What shot do you use for a penalty stroke?

Answer 1

The rulebook explicitly disallow a shot that uses "a 'dragging' action to play the ball"; it also states that the ball must be pushed, flicked or scooped. This means that a dragflick cannot be used. Umpires can distinguish this from a normal flick by the position of the feet: a dragflick requires the feet to be ahead of the ball. The rules include a stipulation that the player taking the stroke must begin behind the ball and this makes it even easier to pick up. This means that for a legal stroke-taking, you have to push, flick or scoop the ball. * A push involves the action of placing the stickhead next to the ball, and as the name inplies, pushing it along the ground. It is the simplest shot to do, and often works extremely well if an accurate push is used (aim for the weak spots; the bottom corners, right next to the posts) * A flick is simply a push that is also raised above the ground. This is accomplished by simply angling the stick back slightly as the push is made. It is somewhat more difficult to aim, as there are now dimensions that the ball is moved through; up-down, left-right. However, it offers far more opportunity to score, if used well. Good points to aim for are the aforementioned corners, but at the height of the backboard's top - this means the goalkeeper cannot simply drop to the barricade position, and allows the ball to go over any that do. You could also try aiming at the top corner; there is a decent square foot of space that the goalkeeper will find it impossible to guard without pre-empting a shot there. Additionally, anywhere just inside the posts will be effective provided the goalkeeper does not react fast enough to see it coming. * A scoop is similar in motion to using a shovel. The head is placed as per a flick, but with the player directly behind the ball instead of beside. It results in similar flight to a flick, but is harder to aim away from the line of the shot (i.e. it will go straight through or not at all). For this reason, plus the facts of its unnaturalness and that it is very slow compared to a flick, it is very rarely used. Practise when you can, with your goalkeeper if possible (it's great practise for them as well, and you can discuss what works better and what doesn't). Remember to keep calm while taking the shot - strokes are supposed to guarantee a goal, so take your time, keep it simple and just sink that ball through the net. Read through the rules concerning the stroke when you are able to - so you know what can and can't be done - and discuss them with an umpire if you aren't sure about any of it.