FOR HOCKEY PLAYERS

Chronicle (Levin), 21 July 1949, Page 9

FOR HOCKEY PLAYERS

Les. M.

Murphy)

Lack Of Girde Finish Is Common Fault

(By

A common fault noticed with hockey forwards is lack of circle finish. Today's artic'e covers this most importanfc point. I have seen forwards attack repeatedly and take the ball past the opposing full-backs and through ineffective shooting fail-to score«. When attacking from midfield the forward usually has plenty of room in which to work. There is no peed for close manipu'ation of the ball. A suotie sense of ball control is not so necessary when the ball' has simply to be passed- to another p'.ayer through a wide gap. In the circ'e, however, many factors arise which necessitate greater ball control. The necessity of edging the ball into a convenient shooting position; the close proximity of defending players, wfm compel rapid action; the need of accuracy and judgment in moving the ball towards the goal-mouth, taking into consideration the position of fche goa keeper. These factors cail for the exercise of greater ball control. Thus it is easy to conjecture why so many attacks fizzle out at the circle 's edae. Variety Of Strokes Needed. Accustome'd to a wide open hitting type of game, the forward finds these methods ineffective iu a si nation demanding rapid action in a restricted area. Goal-shooting demands a greater variety of strokes, close and steady ball control, and the 'gymnastic ability to shoot from an unba'anced position. Ad'ded to this must be a capacity for sensing the position of the goal in relation to the position from which the shot is to be taken. This might be termed "circle sense." Manv forwards fin-d it necessary to sight the goal with a rapid g'ance before striking. Only persistent practice can encourage and develop an awarenes of the re^ationship between goal-mouth and shooting position. G'ood goal-shooting is the result of thoughtful practice. The customary habit of driving the bah from the circle's edge is not, to my mind, the soundest of practices, it fai's to cover the many possibilities that lie within the circle, and fche hit itself is restricted in its scope, for its application is not always the best way to propel the ball into the net. There are some who will disagree with ms on this point, but that will be just unfortunate. Solo Work. It is not seldom in club matches that goals have been lost and chances thrown aw.ay by the bad positional piay of players who shDuld know better. Time and again have chances been given opposing teams by attacking players getting hope'essly ou't of position and leaving gaps in the line that a quick defence can easiiy turn to its own advaatage. When this fault Is one that can easiiy turn atiack into defence and make a scoring opportunity a mad rush to cover up, it is time it was considered seriously in its proper relation to individual play. Solo work is the s'trong point of many players, but when individuahsm is shown in its proper light as something to be indulge'd int only when supporting players are too well marked to be ased with safety, it becomes evident hat ccmbination— and combinaaon relies on correct positional play— is perhaps the mainstay of any team.