Category: Rachel’s Tips

Everyone at one stage in their hockey career has to prepare for a big game, whether it be
a:

• Club Final, 
• Olympic Final, 
• Team Selection Trial

… or just a game that is important to you and your team.

Before you can even start to think of a big game, the pre-preparation that you need to do includes all of the training – including both physical and skills specific.

In the last couple of sessions leading up to the big game I try to slightly adjust my training so that I do more close in work so that my reflexes are sharp. This helps me to make those saves that are made purely with reflexes.

Let's imagine that you have done all of the preparation that is needed. There are steps that you can follow for your game preparation.

Mental imagery:

The day before the big game it is a good idea for you to try to imagine some of the saves, if not all of the saves, that you need to make during the game. To do this effectively you need to break the skill down so you almost feel what save you are making. I think that it is never too late to do this as it can always help.

I have also done this in the warm up stage after the run during my stretching time, however, you can do this at any time. I have mentally prepared before a penalty stroke by imagining myself making up to 6 different saves before I actually save the stroke.

Physical warm up:

To warm up properly before a game I do at least 3 laps of the field. This is followed by stretching and some active warm up exercises. These include swinging the legs to get good movement, rotation of the hips followed by run throughs. The run throughs are from 10-25 m. At this stage I put my gear on.

Skills warm up:

Generally, I try to have around 20 minutes on the turf to warm up. I start with balls in close and gradually move them out to the top of the circle. At the beginning of the first stage I kick the ball back at the person who is warming me up, this helps to get good accuracy. As the warm up progresses I tend to get the ball wider to practice wide clearances.

The next stage of the preparation is to sharpen my reflexes. I have the balls lined up around the penalty spot. The person who is warming me up then flicks and chips the balls at me one after the other, not giving me enough time to set for the next save.

After this we tend to practice corners as a team. This is followed by two team drills of rapid fire to sharpen my reflexes.

If I follow all of the steps, my warm up should be complete and I should be ready to play the big game.

It is important to remember that this is an example of my warm up and that everyone has different needs. You may want to take some or all of these ideas for your own warm up.

Good luck with the keeping!

Please note that OBO together with Rachel Durdin hold copyright over any material appearing on tips pages. We welcome the printing and distribution of these tips, provided that they are not sold, or used for financial gain. This paragraph must appear on all printed or distributed copies.

With hockey now being in a transition period with experimental rule changes, we as goalkeepers must also make the transition back to being very attacking in certain circumstances. As the years have passed and goalkeeping gear has dramatically improved, some goalkeepers have lent away from being attacking and preferred to stay back on their line to try and make the save.

With the elimination of the offside rule, there will still be the need to remain back on the line to make saves that we would normally. However, there will be the need to play higher and smarter. From my limited experience with forwards having free reign over the field, keepers have had to take a much more involved role that has included interceptions, tackling and closing down of play.

I am going to address two skills in this tips section. Each will be broken down into two sections: describing how the skill should be executed, and how to incorporate this into a training session.

1. Interceptions
When a field player intercepts the ball they are usually in front of their opponent. For goalkeepers this is generally not possible. The intercepts that a keeper should look to make include around the back plays (along the back line), crosses and loose balls.

When intercepting any ball, the stick should be extended to a comfortable position (extend as much as individually possible). This allows the keeper to cover as much ground as humanly possible. When the ball is on the right hand side of the field, some goalkeepers put their stick across in front of them with the hook pointing down. The diagram on the left shows the stance when intercepting on the left hand side of the goal, while the one of the right shows the stance for intercepts on the right hand side of goal.

Bröllopsklänningar
If you make the decision to intercept the ball you must commit yourself the ball 100%, anything less than this is not acceptable in good goalkeeping!! Interceptions not only come from the back line, they also come from general play. With great movement around the circle becoming the norm, a ball could be passed from the top of the circle, to a player leading from the back line. It is then the keepers responsibility to intercept this ball if the player is not marked.

Drills for Interceptions
Around the back play: have your coach get a number of balls and hit them across the field. Anything that is beyond the 6 yard mark should be left and movement to the player or retreating to get into line. (Refer to the shaded part of the diagram to see the actual area that an intercept should be made in.) It is important that you do not try to predict what the player is going to do, if you dive too early to make the interception the attacker is likely to slip the ball past you into the goal.

To get used to saving the through ball, it is a good idea to simulate the actual game situation.

2. Tackling (Meeting the player early)
The key to making a good tackle in any section of the field is to get into early position. Goalkeepers are no exception to this, in fact I think that it is vitally important. If a keeper does not meet the player before or as they receive the ball then it is too late as most players will be able to drag the ball around you.

The best possible scenario is for you to actually get to the ball before the player and clear it to one of your players.

This is not always possible due to the fact that we are forced to make split second decisions. If we meet the player as they receive the ball then this should reduce the chance of a goal being scored significantly.

If you get close to the player they can not get the ball past you, whether you are standing or on the ground

Unlike years ago, tackling is not only slide tackling. Today if you get to the player early enough it is just as effective to stand, making your presence felt and at the same time trying to be as big as possible.

Stand tall & create the impression of a large physical presence.

Drills for Tackling & Meeting the Players Early:
The best way to practice this is in a game like situation. I find this to be the best way and if you can spend time to analyse what you should have done differently that is a great way to learn. (I am only talking about a few seconds for this to happen.) Any analysis that you want to agonise over should be done off the field so that you can concentrate on what you are actually out there for – to stop the ball going in the net!

Please remember that all of the above is only my personal view (highly likely to be correct! -grin-) As I have always suggested, take bits or all of it and try it. If it doesn't work for you, make adjustments for yourself as nothing is ever the same for any one person.

Good luck with the keeping!

Please note that OBO together with Rachel Durdin hold copyright over any material appearing on tips pages. We welcome the printing and distribution of these tips, provided that they are not sold, or used for financial gain. This paragraph must appear on all printed or distributed copies.

The defence of a Penalty Corner can never be taken too seriously. The focus that a Goal Keeper (and every defending player) must have during a Penalty Corner is extremely great.

Being calm and keeping your defence calm in vitally important. If the tension level of one player is too high, you can almost be sure that your opponents will score. Some Goal Keepers prefer to get hyped up, perhaps trying to focus, however I personally find that being calm and focused is the best way to successfully defend a Penalty Corner.

With no offside it is especially crucial that you are focused on everything that is going on around you. Players may come in behind you for the a tip in and the movement of the ball around the circle will be made easier for attacking players. Thus leading to an increase of difficulty for all of the defence (not just the Goal Keeper).

General Points to be Conscious of During Penalty Corners:

• Be calm and focused
• Be aware of the attackers movements
• Be quick and agile (able to change direction quickly)
• Be strong (able to get up quickly after going to ground)
• Be decisive (follow through on your decisions)

How to Defend a Penalty Corner
There are two main ways to defend an Penalty Corner:

• Laying Down
• Standing Up

I personally lie down on Penalty Corners for the direct hit. What ever you do on a Penalty Corner is extremely personal. This the information that I am about to give you is only a guideline to lying down on a Penalty Corner. I have included five basic steps to help you get an understanding of how to lie down on a Penalty Corner.

Step 1:
Move quickly (i.e. sprint/power) off the line 2-4 steps when the ball is hit in.

Step 2:
Set yourself lowering one leg (bending one knee). I keep my knee above the ground to allow easier push off to save the high ball. Thus I am not set in a grounded position.

Step 3:
When the ball is hit shoot the legs and arms out moving towards the ground. It is important to keep the pelvic region in line with the penalty spot.

Step 4:
Lie flat on the ground keeping all body parts as close to the surface as possible and parallel to the goal line.

Note the arrows pointing to two trouble spots. Make sure these areas are on the ground and there is no gap.

Step 5:
Get up the easiest and quickest way possible. It is vitally important that once you have returned to your feet that you are stable and ready to react quickly to the next shot.

Good luck with the keeping!

Please note that OBO together with Rachel Durdin hold copyright over any material appearing on tips pages. We welcome the printing and distribution of these tips, provided that they are not sold, or used for financial gain. This paragraph must appear on all printed or distributed copies.

When the umpires whistle blows and their arms go in different directions most goal keepers cringe with the thought of having to save a penalty stroke. Usually because we all know the umpire is wrong. But no matter how much we complain it is a fact of life that the umpire always thinks they are right and will not reverse their decision. "Bring on the third umpire" are thoughts that often go through my head.

Defending a Penalty Stroke can be a very daunting thing. Generally everyone is sure that the ball is going to go into the back of the net, except for the keeper. There are a number of things that a keeper can do to prepare for a stroke:

• Research
• Reflex work
• Practice
• Mental rehearsal
• Relax and set
• Focus on the ball
• Save the ball

Research:

To make ourselves better prepared to save a penalty stroke it is important that all that can be done before the game is done. Researching players who take strokes can never be done enough. Kath Partridge (one of the worlds greatest goal keepers, dual Australian Olympian, now coach) introduced me to a very easy way of keeping a journal of players taking strokes. All it includes in it is a picture of a goal and the position that the player flicks the ball. Following this you are to note the number and name of the player taking the stroke.

Reflex work:

Reflex training is an exceptional way to improve our ability to save a penalty stroke, seeing the majority of penalty strokes are saved by our reflexes. This is easily done by having balls lined up at the 7 yard spot in groups of about 10. The next step is to get someone to continually flick the balls at you, not giving you enough time to see the action of the flicker but only the movement of the next ball. This is designed to get you moving in all different directions and not thinking too much about where the ball is going. This can also be done very effectively with a bucket of tennis balls.

Practice:

If you never practice penalty strokes how can you be expected to save any. I myself hate practising penalty strokes and sometimes do anything to get out of it. You need to make it fun and challenging for yourself, (or the keeper you are coaching) to feel positive about it. Sometimes I get the stroke takers to tell me where they are going to put the ball. This helps getting the keeper used to moving and diving at the ball. It always makes it a more positive experience for the keeper. Another good idea is too play minor games and when an infringement occurs in the circle award a stroke. The more you practice the better you will get.

Mental rehearsal:

Before each stroke I mentally rehearse making up to 10 saves. This process takes around 3-4 seconds to complete. The saves that I rehearse include 3 on the right side, 3 on the left side and 3 in the middle of the goal. On each side I am seeing myself saving a high ball, a low ball and a ball in the middle region. I believe that this is invaluable for me.

Relax and set:

Similar to my personal golfing strategy, I like to relax before each stroke. For me this is a simple breathing exercise. I fill my lungs with fresh air and then exhale slowly. This relaxes my shoulders and clears my head of thoughts that might be clouding my ability to save strokes. This helps me set in a position that I can easily explode to make saves. For you this position may be different, for me I am set slightly on my toes with my body weight forward, hands up and not tense at all.

Focus on the ball:

Focusing on the ball is an essential element in saving a stroke. Players today can do all sorts of things with their sticks, thus making it very hard to read where the ball is going. I focus on the ball and not on the stick thus bringing into effect all the work I have done on my reflexes. Focusing on the ball does not mean looking at the ball but actually focusing on the dimples in the ball so that it is the only thing that you see and your mind is not wandering from the task at hand –
saving the ball.

Save the ball:

Hmmm….This should be easy. Let me know how you go.

Please use these tips as a guide only and use what works for you. Many people have said things to me over the last 12 years, I have taken some on board and others have been disregarded.

Good luck with the keeping!

Please note that OBO together with Rachel Durdin hold copyright over any material appearing on tips pages. We welcome the printing and distribution of these tips, provided that they are not sold, or used for financial gain. This paragraph must appear on all printed or distributed copies.

The skill of taking on an attacker one on one is not an easy skill to master. There are a number of things that a goalkeeper can do to make this easier for them to be successful in these contests.

A goalkeeper needs to be attacking the ball and only the ball. If you attack the player it may result in a penalty stroke being called or at worst the goalkeeper receiving a yellow card. None of us like being sent off so we must be smart with what we are doing when taking on attackers.

If a player is about to be tackled by one of your defenders this is not when you should be taking them on one on one. The time that you need to do this is when there is a break away situation with the attacker coming into the attacking 25 area unattended. This may also happen in the circle, and the area that you have to play in may only be 2 or 3 yards (this becomes a desperation save).

The main skills involved in taking on a player one on one are:

• Speed
• Tracking
• Having presence
• Sliding
• Decision making

Speed is essential in any movement towards a player. The most important factor in this is speed over the first few steps that you make. Ways that you can improve this is by doing short sprint work.

Tracking is another essential element in getting the player to go where you want them to. This allows you to get the player to go in the direction that you want them to and also to put them in a vulnerable position that you can make the most of. Tracking can also assist in getting the player into a position in which it is harder to get a good shot away and at the same time giving your defenders time to get back into position. For those of you who don't know what tracking is, it is a sideways movement similar to side stepping. It is important that you move with intensity, keeping your legs together to stop the ball going through the legs during movement.

Having presence is vitally important. As I have mentioned in earlier tips it is about making yourself big rather than like a mouse. If you have presence players are going to be likely to be thinking more about how to get the ball around you rather than getting the ball into the back of the net (this is a good thing).

Sliding is not a terribly hard skill. You need to come at the ball with speed and total commitment to what you are going to do. The first thing you are required to do is extend your stick to ensure that you will have maximum coverage when you are on the ground. When you are approaching the ball and player you need to start lowering yourself to the ground. This is a very quick skill and needs to be done with speed and control at the same time.

I think it is best to practice the skill and develop your own style.

It is good to slide at a player when you are close to them and are sure that you are going to get the ball. Being close to the player and the ball is crucial. If you are not close enough to the player then you will be in danger of getting the ball dragged around you. I find it best to position yourself inline with the ball in the mid region of the body.

Finally you need to get up quickly after making the save ready for the next save to be made. You may need to get back nearer the goal line so speed is again an issue.

Decision making is crucial in this whole process. As I have previously said you must be totally committed to making the decision to take on the attacker. Another important tip is to remember you do not always have to take on the player. Sometimes it may not be the right decision to come a long way off of your line to take someone on if they are about to be tackled by one of your defenders.

How to practice this:
Set up 2 on 1, 3 on 2 (etc.) situations so that you are continually made to make decisions. It is important that this is not too close to the circle so that a breakaway situation can occur.

It is also a good idea to practice this starting from the penalty spot or just above it so that you can meet the player at the top of the circle to cut down the chance of them having a shot.

All the best with your quest for excellence.

Keep on keeping well!

Please note that OBO together with Rachel Durdin hold copyright over any material appearing on tips pages. We welcome the printing and distribution of these tips, provided that they are not sold, or used for financial gain. This paragraph must appear on all printed or distributed copies.

Playing goalkeeper should not mean standing on the goal line and hoping to save the ball that is fired at you. I believe that you really have to go out and get the ball. The role of the goalkeeper is not only to save the ball, but to set up the play for your team in an attacking manner. With no offside you will find that loose balls into the circle occur more often in a game, thus giving the goalkeeper greater opportunities to be involved in the play.

The main way to do this is by using the safe and reliable method of using the instep save. It is important to have the correct technique to do this. Here are some important general points that may help you to perfect this technique.

1. Begin in the attacking stance:

• Weight slightly forward on the balls of your toes
• Knees slightly bent to assist with weight forward
• Hands up in a comfortable position ready to make the high save

2. Watch the ball from the time that it leaves the stick all the way to your foot.



3. Rotate the ankle so that the foot is pointing outwards.



4. Contact with the ball should be made slightly forward of the original attacking stance, with the foot rotated to get the ball wide.



5. Similar to a putter swing, it is important that the kick has a back swing as well as a follow through of about equal distance.

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Two good ways to practice accuracy for the instep kick are:

1. Line the balls up to the side of the goal on a right angle to the goal line. The ball must be delivered to the foot closest to the goal line ensuring that the instep kick is used.



2. Have your coach or player stand with a few balls straight out in front of the goal with you in the goal. The object of this is to use the instep kick to direct the ball back to the person pushing the ball at you. This ensures that you will get good consistent accuracy, thus enabling you to control rebounds in a direction that you can set up attacking play for your team.



A good way to practice this with your coach is too have her/him roll the balls into the circle, with you clearing the balls to specific areas. During this drill it is important that you meet the ball and vary the direction and speed of the ball.

It can help to call out which position you are passing the ball to, i.e. Right Half, Fullback, Centre Half and so on. This will make sure that you have the direction that you require to create attacking opportunities for your team.

Alternatively you can set out cones so that you have something to aim at.



An important thing to remember when imagining doing this is to try to think of yourself as a soccer player passing to ball to your team members.

Good luck with this attacking goal keeping. As you read this OBO is developing gear that will make being an attacking goalkeeper easier. I am currently using the new third generation Robo Hi-Rebound kickers, which has allowed me to get even stronger clearances. When you use the Hi-Rebound technology it is important that you concentrate hard on your basic skills to get the most benefit. After all, we all hate getting penalty corners called against us for lifted rebounds that aren't even dangerous.

Good luck with the keeping!



Please note that OBO together with Rachel Durdin hold copyright over any material appearing on tips pages. We welcome the printing and distribution of these tips, provided that they are not sold, or used for financial gain. This paragraph must appear on all printed or distributed copies.

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