Adapt to change The game has become much more demanding now that there are unlimited substitutions, according to Danny Kerry, head coach for the women’s GB team. “Players go on for intense bursts of 12-14 minutes instead of whole games, so speed endurance has become very important. Long runs in training are a thing of the past – now it’s more sprint sessions of short, hard intervals.”
Be balanced “Hockey is an asymmetrical sport, demanding large ranges of motion in a twisted position, so lumbar spine problems are common,” Kerry says. “We do a lot of core stability work off the pitch – if your core is strong, it translates strength to the rest of your body and you’re less likely to get injured.”
Keep talking The key to good team communication is known as “vision and talk leadership”. “This means that players who are off the ball and better able to see what’s going on should verbalise it to those around them,” Kerry says. “The whole team is the leader, rather than just one or two players.”
Split up Playing is the most valuable training tool. “Rather than spending hours on skills drills, split the pitch up and get the team to play in small units of fours or fives,” Kerry says. “That way, they get more touches on the ball and make more decisions compared with a full-sized game.”
Live well Healthy living is key. “The wider lifestyle of a player has become much more important – if you’re eating the wrong foods and drinking too much alcohol, you’re not going to perform your best. Players should aim to live as healthily as possible at least 95% of the time, not just for the two days before a match.”
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