Last Updated on Wednesday, 16 December 2015 16:17
By Andy Ness
As we head towards the holidays and beyond, we are approaching the time of year that seems to be the hardest (especially at the Mite level) for coaches and players alike. It is really the tough part of the season at any level. The beginning of the season excitement has lost its luster and practices can become stale.
When skating and skill work becomes monotonous, kids tend to go through the motion. When kids become skating drones, improvement becomes stagnant. This is where it is the coach’s job to really get creative in planning a fun, yet effective practice. The key is to be able to teach a skill many different ways whether it be through drills, games, or obstacle courses whatever it takes to make sure the kids are engaged. I will try to give you a few different ideas for teaching the same skating skills.
For younger skaters, stopping is always a staple. At this time of year, all kids should at least be able to stop one direction while continuing to practice their more difficult side. Instead of just having the kids doing the same stopping drills over and over, the coach should make a game of it. One idea is to have the coach take a big Sharpie and make marks all over the ice. Give the kids three minutes to see how many marks they can scrape off the ice. Make sure the skaters push out in a stopping motion. After the skater scrapes away one mark, he/she should now find a new mark and try the other foot.
A coach may have to help the skater by getting down on his/her hands and knees and manually pushing the skate out with their hands. This may be the only way the skater gets to “feel” what it’s like to push. This may be a simple game but they will enjoy trying to compete and scrape as many marks as we can while getting the repetition they need.
Also for younger skaters is another contest in which they will be working on their quick starts. The coach can turn over his/her stick while the skater starts about 15 feet away. When the coach says “go,” the skater will take off trying to catch the stick before it hits the ground. This simple game will force the skaters to get moving out of their comfort zone as they start. The coach can continue to challenge the skaters by backing up or making them race each other for the stick. The coach should make sure they always start with their knees bent in the quick start position.
Finally, skaters can work on transition by doing a simple tag game. The skaters can be divided up by zones. Each pair will stay in the zone that is designated for them. On the whistle the skater who is “it” will be skating forward while the skater that is being chased will be skating backwards. The skater that is going backwards has to try to turn and dodge the other skater. Once he/she gets tagged, the skater will now turn and go forward as the other skater is now going backward. I usually make the skater count to five after being tagged to let the other skater (who just turned backward) get a little space to get moving. This can go continually for about 30 seconds before starting with the next pair.
One of the jobs of the parents and coaches is to be aware of the signs when the kids are not fully engaged. When a skater’s energy and effort level is lacking, especially at the younger level, something needs to be done. Thinking of more creative ways to teach kids is the best way for kids to become motivated again. Repetition is only good when it is “quality repetition.” It’s not easy and it is work, but the whole idea is for the kids to continue to keep improving while having fun.
Andy Ness is the head skating and skill coach for the Minnesota Wild. He has also been an assistant skating instructor 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.
