momentum in field hockey

At practice today, we were preparing for the next upcoming tournament (USA Disney Tournament) which is less than a month away. Our coach has us to a wide range of things at practice today, like she usually does. but there was one drill we spent a specifically long period of time doing. it was quite a simple drill, considering all of the girls there have been playing field hockey for years, but it had everything to do with momentum. Coach Tori had us roll the ball to a partner and we had to run up to the ball, collect it, and then keep moving all in one fluid motion. Although the drill is quite simple, momentum played a part, not only with the ball, but with the player as well. We had to keep our momentum going forward, while stopping the ball to change it's momentum. Coach Tori explained that it would never work right if we were stationary while we stopped the ball, because it would take too long, and be counterproductive if we cut to the ball and then just stood there. this also makes sense because it takes more energy to start moving, rather than to keep moving. We had to keep our momentum going forward instead of stopping then trying to go.