This block teaches players to stabilize body position, make correct dive choices, and reposition effectively before adding more team complexity.
Body Position Stability
- Establish stable cobra position
- Maintain posture while moving
Linked Drills:
Cobra Hold,
Kelp Dive Decision
- Use kelp dive for stationary puck
- Emphasize vertical control
Linked Drill:
Kelp Dive Repetition
Kelp Dive Decision
- Use kelp dive for stationary puck
- Emphasize vertical control
Linked Drill:
Kelp Dive Repetition
Surface Repositioning
- Surface when out of position
- Recover and re-enter
Linked Drill:
Surface Reset Drill
Surface Repositioning
- Surface when out of position
- Recover and re-enter
Linked Drill:
Surface Reset Drill
Midwater Tracking
- Track play from midwater
- Re-enter at correct moment
Linked Drill:
Midwater Tracking
¶ Exit Standard
By the end of this block players should demonstrate the following during short game play:
- Maintains stable body position with hips low, chest up, and eyes forward
- Uses kelp dive when the puck is stationary and close
- Uses duck dive when play is moving
- Surfaces to reposition appropriately
- Tracks midwater when appropriate
¶ Body Position
Players should maintain a stable cobra position on the bottom so they can see play clearly and move with control.
- Keep hips low
- Keep chest up
- Keep eyes forward
- Control the free arm
Use a kelp dive when the puck is stationary and close. The player should descend with control and land directly below the entry point.
- Dive from a stable surface position
- Descend vertically with control
- Land under the starting point
- Do not rush the entry
Use a duck dive when the play is moving and the player needs to enter the play while swimming forward.
- Carry forward movement into the dive
- Enter smoothly without losing control
- Keep eyes on the play
- Return to the surface when the action moves away
Players should surface when they are out of position, recover calmly, and re-enter with purpose.
- Surface before becoming rushed
- Breathe calmly
- Reposition before re-entering
- Do not stay underwater when out of play
When full bottom play is not available, players should track the movement of play from midwater and re-enter at the correct moment.
- Watch the movement of play
- Stay connected to the action
- Re-enter when timing is right
- Hips low
- Chest up
- Eyes forward
- Dive with purpose
- Reset by surfacing
- Do not rush underwater
- Player holds a stable cobra position
- Player can see forward while on the bottom
- Player selects the correct dive for the situation
- Player surfaces before becoming rushed or out of play
- Player tracks the play and re-enters with awareness
- Hips too high
Cue: Drop hips.
- Head down
Cue: Eyes forward.
- Diving when surfacing is better
Cue: Reset first.
- Rushing dive mechanics
Cue: Control before speed.
- Monitor spacing during dive drills
- Keep intensity low to reinforce control
- Stop repeated incorrect dive choices and reset players
- Progress by function, not by time
¶ Progression and Regression
- Add light movement before dive decisions
- Reduce rest time between repetitions
- Add simple directional cues before the dive
- Shorten swim distance
- Slow drill tempo
- Remove directional variation