Diane Ness
Cornering with a body lean
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- Last Updated on Thursday, 28 February 2013 16:40
By Diane Ness
Last week we discussed the importance of having a solid outside edge. Whether you’re cornering with crossovers or a power turn, a strong outside edge is the key.
Along with having a strong outside edge, the skater must also have a good body lean. Having a good body lean should not be confused with bending at the waist or back. In order for a skater to have a good body lean, he/she must have a strong outside edge. In order for a skater to build speed out of a corner, he/she must have a good body lean; it all goes hand in hand.
The importance of an outside edge
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- Last Updated on Thursday, 21 February 2013 17:00
By Diane Ness
When you see beginning skaters, you will notice that they tend to naturally start off on their inside edges. For them, it is a natural and safe feeling to be on two inside edges. The challenging part is to begin to get the skater on a strong outside edge.
How are we able to get that skater to feel comfortable to get on an outside edge?
Learning how to glide
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- Last Updated on Thursday, 07 February 2013 17:44
By Diane Ness
Gilding happens when a skater stops moving his/her feet but will continue to move. Gliding is done all over the rink all the time. It is actually the skill most used while playing in a game. Hockey is a game of bursts followed by periods of gliding.
There is much more to just putting your feet together and letting your skates do the work. This is skill in which if done properly, can keep a skater “moving downhill” without even having to push. It is so crucial in being efficient with energy while continuing to move the entire time.
Keeping your skating practices from going stale
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- Last Updated on Thursday, 14 February 2013 17:16
By Diane Ness
This time of year sometimes seems the hardest (especially at the Mite level) for coaches and players alike. When skating and skill work becomes monotonous, kids tend to go through the motions.
When kids become skating drones then improvement becomes stagnant. This is where it is the coach’s job to really get creative in planning a fun, yet effective, practice. The key is to be able to teach a skill many different ways whether it be through drills, games or obstacle courses – whatever it takes to make sure the kids are engaged. I will try to give you a few different ideas for teaching the same skating skills.
Corner for speed
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- Last Updated on Thursday, 31 January 2013 17:20
By Diane Ness
Crossovers are one of the most important skating skills there is for many reasons. I always ask my students, “How many crossovers do you think you do in a game?” Answers will vary with the age of the student but the fact of the matter is that you will use crossovers every shift.
If you ever watch a specific player throughout the course of their shift, you will see and may be surprised at how many crossovers they will do. They may come in different forms such as tight corner crossovers, bigger loop crossovers, alternating crossovers, a crossover start, backwards crossovers and many other forms as well. For this article we will break down the technique of a basic crossover.
