Summertime Hockey Skills Ideas

I just received this interesting question from the Youth Sport Coalition, and I’m placing it along with my answer in this section mainly because it is so timely…

Q:  Tim, a hockey dad, notices that, “Hockey is virtually a year round sport” nowadays.  So he’s wondering what he can do for his son over the coming summer months.  Then, echoing the sentiments of most other hockey parents, Tim would like advice on things he might do so his son doesn’t lose his skills, but he also doesn’t want to subject the boy to burn out.

A:  If there’s one problem, Tim didn’t tell me how old his son is.  That being the case, let me make a few suggestions for the various age groups.

Before I get too far into this though, let me suggest that the off-season shouldn’t be devoted to just sustaining skills.  No, I believe it’s possible to actually make huge gains during the spring and summer months, WITHOUT THE DANGER OF BURN OUT.

To begin, I believe very young players grow the most by enhancing their fine motor skills and their overall athleticism.  Participation in a warm weather sport can help with both of these traits, and it also can help a youngster learn to deal with different kinds of mental challenges (because of the different rules, different strategies, etc.).  An active youngster is going to be better-off next fall, mainly because most backyard games help enhance motor skills and athletic qualities.  Rope skipping — especially if a youngster works at it — can really carryover to on-ice footwork, balance and more.  And so can just horsing around on in-line skates transfer to a young kid’s on-ice abilities.  As far as improving hockey-specific skills, I’d suggest that Tim set-up his son with a stick and golf (or Swedish stickhandling) ball, and then (borrowing one of my favorite expressions) encourage the boy to “Go nuts!” with that thing!  Yes, puck-skills can really separate young players, and so can shooting ability, if Tim can arrange a convenient net and a handful of pucks for his son.  As for formal training, I might suggest that Tim enroll his son in a once-per-week skills oriented on-ice program, and then an end-of-summer hockey school.  The weekly sessions will tend to maintain the boy’s legs and skills over the summer, while the one-week program should make the first fall skates seem easy.

Next, skipping to the extreme, I’ll suggest that older teenagers pretty much “are what they are” when it comes to motor skills and athleticism.  At this time in life then, a youngster might be better served by working to do things harder, faster and longer.  (In other words, I’d recommend strength training, some sprint and agility work, plus some hockey-specific conditioning.)

Now, I dealt with the two extremes first because the middle age groups would likely benefit from a little of each.  I mean, 11- to 13-year olds would likely benefit from mixing some of what I recommended for very young kids with a little work on those physical traits I mentioned for older teens.  And, should Tim’s son fall in this category, he might adjust this spring’s and summer’s training according to whether the boy falls towards the younger or older end.

Then, on the dangers of so-called burn out…  My take on this is that “work” is what one makes of it.  In fact, I think even most college and pro players — or those guys and gals who have to do some pretty heavy off-season workouts — can find ways to make those workouts enjoyable.  As Tim may recognize in his own day-to-day activities, there’s a huge mental difference between those things he feels he “has” to do and those things he “chooses” to do.  That in mind, I see nothing wrong with blowing-off a given clinic or workout in favor of a day- or night-off, a vacation, whatever.  And, as I’ve often suggested to my players, sometimes it can be more beneficial to “just go dawgoned fishing!”  Yes, having seen it all over nearly 40-years as a coach, I’ve noticed that most players come back loaded for bear just from taking that kind of short break.

Finally, I want to thank Tim for the very timely question.  And, if I haven’t totally answered it (because I wasn’t sure about his son’s age), I sincerely welcome a follow-up.  Thanks again!