What skills are needed for defenders in hockey?

The Ability to defend is based on two principles: holding up play and by good positioning, moving, knowledge and application of practical defensive skills (usually referred to as Vision). You need to be good at the very basic skills required to play hockey like the following;

General Defending Skills:

• Delaying and holding up of play ahead of an opponent
• Maintain low, balanced body position
• Weight on balls of feet ready to move in any direction
• Ability to keep your eye on the ball and not the player or stick
• Ability to carry the ball on the open and reverse stick side.
• Passing accurately.
• Speed moving in any direction fast.
• Accurate Pushing.
• Slap Hit/Push.
• Receiving the ball (also referred to as "first touch" by many coaches).
• Receiving the ball from the front, left and right.
• Ability to move the ball left to right in front of your body with short and long drags from left to right (Indian Dribble).
• Closing down and channeling
• Marking well positioning yourself between the goal and the attacker well (Goal Side).

Tackling Skills:

• The Jab
• Flat stick block tackle open stick
• Flat stick block tackle reverse stick (this does not mean the rounded side of the stick)
• Good at Interception

Clearing Skills

• The Hit
• Clip Hit
• Sweep
• The Flick
• Aerials

Please do have a look at a selection of training and skills videos i have on the link below

First answer by Hockeyaddict. Last edit by Hockeyaddict. Contributor trust: 47 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 1 [recommend question]