ADM Kids

Q: What can we do off the ice to get our team ready for the upcoming season?

A: It’s early in the preseason and you have plenty of new faces on your 14U or 16U team. You want to get on the ice to build some chemistry among the new players. The problem is, you don’t have enough on-ice training slots. But there’s a work-around. Remember, there are many ways to improve players’ game awareness, communication and chemistry off the ice.

Just as small-area games on the ice are fantastic for teaching hockey sense and awareness, so too are these types of competitions off the ice. Games such as 3v3 and 4v4 handball and soccer are a perfect source of movement, support and communication. Adding parameters, such as saying that the ball-handler has two seconds to find a teammate, or the ball-handler must stop altogether, are a great way to encourage players away from the puck to get open and talk to his or her teammates.

When done properly, these off-ice games can be extremely competitive and fun for players.

Never under estimate how much hockey can be taught away from the cold ice.