Down with So-called “Powerskating”

Would you believe I claim to be the reason so many New England-based programs now hold weekly “Skills” sessions?  I mean that, and here’s the reason why…

About 20-ish years ago, I was invited to sit-in as an advisor during the founding of a new AAA level youth program.  The organizers had the right idea, aiming to bring the top young talent together under the tutelage of some of the area’s top coaches, and then give those players plenty of exposure to college and pro scouts.

In addition to practices, the organizers also wanted to include a weekly “powerskating” course for member players.  I objected immediately, not to the offering, but to the naming of that offering.  As I told them then, and I’m telling you now, that term is both misleading and confining.  And here’s what I mean…

To begin, powerskating suggests that power in the skating movement has more significance than all the other elements.  And, I can tell you that is not the case.  (More on this in a future post.)  Actually, everyone in that long ago meeting nodded in agreement.

Moreover — and as I suggested to those new program founders, a coach can’t spend a solid hour each week just dealing with skating skills, and it’s misleading to tell the paying parents you’re going to do one thing when you really mean to do more.  I went on to suggest that players are far better off honing all their basic skills in a session — from skating to puckhandling to passing to shooting.  And again, everyone in that meeting agreed.

Then, when the organizers prodded me for a better name for their weekly program, I shrugged and finally offered, “How about…errrr… Skills?”  And “Skills” it was — for the next 20 or so years in that program, and with seemingly every new organization that’s since come along.