Reply To: Introduction to Skating

[Tom Molloy]

I think the intro to skating technique is like the intro to shooting. In shooting you start with the sweep or power shot off the outside foot. Some coaches have even had success teaching the slapshot first because it has the four components of projection. 1 windup, 2 force production, 3. Contact, 4. Follow through.

Most players learn shooting off the outside foot with a puch – pull motion and then when they get strong enough they keep the puck in front with the hands away from the body and learn to shoot in stride off the inside foor using the wrist or snap shot.

Skating is the same. To get the side to side weight transfer the leg is brought back to the midline and the sideway motion is practiced with a 45-50 degree angle on the thrust. As the players get stronger the stance is wider and the leg comes to about shoulder width apart with the same angle 45-50 degree angle finishing the stride. The quicker the return the faster the player. So the follow through at the end of the stride is low to the ice so the next stride can be started as soon as possible.

The Coaches Site just had a symposium in Vancouver with some really good speakers like Ken Hitchcock. You can get access to the videos of the talks for thirty days for $50. It is well worth the cost.

'The Game is the Greatest Coach'
'Enjoy the Game'