Alexandra C.

I moved to the Washington, DC are in 2010 after accepting the Head Coaching position at a School in McLean with my best friend. In the last two years, Chrissy has also developed a club field hockey team for developmental players and elite players, ages 12-19; I am the Technical Director and Elite Head Coach for the club.

Ever since I began my career in software sales in Tysons, I have been doing the following:
-Winter 2012 held indoor field hockey sessions for an indoor team.
-Spring 2012 led the team in their first outdoor Spring season.
-Spring 2012 began coaching private sessions twice a week after work day.
-Summer 2012 continued coaching private sessions, but expanded clientele and increased sessions to three times a week and weekends.
-Fall (2012) I trained the developmental teams enrolled in Great Falls field hockey once a week.
-I am coaching their indoor Elite squad, which practices twice a weekend when we do not have tournaments.

My coaching style can range from beginners to high level competitors. My main goals as a private coach are as follows:
1. To give the respective athlete the attention she needs in order to improve her own personal skills.
2. Assess athlete's overall skill level and cater session to player's specific needs.
3. Start with foundations: skill-work, body positioning, accuracy, and hits. What many players do not realize is with minor adjustments, they can better their play 100% all they need is someone to show them.
4. Overtime, build sessions into high level play: field positioning, decision making, defense, and quick skills.
5. Positive encouragement goes a long way.
6. I do not tolerate parental interference.

I played at the Division I level for Penn State, class of 2008. Prior, I played for The Lawrenceville School in New Jersey, and also competed at the club level for East Coast field hockey. I competed in two National Field Hockey festivals, as well. After college, in addition to my full-time job, I coached two National Festivals for East Coast.

It is important to assess the level of the player. Regardless, I always focus on repetition of the basics for the first 10 minutes of every sessions. Honing in on the fundamentals is key to building a solid hockey foundation; it also takes a players technical skills to a higher level, with much more depth.

Basic focuses: footwork, small stick work, passing, accuracy, and body positioning.

Sessions are meant for one-on-one attention. I pick out what the player needs to fine-tune and incorporate those weaknesses into continuous drills that challenge the player 100% of the time. All drills involve multiple steps, which helps the players overall attention to detail, and adds an element of thought into the session. Paying attention to detail was one of the most important focuses throughout my college experience.

Also, I increase the speed and intensity of the drill via repetitions. In other words, about 10-15 on a drill and have the player start at 25% speed, and then build from there.

I am a huge believer in relating every hockey skill to something visual so that skill is not forgotten. For example: I use the numbers on a clock when I explain how to control the strength of a hit. The player's depth perception of their hit becomes dependent on the clock visual: "Start your back swing at 3 o'clock and finish with your follow through at 9 o'clock to send the ball as far as you can." On the other hand if a player is passing on the run, and passing within a small space: "Start your swing at 5 o'clock and finish a 7 o'clock." These concepts really stick with my players. That is just the tip of the ice burg. I have so many examples.

Small goals and competitions throughout the session are fun, and I frequently encourage that!

My sessions are extremely effective and I have receive and seen first hand huge improvements in every player I have coached. I like to simplify the game and turn players into high-skilled, smart, humble athletes who want to advance in the game of field hockey.