Hockey Session (Under 10s): #5 Fall U8-12

Partner Race

Partner Race (15 mins)

Set up your section of the field with a variety of these stations over the whole area (try to colour coordinate if you can, but it does not need to look exactly like the picture):

- red squares (2-3m wide), players pass across the box to their partner

- Blue tunnels (5m long), one partner dribbles through the tunnel, the other partner meets them in the middle to block tackle the ball away

- Yellow line (4-5 cones), one player dribbles through the cones to their partner at the other end, the partner dribbles it back through the cones

Players partner up (choose a new partner or the coach pairs them up). Pairs work together to get as many points as possible in 3 minute bouts. Pairs get a point every time they complete one of the stations, they should keep track of their own points.

Queen of the court (20 mins)

Go over flatstick tackles again. If you'd like, get them to pair up and practice tackling where the attacker is just dribbling passively to allow the defender to practice the flat stick tackle. 

Once they get the hang of it, set up channels about 5m wide and 10-15m long. Pair players up.

Remind the attacker of different elimination skills - pull, curl, V-drag.

One player is the attacker (starts with the ball) and tries to dribble it past the end line of the channel. The other player is the defender who will try to steal the ball and dribble it to the other side of the channel.

1) make sure the defender steps up to tackle and doesn't just "guard" the baseline

2) remind them not to just hit the ball past the defender, they need to cross the end line with the ball under control (if you want to make it a bit harder, you can set up nets they need to dribble through)

3) remind them of the defensive points that were mentioned in the warm up (i.e. staggard stance, balls of your feet)

Once one player has successfully dribbled past the end line. Reset and switch roles (i.e. defender becomes the attacker)

If you want to make it more competitive, players get 1 pt for getting across the line successfully. Play for a couple minutes and winner can move up to the next channel (queen’s court style)