Negativity can too easily take over. Teammates’ unfiltered commentaries often bring about the team itself, individual members (even worse, that is being divisive), or perhaps even from current events (the Covid-19 factor, etc.).

What do we do if that negativity looms–whether it’s on the game bench, practice bench, or locker room? Answer: Turn the mood around as soon as possible! What you say to yourself and your team really matters. Whether you as the coach, the team captain, or as one of the players, you can make a difference in that collective mindset.

What we say and post on social media are the main channels of making our thoughts known to others. Facebook and Twitter offer a flood gate of unfiltered commentary these days. We have all seen items that are irresponsibly posted with no “filter” or decency-edit. These tendencies can also occur on the team benches, causing the fun to be taken out of the sport.

It’s hard to stay positive at all times, and that mindset isn’t healthy either. Toxic positivity is the assumption, either by one’s self or others, that despite a person’s emotional pain or difficult situation, they should only have a positive mindset at all times. It’s healthy to feel the emotions you have. When you avoid your emotions, you actually cause more harm. Taking the time to understand your emotions is important.

Even if you try to stay focused and optimistic before an event, game, or test, it’s hard to “tune out” those who are wired for negativity in their comments.

3 Forms of Negativity To Watch For

• Instead of having fun, the game/sport becomes a chore.
• Constant negativity from the team and coach
• A “courtroom atmosphere” which lacks any emotion

Negativity can’t realistically be penalized when it happens on your own side’s bench and is expressed to each other. But when shouts from one team over another start volleying in the air, the referees in charge are then under the obligation to stem this tide of an abusive situation from getting worse.

Preventively, one strategy with any of one’s own negativity-oriented teammates is to “be on the lookout” audibly for that negative talk, i.e., once it is stated out loud. Then it becomes the right time for you to “do your spin”! Take that person’s negative comment, and counter it with a relevant positive comment. Repeat the strategy comment-for-comment until their ‘negativisms’ stop.

Without getting too scientific, triggering endorphins (the human brain’s pleasure center bio-chemical) is a favorable objective for staying in a positive mindset from the outset. Even if up against challenging odds of winning in a match, spreading the optimism certainly can’t hurt. Conversely, the opposite is quite possible: one or more group members spouting comments that sound like a continuous rainy day forecast. These remarks may not trigger mental depression as much as an annoyance, which tends to put a damper on any rallying moods.

Applied to the many sports, the positive consequences of optimism don’t have to exist as a nauseating cheerfulness when a somber disposition is appropriate. Realistic reactions to external events & game outcomes are more credible toward others than “cheerleading.”

Finding the silver lining can be considered a “soft skill” regarding interactions with others. A valid side-benefit of staying away from negativisms is staying clear of opposition-instigated altercations that could augment violent brawls with physical injuries and property damage.

3 Jobs of Every Coach

Keep negativity out of the locker room, off the bench, out of practice, and absent from game events.

Facilitate the physical development of those on the team without resorting to negative reinforcement.

Gauge the opposing team’s strengths, abilities, and weaknesses (mainly through simple observations and without illicit surveillance) in creating strategies to win the contest matches ethically.

Then tell the team about those factors.

Look out for anger or sadness in yourself and others when you are with the team or group. Outside influences (even current major news events) could trigger an emotion that can distract a team member from the immediate objectives of playing well. Don’t play angry, and don’t play sadly. If you also see these emotions in other team members or groups, say something and try convincing them. It might take a whole conversation to flush out their negativity.

Mixed messages? There will be times when it would be unrealistic after an experience of a loss to be “cheery.” Deaths of loved ones, serious injuries, emergency / catastrophic situations are obvious examples. And if a negative comment does slip out, follow up by balancing it with something more optimistic. Not to sugarcoat a situation but to offer the proper sense of optimism to the listener(s). Walking the walk with talking the talk also helps in your deeds.

Bullying Factor

The most extreme form of negativism on teams (and translatable to corporate committees of groups) is identified as bullying. This oppressiveness comes in at least two common forms: coach bullying and teammate bullying. A third form happens in the form of spectator/fan negatives (derisive remarks, throwing objects, etc.), which have spiraled into assaults and even instances of physical battery.

There are formally established controls in place in the corporate setting and government agency or public sector, originating with the EEOC. Such guidelines provide legal recourse for those who face negativism in the workplace. These protections can (and do) extend to non-business situations such as organized team sports in schools (both public & private systems) and diverse community-based sports leagues.

No coach, teammate, or even an adversary would ever want to know that their negativity (in words or actions) toward another individual had led to that person’s self-harm or even worse. And not uncommonly, this unfortunate scenario of adverse effects from a coach or a teammate has actually happened among teenagers.

The Challenge Of Positivity

You are teaching your team members the “soft skills” of athleticism by example, i.e., the personality traits that go with the “hard skills.” Those teaching points are technical knowledge of the game, its rules and regulations, and optimal conditioning parameters. And while the content examples in this article apply to hockey, this preferable mindset of positivity is the same for every team sport/team environment. What may get shouted in action would only change by the other sports’ unique sets of rules & strategies: “Watch the ball !” “Run it !”. Note that “Ball” and “run” are obvious translations from “puck” and “skate” in the bench-generated expressions.

Forms of Expression

Avoid negative statements, no matter how tempting. Example: One-star player makes a glaring error that they rarely do, and at a critical moment in a critical game. That’s the perfect opportune time to “pile on” the negativity. It might even “slip out” from some folks involved–before it can be filtered/modified with more polite words or stifled by hitting one’s own personal mute button.

Saying nothing is far better because such a “guilty” player would be well aware of their gaffe and need no additional reminders from others. That could be the coach or a savvy teammate.

It is so easy to revert to negativity, audible or visible, i.e., by what you say (or yell) with others present and by your gestures.

Saying something like “Hey, you gave it a try !” sounds positive enough without patronizing. “Hey, you did your best!” may sound trite or exaggerated to that accomplished athlete who wishes they could go back in time to change their erroneous actions.

Positivity can take subtle forms such as a smile, an eye wink, or a mere head nod from the coach over to one or more of the team. So much can be conveyed by so little towards the team!

Here are two “plus-basics” for the team bench of players/participants:

Ask: “Can we win this game? Then say so!”

Direct this to the team in the pre-games: “Be confident in your own abilities, but not overconfident.” Remind the group that their odd-against opponent teams beat many favorites due to an overconfidence factor.

On the Ice

In (hockey) game situations, this means maintaining a steady concentration on puck possession. Some players benefit from the coach’s regular statements to the team on what they should focus on. The successful coaches routinely mix or change the content of the always-positive comments. These comments thus don’t come across as monotonous. They give a “whoop” on a good play by a team member, as should their teammates. Here are a few that I holler out from the blueprint of the goal crease (we don’t have a coach): “Puck possession, guys !” “Skate it (the puck) up” “Talk to each other on the ice !” “Nice play, _____(player’s name) !” When asked during the off-game as to whether or not anyone can hear, I yelled out positive comments; the answers usually heard back are:

• “Yes, definitely.”
• “We can hear you loud and clear at center ice.”
• “I even heard you down by their face-off circle.”
• “They can probably hear you from outside the rink.”

None of these on-ice shout-outs are ever negative in expressed content toward a team member–nor even toward the other team. The content of each shout becomes easy for anyone to figure out. Staying positive in your expressed content greatly helps to avoid bench brawls from starting. We have all seen recordings of when hostile words lead to lost tempers and bodies shoved / punches thrown as many injuries could result in chaos compared to injuries from the actual gameplay.

With all of the above (commentary & mindset), these same concepts apply to the captain of any given team as the coach. There will be times when the coach is either absent by prior necessity or is too far from the center of the action in the arena to be heard or seen by the players on the field. This happens with crowd noise and visual obstructions.

Because of the game-concentration factor (minimize distractions) in any contest situation, it is then for the team captain to shout out those constant reminders, i.e., which are the basics of hockey:

• “puck possession”,
• “heads up (at all times).”
• “watch your back.”
• “take your open shots.”
• “skate it up, ice (when you are open for this).”

These five statements contain probably 90% of what it takes (inaction) to express the positive mindset to victory.

These hockey-specific expressions (above) can be translated to the ball or other sports game objective toward scoring points for any other team sport.

In Closing

You’ll note that the word “don’t” is not found in any of those team-shout expressions. What becomes a focus by the coaches and the team captains (then ultimately to the players themselves) is that their positive mindset helps carry their respective abilities to positive actions. That process leads to the more desirable result of winning in team matches–no matter what the prospective odds of the outcome are before each game.

Read More:

• 5 Coaching Tips from Ted Lasso
• Coaching Tips on Game Days

The dual list (offensive and defensive) that is described below contains the same major points but is different in functionality for on-the-ice skills.

“Parametric ratings” sounds like a fancy ‘construct’ but it consists of a set of categories to rate the skills of a player by several athletic aspects of the game of hockey.

This is not an official scoring system. But perhaps it can be a start toward a quantifiable dimension of hockey player evaluation. The actual scoring scale can, of course, be modified to a different numeric value across the four parameters.

I’ve divided it into offensive and defensive; the generic actions (as parameters) involved are categorized the same for both aspects of offensive and defensive:

= skating

= stick

= position

= sense of team

The most complex of these factors is–you guessed it–position. That’s because the position can be on almost any part of the surface of the 200x 85-foot area (nearly 19,000 square feet), minus the blue-paint crease and inside the goal areas.

Note: with the sometimes-overlooked puck blocking/puck intercepting factor of one’s hockey stick, most defensive plays are accomplished with that two-and-one-half inch x ten inches part– the stick blade, front side, or backside!

Offensive & Defensive Skills:

1 – skating (speed) — frontward____

back ____

lateral ____

(maneuverability) — sudden turns ____

“skid” stops ____

2 – stick — shooting:

wrist ____

slap ____

lob shots ____

backhand ____

blocking: interceptions ____

deflections ____

passing:

forward _____

back_____

laterally ____

3 – position –movement and re-spotting

offensively / forward _____

defensively / backward ____

lateral _____

4 – “Sense of Team.”

This element happens on the ice & off the ice. It’s the stuff that the “C”s (captains) and “A”s (assistant captains) are made of!

Scale of 1 to 10 points ________ (subjective, but see scenario 1 & 2 as examples). This fourth skill is a challenge to one’s self but loosely goes like this:

Scenario 1: Player F has the chance for an almost certain goal to score but has a teammate wide open to score also.

Does player F shoot for themselves or pass it over to the teammate?

Scenario 2: A defensive play is possible where player F can do it, yet there is a significant risk of injury by players who make the on-ice move in question. Player F is known to decide to risk that injury, placing the outcome of team performance over his own safety and not merely some reckless actions.

Scenarios like these two are tough to keep an ongoing score tally on, but we all know those players who have these tendencies and the skillset to make the exceptionally talented play of the moment. The general question becomes how much personal risk is acceptable and does the hockey player actually have those essential skills to accomplish the bold challenges?

As a disclaimer of sorts (not to cause unnecessary team in-fighting), these ratings would be for the coach’s own planning use, and even possible one-on-one assessment talks with each individual player, but definitely not to publicly post up the actual rating scores.

If the head coach has the presence of one or more assistant coaches, he could ask each assistant coach to make similar ratings of their own, for perhaps an average on each player’s scores.

Expressing here as an EEOC Counselor, these same positive values promoted in the workplace should exist on the playing field, and in the locker rooms & meeting rooms.

Every coach, assistant coach, and every team member needs to “buy into” that perspective of ‘diversity.’ A simple definition would include having respect for cultures & ethnicities other than one’s own.

It has several dimensions: nationality, gender, racial composition, sexual orientation, and economical household income aspects.

Diversity Objectives For Coaches and Guardians

To promote the subject sport of the team and the team itsel as being a vehicle toward unity, and not serve as a convenient place to express negative commentary.

Initially, assess the diversity of the team.

What is the ethnic profile of the team?

It’s possible to ask about nationalities on each player’s team member record cards or file pages.

Informally the coach can then tally up which nationalities, religions, ethnic races are represented among the membership.

This assessment could also be done at the commissioner level on the team league level and even compare teams. Any league newsletters or announcements can include such diversity information when presented as something positive, and a form of recognition of this diversity.

However, diversity “arranging” should NOT be the “prime directive”. Ethnic quotas with any re-arranging of rosters would be artificial, and would not support diversity. The random factors of chance have hopefully resulted in the profiles of each team.

For teams/leagues in larger cities, neighborhoods might be represented by more “segregation” simply because of the locations of where the members live. For example, all teammates may belong to the same parish or local school within a smaller neighborhood. The answer, of course, is not for a league to split up established teams merely to assemble statistically diverse teams. Such league mandates are likely to backfire.

To support and promote diversity, encouraging friendships among team rivals can equally accomplish that major objective of everyone “getting along” and thus the discouragement of disparaging words & hateful actions toward other players.

Six Steps For Coaches

1. Ask inwardly: Can team recruitment be extended to any ethnicities not already represented?
2. If so, in what ways? Where is recruitment being done? Are the team efforts for new players/members to join the team or the league actually reaching every venue?
3. Have at least one opportunity (i.e., during a team meeting very early in the season) for each youth or teenager to explain in their own words (to their group) how their team sport fits within with their ethnicity profile. If the team has a wide representation of nationalities, this should become a positive information exchange. And even if not very diverse in teammate profiles, ANY differences can still be celebrated.
4. For youth teams, gain the parental buy-in of different backgrounds. The parents in turn can set favorable examples for the younger people. This can be accomplished with a “meet & greet” gathering of all the team parents/guardians, in the presence of their children.
5. Asking the team members for their specific thoughts on how to make their team better support diversity could lead to some interesting suggestions. In elementary schools and high schools, the “international day” celebration becomes a chance to exchange cultures in a friendly way. Perhaps a fundraiser for the team could carry such a theme of international recognition.
6. At every game match or team practice, remind each & all team members that their words & actions can define who they are in the eyes & ears of others: team opponents, the regulating officials, the spectator crowds, and any news media which might be present. Players need not be told, “be on your guard”. Instead, ask each member to focus on the game itself, and improve their skill set at every opportunity. And that means no room for irrelevant comments or starting fights based on any ethnic stereotypes.

Note: It would be hoped that with adult league sports in the year 2022 (and beyond!), diversity would be or become a non-issue, where the main focus remains on the enjoyment of playing the sport– and abandoning any biases that one might have grown up with.

Coaching Topics To Discuss at Meetings:

The best-known example of diversity “expansions” is the Jackie Robinson story in pro baseball. As the popular story is told, after some resistance from some executives more accustomed to major league baseball’s “whites-only” policy, that color barrier was finally broken–with Dodgers owner Branch Rickey accepting Robinson for his team roster.

As another example for everyone, Willie O’Ree had to break the color barrier in pro ice hockey.

That challenge took much acceptance by his teammates, as one positive example of how teammates should react to any “new person” on the team.

Downplaying ethnicities and instead re-focusing on what the sport is about may bring about the desired results for the entire roster of team members.

Preventive pointer: It might be tempting for a few jokers on the team to make up nicknames for their teammates, however seemingly harmless.

But this is where the coach needs to be the judge of whether any nickname might have hidden ethnic negativity with it.

Even if the “named” teammate feels flattered by the attention, and the name is with an affectionate tone, the parent might think differently, as might opposing team members.

The possibilities of such questionable nicknames bring many risk-prone examples that could start trouble.

By making ethnicity less important, the true team-oriented objectives emerge more clearly as being about sportsmanship and sports discipline. Both “practices” lead to better performance.

Stereotyping about different ethnicities needs to also become obsolete–even as a source of humor. Leave the jokes to the professionals and Hollywood actors, even though they tend to push the limit sometimes.

In real life, such ethnic jokes can be taken (and are likely to be) perceived as offensive, especially where individuals might have had early challenges in the localities or neighborhoods of where they originally came from.

In a real-world example of biases in the past: How ironic that a young person of one “minority” culture would call another individual out with a slur to another “minority.” But it has happened. The frequency of such negative (and possibly de-moralizing) incidents can become much less if the coaches and teammates consciously adjust their mindset toward the sport and the skills needed.

Setting Disciplinary Guidelines:

If an ethnic slur happens from anyone on the team, whether directed at a teammate or an opponent (no matter how heated the play or the situation becomes), it is up to the coach and team captain to see to it that some sort of penalty happens to the offending teammate. “Bench time” is usually an effective deterrent, where the offending player denies themselves playing minutes, or when warranted, whole games to sit out.

Avoid monetary penalties–especially with youth, for two reasons:

1. One person’s dollar can be like ten dollars to the next person, based on the household income & budget.
2. If it is the parent or guardian who eventually pays the fine of any amount, the team-member offender isn’t directly going to feel or experience a consequence of remedial justice.

In a recent TEAMUSA article, the webpage sets forth eight “virtues” or principles that would guide a coach toward the desired objective or more & better quality of diversity:

1. Love (of the game and the team participants for whoever they are),
2. Authenticity (not forcing diversity on anyone),
3. Understanding (of differences in gender and sexuality as well as income, not only ethnicity)
4. Commitment (a concern for the team budget, with members of different income levels)
5. Reflection (asking the leadership question of what in the program might be missing),
6. Longevity (promoting lifelong participation in the sport),
7. Unity (keeping the common goal of the team in sight),
8. Play (provide adequate & ample time/opportunity with the sport for every teammate).

In Closing

A successful team may not necessarily be characterized (nor defined) only by winning a championship. The team has the most fun, the greatest camaraderie, and the largest number of lasting friendships by some valid measures. That becomes the true “winner.”

So success is possible for every team! And one key would thus be through embracing the diversity of the team. Most championship teams generally have indeed cast aside any prejudices, where an environment of acceptance rules temperaments much better than the tensions created with negative commentary something that adds no value to any athletic sport.

A: As a parent, you are not the team coach. So at game matches and practices, don’t act like one! Don’t upstage the coach and diminish their credibility with team members.

B: Your conduct as a parent during team matches is a reflection of the team’s character. If you “mouth off” like an idiot with unfiltered provoking and mean-spirited comments, shouting matches can become violent.

Such violence nearly happened during a recent ice hockey match: a Brooklyn NYC team versus a high school team from Bergen County, NJ.

The score grew from 5-0 to 10-0 by the end. Whether the Brooklyn coach had evoked his version of “mercy rule” by playing his second and third lines more at the time was not clear.

With each additional goal scored, that home bench exploded in celebration as if it was a tournament winner. Inappropriate. Why? It provoked the crowd of friends and parents at this home rink to become very vocal and derisive toward the losing team in an otherwise decent game. There were excellent levels of play from both teams, and only the narrow factor of puck possession made the difference in scoring opportunities. The goalie who had ten goals against actually made some remarkable saves along the way to the severe loss.

If it hadn’t been for some knowledgeable hockey friends (and myself) in the viewer stands to step in to quell the home crowd down, there would have been at least one fistfight from one angry New Jersey father–who expressed that the over-celebration was not in good spirits with the intent of youth sports. He was correct with that. We kept them separate from the visiting parents. Luckily, local police calls were avoided through some open discussion as vocally supportive of the defeated team. All they wanted to hear in the loss was the expression of “good game” and “good action” which would go with the lines exchanging handshakes at the end of the match. That notable hockey tradition didn’t happen after the final buzzer. It was simply because of the excessively rowdy group of winning home team parents.

And so here are a few “pointers” on how parents can be a more positive force at the games and the practices.

There is no definitive answer on being “the best” sports parent. However, the following list of eleven pointers can serve as a reference reminder to newer parents who want their child(ren) to 1) realize their full capability, and 2) promote their love interest in a particular sport. That interest arguably should be the child’s interest, not necessarily your interest.

It is OK to introduce your youngster to any sports that you happen to love, but if they try it and don’t have any playing passion, then still let them pick their sport. For example, you might be disinterested in soccer, but your child loves kicking the ball around. Be supportive! Years later, no matter how far the child progresses in that sport, they’ll still be appreciative of the time you spent to take them (and possibly their friends, too) to practices and game matches.

So, here is a list of hopefully-helpful pointers, in no particular order:

10 Ways To Be A Better Sports Parent

1: Communication

Communicate with other parents, as you do with the coach. Each parent of the team members has the mutual objective of enjoying the “team experience” with all the wins & losses–and even the chance to become competitive league champions. These early experiences are key “shapers” of the lives of almost every child who plays on a team. You can become a key contributor in the camaraderie of the team spirit.

2: Help

Offer to help. Here are two possibilities: offer to be the videographer or a rideshare/carpool for other parents who may not have vehicular transportation. And if you do such good deeds, don’t expect reciprocity. Do such deeds for the good of the team. Life has a way of bringing about rewards that may not even be related to such generosity, in what some call “positive karma.” You’ll be able to feel the appreciation!

3: Educate Yourself

Learn the rules of the sport. Even if it is not YOUR favorite sport, it might be the favorite of your son or daughter who places considerable value on their team members. You might even use this learning model to become more quality time with your child, i.e., by discussing those unusual gameplay situations which require a look at the governing rule or regulation.

4: You Aren’t The Coach

Don’t upstage the coach. If you are vocal/critical, consider becoming the coach or an assistant coach. But in your perspective, as a parent, be aware that you are one of many in the team’s “family.” If you critique everything, the coach might distance themselves from all parents instead of staying connected. Be positive in any commentary about the coach so that you are not creating a “mutiny mode” among parents. Discuss any issues or potential issues directly and openly (with other parents present).

5: At home: support proper nutrition!

Sugary soda and snack forms are laden with refined sugar, excessive salt, and saturated fats can undo the merits of the physical workout and even create medical challenges such as a pre-diabetic condition and cardiovascular inefficiencies even in younger bodies. Other STACK articles have addressed this challenge for further reading.

6: SLEEP

Remind your young athlete about rest/sleep requirements!

Ask the relevant question: How do the pros do it, with their rigorous on-schedule season, involving a lot of travel to their “away” games?

They rest beforehand. Whether it is sleep, a catnap, or a quiet meditation for a time, such rest does help prevent injuries from playing in an exhausted state. It is addressed further in item # 11.

7: Stretch

Expect those fitness exercises/stretches from your young athlete to prevent on-field injuries. You might even perform these exercises at home with your child for your physical fitness. Again, this is a form of positive-example setting. Positive encouragement works much better than any negative critiques that could even create an inner hostility. A needless consequence in meeting the challenges of physical development and athletic ability.

8: Positive Feedback

Communicate with your loved ones about their positive plays, and compliment their friends. It is tempting to fall into the negativity heard too often. Even where the on-field blunder is obvious, no one knows it better than the individual who committed the error at any age. So try to express encouragement, and never a negative word which would dishearten anyone–especially a more impressionable child athlete.

9: No Drinking or Drugs

Remind the adolescent athletes: no alcohol. There is no set strategy on this one. But try to make it clear that the ill effects heavily outweigh any temporary euphoria. Peer pressure can often enough lead to wrecked bodies in wrecked automobiles. Health Educators across the nation try their darndest to build refusal skills in those who have tendencies to be adventurous or daring or want to “fit in” with a group. As a parent, if you can set the positive example of never getting drunk, that would become a strong influence, even for their friends who might see you as a positive adult example.

10: Your Athlete Isn’t Going Pro

Understand the odds of the pro contract, but don’t burst the bubble, because as they say in Lotto, “You Never Know.” Some brief examples:

This author missed a chance of being asked to play for the Junior Canadiens in the Henri Richard Hockey School. A nephew did play professional soccer in Arizona for two years. Two young friends-of-friends are presently playing ice hockey in the NHL, having skated with them on brief separate occasions.

Odds Of Getting Into Professional Sports

During a lengthy coaching certification course (for earning an NYC certification), the curriculum included the approximate “odds” of a young athlete reaching the professional leagues in the following popular team sports.

These numbers were based on the league team registrations as kept by the national organizations behind each sport, not the professional leagues per se.

• Baseball: One in 2.5 million
• Basketball: one in 1.1 million
• Football: one in 1.5 million
• Hockey: one in 145,000–because less organized hockey is played (per capita) in the US than in other countries.

These Lottery-like stats are not for waving in front of your child, or they might immediately lose interest in ever playing again.

Every pro athlete who made it had:

1. Degree of desire to progress
2. A lot of self-discipline
3. Love of the sport–all with4) keeping their school grades up.

You can tell your child those four factors if they ever ask “What does it take for me to go all the way to reach the pros ?”

Especially these days, it is not unfair to emphasize not letting school grades slip. Colleges are becoming the proving grounds for all of these sports, if not already (as with football and basketball).

11: Support

A word about off-hours / travel games/practices: how to support the effort. Whether those off-hours practices/games are previously scheduled or from unexpected schedule changes, it is hoped that the team coach is on top of letting parents know. You might have to help in that aspect if last-minute changes are avoidable by more in-advance alerts. Very-early morning or late-night practices are not beneficial in a normal circadian rhythm, i.e., a 24-hour human cycle. So without calling it doing “damage control” for your team members, the enjoyment of the very late night practice or game is going to come with a price.

If you think you are tired from driving them, imagine how tired you would be if you were in the event! So while your sleep or work time is impacted, theirs is also. Physical expenditure is always going to require a period of rest. It is more than the lactic acid build-up in the athlete’s muscle tissue. Those athletic workouts are an entire metabolic shift from resting state to a form of “overdrive.” It’s what we as young kids had called “adrenaline rushes.” This reminder goes back to point #6 of this article: rest/ sleep / “catnap” before these events, if possible.

Conclusion

In conclusion, if you can share the enjoyment of this family experience of getting out and taking photographs of the wins or even the losses, this parental support of your child (as a team athlete) creates a strong bond with them. Such bonds can extend into other life experiences to benefit such children.

Hockey injuries are preventable! But prevention cannot be guessed.

What follows is a summary of pointers that coaches & captains of teams can share with their membership.

5 Ways To Prevent Hockey Injuries

1: Stretching

Develop your own preferred set of repetitions (“reps”), but there are a set of six movements that this author does every day. Each has helped to keep minor and major injuries out of the picture.

The knees, ankles, lower back, hips, neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists & fingers are areas of need.

From a standing position, these stretches can be done either on the floor (on one’s back). Or preferably (time allowing) in both positions. A stretching band can be used for added muscle tension or without any equipment if none is available.

It may surprise some to read “fingers” on this list, but hand injuries are indeed common. The hand has the largest number of muscles in the human body, so it does deserve some controlled movement. Wrist flexes with weights can address this preventive need to keep a firm finger & thumb grip. Squeeze balls are often used to keep the hand more nimble.

Exercise the ankles, knees, hips, and back/spine with a stretching band or loop:

A gym pad/mat or other smooth padded surface is desirable.

First Stretch

• Lay flat on your back.
• Place the stretching band under both feet.
• Grip the other side of this circular band with both hands.
• The tension (pounds of pressure) of hand & arm-to-foot & leg resistance is what is needed to generate stronger muscle fiber with its supportive tissues.
• Draw or pull your feet in (knee becomes flexed) toward the center of your body until your feet reach your crotch area. Push feet back outward, using hands to supply resistance during motion.
• The back should remain flat without any arching.
• Start with a count of 10 repetitions (“reps”), then increase a few reps each day, until you build up to a count of about 200–or whatever you can do without feeling stressed.

Second Stretch

• With both heels/feet on the floor from a prone position (face up) draw both feet upward, use the stretch band to pull up both feet & legs.
• Move both hands on the stretch band upward as close to feet as possible, to increase hand and arm tension.
• Pull feet over abdomen and head for a backstretch, where legs are hanging over one’s head.
• If the feet can be pulled over the head to the floor, that is an excellent stretch for the spine.
• Lightly pull the feet down toward the floor, with the hands tugging in a slight bouncing motion.

Third stretch

• In the standing position, pull the stretch band outward as far as possible.
• Spread the feet about three feet apart, with knees bent.
• Holding that tension with arms apart, twist the abdomen/torso from left to right in a repeated smooth motion, keeping the head pivoted forward.

2: Warm-ups & Warm-downs

Stretch with cardio-burst before and after-game stretches

Cardio burst beforehand: After the initial stretching routine (above), do some jump rope or jumping jacks, on a realistically set number or a set time interval. The purpose is to get the heart pumping (especially in the morning) to create a more alert game participant.

Start with a small objective, such as 30 jumping jacks or 30 loops of jump rope at a time. Increase the repetitions (“reps”) in reasonable increments. Increase the count by ten, until you can feel a “training effect” of feeling some muscle fatigue or out-of-breath sensations. It is best not to “push it”, but instead keep the increments/rep increases going.

3: Weight Training

Train with strap-on wrist weights and strap-on ankle weights to build muscle, bone, tendon, and ligament capacity strength.

First, decide on the appropriate weight for your body size. weights can be from two pounds to five pounds.

With the added weight, your body works harder to “compensate” whenever there is any movement. It is common for some skaters to add five-pound (or less) ankle weights and also wrist weights in practice times–for that added edge in game situations. Anyone who does this form of adaptation has reported feeling more agile, faster, and stronger because of that weight-added training.

These devices can and should be considered for any age & stage of development above the age of puberty.

4: Wraps and Sleeves

Braces & wraps are commercially available and are not too expensive. These devices are sometimes called “orthotics” and can be considered for any age & stage of development.

Use athletic wraps/sleeves/braces for [in no particular order] knees, ankles, hips, elbows, shoulders, wrists–but not neck braces! Why? If someone needs a neck brace, they should not be playing in either game or practice situations!

The popular “metallic” sounding brand of athletic brace has good product quality (this is not a paid endorsement!). Start to use such supports at the first sign of achiness, not when there is excruciating pain. That ache is your body’s way of telling you to address the pain, perhaps also with over-the-counter topical cremes. These external devices help to compensate for the momentary instances or extended times of excessive pressure on that specific bone joint & associated muscles, tendons, and ligaments.

In the heat of play, that wrap/sleeve/brace can be the difference between a sprain or strain, or being able to “play on” without interruption.

All possible impact points during contact “sessions” need rigid forms of equipment parts. Examples in hockey include hockey pants, shoulder guards, elbow guards, groin protection, and knee guards. In recent years, “shot-blockers” for skates have prevented many bruises and even bone fractures. Hockey helmets and face guards have progressed considerably for risk reduction of brain concussion, broken noses, loss of teeth, jaw fractures, etc. On the controversial issue of full-face guards versus visors, all it takes is one slap shot to quickly convince anyone on the ice! Lost teeth and broken jaws/cheekbones are a consequence of not wearing the available protective equipment.

5: Hydrate

Under the concept of adequate hydration and increased alertness, it’s arguably not cheating to include, even with its mild diuretic effect: coffee!

Milk (or almond milk/coconut milk)–and no sugar added–for all of the well-known nutritional reasons.

For those early morning workouts, whether it is a darker or light drink, this popular beverage is known to have positive health benefits, at least for those over eighteen years of age.

Like common teas, this drink is safer (even if not “decaf”) than some of the questionable sports energy drinks currently on the market.

If coffee, tea, or milk are not one’s preference, consider 100% fruit juices. If a juicer is owned at home, that’s even better to bring homemade mixes to the game or practice time, to replenish.

Of course, pure water has merits, although it is possible to over-hydrate. Calculate from your body weight (male or female) to figure out how many ounces /milliliters of water/fluid you need to replenish what is being lost in sweat and exhalation. There are hydration apps available for iphones and other cellphone brands. Such calculations account for gender and body weight.

In conclusion

Regardless of the athlete’s chronological age, the present-day trend (based on validated scientific research) is to pay some attention to each of these aspects of injury prevention.

New coaches could even print out this STACK.com article and distribute it to team members and their parents.

Coaches, Parents, Guardians, and Team members all need to be aware of these protocols.

The benefit of publication here is to offer a basis of consistency across many rinks as local health departments seek some precautionary measures at rinks, and the cooperation of coaches, parents, guardians, and team players.

COVID-COPING HOCKEY OPERATING GUIDELINES FOR COVID-19

General Considerations

Before any in-person programming, notify participants about the cleaning process being implemented at the rink and also by coaches and administrators.

Host an online meeting with the families to run through plans and allow them to ask questions as it relates to:

• What they can expect
• Planning for the first session
• Precautions being taken to keep the rink clean and safe

Share the facility’s protocol for pacing and limiting the number of patrons entering at one time

Communicate and follow the guidelines for the number of people allowed to be in the rink and on the ice.

Participants with risk factors or illnesses should not attend in-person training and ice sessions.

Participants with symptoms or signs of illness are strictly advised not to enter the premises and to seek medical assistance.

A coach should be prepared to require that a player exhibiting signs or symptoms of illness will need to leave practice (this applies in the same way as a suspected concussion).

Programs or coaches can send a short one-page flyer based on CDC medical recommendations about expectations and self-monitoring for illness symptoms. The players should stay home if they have any symptoms and that coaches will remove players if they exhibit any symptoms.

Patrons must register and pay online before arriving. No rink personnel will be available in the facility to receive any admission payments.

Players will not be penalized for missing training sessions.

Rink will ensure that appropriate infection prevention supplies (i.e., hand sanitizer, facial tissues, facial coverings) are present in multiple targeted areas.

The rink will post approved signage reminding people of social distancing requirements and other appropriate COVID-19 precautions.

Players are not required to wear masks while engaging in training sessions. Still, they must wear masks while entering and leaving the facility.

Coaches must wear masks whenever they are within 6 feet of a player. We expect coaches to maintain 6 feet distance except under unusual circumstances that may require closer contact, such as if a player is injured or needs help with equipment.

Arriving at Training Sessions

Each session will have a designated time for arrival. There will be a 15-minute time period that players will have to arrive. If players miss their time slot they will not be allowed into the rink they will have missed the session.

Coaches and players must answer COVID-19 questionnaire and have a temperature check.

The number of participants will be limited to 10 players and 2 coaches at any one time.

Players need to bring and label their own water bottles and towels. No sharing of water and towels.

Players must have all the necessary equipment to participate.

The rink will not be giving or lending any type of equipment. Players may not lend or share equipment with each other.

If a player does not have all of their equipment, they will not be allowed to participate and must leave the area to wait for pickup or equipment drop-off.

Locker rooms will be not be used for dressing. Players must arrive dressed in full equipment, including skates if possible.

Players who must use the toilet facilities will use the ones in the locker room, not the restrooms in the main part of the building. No lining up at the door to the locker room.

The locker room will be cleaned after each practice if used.

We will have chairs set up at a social distance for putting on and taking off shoes/skates/skate guards.

Players will use the designated entrance into the rink building. Markers will be placed at the entrance at 6 feet intervals to help the players maintain social distance.

Parents should not accompany players to the entrance to rink. No spectators.

Parents will wait in their cars during practice.

Parents who have questions should use email or telephone. They will not be permitted to talk directly to coaches at the entrance or at training sessions.

Promote strict hand hygiene (hand-washing and sanitizer dispensers) before and after training.

Players need to be prepared to disinfect their equipment immediately after use.

On-Ice Practices

Practices will involve only non-contact, non-competitive, socially distanced skills training.

Participants will not be dispersed through the facilities. Hockey participants will enter and depart directly into the rink and conduct all of their activities there.

Only one group of participants would be on-premises at the same time.

Players and coaches must observe social distancing recommendations while on the ice 6 feet social distance to be enforced at all times.

Avoid using benches.

There will be no games or scrimmages, only practice and skills sessions where social distancing will be adhered to.

When designing practice, utilize station-based practices and have players/coaches spread around to maintain needed physical distancing.

When conducting drills that require players to stand in line, use special care to maintain proper social distance.

Avoid chalk talk sessions where players could congregate too closely.

Utilize non-contact drills.

Coaches need to be cognizant to avoid talking within close proximity of players’ faces.

After Training Sessions

Participants should put on their shoes or skate guards using the same socially distanced chair they used at the beginning of the session.

Participants should leave the facility immediately after putting on their shoes or skate guards.

Participants should maintain social distancing while leaving the facility.

Players should disinfect helmets, sticks and skates after each training session.

Wash clothes (jerseys, pant shells, socks and gloves) with high temperature after each training session.

Once a session is finished, the rink will clean and sanitize all chairs, doors and other surfaces before the next session begins.

Positivity in all thoughts, all actions (oral expressions & physical actions / re-actions), and good-example setting among one another for the enjoyment of the team as well as playing the sport

All team members need to know the game rules, learn the strategies, and practice the positive-interaction guidelines.

Bring in the actual rulebook which governs the sport, and have it handy (and/or online access) for those odd questions or situations which can and do arise.

Do These Qualities Describe You Or Your Athlete?

Gives Relentless Effort

You can’t control many things during your season, but you can control how hard you play. The only way to get better is to give your maximum effort.

“Sometimes, things may not go your way, but the effort should be there every single night.” – Michael Jordan

Build Relationships

Excellent relationships between teammates are an important foundation for the success of any team. Plus a great way to make new friends.

Be Humble and Honest

Great teams and relationships are built on honesty and putting the team first. Do what it takes to help the team be successful. This isn’t always easy, but great teammates find a way to put the team’s success above their own success.

Team First

Team First can be adopted as the motto for the team’s activities, which might also bring the team to that position in the league standings competitively!

Show What You Know

Show what you know and take every opportunity to show a teammate (in a positive tone) a movement technique you may know very well that the teammate can perhaps improve on. By reaching out to a teammate, you’ll be likely to gain a friend off the playing field as well.

Respect Others

Respect your teammates and coaches. Look people in the eye and acknowledge when someone is talking to you.

Moral Support

Offer moral support, compliment those good plays, and be consoling on those lousy plays, not critical. Your teammate already knows when they messed up, and any negative/sarcastic comments would only be “piling on” to de-moralize.

Learn First Aid

Learn about First Aid and emergency health care basics. You don’t necessarily have to join the Boy Scouts or Girls Scouts to learn about this knowledge. But it is never too early to become acquainted with what to do to address injuries that might happen–whether this is about you or a teammate. Prompt, correct action has been known to save further injury, or worse. It might even be something to bring up as a topic to your coach, if they don’t–for possible interest in learning more about. If not, there are internet resources for such basic knowledge–that you hope you never have to utilize!

What do Coaches and Parent Have in Common?

Positivity

Positivity in all thoughts, all actions (oral expressions & physical actions / re-actions), and good-example setting among one another for the enjoyment of the team as well as playing the sport

Support

Support people (if any) who need to know the game rules, learn the strategies, and practice the positive-interaction guidelines

Be aware that it is possible for grown people to revert behaviorally verbally to immature eight-year-olds with their selfish talk or needless critiques of some plays/performances of their teammates.

Bring in the actual rulebook which governs the sport, and have it handy (and/or have online access) for those odd questions or situations which can & do arise.

If one is simultaneously the parent of a team member and a coach/assistant coach of the team members on the same team:

Avoid the tendency to overplay or otherwise favor one’s own child!

Some minimum percentage of playing time in the games (not only the practice sessions) should be established for every player on the team.

“Hurt feelings from the bench versus winning the championship” remains as one of those continuing challenges (of competing interests) for every coach.

Overplaying the relative (son, daughter, niece, nephew) is way too common and even something for league officials to ideally lookout for–even though this can sometimes be challenging to spot on the playing field.

Only when other parents (or even teammates) speak up does this inequity come to light and (hopefully) positively dealt with.

Unfortunately, there are also at least a few coaches who are doing the coaching mainly for the extra money, if being paid, or to mainly assure playing time for their own children; otherwise, they would not be doing it.

Either or both reasons (“mainly money” and/or “play my own kids”) are less than ideal and hopefully do not happen. Think about your own motivation for being a coach.

Dealing With Conflicts

Dealing with such conflicts of interest is almost always quite challenging for the league officials, at least when overplaying one’s own children becomes obvious.

“Team First” can be adopted as the motto for action, which might bring the team to that sought-after position competitively!

Setting Some Limits & Guidelines in the Role of Coaching

Coaches should not try to become the parent per se to any or all their young team players. That parental role is reserved for the natural parent / adoptive parents or legal guardians.

The advantages of teamwork-oriented actions and of thorough communications need to be directly explained by the coach to the team as a group per se and also to the parents in a group meeting.

If a coach is not comfortable with presentations, sometimes because of the large amount of relevant info to convey to the team and to parents, then a written version to copy for each on the entire team roster would be appropriate.

Some parents may or may not have detailed knowledge of the game. And to the few parents who might think that they know more than the coach–or try to act/talk that way, coaches’ dealing with it earlier than later is more effective!

Agenda Items For Coaches

Hold at least one parent-oriented meeting–before the start of the match schedule/season, with the offer to:

• Explain the rules of the subject sport,
• Give helpful online references & game tutorials (youtube, etc.),
• Clarify the role of the coach & any assistant coaches,
• Detail the role & scope of function of the league officials,
• The vital role that each parent plays in the picture.

Generate a flyer of “do’s and don’t” for parents and a similar one for teammates. Not only with your own (reasonable !) ground rules, but what is also considered “standard” in that sport, with any useful websites for further reference. One example is USAH.org for Ice Hockey

Help to arrange/coordinate useful car rides to game matches & practices for teammates who have no such transportation.

Many diverse households are often mingled on the same team–especially those of different financial means–to a perhaps surprising magnitude of difference.

One family might own only one car for several people, and another might have one car per household member! And there may even be those team members in households without any car.

The folks with the ready transportation might “step up” and offer to other parents openly or one-on-one (depending on the situation).

Suggest in general for able parents to make car ride offerings, but DO NOT make any direct assignments!

At some early point in taking on the role, draft a set of “survey” questions to the parents and a separate set of survey questions to your team members–with language at an age-appropriate level.

Ask each individual to answer the “survey” sheet on their own privately AND ANONYMOUSLY or use Survey Monkey.

Survey Your Team

Answers on survey forms would be placed folded up (in a shoebox or other large-enough container) for later reading & evaluation by the coach.

Starter questions: [ in no particular order] for TEAM Members

{Directions: Check all items that apply to you}

What first made you interested in this team?

• Friends on the team or trying out for the same team
• Love the sport
• Parents would like me to play this sport
• Brother or sister also plays the same sport
• Don’t really know
• Other
• Comments in your own words

What do you hope to gain from being on this team? (check all that apply)

• Learn more about the sport
• Actual playing time
• Gain approval of my parents
• Approval of other folks in the family
• Approval of my coach
• Playing experience to go further in this sport
• Compete with brother or sister
• Don’t really know
• Other
• Comments in your own words

Do you have a preferred playing field position, or is playing time in any position more important to you? [choose only one]

• Preferred position [list here] __________
• Playing time is more important to me. “Put me in, coach !”
• Comments in your own words

Your collected feedback (anonymously) from both groups, i.e., the team members and their parents/guardians, can provide very valuable indicators on your coach’s agenda for the season.

Explain What The Parental Role should Includes And Exclude

Bullying of other parents, the game refs (on or off the field), or the teammates of son or daughter, or league officials

“Trash talking” about any teammate of the child(ren), of any of the parents, or about the coach

Improper behavior at games or practices, i.e., where the role of the coach is being challenged, excessively loud error commentary about any player’s performance (own team or opponents’ team)

Going even further to make physical threats to any individual (team member, coach/assistant coach, or team parent) in the realm of their own team dynamics or the inter-league competition.

If any parent/guardian is interested enough to be more involved than merely a spectator at the practices and games, some “assisting” roles might be given by the coach for when such parents are able to be present. These roles might include assisting with some of the sports drills (for smaller, more focused groups in the drills), and perhaps being the team “videographer” where such parents /guardians can put their iPhone devices to use to capture footage of team drills and game matches–for later sharing out.

The coach could even utilize some of this video footage to highlight various “best plays,” a.k.a. the highlight-reel plays, and to candidly discuss what would NOT be called a Blooper Session.

No mocking of any teammates would be permitted–even if expressed in supposedly in good-natured tones, during the replays of the less-than-stellar plays, whether in practice or in-game situations.

With the explanation of “this is how the pros improve their game skills,” the young players might be quite interested in seeing their star performances, yet also become more accepting of those momentary errors/misjudgments during the competition which missed being a good play by perhaps a fraction of a second.

These specific replays can represent an actual/proven means to improve for the young athlete.

In closing, the Coach (with assistant coach(s) and any helping parents) can take the leadership initiative to possibly organize an end-of-season celebration (team members and their parents/guardians all invited !) to enjoy all the experiences of that season, possibly with any videotaped gameplay & practice time footage, all to re-enjoy for the camaraderie!

Whether you’re on defense or forward positions, here are the available options, and your optimal choice depends on:

1. Your momentary place on the ice
2. Your location on ice, i.e., in the opposing-side zone or your zone
3. Your team leading in score or trailing in the score

First, remember that a position does not mean “stationary” in hockey, as with other sports. Almost 100% of the time, you will be making choices of action as you are moving around the rink.

Typically you’re in your coverage zone, but there are opportunistic exceptions, i.e., with unexpected puck possession, for a “breakaway” toward the opposing goal. In no particular order here, even though numbered within this article, consider:

1. Pass upward / up-ice. That takes form by either caroming the puck diagonally off a near-side board; or projecting the puck laterally forward without using the rink’s sideboards, called a “cross-ice” pass.
2. Pass back: When opposing team pressure is strong, this is a very wise option. Better to lose some “forward territory” on the ice than lose the puck possession altogether. The puck possession time percentage in a game is the primary objective with scoring goals toward a game win.
3. Pass lateral: To which side depends on which teammates are “open,” i.e., distant enough from any opposing player, to assure that the puck pass is not intercepted.
4. Skate it up, aka headman the puck: Carrying it until a teammate is open “upward” for a pass to, or yourself making the rush toward the opposing net for a highlight-reel play.
5. Skate it back, i.e., “cycle back.”: Truly savvy players have their heads up after they get the puck, and can see better where more space is: forward, either side and even back.
   This option is similar to the soccer or football field move of temporarily losing one’s advance to gain it back by using lateral open space to bring the puck forward. This is usually a better option than dumping it ahead into the negative zone because you don’t lose puck possession.
6. Shoot: Around the boards, or if it’s in range of accuracy–shoot on goal! You’ll make the opposing goalie do his or her job. And their netminder may not be expecting any attempt to score. Sometimes this is the best option, where you also see your open teammate “up-ice” who can advance or protect the puck. If you shoot on goal, your teammate can pick up a goalie’s save rebound from scoring for your team.
   Sub-Options
   a) on-ice shot (easier for deflections)
   b) shooting at a particular height/trajectory not higher than the four-foot-tall crossbar. Higher courses than that indicate a need for that player to develop more shooting control. Too-high shots also pose a risk of face-injuring teammates or opposing players.
7. Hold steady: This option of delaying a pass and staying stationary for a few seconds with the puck has limited purposes, e.g., to slow down the pace of play, penalty kills time or time-on-clock assessment for your passing options. They are used only when no one is “on you.”
8. Dumping: NO, unless it’s for the penalty kill and an opposing jersey has gotten closer to you.

In general, any pass needs to be “crisp” or firm to your intended recipient’s stick blade. You have to decide: is it an on-ice pass, or are you lifting the puck about six inches, where the odds are better against potential stick checks?

With any pass, the actual point of contact needs to be several feet away from where your teammate is to anticipate the play’s motion. Pass where they’re going to be, not where they are when you spot them. They’re moving targets!

My friend Coz, who inspired this writing by initially asking the subject question of this article, then asked me a good follow-up query: “So, how do you remember all this when on the ice?” The answer was: in his fingers!

How to help remember your puckhandling options:

1. Pass (index finger) – refer to the sub-options above
2. Skate it (middle finger) – see also the sub-options
3. Shoot (ring finger)
4. Hold (pinky)
5. Dump (thumb)

The recommendation was to imagine a control panel in the finger-tips of one preferred hand. “Use your fingers as your decision tree” before pressing your ‘action button’ during actual playing conditions.

Supportive Practice Tips

1. Practice with a weighted stick or wrist weights. Feel the difference afterward!
2. You can either fill your practice stick with sand (reportedly a Canadian approach) or extra-tape on metal bars on the lower half of the stick shaft. Flat metal bars from cyclone (wire mesh) outdoor fencing works well. This goaltender has these bars taped onto his practice goalie stick, as this item is nicknamed the “sledgehammer”!
3. Practice off-ice with the puck and the stick blade (preferably your weighted stick) to try to emulate the tricks you see the professionals do for “stick agility.”

In closing, make sure you keep your puck options in mind for your smarter split-second decision-making on the ice. So when the puck comes to you in gameplay or practice scrimmage, you are more actively aware of–and can act on–your options.

Share this STACKsports article with a friend who is learning the game or who likes to analyze this game of hockey that is often called “the greatest sport,” in part because of its human & physical complexity.

The order of these twelve drills which follow (“DRILL AGENDA”) is merely suggested; and each can be freely changed around / modified at the discretion of the Coach / Instructor.

It is recommended that the Coach / Instructor would clearly state to each group participant about the physical health merits of performing various muscle stretching exercises always before skating onto the ice rink.

Before even hitting the ice, the following are a short list (“a thru “e”) of muscle-tendon-ligament stretches (flexions & extensions) which have been commonly known to prevent tears, sprains, and strains during the on-ice activities. These routines can be done with or without skates on. Off ice, skates can be worn on an old carpet to acclimate the ankles & legs to the increased demand of balancing on the linear plane of the skate blade. So, it is better to try these five (or more) movements on that one-eighth strip of steel, for better balance and to acclimate the ankles to that increased set of demands:

1. Fencer’s stretches: To benefit the quadriceps (thigh) muscles and hamstring muscles
2. Toe touches: (option: reach further down to the floor on the extra three inches added by the skates)–to benefit the lower back and abdominal muscles
3. Torso twists: Keep the hockey stick at eye level horizontally in both hands–to benefit the hamstring muscles, abdominal core, and forearms
4. Half-squats: Done slowly benefit the knees, calf muscles, and thighs
5. Head circles: To flex the neck muscles and also reduce possible brain concussion trauma

Due to equipment’s larger shapes & heavier weight differences, the goaltenders all must develop their own variant forms of each of these physical exercises.

Instructors need to remind their groups of skaters (before any ice drills) that standing up rigidly while skating is quite incorrect. That body stance and skating motion is more likely to lead to knee and back injuries, especially during the heat of hockey play.

Every skater needs to be shown the “half-sitting” position of the skater, which lowers the center of gravity–thus helping to maintain balance in all the sudden movements/changes of direction needed. The lower that a person can stretch, the faster they can go; it’s an essential skill in beating an opponent to a loose puck.

The skater’s reach with their stick to the ice is increased by several inches as another advantage of gliding & striding a bit lower to the ice.

So, without sounding like the bossy drill sargent, many oral reminders & encouraging comments out to the skaters who are giving effort are recommended.

Drill Agenda

1. “Warm-up” forward skating.

Entire group skates around the inner perimeter of the ice rink – twice around. The first time around is at a casual pace.

“Cross-overs” during any directional turns are encouraged by the Instructor. That builds ankle strength, and the ability to stay balanced when one’s own body weight is on only one leg/skate. Such an ability to cross one ankle & foot over the other in the skating stride is an indicator of reaching a higher plateau of hockey skating skill–especially when it can be done “right over left” and “leftover right”, i.e., without favoring one side over the other.

2. Back Skate

The entire group (in line formation) skates around the inner perimeter of the ice rink – twice around. The first time around is at a casual pace. This basic ability is another plateau of skill that needs to be mastered in hockey if one ever hopes to become a player with even an average skating level. At least twenty percent of the time on the ice, a player may typically have to back skate. For the defense, this percentage can reach nearly half of their ice time. Skaters often say after the drills that back skating develops muscles that they never knew they had!

3. Skate Circles

Forward skate each of the face-off points of the rink, going around all eight circles to the far side of the rink goalposts as the endpoint. Crossovers are encouraged on skaters’ right and left sides–as Coaches / Instructors need to openly & regularly remind their skating group to do their crossovers as much as they each can.

4. Skid Stops

From base goal line to near-side blue line// red line back to near-side blue line // near-side blue to far-side blue line // far-side blue line to red line // red line to far-side base goal line. Sometimes these are called “suicides” because of the grueling amount of top speed skating and change of direction involved. This drill teaches the at-first difficult move of stopping suddenly for “the other side”. It is often said in hockey circles that how fast the skater can complete this drill determines the true skating ability of the player. Professional coaches have been known to use this drill to decide who stays with their team and who gets cut.

5. Skid stops repeated on the Opposite Side

Repeated exercise, stopping on opposite foot side as the lead (front) font.

Everyone tends to have a stronger side and a weaker side (left or right), and both sides need to be practiced so as to become second nature from either side. Mastery of the skid stop helps to reduce injury possibilities in game play, although such stopping mastery is not learned overnight.

6. Back Skating

Repeat the blue-line to the red-line pattern as with the skids, using the “V” stop to initiate the reverse direction.

Practices the harder-than-it-looks skill of moving off the balls & toes of one’s feet. This movement is not immediately learned and takes significant amounts of time to practice before even becoming concerned with how fast can someone back skate. Mastery of back skating can take many months and even years to achieve, after many hours of practice.

7. 1-on-0

From base goal line to opposite goal, skaters carry the puck up ice through obstacle cones set up at the discretion of the Instructor (indifferent/varying configurations), for an inside blue line puck shot at the goaltender’s net. This is a high-intensity benefit for both skater and the goaltender, where the skater can keep the shot on goal accurate, and not wide or high of the target net.

8. Passing to Score

2-on-0. From base goal line skate to far blue line with a partner, passing a minimum of six times, before one takes a shot just inside the far blue line on goaltender’s net. This drill really benefits the goalie on extra work, but the two skaters with the puck have to coordinate their passes back and forth well enough to not lose forward momentum.

9. 2-on-1

From base goal out to blue line, two skaters receive a puck pass with one defender skating to prevent a shot on goal. Approximately 20 seconds per group, cycling through the entire group at least twice, depending on the size of the entire group. Maybe split at both ends of the rink, with two goaltenders and a sufficient total number of skaters. This drill teaches the typical hockey scenario of moving the puck into the opposing zone. The offensive skaters need to practice accuracy in their passing back & forth, with their positioning to set up a goal score. The defender has the challenge of handling two skaters simultaneously, so needs to become more aware of positioning on the ice, not merely skating without a real strategy to thwart the attempts of the two opponents.

10. 3-on-2

From the base goal line out to the blue line, three skaters receive a puck pass with two defenses skating out to prevent a shot on goal. Approximately 20 seconds per group, cycling through an entire group at least twice, depending on the size of the entire group. Groups may be split at both ends of the rink, with two goaltenders and a sufficient total number of skaters. This drill teaches key hockey interaction, i.e. on the objective of scoring in the opposing zone, while defense practices their segment of the game which is to learn effective zone defense to narrow the odds of opponents’ scoring.

11. One-timers From Slot

Pass out from baseline to face-off circle. Skaters cycle through the position of the passer and then shooter, on at least two cycles. Groups may be split at both ends of the rink, with two goaltenders and a sufficient total number of skaters.

This drill teaches how to gauge where to contact & re-direction the moving puck for a slap shot, aiming on goal.

12. Butterfly Pass

One on one, for the shot on goal in or near the face-off circle center hash marks. Skaters cycle through the position of the shooter and then defender, on at least two cycles. Groups may by split at both ends of rink, with two goaltenders and a sufficient total number of skaters.

The butterfly pass teaches (through practice) the art of accepting a pass while skating at full speed.

For exercises #3, #4, #5, and #6 listed above, an optional timer/stopwatch can be utilized by the Coach / Instructor to create a friendly competitive Clinic environment, i.e., to mention to the group the fastest times of completion for each of these exercises, and as a form of positive recognition for those skaters who attain those fastest times in each category.

Version 2, from the original draft of 13 July 2018 by Prof P J Gammarano, Sr.; M.A., JD