No. 5 — Strong and Weak Side

Where are you most comfortable on the field?

Tues. 03/11/2014

I’d like to try out an advanced concept on you.

Visualize yourself in the following game situation. Imagine that you have the ball near the sideline about 20 meters away from your opponent’s goal. Assume you’re right handed.

Question: Would you be more comfortable on the left side of the field or the right side as you’re facing the goal and about to run in and shoot?

For most of you, the answer should be the left side. Why? Because as you’re running on a diagonal out toward the goal and into the middle of the field, (1) your stick is protected on the right side of your body (with the defender on your left); (2) you’re cradling in your right hand, which feels more natural; and (3) as you move toward the goal, you’re lining yourself up in the middle of the field with your stick squared up for a full shot on goal. The left sideline is your “strong” side.

Now re-imagine the same situation from the right side of the field. Can you sense that feeling of being trapped over there? You need to cradle in your left hand now to protect the stick as you move out into the field. The right sideline is your “weak” side.

If you’re a leftie, it’s the opposite (Danielle, Bobbie, and Coach Clara). Your strong side is the right sideline, and your weak side is the left sideline.

This little thought experiment has a lot of implications, both on offense and defense. On offense, we should avoid making plays that will get us trapped on our weak side. On defense, we can learn to recognize when a ball carrier is trapped against her weak sideline and exploit it to our advantage.

This is advanced stuff. Don’t worry if you’re not getting it just yet.

—Coach Schu

Next up: Throwing and Catching!