All the skills that we discussed in previous articles used during general play are also useful in the goal circle. Well-trained, smart teams create circle penetrations that give them options to move and shoot either way once they are inside the circle. Entering the circle in the best possible position means that you can make goal shots that have a good angle to the goal and therefore the best chance of scoring.

The better the shooting angle the more difficult it will be for the goalkeeper to make a save, and the better your chance of getting a good result for your shot on goal. A common error that players make in the attacking circle is to think that they need to get the ball moving as hard as possible towards the goal. Power is useful in many instances, but placement of the ball in a particular part of the goal is always critical.

The speed with which you get the shot away is also important. Remember that although the goal circle is a busy and congested area, sometimes you have more time than you think to prepare. In many instances you can make certain of the quality of the shot on goal rather than rushing your shot execution and hoping for the best.

“Shoot the pro side” was the motto Australians used over the years and they still use it. The pro side is the side of the goal opposite to the goal shooter’s position. For example, if you are shooting wide on the right of the circle, you should generally aim for the opposite post, unless there is a large and obvious space on the near side between the goalkeeper and the goalpost.

The best goal scorers are rarely the biggest and strongest players on a team. Rather they are cunning and alert players who anticipate well. They have a strong awareness of where the goal is in relation to their position and that of the ball. Very good goal scorers are rare, so if you can develop your skills in this area, it is likely to set you apart from other forwards who are vying with you for selection in the team.

In the circle, keep your knees bent and your weight forward particularly if you are close to the goalmouth and try to get your left hand which is at the top of the stick handle to touch the ground so that your hockey stick remains low and close to the approaching ball.

Steve Davies of Australia, once described as the Maradona of modern hockey due to his excellent goal conversion ability, has spelled the following tips for everyone’s benefit. According to Davies, the right attitude is a must for a striker. A very good striker is one who can make a correct decision about when to shoot.

Good tapping skills under pressure are crucial and that’s where mastery over basics comes handy. The ability to read the play or guess what defenders and teammates will do next will give you a clear edge. A striker needs to have a variety of shots and excellent shot selection and decision making ability. Fast hands and foot speed is essential for making quality shots in minimal time.

According to Davies, if you are hitting the ball at goal, you can rarely afford the time to take a big backswing. The time taken to do this allows the defenders an opportunity to steal the ball under your nose, because you are not protecting the ball by keeping your stick close to it. With a shorter backswing, the shot becomes a wristier hit than you might otherwise use in general play. It’s more deceptive than a hit with a loopier, slow backswing.

Goal shooting is always about accuracy. Even if you hit the ball as hard as you can, it won’t be an effective shot unless it is on target. This means that it at least requires a save for the goalkeeper, provides a tip-in or a slight touch opportunity from the fellow forwards or provides a chance for a rebound.

Now let’s examine some shooting options. The flick, push and reverse flick are not powerful options, but they can be effective in the attacking circle in the right situation. For a push at goal, you have to be in the same low body position with the stick on the ball at all times. Because this shot is quick, you can punish the goalkeeper when he is off balance by firing the ball without notice past the foot that is supporting the body weight of the goalkeeper because that will be the one that is slowest to move.

When you shoot at goal, you can raise the ball as long as it is not dangerous. To execute the lick, angle your stick slightly backwards, get your stick underneath the ball and follow through to your target. Ultimately, you should be able to generate the same power for a flick as you do for a push at goal.

Reverse flick is certainly a difficult shot to execute with power, but you can get better results with practice. With the ball on the left side of your body, turn your body to face the ball. With your head over the ball and your hands apart follow through towards the target. Begin by starting your stick on the ball, as you improve your skill, try to approach the shot from a distance so that you step into the ball.

To improve upon the much needed rebound shots, use the wooden boards or mini trampoline. Set them up just wide of the goal, angled slightly so that the ball rebounds into the circle and have another player hit at it from varying angles. The player practicing the rebound controls the rebounding ball and shoots at goal. You can have three or four players waiting for the rebound and each of them must be ready to take the shot. Vary the distance and angle of the shot to improve your control over the rebound, and instead of watching the game in the circle, make it your second habit to go for the rebound before the defender retrieves the ball.

The chip shot and undercut are other effective means of goal scoring in the circle. Chip shot is a raised hit at the goal, usually achieved with a short backswing. Angle the face of your stick backwards according to the desired elevation of the shot. The goalkeeper may be moving towards you at the top of the circle; as he slides to tackle or block, or the moment you sense that the goalkeeper’s weight is committed to drooping to the ground, chip the ball over him. This doesn’t need to be a powerful shot; the ball simply needs enough elevation to clear the challenging goalkeeper.

An undercut is similar to a chip. The only difference is in the power of the shot. The hit is made with an angled hockey stick mostly to hit in the top corners of the goal.

Another shot is called a squeeze shot, which is difficult to get right, but if you can master it, you will bring another deceptive and raised shot into your repertoire. In this shot the ball is positioned slightly behind your back foot. The downward action of your stick will squeeze the ball into the ground to force it into the air. Your swing will be from above and slightly behind the ball, with your stick making contact with the upper back of the ball. There are two major reasons why you find our players weak at these shots in modern hockey. The first is our unwillingness to practice these shots beyond game situations and secondly our coaching staff comes from the era when these shots were considered fouls.

Last but not the least is diving for the ball. This is one skill that I believe is highly undervalued as a good scoring opportunity by most of our players. The Australians and the Europeans have perfected this art.

A diving forward is almost impossible for the defender to mark, and often this action is unexpected.

When a forward dives, he can trap or deflect the ball that would otherwise be out of your reach. Diving in the circle can create something out of nothing. The goalkeeper is mostly concerned with the immediate goal shot, and a diving forward will probably be unmarked at the crucial moment.

To practice the dive, make sure that the field is properly wet. You can even add a wet plastic sheet for increased safety. As a player passes from the right of the circle across the face of the goal and in front of the player practicing the skill, dive with your stick in the left hand. Don’t just drop to the ground, but run forward and dive fully stretched so that you slide along the ground rather than land with a thump. This makes the dive less painful and more successful. Most importantly, practice it in game situation because it has more to do with your attitude, anticipation and awareness of the right time to dive than the physical skill.

As a successful goal scorer you also need to read the opponent’s goalkeeper. Watch his level of readiness and positioning. The goalkeeper will be moving in the goal mouth according to the movement of the ball. As he does so, at times he will have his weight on one foot more than the other. If you are alert, you can fire the ball past the foot that is supporting his body weight because it will take more time for the keeper to use that foot to make a save.

Remember that the goalkeeper is heavily protected like an armored vehicle and as an attacker you are more mobile, flexible and have advantage in hand to exploit his weaknesses like a shrewd tank hunter. The goalkeeper’s history of saves made will give you an idea about his strengths and weaknesses. As a successful attacker you must ask the support staff to dig out these details for you so that you can plan your attack pattern.

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