Tips On Using The OBO Training D’FLECTA Mat

dflecta

Product info
Balls will be hit at the D’FLECTA, which alter ball directions in both height and width. This simulates deflections and helps train reaction times and hand eye coordination of goalkeepers.

Tips on using the D’FLECTA mat

Fast ball speeds and striker deflections now play a big roll in scoring goals. The mat enables a coach, assistant or even parent to simulate deflected shots targeting high or low shots without needing to include the field players in the exercise. Its also a whole heap of fun for goalkeepers! If not being used the mat can be placed also be used within team drills to simulate defenders who can often deflect the ball.

Here is a video showing a few tips showing the correct technique for using the mat…

Tips On Using The OBO Training FLICKA Stick

flicka

Product info
This stick allows a coach, player or parent to flick the ball easily at the goalkeeper. The speed is controlled by the user and can be used softly for beginners using their hands and more power for advanced keepers simulating top level drag flicks.

Tips on using the FLICKA stick

Once mastered the OBO Training FLICKA  its really easy to simulating top level drag flicking balls speeds that are accurate and apply less stress to the body. The curve and colour of the stick have been designed to help disguise where the ball is going ensuring the goalkeeper is kept on their toes. The stick should be used softly for younger goalkeepers who are just learning to use their hands to save aerials or more advanced keepers for repetition training. Its also possible to throw some massive aerials for defenders to practice receiving aerials or just having some fun with mates on tour!

Here is a video showing a few tips showing the correct technique for using the stick…

Tips On Using The OBO Training BOBBLA Ball

bobbla ball

Product info
The BOBBLA ball will launch on December 1st 2009 and should be available from your local OBO stockist (keep an eye out for pricing details soon!). The balls will be available in bags by the dozen… they look like eggs get it! Sorry no more yolking around – for more info check out this post.

Tips on using the BOBBLA ball

The OBO Training BOBBLA ball is great for stripping down a goalkeepers kicking technique. It also encourages the fundamental of getting your body behind the ball and using forward body weight transfer.

High density foam technology means that goalkeepers can sometimes get lazy and simply swing their leg to kick the ball and rely on the bounce of the foam and not worry about their body weight distribution.  A goalkeeper with good goalkeeping technique will try to keep their head and chest over the ball to stop the ball rising up, and have a follow trough with forward momentum to get a good clearance.

The ball has been designed to stay low and sometime bobble/pop up occasionally replicating what may happen in a match situation. This allows a coach to simulate repetition training to build muscle memory and helps to keep reactions sharp for the unexpected bobbles.

Beta Testing Review – Bobbla.

My review of the new OBO BOBBLA.

Hey guys. Here’s my final report on the last of the three products in Obo’s new training product range, the Bobbla. To be quite honest, when i first started using this unusual product i was not very impressed with it. I thought it a little simple and not as valuable and relevant as the Flicka or D’flecta. However after using it for a bit longer and talking with my coach about the use i discovered that skills used with the Bobbla were actually more relevant than either of the other two training products.

IMG_0757Pictures of the Bobbla. The egg shape gives it its trademark bobble.

When using the Bobbla, the idea is to look at and practice the basic kicking techniques which are essential to goalkeeping. The Bobbla is rolled at the goal and the keeper kicks it away from the goal. Just like in a simple warm up. However the Bobbla makes each part of that ‘simple’ warm up much harder. Instead of staying on the ground as an ordinary hockey ball would, the Bobbla bounces and spins as it rolls giving an unpredictable bobble as the keeper goes to kick. This means the keeper is forced to concentrate much harder on their timing and basic kicking technique. By using the Bobbla my coach was able to pick out that my left foot was not as skilled as my right foot at kicking, a common problem for a lot of keepers, i have since corrected this and both feet are fairly even.

Here is a beautiful picture of the Bobbla in action. The egg shape has made the ball bounce up as i am about to kick.

The unpredictability of the bobble also speeds up the reaction time of the keeper and keeps them focused on the ball. Because the final direction of the ball was always uncertain i found that the best strategy was to wait until the last minute to kick. This improved my reactions, foot-eye coordination and my timing. Because the ball was traveling slower and moving about i had to focus on the ball the whole time and this improved my concentration. A weakness of mine has always been the slower, bouncy shots and the training with the Bobbla was perfect for erasing that problem from my technique.

From my experience, i found that the Bobbla is most useful for correcting and reinforcing the basic goalkeeping kicking techniques. The flaws in my technique have been somewhat ironed out and the constant repetition has improved my kicking muscle memory and confidence. I believe that this product has a lot of potential for coaches and goalkeepers everywhere. I found it extremely beneficial to my game and was able to make much better use of my coaching sessions.

 

Beta Testing Review – Flicka.

My review of the brand new OBO FLICKA.

As part of the Beta Testing Program i have been training with the Flicka extensively and have a range of feelings about it. I found it most useful for increasing my hand-eye coordination and my ability to track the ball through the air at different rates. The Flicka is designed to simulate aerial saves such as flicks and dragflicks. The ball is caught in the hook and flung so that the ball flies off towards the goal. Its a lot harder than it looks but when you get it it works great.Flicka and ball.

I found the Flicka a very good training product for increasing my confidence and ability when making glove and stick saves. Focusing on clearing the ball wide also improved my basic save technique and skill as a keeper. The Flicka was not as much use to me as it could be to others. I am already technically proficient and i was able to handle most of what the Flicka could throw at me. I found it more useful for creating muscle memory for getting to the ball, saving the ball and clearing the ball wide. I also found it very useful for increasing my skill with stick saves. By standing off to my left and trying to use only my right hand to save the flick i very quickly increased my stick save confidence.

I think this tool would be most useful for improving younger, less experienced goalkeepers who perhaps have slight flaws in their technique. The Flicka is better than a player flicking as quite often the player telegraphs which direction the flick is going. With the Flicka this is impossible to judge and so makes the save purely reactionary. The emphasis on making the save and clearing the ball also incorporates a degree of muscle memory which further enhances the keepers technique.

I also think the Flicka would be very useful for goalkeeper coaches. The coaches ability to control the speed and direction of the flick would greater allow them to control the training of the goalkeeper because sometimes field players cannot quite understand what the coach wants. This would allow the coach to individually tailor each flick to get the desired effect and get the desired reaction.

 

 

FLICKA Example Video

Some ideas and examples of using the OBO FLICKA Stick in action plus a few ideas on repetition training for aerial shots.

Some ideas and examples of using the OBO FLICKA Stick in action plus a few ideas on repetition training for aerial shots. (Please note the stick is an early prototype and all FLICKA sticks are green.)

The curve in the stick allows the coach to disguise the direction of the shot and also mimics more of a hockey movement than a lacrosse stick.

Please note this stick is not for use in a game – its for training and having fun!

Beta Testing Review – D’flecta.

My review of the brand new OBO D’FLECTA.

Throughout this year i have been given the opportunity to train with and test the D’flecta, one of the new training products that Obo is bringing out on the first of December this year. I have used it in many different drills and using it has improved my reactions and confidence in making deflection shot saves.

dflecta

In basic use the D’flecta sits on around the penalty spot area. It can face either way (one side giving more height that the other) and a field player or coach hits or pushes a ball along the ground at it. When the ball hits the D’flecta it goes in any direction, sometimes it goes up, sometimes it goes wide and sometimes it stays on its original course. You cant judge this so its all about reactions. The trickiest part of the D’flecta i found was when the ball missed the D’flecta but was still going for the goal. Often i would get caught waiting for the ball to move and forget about making the basic save. This keeps you thinking about your angles and the basics.

When i first started using the D’flecta i was astounded at how many i was missing. However this was soon fixed as i started to train using the D’flecta regularly and incorporate it into more drills. By the end of the month i had improved drastically. I was stopping most of the deflections from the mat and was playing much better. Regular use of the D’flecta speeds up your reactions and agility. It is an excellent product to both warm up and train goalkeepers. It teaches you that the ball can come towards you from any direction at any time.

In this photo the ball has deflected high and left off one of the D’flectas.

The D’flecta can also be moved around the circle to simulate different deflections from different angles. It can be incorporated into drills to simulate game scenarios. E.g. a straight shot from the top followed by a push at a D’flecta mat set up around the circle somewhere simulates a save then a deflected return. These sort of drills improve agility and basic positioning.

This photo shows a ball recently deflected off the D’flecta, i have to move to my left to make the save.

In summary, i have found the D’flecta mat to be an excellent training product and also a lot of fun. It has improved my game in a short space of time and i recommend it to any other goalkeeper or coach out there who wants to improve. if you want to see the product in action take a look at the Obo Training Product Introduction on YouTube at the URL below .

http://www.youtube.com/user/obogoalkeeping#play/all/uploads-all/2/BGyAv6H9kdY.

OBO Training Flicka Beta Test Review

The Flicka Stick

flicka

The hollow in the stick allows better control of the ball which enables the player/coach to control the speed and direction of the shot to a greater degree than is possible with the conventional hockey stick.

When I first started to use the flicker stick most of the shots veered to GK’s left (flickers right). Many players I asked to test the stick also seemed to have the same problem when starting off. This problem was easily corrected by releasing the ball sooner than what you would do with the conventional hockey stick.

I would advise anyone using the flicker stick to concentrate on control of the ball at slow speed before trying high speed flicks as I and a number of other players experienced some difficulty with accuracy when initially using the stick. Pay attention to the area behind the goals to ensure player/spectator safety.

Once you have mastered the technique you will be able to place the ball anywhere in the goal from any position in the circle and give the goalkeeper an excellent workout.

Goalkeepers facing drag flicks at penalty corners will benefit hugely as the pace of the ball is far greater with the flicker stick than with the conventional hockey stick. This makes for improved aerial saves, overall agility, hand eye co-ordination and reflexes.

Another point in favour of the stick is that the person using it does not have to use a large amount of energy to give the goalkeeper a good workout.

The hollow in the stick allows better control of the ball which enables the player/coach to control the speed and direction of the shot to a greater degree than is possible with the conventional hockey stick.

When I first started to use the flicker stick most of the shots veered to GK’s left (flickers right).  Many players I asked to test the stick also seemed to have the same problem when starting off.  This problem was easily corrected by releasing the ball sooner than what you would do with the conventional hockey stick.

I would advise anyone using the flicker stick to concentrate on control of the ball at slow speed before trying high speed flicks as I and a number of other players experienced some difficulty with accuracy when initially using the stick.  Pay attention to the area behind the goals to ensure player/spectator safety.

Once you have mastered the technique you will be able to place the ball anywhere in the goal from any position in the circle and give the goalkeeper an excellent workout.

Goalkeepers facing drag flicks at penalty corners will benefit hugely as the pace of the ball is far greater with the flicker stick than with the conventional hockey stick. This makes for improved aerial saves, overall agility, hand eye co-ordination and reflexes.

Another point in favour of the stick is that the person using it does not have to use a large amount of energy to give the goalkeeper a good workout.

Deflective mat

This all weather mat is made of a durable rubber compound which is designed to deflect the ball off fin-like protrusions in unpredictable directions and heights when placed in front of the goals.

The boomerang shaped mat remained secure on the turf regardless of the speed or amount of shots deflected off it.

This is a very portable and convenient piece of equipment and a great aid for goalkeepers.

Shots need to be hit flat on the surface of the turf in order to get optimum defections. Younger players had a problem making contact with the mat as they felt it was too short, this could be contributed to skills still being developed.  This problem can easily be rectified by using two mats next to each other.

Some senior players were hitting shots over the mat but this posed no problem to goalkeeper as the shots were still accurate, this also made for variations in the shot and goalkeepers had to watch the ball at all times and not focus on the mat.

The mat was also placed at various distances from the goalkeeper depending on ability/experience of individual.  Speed variations also affected the flight of ball when making contact with the mat. The mat was used in conjunction with other drills involving more players eg. One hitter from circle edge, players on either side of goal getting rebound shots.

After personal use I found that the mat performed as it was designed to do and improved my overall performance. The feedback from various other coaches and goalkeepers

who used the mat during training sessions confirmed this opinion.

This mat is designed to improve agility, deflective shot saves and reaction time of the goalkeeper.  It’s a great asset and should be considered as an essential piece of training equipmeThe Flicker Stick

The hollow in the stick allows better control of the ball which enables the player/coach to control the speed and direction of the shot to a greater degree than is possible with the conventional hockey stick.

When I first started to use the flicker stick most of the shots veered to GK’s left (flickers right). Many players I asked to test the stick also seemed to have the same problem when starting off. This problem was easily corrected by releasing the ball sooner than what you would do with the conventional hockey stick.

I would advise anyone using the flicker stick to concentrate on control of the ball at slow speed before trying high speed flicks as I and a number of other players experienced some difficulty with accuracy when initially using the stick. Pay attention to the area behind the goals to ensure player/spectator safety.

Once you have mastered the technique you will be able to place the ball anywhere in the goal from any position in the circle and give the goalkeeper an excellent workout.

Goalkeepers facing drag flicks at penalty corners will benefit hugely as the pace of the ball is far greater with the flicker stick than with the conventional hockey stick. This makes for improved aerial saves, overall agility, hand eye co-ordination and reflexes.

Another point in favour of the stick is that the person using it does not have to use a large amount of energy to give the goalkeeper a good workout.

Deflective mat

This all weather mat is made of a durable rubber compound which is designed to deflect the ball off fin-like protrusions in unpredictable directions and heights when placed in front of the goals.

The boomerang shaped mat remained secure on the turf regardless of the speed or amount of shots deflected off it.

This is a very portable and convenient piece of equipment and a great aid for goalkeepers.

Shots need to be hit flat on the surface of the turf in order to get optimum defections. Younger players had a problem making contact with the mat as they felt it was too short, this could be contributed to skills still being developed. This problem can easily be rectified by using two mats next to each other.

Some senior players were hitting shots over the mat but this posed no problem to goalkeeper as the shots were still accurate, this also made for variations in the shot and goalkeepers had to watch the ball at all times and not focus on the mat.

The mat was also placed at various distances from the goalkeeper depending on ability/experience of individual. Speed variations also affected the flight of ball when making contact with the mat. The mat was used in conjunction with other drills involving more players eg. One hitter from circle edge, players on either side of goal getting rebound shots.

After personal use I found that the mat performed as it was designed to do and improved my overall performance. The feedback from various other coaches and goalkeepers

who used the mat during training sessions confirmed this opinion.

This mat is designed to improve agility, deflective shot saves and reaction time of the goalkeeper. It’s a great asset and should be considered as an essential piece of training equipment.

nt.

OBO Training D’flecta Beta Testing Review

D’Flecta Mat

dflecta

This all weather mat is made of a durable rubber compound which is designed to deflect the ball off fin-like protrusions in unpredictable directions and heights when placed in front of the goals.

The boomerang shaped mat remained secure on the turf regardless of the speed or amount of shots deflected off it.

This is a very portable and convenient piece of equipment and a great aid for goalkeepers.

Shots need to be hit flat on the surface of the turf in order to get optimum defections. Younger players had a problem making contact with the mat as they felt it was too short, this could be contributed to skills still being developed. This problem can easily be rectified by using two mats next to each other.

Some senior players were hitting shots over the mat but this posed no problem to goalkeeper as the shots were still accurate, this also made for variations in the shot and goalkeepers had to watch the ball at all times and not focus on the mat.

The mat was also placed at various distances from the goalkeeper depending on ability/experience of individual. Speed variations also affected the flight of ball when making contact with the mat. The mat was used in conjunction with other drills involving more players eg. One hitter from circle edge, players on either side of goal getting rebound shots.

After personal use I found that the mat performed as it was designed to do and improved my overall performance. The feedback from various other coaches and goalkeepers who used the mat during training sessions confirmed this opinion.

This mat is designed to improve agility, deflective shot saves and reaction time of the goalkeeper. It’s a great asset and should be considered as an essential piece of training equipment.

This all weather mat is made of a durable rubber compound which is designed to deflect the ball off fin-like protrusions in unpredictable directions and heights when placed in front of the goals.

The boomerang shaped mat remained secure on the turf regardless of the speed or amount of shots deflected off it.

This is a very portable and convenient piece of equipment and a great aid for goalkeepers.

Shots need to be hit flat on the surface of the turf in order to get optimum defections. Younger players had a problem making contact with the mat as they felt it was too short, this could be contributed to skills still being developed.  This problem can easily be rectified by using two mats next to each other.

Some senior players were hitting shots over the mat but this posed no problem to goalkeeper as the shots were still accurate, this also made for variations in the shot and goalkeepers had to watch the ball at all times and not focus on the mat.

The mat was also placed at various distances from the goalkeeper depending on ability/experience of individual.  Speed variations also affected the flight of ball when making contact with the mat. The mat was used in conjunction with other drills involving more players eg. One hitter from circle edge, players on either side of goal getting rebound shots.

After personal use I found that the mat performed as it was designed to do and improved my overall performance. The feedback from various other coaches and goalkeepers

who used the mat during training sessions confirmed this opinion.

This mat is designed to improve agility, deflective shot saves and reaction time of the goalkeeper.  It’s a great asset and should be considered as an essential piece of training equipmThis all weather mat is made of a durable rubber compound which is designed to deflect the ball off fin-like protrusions in unpredictable directions and heights when placed in front of the goals.

The boomerang shaped mat remained secure on the turf regardless of the speed or amount of shots deflected off it.

This is a very portable and convenient piece of equipment and a great aid for goalkeepers.

Shots need to be hit flat on the surface of the turf in order to get optimum defections. Younger players had a problem making contact with the mat as they felt it was too short, this could be contributed to skills still being developed. This problem can easily be rectified by using two mats next to each other.

Some senior players were hitting shots over the mat but this posed no problem to goalkeeper as the shots were still accurate, this also made for variations in the shot and goalkeepers had to watch the ball at all times and not focus on the mat.

The mat was also placed at various distances from the goalkeeper depending on ability/experience of individual. Speed variations also affected the flight of ball when making contact with the mat. The mat was used in conjunction with other drills involving more players eg. One hitter from circle edge, players on either side of goal getting rebound shots.

After personal use I found that the mat performed as it was designed to do and improved my overall performance. The feedback from various other coaches and goalkeepers

who used the mat during training sessions confirmed this opinion.

This mat is designed to improve agility, deflective shot saves and reaction time of the goalkeeper. It’s a great asset and should be considered as an essential piece of training equipment.

ent.

OBO Training Names and Nicknames

Hello hockey fans,

We have been informed of a few nick names people have thought of for the training products such as the egg, bat wing and the shark fin which is cool we like them!

We thought we should explain the names we have chosen for the products are based on what the product does…

The Bobbla Ball…bobbles unpredictably although it does look like an egg.

bobbla ball

The D’flecta mat…deflects the ball in height and width although it does look like a shark fin or bat wing and to an Australian it maybe a boomerang?

dflecta

The Flicka… allows you to flick the ball easily although it does look like well nothing that I can think of…

flicka

If you have any ideas on a cool nicknames for products in this range please drop us a comment with your thoughts.