Top 10 skills you should learn in Hockey & a Hilarious Video

VIDEO:  Insanely funny moments in hockey! A must watch!

2. Be flexible and agile-
Flexibility and agility are also required in this sport. Hockey players need to have the skill of being able to change directions quickly. So it is best to do drills that require these two such as ladder drills, or running zigzag on each traffic cone. In a field hockey game, you should be able to change directions quickly just in case, you already had the ball but then the opponent has stolen it going to their goal net.

3. Lifting weights-
Lifting weights enable you to develop your upper body strength. This will be required for you to have a drive and power against your opponents. While being fast ad flexible help you move the ball away from the opponent, upper body strength helps you get and steal the ball away from your opponent’s stick.

Forwards Look To Feed The Defense:

This skill was one that I saw both teams use extremely effectively in these games and made me realize that it is not used nearly enough at the minor hockey level. Moving the puck back to the points while in the offensive zone forces the defensive team to have to adjust the positioning which quite often opens up holes in their defensive coverage. You don’t want to blindly throw the puck back to your defenseman, but you are probably not using them as much as you could to create opportunities on offense. One extra point on this – once you make the pass to the point, make sure you move to get open so that you are either in a position for a pass or a rebound.

Defense Picking Up Bodies In Front Of The Net:

This is something that has been an even greater challenge for players ever since obstruction and interference were removed from minor hockey. What this usually leads to are forwards gaining inside position on the defenseman and getting opportunities to score in tight. All too often, defensemen get caught staring at the puck in these battles for position in front of the net instead of finding their player. This is one of the key skills that scouts and coaches at the next level are looking for from their players and it is one that you will need to learn to do properly (without taking a penalty) in order to compete at that level.

Find Open Ice To Support Your Teammates:

I believe this is the biggest difference between bantam age (13-14 year olds) and midget age players (15+). While there can be a significant difference in overall skill levels between these two age group, at the higher levels, most bantams and midgets have the same relative skill level. Most players at both age groups are very good when they have the puck – but the midget players do a much better job of getting open and supporting their teammates than the bantam players do. This can certainly be taught but it also comes with years of experience. As the game continues to become faster and even more physical, players cannot rely on skill alone. They need to develop their hockey sense and understand where the space is on the ice and how to use it effectively.

 Every Pass Is Hard, Fast & Made With Authority:

This is something that you don’t really recognize as a player until you start playing with and against players who pass as hard as you normally shoot. This happened to me the first time I played out with the national team girls out in Calgary. I spent the first few weeks getting used to the fact that I thought my stick was going to break every time I was passed to. As the game gets faster, the passes get harder and faster too. The earlier you start passing with authority, the sooner you help yourself and your teammates get used to the speed and strength of passing you will encounter in the future.

Learn from what other and more experienced players do. There’s nothing wrong with going to someone else for advice. Listen to what they have to say and learn from it.

Learn from your mistakes. We make mistakes so that we can learn from them not so that we can repeat them over and over again.

Warm up before each game. This will make it easier for you to play the whole game without getting tired early into it. During your warm up make sure that you stretch out your muscles to prevent injuries.

Use what works and improve it. Sometimes we make shots that we didn’t mean to but they work well. Learn how to improve upon them and keep it.

Play by the rules. In order to do this you need to know what the rules are and how to follow them. Don’t be giving your team penalties.

So why should you work on passing away from the rink? 

The answer is simple. It’s important to be a great team player and possess the passing skills to move the puck around the ice. Passing is an underappreciated hockey skill that is overlooked by most kids and parents. Hockey ice time is expensive. Practicing on your passing skills at your home is more effective now than ever with the new passing aids available.

A simple skill like a backhanded pass can add one more element to your game that 99% of the players won’t have in their arsenal. These small differences are the keys to moving up the ladder in the game of hockey. Good hockey players can all skate, shoot, and stickhandle to a degree but being an elite player requires passing skills to improve other players around you.

What can I use to practice my passing skills during the off season?

There are many hockey products out there used for passing skills away from the rink. The PassMaster is a great hockey training aid that allows up to 3 players at a time to practice their passing skills by rebounding the puck back to the puck carrier.

The hockey passing trainer is another solid option for a passing rebounder. It easily clamps onto any shooting surface allowing you to develop passing and one-timer skills at home.