The drag

The drag: (dummy) is one of the most essential elimination skills and is useful for most positions. The aim of playing a 1 v 1 is to eliminate an opponent. This can be done by the attacker tricking the opponent into moving away from the space that they want to run into. As soon as the opponent follows the attacker, the attacker moves the ball at an angle in the opposite direction and runs into the space.

The drag – backhand spin crossbar challenge

Just for fun.

The drag – baseline scoring

Take this option when there are no passing options. The first movement should be to come inside, to see how the goalie reacts. If they stay on the post; aim for the far post but if they look like diving, go for the near post.

The drag – elimination drills

The drag – elimination moves

AKKA

  1. Use your backhand to lift the ball
  2. While the ball is in the air you turn your stick
  3. Hit the ball to the left

RAINBOW

  1. Move the ball to the defenders forehand
  2. Let go with your left hand
  3. Bring the ball to the hook
  4. Turn around like a rainbow (a half circle) outside the reach of the defender
  5. Bring your left hand back on to the stick and shoot

NO NAME

  1. Fake a scoop
  2. When the defender hesitates, accelerate around the outside and eliminate

The drag – eliminating defenders

One elimination skill that is easy to use and one that you can use a lot in the game is the simple dummy. When you’re doing the dummy what you want to do is take the defender to one side, usually their forehand side then make a loop around the ball and take it right as quick as you can to accelerate over their backstick, in a move that is really great when the defender is about to make a block tackle with their forehand, use your forehand to lift the ball over their stick.

When you approach the defender and you see that their forehand tackle is about to come, you pull the ball into your own feet and from here you lift it over their stick, especially if you’re a striker, the 3d air dribble is a really important skill to learn. What you want to do is when you arrive to the defender, you lift the ball in the air and then you change the direction of the ball when it is in the air.

When you want to change direction, let the defender think you’re going one way, you use the forehand spin to go the other. You move towards the defender, to make the defender think you’re going over the forehand side, place your right foot nice and strong and then in the hook of your stick turn the ball around and accelerate on the right.