Penalty corners are more than a skill requirement. Penalty corners are more than a skill requirement.
Images: Theron Kirkman

SUIT YOURSELF

“The hockey session which we complete each Friday is an individual skills session. Everyone in the Kookaburras squad is required to do it, but that session is up to you in terms of how you want to structure it. For example, I might want to work on receiving the ball in a potential contested possession situation, or I might want to practise my delivery. So that will be my focus and the coaching staff will assist me in setting up some drills to help me with it. It might be just taking 20-30 balls aside and hitting  towards a target. It could be that simple. Or it could involve coach feedback or even other players helping you out with certain aspects of your game.”

TOUGH STUFF

“The gameplay work in each session is what kills you physically. The skills-focused stuff isn’t too overtaxing, because the focus is on actually executing the skill. It’s not overly physical, it’s more technical. At each training session we’ll play some small games – could be anything from three on three, maybe six on six. And it’s constant: ball goes out, coach throws a new one on … that’s where you get your physical conditioning. In saying all that, it’s also what most of the guys look forward to, that competitive, gameplay situation.”

WELL-BALANCED

“In the gym a big focus for us is balance and stability. We do a lot of twisting rotation, range-of-motion stuff. It’s all designed to have a hockey-specific focus and to try and help us with execution of skill on-the-run and being balanced, to make the right passes and to have strength. Hockey is specific in the actual movements you do. You’re bent over the ball, not upright with the ball in your hand. We’re all about strengthening that core area and focussing on balance, stability and execution.

“A lot of it’s technique, making sure you’re getting the right muscles working. You’ve really got to focus on the muscle groups and on getting that right. Our gym coach is pretty keen on that and he’ll pick you up if you’re starting to do things incorrectly. Gym sessions usually last an hour and a half.”

REPS AND SETS

“On average we do three sets of most exercises. We have a different program each day. One day might have a slightly upper body focus and another maybe lower body. It’s really individual, after we do an initial screening at the start of any phase, which picks up any deficiencies we might have. The gym coach will find those out, then concentrate on maybe our range of motion, or it might be building strength in areas where we’re injury-prone.

“We’ll do between six and ten reps per exercise, of which there are 10-15. In the gym, if we’re focusing on that core area, squats are a pretty standard exercise, just for developing glut strength. There are lunges, lunges with a twist (a lunge and then twisting the upper body – as in stepping into a ball and hitting). We’ll do other twisting motions, too, even if it’s just abdominal work in a sit-up position. We’ll do back extensions, trying to strengthen the back as well; obviously in the bent-over position that you’re playing hockey in, you can develop lower back problems.”