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29th Aug 2018

The top 10 worst training drills in the GAA

Some horrific ones here

Conan Doherty

Drills are bad for different reasons – mostly because they’re gruesome but sometimes because they’re just crap.

It’s hard to keep a group of players happy but here are the 10 worst GAA drills or conditions that can be sprung on a team.

You won’t get through one of these – or even mention any of them – without someone whinging. And rightly so.

10. Let them block you

Yep. Just stand there and kick straight ahead and let the player dive in and block you.

There were no blocks the last day – so make sure you let him block you now and don’t be kicking it away before he gets there.

9. Disguised sprints

You’re told that this is a ball drill but all you’re doing is sprinting with the ball, popping off at the end, running around the guy’s back and taking it off him again.

This would actually be better if managers came clean and told you you were just doing sprints. Forget about that faffing about at the end.

8. One v one contesting ball

A player at either sideline, two players in the middle. The ball is kicked in, they contest to win it.

When it is won, they kick it back and turn for the next ball coming in from the other sideline.

In theory, this drill looks like this.

In reality, it looks like this.

Players end up half way down the pitch chasing after fumbles and failed pick ups and tackles and breaks and, by the time the ball is being kicked back, they’re under no pressure and out of position for the next one.

7. Hand pass into squares

Hand pass into one of your players in any of the squares and then go on and do the same at any other square.

Basically though, if you get the first score, you’re going to coast through this game whilst the other team drag themselves around after you.

When you score, you choose what square you go to, you keep possession and even one free man opens up gaps everywhere. Piss easy if you’re winning. The worst, most energy-zapping and leggy game if you’re chasing.

6. Straight line hand passing

Come on.

5. Goals to goals

Any player who doesn’t go around both bloody posts, we’re doing it all over again.

4. 10 hand passes before you can shoot

Alright so… we’ll not bother going after the man on the ball – just grab everyone else.

3. Tackle corridor of death

Very simple.

You have the ball – just get it to the other side, past all those player lining up to bust you.

2. Figure of 8s (of death)

I don’t want to talk about this.

1. Circle of death

A man at each cone at the corner of the square, two players inside.

Two balls out with the men around the edges.

One attacker, one defender inside.

Attacker wins ball from cone and pops off to a free man on outside. Defender tries to stop him.

Go after different ball and pop off to different cone.

NB. People who pop it back to the same cone they got it from can get f**ked.

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