Field Hockey Tip

Presented by Vianney Yamada (Campos), Camp Director
Nike Field Hockey Camp at University of San Diego

Field Hockey Tip: Hand Placement

Strong hand placement on your stick can really take your game to the next level. When you first learn to play hockey, it is important to position your hands for optimal control. As you advance your game, you’ll afford yourself a little bit of flexibility with your placement and you’ll likely develop quicker reflexes which will assist you in moving quickly through skills. Come join us at Nike Field Hockey Camps for more tips on how to hold a field hockey stick!

The Grip:

• At Nike Field Hockey Camps, we like to teach our players to spread their hands enough to provide strength and control behind the dribble. As a rule of thumb, you can bring your right hand in line with or below the grip line and the left hand stays at the top of the stick. If you decide to drop the right hand below the grip be ready to dribble in or stand in a more athletic stance with knees bent.
• The left hand should be the controlling hand with a firm grip on the stick.
• The right hand should be loose on the stick so that turning over the ball doesn’t require the right arm to turn completely over.

When to use it:

• All forms of dribbling but especially Indian dribbling where you find yourself moving over the ball frequently, adding skills or changing directions quickly.
• Push passing where it is easy to transfer weight into your passes with a lot of control and strength through the hands.
• If you are receiving on the move, then this is a good style of grip to use so that you can immediately go into your dribble.

When not to use it:

• This style of grip will make full sprint dribbling a little hard but if you raise your right hand halfway up the stick you should be able to maintain control and increase your speed.
• For long distance passes or hits.
• If you struggle to bend from your knees and find yourself folding over at the waist, then you may want to bring your right hand higher to promote a safer back position.

Check out more field hockey tips to prepare for your next field hockey camp.