A - Skating and Playing With Speed - Wally Kozak - U18 F
Key Points:
Wally is a former Olympic Women’s Teaam assistant coach and former National Men’s Team player and later assistant coach to Dave King. He did this sequence with my U18 Female team with the focus on playing with speed.
Play at top speed both going forward and backward Skating in straight lines, turning and with quick cross-overs. Everyone takes turns going forward and backward. Look over your shoulder to the inside when skating backwards.
Description:
1. Players line up at one end of the ice and skate down the middle to the far blue line and back down the side.
2. Work in pairs. Forward skater can cross-over up to three times and backward skater must mirror.
3. Puck carrier try to get behind the backward skater either striding or crossing over.
4. Skate backward around two circle and reach in with the inside skate.
5. Backward skater mirror partner using only one cross-over each way.
6. Skate backward down the side and back making two strides each way.
7. Make linear cross-overs forward to gain speed.
8. McDavid and Eichel using linear cross-overs. First without the puck and second with the puck down and back. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9shcAqsCmlM&feature=youtu.be
9. 1-1 attacker start from the crease and defender from the hash marks. Defender no cross-overs; stride only, start back facing the side boards.
10. Focus on speed and use linear cross-overs forward.
11. Backward stride down the middle and focus on using the arms North/South only.
12. Defense in middle and forward leave from the corner. Forward skate to the blue line then back below the dot. Defender mirror to maintain the gap and defend 1-1. Forward skate using linear cross-overs to accelerate.
*Team did a Continuous 2-1 Transition Game after this with the focus on speed.