STRIKING FROM THE HAND

Key Points

• Adopt the ready position.
• Hold the ball in the non-dominant hand with the elbow slightly bent.
• The shoulders and feet should be in line with the target.
• Toss the ball from the cupped hand to shoulder height.
• Keep eyes on the ball.
• Slide the non-dominant hand into the Lock Position, bending the elbows to raise the hurley.
• The hurley should be upright in front of the dominant shoulder with the bas above head height.
• Step forward with the lead foot and with eyes on the ball, swing the hurley downward with a wristy action.
• Strike the ball between knee and hip level.
• Transfer the body weight from the dominant leg to the non-dominant leg as the swing is completed.
• The hurley follows through in the direction that the ball is travelling.

Technical Drills

Drill 1 – Basic –Striking from the Hand – Goal to Goal

• This is a basic drill to practice Striking From the Hand
• Divide the players into pairs, one ball per pair.
• Mark out a goal area for each player approximately 30 meters apart using cones.
• The players practice striking the ball to one another.
• There are many variations to this drill that can be used to practice any striking technique.
• The players can strike the ball for their partner to catch, they can strike low along the ground, or they can strike for goal.
• Reduce the distance and get the players to shorten their grip and strike the ball to their partner’s chest, or increase the distance and get the players to hit high lobbing shots to their partner.
• When playing goal to goal, count how many shots each player scores on their partner.
• Players should practice striking from both the dominant and non-dominant side.

Drill 2 – Basic – Through the Gap

• This is a basic drill to practice Striking From the Hand.
• Mark out a distance approximately 30m wide.
• Divide the players into pairs, one ball per pair.
• Mark out a goal area halfway between each pair.
• The players must strike the ball through the goal to their partner.
• Increase the difficulty of the drill by reducing the width of the goal or increasing the distance between the players.

Drill 3 Intermediate – On the Run

• This is an intermediate drill to practice Striking From the Hand.
• Mark out a distance of approximately 30m wide using cones.
• In pairs, the players strike the ball over and back across the distance as they move up the field.
• When all the pairs have reached the far end of the drill, they turn and repeat the drill in the opposite direction so that they strike the ball from the other hand.

 Drill 4 Intermediate  - Strike for a Score

• This is an intermediate drill to practice striking from the hand for a point.
• Place a cone on the 20m line approximately 20m to each side of the goal.
• Place 2 more cones approximately 1m apart at an angle between each of the outer cones and the goal.
• The players line up behind one of the outer cones, one ball per player.
• Each player in turn solos with the ball to pass through the inner cones before striking for a point on the 13m line.
• The players continue around the back of the goal to line up behind the outer cone on the far side and repeat the drill.
• The players should run directly for goal once they pass through the inner cones.
• Players should strike from their right side when approaching from the left and from their left side when approaching from the right.
• Repeat the drill a set number of times.
• Encourage the players to record how many times they score.

Developing the Skill

Grid Game 1 – Hit the Cones

• This is a target game to develop the Striking From the Hand technique.
• Mark out a grid 40m long by 20m wide.
• Place a number of cones across the middle of the grid.
• Divide the group into teams of 3-5 players.
• Give 1 or 2 balls to each team.
• The player in possession attempts to strike one of the cones in the middle of the grid.
• For each successful strike, award one point.
• Extra points may be awarded for knocking a cone.
• Alternatively, points may be awarded for striking the ball through gaps in the cones.

Fun Game

• This is a modified game to improve the players’ ability to strike the ball from the hand.
• Set up a grid 60m x 40m.
• Divide the group into teams of 5 players each.
• Team A attempts to keep possession from Team B.
• Possession is lost if Team B intercepts the ball or if the ball hits the ground.
• No soloing is allowed.
• The person in possession cannot be tackled.
• Opponents are only allowed to block the ball.