Fun Hockey Drills and Games to Shake Up Practice

Introduction: Fun Hockey Drills and Games to Shake Up Practice

Isaropen – Fun Hockey Drills and Games to Shake Up Practice. Hockey is an exciting and fast-paced sport that requires skill, teamwork, and strategy. To keep practices engaging and effective, coaches can incorporate fun drills and games that not only improve players’ abilities but also boost their enthusiasm and motivation. By introducing creative exercises that challenge players while adding an element of enjoyment, coaches can make the learning process more dynamic. These activities break up the monotony of traditional drills and help athletes develop crucial skills like speed, agility, and communication, all while fostering a sense of camaraderie and friendly competition.

DRILL 1: ICE HOCKEY WITH A BALL

Topher Scott talks about a drill that he likes to use in his training. The 3 vs. 3 Handball Drill is the name of it. Take a listen to his key points below! You can see that the game is not only fun, but it also has useful lessons that kids can learn from it.

To have more fun, bring a different sport ball to the ice. It’s clear that the people playing 3 vs. 3 Handball are having a great time and working hard. Players could only hold on to the ball for three seconds during this game. They lost the ball when the coach blew the whistle after 3 seconds. The other team then got it. In order to score a goal, each player must kick or throw the ball to a partner. Watch this video to see the Calgary Flames play handball soccer.

Skills Used: Not only do the players have fun, but being able to kick and throw without a stick helps them improve their balance, edgework, and sense of space. Also, the game helps kids learn how to give and go!

Modifications: To change up the cross-ice game or any hockey drill, you can use different sport balls. You can play with a football, basketball, or soccer ball instead of sticks. You can use a tennis ball or racquetball with sticks to make them bounce and respond more. The players can have more than three seconds to hold on to the ball.

DRILL 2: TEAM TOURNAMENT 3 ON 3 OR 2 ON 2

Have a 3 on 3 or 2 on 2 tournament on the ice! There can be two games going on in each end if the ice is full. Center ice is where players who aren’t playing can work on different skills or drills. It’s possible to split the ice so that two games can happen in one zone and skill work or drills can happen in the middle. Your whole team can also play, making it an all-out 3 on 3 (or 4 on 4) tournament with line changes. As the event goes on, remind the players of certain skills or habits they should work on during the game. This way, they will also be learning.

Pro Tip:

At the end of practice, give the prize to the team that did the best. Enjoy it. Take a picture of the winning team and let them enjoy their win! You could hold this event more than once a year and switch up the teams each time so that everyone gets a chance to win the cup.

Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, Nazem Kadri, Jay Bouwmeester, and other players are shown in the picture below with a prize they won in a 3 on 3 tournament at a pre-season camp. There’s nothing better than working hard for a prize, even if it’s just your own pride when no one is looking.

3 on 3 Tournament Modifications: You can also have this be a 2 vs 2, 3 vs 3, or 4 vs 4 tournament if you want a different setup. If you want players to work on a certain skill (for example, one timers) you can say a normal goal is worth one point and a one timer goal is worth 2 points. 

If you do not have goalies, but you still want to have a tournament, you have a few options… yes you can play post, try to hit a target or use a shooter tooter, but we would suggest the following options below if you have no goalies:

Use Small Tires As Goals: Corner Tires Game below shows a simple layout of how a game can be played with no goalies. You can also only have 1 tire per side. The game will get intense and players will love it!

Use Gates As Goals: you can play Gates of Buffalo where players must pass through a gate to get a point. Can’t pass through the same gate twice in a row! 

DRILL 3: SOCCER RONDOS / KEEP AWAY GAMES

Coach Alyssa Gagliardi talks about why it’s good to think outside the box and use soccer rondos for hockey practice. You can have a lot of fun with Rondos and help your players get better at making quick decisions. Here are 15 rounds of keep away.

DRILL 4: FINDERS KEEPERS

Finding Nemo is a fun game that the whole team can play at the beginning or end of a practice. For every two people you have, put one puck in a certain spot. Until the time runs out, each person will fight for the puck on their own. This is a good range of time for each round: 30 to 45 seconds. This keeps the energy strong. When the whistle blows, the players who don’t have a puck are taken out of the game and told to kneel and cheer for the players who are still in it. The game goes on until there is only one puck left for each person. The winner is the last person with the puck.

Skills Used: Being aware of the puck and protecting it.

Modification: Now you can play Finders Keepers with other people! Check out the movie below to see what Finders Keepers with Teammates looks like! Players can pass the puck to each other and keep it from getting to the other team. At the end of the round, the team with the most pucks wins!

DRILL 5: DODGE BALL

A fun hockey take on a classic gym class game! During one of their storm waves, the Carolina Hurricanes play hockey dodgeball!

The balls for dodgeball are lined up in the middle of the ice. The center line can’t be crossed by any player. If someone gets hit by the ball or throws a ball that the other team catches, they are out. If your team can knock out everyone on the other team, they win!

Skills Used: Sense of danger, speed, edge work, and trickery (with fake throws, throwing while looking the other way, etc.).

Modifications: If you don’t have “dodgeballs,” you can use soccer balls instead, or you can let teams shoot tennis balls with their sticks. Watch Curry College play Dodge Ball with tennis balls (here’s the link to the Vimeo video).

If the team is having trouble with accuracy, making the game room smaller as players are taken out can help. 

Conclusion: Fun Hockey Drills and Games to Shake Up Practice

In conclusion, integrating fun and innovative drills into hockey practice can significantly enhance both the skills and engagement of players. Activities like “Ice Hockey with a Ball” and “3 on 3 Tournaments” encourage teamwork, strategic thinking, and skill development in an enjoyable environment. Games such as “Finders Keepers” and “Dodge Ball” help improve agility, puck awareness, and decision-making under pressure. By incorporating these playful yet effective drills, coaches can keep practices fresh and exciting while reinforcing crucial hockey fundamentals. Ultimately, these fun activities help players grow as athletes and foster a sense of camaraderie and competition.

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