THE STALL
by Coach Thomas Neil Zacoi
Traditionally, teams that want to protect a small lead or those who are winning by a lot and
don’t want to run up the score, often slow down the game by setting up a “stall.” The following
discussion and illustration will give you a better understanding of how to best set up the field,
move, and protect the ball.
Remember that you can stall the ball anywhere on the field, but it’s best to set it up in the attack
zone, opposite your goal! To be done effectively, have the girls with the best stick skills handling
the ball in order to avoid a costly turnover!
SETTING UP THE FIELD
Ms. Janine Tucker, head women’s coach at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, says, “To
maintain space and remove a defender from pressuring the ball, set up a player at the TOP of the
8-meter to be an outlet.”
In my opinion this player is the key to a
successful stall—I call her a “Target Player.” She
should be one of the most experienced players
and best ball-handlers on the team. She must
anticipate well and be able to communicate
with her teammates, alerting them of a
pending double team! Not only must she be
an outlet for her teammates who occasionally
throw a bad pass, she has to calmly direct all
of them by name and keep them well-spaced. Last but not least, she must back all of them up, be
one of the first to fight for a 50/50 ball, or quickly challenge an opponent on a turnover.
In addition to the Target Player, I feel it’s important to have a tenacious defender “patrol” the
restraining line from sideline to sideline. She must be vigilant on the field and be in optimal
position (moving with the ball), to fight for a 50/50 ball while remaining on side. Although your
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opponent’s field positioning above the restraining line may dictate where your players should be,
it’s vitally important that all of them stay focused and remain goal side in the event of a turn over.
They must challenge and slow down the ball carrier before she gets inside the critical scoring area.
Properly setting up a stall will optimally use the space below the restraining line. Refer to the
following illustration to see how the players are positioned throughout the field. If the score is
close, the ball carrier will be pressured. Therefore, it is not wrong to take the ball back toward the
restraining line, or further, to ensure that your team doesn’t lose possession.
DISCIPLINE
During the stall, as the ball is moving and time is “burning” off the clock, there’s a good chance
that every one of your opponents will become more frustrated and aggressive! If your team does
a good job stalling (a.k.a keep-a-way), one or more of your on-field opponents will inevitably lose
her focus and make a mistake! For example, one may run out and foul the ball carrier, another
could slip and fall, or a third could turn her head momentarily and lose sight of the ball. There are a
number of things that could happen and when the situation presents itself, you will be tempted to
run in and try to score. But do not give in to the temptation! Stay cool, focused and patient. Keep
the ball and your feet moving, run into open space if necessary, and communicate. But stay out of
the arc and, most importantly, do not shoot!
When stalling, you must stay in bounds and not get too close to the restraining line. If the ball
carrier is being pressured by only one defender, she must keep her feet moving and protect her
stick. As time wears on, she may hear the opponent’s coaches or teammates yell, “Double the ball,”
in which case, she must know where the double team is coming from and react quickly by first
looking to the back side for an open teammate.
PROTECTING THE BALL
How many times have you been told to protect the ball by keeping your body (or shoulder) in
between the ball and the pressure? “It is imperative to maintain good body positioning when
challenged during a stall. If you are practiced and confident, the triple threat position works well in
this pressure-packed situation.
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While moving the ball around the field, make sure that you pass and catch it properly. By that I
mean, if the ball is moving from your right to left, you should catch it with your right hand on top,
drop step and pivot off your left foot, switch your stick and throw the ball to your teammate with
your left hand on top. Reverse these instructions when the ball is moving from left to right.
STALL ALTERNATIVES
In addition to setting up a stall, there are alternatives that can be employed to take time off the
clock. For example, your goal keeper can waste time by being patient when she clears the ball.
Another often overlooked tactic is taking your time when your team moves to retrieve a ball that
went out of bounds! This is also true for every re-start; don’t rush into position and walk slowly.
True champions aren’t always the ones that win, but those with the most guts.
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— Mia Hamm