How should i improve my skills?

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[sdhockey]

I am very new so I have some of the same problems. One person mentioned hitting the ball in a roundhouse style like hitting a baseball. My coach(sorta) told me that and it helped a lot. Apparently some of the professional men hit like that but thats just what I have heard so don't rip me apart if I am wrong.
I have found that overall stick skills improve a lot just with playing time. Every time you play you get a better feel for the stick and ball. Bouncing the ball on your stick in the air is a good drill to improve hand/eye coordination and it also gets you a better feel for the ball.

[keely]

Roundhouse? Not to rip, but...

Absolutely. Not.

[sdhockey]

My coach didn't say to actually swing it like a baseball bat or roundhouse. he meant just to make my swing slightly flatter. I was trying to swing really high like hitting a golf ball. Obviously your not supposed to swing it like a bat. If I hold my stick at the top while I am standing it touches the ground. So if i bend me knees and swing really high it hits the ground sometimes. He just wanted me to approach the ball a bit farther away and flatten my swing a bit. It was just what he told me to correct my issue. I definitely don't have a great hit but what he said helped and my hit doesn't look much different. I'm not actually roundhousing or swinging it like a bat.

[CCG]

Roundhouse? Not to rip, but...

Absolutely. Not.

To be fair Keely, I had to hit more roundhouse when I got my TT10 to avoid launching the ball into the air when I hit....as it was I forgot this in a warm up and launched it over the fence to hit someone by accident 

[keely]

To be even more fair, a "roundhouse" means different things to different people. In my parts, the swing path being described is not a roundhouse at all but a flattened swing. That's why it's important to describe skills not with colloquial terms but full explanations that are more immune to cultural differences. This is an international forum, after all.

[CCG]

To be even more fair, a "roundhouse" means different things to different people. In my parts, the swing path being described is not a roundhouse at all but a flattened swing. That's why it's important to describe skills not with colloquial terms but full explanations that are more immune to cultural differences. This is an international forum, after all.

Indeed. I found that the lower bow meant i had to hit the ball behind me a bit more so a flattened swing helped do that. Generally swings should be fairly flat.

[rosy3665]

omg...thank you all soooo much, i finally figured out how to hit the ball everytime and all it took me was 2 weeks of practice and combine all your ideas. thnx again 

[robinsafepads]

well done.

it just takes a bit of practice. good luck with making the team, and have fun for years to come!

[Fredo]

omg...thank you all soooo much, i finally figured out how to hit the ball everytime and all it took me was 2 weeks of practice and combine all your ideas. thnx again 

Yeah!!!  Good for you Rosy!
Doesn't it feel good when you can confidently and consistently hit the ball well?

Here is a way to help yourself improve stick skills in general, at home, on your own.
You need to draw a circle on the floor with about a 36 inch diameter.
Maybe use an old bit of carpet or a mat, or lino, or just a flat bit of grass
The idea is you 'Indian dribble' inside this circle, side to side, back to front.
Use the whole circle and increase you stick speed as you get more confident.
Once you get comfortable doing this (or you get bored) start moving your feet around the circle at the same time as dribbling the ball.
Now you can let your imagination run riot -
Try stepping over the circle but don't stop moving the ball.
Try standing side-on to the circle and dribbling or dribble with just your left hand.
The next step is to put something in the middle of the circle like a plastic bowl or your baby brother  . . . or maybe not!
Now dribble the ball around as you did first but don't hit the bowl (or the Baby)!
REMEMBER: When dribbling the ball your left hand holds onto the stick and controls the twisting; your right hand only guides it so loosen up your right hand.
Let me know if this isn't clear and I'll try to put some pictures up.

Good luck

Fredo

[rosy3665]

that sounds like a really cool drill and i tried it today but i dont think i m doing it right could u plz put up the pics....and thnx

[mani]

If your swing works for you - then carry on!

Tom Bettram has a very very VERY upright stance when he hits, other almost get their right knee on the deck. Both are as effective as the other and its down to personal preference.