Georgia T e c h Underwater H o c k e y Clinic O c t 24, 2 0 0 9 b y Yori H u y n h

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T h e Training P y r a m i d a. Fitness i. P y r a m i d Foundation ii. H i g h e r Fitness => Larger Foundation b. Individual Skills i. Shooting/Passing - Straight ahead, across the chest, high shot a n d slider, inside flick a n d offside flick ii. P u c k Handling/Dribbling - Practice! Practice! Practice! iii. Curling - Tight a n d W i d e , H i g h a n d L o w , Reverse, 180. 2 7 0 a n d Full, H i g h a n d L o w , S l o w a n d Fast, Constant a n d Variable 1 . K n o w h o w t o control y o u r Center o f Gravity - Controlling the Center of Gravity => C u r F s Control - A l w a y s leading the curl with o n e of y o u r shoulders (not the head) a n d pivot on y o u r hip 2. K e e p y o u r h e a d up a n d feel at the p u c k 3 . A L W A Y S K I C K O U T O F Y O U R CUR LS!!! iv. U s e opposition strength to gain possession of the p u c k 1. Let the opposition p u s h the p u c k through y o u 2. T u r n y o u r shoulder to block a n d get the p u c k v. Positioning 1. c. Awareness i. A s s e s s m e n t 1. K n o w your, y o u r t e a m m a t e s a n d opposition skill levels 2 . K n o w w h a t y o u are looking for. a. ii. R ecognition 1. T h e t e a m is as strong as the w e a k e s t link 2 . K n o w w h e n things are w o r k i n g o r not w o r k i n g iii. A d j u s t m e n t 1. Play together as a t e a m a n d not as an individual a. Be on the s a m e p a g e (level of play) to effectively play together a w h o l e T a k e a snap-shot of the players m o s t likely to be involved in the play Spacing + B o d y A l i g n m e n t + Correct D e p t h

b. It is not about you!!! This is a team's g a m e d. T e a m w o r k i. Offensive Shrinking & E x p a n s i o n 1 . A s a t e a m , k n o w h o w a n d w h e n t o tighten u p the offense 2. A n d w h e n to spread/stretch out the defense ii. T e a m Skills 1. D o u b l i n g (2-on-l) iii. G o a l Positioning & Flooding 1. Defensive 2. Offensive e. Strategies i. Formations (3-3, 2-3-1. 1-3-2, W a l l G a m e , A r r o w H e a d ) ii. (Side) W a l l U s a g e 1. It is easier to contain the play along the w a l l 2. F o c u s on the wall z o n e (up to about 2 M e t e r s off the wall) 3. T r y not to k e e p the p u c k in actual contact with or very close to the wall iii. E n d - W a l l U s a g e 1. H a r d e r to score on offense f r o m the end-wall 2. D e f e n d e r "safe" z o n e iv. C o r n e r U s a g e 1. On offense a. T r y to avoid the corner, it is harder to score f r o m the corner, i.e., end-wall b. W a i t until the defense a d v a n c e the p u c k to the 5 x 2 m e t e r area before attacking c. In a desperate situation, to score f r o m the corner, get the p u c k to the 3 m e t e r z o n e (or top-of-the-key) a n d flood the goal 2 . O n defense a. D e f e n d e r "'safe" z o n e 3. W h e n the p u c k is in the corner, especially if the sub area is on the opposite wall a. R e s t y o u r t e a m for the big p u s h to score b. D e f e n d e r "safe" z o n e v. E n d - A r o u n d vi. T o p of the 3 M e t e r Circle ( K e y ) f. P s y c h e i. Visualization 1. N e x t Moves/Counter M o v e s 2. H o w to beat the o p p o n e n t ii. Positive Attitude 1. Believe in W i n i n g 2) The " Y o " Zone a . T h e P u c k Control Z o n e i. Fixed spherical area located in middle of the chest.

ii. Protect this z o n e on offense a n d invade it on defense iii. K e e p the chest raised to maintain 3D zone. iv. L a y i n g flat to the b o t t o m collapses the z o n e => p u c k is e x p o s e d v. A l l m o v e s a n d tactics are b a s e d on positioning the b o d y relative to the " Y o " Z o n e both offensively a n d defensively b. " O p t i m a l Positioning" = " Y o " Z o n e Spacing + B o d y A l i g n m e n t + Correct W a t e r D e p t h 3) Positioning a. Positioning = Spacing + B o d y A l i g n m e n t + Correct W a t e r D e p t h i. Spacing - S p a c e the b o d y relative to the " Y o " Z o n e ii. B o d y A l i g n m e n t - A n g l e a n d stretch y o u r b o d y to block the opposition 1. Receiving a pass IN F R O N T of the defender a. Place the b o d y b e t w e e n the defender a n d the receiving z o n e with y o u b a c k turn a n d looking b a c k (over y o u r shoulder) at the passer. 2. Receiving a pass B E H I N D of the defender a. Be in m i d w a t e r to m a k e defender guess w h e r e the receiving z o n e f r o m the passer b. Be next to defender " Y o " Z o n e if the pass falls short a n d invade the Z o n e . c. T a k e a w a y the defender's reach-back s w a t z o n e with y o u r b o d y 3. D e f e n d i n g a. H e a d First, Feet First, Sitting a n d Inverted b. O u t in the o p e n - p o o l c. On the side-wall i. A v o i d stick-to-stick pushing the p u c k , instead use opposition strength to gain p u c k control d. A l o n g the-end-wall e. In a corner iii. Correct W a t e r D e p t h 1. M i d Water 2 . B e a w a r e o f opponent's Blind S p o t 4) T e a m W o r k a. Offensive Shrinking & E x p a n s i o n i. As a t e a m , k n o w h o w a n d w h e n to tighten up the offense ii. A n d w h e n to spread/stretch out the defense b. T e a m Skills i. D o u b l i n g (2-on-l) 1. U p - a n d - o v e r (Offensive) a. Pretending to surface for a breath

b . G o u p a n d over b e h i n d the defender a n d back d o w n for the pass 2. Give-and-go (Offensive) a . Q u i c k pass back-and-forth b e t w e e n t w o players O N ONE BREATH 3. Pinching/Squeezing (Defensive) a. O p e n - P o o l i. S q u e e z e o p p o n e n t on both sides ii. Stay o n y o u r side a n d D O N O T follow the curl b . O n the w a l l c. In the corner c. G o a l Positioning & Flooding i. Defensive 1. G e t d o w n early to gain real-estate advantage 2. Outside forwards a n d m i d s angle bodies pointing a w a y f r o m the goal ii. Offensive 1. T a k e up the Real-Estate a . G e t d o w n t o the b o t t o m B E F O R E the opposition a n d align/stretch y o u r b o d y accordingly to establish y o u r positioning 2. Sealing the corners a. Forwards/strong m i d reponsibility b. At the corner, lean against the end-wall with the strong shoulder c. This will not allow defender to use the end-wall d. Forcing defender(s) to m o v e the p u c k f r o m the middle of goal w h e r e it is m o r e vulnerable to scoring 3. Flooding the goal a. Inside the 3-meter-area in front of the goal b. Seal the corners in case the p u c k is p o p to the e d g e c. E v e r y o n e is d o w n except the Full B a c k / W e a k B a c k to apply m o r e pressure on the defense G o l d e n Rules a. A l w a y s keep your head up i. T r y not to look, but feel the p u c k on y o u r stick ii. K e e p the chest raised iii. Rotate with the shoulders a n d not with the h e a d b. A l w a y s k e e p kicking i. F o l l o w the play on the surface ii. A l w a y s follow y o u r shots/pass 1. Shot/pass m a y be short 2. A p p l y m o r e pressure iii. A l w a y s kick out of y o u r curls

iv. Positioning is d y n a m i c 1. A d j u s t accordingly by k e e p kicking c. Stay d o w n for that extra 1 s e c o n d i. T h e play m a y c o m e right b a c k ii. Be patient! Do not follow the curl d. M i d - W a t e r positioning i. U s e the blind spot to steal ii. U s e the blind spot to m a k e the defender guess y o u r location 6) Formations a. 3-3, 2-3-1, 1-3-2, C o r n e r & W a l l G a m e b. Positions & Responsibilities i. F o r w a r d s , Midfielders a n d B a c k s c. Penalty K i c k - O u t i. F o r m a t i o n adjustment w h e n playing short of player(s) 7) Playing A r e a s a. Green, Gray and R e d Z o n e s b. Offensive & Defensive Corners c. 5x2 Meter Z o n e d. 3 M e t e r Z o n e e. In Front of the G o a l 8) Advantage/Disadvantage P u c k a. Be on the b o t t o m before p u c k is touched! b. T a k e up the Real-Estate, especially in front of the goal - Stretch the b o d y in the m i d d l e of the goal a n d looking at the passer c. Seal the goal corners 9) Physical Play & Fouls - D o n ' t get intimidated, adjust to the refereeing level a n d play accordingly