Question:
I’m writing in regards to GK drills for Indoor hockey. If you have the time would you mind forwarding some to me?
Answer:
I don’t know that I have any brilliant drills for indoor as much as ideas on how to modify drills for outdoor to fit the technical and tactical requirements of indoor.
The big thing I try to emphasise with keepers for indoor tactically is the concept of defending the circle using the keeper’s privileges for using the whole body to tackle and defend. That doesn’t mean just going out and throwing yourself on the ground. Drill-wise, or more accurately situation-wise, I like a lot of forward and the keeper stuff from different approach angles in to the circle.
We’ll build on that and do two forwards versus a defender and a keeper, emphasising that the keeper has to mark as well as defend the goal. You can flip it so that the keeper is the primary defender on the ball and the other defender is marking the second forward. You can build on that and throw in a third forward with a recovering defender. Indoor is excellent for emphasising that the pass can be more dangerous than the shot. Anticipation and mobility is crucial.
Technically, nothing is more important than being able to control the shot. Rebounds and lifted saves are disastrous in the indoor game. We do a lot of repetition work with simple shots at the keeper focusing on having the skill to clear low shots on the ground and the patience to cover lifted shots by getting your body behind the ball, waiting for the ball to settle and playing it out.
I think the big thing to think about in setting up your indoor practices for keepers is the situations that happen in games that you want to recreate. Baseline balls, deflections, set pieces, odd-man situations, they’re all things that happen in games so set them up in practices. I hope that helps.