Drills are ways to break down the game into smaller parts where individuals can grasp team concepts by simplifying and focusing your team's efforts in certain directions. It is how you craft your team. If drills are boring, there is a chance that your team could be boring. If they are paced well and fun and help players improve individually, the dividends will come when you have a team that believes in itself. The energy with which they "go through their paces" as a team can be very powerful. Confidence and faith are tremendous things for a team to achieve. Drills are where the building of faith in one another begins. Confidence is what they will give you.

Most chapters will include a few drills. Part of the trick of drills is being able keep everyone actively involved in practice while you are working with a certain group. Drills need to grow and expand as your team improves. If it is a passing drill, add passes as the season moves on. Put in head fakes. Never be afraid to add to your drills if something occurs to you.

The sample practices in the Practice chapter will have some tips on how to keep everyone moving. Assistant coaches can be very helpful once your drills are in place. If you don't have help, fear not, you have a goalie, the greatest tool a coach can ever have.

Any drill we talk about will eventually have a diagram to go with it. For right now we are just trying to get as much information available to people who have been asking for more. If you have questions, feel free to call or e-mail us.

LINE DRILLS

CIRCLE OR CLOCK DRILL

GROUND BALLS - 2 on 1, 3 on 2 (with goalie),4 on 3, etc.

CUT AND FEED - Start with attack behind feeding middies cutting-both hands.

ONE ON ONE - With goalie in cage. Especially attack and Defense

UNSETTLED 4 on 3, 3 on 2 - Stressing offense ball movement, defense talk and help

SKELETON CLEAR - Goalie initiates

WEAVE, DIAMOND - Other running and catching/throwing