USA Field Hockey Coaching Articles
 

Tackling From the Left:
Too Dangerous & Scary
By U.S. Men's National Team Coach, Shiv Jagday

OBJECTIVE:

The aim of this article is to develop awareness, in order to, avoid injuries, at all costs, while tackling from the left.

BACKGROUND:

This article was published in the World Hockey magazine dated, March, 1997.

EVIDENCE:

In the month of October 2004, two sad incidents occurred …  One resulted in my school days teammate's 17 yeas old son Deep Kumar Dogra, loosing his life on the field, while tackling from the left. He was hit on the back of his neck by the follow-through swing of the rival center forward.

In the second incident, the world famous and most admired Coach Ric Charlesworh’s son, was representing the Australian Junior National team (U-21) as a left inner, against the visiting Indian Junior National team in Perth, during the October, 2004 match series. He lost his 5 teeth while approaching a common raised ball, from the left side of the Indian team's right full back. Very sad indeed.

LETS GO BACK TO THE YEAR 1996

INJURY CASE   No.1 
OLYMPIC QUALIFIER—SPAIN—1996 

During the opening minutes of the first match of the first day between Belgium and Malaysia, a sad incident occurred.   The Belgium striker ALEXANDRE De CHAFFOY was tackling the Malaysian defender from the left and got his leg fractured. 
The Belgium team lost both its most dangerous striker and this key match due to the fatal mistake on the part of both players involved.  It was disturbing to see Alexandre on crutches or in a wheelchair for the rest of the Tournament. 
This is not what hockey is all about. 

INJURY CASE No. 2 
OLYMPIC QUALIFIER—SPAIN—1996 

In the key pool match between Canada and Malaysia, the Canadian right winger Chris Gifford, got his left hand fractured in the opening minutes.  Like the Belgium forward, Chris was tackling the Malaysian defender from the left.  Chris did not play the remaining matches against, India, Spain and Boleros.  This was a big loss to the Canadian Team, and the pain and suffering through which Chris went was not easy to watch. 

INJURY CASE No.3 
SULTAN AZLAN SHAH CUP—MALAYSIA—1995 

In the final match between India and Germany, the German Forward tackled the Indian deep defender from the left.  He got himself badly hurt on his leg and had to be carried from the field. 

DANGEROUS GAME SITUATION 
The game situations, where these 3 incidents occurred were more or less the same.  A forward is tackling the deep defender from the left while the defender is in the process of executing a hard hit, to make a long pass or clearance. 
Please see the photographs. 

WHY THIS ARTICLE? 
During two major International Tournaments—the Olympic Qualifier, Spain, January, 1996 and Sultan Azlan Shoh Cup, Malaysia, October, 1995—3 players have been badly injured.  Their further participation in the Tournament ended abruptly -- one does have not to pay this big a price to play hockey. 
The whole objective of this article is to educate our coaches and athletes.  So they are aware in advance of this potentially dangerous situation and know How to Tackle From the Left. 

RESPONSIBILITY 
Both coaches and athletes are jointly responsible. From a coaches point of view, we must educate our players, How to Tackle tactfully from the left, in this potentially dangerous situation. From the athletes angle, they should be smart enough to recognize the dangerous situation and have the knowledge to make the right decision, and avoid injury at all cost.  

UMPIRES 
I know I am getting myself into trouble by stepping on the umpires toes. So I’d better be sensible, keep quiet, and not step.... 
However, there have been instances, in the scrimmage, when I both coach and umpire. I see this dangerous situation—INJURY PRONE—coming.  The deep defender is getting ready for a big hit and will probably swing through the hit.  I blow the whistle and give a free hit.  Needless to say, I – as an umpire – get a lot of dirty looks and sometimes get asked why I blew the whistle?  What’s wrong?  I just don’t want to see blood or anyone getting hurt. 

SAFETY FIRST 
There is no point taking an unnecessary risk.  Safety First should be the motto of each and every player. 

NO WIN SITUATION 
When a deep defender is in position to take a hit, the forward should approach him cautiously, from the left.  The chances of the forward getting the ball are minimal, except for the very few who are shrewd and cunning and can easily steal the ball, just as they can pull the tooth from the roaring lions mouth.  Usually the forward is in a ‘no win’ situation. 

WHAT SHOULD THE FORWARD AIM FOR?  
The whole aim of the forward should be to put pressure and force the deep defender to rush into making a bad pass.  The pass may be intercepted and counter attack employed.   If the forward steals the ball it is an added bonus. 

PLEASE REMEMBER THIS 
The forward should never be caught in a position where he is vulnerable to injury.   This occurs when he is caught in a No Man’s Land -- neither too near nor too far from the swing range—follow through—of the hitter.  It is a Dangerous Zone. 
Please see the photographs. 

HOW TO TACKLE FROM the LEFT—STEPS  

· First step.  Hold the stick in the left hand only 
· Never get caught in the No Man’s Land—Danger Zone—when the defender is in the process of hitting the ball. 
· Try to hop into the No Man’s Land—Danger Zone—when the hitter is in the process of Receiving, Controlling and Dribbling the ball.  Please see photograph No.4. 
· Try to put pressure.  Play the cat and mouse game. 
· Never Ever stay in this Danger Zone when the hitter has taken the back swing to hit the ball. 
The most important thing to do is HOP CLOSER and bring your body very close to the back of the hitter.  The whole body—including legs and arms—must be behind the hitter’s back.  Your head and face also covered and protected behind the hitter’s head. 

· Just try to dip quickly, and see if you can top the ball away, with the reverse stick, being held in the left hand, while the hitter has taken the back swing. 
· If this is not possible, just pressure him to take a quick mishit. 
The other option after step 4 is to back peddle out of the No Man’s Land, staying away from the range of the hitters swing.  SAFE ZONE. 

· It is not an easy tackle, and it is also not worth risking your personal safety for.  Wise players don’t take unnecessary risks. 

SPORTS INJURY 
Sports and injuries are inseparable, though some injuries can be totally avoided by playing smart and taking necessary precautionary measures. In some circumstances they are unavoidable, but the degree of damage can be controlled or reduced sharply by being cautious. The most important thing that our coaches and players should know......How to tackle from the left, and avoid injury at all costs. 

CONCLUSION 
If the coaches can bring home this point of safety, our moral obligation to the players has been taken care of, to a degree.  We should never let the three incidents mentioned earlier, happen again. One of the most scary moments happened in the World Cup, 1990, Lahore, in the match between Canada and Ireland – it is hard to forget. 
Nick Sandhu, the Canadian deep defender had the ball under control and was in the process of hitting to clear.  When Irish forward Jimmy Kirkwood, dived low from the left to tackle.  Jimmy got badly hit by Nick’s follow through.  Jimmy’s cheekbone was fractured and needed 15 stitches.  The scene was full of blood.  A very sad moment in the World of Hockey. 
The other day, I was talking to Nick; even to this day, Nick feels so sad and sorry about that incident. Photo included. 

LET’S NOT LET THESE INJURIES HAPPEN EVER AGAIN!

#1 – Netherlands vs. India, Seoul Olympics, 1988
Indian forward is smartly tackling from the left.  He is out of the DANGER ZONE and in the SAFE ZONE

#2 – DANGER ZONE – imagine being in the swing range of a hammer thrower. Netherlands vs. India, Olympic Qualifier, Spain, 1996

Dutch forward is caught in the DANGER ZONE. The stick should be in the left hand with body in NEUTRAL or SAFE ZONE. Please compare with #1

#3 - Germany vs Australia, Junior World Cup, Malaysia, 1982: The forward has been caught in the DANGER ZONE

#4 – Netherlands vs. Great Britain, Olympic Qualifier, Spain, 1996 

Dutch defender is in process of controlling the ball; GB forward, Rob Thompson, has jumped into the DANGER ZONE to exert pressure. Please observe Rob’s body position. If the Dutch player decides to hit the ball quickly, Rob can hop into the NEUTRAL ZONE – compare with #2 & #5.

#5 – Netherlands vs. Great Britain, Olympic Qualifier, Spain 1996

While the Dutch sweeper is in the process of passing the ball, see how the two GB forwards are putting pressure yet staying in the SAFE ZONE. They have tamed the lion without getting hurt.

#6 – Spain vs. Great Britain, Olympic Qualifier, Spain, 1996.