- 1). Put three of your players on the inside part of the faceoff circle at one end of the ice, and have three others line up on the outside part of the faceoff circle. As you blow your whistle, have the three players on the inside skate clockwise and the three on the outside skate counter-clockwise. Ask them to skate as close to their part of the line (inside or outside) with as much speed as possible, without bumping into the skater who is going the opposite way. Have the skaters switch directions after 30 seconds. This drill will help improve agility.
- 2). Have one player stand with the puck on the outside part of the faceoff circle and position another player at the faceoff dot. Have the player at the faceoff dot skate small circles inside the faceoff area. Every time he makes a turn at the top or bottom of the faceoff circle, the stationary player outside the faceoff circle throws him a quick pass on the blade of his stick. The key is for the skater to quickly turn his neck as soon as he starts skating to receive the pass. It will improve his agility, balance and hockey vision.
- 3). Have your players start at the end line of the ice, behind one of the goals. Have them "run" up the ice in an effort to improve their agility and explosiveness. The running motion will tax the legs and build up lactic acid, but it will also allow the players to know the feeling of acceleration. A player who can go up and down the ice with the chopping motion that comes from running on skates will give him an edge over his opponent when it comes to speed and agility.
- 4). Have your players take three strides on the ice and build up a decent speed. Then have them drop to their knees and slide for a count of three. When they reach three, have them lean backwards so the backs of their heads are leaning toward the ice. Repeat this drill at least five times. Falling to the knees and stretching backwards will dramatically improve a player's agility and ability to stand after having gone down to block a shot or a pass.
- 5). Have your players skate backwards at least once every practice. Skating backwards is natural for a defenseman, but it is also beneficial to a forward's overall skating ability and agility. The improved agility will help a player quickly transition from defense to offense, and will lead to scoring opportunities as well.
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