 |
By Mark Tabrum, USA Hockey Director of Coaching Education
John Hamre, USA Hockey National Team Development Program Assistant Coach
Illustrations by Mike Curti |
 |
| Handling the puck is a big part of the game. The average player touches the puck for less than a minute per game. To increase your chances of holding onto the puck and making the right decisions when you have it, you need to have confidence. That comes from practice, practice and more practice. |
Key Elements |
- Wrist Rolling and Cupping the Puck
- When moving the puck side to side, it is important for your wrists to roll,which allows the blade of the stick to cup the puck.
- Split Vision
- Also known as peripheral vision, it's the ability to see the puck on the stick without looking directly at it.
- If your head is up, you can read your options while watching the puck out of the bottom of your eyes.
- Soft Hands
- Don't beat the puck. It's your friend, not your enemy. It's hard to control the puck when you're slapping it back and forth. Try to gain a feel for the puck by relaxing your hands, especially your bottom one.
- Basic Dribbling Skills
- Lateral Dribble: moving the puck back and forth.
- As you gain more confidence, begin with moving the puck from shoulder to shoulder.
- Gradually work the puck to your full range of extension, both to your forehand and backhand.
|  |
|
Off Ice Drills |
Puck Control - On a Balance Board
Here are a couple of drills you can do at home in your basement
or driveway to improve your puck-handling skills:
- Stick handle while keeping your balance.
- Variations Ð Stick handle in the middle, wide to forehand,
wide to backhand, figure eights, toe drags to backhand pulls.
- Variations Ð Have a partner throw a ball
to a player on the balance board. The
player catches and places the ball
on the ground, stick handles
and then flips the ball back
to the partner.
|  |
|
On-Ice Drills |
Basic Puck Control Skills
1. Form three to five lines. Have players spread out.
2. Have players do lateral dribble with a puck within their shoulder width.
3. Have players keep their heads and eyes up. Hold up a certain number
of fingers and have players call the number.
4. Stress Ð eyes up, hands close together, roll wrists.
|  |
|
Basic Movements - Stationary
- Form three to five lines. Spread players out with pucks.
- Practice the basic moves of:
- Front to back. Push the puck out and then bring it back. Pick up
speed as you improve.
- Diagonal and dribble and pull. Don't be afraid to mix it up, trying new
directions. Good puck handlers are creative puck handlers.
- Spin the puck. Run the blade of your stick along both sides of the puck.
Try to keep the puck in place, but make it spin. This will help you gain
a feel for the puck.
|  |
|
Puck Control - Jam a Zone
- Have all players spread out in one zone with pucks.
- On whistle, players skate around, avoiding the other
players while still controlling the puck.
- Players should constantly be changing directions.
|  |
|
Puck Control - With PVC Pipe
- Cut a piece of PVC pipe (about six inches
long) and slide it down over your stick.
- Hold the PVC pipe with your bottom
hand.
- This drill will force you to control the
stick with your top hand, and will prevent
you from gripping the stick too tight with your
bottom hand. It's a great tool for teaching puck control.
Here are a couple of drills a coach can do in practice to help his or her team improve it's puck-handling skills.
Puck Control Ð With Golf Ball
- Stickhandling with a golf ball is a great
way to develop quick hands, as well as
"soft hands." (This drill can also be
done on the ice.)
|  |
|
