Small Area Turns and Acceleration is a helpful drill for gaining speed in a tight space. Encourage players to use their crossovers directly out of turns.
Description
Coach sets up 3 cones, one on the bottom of the circles, one at the face-off dot and one on the hashmarks.
Players line up on the middle hashmarks.
On the whistle the first player skates to the cone on the bottom of the circle and performs a turn then accelerates out of the turn using crossovers.
The player then skates to the cone on the hashmarks and turns in the opposite direction. Again uses their crossovers to accelerate.
The player then turns at the cone at the face-off dot and accelerates all the way around the first 2 cones using their crossovers all the way back to the line.
The next player in line can go when the first player gets to the second cone.
Key Points
Reinforce skating stance techniques
- Bending the ankle to maintain contact with the ice on the outside edge.
- Listen to their outside and inside edges as they cross over.
- Maintain a low stance throughout the entire drill.
- Turn head and shoulders to initiate turn and help carry momentum through change of direction.
- Counter balance by keeping inside shoulder up.
