2012 Cambridge Winter Skills Outline

Dates: 2/29/2012, 3/7/2012, 3/14/2012, 3/28/2012, 4/4/2012

StinkySocks Hockey Skills & Instruction Programs are open to players who range in ability from someone who is picking up the game later in life to someone who has been playing constantly and wants to improve by working on the fundamentals of the game. The program will focus on the development of the player and the enhancement of their game play. This is a 60 minute weekly session of on-ice instruction including game situation play.  Sessions will focus on four main underlying abilities necessary to become a well performing skater and an overall skilled hockey player.

Skill Work (Weeks 1 through 5) – This will be the core competency taught within the program.  Skill Work is the one main areas that will be taught and individually assessed at each session because of its importance. While emphasis in placed on skating, the essentials of puck control, passing/receiving and shooting, are also emphasized.

Speed & Agility (Weeks 1 through 5) – The average hockey shift should never exceed 2 minutes and understanding the need for speed and agility are imperative.  Speed and agility training is a necessity for any hockey player who wants to maximize their on-ice abilities.  The SSH skills program will demonstrate that speed is one of the most important skills of the game with well designed speed, conditioning and agility training.  The program will teach the ability to start explosively, stop quickly, and change direction rapidly with a large focus on edge work.

Team Play (Weeks 4 and 5) – Making sure that each person understands that the game of hockey is a collaborative effort with mutual cooperation by each team member. In combination with the stick handling, passing and shooting techniques from the Skill Work each week, the program moves the player to the next level with pass and play situations.  We practice 1 on 1, 2 on 0, 2 on 1 and 2 on 2 scenarios that include shooting.

Systems, Concepts & Game Situation Play (Games 4 and 5) – This aspect of the program will help players understand the reasoning behind certain decisions made on the ice.  A wide variety of situations will be discussed and presented on the ice, including team and individual concepts, the concept of the offensive and defensive zone, cycling, fore checking and breakouts.  It is the goal to have the player fully understand positional play and team concepts and incorporate all of the skills learned within the program into ones game.