Last Updated on Thursday, 20 February 2014 10:29
By Diane Ness
Turning around a cone seems like such an easy concept, but again it should be done with purpose. Is the skater doing it for a skating drill, a hockey drill or protecting the puck? Skaters should be aware what they are doing each time they execute a turn.
In this article you will see why and how skaters can execute a basic turn around a cone. It doesn’t get much easier than this, right? In theory it should be easy enough, but turning around a cone seems to be consistently done improperly without much thought in mind. Remember, there should be purpose behind everything we do on the ice.
For starters I feel that using small tires (like in the photos) is the best option as they don’t tip over like cones but are really easy to move around when changing drills.
In the above photos, you will see the skater approaching the cone with straight legs and very little new bend. The next problem you will see is that the skater is looking directly in front of him. He is not rotating his stick/shoulders/head in a position to be able to see where he is going. He is only in a position to see what is directly in front of him. He is completely unaware of what is happening around him. This is exactly what so many skaters do when they turn around cones. They are oblivious to what they are doing as well as their surroundings.
When you look at the below photos, you will notice how the skater is rotating the big three (stick/shoulders/head). This action will get the skater to turn quickly and as effectively as possible. The skater will not only have his body in the best position skating-wise, but he will also have himself in the best position hockey-wise as well. Notice how he is able to see where and how the play may be developing in front of him. If the puck comes his way, he is ready for it.
In the below photos, you will notice the skater is now carrying the puck. In the first one you will notice the skater is carrying the puck to the inside of the cone. Again, the best position without any resistance. The second photo may show how the skater is able to protect the puck around the cone. Both positions are correct; it is just a matter of what the drill is calling for the skater to accomplish.
As simple as this concept may sound, so many skaters mindlessly go around cones, not knowing what they are supposed to do. It goes along with the fact again that there needs to be a reason and a purpose for every drill. If you want these to be game-like, they have to simulate game situations. Remember to rotate stick/shoulders/head when executing a turn and also to look where you are going not just directly in front of you.
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.
