Robert Noall shares his training principles with a focus on outletting vs man to man marking. We were live on 2024-12-06. Enjoy the on demand replay video which is a free for all this time.
Robert Noall
An experienced coach, trainer and technical director in The Netherlands, Robert Noall 🇬🇧 originates from the UK. Where he got his degree in Sports Coaching Science and Management alongside a certificate in Sports Psychology from the Barcelona Innovation Hub. He is currently coaching in the 1st division in The Netherlands and a regional coordinator for the U14 Girls in the Dutch national pathway program. Robert and thehockeysite.com decided to work together and bring a monthly workshop in which he will share training principles using XPS. Each session will focus on one particular topic and of course has a Q&A with the attending coaches.
This workshop focuses on essential skills needed for effective outletting in hockey vs man to man marking. In November 2024 Noall also hosted a workshop for us on outletting vs zone marking :
Training to beat Man-to-Man marking in Field Hockey
The workshop focuses on training players to play against man-to-man marking. It covers the importance of developing individual skills, particularly dynamic receiving and elimination skills, and how to implement these skills in game-like situations.
The Importance of Individual Skill Development
Noall stresses the importance of focusing on individual skill development, particularly dynamic receiving and elimination skills, as the foundation for effective play against man-to-man defense. He advocates for a “zoomed-in” approach, emphasizing the importance of breaking down complex actions into their component skills and training those skills until they become automatic.
Dynamic Receiving
Noall emphasizes that every time a player receives the ball, it should be a dynamic reception. He explains that a dynamic reception involves:
Catching the ball with the stick away from the body.
Immediately moving with the ball after reception.
This makes it more difficult for the defender to steal the ball, and allows the receiver to immediately move into an attacking position. Dynamic receiving requires players to be aware of their surroundings and to anticipate where the ball is going to be played.
Elimination Skills
Elimination skills are the techniques players use to get past defenders in one-on-one situations. Examples of elimination skills include:
Dragging the ball from the forehand to the backhand.
Lifting the ball over the opponent’s stick.
Turning away from pressure.
Noall explains that these skills must be trained to the point of automaticity so that players can execute them effectively under pressure.
Training Exercises
Noall presents a series of training drills designed to develop dynamic receiving and elimination skills. The exercises progress from unopposed drills to opposed drills and finally to a scrimmage, allowing players to develop their skills and then apply them in increasingly game-like situations.
Dynamic Receiving Exercises
The workshop presents two exercises specifically focused on dynamic receiving:
Dynamic Receiving Warm-Up: In this exercise, players practice receiving passes from a goalkeeper or coach and moving laterally around cones. The coach can increase the difficulty of this drill by asking players to:
Fake receiving in one direction before moving in the other.
Lift the ball over a stick or plank before passing.
Dynamic Receiving Exercise: This drill involves a more complex passing sequence and includes dynamic receiving in multiple positions on the field. The coach can again add obstacles, such as sticks, to increase the challenge.
Elimination Skills Exercises
Noall also presents two drills to develop players' elimination skills:
Elimination Skills Exercise: This drill focuses on practicing elimination skills in an unopposed setting. Players work on dragging, lifting, and turning to get past a series of cones. The coach can change the number and arrangement of the cones to create different scenarios.
Two vs. Two with Transitions and Counters: This drill introduces opposition and focuses on using elimination skills to create scoring opportunities. It starts with a two versus two situation, but transitions to a three versus three or five versus five based on the coach's instructions. Players also practice counter-attacks.
Scrimmage
In the final portion of the workshop, Noall recommends concluding the training session with a scrimmage. Coaches should instruct their players to play man-to-man defense, focusing on:
Dynamic Receiving: Players should work on receiving the ball in a way that allows them to immediately attack.
Attacking Space: Players should be encouraged to exploit the space created by the man-to-man marking by attacking the opposite side of the field.
To further encourage the application of the practiced skills, coaches can award points for successful execution of specific tactics. For example, a point could be awarded for completing a “golden transfer”, which is a quick transfer of the ball from one side of the field to the other, creating a scoring opportunity.
“Man Responsibility” Defense
During the question-and-answer portion of the workshop, Noall addresses a question about "man responsibility" defense. He describes this system as a hybrid approach to defense that combines elements of man-to-man marking with zone defense. In a man responsibility system:
Each player is assigned an opponent closest to their position to mark.
Each player is also responsible for a specific zone or area on the field.
This system aims to maintain defensive structure while still putting pressure on the opponents.
Coaching vs. Training
Noall distinguishes between coaching and training. He believes that training focuses on developing the technical and tactical skills necessary to play the game, while coaching involves guiding players to make good decisions and expand their field hockey vocabulary. He emphasizes that:
Training sessions should prioritize skill development.
Coaches should avoid giving players solutions. Instead, they should encourage players to think critically and come up with their own solutions by asking questions.
Coaches should allow players to make mistakes and learn from them, rather than trying to control every aspect of the game.
Takeways
The key takeaway from Noall's workshop is that individual skill development is the foundation for success in hockey, especially when playing against man-to-man defense. By focusing on dynamic receiving and elimination skills, and creating training exercises that progressively challenge players, coaches can help their teams break down man-to-man defenses and create scoring opportunities. The workshop also highlights the importance of allowing players to think critically and develop their own solutions, fostering a deeper understanding of the game.
Watch us live or on demand
Our live workshops and masterclasses are free for all if you can join us while we’re live. While we have chosen to keep the on demand replay of these first two workshops on outletting by Noall open and free for all, usually our on demand videos are limited to our paid subscribers. Enjoy a free 7 day subscription if you’re not already in, to watch some of our other videos.
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