Pass or Dribble Choice
Decision Making
Legend
- player
- ball
- movement path
How it works
Develop basic decision making by choosing to pass or dribble based on a defender's position in a simple exercise.
What you need
- field hockey sticks
- field hockey ball
- cones
Your focus
The pass-or-dribble decision is among the most common in field hockey. Learning to read the defender's position and make the correct choice early trains game intelligence. Repetition of this binary decision builds speed and accuracy of reading.
Player with ball has a partner 10 yards away and a defender 3 yards in front.
If the defender is between the passer and partner, player passes.
If the defender moves to the side, player dribbles past.
Defender is instructed to alternate positions; complete 15 decision reps.
Goal
You're there when you pass when the defender is close and dribble when they're far, and you're reading it before you get there.
Helpful cues
- Read the defender first, then decide
- Make the decision before you get there
- Right decision, right speed, don't overthink
Adjust the challenge
Make it easier
Strip it back
Defender moves in slow motion to give more reading time.
UpLVL it
Add the next challenge
Add a second option (second partner) so player decides between pass left, pass right, or dribble.No account needed
Build a practice plan
Add drills, keep the plan in this browser, then share a link with your staff or parents.This library helps you find the right drill. Inside UpLVL the right drill finds the player.
This library helps you find the right drill. Inside UpLVL the right drill finds the player.After every practice, UpLVL automatically surfaces the drills each player needs to work on most. See it for yourself.