1v1 ATTACK - Pitchero

Proud to Coach is © England Hockey Board. Permission to use the material is granted only to the purchaser. Proud to Coach is © England Hockey Board. Permission to use the material is granted only to the purchaser.

1v1 ATTACK

Proud to Coach is © England Hockey Board. Permission to use the material is granted only to the purchaser.

1v1 Attack

What does it mean?The ball is carried by an attacking player who maintains possession whilst being challenged by a member of the opposite team.

When would this skill be used?Attackers will find themselves faced with in 1v1 situations against defenders throughout games. Therefore players need to utilise techniques which serve to eliminate defenders & maintain possession of the ball for their team.

Difficulty Ages 9+ for boys; 8+ for girls


1v1 Attack

After eliminating the defender, the attacking player scans in order to identify passing & movement options.


1v1 Attack

Attacking through the centre of the pitch sees the ball positioned more towards a 11/12 o’clock position.


1v1 Attack

An upright ball carrying position allows for strength on the ball plus provides the player with greater vision.


1v1 Attack

The ball carrier has wrong-footed the defender & is able to move into the space created by this movement.


1v1 AttackOpposed Ball Carrying• When carrying the ball under pressure, the ball carrier ideally should use the same technique as though

carrying the ball unopposed, the key components being:• Carrying the ball on their open stick side• Being able to move with the ball at speed• Positioning their arms out in front of them whilst maintaining a high left elbow, which will allow for greater vision• Keeping the core of their body as upright as possible, again to increase vision & speed• Bending at the knees & not at the back

Pointing at Pressure• Many players may get into the bad habit of turning their back on opposition player in order to protect the ball

whilst they are being challenged, slowing down the play & likely impairing their vision, making it more difficult to identify possible passing & movement options.

• By ‘pointing at pressure’, players will find they award themselves the greatest amount of vision & can better ascertain where pressure is coming from & what passing & dribbling options are available.

• If the ball carrier moves with the ball towards the space around the defending player, they should be able to eliminate the defender on the inside or outside by either continuing to dribble or making a pass to a team mate. This is a much better option than trying to maintain possession by trying to protect the ball using their body.

For further information on Ball Carrying Technique, please refer to the Unopposed Ball Carrying section in Proud to Coach Basic Skills Volume 1.


1v1 AttackArm Position• The position of the arms when carrying the ball is integral to a whether a player has good ball carrying position.

• Players sometimes have tendency to tuck their left elbow into their side when they move with the ball. By maintaining a high left elbow & keeping their hands out in front of them the player will find it easier to:

• Disguise / make passes• Move faster• Keep the ball away from their feet• Benefit from the upright position generated as a result, providing the player greater vision

• Having a good arm position whilst carrying the ball will aid the ball carrier when they are using elimination skills such as v-drags, bringing the ball onto their reverse stick, pull backs, 3D skills & lifts.


1v1 AttackPosition on The Pitch in Relation to Ball CarryingIn general, whilst carrying the ball, players will be coached to position the ball at around 1 or 2 o’clock position in front of them. The position of the player on the pitch will alter the positioning of the ball whilst moving with it:Left-hand side of pitchPlayers with the ball on the left-hand side of the pitch will most likely pass the ball from left to right to team mates. In this situation, players should look to carry the ball further back in roughly a 3 o’clock position. This will open up dribble & passing lanes in front of & to the right of the player. Right-hand side of pitchPlacing the ball at around a 12 o’clock or even an 11 o’clock position are good options, as they will be looking to pass from right to left. As with moving with the ball on the left-hand side of the pitch, this ball carrying position will open up more dribbling & passing options. Middle of pitchThe ball carrier can pass to both their left & right. Placing the ball at around 1/2 o’clock will enable the player to protect the ball effectively & adjust their body & feet positions accordingly in order to make passes to anywhere on the pitch.

Stick position for a player on the left-hand side of the pitch

Stick position for a player in the centre of the pitch

Stick position for a player on the right-hand side of the pitch

Direction of Attack


1v1 Attack

One Handed Dribble• Moving with the ball with 1 hand on the stick is a weaker way to carry the ball than using 2 hands.

Although it is preferable for players to use 2 hands whilst carrying the ball, the player may find themselves in situations when it is necessary to use the 1 handed dribble. The 1 handed dribble allows the ball carrier to keep the ball out far in front of them to the left or far to the right in order to prevent opposing players from reaching the ball.

• When carrying the ball on the reverse stick 1 handed, the left-hand remains on the top of the stick & the ball is carried in roughly the 11 o’clock position. Players carrying the ball with 1 hand on the right-hand side (open stick) should take their left-hand off the stick which will leave their right-hand higher up the stick handle to provide a greater reach. In this situation, players should aim to hold the ball in roughly a 1 o’clock position.

• In both styles of carrying, the ball players should look to return to a strong, 2 handed open stick ball carrying position as soon as they have space to do so.


1v1 Attack

The use of one handed dribbling enables the ball carrier to move the ball away from opposing players.


1v1 Attack

An example of one handed ball carrying on the reverse stick.


1v1 AttackHand movements are vital in order to perform different skills which manipulate the ball. It is important for players to develop fast hands, wrist & stick movements in order to execute them in unexpected & less predictable situations.. A player will move with the ball in the following situations:• Moving out of a congested area, such as pressurised situations in defence• Gaining ground by moving rapidly into space; particularly useful if attacking in greater numbers than there are defenders,

as moving quickly will enable the attacking team to create a numerical advantage • To eliminate a defender in order to open up an attacking opportunity• To eliminate a defender to exploit space to the side or behind the defender• To draw a defender out of position to release a team-mate into space

Being able to move with the ball quickly is necessary when attacking, so players must develop & practice an efficient running position. When in a 1v1 situation the attacking player ideally will be able to:• Carry the ball on their open stick side as much as possible• Have thought about how they are going to eliminate the defender; with a lift, drag, pass, roll out, attacking space etc. • React to the defenders movements & adapt their movements as necessary• Attempt to get into the space behind the defender• Once a defender has been eliminated, ensure that good speed is used when moving away from the defender • Keep their head up to enable better vision. Scanning will enable the ball carrier to identify possible passing & movement options• Switch the position of the ball by dragging the ball from one side of the body to the other• Use elimination skills to beat the defender (v-drag, pull back, roll out, lifts & 3D skills)• Change angles & direction whilst dribbling without losing balance or flow• Accelerate & decelerate without losing control of the ball

Eliminating an Opponent 1v1

As discussed in the Evasion Skills & Elimination Skills sections of Proud to Coach Basic Skills Volume 1, there are many ways in which a player can eliminate a defender; such as using drags, lifts, rolling out & attacking space.


1v1 AttackSuggested Exercise 1: Possession Under Pressure • A grid is set up roughly 10m x 10m (this can be adjusted depending on group size). Attackers move round the

grid aiming to retain possession of the ball whilst dribbling, maintaining good vision & using elimination skills when required. Defenders are placed into the playing area in order to tackle the attackers & knock their balls out of the playing area. The number of defenders can be adjusted to reflect the attacking player’s ability.


1v1 AttackSuggested Exercise 2: Changing Speed, Direction & Increasing Vision• This exercise is designed so players practice changing direction whilst maintaining good vision• Set out a slalom for players to move through, plus an area congested with cones• Players have to move through the slalom whilst avoiding making contact with the conesTo add a further dimension to this practice, the players may have to dribble at different speeds through certain parts of the course or elimination skills to complete. This will help players practice their acceleration & deceleration skills.

Tip: In this exercise cones are colour coded in order to help players identify which cone they need to move to next. For example in this case players go

from blue to yellow cones, & then on through the red cones to complete the

Tip: In this exercise cones are colour coded in order to help players identify which cone they need to move to next. In this case, players go from blue to yellow cones, & then on through the red cones to complete the exercise. This is an example version which coaches may adapt as they wish.


1v1 AttackSuggested Exercise 3: Eliminating the Defender 1v1 • 3 gates are positioned leading into the circle. 1 player assumes the role of the defender; all other players become

attackers taking it in turns to play against the defender. Attacking players begin their run toward the defending player from around the final quarter of the pitch. The aim of the attacking player is to pass through 1 of 3 gates by eliminating the defending player in order to shoot at goal.

• Each gate is worth a different number of points; the red goals are worth 3, yellow goals are worth 2 & the purple cones are worth 1 point. The gates increase in value as they move towards the middle of the pitch. Entering the circle closer to the top enables the attacking player a wider target at which to shoot.

• The defender could begin being relatively passive with regards to their tackling / channelling as players practice the exercise initially, in order to allow attackers to build up their skill level.

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1v1 ATTACK - Pitchero