Coaching resources

A good coach can change a game. A great coach can change a life.

Do you have good people, communication and leadership skills? Do you love hockey?
You could be our next coach.

Useful websites

Training activities

Templates

Term / jargon Definition
Press A defensive pattern set up to deny the attacking team certain spaces on the pitch or to try to force them to play the ball in an area of the field they deem protected
Post up An ‘off the ball’ attacking player receives the ball with their back to the goal, their team are trying to score in
Jab/poke Tackle A form of tackle meant to disrupt the ball carrier. A poke or ‘jab’ at the ball
Frontal marking The defender marks in front of an attacker and therefore stops the pass from getting to them
Zonal marking The defending team marks and denies the attacking team certain spaces on the pitch, as opposed to man-on-man marking
The “D” The semicircles in the attacking and defending 25’s in which the goal stands. The ball must be shot from within the semicircle (or D) to score a goal
Lead When an attacker runs without the ball in hope of receiving the ball or making space for team mates to receive it
Square pass A pass to someone who is on a line parallel to you, either left or right
Through pass A pass to someone who is on an angle in front of you
Straight pass The ball is passed straight, parallel with the sidelines
Back pass A pass to someone behind you
Roll out The ball carrier decides that there is nothing on in front of them and turns around and looks backwards for a different option
Jink/pop The ball carrier jinks or pops the ball into the air in hope of avoiding a flat-stick tackle or making it hard for the defender to dispossess them
Chop Hitting the back of the ball to make it lift slightly
Squeeze Hitting down on the back of the ball hard, used as a shot on goal
Back and around A passing sequence to move the ball from one side of the field to the other using the defensive four
Help side The opposite side of the field ball is on
Ball side The side of the field ball is on
Flashing Crossing arms when ‘g’ turning
Inject (APC) Pull out from back line on attacking penalty corner
Popping Same as chop
Drifting Drifting away from opponent to receive ball
Speedy upside Right-hand side attacking zone
Screening A defensive formation to encourage the opposition ball to a particular area and/or prevent ball being passed to a particular area
Frontal Defence Strikers being the first line of defence
Guard position Positioning yourself behind (in support) of your team mate carrying the ball. (the guard position for a baseline runner would be straight back and just inside the top of the circle)
Economy on the ball Getting ball under control and passing it on quickly
Outlet & Priority passes Escape/back and attacking passes
Creating wide goal Standing either/both side(s) of attacking goal
Pointing the defence Getting up in the face of the ball carrier
Receiving in daylight Moving into space to receive the ball
Lengthening the game Having high strikers and moving the ball rapidly through the midfield to them
Shave tackle A tackle made from behind where the defenders stick is slid along the ground between the ball carriers feet and the ball/stick. The defenders stick then moves forwards to move the ball away from the carriers stick and then outwards to gain possession.
Man-up Marking tight to a player
Reverse Shot A shot from the left side of the body using a backhand swing
Drag flick Attacking Penalty Corner move, highly successful
Recycled Lead Making a second lead, if first lead is unsuccessful
Cover When a player, usually from the help side, swings around in behind the defender to form a second line of defence
Freeman The free full back in the defensive circle
Back four Four defensive players usually, LH, RH, LB, RB
Trapdoor Letting the ball go through one player, to reach a higher attacker
Coned When the ball carrier eliminates the defender in a one-on-one situation
Overhead A method of passing the ball in which the person in possession lifts (using a flick) the ball over the head of defender/s
3D skills The person in possession plays the ball in the air it is called using 3D skills
Tomahawk A reverse hit is often referred to as a ‘tomahawk’ because of the similar action used
Injector After a penalty corner is given, an attacking player must put the ball on the spot on the backline and drag the ball to the penalty corner battery who are usually at the top of the circle. The person that drags the ball to the battery is the ‘injector’
Striker Generally the players closest to the attacking goal on the field. Usually the players who score field goals
Midfield The heart of the team, generally the playmakers. Usually incorporates the centre half, and inside forwards
Short handle hit The player hits the ball as per normal except for dropping their top hand slightly and thus creating a shorter lever and cutting down on time taken to hit the ball
Penalty corner A penalty corner is awarded to the attacking team when there is an infringement in the circle or ‘D’. There must be 4 players plus the goalkeeper behind the baseline and the rest go half way or beyond.

The attacking team must pass the ball outside the circle from a spot on the base line and then take the ball back into the circle and try to score. If the ball is hit it must hit below the top of the backboard
Skinned When a defender cleanly takes the ball off the ball carrier in a one-on-one situation
baseline The shortest perimeter line on which the goals stand on
Left to right The ball carrier moves or drags the ball from their left to their right to beat an opponent, get out of trouble or because the situation requires the ball to be on that side
Right to left The ball carrier moves or drags the ball from their right to their left to beat an opponent, get out of trouble or because the situation requires the ball to be on that side
Open dribble The player taps or softly pushes the ball ahead of them and runs on to it. Generally used when the player is in ‘open’ space and/or needs to move quickly with the ball
Closed dribble The player moves without the ball leaving their stick. Usually used by players when they are looking around for a pass or are moving into a certain area of the field while they still want control.
Indoor Refers to indoor hockey
Pitch The field the game is being played on
Juggling Bouncing the ball up and down on the stick, good for players to get used to the feel of the ball on the stick
Indian dribble, often referred to as ‘skills’. The player moves the ball from side to side and on angles quickly by either tapping or dragging it. Used to confuse defenders, to get out of trouble or because the player wants to display skill.
Dummy The player in possession looks to their left and pushes their stick past and in front of the ball (missing it) and then takes the ball over to the right to make the defender think they are going to pass it left
Body Feint The ball carrier shapes their body to make it look like they are going to pass right and they then move the ball and their body left and take off