Tackling, Shooting and Speed Work

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When I am looking at players performing skills in drills, games or matches, regardless of their age I ask myself the same three questions:

1. Is the player attacking the ball?
2. Is the player performing the skill correctly?
3. Is the player performing the skill at speed?

If the answer is no to any or all of these questions, then this is a good place to start with coaching the players.

The bottom line is that it’s not enough to just set up drills and let the players off. It’s the coaching that is done while players are doing the drills that makes the difference. The worst drill in the world could seem like the best if the coaching is good and vice versa.
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Warm Up Activities

1. Have 2-3 players behind each cone placed 20m apart. Players move through a series of skills: strike the ball and follow, handpass to teammate who is attacking the ball, throw up ball for teammate to catch, throw up ball for teammate to bat.

When the players are getting the hang of it and moving up to a good pace, change the direction of the runs to the diagonal. Now players have to perform the skills while avoiding each other (decision making).

 
2. One player at each cone spaced 20m apart. Players strike the ball to their partner, red to red etc. They are working on striking to hand but with other balls passing their eye line, the challenge is to remain focused on their own ball.
 

3. Most players are uncomfortable hand passing the ball using their writing hand (even senior players!). This drill works on that. Also, during most hand passing drills, players run directly towards each other and hand pass. This doesn’t make any sense as this is rarely if ever the case in a match. The vast majority of passes are to a player on either side of them.

Have 2-3 players at each cone. Green runs to green and blue runs to blue. The difference with this drill is that when players reach the red cone they hand pass to their left or right side. Start with one ball and players pass to their right (using left hand). After a few minutes change to passing to the left (using right hand).

If players are doing well, put in another ball.

4. Bib Snatch. Set out a square 20m x 20m approx. Have each player put a bib hanging out of their shorts. Nominate 2 or 3 players to chase others attempting to snatch their bib. When a players bib is snatched they then become a catcher as well until only one player with a bib remains. This is a good game for developing agility and evasions skills.

Drills

1. Striking the Ball on the Run

Key Points: When starting to learn to strike the ball on the run, ask players to run perpendicular to the target they are striking for. This is the easiest way to do it. The straighter you run to the target, the harder it is to strike the ball on the run to that target.

When a right sided player is striking on their right side they should hold their hurl up like in the above photo to be prepared to strike the ball as quickly as possible.

When a right sided player is striking on their left side they should hold their hurl up at their shoulder like in the above photo to be prepared to strike the ball as quickly as possible.

Set Up and Execution: Players work in partners 30-40m apart striking the ball on the run to their partner.

2. Overhead Catch

Key Points: Eyes on the ball and catch. Depending on the position of the opponent put your hurl either in front or behind your hand to protect it.

Set Up and Execution: Players work in pairs 30-40m apart striking the ball to their partner who practices catching the ball in the air with their hurl in front or behind their hand.

(With more advanced players, you can do the same exercise but with an opponent trying to prevent the man from catching the ball or both players can attempt to catch the ball)

3. Breaking the Tackle

Key Points: Hold the hurl near the top of the handle and perpendicular to the ground while going through the tackle.

Set Up: Two defenders, one at each green cone on the 21 hold their hurls straight out parallel to the ground. There is a forward at the yellow cone and a defender at the blue cone with 2-3m between them. Both of these players are on their knees.

Execution: On the coaches whistle both players drive up, attacker must jab the ball and break the tackle at green cones before shooting for a goal. Defender at blue cone attempts to stop him from scoring. Players swap roles for the next turn.

(Putting the players on their knees/all fours/facing the opposite way is good for speed development as players have to drive their legs into the ground to get up quickly.)

4. Flicking the Ball Away

Key Points: Get close to opponent, when opponent throws the ball up to strike, flick it away with your hurl. (This skills requires courage and very good timing)

Set Up: A line of players behind the cone. Yellows have the ball and blues are defenders.

Execution: Yellow runs straight across the 21 and shoots for a point. Blue player attempts to flick away the ball. Players swap roles for the next turn.

Shooting Drills

1. Control and Shoot on the Run

Key Points: When controlling the ball, two thumbs are flat on the hurl.

Set Up: The green cones are on the end line. There are lines of players behind each. There is 10m between the green and red cone. There is 30m between the red and black cone. A coach stands at each black cone with a load of sliothars.

Execution: The first player at each cone starts sprinting to the red cone. When the player has passed the red cone, the coach strikes the ball to them, high or low. After the player has controlled the ball they run across the face of the goal and shoot for a point. They then move to the back of the other green cone. Continue.

Additional Points:
(a)With more advanced players the green cone can be placed further out the field so that the players then strike from further out.
(b)The ball is struck by the coach when players have passed the red cone so that players are moving at high speed when they come onto the ball. In far too many first touch drills players are barely moving when they control the ball, this is too easy.

2. Control and Support Play

Key Points: This drill requires good ability of the basic skills for it to work.

Set Up: Cones and players are set up as above. There are sliothars at the red cone. There is 15-20m between each cone.

Execution: The ball is struck from the red cone. Player at green cone runs to the ball and controls it. As the player at the green cone controls the ball, the player at the black cone makes a run to support him. He takes pass and shoots for a point.

Player at red continues to green. Player at green goes to black. Player at black goes to red. Continue.

Speed and Agility Drills

1. Use of ladders and poles

Key Points: When trying to develop a player’s speed or agility, they should be encouraged to run on the balls of their feet. Each burst should be performed at maximal or near maximal effort, therefore, when setting up drills put a high number of players in each group (5-6) to allow for adequate rest between bursts.

Set Up: 5-6 players at the red cone, a ladder in front of them, 3 poles staggered 10m in front of the ladder, 30m in front of poles is the coach with sliothars.

Execution: The first player runs through the ladders on the balls of their feet, one foot through each rung (switch to two feet in each rung after a while). They then sprint through the poles in the order shown by arrows, forwards, backwards running and then sprint forward. The coach then strikes the ball to the player who controls it and hand passes ball back to the coach.

2. Agility work

Key Points: Players should be encouraged to keep down low and drive around the corners.

Set Up: Three players behind each cone. The distance from the red cone to the first pole is 5m, the distance between both poles is 5m and the distance from the pole to the green cone is 5m.

Execution: The first player at the red cone sprints around the pole and jabs the ball. They then run around the other cone and handpass the ball to the player at the green cone. This player then sprints around the first pole, leaves the ball back in the middle on the ground and sprints around the other cone. Repeat.