Replying To hurlinspuds:  ""a child who blocks the ball but not the hurley should be corrected not praised"

Couldn't disagree more. Kids should always be praised for winning the ball fairly whether he or she does so cleanly or it involves a clash.

Being a back, blocking a guy who had a clear sight of goal was 2nd only to a mighty catch and clearance in terms of getting blood pumping. It takes guts to launch yourself at a swing with your eye on the ball. My advise would always be to go for the ball, never play the hurley unless you are only in a position to hook. The guy striking the sliotar should follow through at the exact point where you meet the ball so there more than likely will be a sliotar sandwiched between two hurleys and spraying loose as anyone's ball. I think for kids you have to teach it with the two hands leaning in on one knee but by the time young lads get to 14 or so, he will doing all kinds of brilliant blocks that can't really be trained into him. These involve going full length from the side or from in front with one hand or going legs first (so low that the legs won't get hit) toward the sliotar with two hands. At the end of the day, kids are going to get belts learning how to protect themselves. That's just part of the game. Nobody has played hurling to adult level and and has never scraped their knuckles, more likely they have broken a finger or got stitches at some point.

I once broke my index finger on the knuckle blocking a lad down. I was 16. I mistook where the sliotar would be and blocked his hurley instead. Stopped him from getting the puc in all the same!"

Replying To twiceasnice97:  "There is only one priority when coaching children how to block a ball and that is teaching them how to protect themselves from getting hit.
as they get older the confidence in their technique and a bit of immunity from worrying about the odd slap will look after the actual blocking of the ball.
looking at the intercounty game and extrapolating anything from it for coaching kids is fool hardy in my view.

all the advice on here about one hand and getting the ball is misguided .
I will reiterate my point, the coach has a responsibility to teach the child the proper technique so they don't get hurt to allow their confidence to grow over time.
there fore two hands together on the full length hurley with the thumbs pointing up , step into the block as though you are trying to put your knee on the ground (genuflecting) head looking up at the opposing player and the tape on the childs hurley aiming for the tape on the opponents hurley.
a child who blocks the ball but not the hurley should be corrected not praised as so often happens.
safety develops confidence confidence develops technique."

Replying To tiobraid:  "Paudie Maher blocks with two hands and doesn't bother with the hurl :)"