Squirt / U10 Half Ice Practice #2

This is a great drill to practice the concept of shooting in stride. It is a simple half ice drill so players can focus on shooting in stride without anything else to distract them. 

Setup

• Players form two lines at the hash marks as shown. The first player skates out to the red line and towards the opposite coach (or player) and calls for a puck. Their feet are moving the entire time.
• Players need to receive the pass and shoot in stride before the cone.  It appears to be an easy drill but it is challenging if players are forced to keep their feet moving and shoot before the cone.

Coaching Points

• Communicate! Encourage verbal communication (calling for the puck) and non-verbal communication (player should have their stick on the ice showing where they want the pass).
• Shooting tips: Shoot while your feet are moving so you surprise the goalie. 
• Stopping at the net for a rebound.

Players form two lines on the inside hash marks as shown in the diagram.  On the whistle both players go at the same time.  Players feet should touch the red line as they skate towards the wall.  As they skate towards the wall they need to open up their hips and call for the puck.  Once they recieve the puck they kee their feet moving and shoot in stride.

Here are two hockey drills that work on footwork, passing, and shooting.  It is good for half ice situations or stations. In one drill the cones are set up parrallel to the goal line and in the other one they are set up perpendicular.  In both drills the players start outside the zone and inline with the face off dots.  There is one player that starts in the corner with the pucks.  On one side the players do a figure eight while receiving passes from the corner and shooting.  On the other side they are going around the cones while transitioning forwards and backwards and making passes to the player in the corner.  After two shots the player goes to the corner and becomes the passer for the next player.

This is a good puck control drill on half-ice for 8 to 12 players.  Players have an opportunity to work on three different scenarios of puck control drills before taking a shot on net.

Divide the players into three lines as shown.  Each line will have a different puck control drill to work on.  On the first whistle the first player in line 1 goes, on the second whistle P1 works their way to the slot and takes a shot and P2 begins their repetion.  On the third whistle P2 finishes their repetition and takes a shot and P3 begins their turn.  Again, on the whistle P3 works their way to the slot and the second player in line 1 starts their repetition.

The players in line #1 have to stickhandle through the pucks and be as creative as possible.  Once the second whistle blows then they gain the slot as quick as possible for their shot.

The task for players in line #2 is to do tight figure eights with good puck control.  Encourage players to keep their head up especially as they come out of the control turn.  On the second whistle they will protect the puck from the dummy net and take a shot on net.

Line #3 can be set up so that other players act as dummy defense as shown in the diagram.  The players will protect the puck while using the wall to help control the puck.  On the whistle they will explode off the wall with the puck into the slot and take a shot on net.

This is a good drill for all ages and can be especially good for younger ages.  It is very useful for practices in which stations are used because it only used one zone.  If needed this drill can be run in the neutral zone as well.

Have players line up in two teams along the blue line.  The coach has the pucks in the middle of the ice at the blue line.  Place a cone on the side of each net as shown in the diagram.

On the whistle two players will take off from the green line.  The first player skates around the net and looks to receive a pass from the coach.  The second player skates up to the cone and does a tight control turn and then heads up ice with F1 (cones may need to be adjusted so that F2 is even with F1 when he gets the puck).

At the same time D1 from the blue line skates around their net and takes on green F1 and F2 on the 2 on 1 rush.

On the next whistle two players from the blue line go on offense and 1 player from green will go on defense.  The 2 on 1 plays alternate back and forth.

This drill does not restrict players to offense or defense.  Players play both offense or defense.

A fun way to keep score is award 1 point for the offense if they score and 3 points for a defender if they create a turnover and score on the other net.

The five puck race can be done with a half-ice sheet. Instead of the players lined up on the bench, they will be lined up on the red line. Place the two nets on the goal line inline with the dots and the five pucks spaced out on the blue line (as shown). The same rules apply to the half-ice setup as the full ice setup. If a player scores they have to skate back to the blue line before the next player can go. If they do not score they have to retrieve the puck and place it back on the blue line before the next player can go. This is a fun game the kids will absolutely love.