Conditioned Game 1

Game: Avoid the Middle
Teams: 13 to 15 players
Sliotars: 6
Pitch: Full
Cones: Lots
Rules: Normal rules apply with one exception

Set-up:

Use lots of flexible dome markers to line out a large rectangle in the middle of the field. The ends should be about 40m from the goals and the sides about 25m from the sidelines.

Two teams line out with a players in every position except a centre back and centre forward. For example teams of 13 a side would line out as: goalkeeper, 3 in the full back line, 2 half backs, 2 midfielders, 2 half forward and 3 in the full forward line.

The two teams play a full length game that is started with a puck out. The game follows normal rules but the central area is an exclusion zone that the ball cannot land in. The ball must be played either straight down the wing or diagonally from one side of the field to the other. It cannot land in the central area.

If the ball is played into the exclusion zone by a team one of their opponents retrieves it to restart play.

Players are not prevented from entering the exclusion zone and can cross it to move from one side of the pitch to the other or to take up another position. They cannot receive the ball while they are in the zone.

Rationale:

For defenders the aim is to encourage them to clear the ball to the wings and not out the middle. If they are going across the field they must strike a lengthy clearance. Puck out will also be to the wings.

When attacking the aim of the game is to encourage long and direct striking into the full forward line and to avoid having the ball drop in "no man's land" on the 45m line for a centre back to simply mop up by dropping off the centre forward. Players are encouraged to strike the ball straight down the line into the corner.

If they are going to strike the ball diagonally they are forced to make sure they clear the centre back (the exclusion zone) and ensure that the ball reaches the full forward line.

The lack of space in the middle also limits the effectiveness of soloing the ball.

Lines Drill 1

Groups: of 3 players
Sliotars: 2
Cones: 3
Skills: Striking, Controlling, Catching
Level of Effort: 3/5
Level of Complexity: 1.5/5

Set-up:

Arrange cones in a 70m line as shown below. Players on either end have a ball.


Description:

Player 1 strikes the ball to 2 who controls the ball and strikes the ball back to 1. Immediately player 3 strikes the ball into 2 who controls and strikes it back.

Repeat as described. Give each player 2 to 2½ minutes in the middle.

Variations:

A) Players can strike the ball

• Off the left
• Off the right
• Off the hurley
• One touch and strike without catching

B) Make this a competition among the groups of 3. How many can the group get in one turn? How many can the group get on aggregate?

C) Instead of returning the ball the side from where it came the player in the middle can continue the ball in the same direction. To speed this up make sure there are two sliotars at the side that starts. Players in the middle can either:

• Control the ball and strike it from the hand.
• Control the ball and strike it off the hurley.
• Double first time on the ball.

D) To encourage players to move on to the ball set up four cones for the middle player as below with 10m metres between the cones. Players move on to the ball and strike the ball from the outside the line of the cones.

E) To encourage players to work harder in the middle and move after receiving one ball place a bench or suspend a rope across the middle which the player must jump over before receiving the ball from the next side.

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Shooting Drill 2

Groups: 3
Sliotars: 1 per player
Cones: 6
Skills: Striking, Shooting
Level of Effort: 3/5
Level of Complexity: 2.5/5

Set-up:

Players break up into three groups. One group puts players A, B, C and D at the cones indicated and the rest (at least three) go behind the goals.

The other two groups line up at the cones shown. Each player in the lines has a ball. Spare balls can be put as shown. Players behind the goals should hit the balls to these two spots.



Description:

Player 1 starts and strikes the ball to player A 25m away. A controls it and passes back to 1 who now strikes the ball on to B, and again gets a return pass. Player 1 now rounds B and shoots for a point of his right. He then gathers another ball and lines up behind player 6.

At the same time as 1 starts, player 4 solos towards player C 10m away, handpasses him the ball, takes a return pass, handpasses the ball to D and takes the ball back off D. He then rounds D and shoots for a point off his left. He then gathers another ball and lines up behind player 3.

Repeat for three minutes and swap the groups.

Variations:

A) Have the players go in the opposite direction so that the shot off their left side is the furthest out.

B) Set-up the drill closer to the goals and have players shoot for a goal with the second shot.

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Picking Drill 1

Groups: of 3 or 4 players
Sliotars: 2 per group
Cones: 4 per group
Skills: Jab Lift, Roll Lift
Level of Effort: 3.5/5
Level of Complexity: 1.5/5

Set-up:

Arrange four cones in a straight line with 7m between each cone. Place at ball at cones C and D. Three players line up at cone A.

Description:

Player 1 starts from cone A and runs to C. He roll lifts the up the ball there, turns and brings it in to cone B. He then turns again and goes out to cone D, roll lifts the ball there, turns and drops it at cone C. He finishes by running through the starting position.

Player 2 again starts at cone A and runs to C. In this instance he jab lifts the ball at C and takes it out to D, turns and roll lifts the ball at B and takes it out to C. He turns and finishes by running through the starting position.

The balls are back in the original position and Player 3 continues by doing the same run outlined for Player 1 above. Repeat for a fixed number of turns or time.

Variations:

A) All variations of three cones and two balls work. In the above you can have players always go to the outside ball first at cone D.

B) You can have balls and B and C and have players go to either ball first.

C) You can have balls and B and D and again tell the players which of the two to go for.

The key is that the players always go to the same ball first and move it to the cone that has no ball. In the example illustrated above the players always go first to the ball at cone C (the middle cone) and take that ball to whatever cone does not have one. To finish they move the second ball to the cone that now has no ball.

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Physical Drill 1

Groups: 4
Equipment: 4 cones
Duration: 10 minutes
Develops: Anaerobic capacity
Difficulty: 4/5

Set-up:

Lay out the cones as shown below in a 12m square with corners A, B, C and D . Break the players up into four groups and place a group at each cone. Groups should have 3 or at most 4 players.

Description:

One player from all the groups goes each time. Players will run around a number of sides of the square, turn at the cone and return to their original cone.

Initially players will run one side. So the first player at A runs to B and back to A, the player at B goes to C and back, the player at C goes to D and back and the player at D goes to A and back with the four all players going at the same time. The next players in each group repeat the same run.

Then the players run two sides of the square and back to their starting point. Thus, the players at A run to B go round it and on to C. They turn around at C, run round B and back to A. The other three players do likewise. After all the players have done that run, the players run three sides and so on. For the longest run the players run all the way around the square, go around their starting cone and go back around the square again.

A useful pyramid is three sets of four sprints. One pattern to follow is 1,2,3,4, 4,3,2,1, 1,2,3,4 where the numbers represent the sides of the square ran on each sprint.

Variations:

A) The grid can also be adapted for five (pentagon) or more groups.

B) Have the next player in each group act as the cone to force players to run around then. When they begin their run the next player takes their place.

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Shooting Drill 1

Groups: 1 with 2 players on cones and a goalkeeper
Sliotars: at least 2 per player
Cones: 3
Skills: Striking, Shooting, Goalkeeper
Level of Effort: 2.5/5
Level of Complexity: 2/5

Set-up:

Place cones about 65m, 55m and 30m from the goal. Put a goalkeeper in position and one player at the cones at 30m and 55m. The rest of the players line up at the cone 65m from the goal.

Each player on the 65 has a sliotar and the player 30m from the goal has at least a ball for each player. A net in the goals and a net behind the goals are also needed.

Description:

Player 3 strikes a pass to Player 1 who controls or catches it and gives a return pass to the on running player 3. Player 3 takes a handpass and strikes the ball over the bar before the 45m line.

Player 3 continues on and takes a pass from player 2 and shoots for goal from outside the 20m line.

He then goes behind the goal and collects two sliotars. He returns out to take his place at the end of the line dropping one of the balls for player 2 on the way out.

Continue for three or four minutes. Reset the drill changing the players at the two cones and the goalkeeper if necessary.

Variations:

A) The drill can be set up at different sides of the goals to change the angle of shooting and to get people to shoot off the left and right sides. This can also be changed by how the players on the cones pass the ball to the moving players.

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