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.
Defending Two Against One
Defend alone against two attackers by staying between them and forcing a pass.
By Coach Evan Waechtler Youth coach (U11, Cache Valley, Utah) and founder of SSTracker Updated October 30, 2026
Set up
Two attackers try to reach a cone goal; a coach runs the game.
Core: Jogs. Beat your own run of steady shadows.
- Ages
- 14 and up
- Time
- 15 min
- Players
- You and 2 partners
- Space
- Yard or field
- Bring
- Stick, ball, cones, 2 partners, mouthguard, shin guards
- Level · skill
- Advanced · Tackling
The steps
How it works
- Two attackers try to reach a cone goal; a coach runs the game.
- Stand between them and make the dribbler choose.
- Tackle the ball only if it is close to you.
- Do 8 rounds with rest between.
Coaching point
Split them, stay patient.
Safety: Live tackling only with a coach watching. Mouthguard and shin guards on, ball on the ground, stick below the shoulder. Wear protective eyewear (ASTM F2713) where your league requires it.
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.