Aim

 Holding the Hockey Stick with comfort and confidence.

 Equipment Required

1 Hockey Stick, 1 ball, 1 saucer cone per student

 Play Area Set-Up

1. Create boundaries for a large activity area with large cones.
2. Scatter saucer cones throughout the area to create a home base for each student.

 Activity Description

 Hockey Grip

• The firm left-hand grip at the top of the stick
• Turn Stick like opening a door
• Right hand well down the stick
• Forefinger and thumb form a “V”
• Relaxed right-hand acts as a guide
• Used to dribble, trap the ball, and push passing

Step by Step Activity Description

• Demonstrate how the hockey stick has two sides – “Round side” & “Flat side”
• Place stick on the ground – top of the handle in line with your left foot – round side facing up
• Raise your left hand and show your left thumb and index finger pointing to the sky – we call this a “V”
• Position this grip near the top of the handle with the thumb pointing towards the ground and index finger towards the front – wrap thumb and fingers around the stick with your little finger near the top of the handle
• Bend at the knees and lift the hockey stick with the left hand – hold the stick in front of you
• Demonstrate how to use the left hand to turn the stick – Hook points towards the sky – Hook points to the ground – Turn the hook and move the ball from side to side – turn your left wrists thus allowing the flat side of the hook to roll over the ball
• The positioning of the right hand – place right hand under the stick at the end of the handle grip – holding the stick loosely
• Demonstrate holding the stick in the air – turn the toe of the stick towards the sky and ground with right hand on the stick
• The stick will be able to slip through move up and down in the loose right hand like a tunnel
• This demonstration shows how the left wrist turns the stick with the right hand having a soft grip

 Athletic Stance 

• Wide Base – Feet shoulder-width apart
• Knees slightly bent, slight squat
• Elbows comfortably away from your body
• Head on a ‘swivel’, not looking down!

Step by Step Activity Description

• The stance – bend at the knees (not the back) with left foot forward and stick on the ground
• If players rotate their right wrist towards their left side, then that player is holding the stick too tight with the right hand
• Players stand with left foot forward knees bent – coach walks around and looks at each player’s grip and stance