The aerial contest, the overhead touch, and winning the ball that breaks in the middle third
Own the Middle
- Camogie
- Adult
- 75 min
- 16–28 women
- 2 coaches
- Effort 4/5
- Half pitch
- adult
- aerial
- breaking-ball
- high-catch
- midfield
Kit: Hurleys and helmets with faceguards down, size 4 sliotars a ball between two, 30 cones, 14 bibs (2 colours), a mentor with a reliable delivery to feed the drop
Feet Under the Flight
Setup: Pairs in a 20m channel, one ball per pair, helmets on and faceguards down. Mentors show the catch and the overhead touch first from a soft self-lob.
How it works: Footwork and hands under a falling ball before any contest. One woman lobs high and soft; the catcher moves her feet to get under the flight, reaches the catching hand up to meet it at the top of her reach, hurley angled across to guard that hand, and pulls it in. Ten catches, swap. Then the overhead touch for the ball too high to catch cleanly: meet it with a controlled overhead tap of the bas, directing it down into space rather than swiping at it. Finish with quick-feet adjustments — the lobber makes the catcher travel three or four steps to get under every one.
What to say
- “Tell them: 'get your feet there early — a catch is footwork first, hands second.'”
- “Tell them: 'meet it at the top of your reach, out in front of the helmet, never down at the chest.'”
- “Tell them: 'the hurley guards the catching hand the whole way up — the timber protects the fingers.'”
Easier
Softer, lower lobs straight over the catcher; the overhead touch dropped for a group new to it.
Harder
Lob to either side so the catcher sprints to get under it; catch and turn out of it onto the strong side in one move.
The Aerial Duel
Setup: Groups of three in a 12m box: a feeder with a bag of balls, two contesters starting back to back under the middle. Boxes spread so duels never collide.
How it works: The contested high ball, one on one. The feeder delivers a high ball into the middle; the two contesters break from back-to-back, read the flight and compete — a clean catch is two points, a controlled overhead touch into your own space and gathered is one, and a clean spoil that stops the other winning it is one. The rule that keeps it skilful and safe: eyes on the ball, hurley up to protect the hand, no pulling across an opponent and no dropping the shoulder into her — it is a jump-and-catch duel, not a wrestle. Six deliveries, rotate the feeder, keep your own tally. The woman who goes to meet the ball almost always wins it.
The technique, step by step
- Read the flight from back-to-back and break to it.
- Attack the ball at the highest point, off one foot.
- Catch clean, or touch it overhead into your own space.
- Land balanced and turn out onto the strong side.
Common mistakes
- Backing off and letting it drop to the chest — the ball belongs to whoever goes highest.
- Dropping the shoulder or pulling the arm — a foul, and dangerous under a dropping ball.
What to say
- “Tell them: 'attack the ball, do not wait for it — the one who goes up to meet it wins it.'”
- “Tell them: 'if you cannot win the catch, touch it overhead into your own space or spoil it clean.'”
- “Tell them: 'jump off one foot, take it at the top, protect the hand with the hurley the whole way.'”
Easier
Contesters start facing the drop; feeder favours one slightly so timing is built before it is even; touch and gather only, no catch required.
Harder
STEPR: contesters start further apart and sprint in; delivery varies high and flat; the winner must catch and clear to a target inside three seconds.
Reading the Break
Setup: Fours around a 14m box: two contesters who may only bat or touch the ball on, and two breakers a few metres out on opposite sides. A feeder delivers the contest in. Rotate all four jobs.
How it works: Most high balls in the middle break loose — and the game is won by the pair who read the break. The feeder delivers; the two contesters compete but neither may catch, so the ball always breaks off the hurleys. The breakers work as a partnership: one steps in low and square to win the breaking ball, the other holds a stride deeper as cover, and they talk. Win it clean and drive out of the box to finish. The lesson lands fast — breakers who watch the hurleys in the air, not the sky, and who set up as a pair rather than both diving in, win the middle third.
What to say
- “Tell them: 'the ball breaks low and fast — get small, knees bent, hurley down and ready.'”
- “Tell them: 'watch the hurleys in the air, not the ball — the break comes off the timber.'”
- “Tell them: 'one attacks the break, one covers behind — talk, and never both dive at the same ball.'”
Easier
A single batter taps the ball down for the breakers; breakers start closer and lower.
Harder
STEPR: add a second contester so the break is more violent; the breakers must win it and link a hand-pass before driving out; shrink the box.
Middle Third War
Setup: 40×30m across the middle third, two teams of 7–8 in bibs, cone goals (4m) at each end. Every restart and score-out is a high delivery into the middle from the mentor on the side, spare balls to hand.
How it works: A game built entirely on the aerial ball. Every restart is a high delivery dropped into the middle third, so the teams are forever reading a contest and a break. Score by working the won ball to a strike through the cone goal. The condition that trains the habit: a team that wins the aerial ball cleanly — a catch, an overhead touch, or a break they gather — and then scores counts double, and the mentors call it. Keep the deliveries coming so the game is a storm of drops, touches, breaks and pounces. Coach in the moment, briefly, then feed the next ball and let the middle third be a genuine war.
Rounds: Run in 5–6 minute bursts; after each, one line on the last good aerial win, then storm on.
What to say
- “Tell them: 'as the ball goes up, one attacks the catch, the nearest two set for the break — decide before it lands.'”
- “Tell them: 'first thought under the drop is win it, second thought is protect the hand.'”
- “Tell them: 'won the break? Head up and drive at once — a break won and dallied is a break lost.'”
Easier
Lower, softer deliveries; a caught ball earns a free three seconds before a tackle is allowed; drop the double.
Harder
STEPR: deliveries go higher and more contested; two-touch after the break; only aerial-won scores count in the final five minutes.
Feet, Then Hands
Setup: Easy jog and walk a width, hurleys down, helmets off, circle up.
How it works: Stretch the jumping and reaching muscles long and slow: calves and achilles, hip flexors, shoulders overhead and across, wrists and forearms, twenty seconds a side. Round the circle for the question while ye stretch, then gather and count the gear.
What to say
- “Tell them: 'calves and shoulders tonight — ye jumped and reached all session.'”
- “Keep it calm and unhurried after a high-energy night.”
- “Name the best catch and the best break of the night — reward both equally.”
Ask the players: Ask the circle: when a high ball drops into the middle, what is your first job — win the catch, or set for the break? There is no wrong answer, only a decided one. The women who decide early own the middle.
Next week builds on this: The won middle ball feeds the attack — we turn a clean break into a fast, struck delivery to a runner inside.
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