5-Card Skating Drill

5-Card Skating is a great drill my assistant coach, Ryan Newton, came up with. I like this one because it lets you work on the defensive zone coverage skating patterns while getting some conditioning in. Here’s the diagram:

5-Card Skating Drill

1. Players start in 5-card formation
2. On whistle, each position skates full speed out to his or her designated attack area, pivots, then skates backward into 5-card position
3. Sequence follows, position by position. Center covers for the corner positions until they get back, and takes the seam (attack areas 2 and 5)
4. Wingers alternate between attack positions each “lap”
5. Do 4 “laps” then switch out 5-man unit for a new one

Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: Assistant Coach, Attack Area, Card Position, Coach Ryan, Corner Positions, Defensive Zone, Full Speed, Laps, Man Unit, Newton, Position Center, Seam, Skates, Whistle, Wingers, Zone Coverage

Awesome Hockey Forechecking Drill that Works on Multiple Game Situations

I’ve been using this Hockey Forechecking Drill in my practices, and it has worked really well for my team. The thing I really like about it, is that it allows you to work on a lot of different stuff at once. Obviously, the main focus is forechecking, but you’re also working on D-Zone Coverage, and Breakouts as well.

Here’s how the drill works:

• 5 forecheckers start at center ice
• 5 defenders at each end
• Coach dumps puck in, defenders attempt to break out, or play d-zone coverage, depending on how quickly the forecheckers get in
• Forecheckers execute whichever forechecking system the coach designates
• Play continues until defending team breaks out, or until the forecheckers score
• If defending team breaks out, forecheckers peel off as soon as puck crosses blue line. After breaking out, the defenders cross the red line, dump it in, and become the NEW forecheckers at the other end.
• If the forechecking team scores, coach blows two quick whistles to kill the play, then dumps a new puck into the far end. Defending team hustles to the far end to become the NEW forecheckers.

Give this one a go – I think you’ll get some good usage out of it!

CLICK HERE for the Full Explanation of the Perpetual Forecheck Drill, including Printout and Importable Versions!

Technorati Tags: Breakouts, Center Ice, Coach, D Zone, Defending Team, Forechecking, Game Situations, Red Line, Score, Team Scores, Whistles, Zone Coverage