Circle Drill - Players start in one corner. One at a time players skate around the circle. Each player to skate two laps around each circle. After the second lap the player moves to the next cirlce and skates two laps around that cirlce in the opposit direction as the first circle. When the player is finished with the second circle they stop in the corner closest to the last circle. When the first player finishes the first lap of the first circle the second player starts and so on.

Repeat the drill for backwards skating and then with the puck both forwards and backwards. Emphasize proper technique.

Slalom Course - Players start off on the boards facing across the ice. One at a time players skate through the cones across the ice and then back. Skating forwards the players concentrate on two footed turns with two hands on the stick. Skating backwards players concentrate on crossover turns, keeping their balance and shifting their body weight properly.

Run the drill both forwards and backwards, without pucks and then with pucks.

Starts & Stops - Players start in the corner. First player skates to the hash marks and stops facing across ice. The player then skates across the circle to the other side and stops facing down the ice to the far end. The player then skates towards the far end and stops at the top of the circle facing the boards. The player then skates towards the boards and stops at the boards facing towards the foar end. The player then skates to the blue line and stops facing across the ice. The player then skates acoss the blue line and stops facing the closest goal. The player then skates back to the end of the line.

Run the drill both without pucks and with pucks.

Forwards / Backwards Pivot - Players start in the corner. First player skates along the boards to the first cone and pivots around the cone changing from forwards to backwards skating. The pivot should be towards the closet boards, rear-end towards the direction the player is moving. The player then skates backwards to the next cone and pivots around the cone changing direction from backwards to forwards. This pivot should be performed facing down the ice (pointing forwards). This is repeated through the rest of the cones. After the last cone the player skates backwards all the way back to the line.

Run the drill both without pucks and with pucks. Halfway through start the players from the middle-ice side of the cones to practice the pivots from the other direction. Make sure that the players pivot from forwards to backwards facing the far boards.

Notes: Duration - 20 - 25 mintes

5 minutes per station with one minute in between to move stations

Tags: Forwards skating, backwards skating, crossovers, two-foot turns, stops and starts, pivots and changing directions, skating with the puck.