Week 4 - Zone Hockey
Equipment
Suitable indoor or outdoor playing area
Markers or cones
Hockey sticks or equivalent
Airflow/whiffle balls or alternative balls
Chalk or marking tape to mark out playing area
Download the Zone Hockey - Week 4 activity card to support teaching before and during the sport session.
Skill development game
Learning intention
To practice and refine dribbling and shooting skills and to develop an understanding of player positioning.
Skill focus
Defending
Shot placement
Locomotor movement
Waves
A lead up game to Zone Hockey to develop passing, teamwork and movement in the playing space.
Game set-up
Mark out the playing area.
Divide players into groups of 3–5.
Groups line up at the same end of the playing area.
How to play
Players travel down the playing area passing from player to player along the line.
Every player must make at least one pass before the end of the line.
Markers or cones can be used to create a moving or passing challenge.
Safety
Ensure appropriate space between teams.
No stick to be raised above waist height.
Modifying Waves using TREE
Teaching style
Emphasise to play (hit) the ball in front of the player receiving the pass.
Encourage players to strike the ball in different ways, e.g. hard or soft.
Encourage players to move in different formations and develop strategies to beat the defenders such as passing faster, holding the ball until they run past the defender, skipping a person when they pass along the line.
Rules
Change positions in line after each complete run through.
Control the ball before passing.
As skills improve introduce:
‘one touch’ play -replace markers or cones with real defenders who don’t move or tackle
progress to tackling defenders when appropriate.
Introduce a time limit to add pressure.
Equipment
Experiment with the size and weight of the ball to increase or decrease speed of the game. A smaller, harder ball will increase difficulty.
Bean bags may assist initially while skills develop.
Environment
To make the game easier:
reduce space between players
increase space between markers or cones
reduce the number of players.
Modified Zone Hockey game
Learning intention
To practice and refine passing, shooting and defensive skills in game situations.
Skill focus
Defending
Striking
Shot placement.
Zone Hockey
Zone hockey is an indoor court game that integrates ambulant and mobility-impaired players.
Game set-up
Divide playing area into 3 length way zones with 2 goal areas using chalk or tape and markers.
The central zone should represent 50% and wing areas 25% each. (See image)
Place 2 cones at each end for goals.
Divide players into two teams of 5-6 players.
Allocate players a specific zone. Players should be matched by ability in each zone and must remain in their zones:
1 player per wing zone
2 or 3 players in the central zone
1 player as goalkeeper
How to play
Aim is for players to pass the ball through the zones to score by hitting the ball through their designated goal.
A free hit is awarded for entering another zone, reaching across another zone or raising the stick above waist height. Opposition players must be 2m away from place of free hit.
No player other than a goalkeeper may enter their goal circle. • Players must not kick the ball.
Safety
Sticks must not be raised above waist height.
Players must not play at any ball with the stick held above shoulder height.
Ball cannot be hit or bounced above the knees.
Goalkeepers should be encouraged to wear a face mask, hand protectors and knee protectors.
Modifying Zone Hockey using TREE
Teaching style
Encourage using short and long passes to move the ball down the court.
Encourage calling for the ball and to indicate where they are moving to receive the ball.
Instruct passers to place the ball in front of the receiver so the receiving player can run onto the ball and continue playing the ball forward.
Rules
A free hit is not awarded if the ball simply hits a player’s foot, wheelchair structure or walking aid. It is awarded only if the incident causes a break in play, disadvantage or stops a goal.
Add a rule that everyone needs to touch the ball before a goal can be scored.
As skills develop add a defender in each wing zone to increase the challenge.
Equipment
Use a bigger, heavier ball to slow the game down.
Environment
Change the zone sizes depending on number of players.
Change the length of the field depending on player abilities.
Reflection
Suggested questions for players
Waves
What types of passes were most effective for moving the ball down the field?
What techniques did you use to beat defenders?
How could you work as a team to maintain possession and move the ball down the field?
Zone Hockey
How did you move the ball between team mates within zones/in other zones?
What passes were effective in beating opponents in other zones?
How did you work as a team to set up scoring opportunities?
2 stars and a wish
Ask students:
What are 2 things you feel you did well today?
What are you going to try and improve on next week?
Students can answer reflection questions as a whole class, small group or in pairs.
