As for using in-lines… I actually saw an AHL pro near tears a few years ago — when he returned to the ice after a summer playing in the old Roller Hockey International (RHI). His problem, like Dan’s, was that he skated exclusively on wheels for a long time, and then felt really strange trying to return to the ice. So, we brainstormed a bit on that one, and agreed that he should try to do just a little on-ice work during the summer months, even if it was at a public skating session. (And that little exchange suggests to me that I ought to do a brief entry on using in-lines for cross-training.)

Then, while Megan probably recognizes the terminology, I find it interesting that different areas of North American use different terms to describe what we in the Boston, MA-area refer to as “public skating”. For, I’m sure that’s what Ravi (a Canadian university player) was recommending when he said you might get out to any “open ice”.

@CoachChic: Fantastic tips, as always. I do “free sits” instead of wall-sits. You get in the same position, but you don’t lean against the wall. I’ll have to try your methods!

@Megan: Don’t be afraid to get out to any open ice sessions that your arena may have… even if you’re by yourself you can work on your speed, agility, and shooting!

If you ever find yourself wanting to work on your shot, a lot of tennis courts have a small section of a wall that is wood so people who are alone can still hit balls. Take a couple tennis balls to a tennis court with one of these wood walls and shoot at it. Maybe even take some tape and mark out an area the size of a goal. Also, inside that “goal,” make a separate little target so you can work on accuracy of your shots.

If you don’t want to leave your house to work on your shot…1 thing I found helpful was to take a garbage can, lay it flat on the ground, and shoot into the open end. When I was younger, my parents had a wooden garage door, and I shot at that, but as I got stronger, and developed a harder shot, the tennis ball started making holes in the door. Needless to say, they weren’t happy about that…whoops.