When and How to Shoot Under Pressure

Skills & Practice

Aug 31

You've got the ball. You're near half court, the goalie is set, and a couple of defenders are between you and the net. Do you shoot?

A lot of the time, the answer at GVL is no. This post explains why our club is fairly picky about shots, what "sending it home" means, and what to do when you do need to shoot with a defender on you.

Why we don't shoot every time we can

Goals are hard to come by in bike polo. Games are usually low-scoring, and even a clean one-on-one against a goalie is roughly a coin flip. That means a missed shot costs more than it seems to. When you shoot and miss, the other team often gets the ball while your team is still pushed forward.

GVL plays a fairly conservative, defense-first style. We set up a 3-2-1 defense when we don't have the ball, and when we do, we try not to give it away cheaply. This changes how we think about shooting.

A good look versus a bad one

There's no perfect checklist, but some situations are worth taking a shot, and some aren't.

Worth a shot:

You have a clear angle at the goal.
The goalie is out of position.
A teammate is following the play and can pick up a rebound.
You’re on a breakaway against just the goalie.

Probably not:

You're shooting from distance into a set goalie with defenders in front of the net.
You're at a sharp angle near the end wall.

What "sending it home" means

When there's no good shot and no good pass forward, we send the ball home. "Home" means your own half of the court. You might take the ball across halfcourt or pass it back to a teammate who can collect it without pressure.

Sending it home lets your team reset. Everyone gets back into position, the other team has to come out and pressure you, and you get another chance to build a better shot. It can feel like going backward, but it's often how you make a good scoring chance.

Shooting under pressure

It’s one thing to practice shooting drills on an empty net where you can set the pace, and another to take a shot in a pickup game or, even more so, at a tournament where losing means you’re out.

Being patient doesn't mean you'll always get an easy look. Sometimes your best chance comes with a defender right on you. A few things make those shots more likely to go in:

Shoot early. Your angle gets worse the moment a defender arrives. If you have a shot, take it.
Keep the swing short. A big wind-up gives a defender time to tap the ball away. A short, quick swing is harder to stop.
Use your bike to protect the ball. Keep your bike between the defender and the ball when you can.
Practice your backhand. If you have multiple options, you have answers for multiple scenarios.
Be ready for the pass. When a teammate passes to you near the goal, have your mallet down and ready before the ball arrives. Hitting it on the first touch, or settling it with one quick touch, gives the goalie less time to adjust.
Know when to let it go. If the pressure takes your shot away, pass it or send it home. A forced shot that misses usually turns into a chance for the other team.

Putting it together

Shooting well is partly about the shot itself and partly about choosing when to take it. If you're newer, don't worry about getting the decision right every time. Ask a clubmate to talk about their shooting strategy with you, and you'll start to see the patterns.