Early in my career as a power skating coach, I observed that power skating programs are often conditioning programs rather than technique programs. While conditioning is an integral part of hockey training, it does not, by itself, produce great skaters. To develop agile, fast players at the elite levels, players need to learn correct skating technique from the get-go! If they can’t get from point A to point B explosively and efficiently, they’re behind the eight ball!
A few do’s and don’ts for developing skating skills:
- Do build skills when fresh: A frequent request from parents is to “skate the kids hard,” “make them work,” and “get them tired.” Parents and coaches should remember that it is impossible to work on skills when fatigued. Jack Blatherwick, one of the most recognized and knowledgeable scientists in the field of skating biomechanics and conditioning, says, “Technique training should be done when players are fresh—exhaustion prohibits skill development.”
- Don’t encourage players to go nowhere fast: Too many hockey kids are put out on the ice with a stick and puck and told to “skate”—not how to skate, but just to “skate fast.” The assumption is that by skating more and moving the legs a million miles an hour they’ll skate faster. Many of these fast-legged players end up going nowhere fast.
- Do skate efficiently: Everyone wants to skate hard and to have a good workout—and they should. However, power skating programs need to focus on technique training and on teaching players how to go fast efficiently.
- Do focus on form: In athletic training there must be communication between the brain and the body—it is a combination of brain power and muscle power. The brain teaches the body what and how to do. Correct practice over the long term produces correct muscle memory. The brain cannot learn when the body moves madly. It needs to assimilate tons of information. It needs first to figure things out and then transfer the information to the muscles, which, after much practice, eventually will be able to perform correctly.
- Don’t expect instant gratification: Mastering skating is a long-term process. It takes years to become a great skater! Don’t expect to become a great skater after one power skating program. Stay committed to the long term.
Players, remember this: “Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect.” So practice perfectly. And don’t expect to become a great skater after one power skating program. Stay committed to the long term. Eventually correct techniques will “click in” and you will SKATE YOUR WAY TO GREAT HOCKEY!
Editor’s Note: Thank you to Laura Stamm of Laura Stamm Power Skating for this story. Kelly Anton, managing editor of the Grow the Game initiative, edited this story for space.