LADIES’ HOCKEY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 August 1939, Page 8

LADIES’ HOCKEY

ADVICE TO PLAYERS

WHAT RECRUITS SHOULD KNOW.

DUTIES OF THE FULL-BACK

(BY LES. M. MURPHY). (Wellington Ladies' Hockey “Critic )

This week’s article deals with the duties of the full-back and selfish individualism in the forward line.

The principal duty of the full-backs is to show a stubborn defence. To do this they must be adept at sound tackling and must cover their half-line at all times. They should be able to hit cleanly and crisply to any position of the field, paying particular attention to the direction of the hit.

An idea prevails with some players filling this position that a full-back need not be fast on hel* feet, but that is a falsehood which should be dispelled. With the speeding up of the game in latter years through probably a more intensive study of correct positional play, speed in a full back has become a necessity to enable successfully to recover when beaten by an opposition forward. Full-backs should understand one another’s play, and there should be a mutual understanding between them as to the line of action each will take in certain circumstances. Furthermore, there must be the closest co-operation between them and the halves when on the defensive. For instance, when a wing half is rolling the ball in, say, from about her own twenty-five, she can upset the opposition by rolling the ball to the full-back, who can quickly clear to the opposite side of the field and allow her wing forward to initiate an attack against the opposing defence, which will most likely be caught out of position. Another instance is when a half has tackled an opponent and held up the attack, but finds she cannot clear successfully; then the fullback should be ready to receive a short back pass from her half and clear to her own forwards with a well-directed shot. Do not try this unless there is a perfect understanding between yourself and the half-back concerned, and never exploit the back pass when play is in or near your own circle. It might, in such case, be a disadvantage and place your team in a rather awkward position probably resulting in a goal to the opposition. CORRECT METHOD TO ADVANCE. Too often do we see the full-backs

moving up and down the field in line, whereas the correct method is for one to advance slightly ahead of the other, according to which side of the field the attack is expected to come from. These two players should try to anticipate the run of play and utilise the see-saw tactics to get into correct position. If the opposing left flank is attacking, then the right full-back should be up ready to meet the attack and the left full-back should be further back and ready to come across and cover her partner. When the attack is from the right, then the positions of the full-backs are reversed. Do not advance too far upfield and never stand past the half-way line. Remember that your opponents cannot be offside when in their own half of the field. Every full-back should make a very close study of the off-side rule and should be thoroughly conversant with every detail of it. By doing this she will find that she can often regulate her positional play in connection with her partner, so that the opposing forwards are placed off-side and thus upset their plans of attack. Respecting corner hits, it is advisable, and generally accepted, that each full-back stations herself as close as possible to the inside of one of the goal-posts and remains there until the ball has been cleared out of the circle. By doing this they not only lessen the coverage for the goalkeeper, but also give her a clearer vision of the play and a much better sight of the ball. NO INDIVIDUALISM. It would be well for players to remember that the forward line is a machine with its logical movements, and there is no place for selfish individualism. Each place in the field has its own task and as a general rule the only players who should run any distance with the ball are the wings, the inners being there only to redirect a pass or receive a pass when in a scoring position. There are, however, exceptions to this rule, and hockey brains should guide where necessary but if hard pressed, a player should remember that her team-mate might see an opening, and as like as not will give it back when her turn arrives.

(Continued next Monday)