Field Hockey Passing & Receiving Practice Plan for 7 and 8 Year Olds
At 7 and 8, passing is catch with sticks: the PUSH pass (the ball pushed along the ground with the flat face, no backswing: the sport's first and forever pass) and the TRAP (the flat face cushioning the arriving ball dead: the egg-catch of this sport). A parent with any stick is the perfect first teammate.
Thirty minutes on flat ground at short distances. The push's no-backswing law gets planted (the ball starts ON the stick and gets pushed, never hit: power is years away and unwanted), traps get celebrated as loudly as passes, and the streak games carry the volume.
This plan was written for every 7 and 8 year old. ParentEdge writes one for yours.
Built around their game, their goals, and what they’re working on.
What is the push pass and why no backswing?
The sport's foundation pass: the ball starting in contact with the flat face and pushed through, the stick following to the target: accurate, quick, and safe. The no-backswing law at this age is doubly wise: it builds the correct technique AND the safety habit (raised sticks near small heads stay banned).
How does the trap compare to other sports' receiving?
It is the egg-catch's hockey edition: the flat face giving backward so the arriving ball dies on the stick, graded by whisper-versus-clack sound. Receiving's celebration parity (traps roared like passes) builds the half of passing most kids never practice.
What distances suit beginner passing?
Six-to-twelve feet: close enough for the push's form to reach, far enough to feel real, stretching only as the pretty pass keeps arriving. The wall substitutes for partners honestly at these ranges: the sport's tireless teammate, from day one.