Hockey Canada Development Programs Skating

HOCKEY CANADA DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMSSkating2018 ‐ 19

IntroductionLEAD, DEVELOP AND PROMOTE POSITIVEHOCKEY EXPERIENCES

TABLE OF CONTENTS2 INTRODUCTION18 SKATING SKILL LIST4 SKATING PATHWAY19 SMALL AREA GAMES6 SKATING23 RESOURCES14 SKATING SKILLS9 EDGE CONTROL15 SEASONAL STRUCTURE17 SKATING PYRAMIDVISION: WORLD SPORTS LEADERS

WHAT IS THE SKATING PATHWAY?Identifying skills needed todevelop good skaters Heavy emphasis on skatingfundamentals: Agility /Balance / Coordination Providing coaches withpractical resources tosupport them throughoutthe year Encouraging coaches tocreate a yearly plan toimplement defensemenskills in practicesSkating PathwayAge Appropriate Development Model No position specific specialization until Peewee– ie all kids should play all positions throughatom Young players: focus is on physical/motor skills– Technical Skills – Agility / Balance /Coordination By mid‐teens and beyond, emphasis should beon quickness and acceleration

WHAT IS THE SKATING PATHWAY?The Skating Clinic Seriesconsists of: Warm Ups ABC’s / Edge Control Forward Skating Backward Skating Turning Crossovers Transition QuicknessSkating PathwayTHE OBJECTIVES OF THE SKATING PATHWAY Every practice should include some agility skating forboth forwards and defensemen Teach the skating first, introduce the puck and thenwhere possible, add a player/players to interact with Use skating drills / patterns that simulate game situationsas much as possibleForwards and Defencemen need to be good all‐round skaters Skating skills benefit all players As players get older, the game tends to become moreposition specific and focus may shift to practicing moreposition specific skating skills.

SkatingWITHOUT STRONGFUNDAMENTAL SKATING SKILLS,YOU CANNOT PLAY HOCKEY TOYOUR OPTIMAL ABILITY6

Before Skating If players do not possess the simple FUNdamentalmovement skills of agility, balance, coordination,they will be unable to skate, and therefore be unableto perform the most basic skating and hockey skills Multisport approach to development guides optimalhockey skill development Hockey is a late specialization sport7

Skating’s Foundational Property1. PUCK HANDLING: Balance, stance, and agility on feetShifting of weight on feet to enhance dekes and fakes EdgeTransition2. PASSING: Balance, stance, and agility on feet Shifting of weight on feet to push puck completely through pass –power via legs Edge transition3. SHOOTING: Balance, stance, and agility on feet Shifting of weight on feet to push puck completely through shot –power via legs Edge transition Driving of front foot to net off shot – complimentary direction ofmotion (bottom and top) Gliding front foot8

Skating’s Foundational Property1. If you cannot skate well, you cannot handle apuck to your optimal ability2. If you cannot skate well, you cannot pass toyour optimal ability3. If you cannot skate, you cannot shoot to youroptimal ability9

Skating Foundation Just because skating is the Foundational Technical Hockey Skill, does notmean skating skills should be addressed only in early years TWO reasons why should players continuously address skating skills:1.2.Continuous Learning Progression: 3 Stages of Learning/Teaching a Skill or Concept1. Introduce (i.e. IP, Novice)2. Develop (i.e. Atom, Peewee, Bantam)3. Refine (on‐going stage) (i.e. Midget )Multi‐faceted Concept Education: In addition to continuously developing and refiningTechnical Hockey Skills, hockey players are ALSO required to progressively learn anddevelop the following skills and concepts:1. Technical Hockey Skills2. Individual Tactics3. Team Tactics4. Team Play System5. Strategy10

Teaching Skating When teaching hockey players how to skate, at any age andcaliber level, it is not necessary to break down skills into themost finite movements – Be realistic! Players are getting, bigger, stronger, faster, and smarter,however rarely does an entire group of players skate thesame – nor should we expect them to skate the same. Adaptyour instruction to enhance each players’ individual skatingtraits! Technical knowledge is most useful for the coach (for skatingskill analysis and correction) – Overly technical approachesare not beneficial to most players! Video analysis (iPad, etc.) is a very powerful correctional andeducational tool, for coaches and players!11

Teaching Skating Coaches should address the major points of proper skatingtechnique, in an age specific and progressive approach! Breakdown skills into manageable and clear progressions! Emphasize the importance of skating in today’s game, to yourstudents/players! Skating is not the most exciting subject for players. Make yourskating development is fun and interactive for yourstudents/players! KEEP THEM MOVING!!!12

Developing SkilledSkaters Work on the skating basics players utilize in every game and practiceand run drills to teach and reinforce these with repetitions. Mimic the agility skills players use, and make these as game‐like aspossible progressing from skating, skating with a puck and skatingwhen passing and receiving. Tactical play can then be incorporated such as gap control, angling,reading and reacting.Skating Pathway

8 Specialized Skating Skills1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.Agility / BalanceEdge Control / CoordinationForward SkatingBackward SkatingTurningCrossoversTransitionQuick Feet14

SEASONAL �Technical Skills ‐ Introduce‐Technical Skills ‐ Develop-Technical Skills ‐ DevelopTechnical Skills – RefineTechnical Skills – Develop / e‐CoordinationForward / Backward SkatingForward / Backward SkatingForward / Backward SkatingForward / BackwardSkatingForward / Backward SkatingTurning and CrossoversTurning and CrossoversTurning and CrossoversTransitionTransitionTurning and CrossoversTurning and Crossovers“Agility Balance and Coordination should be worked on inevery practice where skating skills are being taught at ages12 and Under”“Quickness and acceleration should be worked on in everypractice where skating skills are being taught at ages 13and Over”TransitionTransitionQuick FeetQuick FeetAcceleration

SEASONAL STRUCTUREFEBRUARYMARCH / APRILMAY / JUNE / JULY / AUGUSTTechnical Skills – Develop / RefineTechnical Skills – Develop / ating‐Agility‐Balance‐CoordinationForward / Backward SkatingForward / Backward SkatingTurning and CrossoversTurning and CrossoversTransitionTransition40% - Introducing Technical SkillsQuick FeetQuick Feet25% - Developing Technical SkillsAccelerationAccelerationOff seasonMultisport ActivitiesTechnical Skill InstructionSEASONAL STRUCTURE BREAKDOWN CHART20% - Refining Technical Skills10% - Introducing Individual Tactics5%- Developing Individual Tactics

Skating Skill IONTURNING & CROSSOVERSFORWARD / BACKWARD SKATINGBASIC SKATING – AGILITY / BALANCE /COORDINATION1. For beginning player it isrecommended that skatingdevelopment be built on 75% technicalskills and 25% on skating tactics and2. For the developing player it isrecommended that skatingdevelopment be built on 50% technicalskills, 50% on skating tactics3. For the high performance player it isrecommended that skatingdevelopment be built on 35% ontechnical skills, 35% on skating tactics,30% on quickness and acceleration

Skating SkillsBalance and AgilityBasic StanceGetting up from the iceBalance on one footJumping – one footGliding ‐ arm pumpGliding on two SkatesGliding on one skate – fwdGliding on one skate – bwdGliding with knee bendGliding – one foot – toe on puckLateral crossovers – step and plantLateral crossovers – continuousLateral crossovers – over stickShoot the duckTurningGlide TurnsTight turnsTight turn – dive into turn360’s left and right360’s – alternatingC‐cuts – around circle – outside footC‐cuts – around circle – inside footC‐cuts – around circle – both feetC‐cuts – around circle – crossundersEdge ControlStarting and StoppingFigure 8’s – forwardFigure 8’s – backwardOne leg weaving – fwdOne leg weaving – bwdForward scissor skateBackward scissor skate Slalom– alternating lead footSlalom – sticks on iceT‐startFront v‐startCrossover startBackward c‐cut startBackward crossover startOne o’clock – eleven o’clock stopsOutside leg stopTwo‐foot parallel stopInside leg / outside edge stopOne‐leg backward stopTwo‐leg backward stopCrossoversTransition and PivotsCrossovers – forwardCrossovers – grab stick lowCrossovers – three quick ‐ leftand rightC‐cuts ‐ around circleCrossunder – backwardCrossovers – backwardCrossovers – backward –reachingCrossovers – hi and loCrossovers – four‐pylon raceForward SkatingC‐cuts ‐ left foot / right footSlalom – c‐cuts narrowSlalom – pulling partnerC‐cuts – back foot crossundersC‐cuts – alternate crossundersC‐cuts – heel onlyForward stridingExaggerated strideFwd striding – pulling partnerWeave – crossovers with pylonsWeave – crossunders with pylonsForward striding – hands on stickon iceStride and bendJump strideBackward SkatingBackward stanceC‐cuts – left foot / right footC‐cuts – alternatingGliding on two skates – backwardGliding on one skate – backwardSlalom – c‐cuts narrowSlalom – c‐cuts wideC‐cuts – pulling partnerSlalom – pulling partnerSlalom – alternating lead footBackward scullingJump stride – backwardBackward one‐foot stop and t‐startPivots ‐ bwd to fwd and fwd to bwdReverse and open pivotsHeel to heel glideMohawk on circles – openMohawk on circles – open andreverseSkating Pathway

Small Area GamesBarry TrotzCanadian National Team Coach“We use drillsthat emphasisesmall areaskating everypractice”

What Are Small Area Games?“If you can’tskate in a smallspace you can’tplay at higherlevels” Competitive hockey drills done in a smaller than normal playing area This can be cross ice, neutral zone, corners ‐ depending on what coachesUsually less players participating but with a higher and consistentintensity. Lots of puck touches. Designed to simulate possible game‐like situations that players canexperience and learn from

Skating Skills in SAG’s“Hockey sense based on skating” is basically alearned trait based on experience.Stops and startsHockey often turnsinto a 1‐1 battle;Puts players in asituation where theyneed to “read andreact”; make a decisionLateral MovementTransition skatingTight turnsAngling / SteeringGame like conditionsStops and Starts

Skills In SAG’sDecrease the Space!Increase the Pace!These individual skills and tactics need to be built into practices and then combined with theteam tactical play concepts. But, “you can’t play in the orchestra until you have mastered yourinstrument”. It is essential that we develop fundamentals in practice so they become automaticin games. Combined with the skills is the need for “read and react” situations so players “thinkthe game” in practice as well as games.Coaches need a yearly plan to prioritise these skills and to make sure they are taught. Certainlypractices need to be built from game lessons but let’s not lose sight of the overall developmentneeded to teach fundamentals to our young players

ResourcesIn‐Class & On–Ice Clinics available toCoaches across Canada offered by yourProvcial Branch Office

ResourcesHockey CanadaDrill HubHockey CanadaNetwork

Resources