Last Updated on Wednesday, 30 September 2015 14:34
By Diane Ness
As hockey season is finally here so is the start of Mini-Mite hockey. Whether you are a coach or a parent that wants to get out on the ice with your son or daughter, take along my must-have checklist. Always remember at this age to try and make skating and hockey fun and creative. Engage yourself into a lot of little games. Remember, everything is a contest at this age, even getting into line. So from right out of the skate shop and onto the ice, here we go...
1. Falling down and getting up. It is easiest to get up with someone holding onto one skate firmly on the ice while the skater pushes up with their other skate. Beginners will need some help learning how to get up, but after some practice they will then get the strength to get up on their own.
2. March across the ice. Using one foot at a time, pick up the knees and feet while you march. Each skater should also go without a stick, putting their hands out in front “on a table.” This will help them find their balance, as well as helping them catch themselves when they fall. Remember, we want them to fall forward, not backwards.
3. Glide on two feet. Pretend to put glue on the inside of your skates. Each skater should take about five marching steps and glide. We like to pretend they are airplanes with their arms out to the side while they glide. The more the skater builds his/her speed, the longer they will be able to glide on two feet.
4. Glide on one foot. Take several steps, then pick up one foot and try and hold for three seconds. Make sure your ankle is straight up and down holding that position on the flat of their blade. Make it challenging and glide between two sticks just like in the photo.
5. Forward swizzle. Using a large marker, make a drawing on the ice. It can be anything that the kids are into – in the photo we drew footballs on the ice. Swizzle over this and the kids will want to repeat this several times. Make sure each skater pushes out from their heels and finishes with their toes together using their inside edges.
6. Backward swizzle. Try the same move only backwards. This is the hardest maneuver for a Mini-Mite. They should try to do five in a row with some speed in between. Make sure the skater has his/her chest up while skating backwards. A young skater’s weight tends to lean forwards, so we want to help them get into the right position.
7. Backward skating. Shift your weight backwards from one leg to the other. Cut a C cut with each foot continually, trying to avoid the “wiggle.”
8. Scooter pushes. This is a start to a good stride. Slide one knee out forward while pushing the other foot out to the side. Then glide on two feet. Work with one foot for awhile then eventually alternate feet. Again, remember pushes should go out out so they understand how to push on an edge.
9. Flip flops.Now we begin to feel our edges. Even my pros work on this drill. While gliding on two feet, lean over your edges. One foot will be on the inside and the other foot will be on the outside edge. Then repeat the other direction. Notice in the photo how the skater is going through sticks almost like a slalom course. I do this drill with every practice and every age group because it is that important.
10. Snow plow. Have the skater push both skates out, shaving the ice, performing a snow plow stop. Getting kids to push and shave the ice is key to having them execute a good stop. Notice the skater in the photo stopping between three sticks, trying to make sure to not bump into any of the sticks.
There you have it! Getting the basics down is the key to moving any skater into more difficult skating skills. There is no timetable for these skills and kids will progress at their own pace. The key is to having them work repeatedly to build strength and confidence in their skating.
From getting up to the edge drills, have fun with it. So, for all the 4-, 5- and 6-year-olds ... let’s play hockey! Good luck.
Diane Ness has been a full-time professional skating coach for over 35 years. She has coached both figure skaters and hockey players alike and is a former U.S. gold medalist in figure skating. She is the Director for the Pro Edge Power hockey camps and the Learn to Skate program at Highland Park Arena. Ness is the skating coach for the New Jersey Devils, the University of Minnesota men’s and women’s hockey teams and the U.S. Women’s Olympic Hockey Team. She has trained players in the NHL, AHL, NCAA, USHL and NAHL.
