US Sports Baseball Feat. Four Quotes to Hit Better With Two-Strikes and Cardinals vs. Red Sox Game 2 Highlights

 The Radio Home Of Champions. US Sports Radio

• By Grant Young

---

Any baseball hitting approach coach can empathize with the fact that hitting with two strikes is exceedingly difficult for several reasons:

1. Psychological Pressure: When a batter has two strikes against them, the pressure intensifies. They know that one more mistake could lead to an automatic out, which can lead to anxiety and affect their focus and decision-making. 

2. Pitcher’s Advantage: With two strikes, the pitcher has a greater advantage since they can throw a wider variety of pitches to try to induce a swing-and-miss. They often employ breaking balls or off-speed pitches that can catch hitters off guard. 

3. Swing Adjustments: Batters may feel compelled to shorten their swing or alter their approach to make contact, which can compromise their usual mechanics. This can lead to hitting the ball poorly or missing it altogether. 

4. Zone Awareness: With two strikes, batters have to be more discerning about the pitches they swing at. This heightened sense of caution can lead to hesitant swings or missed opportunities on pitches that are in the strike zone but not necessarily ideal for hitting. 

5. Increased Focus: The need to focus intensifies with two strikes, as batters must anticipate the pitcher's next move while also adjusting to the potential of getting struck out. This heightened focus can be a double-edged sword; while it can help in making better decisions, it can also lead to tension. 

These factors combine to make hitting with two strikes a difficult task, requiring not just skill but also mental resilience and adaptability. However, while nothing will keep hitters from being at a disadvantage with two strikes, having a solid hitting approach in these situations can help balance the odds. 

Brandon Matthews is a professional hitting instructor in North Carolina. Coach Matthews has almost 20 years of coaching experience at all levels from youth to professional baseball. In 2017, he started Swing Angry LLC for baseball and softball hitting instruction. Since then, Coach Matthews has performed thousands of lessons with youth to professional hitters.

In his ‘2 Strike Hitting: Approach, Philosophy, & Strategy’ course, Coach Matthews will teach you some unique strategies and game plans for handling 2 strike situations, such as controlling the at-bat before there are two strikes, how to remain aggressive, and diving deeper inside the data of pitch counts to help hitters better understand when the odds are more in their favor. We’ve pulled some of Coach Matthews’ best wisdom and included it for you below. 

Hunt In The Zone

Coach Matthews asserts that most coaches will say that they want their hitters to expand the strike zone with two strikes so that there’s less of a chance that they’ll strike out. 

To dispute this, he drops a quote from baseball legend Ted Williams, who said, “Giving the pitcher an extra two inches around the strike zone makes it 35% larger. Make sure you get a good ball to hit.” 

Coach Matthews backs this point up by conveying that trying to avoid the strikeout isn’t the be-all-end-all when it comes to a two-strike approach. This is because if you swing at a bad pitch that’s not in the strike zone just so you aren’t called out on strikes, you’re still almost certainly going to be out. Not to mention that umpires (less skilled ones) are typically hesitant to call someone on strikes anyway.

“Everything in life happens twice: the first time in your mind and the second time in reality,” Coach Matthews goes on to say. What he means by this is that if a hitter’s approach is to expand the zone with two strikes, they’re already telling themselves that they’re going to chase something out of the strike zone and be content with weak contact. 

 

Plus, this is going to make it much harder for a hitter to shut down their swing and not trigger to chase a breaking ball in the dirt or some other two-strike pitch that a hitter might see. 

The bottom line is that if the hitter doesn’t chase with two strikes, the pitcher will still need to make a quality pitch in the strike zone to get the hitter out. Understanding this will increase the chances a hitter makes hard contact with a two-strike pitch. 

External vs Internal

“When we get to a two-strike situation, if you can pick out an area of the field… if you can have an external goal to hit the ball hard somewhere on that [opposite field] area, it gives you some adjustable timing,” Coach Matthews said. 

What he means by this is that preparing to hit the ball up the middle or to the opposite field will naturally make the hitter stay back on the ball more. This will not only make them less susceptible to chasing breaking balls in the dirt, but it will give them a bit more time to react and try to foul off a fastball or another pitch they weren’t expecting. 

Coach Matthews also adds that if a team has enough data on what an opposing pitcher likes to do with two strikes, they can hunt specific zones and sometimes hunt specific pitches if a pitcher is disposed toward one pitch with two strikes. 

“We can be adjustable in the hitting zone, and we can be adjustable in the strike zone.” 

In other words, a hitter doesn’t have to tighten up or be prepared to chase as soon as they get to two strikes. They can relax, prepare to wait on the ball, and hit it the other way.

The Rock Almighty: Heartbreaking and No Tariffs On His Grace...

 The Rock Almighty Shaker Of Heaven And Earth. Now Streaming On US Sports Radio!

• Author Larry Farmer

Heartbreaking

Many times defeat and loss are much stronger and longer lasting than even glorious victory. Victory is often fleeting, exhilarating in the present but soon a faded memory. Looking back on my favorite sports teams, their defeats (especially the close ones) exert powerful emotions that never actually go away. Crying at the time releases pent up feelings, but the heartache continues indefinitely.

One such situation occurred in the spring of 1968. The 1960’s were not good to Adolph Rupp, the legendary basketball coach of the Kentucky Wildcats. After winning four NCAA championships in the 1940’s and 50’s, he hit a dry spell that never ended. Oh, he had some excellent teams but would never again reach the pinnacle that seemed so easy in the past.

During the early years of the decade, Rupp pinned all his hopes on the flashiest player (Cotton Nash) he ever coached. Nash had some unbelievable games and was a god-like figure to many young schoolboys in Kentucky. However, the Nash led teams were overshadowed by Ohio State led by superstars Jerry Lucas and John Havlicek. In 1966 Rupp came close to the elusive fifth championship but had to settle for being runner-up to Texas Western. Because five white Kentucky starters were defeated by five Black Texas Western starters, the loss solidified Rupp’s reputation in the eyes of the media as a racist. In the late 60’s, UCLA and Coach Johnny Wooden would begin an incredible run of championships that would leave Kentucky and Rupp in the dust.

The sophomore class of 1967 provided Rupp with one last chance for redemption. It featured three clean cut, handsome, and talented young men. The group included Dan Issel, a 6-8 center who would go on to become Kentucky’s all time leading scorer. Issel later had a distinguished career in both the ABA and NBA. Also on the team was 6-4 forward Mike Pratt, a strong, solid workhorse and also a prolific scorer. Pratt, who passed away earlier this year, would become beloved as a color commentator on the Kentucky radio network. But, the guy who was supposed to make things happen was playmaker Mike Casey. Casey was a 6-4 guard who could both make plays and put points on the board. He had led his high school team (Shelby County) to a state championship, and most expected him to lead Kentucky out of the wilderness.

The boy wonders (Casey, Issel, and Pratt) did well in the early part of the 67-68 season but hit a slump in January. Their low point was a 28 point loss to archrival Tennessee. After the Tennessee debacle, the Wildcats rattled off eleven straight victories and claimed the SEC title. During that streak, Issel emerged as a scoring machine. He had done well early in the season, but late in the year he was simply fantastic. Casey, as expected, scored the most total points for the season with Pratt coming in third.

Going into the NCAA tournament, things looked good for Rupp as the regional would be played at Memorial Coliseum in Lexington, Kentucky’s home court. The first game, however, was expected to be a battle of epic proportions. Kentucky’s opponent was Marquette with its feisty and combative coach, Al McGuire. The Warriors (they are now the Golden Eagles) played a smash mouth, aggressive style that always spelled trouble for Rupp led teams. The game never lived up to its hype. Issel went wild, scoring 36 points as Kentucky put over 100 points on the board and won by 18. The only obstacle left between the Wildcats and the NCAA Final Four was Ohio State. Ohio State was good, but it was not the team of the early 60’s when Lucas and Havlicek were such dominating forces.

When I tuned in to the game on my car radio, it was early in the second half. At that time in my life, I was having some personal and professional problems. I won’t go into detail about why, but that fact made what was to come only worse. Cawood Ledford, the Kentucky announcer, greeted me by saying, “Kentucky is in trouble!” They were trailing by ten points and not playing at all well; the Buckeyes meanwhile were doing everything right. The Wildcats were in a grind-it-out game. They fought and clawed, gaining a few points here and a few points there. It turned into a situation where you had to take one step backwards in order to take two steps forward. As the seconds ticked down toward the end of the game, Issel tapped in a shot that put Kentucky up one. On the next possession an Ohio State pass was knocked out of bounds with three seconds left. The Buckeyes in-bounded the ball to Dave Sorenson who banked in a ten-footer as time expired. It was simply horrible, my defeat was complete!

As juniors; Issel, Casey, and Pratt had another good year, but this time they were romped by Marquette in an NCAA regional played in Wisconsin, the home of the SDS (Students for a Democratic Society). This time McGuire had his team psyched, and the fans helped by yelling “Heil Hitler” early and often at Rupp. After the 68-69 season, Casey broke his leg in an automobile accident; Issel and Pratt had to play their senior year without him. They were very good during the 69-70 season, often ranked number one in the country. However, they ran into Jacksonville and 7-0 Artis Gilmore in the NCAA regional finals and could not prevail. Looking back, their one big chance was taken from them by the late Dave Sorenson. I remember it well and always will; the only word to describe it is “heartbreaking.”

I received a bachelors degree in 1967 and a masters degree in 1971 from Western Kentucky University. I taught school for 44 years. One year was spent at Fordsville High School, 17 at Ohio County High School, and 26 at Trinity High School in Whitesville. The subjects I taught were government, history, and English. At Trinity I also served as coach, athletic director, and dean of students. I fancy myself a fairly good writer, and my main interests are sports and politics.

US Sports Martial Arts: Guard Passing in MMA v.s. BJJ and ONE Fight Night 30 | All Fight Highlights 🔥

 

Baseball, Softball, Basketball and More Now Streaming on US Sports Radio

 

• By Owen Reilly

---

Though similar to pure Jiu-Jitsu, passing guard in MMA differentiates from the original grappling sport because of the inclusion of strikes. The ability of both you and your opponent to throw up-kicks from the bottom position and leg strikes when approaching your opponent's guard often affects how fighters approach passing the guard. Furthermore, the reward for passing guard differs in each respective sport. In pure sport BJJ, passing guard often yields two or three points depending on what organization you are competing in. MMA offers no points and is purely meant to gain a dominant position to hunt for submissions or land strikes. 

Pressure Passing vs. Speed Passing 

In sport BJJ, pressure passing is an often used style that works by slowly breaking your opponent down and grinding through their guard. Speed passing also provides an alternative path to victory using leg drags or knee slides. When we compare this to MMA, we see how pressure passing is a very dangerous passing style to employ. Because of the slow nature of this style, utilizing it in MMA will cause you to absorb numerous strikes from the elbows or fists. Speed style, on the other hand, allows you to stay mobile and minimizes the time spent in areas where you can be hit. 

The Guards

The different types of guards will also affect how you decide to pass the guard. For example, passing a butterfly guard versus a closed guard will require different technical moves. In MMA, the types of guards used is typically simpler with the most common types being butterfly, closed, and half guards. This is because many of the more complex guards create more areas where the bottom man can be hit. In the sport of Jiujitsu, the wide variety of guards is more often put on display. Jiujitsu competitions may showcase more advanced guards along with the three simpler ones listed above including spider guard, de la riva guard, or x guard.

After Passing 

Sport BJJ: After passing, the primary goal of pure jiujitsu competitors should be to move to a more dominant position such as taking the back or full mount, or hunting for submissions such as kimuras or americanas. 

MMA: When passing in MMA, moving to a more dominant position is also an option, however, the primary goal should be to end the fight using ground and pound strikes. Submission opportunities, should they arise, also should be taken to end the fight. In MMA you are fighting to finish your opponent rather than to obtain points. 

Despite the fundamentals being the same, the goals and stakes of passing the guard differ between the two sports. MMA favors quicker and more aggressive styles of passing that minimize the potential damage that the top man could endure. Sport BJJ offers various ways to pass such as the style of pressure passing that is not available in MMA. For tips on guard passing, check out the course below.

---

 

US Sports Volleyball: Mastering Volleyball - Advanced Skills and Drills featuring Coach Al Scates (19 NCAA National Championships) and Hüberli/Kernen vs. Shaw/Cheng - Quarter Final Highlights

 The Buzzer Beaters Are Here! Now Streaming On US Sports Radio

Prepare to play like a champion every time you step on the court. In this unique program, Hall of Fame Coach Al Scates goes beyond the fundamentals to provide you with the advanced techniques of volleyball that are essential to winning championships. Among the topics covered are: serving, passing, setting, blocking and drills. Each chapter is like a personal coaching clinic designed to help individuals and teams drastically improve. This unique DVD will show you the same methods that Coach Scates has used to guide his teams to 19 NCAA championship titles during his phenomenal coaching career.

Book this course......

 

One of the greatest coaching careers in the history of collegiate sports came to an end following the 2012 season, as Al Scates retired from coaching at UCLA. Scates left an unmatched legacy of success, longevity and influence in collegiate men's volleyball. Al Scates and UCLA volleyball won NCAA championships in 1970-71-72-74-75-76-79-81- 82-83-84-87-89-93-95-96-98-2000-06. He was named Coach of the Year in 1984, '87, '93, '96, '98 and 2006.

Scates' 50-year coaching record of 1,239-290 (.812) is one of the best in collegiate sports. When he retired that record ranked first among all Division I volleyball coaches. In addition to their 19 NCAA titles, the Bruins also won USVBA collegiate championships in 1965 and '67 under Scates' stewardship. During his six decades at UCLA, he coached 54 different first-team NCAA and 26 USVBA All-Americans, 44 U.S. National Team members, 27 Olympians and seven different Players of the Year. On Dec. 16, 2004, Al Scates was inducted into the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Hall of Fame.

Book this course today!

 

US Sports Softball: How to Create a Softball Team’s Offensive Mindset and (Highlights) #16 Nebraska vs #10 Texas Tech (CRAZY GAME!)

 Get Close To The Final Four! Now Streaming On US Sports Radio

• By Grant Young

---

One of the hardest aspects of coaching softball is getting players to overcome the various mental hurdles they face at the plate. Of course, it’s natural for all humans to experience self-doubt and negative thoughts at times. This is exacerbated in a sport like softball, where a hitter is destined to fail much more often than they’re going to succeed. 

 

This is why cultivating a sturdy mindset at the plate, one that doesn’t view success in terms of hits or home runs, but in quality at-bats and personal progression, is one of the most important qualities a coach can impart to their player.

These lessons won’t only benefit the player at the plate, but they will continue to serve them long after their softball days are done, once they experience the harsh realities that the real world is sure to provide. 

Softball coach Donna Fields knows a thing or two about cultivating success for her players, both on and off the field. Coach Fields just finished her 27th season at the helm of the St. Mary’s Rattlers softball team in 2024. Already a member of the St. Mary's Athletics Hall of Fame, Fields is the only Rattler in school history with a national championship as a player and coach. On December 10, 2021, Fields was also inducted into the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Hall of Fame.

Across Coach Fields’ incredible coaching career, the Rattlers have won 18 conference titles, four NCAA Regionals, and the 2002 NCAA title. 

In Coach Fields’ ‘Building Offensive Players: Getting Them to Buy into Your Offensive Mindset’ Course, she details the precise methods she has used across her nearly three decades of head coaching to build an offensive mindset that her entire team encompasses, regardless of what their stats say. 

We have compiled some of her strongest insights below, to that you can get a glimpse of the ways Coach Field has built and sustained such a winning program. 

Your Offense Depends on your Personnel Along with your System

“As I work each day, I look at my athletes and I try to create our practice to where I can see what our athletes are able to perform, what their strengths are, what their weaknesses might be. Definitely build on our strengths and try to make our weaknesses stronger on a day to day basis.” 

Coach Fields stresses that a team’s offensive mindset is going to change each year, depending on who is on each team’s roster. If your team has more power hitters, then you should alter your approach to give those power hitters opportunities to hit with runners on base, and emphasize swinging for the fences. And if you have a more speed-focused lineup, then you should facilitate a mindset that prioritizes reaching base, playing small ball, and manufacturing runs that way.

The important point here is that softball coaches must remain adaptable (meaning, not set in their ways) if they’re going to see success each year. This requires humility, which is a great quality for not only coaches to have, but for coaches to instill within their players through example.

Routine Hitting

Whenever Coach Fields finds the time, she tries to make her team’s batting practice sessions into what she calls ‘Routine Hitting’.

This is where she’ll divide her hitters into four to six groups, with one group doing station work (which will vary, depending on what your offense is working on at the moment, such as bunts or anything else related to small ball), a group in the batting cage (whether it be front toss, hitting off of the machine, or anything else), a group hitting on the field with live batting practice, and another group shagging on the field.

This allows Coach Fields to bring strategy into her team’s hitting, and simulating scenarios that players will actually experience in the game. Giving them these repetitions when the pressure isn’t so great is a fantastic way to help them get comfortable when the games to begin to count, and there’s another team in the opposing dugout. 

Utilizing this style of batting practice ensures that your players are remaining active and engaged at all times, finding ways to improve and help their teammates out. Even in the shagging portion, players should be at their normal positions, getting as many game-like repetitions as possible from the hitters who are taking live batting practice. 

Manufacturing Runs

Coach Fields notes that manufacturing runs is a major part of her team’s practices, regardless of whether her team is more catered toward power hitting. 

The reason for this is that, while your team might be able to rely on the long ball during the regular season or in conference play, there will come a time at some point later on in the season where you’ll face a pitcher that’s good enough to stop your power hitters from hitting home runs. 

And when that happens, you need to have plan B, so that your offense still has a chance to succeed. 

Coach Fields notes how she’s a big believer in sacrifice bunting, in order to get her baserunners into scoring position. While this isn’t always the most popular choice, it’s a great way to manufacture runs against elite pitching.

But coaches can’t just assume their players (hitters and baserunners alike) will know how to execute a sacrifice bunt scenario to a tee. Therefore, players must get these repetitions during practice to feel good about doing so in high-stakes, postseason situations. 

All of Coach Fields’ points are about creating comfortability for players at the plate, which she believes is the most important part of a solid offensive mindset. And it’s within all coaches to help cultivate that feeling for their teams—which should lead to success.

US Sports Golf: Two Main Principles For Improving Your Golf Short Game and Hyo Joo Kim Highlights | Ford Championship

 Sports Talk, Rock, and Fun! Extra Salty. Now Streaming On US Sports Radio!

 

• By Grant Young

---

The short game in golf can be the most challenging aspect of the sport for many players. While hitting long drives off the tee may seem impressive, it's the finesse and precision required for chipping and putting that can truly make or break a golfer's game. Mastering the short game demands a great deal of skill, touch, and concentration. 

Unlike the full swing, which allows for some margin of error, the short game requires a high level of consistency and control. Ultimately, success in golf often comes down to proficiency in the short game, and those who can excel in this area are likely to see significant improvements in their overall performance on the course.

And when done well, the short game can be golf’s most satisfying aspect. Successfully executing a delicate chip shot to get the ball close to the pin or sinking a long putt can bring about a sense of achievement that is hard to replicate in other aspects of the game. The short game also offers opportunities for creativity, as players can employ various techniques and strategies to navigate around hazards and onto the green. 

Additionally, the short game often plays a crucial role in determining a player's overall score, making every successful chip, pitch, or putt feel like a significant accomplishment.

All of which is to say that it’s worthwhile to try and improve your short game. And online golfing coach legend Gary Wiren is here to help you do so. 

Coach Wiren is a member of six Golf Halls of Fame, including the PGA Hall of Fame and the World Golf Teachers Hall of Fame, and has honorary memberships or distinguished service recognition from Sweden, Italy, New Zealand, and Japan. Wiren was a collegiate conference champion, won the South Florida Seniors PGA title, and the South Florida long-driving championship, played in the USGA Senior Open and the PGA Senior Championship and has won the World Hickory Championship. 

Coach Wiren’s ‘Great Golf Drills Vol. 2 - The Short Game featuring Dr. Gary Wiren’ course will teach you which shots to play in different situations, how to develop the touch necessary for a great short game, and will help you to learn the correct principles of practicing the short game and dramatically lower your scoring average.

Dialing For Distance

The first (and most crucial) point when deciding which clubs to use when attempting to land a shot on the green is knowing how far away you are from the hole. 

The best way to do this is with experience. The more you’re out on the golf course, the better you’ll be at gauging distance. But if you’re relatively new to golf, a great way to know is by using the yardage markers placed along the length of the hole. Better yet, if you have access to a yardage book for a template for the gold course you’re at, this can be an incredibly useful tool.

 

 

Once you calculate an estimated range from your ball to the hole, you’ll want to have a good understanding of how far back you want to take your swing. For example, if you’re ten yards away from the hole, you’ll want to swing so that your club head goes about parallel to your knee during your backswing. If you’re about 20 yards away, your backswing will be around parallel to your hip. A 35-yard chip shot will make your backswing go about to your bicep, and so on. 

Again, repetition is paramount when it comes to deciding which club to use. This is where getting reps in on the driving range is vital because you can test shots and distances with each club to see which best suits you at each distance. It would also be wise to keep a notebook, telling you which clubs you like at certain distances. 

The Right Direction in Chipping

One drill that Coach Wiren loves to utilize when helping students with their chipping direction is placing a club on the ground next to their ball that can help them line their shot up, so they can see where the club of their swing goes through to the target. 

After doing this for enough repetitions, students should be able to envision that imaginary club on the ground while they’re playing, which will be useful in lining up a straight shot. 

Coach Wiren suggests that, when it comes to knowing where the ball should be positioned between your legs when taking a shot, what you can do is stick a tee in the tops of your club’s grip, place it in front of your sternum, and look downwards. The tee should be about ½ inch in front of where you see the ball on the ground beneath it. If that’s where it is, your ball is in the correct position. 

Principles For Putting

Coach Wiren explains how there are main principles for putting success:

1. Stroke Mechanics 

This is essentially learning to swing the putter smoothly, like a pendulum swing. This can be learned in a week.

2. Reading the green

Learning how to accurately read a green can take a lifetime, but some tips Coach Wiren is to imagine that every putt is a straight putt in your mind. In other words, if the green has a slope, you should be still executing a straight putt that accounts for the slope and any other factors that will affect how the ball travels. 

He also goes on to note that reading the green is also about pace, which means gauging how hard to hit the ball. While this will take time and experience, imagining a straight line in your head can improve how well you’re able to read the green.

US Sports Hockey: 4 Hockey Skating Drills for Youth Players: Building Speed, Balance, and Agility and Highlights Sabres vs. Capitals

 How Will DOGE affect Interscholastic, Intercollegiate, and Professional Sports? Now Streaming On US Sports Radio

• By Jackson Chlebowy

---

Skating skills are the foundation for any good hockey player. Youth hockey players who develop good skating technique and habits at a young age will have a significant competitive advantage over their teammates and opponents. Mastering the hockey skating fundamentals early will give young players a head start in developing speed, agility, and edgework. Whether you are coaching complete beginners or a talented team of Peewee’s, practicing ice skating basics will help build an edge over the competition.

Basics of the Forward Stride: One Foot Push Drill – Nicole Uliasz

Coach Nicole Uliasz is a women’s varsity ice hockey coach for the Lawrenceville School, a prestigious prep school in New Jersey. She played women's hockey at a high level, starting her career in 2000 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In 2001, she left the team to play for her country on the US national team. In 2002, she played games on the pre-Olympic tour before joining the women's U-22 national team. She later returned to Wisconsin to finish her collegiate career, earning All-Big10 Honors.

Coach Uliasz teaches the basics of an efficient skating stride in her course ‘Hockey Fundamentals for Beginners’. Good skating starts with a strong, hockey-ready stance. In an athletic stance, a player's knees should be bent, shoulder width apart. Their chest should be up, facing the direction they want to skate. Some players will hunch over, tilting their chest down toward the ice. This is not ideal for skating as it puts the body in an awkward position, resulting in inefficient strides and wasted energy. It also makes it difficult for young players to keep their heads up, and aware of their surroundings. This is key for player safety, but also for game awareness.

If a player skates their head down, they are less likely to be ready to receive or give a good pass and will miss opportunities to make plays. Keeping the head up is a crucial habit to develop at a young age. 

The key to an efficient and effective stride is a strong push. Emphasize the importance of digging the skates into the ice and getting a strong outward push before returning them all the way back under your body. This is key, as it allows for a longer, more powerful stride at minimal energy cost. Shorter, choppier strides that don’t return under the body are less energy efficient and don't allow the player to generate as much power and speed over space. These are good for getting a quick start, but not skating fast over longer distances.

The One-foot push drill is an easy way to get young players comfortable and familiar with the proper skating form and technique. It may be difficult for young players to consistently use proper mechanics, but by breaking it down they will become more aware and intentional about their stride. You must emphasize the long stride starting and returning from under the body.  Make the drill fun, and challenge players to see who can glide the farthest per stride. Turn it into a one-footed race, challenging players to skate as fast as they can with proper form.

Quick Feet Stop and Start Drill

Hockey is a game of inches. The ability to gain speed and change direction on a dime is essential for being a good skater. Learning quick stops and starts will help players be more effective skaters and will allow them to follow the puck/play more effectively. It is also a crucial skill in developing small space speed and acceleration, allowing players to win more puck battles or create separation from their opponents. 

The drill is simple. Line players up at the bottom of a faceoff circle, or in a line with 2 cones spread a few feet apart. On the coach's whistle, players will make a quick crossover start, getting 3 quick and powerful strides focusing on getting from stop to start as fast as they can. They will then stop at the top of the circle, and explode out of the stop back to the bottom of the circle, repeating this as many times as desired. You can incorporate puck carrying into this drill for more skilled players. Make sure you explain the importance of keeping their heads up with the puck on their stick and instructing them to protect the puck when they stop and start. 

Jump Sticks Drill – Coach Patrick Burke

Coach Patrick Burke is a former collegiate and junior hockey player, playing for Connecticut College, the Ramapo Saints, and the New Jersey Rockets. He is now a USA Hockey Association coaching education director and certified USA hockey coach. Coach Burke has coaching experience at nearly every level of the game, from mites to elite high school hockey. He has now turned his attention to youth hockey, focusing on youth player development.

Coach Burke’s ‘Jump Sticks Drill’ from his ‘Coaching Youth Hockey: From Mites to PeeWees’ Course is a great way for young hockey players to practice their balance and agility on their skates. Have your players spread out and lay their sticks down on the ice. On the coach's go, the players will practice jumping over their sticks. Start with 2 feet jumps, emphasizing the importance of keeping their knees bent, and their chest and head up. This will help players keep balance and prevent them from falling. After they’ve gotten the hang of the 2-foot jump you can add fun wrinkles to the drill to keep the kids engaged. They can try 1-foot jumps, spinning jumps, or fast feet. If they really get the hang of the stick jumps, you can incorporate figure 8 skating. Have the players begin on one side of the stick, jumping over the stick and making a tight turn around the ends of their stick. This further stresses the importance of balance and that athletic stance while incorporating movement and skating. 

Circle Skating Drills

There are many different circle skating drills that are very effective in teaching good skating skills and habits. All of the variations follow one base drill. Line all of your players up in one corner, with the first player in line where the goal line meets the corner. Without a puck, have players practice skating on the circle all the way around. Teach players to use crossovers to keep and gain speed while staying on the circle as best they can. After the first player skates past the line, and around the top of the circle again, they will skate to the next circle (2nd corner). Players can be sent on the coach's whistle, or after the player in front passes the line.

After players have the hang of skating the circles, you can add edgework. One way to do this is by having players lift one leg, using only their inside or outside edge around the tops of the circles.

You can have players practice their transitions and backward skating. Tell players to keep their chest facing the far end of the ice at all times (or if there is a clock or scoreboard use those as landmarks to limit confusion). This will force players to incorporate both forward and backward skating while also working on smooth transitions as they reach the tops and bottoms of the circles. 

Adding pucks is also a good way to elevate this drill, forcing players to focus on puck control and making turns with the puck. 

Finally, you can turn this drill into a race, having players chase one another around the circles. If any player gets caught by their teammate they owe push-ups. The race adds stakes, creates competition, and keeps practice fun for young players.

US Sports Soccer: 6 Best Soccer Finishing Drills and Portland Timbers vs. Houston Dynamo FC | Full Match Highlights |

 

Will The Single-Season HR Record Be Broken This Season? Now Streaming On US Sports Radio

 

6 Best Soccer Finishing Drills

• By Damilare Ilyiade

---

The whole aspect of the game of soccer is beautiful and captivating, but the very aspect that gives it its whole essence is goal scoring. In order word finishing.  The game of soccer wouldn’t be the same if there's wasn’t goal scoring. Every move, every tactic, every setup, every structural approach to the game is to achieve one aim, to outscore the opponent. Because that's how the winner emerges.

To get the better of the opponent means to score goals, and to score goals you don’t just need strikers who can strike the ball properly but strikers who can make the right decisions while under pressure and even in the most unpleasant situations.   The game of soccer has seen some extraordinary and cold-blooded finishers. Some of them are extremely talented right from the onset, but they got to the very top via consistent practice and the desire to refine each aspect of their game. Especially the finishing. 

The following aids the finishing skill of a player; player; 

Shot Power, Shot Technique and accuracy, Vision, and Anticipation. 

Shot Power: The ability to strike the ball at a great velocity is essential to becoming a deadly finisher in the game of soccer. This ability can give a soccer player an edge over multiple goalkeepers. Striking the ball with power makes it difficult for an average goalkeeper to react on time, and if the ball is well within the range of the goal, then you can be confident of putting it in the back of the net. 

 

Shot technique and Accuracy: Shot technique a bit differs from shot power, the ability to shoot the ball well is another vital skill known as technique. Having shot power is good, but if the technique does not correspond then it will be difficult to score goals. Some players are not all about the power, but their precision that is technique is second to none. Every top soccer player executes their game with precision and accuracy. Combining shot power with an accurate technique can make a player the opponent’s nightmare. 

 

Vision and Anticipation: The ability to read the game, predict moves, and understand what your teammate or opponent will do before they do it. On the field of play, you don’t only move as the ball moves, you must be able to read the game well and make anticipated the play. This gives you an edge to outsmart your opponent. 

The right proportion of all these can make a top-quality player. 

 

VITAL COACHING POINTS ON FINISHING

- You perform better if you can calm your nerves in heated moments of the game.

- You must be able to use all sides of your foot.

- Learn to balance your body to aid your shot.

- Be firm on your non-shooting foot to generate power and precision on your shooting foot.

- Understand the keeper’s positioning and how to put the ball beyond their reach.

- Target the corners. The top right corner, the top left corner, the bottom right corner, and the bottom left corner.

RECEIVE AND SHOOT WHILE SPRINTING

Objective 

The objective of the drill is to enhance the player’s ability to shoot when moving at great speed as well as striking the ball when it is played to them unexpectedly.

Set-up

4 or 5 cones are placed at 2m interval.

Execution 

-  The trainer stands at the sideline to instruct the drill. When they blow the whistle, the player starts to make a forward run.

-  The players go around the cone at top speed.

-  The coach instructs any player going at a slow pace to increase it. 

-  On getting to the last cone, the coach releases the ball to the player close to the goal.

-  The player picks their spot and shoots. 

-  Repeat as instructed.

Coaching tips

The drill must be done with a keen focus on the goal and putting it past the goalkeeper even as the player reaches top speed while approaching the ball. 

 

RECEIVE, TURN AND DRIVE TO A RESTRICTED SHOT

Objective 

The objective of the drill is to help players to improve their alertness to finishing situations during the game. Since an opportunity to score can come at any time, players must be ready to pounce.

Set-up

4 cones to demarcate the shooting line, the target spot, and the goal post corners.

Execution 

-  The trainer instructs the drill from the sideline. When they blow the whistle, the player starts to exchange passes at a very fast rate.

-  Then the coach blows the whistle.

-  The player who has the ball when the whistle goes out must approach the goal with the ball.

-  The player must not go beyond the demarcation.

-  The player has two targets. To shoot at the two rings at the goal corners.

-  Repeat as instructed.

 

Coaching tips

The drill will help the player's technique and accuracy. 

 

SWITCHING PLAY DISTANCE SHOT

Objective 

The objective of the drill is to help the players shoot from any area outside the box.

Set-up

5 on 5. With one goalie.

Execution 

-  The trainer instructs the drill from the sideline. When they blow the whistle, the players go against themselves and make a sequence of passes.

-  At the sound of the whistle, the team with the ball must approach the red line or shoot from range.

-  The opposing team must try to prevent the team with the ball from scoring.

-  After the play, there’s a reset

-  Repeat as instructed.

Coaching tips

The drill will help the players to be very competitive and with the added pressure of a defending team, will make the finshing more game realistic.

 

2 SMALL GOAL TARGETS

Objective 

The objective of the drill is to enhance the focus and finishing accuracy of players.

Set-up

Two small posts with each team lined to shoot on target from distance.

Execution 

-  The trainer instructs the drill from the sideline. When they blow the whistle, the player runs to take a shot targeting the small post.

-  Each team must try to score.

-  Another set will go after the initial set.

-  The team that scores most wins the drill.

-  Repeat as instructed.

Coaching tips

The drill will help the players shooting technique and accuracy.

 

2 ON 2 TO GOAL

Objective 

The objective of the drill is to recreate a 2 v 2 situation in the attacking third.

 

Set-up

2 on 2 to the goal. The defenders defend their goal, the attackers must find a way to score under 1 minute. 

Execution 

-  The trainer instructs the drill from the sideline. When they blow the whistle, the two players that are attackers must attack the goal to score.

-  The defenders on the other hand must do everything to defend the goal and must not allow the attackers to score under 1 minute.

-  The duo that successfully completes the task wins.

-  Repeat as instructed.

Coaching tips

The drill will help the players to defend and attack 2 v 2 and 1 v 1. As well as understand the correct moments to shoot and how to create space for a shot.

Objective 

The objective of the drill is to recreate the intensity and competitiveness of getting into a goal scoring opportunity and beating/ defending a player 1 v 1.

 

Set-up

Set up 6 straight poles parallel to each other on both sides of the penalty box. Have defenders form a line closest to the end line, and the attackers further away from the end line.

Execution 

- The trainer instructs the drill from the sideline. When they blow the whistle, both the attackers and defenders race around the poles.

- The attacker starts with the ball, and the defender does not. The defender is not allowed to tackle the attacker until they have completed the poled course.

- Generally, the defender will complete the course first so will have a second to get set to try and defend the attacker.

- The drill is finished when either: a shot is taken or scored, or the defender makes a tackle.

- If the defender makes a tackle, the defensive team get a point. If the attacker scores, the attacking team gets a point. If a shot is taken and it does not result in a goal, no points are scored.

- Repeat as instructed.

Coaching tips

The drill will help both the attacker and the defender in game like skills. This includes 1 v 1 attacking and defending, dribbling, shooting, agility, speed, and defensive awareness.

FINISHING DRILLS

These drills will create proper game situations that give room for finishing. These drills will help the players to master situations like this and how to react and sometimes improvise. 

As well as these drills several elite coaches have explored finishing in detail to shed light on the slight margins that can give you an edge on your opponent. A recent example is UC Berkley’s Head Coach Neil McGuire’s course ‘The Art of Goalscoring’. Here Coach McGuire speaks about how your positioning, technique and shot power all combine to making you a top forward.