In a landscape where the field hockey rulebook, surfaces, and playing speeds are in constant flux, there are timeless skills that, while maybe not in the current spotlight, hold immense tactical value. One of those is the upright hit pass, a topic thoroughly dissected in this masterclass and a technique many of us fondly recall but perhaps sideline in modern sessions. If there’s one thing to remember or relearn from this session, it’s this: Don’t let the upright hit pass disappear from your coaching repertoire.
Why the Upright Hit Still Matters
Today’s field hockey is heavily dominated by push passes, sweeps, flicks, and overheads. This has led to the near-extinction of the upright hit as a primary skill in pivotal moments. Especially post build-up, breaking lines, and structured counterattacks. Despite statistics showing 70% of passes are pushes and only a handful of hit passes outside shooting or corners, the upright hit offers solutions no other technique can provide at speed when executed correctly.
The hit pass, done well, is more than nostalgia. It’s a tactical weapon. It allows teams to skip defensive lines, introduce variety, and add unpredictability, particularly against compact or well-drilled zonal blocks. Modern teams that embrace this, like the Indian women’s team, manage to manipulate opposition defensive structures not by chance, but by intent.
How to Implement This in Day-to-Day Training
Include It in Your Drills: Integrate upright hit passes into warm-ups and small-sided games. Let athletes play ‘mini-golf’ style hitting games, or only award points for hits that reach a target zone. This introduces the skill in a “no-pressure” context.
Purposeful Scenario Training: Specifically coach hit passes in build-up phases, counterattacks, and ball entries into the circle. Start with low-pressure scenarios, as “if you use that, we have big chances to get successful,” as Fede Tanuscio highlights.
Emphasize the Short Grip: The modern evolution of the technique, the short grip upright hit, is faster and doesn’t force players to break their stride, making it more compatible with present-day hockey tempo. “If I have to pick one, I will take one of that,” Tanuscio said regarding technique selection.
Decision-Making Cues: Teach your ball carrier to assess time, space, and numbers before opting for a hit. Ask, is there a link or ‘chest’ player available, and what’s the defensive structure ahead?
This “missing chest,” or link pass, is the essence of the upright hit. Using it to break lines when opportunities present, not just as a relic of slower tempos.
Why You’ll Want to Watch the Full Masterclass
Three Main Takeaways for Field Hockey Coaches—And How To Apply Them
1. The Upright Hit Pass Is a Lost Art That Disrupts Modern Defensive Structures
The upright hit is not just a legacy skill, but a deliberate tactical tool. As field hockey has trended toward fast, flat, sweep-dominated passing, the upright hit has lost presence, but not efficacy. Teams that use it well, like India’s women, illustrate that it’s effective even against the best defensive structures.
Here’s how to leverage it:
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