Category: Positions
Type: Tip
FIELD PLAYER HOLE PASSES
Our last tip, we discussed field player passing, focusing on basic passing around the perimeter of the offensive set up. We will now discuss passing the ball into the hole man.
The basic hole pass is a wet pass, landing approximately 2 to 3 feet (for adult players, shorter for youths) away and directly in front of the hole man’s head. This allows your hole man to utilize any of the skills that we have discussed in earlier tips (as well as some that they may have conjured up themselves).
In my many years of player the game, I have seen just about every possible method of passing the ball into the hole. I have seen, and when playing, received passes like (what I like to call) the “shot put,” the “sky hook,” and the baseball lob shot used to get the ball into the hole. The “shot put” pass is not very effective because it is easy to block and turn over. And like the “sky hook” pass, it tells everybody and the equipment manager that the ball is going into the hole about one quarter of the way through it’s flight path. Both of those passes take a long time to get their destination. The baseball lob pass could be effective; however, it must be disguised as a shot prior to passing the ball into the hole. You have to sell the shot to your defender to make him commit to you. When he commits, back off the shot’s power, break the elbow toward the shot, and let your forearm and wrist make the nice and easy pass. A telegraphed baseball lob shot is easy to intercept. When players get lazy later in the game, this always seems to happens.
The hole pass that I use and coach is a variation of the baseball lob pass. After you get the ball, protect it. The defender should be attacking you. Lead the pass with your shoulder into the chest of your defender. Do a hard eggbeater kick to elevate over your defender. As you get out of the water extend your arm and ball above your head. When you are at your peak, move your arm side to side to avoid the defenders extended arm (if they are playing defense right, that should be there) and snap your wrist and release the ball, letting the ball roll off your finger tips. Done correctly, this pass will land approximately 2 to 3 feet away and in front of the hole man’s head. The perfect pass. You could even put a little arc on the ball if you require it, but the ball will still get there a lot faster than the other passes described earlier. This pass is really good because it shows the hole man the ball just before it comes into the hole so he can prepare for it.
Hole passes are very important, so I would recommend that all coaches have the players practice this pass every day for a week or two for about 20 minutes a day. Later in the season, work on it every other day for about 10 minutes a day. A group of three works well to practice this pass, one performing the pass, one defending the pass, and the third to act as the hole man.
More to come in the future, so stay tuned. So play hard and shoot for the corners!!!
Submitted by: Coach Dave
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