Below are a variety of Sportplan Weekly sessions. Alternatively, you can buy a book of practice plans, sign up to receive weekly animated session plans yourself, or just access different drills for free: http://www.sportplan.net/drills/Hockey/proplans/goForGoalGuide.jsp
Passing to link midfield to attack
Encourage adventurous attacking with this passing transition session – teaching players to look up and pick out their team mates’ attacking runs
Passing-to-link-midfield-to-attack
Passing to create deep space
Run deep in to space and look for that fast attacking pass, deep in opposition territory!
First stick and ball session
Back to work! Get your players focusing on ball control, passing, and running with the ball.
Switch the ball to create forward space
Pass the ball out of pressure and find space to attack with this speedy stickwork and ball switching plan.
Switch-the-ball-to-create-forward-space
Defensive reactions – defending the break
Don’t let the opposition score with a fast break! Practice defending 1v1s and as a team against overloads to concede fewer goals.
Defensive-reactions-Defending-the-break
Skill Development – Passing and Moving with the Ball
In this session, players practice different techniques for moving with the ball and passing in pairs – so you can be sure they will all have quality time to perfect their dribbling, turning, and their ability to add the correct weight to a pass.
Skill-Development-Passing-and-Moving-with-the-ball
Positive Possession – Passing to keep the ball.
To help your players better value their passing to keep possession this session is completely goal-less and gets players to communicate, look up, move into space and pass more accurately.
By removing the distraction of trying to score, you can get players to focus on the process (their passing accuracy and completion) and not just the outcome (scoring a goal).
Because the aim of this session isn’t to get the ball to your forward players so that your team can score a goal, your players will need to be positive in their movements in order to keep the ball and score points – the more passes your players can string together, the more they’ll be rewarded!
View the session here: PositivePossession
Improving Passing in the 2v1
This trouble shooting session is designed to improve team performance in the overload and cut down on turnovers. Use this session to teach players how to commit the defender before slotting the ball past their left foot.
Junior-Session-Improving-Passing-in-the-2-vs-1
Be confident passing the ball
Stop treating the ball like it’s a hot potato, by focussing on controlling the ball before passing it on.
Junior-Session-Be-confident-before-passing-the-ball
Exploiting the overload
Teach players off the ball to lead away into space and try to draw a defender, the ball carrier to change the point of attack, and them both to make good decisions after that!
Exploiting-the-Overload-Play-and-Practice
Passing the ball across the back
By playing the ball calmly across your back line you can change the point of attack and create space in which to launch a counter attack.
Passing-the-ball-across-the-back
Improving Players’ Passing Speed
By getting your players to think one step ahead and look up they’ll be able to weigh their options so that when the ball comes to them they are ready to make the right decision.
Improving-Players-Passing-Speed
Goal Scoring Skills
This goal scoring session gets players to switch the ball, slap, shoot and score.
Junior-Goal-Scoring-Skills-Session
Attack and Finish Shooting Circle Drills
In this attacking session, teach players making a forward run to look over their shoulder and receive the ball on the run.
Attack-and-Finish-Shooting-Circle-Drills
Pull the ball back to change direction
Teach players how to escape crowded areas with a skilful pull back to change direction
Junior-Pull-the-Ball-Back-to-Change-Direction
Defensive Interceptions – be first to the ball
React to visual cues and learn to time the intercept.
Defensive-Interceptions-Be-first-to-the-ball
Attacking Possession – Move into Space
Good attacking hockey requires players with vision. Transform possession into attacking opportunities by encouraging players to lead into space, and teaching the ball carrier to look up and spot the opportunities.
Attacking-Possession-Moving-into-Space
Looking for space and moving the ball
You have some of the best players in the league, but they are only as good as the passes they receive. Get your team passing like a well-oiled machine!
Improve-awareness-and-moving-for-the-ball
Make sure you score with intelligent passing
Four fun passing games to get your players working on their stick-work, teamwork, and to get their heads back in the game.
Make-sure-you-Score-Intelligent-Passing
Training for the weekend – commit fewer fouls
Stop unnecessarily giving away possession through sloppy fouls with this fair play session.
Training-for-the-weekend-Committing-fewer-fouls
Special report – What the top coaches don’t tell you
Tips and advice for team coaches on how to plan ahead and give your side the upper hand before their next game.
Special-Report-What-the-top-coaches-dont-tell-you
Fitness Sessions
Pre-season conditioning – Part 1
Get your players moving and ready to hit the ground running with this pre-season plan – work on your team’s stamina.
Pre-Season-Full-Body-Conditioning-Part-1
Pre-season conditioning – Part 2
Hard work doesn’t stop! Continue with part 2 and get your players in the best shape of their lives … ready for the new season.
Pre-Season-Conditioning-Part-2
Pre-season conditioning – Part 3
This session focusses on sprinting power and endurance.
Pre-Season-Conditioning-Part-3
Pre-season conditioning – Part 4
This session covers all the bases – working on cardio, strength, speed, and agility to get players ready for the new season.
Pre-Season-Conditioning-Part-4
Week 1
Complement your training with this week’s mini-conditioning session – a 30 minute fitness session to get your team fighting fit!
Week 3
A 30 minute speed and cardiovascular endurance session.
Week 4
Build the blend of strength, power and muscle endurance hockey players need.
Week 5
Sprinting & stamina – keep players sharp by working on their sprint and speed stamina
Week 6
This session starts getting players’ bodies used to working anaerobically for short, sharp periods, to make them more efficient players on the field.
Week 7
After a thorough warm up this session gets players weaving at speed, accelerating out of a gentle jog, and then finishing with a tough lactic-power session – requiring players to work explosively and improve their tolerance to the build up of lactic acid in their muscles.
Week 8
This session is all about speed, and includes:
- a thorough warmup
- speed change activities
- a speed over distance challenge
Week 9
This session works on speed stamina, getting them to perform short, sharp bursts of running with only a short recovery time before then working on their explosive power, through a series of plyometric exercises.