1. Grip the stick with both palms facing up.
2. Position the ball a little more than one-stick length away.
3. Keep your body parallel to the target, and get as low to the ground as possible.
4. Put your shooting foot in line with the ball and the target.
5. Take a short backswing.
6. Hit the ball with the inside edge of the stick.
7. Follow through towards the target
Tip: There is no reason to hit the ball hard. Swinging through the ball and ensuring good contact will result in the perfect shot.
The reverse chip shot is useful when the player is being forced to the side of the goal on her weak side. It allows the player to get a better angle at the net and forces the goalie to adjust to an airborne shot.
“Many defenders will try and push you on your weak side, so you can’t take a hit on your forehand. This is when the reverse chip shot comes into play,” said Eva Toffoloni ’15, Captain of Andover Field Hockey.
The player is often on the move as she takes this shot. This makes it difficult for the goalie to predict when the shot is coming. Usually, the player must set up and pause to get a clean hit, but this is not the case with the reverse chip shot.
“If you can shoot equally well from both sides, then you become dangerous on both sides to a defender and a goalie,” continued Toffoloni.
Mastering this shot prevents defenders from taking away one side of the field and forcing a player to her weak side. This often creates more passing lanes and offensive opportunities.
Toffoloni, who recently broke the single season scoring record for Andover Field Hockey, avidly uses this shot to create space and score against tough defenses.
Evagelia Toffoloni ’15, Co-Captain of Andover Field Hockey, contributed to the writing of this article.
