Defender Sarah Sprink fires a shot during Maryland’s 2-1 win over Michigan at the Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex on Sept. 25, 2015.
The Terrapins field hockey team felt disconnected on offense early in the season.
As the Terps controlled the ball down the sideline and into their territory, the forwards would turn toward the goal and dribble along the baseline. But when the Terps pushed deep into the circle, the ball carrier often lost possession or ran into the opposing goalkeeper.
“They would say, ‘I don’t have an option. I don’t know where to go because the defender is closing in up top,’” defender Sarah Sprink said.
By holding a film session, however, the Terps realized their missed opportunities occurred because of their offensive formation. They lacked another attacker positioned in front of the goal to bait the goalie out of the cage or to serve as a passing option for a better angle on the net.
This marked one of several instances this season when the coaching staff has used video to make adjustments. The No. 8 Terps’ focus on film study has allowed them to eliminate their early-season scoring woes and build a six-game winning streak.
“We used video a lot in the beginning of the season when it came to finishing because, we didn’t finish when we had 20-plus shots, and we were like, ‘We don’t know what’s going on,’” Sprink said. “Then we saw the video; we were like, ‘Oh my God, this is so clear’ — those runs, those shots, those opportunities we just didn’t take.”
Though the Terps’ three-straight losses in early September were unusual territory for coach Missy Meharg, she regularly studies film to improve her team’s approach.
Every day, Meharg said she watches tape of her players and the Terps’ upcoming foes. She and assistant coach Joppe de Vries then sift through the highlights and select clips to show to the team.
When scouting, Meharg attempts to understand the opponent’s press, their tactics to clear the ball from the Terps’ attack and their tendencies on offensive and defensive penalty corners.
The latter two portions are most important for de Vries, who orchestrates the team’s corner schemes. Through games played Sept. 29, the Terps are ranked sixth in the NCAA with 8.55 corners per game.
In a 2-1 victory over Michigan on Friday, the Terps used straight entry passes and direct shots on their first few set pieces. But from watching film, de Vries realized the Wolverines kept the same formation regardless of the Terps’ strategy. He responded by advising the players to send entry passes on ensuing penalty corners to a different part of the circle.
“I have seen the tendencies on their defense,” de Vries said. “Because you change things up [and] the same people are still running the same [defensive] lines, people get mixed up and confused.”
Using video to scout their opponents is only 30 percent of how the Terps benefit from technology, Meharg said. The other 70 percent comes from her emphasis on self-improvement.
In the midst of their losing streak, Meharg held individual meetings with some of the veteran players to watch film and analyze their performances.
“Sometimes I can say whatever I want,” Meharg said. “But when they see it in a video, then they definitely can make adjustments much more easily.”
The Terps staff also uses the classroom sessions to reinforce positive results, such as the team’s improved scoring efficiency. They countered their 7.3 shooting percentage across the three losses with an 18.3 shooting percentage over the past six games.
Because the athletic department provides each player with an iPad, the Terps can continue their film study away from practice, too. The coaches use an app called Team Extreme to upload all of their video clips, and they also organize segments into folders for each player.
“If it’s very static and on a board, it’s not very realistic,” Sprink said. “In the video, you see that a lot more, and it’s game-like.”
While the Terps typically watch film in their team room at the Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex, at the team breakfasts on game days or in hotel rooms on the road, de Vries has brought a video element to practice.
During the Terps’ penalty corner sessions, he uses his iPad to film behind the team’s sets and then evaluate the sequence with the players on the field.
The Terps also have two people film at a bird’s-eye view of the field each match — one handling the camera and one coding plays as they unfold. Soon, de Vries hopes to stream those highlights in real time to his iPad on the sideline, further digging into the team’s performance.
“Yeah, video,” de Vries said. “I love that tool.”
