Stickwork Drill #1: Passing Against The Boards (“Wall Ball”)
- Demo (1 min): Passing (See Passing/Shooting Skill Analysis).
- Spread players out as evenly as possible across the floor space, with players starting 10 metres away from the boards (or a wall), picking a spot to aim for, getting comfortable with the release point of their stick. For first timers, consider starting with bare hand and/or top-hand only, to compare mechanics of throwing a ball.
*Variation #1 (2 min): "Normal Pass." With feet "stationary," pass against a spot on the side-boards/glass at approximately eye level; corral the rebounding ball (Variation #1A). Intermediate and advanced players should use some "dynamic" footwork before making the pass (Variation #1B).
Emphasis should be placed on getting one’s body in front of the ball when attempting to catch the ball ("no reaching"); that way if missed, the ball is still in front of the player to scoop up.
The “Chedda B” Wall Ball Routine:
- Beginners try to hit a 30cm by 30 cm target
- Intermediate try to hit a 15cm by 15 cm target
- Advanced try to hit a 10cm by 10cm target
Stationary Passing Routine (15m Away):
- 10x Overhand Pass (Lob Option)
- 10x Side-Arm Pass
- 10x Underhand Pass
- 10x Behind-The-Back Pass
- 10x Off-Hand (Overhand Pass)
Stationary Shooting Routine (15m Away):
- 10x Overhand Shot
- 10x Side-Arm Shot
- 10x Underhand Shot
- 10x Behind-The-Back Shot
- 10x Off-Hand (Overhand Shot)
*Dynamic Passing Routine (Various Distances/Angles):
- 10x Overhand Pass (Lob Option)
- 10x Side-Arm Pass
- 10x Underhand Pass
- 10x Behind-The-Back Pass
- 10x Off-Hand (Overhand Pass)
*perform all variations with a short run forward (north-south), east-west across the net, east-west dragging across the net, short back-pedal (north south)
*Dynamic Shooting Routine (Various Distances/Angles):
- 10x Overhand Shot
- 10x Side-Arm Shot
- 10x Underhand Shot
- 10x Behind-The-Back Shot
- 10x Off-Hand (Overhand Shot)
*perform all variations with a short run forward (north-south), east-west across the net, east-west dragging across the net, short back-pedal (north-south)
General Instructions:
- Beginners = Blocked Practice (AAA = Stationary Overhand, Dynamic Overhand - Run Forward, Dynamic Overhand - Across The Net, Dynamic Overhand - Dragging, Dynamic Overhand - Back-pedal)
- Progress to Intermediate (at 70% Mastery)...
- Intermediate = Serial Practice (ABC = Stationary Overhand, Stationary Sidearm, Stationary Underhand, Stationary Behind-The-Back, Stationary Off-Hand → Dynamic Overhand, Dynamic Sidearm, etc.)
- Progress to Advanced (at 90% Mastery)...
- **Advanced = Random Practice (ACB = Dynamic Overhand → Dynamic Lob → Stationary Underhand → Dynamic Underhand → Dynamic Sidearm → Dynamic Behind-The-Back → Dynamic Off-Hand, etc.)
**Mix up passing/shooting/footwork pattern each rep depending on what part of your game needs fine tuning
**Use a 1:1 (Offense) or 1:2 (Defense) work:rest ratio (i.e. hard effort for 30 seconds - 1 min active recovery)
The Goalie Wall Ball Routine:
*Stationary Passing Routine:
- 10x Overhand Passing (10m, 20m, 30m)
- 10x Side-Arm Passing (10m, 20m, 30m)
- 10x Behind-The-Back Pass (5m)
- Attempt to try and hit a 30cm by 30 cm target chalked/taped onto a wall
- Have several balls on hand in case rebounds go errant
*Beginners only do 10m Passes
*Make the save after each 10m pass (Trap & Scoop Rebound)
*Mix between passes that induce saves with the left and right side of the body
*Advanced goalies can also try 10 dynamic passes-on-the-run
*Variation #2 (4 min): "High Pass." Move to 2 metres away from the boards; pick a spot high (on the glass or arena wall) and try to catch the ball directly (track success rate).
Mix between hips square (Variation #2A), which is used to work on "soft hands" with beginners, and having hips perpendicular (Variation #2B), which is used as a warm-up technique for quick release catching and shooting. Progress to "dynamic" orientation, adding some basic footwork before each pass (Variation #2C).
*Variation #3 (4 min): "Fake Patterns." Move to 3-4 metres away from the boards. Have players practice a certain series of fakes, left-right-high-low, also incorporating head, foot and body movements, in order to "sell" the fakes. Fake short-side and reach to the far-side, fake far-side and shoot short-side. Short-Far-Short, Far-Short-Far, Dip & Dunks and Cripplers, are further examples of more advanced fake patterns.
*Variation #4 (2 min): "Face Away." Move to 10 metres back away from the boards. Have players pass against the boards/glass then face away, turning and catching the ball across their body and over their shoulder.
*Variation #5 (3 min): "Set-Shot." Starting 15 metres away from the boards, try shooting the ball at “the wall” with progressively more power. Remember to start perpendicular to the boards, take a "crow hop" (Demo), rotate hips/shoulders/trunk and snap wrists.
*Variation #6 (3 min): "Lob Pass." Same distance away as the above variation, except players throw an arcing lob pass, aiming for the middle of a specific pane of glass on the side or end-boards.
*Variation #7 (2 min): "Quick Stick." Move to 2 metres away from the boards; pick a spot high on the glass/wall and try to catch it directly using the quick stick technique, passing it back seamlessly off the glass.
See how many times players can hit the spot (see above) on the boards and how many times players can catch the ball directly off the wall in 20 passes (honour system).
Variation #8 (2 min): "Flip Passes." Same as above except players utilize a "flip pass."
Variation #9 (2 min): "Short Hoppers." Same as above except encourage players to find the appropriate distance away from the boards so that when they pass it and try to catch it, it bounces right in front of them; forcing them to catch it on a "short hop."
Variation #10 (2 min): "Consecutive Catches Game." Same as the above variations of the drill except have players keep track of how many times in a row they catch the ball without a drop. If a ball is dropped, players must start their count over from zero.
*Most common error = not using proper overhand technique
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