Better Skating Starts with One Clear Focus

Skating

Oct 6

“I want to skate faster” is a useful goal. The next step is to make it specific enough to practise.

Does a player want a stronger start, more control through a turn or a smoother transition from backward to forward skating? Each question gives a coach something concrete to assess. It also gives the player a clearer reason for the work ahead.

Look at the whole skating picture

Hockey includes starts, stops, turns, changes of direction and movement with the puck. Straight-line speed is one part of that picture. Hockey Canada’s skating pathway also identifies balance, edge control, backward skating, crossovers and transitions as skills to develop.

A player who looks comfortable skating alone may find the same movement harder while receiving a pass or reacting to an opponent. Tell the coach where the difficulty appears. “I lose my balance when I turn with the puck” is more useful than “my skating needs work.”

Choose one priority together

Before the next session, ask the player what feels difficult and what they would like to improve. Then bring that observation to the coach.

Try a simple three-line note:

Situation: What is happening in a practice or game?
Focus: Which part will we work on with the coach?
Check: What would a more controlled attempt look like?

For example, a player might notice that one turning direction feels less comfortable. The first goal could be completing that turn with better control at a manageable pace. The coach can choose an appropriate exercise and decide when to make it harder.

Build the challenge gradually

A useful progression begins with a movement the player can understand, then adds complexity. Depending on readiness, that might mean practising without a puck, adding puck control and eventually responding to a pass or another player.

Keep the coach’s main cue short enough for the player to remember. If the movement falls apart when another task is added, return to the simpler version and regroup. There is no need to introduce every challenge in the same session.

Understand where treadmill training fits

A skating treadmill provides a controlled setting for a coach to observe repeated strides and work on elements such as posture and stride mechanics. At Zero Chill Academy in Candiac, treadmill training is available in private and small-group formats.

Treadmill work belongs within a broader skating plan. Turning, stopping, reading space and making decisions still need practice in suitable hockey environments. Ask how the session’s focus connects to what the player will try at their next on-ice practice.

Look for progress you can describe

Keep a brief note after a session: one cue, one improvement and one question for next time. Useful observations might include feeling more balanced, needing fewer reminders or completing the same movement more consistently.

If timed testing is used, compare results under similar conditions and let the coach explain what the numbers mean. A single score rarely tells the whole story of a player’s skating.

For parents, one question can be enough on the way home: “What felt different today?” Give the player room to answer. Their understanding of the skill is part of the development process.