Skills page

Eliminating defenders

One elimination skill that is easy to use and one that you can use a lot in the game is the simple dummy. When you’re doing the dummy what you want to do is take the defender to one side, usually their forehand side then make a loop around the ball and take it right as quick as you can to accelerate over their backstick, in a move that is really great when the defender is about to make a block tackle with their forehand, use your forehand to lift the ball over their stick.

When you approach the defender and you see that their forehand tackle is about to come, you pull the ball into your own feet and from here you lift it over their stick, especially if you’re a striker, the 3d air dribble is a really important skill to learn. What you want to do is when you arrive to the defender, you lift the ball in the air and then you change the direction of the ball when it is in the air.

When you want to change direction, let the defender think you’re going one way, you use the forehand spin to go the other. You move towards the defender, to make the defender think you’re going over the forehand side, place your right foot nice and strong and then in the hook of your stick turn the ball around and accelerate on the right.

Open Receiving

The most important thing about open receiving is where you arms are and your ability to move on with the ball. When receiving, let the ball roll with the stick so you have forward motion. The positioning of your shoulders are very important, when you receive, turn your shoulders so they open up in the direction you want to go.

When receiving open, let the ball roll a little bit further as it will allow you to go further much faster. When receiving from the left, allow the ball to move past your left foot and on to the right foot. Before you receive, have your feet pointing in the way you want to go (once you see the ball coming, turn your feet).

The Slap Shot

The slap shot is a scoring technique you can use if you do not have a lot of time. You hold your hands far apart and the backswing is in the air (not like the sweep shot where the swing is along the ground). In a game, the aim is to surprise the goalkeeper with a quick slapshot.

The Backhand Sweep Pass

When using this technique your hands are really important and the face of the stick needs to be pointing up because you’re trying to contact the ball higher up on the stick, on the side just like when you hit the tomahawk however in this case it’s not a hit. You’ve got your hands apart so one at the top of the grip one at the bottom and from here the pull back is not so far and it’s just a simple toss.

This pass is so effective because when you get a pass and you want to make the next pass, you don’t have to turn around, you can pass with your forehand immediately as don’t need to turn, saving time, you want to be quick and effective with your trap so the ball can be transferred quickly. You must focus on the angle of the stick because if you get too low and you could hit the ball too low and this will make the ball lift, angle the stick so that you hit the ball exactly in the heart so that the ball stays nice and flat.

The Tip In or Deflection

The tip can be done in several different ways with the ball going high or low. The main difference is where you tip the ball on your stick. If you want the ball to go low the contact is higher up the stick and for a high ball the contact is lower down with the tip of the stick. When the ball is coming with speed you will use the tip because contact with higher up the stick will cause the ball to shoot over the net. When tipping backhand, the face must be kept open, with either a low or high stance.

The One Handed Dribble

The one handed dribble is useful because a bouncing ball is always harder to defend and also if you are doing the one handed dribble you can bring the ball further forward. You can bring the ball in front of you which makes it even harder to defend and you can stay upright and get more speed.

The Reverse Pass

How to pass using the backhand in normal play. It can be used to surprise the opposition, by looking in one direction and passing in another. Whats important:

Your hands
Where the ball is placed
The distance from your foot but also you want the ball in line with where you want to shoot

Another way to use the reverse pass is to somebody in the D but the ball must stay low which you achieve by staying a little upright, too low and the ball will lift, this allows you to hit in the heart of the ball.

Overhead Receiving

The height of your stick is really important and the position of your right hand and the stick should be shoulder height allowing you to look over your stick so you can see the ball coming. If the ball comes too close you can step forward or if it comes behind, you can step back. Your right hand needs to be about halfway through the stick, don’t go too low as this will mean you will not have enough control on receiving. It is most important you do not remain static as just sticking your arms out will mean you do not have control.

One Touch Sweep Down the Line

It is really important for people to be able to play the ball quickly. For example, if you are playing left defence you can cross the field with one pass but it needs to be quick and accurate and the ball needs to be low.

Steps:

Hold your hands like a normal sweep at the top of the stick
Timing is important, at the moment of the impact and when you hit the ball, make sure your stick is straight
The point of impact with the stick must be in the middle

Elimination Moves

AKKA

Use your backhand to lift the ball
While the ball is in the air you turn your stick
Hit the ball to the left

RAINBOW

Move the ball to the defenders forehand
Let go with your left hand
Bring the ball to the hook
Turn around like a rainbow (a half circle) outside the reach of the defender
Bring your left hand back on to the stick and shoot

NO NAME

Fake a scoop
When the defender hesitates, accelerate around the outside and eliminate

High Reverse Backhand

It is important to understand on which part of the stick to hit the ball. With the high reverse backhand you are upright with the ball close to your feet. How you hold the stick is also important, and you need to keep your head above the ball.

Right Foot Scoring

When you approach the goalkeeper and you don’t have time to shoot, sometimes you need to push the ball at the goal and usually with your right foot forward. The hardest things with this technique is the timing and the strength required. It is quite difficult to get the ball in the air with your right foot forward.

Chip Lob

The main difference with a normal reverse shot is that the ball has a lob movement and you are hitting the ball with the tip of the hook, not the reverse side. When you approach the ball, the important thing is to try and get under the ball with the tip of the stick. With the reverse shot you must get low to get power but with the chip lob power is not so important so you can be more upright and when you impact the ball the stick is 45 degrees. It will be easier if you use your right leg to step out because it is the easiest way to line up to where you want to go and you start by standing one and half metres from the ball.

Slider Pass

Your hands need to be together at the top of the stick
Stand with your feet in a position where you can aim left and pass right
Get low
Let the ball slide of the stick from just below the grip

The slider is deception, looking one way and passing the other so your direct opponent has no idea where the ball is going. The most difficult thing with the slider is to be accurate with the pass.

Baseline Scoring – forehand

Take this option when there are no passing options. The first movement should be to come inside, to see how the goalie reacts. If they stay on the post; aim for the far post but if they look like diving, go for the near post.

The Art of 3D Skills

Use a line or someone else’s stick to practice bringing the ball up and over, just to get the movement going. This skill is great to use in a game when the defenders are committed you just lift the ball over their stick. It is also used when you are in a tight space.

The Half Volley

To practice in training, get a person to stand behind the goals and throw balls over the net.

The Diving Save

When learning, start on your knees and have someone throw balls just outside your your eyeline. The goalie must watch the ball onto the stick or gloves, progress by getting further out until you are almost diving. Change to a standing motion to get more leg drive.

How to Hit the Ball Harder

Squeeze Shot

This is a scoring technique when the defender is in your back, you are with your back to the goal and you do not want to go left or right. Leave the ball where it is, step around and hit the ball on the top.

Backhand Spin Crossbar Challenge

Just for fun.

3D Elimination Skill

The most important thing when you get the ball in the air is that it stays controlled so that you can make another movement. We do that by using the power of the body to push the stick onto the ball and not by moving your hands/arms.

Penalty Corner Trap

The aim is to reduce the touches on the ball to the minimum. To stop the ball from lifting it is important not to have the stick too upright and to minimize the bounce of your stick. When you are stopping the ball, try to guide it a little so the ball stops dead.