Tackling Drills, Techniques & Strategies for Field Hockey

Former Canadian and USA National Team coach Shiv Jagday shows how to develop tackling skills and how to efficiently critique and identify areas of improvement. From his perspective, tackling is position- and field-location specific; one technique does not suit every situation.

In this video you will learn multiple tackling techniques and the best field position for each tackle.

Training for proper tackling starts with being aware of what side of the field you're on and where you want to force the ball. Therefore, an important part of training includes dividing and identifying the different parts of the field. Coach Jagday demonstrates how dividing the field makes it easier for players to understand the best tackle to use.

Jagday shares drills that efficiently teach players and coaches alike the correlation between stance and the various types of tackles. Shadow dancing and footwork drills - with and without the ball - help players develop these important fundamental skills. The defensive stance must allow the player to recover quickly from their tackling efforts.

Once players understand the connection between the tackle they use and the specific part of the field they're on, practice progresses to 1-on-1, 2-on-1 and 3-on-1 drills that better reflect game-like conditions. Coach Jagday explains how tackling is more than simply taking the ball away from the offense. Tackling strategies include tactics, planned footwork, close shadowing of the ball handler, timing, shifting your hands and grip as well as channeling the ball away from the areas of greatest threat.

Knowing precisely when to tackle or when to commit is probably more important than knowing how to tackle.

This presentation will strengthen the tackling skills of more experienced players and lay a strong foundation for new players. Coach Jagday gives coaches the insight to efficiently correct and improve their players.

"Shiv Jagday is widely regarded as one of the best hockey skills coaches in the world, with over 40 years of experience at all levels from beginning juniors to Olympians.

In his inimitable style of friendly interaction with his pupils, Shiv outlines the basic purpose of the exercise, identifies the fundamental elements involved, explains clearly the techniques required, and demonstrates each component thoroughly before guiding his pupils step-by-step through the drills devised to learn and practise the skills.

At each stage, Shiv points out how and why there is a breakdown in its execution, gently encouraging the players to try again and then providing positive reinforcement to the players with accolades for success in mastering the skill.

Shiv also cleverly integrates into the instructional video examples of competent and experienced players executing the defensive tackle in a dynamic situation.

Whilst the video is intended primarily to introduce the skill at the beginning and intermediate levels, many a top player could pick up tips to enhance their own game.
John McBryde, FIH Coach and former captain of the Australian Olympic Bronze medal winning team.

46 minutes. 2015.