Quick answer
The tomahawk is a shot or pass played on your left side using the edge of the stick, with the stick held low and almost flat to the ground. It lets you shoot from the left without turning the stick over to a classic reverse face, so it is quick and hard for goalkeepers to read. The keys are a wide, low stance and the ball slightly ahead of your left foot. Keep the stick close to the ground and turn your shoulders through the ball. Learn it slowly on the pitch, with supervision; it is not a drill for the garage. Rules on edge play and dangerous balls apply, and some youth leagues restrict it, so check your league's rules.
Key takeaways
- The tomahawk is an edge shot on the left (reverse) side of the body.
- Power comes from a low stance and shoulder rotation, not a big backswing.
- Keep the ball low. A rising edge shot can easily become dangerous play.
- Learn it at walking pace and build up; this skill is easy to get wrong at speed.
- Shooting practice belongs on the pitch, never indoors.
What is a tomahawk?
The name comes from the chopping action: the stick swings across the body like an axe, low and almost horizontal, and meets the ball with its edge. Players and coaches use slightly different names for edge shots. Some call any reverse edge shot a tomahawk; others call it a backhand edge or "reverse edge". The idea is the same: strike the ball with the edge of the stick on your left side.
It's used for:
- shots from the left side of the circle when there's no time to move the ball to the forehand;
- quick passes across the pitch from the left;
- surprising a goalkeeper who expects a forehand shot.
Is the tomahawk legal?
Playing the ball with the edge of the stick is part of the modern outdoor game, but the general rules on dangerous play and raised balls still apply. A shot that rises towards a player is penalised whatever technique you used. Youth, school and indoor competitions can have their own restrictions. Indoor hockey does not allow hitting at all. Check your league's rules and ask your coach before using it in a game.
Technique step by step
1. Grip
Hold the stick with both hands, left hand at the top, right hand lower down the grip. Turn the stick so the edge, not the flat face, will meet the ball.
2. Stance
Feet wider than shoulders, knees well bent, back low. The ball sits a little ahead of your left foot, about a stick's length from your body.
3. Backswing
Keep it short. Bring the stick back across your body, low and nearly parallel to the ground. A big backswing makes the shot slower and less accurate.
4. Contact
Swing through the ball with the stick close to the ground. Hit the middle of the ball with the edge. Turn your shoulders and hips through the shot; that's where the power comes from.
5. Follow-through
Follow through low, towards the target. If the stick finishes high, the ball usually rises.
Drills on the pitch
Do these with a coach or experienced player watching, in a clear area, with nobody standing in front of the goal unless they are a goalkeeper in full protective gear.
Drill 1: shadow swings (no ball)
Get into the stance and practise the swing slowly. Focus on keeping the stick low and the edge facing the target. 3 × 10 swings.
Drill 2: stationary ball, short distance
Place a ball on the left side of your body. Strike it with the edge, at 30–50% power, into an empty goal from 8–10 m (9–11 yd). 3 sets of 10. Goal: the ball stays on the ground.
Drill 3: moving ball
A partner pushes the ball to your left side from 5 m (16 ft). Move your feet to get the ball ahead of your left foot, then shoot. 3 sets of 8.
Drill 4: target shooting
Fix a Goal Target to the goal, or put cones in the corners. Shoot from the left side of the circle, 10–14 m (11–15 yd) out. Count how many of 10 shots hit the target zone. The Goal Target has 6 target areas of 42 × 42 cm (16.5 × 16.5 in), which makes progress easy to measure.
Drill 5: dribble and shoot
Dribble from the top of the circle towards the left post, and shoot with the tomahawk without stopping the ball. 3 sets of 6. Only add this once drills 2–4 are clean.
What you can do at home
You should not shoot at home. But the skills that make a good tomahawk can be trained indoors with the ball on the floor:
- Reverse-side ball control: 3 × 1 minute of moving the ball on your left side, keeping it a stick's length away.
- Footwork: practise stepping into the low, wide stance quickly from a dribble, without striking the ball. 3 × 10 reps.
- Shadow swings without a ball, only if you have plenty of clear space and nothing breakable nearby.
Common mistakes
| Mistake | What happens | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Standing too upright | Ball rises or is mishit | Bend the knees, get the back low |
| Ball too close to the body | No room to swing | Keep the ball about a stick's length away |
| Big backswing | Slow, inaccurate shot | Short backswing, power from rotation |
| High follow-through | Dangerous rising ball | Follow through low towards the target |
FAQ
What is a tomahawk in field hockey?
A shot or pass played on the left side of the body with the edge of the stick, using a low, flat swing across the body.
Is the tomahawk shot allowed?
Edge play is part of the modern outdoor game, but dangerous play rules apply, and some youth, school and indoor competitions restrict it. Check your league's rules.
How do I keep my tomahawk shot low?
Get the ball ahead of your left foot, stay low, keep the stick nearly flat, and follow through low towards the target.
Can I practise the tomahawk at home?
Not the shot itself. At home, train reverse-side ball control and stance footwork. Shooting belongs on the pitch with supervision.
What age should players learn the tomahawk?
Most players learn it once their forehand and reverse basics are solid, often in their early teens. Follow your coach's advice.
