In December 2017 we started our platform for field hockey coaches with a coach conference named HockeyToday.cc. Legendary Spanish striker Santi Freixa hosted a masterclass that day: Excel in the D.
In December and January we’ll be adding some of the masterclasses from the early days here as well.
The One Thing Every Field Hockey Coach Should Take From This Scoring Masterclass
In field hockey, the circle—”The D”—is the pressure cooker where games are won or lost. As coaches, we spend countless hours designing drills, organizing short corners, and developing individual scoring techniques. But there’s one concept from Santi Freixa’s workshop that stands above any isolated skill: excelling in the D is not just about goal-scoring, but about creating and recognizing the conditions for scoring as a team.
What does this mean for coaching day to day? It’s a challenge to shift our thinking beyond technique, to instead build a training environment and personal habits that consistently put our players in effective scoring positions. Freixa doesn’t deliver this as a textbook answer—he openly says, “I’m not here to bring you answers. I’m here to explain my way, how I think about the D actions. So it’s not the truth, it’s just my truth.” This grounding is key: the “one thing” is not a trick shot or tactical move, it’s a mindset. Scoring becomes simple when you continuously train the essential conditions and team understanding that make good scoring chances possible.
So, how do we embed this idea in our daily work on the pitch?
First, we must encourage a player’s and team’s proactivity—making sure they know, before the play unfolds, where the goal and the keeper are and where the likely space will be. There’s little time for players to look up and scan once things get hectic in the D. This is where training pre-scanning and spatial intuition must be non-negotiable. In Freixa’s words: “It’s about knowing and feeling instead of looking knowing. Because before you went into the D, you already make a pre scan, like looking for the goal, where is the goal? Or feeling.” Design sessions that demand decision-making without pause; insist that your players start every D-entry knowing their higher-percentage scoring position without needing to look.
Second, coaching for excelling in the D is about focusing on the moments of chaos and improvisation. Freixa’s “no plan is a good plan” concept is a direct challenge to the tendency to over-coach and over-script. The D, he says, is “like quantum physics, you know? Because no one is able to understand the things are going on in the D.” Encourage players to react and anticipate events rather than rigidly following a plan. This comes alive in game-realistic drills with variable outcomes and continually changing scenarios—where the only constant is unpredictability.
Finally, build confidence through repetition, exposure to difficult situations, and instilling the simple habits that work under pressure. As Freixa observes, “when you trade and when you repeat it, the confidence of the scoring will increase. So in the match, the level where they will panic will... increase.” Give players routine access to tough, messy goal-scoring situations with distractions—crowds, time-pressure, defensive chaos—so they learn to trust their instincts. Then layer in specific technical work only in the context of these chaotic, real-life moments.
Why Watch the Full Masterclass?
Field hockey coaches know that mastering the D is more than technical execution—it’s about mindset, adaptability, and seeing the game in context. Santi Freixa’s masterclass goes far beyond simple skills, offering an approach to training that makes goals inevitable, not accidental. If you’re looking to change the outcome of matches and develop forwards who thrive under pressure, you’ll want to watch every minute, see the real-life video analysis, and read our deep dive.
Up next, for our paid subscribers, we go in depth with the three main takeaways, including actionable ways to reshape your attacking sessions for long-term results. Read on for the full insights.
