Game version
Shadow-stick game: stay in front of your partner with your stick low and ready, and with no stick or body contact. Swap.
Reverse Side Block Tackle
Block on your left side with the stick turned over, at walking pace.
By Coach Evan Waechtler Youth coach (U11, Cache Valley, Utah) and founder of SSTracker Updated October 30, 2026
Set up
Your partner dribbles slowly past your left side.
Core: Jogs. Beat your own run of steady shadows.
- Ages
- 11 and up
- Time
- 12 min
- Players
- You and a partner
- Space
- Yard or field
- Bring
- Stick, ball, partner, mouthguard, shin guards
- Level · skill
- Developing · Tackling
The steps
How it works
- Your partner dribbles slowly past your left side.
- Turn your stick over and lay it flat on the ground.
- Stop the ball and bring it under control.
- Count clean blocks out of 15.
Coaching point
Low and early.
Safety: Wear your mouthguard and shin guards. Wear protective eyewear (ASTM F2713) where your league requires it. Play the ball, never the stick or the body, and go at walking pace first.
Make it fun
Play it, don't drill it
Challenge
Pick a level: Less (partner walks), Core (jogs), More (changes direction). Beat your own run of steady shadows.
Story
You are a castle guard holding the bridge.
My best
Beat your own count
Beat your own run of steady shadows. Only your own number counts: today against last time.
Practice makes progress
Print it now, or save it free
Free for families and teams
Save this drill to your child or team, free
Sign up and the free field hockey week for this age opens in your child's planner, kept to healthy limits. A coach can send this drill to the whole team as homework, and parents see every session logged.
14 days free for a family, no card · Running a team is always free
Does your child's coach know about this?
An email from you to the coach, with the words ready. Nothing is tracked and nobody is rewarded.