This Week:
Katie Broaddus
Centreville, Sr.
Centreville's Katie Broaddus works on stick-handling in her yard at home when she's not at practice.
(Joel Richardson -- The Washington Post)
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_____Tips From Katie Broaddus_____
Keys to successful stickhandling
• Ball Distribution: Broaddus controls the center of the field for the Wildcats and is effective at moving the ball from side to side and finding attacking players. "It's easier to be able to split defenders and then see the space that somebody's going to run [into]."
• Field Vision: Players who can see the gaps in a defense without worrying about the ball at their feet are the ones who create scoring chances for themselves and their teammates. "If you have the experience to be a good stickhandler, then you can see the entire field well."
• Quick Touches: The faster a player can get a stick on the ball, the faster it can be moved to open spaces, and the tougher it is for defenses to react appropriately.
Extra Help: Skills players work to develop
• Free Hits: These give teams a chance to reverse field position and generate scoring chances. However, they also result in numerous turnovers as many players hit the ball too high. Broaddus says effective free hits start with "being able to control your stick, shift your weight and follow through."
Extra Help Part II: Situational Stick Skills
• Odd-Man Rushes: When a player is forced to create for herself and another player, the player must identify the location of the defender and where to attack simultaneously. "It just kind of comes with playing," Centreville Coach Kim Crouse said. "Any situation where there's a one-on-one or a two-on-one, that's going to help your stick skills."
-- Ashton Williams
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Field Hockey Stickhandling
During her freshman season on the Centreville field hockey team, midfielder Katie Broaddus knew what it was like to have a skilled stickhandler drive right past her.
Of course, Broaddus was trying to stop players such as teammate Shannon Karl, the 2001 All-Met Player of the Year, on a daily basis.
Now the roles have changed for Broaddus, who is now the one using the quick touch to the side, a powerful charge forward or sending a sharp pass to the other side of the field that leaves opposing defenders scrambling.
"When I was a freshman on varsity all of the girls were so good at it, especially at getting the quick touches on the ball," Broaddus said. "It made me want to work at it."
Broaddus, who will play field hockey for William & Mary next fall, hones her skills by playing the sport year-round and constantly works in her front yard in an effort to stay a step ahead of the competition.
"It's funny to watch now because it has come full-circle," Centreville Coach Kim Crouse said. "Other people trying to defend against her are pretty much cones that she can just whip around. She has just so much control on her stick."
Broaddus finished last season with eight goals and eight assists and last Saturday had the game-winning assist against W.T. Woodson, as Centreville became the first Virginia Northern Region team to beat the defending AAA state champions in 34 games. Centreville was also the last team to beat the Cavaliers, a 3-1 decision on September 8, 2002.
Broaddus's extra stick work has directly led to more confident play on the field, where her playmaking gives her team an advantage.
"It's a lot more fun. From seeing where you started to where you are now, knowing that you were that person that got beat all the time," Broaddus said. "Now you're able to pull around people, it's good."
