SKILLS AND DRILLS - Houston Gaels

Gaelic Football Skills & Drills

There are many different skills involved in the game of football.

The skills can be broadly broken down into those that involve Gaining Possession, Maintaining Possession, Releasing Possession and Contesting Possession. Many of these skills can be performed on the ground, without the need to get the ball into the hand and out of the hand. Below are a few example skill development tips and drills for some of the core skills in each category.

Gaining Possession

Involves gaining possession and control of the football. Thus, skills such as catching and lifting are included.

HIGH CATCH

The High Catch is a catching technique used to field the football from the air. It is used in particular to win possession from a kick out or a long pass.

CROUCH LIFT

The Crouch Lift is a technique used in Gaelic football to lift the ball from the ground into the hands.

BODY CATCH

The Body Catch is used when the ball is dropping between waist and head height and the player has time to cushion it into their chest.

Maintaining Possession

Once the football is under the control of the player, there are a number of skills which help the player in possession to maintain possession. These skills encompass soloing skills and evasion skills.

SOLO

The Solo or toe tap is a technique used to play the ball in order to keep possession without fouling.

FEINT AND SIDE STEP

The Feint and Side Step is a technique used to evade an opponent while in possession of the ball or to lose an opponent in order to find space.

BOUNCE

The Bounce is used to play the ball in order to keep possession without fouling.

Releasing Possession

Involves releasing the football, with either the hand or the foot. All of these skills should be performed and developed using both the left and right hand and foot.

PUNT KICK

The Punt Kick is one of the most common foot passing techniques in Gaelic football. It may also be used to kick for a score when approaching the goal straight on.

HOOK KICK

The Hook Kick is a kicking technique used in Gaelic football. Predominantly used to kick for a score, it is also used to pass to a team mate at an angle to the player in possession.

HAND PASS

The Hand Pass is used to pass the ball over short distances. The technique involves supporting the ball in one hand and striking it with the open free hand.

FIST PASS

The Fist Pass is a variation on the hand pass used to pass the ball over short distances. The technique involves supporting the ball with one hand, and striking with the closed fist of the free hand. A Fist Pass may be used to score a point, a Hand Pass may not.

Contesting Possession

Involves many of the skills used to tackle an opponent in possession, or to contest for possession when neither player is in possession of the football.

BLOCK DOWN

The Block Down is a tackling technique used to prevent an opponent shooting for a score or passing to another player.

NEAR HAND TACKLE

The Near Hand Tackle is a tackling technique used in Gaelic football to knock the ball from an opponents possession with the open hand.