Squirt / U10 Station Practice #2

This is a great warm up activity for the younger players (U12 and younger). Depending on the amount of players you can set the bouldaries for this game to be played in half ice, inside the blue line at one end, or in the neutral zone. This game will help players develop awareness while maintaining control of the puck. It will require them to have their head up and find players that are "frozen".

Setup

In this game every player will have a puck. The coach will define a boundary based on the amount of players in the game. At the start of the game you must identify 3 players or coaches to be “IT”.

How to play

• On the whistle the players will skate within the boundary while controlling the puck.
• The players (or coaches) that are “IT” try to tag as many players as they can by touching them.
• When a player is touched they must stand with one hand on their stick, feet apart, and the other hand up in the air like they are raising their hand.
• In order to get back in the game another player must attack their triangle by stickhandling through their legs or the space between their feet and stick.
• Play for about 3 minutes or until all of the players have been tagged and are standing still.

This station drill is really for younger players from ages 8 to 12. It is a very simple drill that emphasizes forehand shooting fundamentals. The setup of this drill forces players to keep the puck back in their stance, keep thier head above the puck, and use a good weight transfer throughout the shot. Many players at this age will push, or shovel, the puck from the front of their body which causes them to lse a lot of power. A lot of the good shooters, especially Russian players, start the shot with the puck behind them. The video here of Connor McDavid is a great example if starting the shot from behind the feet.

To set up the drill place a pad about 20 - 25 feet in front of the net as shown in the diagram. The coach will have all of the pucks right in front of the pad. It is important to have the left handed players in the line on the right and the right handed players in the line on the left. The coach will set up a puck just on the edge of the pad so that as the player skates by they have to pull the puck slightly towards them, around the pad, and then continue the motion into the shot. This will help keep the puck behind them as they start the shooting motion.

Coaching Points

• pull the puck slightly into the body.
• transfer weight as you shoot.
• keep the head over the puck.
• do not lean back, all the motion should be going to the net.
• encourage players to shoot low and hard so they are not leaning back.

This drill also works on basic fundamentals of the forehand shot. The players will collect the puck at about the top of the circle on their forehand. As they continue around the pad they will keep the puck on their forehand and take a shot once they are clear of the pad.

Set up the drill with the left handed players in line to the goalie's left and the right handed players to the goalie's right. The coach will start the drill by placing a puck at the top of the circle. Take turns alternating lines and make sure the goalie has enough time to recover.

Coaching Points

• keep the puck in shooting position as you go around the pad.
• keep puck back in stance as mush as possible.
• use good weight transfer, weight should be on foot closet to the goal after the shot.
• use inside edges as you collect the puck and skate around the pad.

This setup for this drill is almost the same as Forehand Shooting Fundamentals #2 but now the players will start from the other side of the net and the pucks will be in the lines with the players. This drill will have the players pulling the puck around the pad before shooting. The shooting fundamentals are basically the same as we try to get the players to pull the puck to the back of their stance and use good weight transfer int he shooting motion.

The drill starts with the first player in line taking two strides and then turns backwards to receive a pass from the second player in line. The player will control the puck backwards around the pad and shoot when they get to the end of the pad.

Coaching Points

• while skating backwards try to have the puck in shooting position.
• pull the puck into the back of the stance.
• use good weight transfer in the shooting motion.
• weight should be on foot closest to the net at the end of the shot.

This progression of the forehand fundamentals series has players surrounding the puck from their off-hand side. It is a bit more difficult for younger / novice players but a good one to work on.

To set up the drill place the left handed players in line to the goalie's right and the right handed players to the goalie's left. Players will carry the puck around the pad keeping the puck on their forehand. They will surround the puck as they go around the pad. As they get to far side of the pad they should have the puck in shooting position.

Coaching Points

• keep puck on forehand as you skate around pad.
• puck should be off the back foot as you start the shot.
• keep head over the puck.
• weight should be going towards goalie after shot.
• stop at the net.