SET UP POSITIONS
- Appropriate stick height – stick should be no higher than player’s chin when on skates
- Wrist roll – Top hand wrist roll, cupping the puck on both backhand and forehand, soft grip bottom hand
- Heads up – Eyes should always be looking out ahead, scanning the ice to make a play. Glance down if necessary, never staring straight at puck.
- Hand and Grip – Correct positioning of top and bottom hand
SET UP POSITIONS
All the necessary positions listed below will be mastered to effectively set up all fakes/dekes:
- Between the feet
- Forehand
- Quarter
- Crossbody
- Backhand
REACHES
Using our puck setup positions, we will work on controlling the puck when extended away from the body.
- Lateral Reach Forehand
- Lateral Reach Backhand
- Full Lateral Reach
FAKES
We will work on faking from all setup positions, at all different angles, preparing players to have a variety of options when looking to defeat a defender.
- Foot to foot fakes
- Pull Backs
- Fake Shot
- Side fakes
TOE WORK
It is important for players to have the confidence to control the puck when necessary with the toe of the stick blade.
- Heel toe movements
- Toe pulls
- Pull ins
ADVANCED
Once players have mastered the use of our fakes and toe work, we will move on to more advanced movements that combine multiple stickhandling skills sets.
- Pull in/Push outs
- Forehand/backhand slip throughs
HEADS UP HOCKEY
Playing hockey with your head up is an essential part of a player’s development. Players who can’t do this are going to quickly fall behind, not to mention increase their risk of injury. Combining both footwork and puckhandling, our unique training in this area will give players the confidence and ability to play Heads Up Hockey.
