Hockey season may be over - but training never stops!
If you are itching for more hockey (like we are) here are a few simple drills that you can practice to improve your stick-work from your driveway!
1) Sauce Pass
Instructions:
- Using the Puck Catcher, place nets across from each other in a safe area (no cars or garage doors that may be harmed)
- Adjust the distance between Shooting Pads to increase difficulty or allow you to practice a soft touch for short distance saucer passes
- Stay clear of the passer ... not everyone is a first-liner
2) Stick Handling - Tricks
Instructions:
- Get creative! Design some new crazy move or just try to mimic something you saw a pro do in a commercial. Having fun with stick handling allows you to train your body to react to different situations at a high pace with a wider variety of creative moves. You think the guys pulling off the Lacrosse move in the NHL didn't start off by goofing around in their driveways doing it?
Key: Post your coolest moves to social media and tag us @hockeystickman to be entered to win a free Floorball Xoro Trick Stick and many other prizes!
3) The "Kane Drill"
Instructions:
- Place 10 - 15 pucks on the ground in a sporadic manor
- Stick handle in between the pucks in a random pattern, attempting to avoid making contact with any of them
Key: To increase difficulty, limit spacing between the pucks and/or increase stick speed
Now...we are NOT claiming we are good at this drill, but put this video together simply to give you an idea of what it looks like
4) Quick Hands
Instructions:
- Set up 2 stick-shafts elevated on pucks approximately 1.5 ft apart from each other (Pucks, shafts, and more can be found here!)
- While standing behind the shafts, stick handle from one side of the obstacle to the other, sliding the ball/puck under the shaft, and raising your blade over top to control the ball on either side.
Key: Attempt to only have one touch on the ball/puck as you go between the obstacles. To increase difficulty, move the shafts closer together and increase stick-handling speed.
5) Agility Drill
Instructions:
- Set up 2 stick-shafts elevated on pucks approximately 2 ft apart from each other (Pucks, shafts, and more can be found here!)
- Stick handle in-front of the obstacles, while quickly stepping over the sticks side-to-side
Key: To maximize results, keep your head up while going through the drill, and explode from only one foot on each side of the obstacles. The wider distance you can cover in the movement with your stick the better! Agility is key in being able to protect the puck wide around a defender while keeping your feet moving.
6) Stick Handling - Soft Touch / Flip
Instructions:
Set up a stick shaft elevated on pucks (Pucks, shafts, and more can be found here!)
- Flip the ball over the shaft, maintaining control and dragging it back under the elevated shaft in one fluid motion. Practice this on both forehand and backhand
Key: Keeping the ball as close to the top of the shaft as possible and pulling it back under the stick smoothly is the key to this drill. Having constant control of the ball/puck while executing this move helps to get rid of stone-hands