soft hands, looking up before passing, keeping the stick on the ground, or aiming passes more accurately.
A short, focused practice where the player is concentrating on the right movement is usually better than a long session where the player is rushing.
Good practice habits include:
- start slowly
- focus on control
- repeat the skill with care
- pause when the skill breaks down
- reset body position
- build speed gradually
- ask for feedback when possible
- connect the skill to a game situation
The aim is to make good habits easier to repeat.
Ball control
Ball control helps players feel comfortable with the stick and ball.
Try the five-minute practice: Keep the Ball Close.
Practice ideas:
- move the ball from side to side in front of the body
- move the ball forward while walking
- change direction around cones, shoes or markers
- practise keeping the ball close
- move the ball from forehand to reverse stick
- dribble slowly, then gradually increase speed
Focus points:
- soft hands
- eyes up when possible
- ball close enough to control
- body balanced
- stick in contact with or close to the ball
- small touches before bigger movements
For young players, the main aim is confidence, control and lots of careful touches. Speed should come later.
Passing and receiving
Passing and receiving are core hockey skills.
Try the five-minute practice: Push Pass Through a Gate · Receive and Move into Space · Move After You Pass.
Practice ideas:
- use a suitable rebound surface for gentle push passes in a clear, contained area
- pass with a partner over short distances
- practise stopping the ball before passing
- practise receiving and moving the ball in one direction
- pass through two markers as a target gate
- count how many accurate passes can be completed in a row
Focus points:
- body facing the target
- stick low to receive
- soft hands when trapping
- pass with control before power
- follow through toward the target
- move after passing
A good pass helps a teammate. A good receive gives the player time and options. Accuracy and control matter before speed or power.
Carrying the ball
Carrying the ball means moving with control while keeping options open.
Try the five-minute practice: Keep the Ball Close.
Practice ideas:
- carry the ball in a straight line
- carry around markers
- carry, stop, then change direction
- carry while looking up every few touches
- carry into space, then pass
- race gently against a partner while keeping control
Focus points:
- ball in front and slightly to the side
- body balanced
- head up when possible
- controlled speed
- stick close to the ball
- protect the ball from pressure
Players should learn that carrying is not just running with the ball. It is moving with control and purpose.
Tackling and defending
Defending is about patience, positioning and timing.
Try the five-minute practice: Stay in Front and Guide Wide.
Practice ideas:
- shadow a player without tackling
- practise staying between the attacker and goal
- guide an attacker toward the sideline
- practise slow block tackles with a partner at supervised training
- play one-on-one in a marked area at supervised training
- practise recovering after being beaten
Focus points:
- stay low and balanced
- move feet before reaching
- keep the stick on the ground
- do not dive in too early
- watch the ball and the player
- time the tackle carefully
Good defending is not only winning the ball. It is also slowing the attack, reducing options and helping the team.
Shooting and scoring
Shooting should be practised with control before power.
Practice ideas:
- push the ball at a target
- practise hits or sweeps only at supervised training with a suitable target and a clear hitting area
- shoot from different angles
- receive then shoot
- carry into the circle then shoot
- practise aiming for corners rather than just hitting hard
Focus points:
- look at the target
- body balanced
- controlled stick movement
- safe follow-through
- accuracy before power
- repeat the movement carefully
For younger players, shooting practice should be closely supervised and kept safe.
Scanning and decision-making
Players need to learn to look, think and decide.
Try the five-minute practice: Keep the Ball Close · Receive and Move into Space.
Practice ideas:
- call out a colour, number or direction while the player is carrying the ball
- place two or three passing targets and choose one before passing
- practise looking up before receiving
- play small games where players must pass before scoring
- create simple “if this, then that” choices
Focus points:
- look before receiving
- know where teammates are
- notice space
- choose the safest or most useful option
- make decisions early
Good players do not only have skills. They know when and why to use them.
Small games
Small games are one of the best ways to learn hockey.
They help players practise skills while also learning space, pressure, passing, defending and decision-making.
Practice ideas:
- one-on-one to a small goal
- two-on-two keep possession
- three-on-three mini game
- passing through gates to score points
- end-zone game where players score by carrying or passing into a zone
- possession game with limited space
Small games should be simple, active and matched to the players’ ability.
Coaches should still watch the quality of the skill. If players are rushing, losing control or repeating the same mistake, reduce the pressure, simplify the activity, and rebuild the skill carefully.
Practice for younger players
Young children need enjoyment, confidence and varied movement. Choose an activity for the child’s readiness and what they can explore, rather than expecting every session to resemble a hockey match.
At U6, a stick and ball are optional tools. Children might travel between imaginary islands, copy animal movements, stop and balance, choose a clear route, or throw, catch and roll suitable objects. Allow time to watch, join, pause and return.
At U8, keep playful movement while gradually adding carrying, stopping, gentle passing and simple choices when they help. At U10, connect manageable hockey skills, decisions and cooperation through technical practice and enjoyable small games. Winning is never the main U10 objective.
Keep explanations short, show one manageable action and adapt the challenge. Revisit something familiar, simplify a demand that prevents involvement, or vary one feature when the child is comfortable and interested. These are examples, not age tests or a compulsory sequence.
See Understanding children’s hockey for the early-years guidance. Confidence, participation and willingness to return matter alongside hockey skills.
Practice for older or more experienced players
Older or more experienced players can add more challenge.
Useful practice areas include:
- receiving under pressure
- first touch direction
- scanning before receiving
- faster passing
- decision-making in small games
- defensive body position
- attacking movement off the ball
- shooting from different angles
- fitness with the ball
Players should think about how each skill connects to game situations. The challenge should increase only when the player can maintain control and decision-making.
Practice habits
Improvement comes from regular, focused practice.
Good practice habits include:
- start simple
- practise both sides where possible
- repeat skills carefully
- slow down if technique breaks down
- add speed only after control improves
- practise with a purpose
- ask for feedback
- keep sessions short enough to stay focused
Ten minutes of careful practice is better than a long session with poor concentration.
For parents
Parents do not need to be hockey experts to help.
You can support your child by helping them practise safely, encouraging effort, keeping the experience positive and avoiding too much correction.
Useful parent support includes:
- helping set up a safe space
- encouraging regular short practice
- focusing on effort and enjoyment
- asking what the player is trying to improve
- encouraging control before speed
- letting the coach handle technical detail where needed
The best support helps children feel confident and willing to keep learning.
For coaches
Coaches can use these ideas as building blocks.
A useful session often includes:
- a simple warm-up
- a focused skill activity
- a small game or decision-making activity
- a short team discussion
- a game-based finish
Skills should be taught clearly, watched carefully and connected to the game. Players need chances to repeat skills, but they also need feedback, adjustment and opportunities to use those skills in realistic situations.
Where possible, connect practice to the game.
Plan goalkeeper learning too
A goalkeeper needs a learning purpose alongside the outfield activity, rather than only facing repeated shots. Positioning, communication, distribution and readiness for the next phase can provide useful shared tasks.
See Organise involvement and goalkeeper learning in Coaching at GHC. Its linked goalkeeper companion includes a proposed save, recover and connect example. Adapt it to the player’s readiness, suitable equipment and competent supervision; specialist techniques need appropriate instruction.
Two Gates, One Choice
Try this at supervised training. Set up a 2v2 game on a clear patch of turf with two well-spaced gates at each end. Start with enough room to see and use both gates. Use controlled push passes and carries. Keep sticks low and stop if players or sticks get too close.
Score by carrying through an open gate under control or pushing the ball through it to a teammate who controls it. When possession changes, the new team attacks the opposite end. Restart after a score.
Start with the game. Watch for one action at a time: look up before carrying, pass at a pace a teammate can use, guide the first touch into space, move after passing, or protect the middle and guide wide. If a problem keeps coming up, pause for the matching five-minute practice. Then return to the game and see whether players use the skill without a reminder.
Try under pressure. Once players can see and use both options, make the area a little narrower. Change one thing at a time and give the space back if control or decision-making drops.
Change partners or opponents. Choose one action to observe in round one. In round two, change only the teammate or opponent. Keep the space, rules, coaching cue and success check the same. For example, in both rounds check whether the receiver can play the push pass straight away. To work on moving after a pass, run a separate pair of rounds and watch in both for a clear return option.
Running a five-minute practice as an assistant
Before training, watch the video for the skill your lead coach has chosen. Check the quick setup and agree on one cue to watch for. Run the activity under the lead coach’s supervision.
- What do I set up? Put out the markers, check the space and show one controlled attempt.
- What am I watching for? Give players a go and watch for the agreed cue. Use the card’s question to help them notice what worked. Give them one adjustment to try.
- When do I pause and ask? Stop if the space becomes unsafe or players get too close. Ask the lead coach for help if the same problem keeps happening after you simplify the drill. Tell them what you saw so they can decide when to return to the game.
Keep everyone involved. Watch the player getting the fewest turns for one round. If they spend most of it waiting, split the group into pairs or add a parallel lane when there is enough room and supervision. Give pairs different distances or gate widths if needed and keep the same success check. For the push pass, check that both players get turns passing and receiving a flat ball they can play straight away.