A velvet-like FIRST TOUCH
The science of first touch is inseparable from the science of perception. Before the ball arrives, the player’s ability to pre‑scan the environment—looking up to identify teammates, opponents, and available space, within the context of the game situation —has been shown to predict performance outcomes.
EYE to EYE
In hockey — whether on turf or ice — the ball is rarely still, the environment is visually chaotic, and the margin for error is measured in milliseconds and millimetres. While strength, conditioning, and tactical awareness dominate most training programs, visual acuity across all vision attributes remains an under‑trained determinant of performance (Poltavski & Biberdorf, 2015). We can all do better. Image copyright Anastasia Badun.