Skills and Practice Ideas

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.

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.

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.

Practice ideas:

pass against a wall and receive the rebound
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.

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.

Practice ideas:

shadow a player without tackling
practise staying between the attacker and goal
guide an attacker toward the sideline
practise block tackles slowly with a partner
play one-on-one in a small area
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
hit or sweep at a safe target where appropriate
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.

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 players need movement, enjoyment and simple activities.

Good activities for younger players include:

dribbling around cones
passing through gates
chasing and stopping the ball
small games with lots of touches
obstacle courses
partner passing
simple scoring games

Keep instructions short. Let children move, try things and learn through activity.

The aim is not perfection. The aim is confidence, participation and good early habits.

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.