Two-Gate Choice Dribble
Decision Making
Legend
- player
- coach / parent
- movement path
How it works
Introduce decision making by requiring young players to choose between two cone gates based on a simple rule.
What you need
- field hockey stick
- field hockey ball
- cones
Your focus
Decision making begins with the simplest binary choices and builds to complex game decisions. Giving young players a clear rule to apply (if blue cone is clear, go there) develops the habit of looking before deciding. Fun, simple choices build the foundation for more complex in-game decisions.
Set up two gates (each 2 yards wide) side by side, 10 yards ahead of the start.
Coach stands beside one gate and raises a hand to 'close' it just before the player arrives.
Player must read the signal and choose the open gate.
Progress to coach signaling later and later to reduce the player's decision time.
Goal
You've got it when you pick the correct gate based on the rule every time, not guessing, actually reading the cue.
Helpful cues
- Look up early, decisions made late are wrong
- See the gate, go through it immediately
- Quick eyes, quick decisions
Adjust the challenge
Make it easier
Strip it back
Coach signals the correct gate before the player starts moving.
UpLVL it
Add the next challenge
Add a third gate; all three are initially open, one closes as player approaches.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.