Recreate the speed of skating, the movement, and even the need for quick passing in a few simple drills.
Author - Dan Arel
Dan Arel is the Director of Coaching Education and Development for the San Diego Oilers and head coach of their 12U A team. He was also named the 2020 San Diego Gulls Foundation's Coach of the Year. You can email him at [email protected]
Confining the area in which players can work shrinks the game down to a more realistic size.
Use these drills to teach your youth hockey team how to defend inside your zone.
These drills teach a very fundamental aspect of playing the role of a defensive team for all players.
Help your team develop a more organized strategy on what kind of defense it will play.
Controlling the puck means you’re controlling the game.
These drills build upon each other to reinforce the necessary steps to a quality zone entry, none of which rely on dump and chase.
What each drill has in common is the theme of keeping the pass short, but also really focusing on moving your legs.
Utilize multiple drills either as part of your warm-up, stations, or on half or full ice.
"They play like they practice, so they should practice like they play."
This article highlights why possession matters, and why keeping your head up and finding those lanes generates better chances than simply throwing the puck at the net.
Players should be learning through mistakes and trial and error and not a rigid boxed system.