The Pickle Passing Game is a really fun keep away game that practices various passing techniques and hand-eye coordination. This game is also known as Pickle, Pickle In The Middle, Monkey In The Middle, Piggy In The Middle and Keep Away.

Game Rules

• Players on the outside try to pass the puck to each other while the player in the middle works to stop the puck or knock the puck down. When the player in the middle stops the puck, they switch with the player they intercepted the pass from.

Passes that can be practiced:

• Forehand passes
• Backhand passes
• Forehand saucer pass
• Backhand saucer pass
• Deceptive passes (push or pull passes, fake pass to a pass, look one-way pass another way)
• Freestyle (any passing technique)

Coaching Points:

• Head up to see where your partner is and where their passing target is.
• Passer without the puck should give a good passing target with their stick on the ice.

Variations:

• Change space between players.
• Require players to work on a specific passing technique.
• Allow the monkey to move around (so it is harder for the passers).
• Allow passing players to move around in a specific area (so they can work on fakes and it's harder for the monkey).
• See Diagrams Below: Add 1 or 2 additional passing players so it is either a 3 vs. 1 or 4 vs. 1 keep away game.