Field Hockey Playbook Hitting

7/29/2019 Field Hockey Playbook Hitting

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Field Hockey Playbook

The HitDerek E. Pappas


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Derek E. Pappas Copyright 2010

Objectives

Hit a pass that your teammate can receive-make your

teammates job easier

Hit the ball at a target-goal, teammate, gap between

the defense-direction

Hit the ball so that it arrives at a point on the field at the

right time-space and time


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The analysis of the golf swing is much more advanced than the analysisof field hockey hitting.

I have been studying the golf swing for

40+ years and the hockey hit for 33.

The fundamentals in golf are wellunderstood. Not so in hockey.


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Al Pacino said in the movie Any Given Sunday "it is a game of inches".

Bad techniqueresults in bad hits. I have watched a lot of games and Ithink that hitting can determine the outcome of some games.

Missed shots on goal

Raised crosses that result in a foul

Bad outlet passes that are intercepted

Bad passes directly into the top of the D that are off target that wouldhave resulted in goal scoring chances


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Why hit the ball

Shoot on goal

Make a long pass across the field at speed

Relieve pressure by hitting the ball through the defense

up the field


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Objectives

Hit the ball smoothly on the ground

Hit the ball at the target

Hit the ball at the right pace

Hit the ball without any spin

Hit the ball at the right time


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Ever wonder about your hit?

Ball is 1 foot off of the

ground

WHY?????


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Good Technique is Not

Enough Lang WedemeyeThe coachs responsibility is to create theenvironment in which players are placed underimmediate pressure. The role of the coach is tohelp players understand the cues that allow themto apply the proper technique in game-likesituations. We always hear there are no tacticswithout technique. Well, there is no technique

without tactics. The use of the proper techniquecomes from decision-making ability in pressuresituations.


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Playing under pressure

Lang Wedemeye

On several occasions I have heard U.S. NationalTeam coaches Bruce Arena and April Heinrichs

mention that one of the biggest problems with ourrising youth players, boys and girls alike, is thatthey do not have the ability to play effectivelyunder pressure. The players technique breaks

down when under pressure and their speed ofplay is not fast or accurate enough to create aflow in high-level games.


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Defining technique and skill

Lang WedemeyeTechnique is the mechanism withwhich the body maneuvers itself to be

able to complete an objective. If theobjective is to pass the ball 15 yards toa teammate, the brain informs the bodyto maneuver itself in order to kick theball in that direction.


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Defining technique and skill

(cont.) Lang WedemeyeHow well the body adjusts to thedemand determines how good the

technique is, while how quickly the braininterprets the cues and the messagesent to the muscles determines thespeed of play. The better the technique,the greater the likelihood that the ballwill go where we want it and how wewant it played.


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What is the difference betweentechnique and skill?

Lang Wedemeye

As taught to me by the late Mike Berticelli inmy first NSCAA National Course, techniqueis the mechanics behind solving a problemand skill is being able to solve the problemregardless of the mechanics. Skill is

basically getting the job done no matter howit looks. But with better technique, theplayers success rate is heightened.


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Hitting Do nots

Under normal situations

Do not hit a bouncing ball

Do not hit an off target pass/shot

Do not hit the ball too fast or slowly

Do not hit the ball with side spin


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Hitting Dos

Hit the back of the back

Position the ball in the correct position relative to your

feet

Release/Sweep the stick through the ball


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Donts-under normal

situations

Do not hit the top or bottom of the ball

Do not get the ball outside of your shoulders

Do not chop down on the ball uless it is deliberate to

raise the ball for a shot on goal


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Fundamentals and pressure

The relative orientation of the stick should be

maintained throughout the swing.

If the relative position of the stick is changed during the

swing then the player will have to make a correction

during the swing

Corrections are easier to make when there is nopressure on the player


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Fundamentals hold up under pressure

Bad fundamentals cause bad hits under pressure

If you have good fundamentals then under pressure

when the adrenalin is flowing you will hit the ball better

Under pressure bad fundamentals result in hits which

are bouncing, miss the target, have side spin, are theincorrect speed


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(cont.)Corrections are not easy to make when the match is on

the line and a smooth hit is required

The orientation will be changed if any of the followingoccurs

Rolling the hands

Swaying the body

Lifting the head up

Many other causes (see later slides)


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Players with good fundamentals can deliver a proper hit

under extreme pressure in match situations

on the ground, at the target, no/top spin, correct

speed

Players with poor fundamentals will miss hit the ball

under extreme pressure in match situations


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The orientation in one or more axis will be changed if

any of the following occurs

If the stick rotated around the axis of the stick

If the end of the stick is pulled in or pushed away

from the player

If the stick moves above or below the plane ataddress


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FundamentalsHead moves towards ground for hard hits

Shoulders parallel to target and ball between shoulders

Take away-stick behind ball, sweep stick back along

the ground and dont change wrist position

Turn stick back with shoulders not the arms

Hips lead pulling torso and arms

Stay on plane and watch the spot where the ball was

after the shot with a limited follow through


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Fundamentals

Grip

Footwork/body posture

Take away

turn

Pivot point/plane

weight shift

release


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Grip

2 vs formed by thumb and for finger face right chin

Hands facing each other to work together

Right Hand coves top of grip

Hands are two fists holding the stick

Relax the hands when holding the stick

Right hand faces down the line towards the target


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Grip- dont do this

Do not use a baseball grip where the hands are not

facing each other

Do not hold the stick in fingers only

Do not wrap fingers aginst palm-wrap the fingers

around the stick


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Triangle

Hands and shoulders form a triangle

The triangle is maintained at the take away to waist

high

The triangle compacts above the waist on the back

swing, impact and follow through

If the triangle shape is maintained and the orientation ofthe triangle is not changed then the toe of the stick will

point up at address, when the stick is pointing away


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Triangle (cont.)

If the triangle shape is maintained and the orientation of

the triangle is not changed then the toe of the stick will:

point up at address

when the stick is pointing away from the target on

the back swing

at impact

on the follow through when the stick is pointing at

the target


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Toe of stick

The toe of the stick stays up the entire time

The toe of the stick should not change its orientation

Do not twist the stick around the handle


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Angles

End of stick is a pivot point-this is the point that should

form the angle between the wrists and stick.

Do not use the point between the hands or the right for

finger to form the angle. You will push the stick down

and change the plane of attack


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Ball position relative to the

feet

The ball is positioned somewhere between the middle

of the feet and the left foot


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Shoulder turn

The shoulders rotate around the spinal column

The shoulders should turn as far as is possible

physically and given the amount of time/space that the

player has


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Hands

Hands stay a constant distance away from the body on

take away because the triangle is maintained

Do not

pull hands towards the body

push hands away from the body

push hands down/up

twist hands


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Stick position

Toe up

Address-between feet

Back swing pointing away from target

Follow through-pointing towards the target


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Feet

In a natural position-same as when you are running


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Footwork

Stationary hit

step into ball off of the right foot

pivot off of left foot and hit left

pivot off of left foot and pull ball to the right

Cross over moving left to right

Hit on the run off of left, right feet, optionally turning

shoulders


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Footwork

Footwork really refers to the relative position of the feetand ball

You adjust your feet and the ball to move your body

into the correct position relative to the ball


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Footwork

The body can be in motion running in a straight line,

curl, forwards, backwards, cross over step, and in thiscase the player probably has to position the ball by

placing the stick on the side of the ball opposite from

the player to slow the ball down/tee it up or the player

has to carry the ball by their right foot to allow the ballto travel forwards to the correct position at impact


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Footwork

You do not want to position the ball outside your feet in

normal sitations

This means when running down the field position the

ball relative to your right foot so that at impact the ball

is between your feet


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Cross overstep

Used for movingsideways and hitting the

ball


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Footwork-exceptions

If you are running with the ball and want to hit it

backwards to the left the ball will be outside your left

foot and your shoulders will face to the left and you willhit to right center of the ball ont he equator

If you want to hit the ball to the right relative to the

orientation of your feet you must rotate your shoulders

and hands to hit the left center of the ball on the

equator


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Hips and right elbow

Hips turn to generate power on the down swing

Right elbow is touching right side on down swing

Players who used this technique:

Berman. Delme, Michael Peters, Fabragas


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Hitting basics

Grip

pads of right hand on top of stick (cover the grip so

you cannot see it)

bottom of left hand on top of right hand

stick at less than 45 degrees to ground

bend back into ground as flat as possible as you hit

bend left knee 90 degrees


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Hitting basics (cont.)

Angle of attack of stick

sweep the stick back and though

point the stick at the target on the follow through

the end of the stick points at the center of your body

at address, back swing prior to cocking wrists, and

at follow through

Clip the ground-do not chop wood


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Practice sweeping the stick back and forth across the

same spot between your feet.

position the ball between your feet to hit it

if the ball is outside of your left foot you should hit it left

not straight with a block out (no wrist release)


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Hitting footwork

free hit step past ball and hit it

side ways cross over and hit

run around ball and hit (Craig Davies)

pull to right across body, rotate 90 degrees and hit

hit off of right foot


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Keep left arm against rib cage (put a sock underneath

your left arm and hold it in place during the swing)

do not roll hands on the back swing (end of stick will

point at target after a 1/4 swing which is wrong)

Little finger on left hand is a pivot point (not the index

finger on the right hand)


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Toe of stick is always pointing up

Right hand is always vertical

Angle of wrists does not drop down on back swing

Hit against the left tricept

Hit the ball on the straight part of the stick


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Hitting

Grip

FootworkPostureWeight shiftSweep

Half wayUpright


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Hitting-cont.

Stationary

Normal

Off of right footOn the runLeft footRight foot

Choke up on StickArgie reverse stick hit


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Stationary hits


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Hitting fundamentals

turn shoulders on back swing

maintain triangle between shoulders and hands

hands face each other

top of left wrist touches bottom of right wrist

right elbow into side

hands by knees


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cover the top of the stick with the pad of your right

hand

shoulders, hips, feet square

ball between feet-not outside left foot

back is flat not arched

right wrist is cupped

sweep stick back-dont pick it up


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Left arm straight

Hands close to body


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Player Analysis


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Dos

Smeets has the ballbehind/even with the

right foot-knees bent

Hands are close to the

body-eyes on the ball


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FootworkFootwork adjusted tothe position of the ball

Ball even with the rightfoot

Ball will roll forward to

the correct position on

the downswing


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Right elbowRight elbow touchingthe right side of the

body

D i


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DownswingRight elbow still

touching right side

Toe up

Wrist angle maintained

Left knee bent

Left arm straight

Push off of right foot!

Right knee bent

Hips turning


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Followthrough

What happened?


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DontsHelicopter

Elbow points straightback-flying elbow

Player has to loop stick

Ball outside of feetRight hand in baseball

position


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Right elbow

faces targetRight elbow is facing 90

degrees to the target line

because of the grip andhelicopter swing

Right elbow is too close to

left elbow

Hands roll over through the

ball to release the stick


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Analysis

Good: Elbow in side,

hips turing, ball between

feet, left arm straight,

wrist flat.

Bad: stick off plane

(dropped), left knee

straightening, where isthe weight (left or right

foot)?


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World class

playerGood: Low position,

right knee very close to

the ground-lungepostion, eye on spot

where ball was hit.

Ball position at impact?

Baseball grip?

Weight on toes?


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Right hand seems tostay under the stick

Not pointing at the

target line on release


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Compensation

Toe of stick at 45 degreeson follow through

Right side of body twisting

down towards the ball

instead of releasing

through it-right hip should

follow through towards the

targetHands roll over the ball.

D t lift th


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Dont lift the

stick up on thebackswingEverything bent

Eyes on the ball

Why pull the stick in towards the

body. Requires an adjustment on the

downswing

Ball to far forward towards outside ofleft foot. Player will compensate in

the next photo.


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Compensation

Too upright-hands far away frombody

Right foot swings in the opposite

direction of the hips/stick to

compensate for the ball beingoutside of the left foot.

Leaning back away from the ball.

Right leg twisting in the opposite

direction NOT good for your lefthipit band/knee in the long run

Left foot facing target-not 45


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Hitting

Elbow in sideBut shoulders have

rotated faster than the

arms


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Toe pointing to the left ofthe target.


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As a consequence thehands roll over the ball.

Hitti f ll


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Hitting follow

throughPoint the stick at the

target

Key arms straightKeep the triangle intact

Let the arms overlap

Weight on left knee/foot

(not your toes)


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Common hitting mistakes

moving head, body, left wrist left/right or up/down

back curved-no vision-can see ground-not field

curve on ball

rotating wrists instead of maintaining triangle between

shoulders and hands

right hand rotated counter clockwise-can see top ofstick

Hit ground not back of ball

C hitti i t k


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Common hitting mistakes-rotating wrists on back swing

picking stick up

pivot point is not left little finger

bottom of right wrist not connected to top of left wrist

ball to left of left foot and not between feet

no weight transfer

weight on right foot not left


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Bad righthand grip

Ball is bouncing


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Out of planeFlying right elbow causesthe stick to be out of plane

(pointing straight up

instead of at the ball)

Player must make an

adjustment on the

downswing


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Baseball grip


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Flying elbow

Stick pointing up andaway from body.


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Falling awayfrom the ball

As a result the playersweight is on their right

side instead of the left

side at impact.


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Making space

Put the ball in a positionaway form the defender.

Here the ball is outside

of the players right foot.

He will lean to the rightto hit it.


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Right handposition

Slide the right hand upthe stick to get ready for

the hit


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Problems

Keep eyes on ball even after follow through

Follow through is too long

Twisting hands

Pivoting off of the end of the right hand (picking it up)

Pushing the left hand down on the back swing or follow

through

Not bending ankles, back, knees


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Problems (cont.)

Holding the stick with a baseball grip

Cannot release right hand through the ball

If the ball is between the feet the stick will hit the top

of the ball

If the ball is to the left of the body the sholders must

turn on the follow through.


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Hitting drills

Hit the ball with one hand (left and right)

Hit the ball with feet together

Hit the ball off of left and right feet

Hit the ball and hit the ball left and right by changing

hand position on the down swing

Hit the ball on the run

Cross by wing, shot on goal, pass forward


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Hitting drills

Swing stick backwards and forwards and sweep the

stick across the same spot on the ground-Bulbir Singh

4 Oympic gold medals

Wall hitting-cement is ideal

Stand 1,5,10.20 yards from the wall

Right hand only on stick (maintain angle between

stick and forearm)

Play tennis-hit ball against wall and stop it


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Hitting drills (cont.)

Move left, right, forwards, backwards and hit ball

against wallHit off of left foot and right foot

Face wall

Stand 90 degrees to the wall

Excercise 1


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Excercise 1

Bulbir Singh 4 time Olympic gold medalist for India

Swing stick back and forth and sweep over the turf

on the same spot.

Excercise 2


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Excercise 2

Marshall Page Rhodesia-one of the best fullbacks in

the world in 1974

Position the ball half way between your feet and hit it

against the wall-repeat

Excercise 3


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Excercise 3

Moin Iqbal full back Pakistan 1952

Foot work-rotate right foot forwards and hit the ball

to the left. Popular in the Netherlands and Germany.

Stephan Blocher used this move.

Right hand pull and hit in one motion. Pul the ball to

the right and slide hand up as the body rotates to the

right, bend and hit the ball.

Excercise 4


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Excercise 4

Steven Davies Australia

Foot work-run around the left of the ball and hit it

laterally to the right. Choke up on the stick.

Excercise 5


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Excercise 5

Gavin Featherstone GB 1970s

While carrying the ball forwards look one direction

and hit it in the other direction

Excercise 6


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Excercise 6

Toen De Noor Nederlands

While carrying the ball forwards look use a very short

quick hit with no follow through to pass the ball to a

team mate. Hands make the action.

Excercise 7


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Excercise 7

move the stick in a T

from address

to back swing pointing away from target

to impact position

to follow through pointing at target

Excercise 8


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Excercise 8

Neville Berman captain of South Africa 1974put the ball 1 yard from the end line and shoot it in

the goal. repeat with 10 balls

Move the ball in 1 foot - repeatMove the ball to 1 foot from the end line - repeat

Put the balls on the 10 yard line

run and shoot from 3 feet, 2 feet, 1 foot from the

end line

Excercise 9


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Excercise 9

Neville Berman

Put 10 balls on the 25 yard line.Dribble one ball to the top of the D and shoot

run back to the 25 and repeat


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Baseball grip


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Baseball grip

Ball is bouncingToe of stick is pointing sideways on follow through


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Slap shot


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Slap shot


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Cross over step and hit


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Cross over step and hit


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Forearms touch on follow


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through


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Curl to the right and hit


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Curl to the right and hit


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Preparation


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Preparation

Eyes on target

Feet close together so that adjustments in aligntmentto target can be made

Right hand is sliding up stick


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Back swing


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Back swing

Toe straight upleft arm straight


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Folow through problem


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Folow through problem

Left arm collapses

Stick is pointing way left of the target on the follow

through


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Preparation


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epa a o

When moving forwards in preparation of hitting the ball

correct footwork is vital

Position the ball at or behind the right foot

The stick is angled over the ball


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Back swing


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g

Feet are positioned together ball is between feet and

rolling forwards

hands are close to the body

eyes on the ball


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Down swing


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g

On the down swing the upper right arm is parallel to

the upper body which is leaning forwards

The right arm against the right side retains the angle of

the stick and wrists which delays the release of the

stick

The delayed wrist release results in the maximum stick

speed when hitting the ball


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Follow through


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g

Left knee is still bent

hips turn

still bent-stay down


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Leaning backwards


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g


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Leaning to the right


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g g

Right foot swinging behind leftThe ball was outside of the shoulders and left foot.


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Field Hockey Playbook Hitting

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