Pushing The Limits

To be comfortable is to stop pushing the limits. How do you know you’re outside your normal limits? You’ll know when that icy grip of fear starts climbing up your back and down your legs telling you to slow down. It’s that uneasy feeling you get when you’re not sure if you’ll fall and crash, or stay on your edge. Hockey is a race to the puck, and to hesitate is to lose the race. Today we used the momentum from whipping around a net in the middle of the ice to push the speed of our approach to a puck. In the beginning we had coaches pushing the players to skate as fast as possible into the turn - through the turn with crossovers and back out straight at a puck set out in front of them. They had to pick up the puck and shoot immediately on the opposite net. At first we could see the players hesitate and glide around the turn. This was slowing down their approach to the puck. After many trials the players began to increase their speed and power around the turn. At first some of the players could not pick up and control the puck. Shots on the net were not very accurate or crisp starting out, but eventually things began to improve. Of course this drill is extremely fatiguing, so we made sure the players were allowed to catch their breath and take water breaks. I want to see the players push their speed and endurance a little each practice. Everything we worked into today’s practice was to move outside the players’ comfort zone with skating, stick handling, and passing a little faster, and a little stronger than is comfortable. Eventually the increased speed will seem comfortable and it will be time to step it up another small notch. Improvement comes one step at a time, or should I say one stride at a time. Don’t hesitate if you want the puck. If your opponent hesitates, then this becomes your opportunity to take advantage of. Be quick, and be confident in your ability to succeed. What you work on in practice should become second nature in the game. Your body has to learn how to move fast. You won’t get this out of a video game.