European Style of Hockey

Hockey as a game has its roots in the European countries. The European hockey playing countries have taken hockey very seriously and have done all that they can to improve the game in every possible way.

Their easy adaptability to change and technology has taken them a step above and now European hockey playing countries are leaders when it comes to international hockey.

European players if asked to play Asian style hockey will not be able to do it but they took in all the positives of Asian style hockey and blended it to work to their advantage. Their medals tally and wins in all major tournaments will show you the evidence of their current supremacy.

Some of the European style strategies which have made European style hockey the stronger form of hockey are: -

  1. The planning for each major event is done a long time before the event itself. The players, their career peaks and physical fitness is timed in such a way that each player for that tournament is at his peak.
  2. Goal keeping is an art for which a lot of research is done by them and they have special coaches only for the goal keepers.
  3. A system is created in such a way to ensure that the players are tuned towards self discipline, dedication towards the game and the team, organization abilities and they must have the seriousness towards the responsibility shouldered on them. This makes them complete players.
  4. Passing the ball to others and not playing it as a one man game, is another major strategy of theirs.
  5. Constant passing of the ball at the back is seldom done in Asian style hockey but is always done in European style hockey.
  6.  They have penalty corner specialists who can take a penalty corner in an offensive way or defensive way. Conversions of free hits and deflections are something on which they spend a lot of time practicing and perfecting it.

The Europeans are masters in the above mentioned fields which the Asians lack. Apart from this their winning has another reason is because they never forget or give up their roots.

You cannot be anybody else as well as you can be yourself. In the same way your hockey cannot be played better by you playing another style of hockey. Research and knowing the opponents and strengths and weaknesses is vital. European style hockey involves research for each individual opposing team and its players. They have different strategies for different countries.

European hokey when played according to their strategies and roots is effective but played in the Asian style and they will fall apart.

 

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