By
Of Youth Hockey Review
As the 2010-2011 Fall / Winter youth hockey season comes to an end,
and coaches begin the process of providing player evaluations, I thought
it might be useful to share my observations of the top 10 list of bad habits that we as coaches and parents need to help young hockey players break.
The list is based on my observations and player evaluations over the
course of the season. They are in my view, key developmental areas for
improvement in both personal skills and team play.
10. “The Lone Ranger.”
Always tries to gallop the length of the ice and weave through the
opposing team. Often turning the puck over, taking a poor shot, or
missing a great chance to headman the puck. “Lone Ranger” play is
selfish hockey. A real team player makes the other kids on his or her
team better by passing, working hard without the puck and setting a good
example in both practices and games.
9. “The Shift Hog.” Working
hard on the ice is no excuse for not sharing it. Far too many young
players, and especially the “Lone Ranger” types, want to stay on the ice
as long as possible. They don’t look for smart opportunities to make a
change, or listen when the coaches are calling for a change. They run
hard for the first minute of their shift, only to get beat, or get
called for a lazy penalty, at the end of a 2 or 3 minute shift.
8. “The Belly Flopper.”
Young goalies have a tendency to dive from the butterfly position out
toward the puck. These “Belly Flops” create a big hole underneath that
makes it easy for pucks to slide through, or get pushed through by
opposing players crashing the net. Young goalies need to develop the
habit of staying in the butterfly position and not diving forward for
loose pucks.
7. “The Drive By.”
Young players drive hard to the net, take a shot, only to turn away or
skate right past the net. Missing their chance for a rebound and second
chance scoring opportunity. Stop in front of the net! It’s an easy habit
to develop, yet so few young players do.
6. “The Lazy Loop.”
Turnovers happen all the time in hockey. Which makes hard stops and
fast starts incredibly important. Far too many young players lose the
puck and then perform a big looping turn – “The Lazy Loop” – to try and
change direction. Unfortunately, by the time the loop is finished their
opponent is off to the races.
5. “The Blind Pass.”
The simple habit of practicing stickhandling at home with your head up
and not looking at a puck (or ball) can make a huge difference for most
young players. Many young hockey players develop the bad habit of
looking at the puck as they skate. They can’t see the ice, or their
teammates, and get into the habit of throwing the puck blindly to an
area, rather than making a heads-up play.
4. “The Field Goal.”
Lifting the puck is virtually an obsession with most young hockey
players. They all want to shoot high and hit the corners. Opening the
blade and flicking the puck up from out in front of their bodies is a
common, and bad, habit many young hockey players need to break. Flicking
and throwing the hands (and blade) up frequently results in the “Field
Goal” that goes right up over the net, rather than in it. Learning to
turn the wrists over and point the toe of the stick where you want the
shot to go is more difficult, but it’s the proper technique needed to
improve shot power and accuracy.
3. “The Flat Foot.”
Standing still is a tough habit to break. Learning to move without the
puck is one of the most critical skills to develop as young players move
up to higher levels of hockey. Whether it’s a defenseman standing still
at the blue line, or a winger standing still in the high slot, being
flat-footed is a difficult habit to break. Finding an open lane to
support the play and anticipating the puck are key skills that transform
a positional player into a true team player.
2. “The Bird Watcher.”
From face-offs, to breakouts, to rebounds that bounce out right in
front of your own net – a lot of young players stand still and watch the
play. They watch as the face-off is lost and goes to the other team.
Watch as the breakout comes at them. Watch as their own goalie struggles
to keep a rebound from getting shot right into the net. Developing the
instinct to “attack the puck,” whether it’s right in front of them, or
by anticipating that a pass or play will be coming their way, is a vital
skill. And it begins by learning to keep the feet moving. There’s no
place for bird watching in hockey.
And finally, my number one bad habit for young hockey players to break -
1. “The Panic Attack.”
In the heat of competition, where the pace is fast, a great many young
players go into panic mode. The puck becomes like a hot potato, getting
slapped away, passed wildly, or simply fired right back to the opposing
team. Patient play and good decision-making are essential team play
skills. It’s the biggest difference between players at the same age, but
playing at different levels of competition.
Those who develop the ability to stay composed under pressure and
make smart plays may not be the most skilled skaters, or hardest
shooters – it’s nice when they are – but they are what make a team, well
a team. And without them you’re left with a group of “Lone Ranger”
personalities competing against each other, rather than working together
toward a common goal. Communication and teamwork is the key to
eliminating panic attack hockey.
No matter what level your child plays at, it’s the small things that
make a big difference. The players who are easy to coach, eager to learn
and willing to work at breaking bad habits are the ones who will have
the greatest success both at their current level, and the next.
Want to suggest a bad habit that’s not on the list? Tell me about it
and we’ll try to address it in a future post. If you like this list, let
me know that too.
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