Like any other sport, field hockey requires endless amounts of practice for an athlete to maintain their skills. Just like you will prepare for certain events at a game, you will also notice there are several things you see at a field hockey practice that you must prepare for. Some of them are mundane, and you will barely notice them while some of them are a bit more eventful and require an athlete’s strength of mind to deal with. Even at a kids’ summer camp, field hockey practice is tough, and you must be prepared. The following are a few aspects of field hockey practice that you must prepare to see regularly.
#1 – Exercise
Field hockey is a grueling sport that requires physical and mental toughness to excel in. As such, practices will be filled with constant exercise as you bolster your speed and agility. You will have to push yourself physically to succeed in practice, your muscles will be sore, and you’ll sweat buckets. However, the physical and mental payoff will be worth it, as you’ll be in fantastic physical shape and be ready to play some real games of field hockey.
#2 – Injuries
Injuries are an unfortunate reality of any sport, and many times, they’ll happen in practice. An injury is very difficult to watch, as it is difficult to see a teammate in pain, and mentally taxing to wonder when they’ll be back in playing shape again. In times like these, it is good to step up as an encouraging force of your team and inspire your teammates to play hard in your teammate’s honor as they recuperate.
#3 – Alert Training Staff
Even more, unfortunately, you may get injured. It is important to take injuries seriously, but you must also take them in stride. It is inevitable that any athlete gets injured. Luckily, even at a kids’ summer camp, there are knowledgeable athletic trainers that can help you overcome your meddlesome injury. Listen to exactly what they say and do as they prescribe as an experienced trainer, and you’ll get back on your feet in no time to have fun with your teammates again.
#4 – Speed and Agility Drills
Field hockey is a fast-paced sport, and it will require that you be skilled with your footwork. Field hockey practice will have a lot of taxing speed and agility drills that you will have to continually perform. These drills will be tough, and you will have to do many of them rapidly and back-to-back. However, they will develop the most important skills of a good field hockey player, and will get easier as you become more physically fit.
#5 – Nutrition Seminars
Part of being a good athlete is eating right. While you may have the physical endurance and mental strength to get through a grueling day of field hockey drills, a lot of that strength training will be inefficient if you subsist on a poor diet. While they won’t be as exciting as a good game or fast-paced practice, nutrition seminars will help you eat and drink the right things to make the most out of your hard work at practice.
#6 – Film Sessions
A good kids’ summer camp will focus on strengthening the mind as well as the body. While physical workouts are vital to an athlete’s success, an athlete cannot neglect study and informational sessions. Expect to see films on various subjects including technique, safety, and footage of other athletes. Pay close attention to these film sessions to improve your game.
#7 – Sports Psychologists
Building on the above, an athlete’s emotional state must be well-maintained, as a flustered and emotionally distracted athlete will not perform as well as a mentally composed one. Many kids’ summer camps are equipped with sports psychologists that can help an athlete through various sports-related issues. If there is something related to practice or the sport that’s bothering you, don’t bottle it up. Go to one of these professionals and see if they can help you through your troubles. Don’t be too prideful to go see one, either. Four-time Super Bowl Winner Tom Brady made extensive use of sports therapy when he was in the middle of his student career.
#8 – Personal Evaluations
Just as a team must be coached together, so too does the individual athlete need to be coached. As with any kids’ summer camp, you’ll be worked with by trainers and coaches on an individual basis to improve your technique. While one-on-one evaluations can be nerve-wracking, use them as a resource for improvement and a benchmark on your progress through the life of a field hockey player.
#9 – Prizes and Accolades
While the physical and mental efforts of field hockey practice can be grueling, you can look forward to the prizes and accolades awarded for a good days’ work. While an athlete’s first concern should not be personal glory, your effort deserves to be acknowledged, and you’ll be rewarded accordingly for a hard day’s work. Look forward to these small prizes and enjoy them.
#10 – Scrimmage
A good practice isn’t complete without a practice game. Scrimmages are a good way to put all the skills you’ve been bolstering into practice, a “final exam” of sorts. After all, it’s difficult to practice the game without actually playing the game. These are a fun way to test your skills against your teammates and be the best athlete you can be.
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