HAND PASS

Key Points

• Support the ball in the palm of one hand in front of the body.
• Face the target.
• Swing back and extend the striking hand.
• Keep eyes on the ball.
• Lean forward and strike through the middle of the ball, with the open hand using mostly the fingertips.
• The supporting hand must remain steady.
• Follow the strike through in the direction of the pass.
• While striking the ball, step forward with the foot on the opposite side.
• Note an openhanded hand pass may be struck underhand, with the hand to the side or overhand.

Practice the Technique

Drill 1 - Basic - Corner Spray Hand Pass

• Divide the players into groups of 6.
• Five of the players stand in a line 2 metres apart.
• The sixth player stands 3 to 4 metres in front of the line.
• This sixth player hand passes to each player in turn.
• Rotate the front player after each set. 
• Continue the drill until each player has been to the front of the line.

Drill 2 - Intermediate – Hand Pass While Moving

• Divide the players into groups of 8, one ball per group.

• Mark out a distance of approximately 8 to 10 metres using cones.
• Place a marker half way between the outer cones.
• Four playersline up at either cone
• The player in possession jogs forward, hand passing the ball from the marker to the first player on the far side, who repeats the drill.
• Each player follows on to line up at the back of the opposite line.
• To make this drill more difficult, increase the distance of the pass.

Develop the Technique

Fun Game 1 – Catching Game Captain Ball

• Mark out a grid 25m by 25m.
• Mark out a goal area at the centre of each line of the grid.
• Divide the players into equal teams.
• Two players from either team act as goalkeepers on opposite sides of the grid.
• The objective of the game is for the team in possession to hand pass the ball to their goalkeepers.
• Award one point each time the ball is successfully passed to a goalkeeper.
• After each point, the goalkeeper must pass the ball to the opposition to restart the game.

Fun Game 2 -  Possession Hand Pass

• Mark out a grid 20m by 20m.
• Divide the players into equal teams
• The objective of the game is for the team with the ball to retain possession by hand passing the ball to one another.
• If the ball hits the ground or a pass is intercepted the other team take possession
• The team with the greatest number of consecutive hand passes wins