Oct 13, 2017 | dhumphreys | 1865 views
Panther Top 10 List #3- Practice Habits
Practice is a time to build confidence and try new things. It is also a time to buckle-down, work and learn. Here are the Top 10 Practice Habits as provided by Vital Hockey Skills
10- Enjoy practice, but don't forget to work hard. If it is too easy, you're not pushing yourself hard enough
9- Embrace mistakes- When you are pulled out of your comfort zone to try new things, you will make mistakes. Practice is the time to work on new skills and tactics. Don't sweat the mistake.
8- Always accelerate from a standstill-Working at full intensity in practice prepares you for games. That type intensity will teach your body that it’s not okay just to start skating with long strides.
7- Be aggressive in practice.The worst thing you could do for yourself and your team mates is let up in practice. Not challenging your teammates in practice gives them a false sense of ability under pressure that is unrealistic when considering the amount of pressure that happens in a game situation.
6- Always ask the coach for clarification when you don’t understand a drill. Never walk away from the coaching board confused, and get in line for a drill. Asking for clarification shows a coach that you care, and it shows a coach that you want to do well.
5- Bring creativity to practice. Creativity in practice leads to great things in games when you least expect it. When you see an awesome move at the pro level in a highlight reel, don’t think for a second that it happened by accident. I can guarantee that when everyone else goes off practice, that player had sat there at some point rehearsing that. And you can also guarantee that player definitely wasn’t afraid to try it out in practice.
4- Put everything into a game situation. If there’s no one in front of you, add a few moves on the way to the net. Add a little bit more intensity. Drive wide. Protect the puck. Do things you would normally do in a game, even though there’s no one else in front of you.
3- Watch other players in line. Make sure to not be distracted while standing in line during drills. Studies show that watching players do drills is similar to doing the drill yourself. Watch for players mistakes.
2- Accelerate toward the net. Never glide when you’re about to shoot. Never get into the habit in practice of big wind ups that are predictable by goalies in games.
1- Shoot to score. Over exaggerate the strength of your shot. Never let up on the net. Never take it easy. Always bear down and finish your shot. Take a last minute glance and get in the habit of mentally picking a corner before you release the puck.