Hockey School - "Body Contact"

Hockey is a physical game and all too often kids are using improper technique when it comes to body contact and checking. This is an area where a coach needs to progressively teach his players the aspects of using the body in game situations. The first step is getting the child to understand the purpose of body contact is to take space away from the opponent and eventually recover the puck for his/her team.

The child also needs to be confident in making contact with the opponent. Therefore, the first technique taught should be taking away space. Use shadow drills and confidence drills to help the young player get used to using his/her body. The purpose of the shadow drill is to force the checker to mirror his opponent's movements and bump him when he tries to enter the desired space. Always use a step by step approach when it comes to body contact and make sure the kids understand that safety always comes first!