From the Rafter: Small Area Skills - On Ice Agility Progressions

Last week I ran some skill work during the Oval HP Hockey Sessions. If you are looking for an interesting drill to work on your footspeed and stickhandling look no further! For the skill portion of my session today I am going to be showing the players little skills and drills they can work on for a couple minutes before practice or at home in their spare time. I will include a follow up showing you what I did in my next piece!

I ran through five progressions with our Thursday Oval HP Development crew. As you will see in the video the kids are all different skill levels and ages. As they master the beginning progressions they will experience more sucess attempting the more advanced versions of the drill. This nice thing about this drill is you can cater each progression to the skill level of your players. You can also integrate a more creative component or your own twist to each version of the drill I will show. Below are what I have labeled each progression of the drill with some suggestions for ways to match it to your players’ skill levels. As the degree of difficulty increases, some players may not experience the same levels of sucess but I think it is still important to move through each progression with them to show them areas they can grow as well as push their limits.

Each progression was to be done twice and preferably with a partner. The reps/time spent for each working set is listed below. The rest period would be when their partner is going. Each drill is to be done as fast as possible in order to work on foot speed and agility.

Here is a link showing some clips of the kids and the progressions you can try:

Below are ideas of how to organize and order a skill session using this drill:

1. Quick Feet/Agility Pattern:
Right to Left 1x, Left to Right 1x
Keys: staying low, keeping toe caps facing forward, as fast as possible

2. Quick Feet/Agility Pattern with Puck:
Right to Left 1x, Left to Right 1x
Keys: keep puck JUST on the FOREHAND, keeping toe caps facing forward, as fast as possible

3. Toe Drag - a or b depending on skill level
(a) Toe Drag Around the stick (no emphasis on Edgework)
Clockwise 1x, Counterclockwise 1x
(b) Toe Drag Around Stick on Inside Edges (Crosby Edges)
Clockwise 1x, Counterclockwise 1x

4. Toe Drag with Change of Direction - a or b depending on skill level
(a) OR Stickhandling with Change of Direction - 10-15 sec
(b) forehand and back hand toe drags encourages - 10-15 sec

5. Forehand/Backhand Chips over Stick - a or b depending on skill level
(a) Only Forehand Chips 2x (go one way)
10-15 sec, Only Backhand Chips 2x - 10-15 sec (go opposite direction)
(b) Creative Forehand and Backhand Chips
10-15 sec (use Change of Direction)

*At the end of a and b the player may finish with a quick release shot

*The player may choose to focus on crossovers, Crosby edgework or go back and forth between the two

Yours until next week,

Rafter