- Shot Selection
By U10 and Squirt most kids will be able to lift the puck. 6 inches or 6 Feet, the placement and accuracy will be all over the cage, but kids in this age bracket now have the strength to lift and bring the puck with some velocity.
A common mistake with this newly found skill is players will always, no matter what, want to shoot high, and you will see a tremendous amount of wasted opportunities and scoring chances.
Now is the time to have your athletes develop the ability of shooting with their head and eyes up, looking for the space BEHIND the goaltender. Using visual cues, skaters can now see holes in the opposing goaltender and will be able to score more frequently if they shoot for areas that the goaltender is NOT, rather than trying to put all their might into the highest shot possible.
Another point of emphasis for kids in this age group should be quick release. Needing all their strength, in order to lift the puck, players need a big dragging windup in order to launch the puck at their desired target. Make it a point of emphasis in certain drills at practice to NEVER lift the puck. Try this… make a drill (any drill) and as a point of emphasis tell your athletes that they can ONLY shoot low. Once you do this, reinforce how quickly they got the puck off their sticks, and how frequently it was accurate and scored. This is a skill they will carry with them, and be a tool they add to their growing arsenal.
Additionally, emphasize in games, looking to shoot once they reach the top of the circles. This will develop a scoring mentality, have their linemates drive the net for rebounds, and shoot through screens.
Look for opportunities to develop goal scorers habits, and you will see gradual improvements in their offensive decision making.
The Science of Scoring (omha.net)
- Practicing Patience
The U10 level in the US is the first recommended level for Full Ice hockey. Some states and some leagues or organizations will incorporate some form of Full Ice games at the U8 level, but it is not recommended by USA hockey, the governing body for most hockey in the United States.
The statistical data promotes Half or Cross ice hockey for mites, and this is well established. These games shrink the space and allow for more repetitions and puck touches at the youngest levels. This also allows for a more cost-effective program to be run out of each building and gets more kids on the ice, saving dollars for parents and programs. This is, in my opinion, good for the game.
However, consider this…go back to the VHS days and watch Wayne Gretzky or Mario Lemieux with the puck. Watch Patrick Kane, Connor McDavid, Cale Makar, Sidney Crosby, or Jack Hughes in today’s game. These players are widely respected and known for their ability to extend plays. To hold onto the puck for longer periods of time, breakdown a defense or defenseman, and make the right play with the puck.
Cross ice is great for quick decision making, but coaches should also foster at the U10 age level holding onto the puck and extending the play. This mentality separates the average players from the great players. Evaluating with their head up, diagnosing a defender and making a deliberate play with the puck is a special skill that you can teach a U10 player, rather than emphasizing a quick or hurried play.
Incorporate long stickhandling courses in practice that involve playing with your head up against a line of sight obstacle (instead of an obstacle on the ice). Teach in small area games puck possession, keeping the puck and reward players for holding onto the puck and making the right play.
Remember this about Wayne Gretzky:
When Wayne Gretzky was 6, he was playing with 10-year-olds in his hometown of Brantford, Ontario. When he was 10, he scored 378 goals in a season.
This achievement should’ve been a cause of celebration, but some of his teammates’ parents became jealous, booing him and calling him a “puck hog.”
The pressure was so intense, a 13-year-old Gretzky considered quitting hockey.
17 Amazing Stories About Wayne Gretzky | Stadium Talk
It’s a fundamental skill for players to play with their head and eyes up. Allowing them to handle the puck for longer periods of time in practice and structuring games that allow them to hold onto it and make plays, makes for better hockey players. These players can create offense and manufacture plays. They are critical to a team’s success, and this skill does not happen magically. It takes time, patience and an understanding that the player who is labeled the “Puck Hog” should not be criticized. He should be coached and praised. Oftentimes, he will be your best player.
Here are two recent goals from my New England Wolves U10 Team.
By Andrew Trimble
Andrew Trimble is the General Manager and Co- Owner of the New England Wolves Hockey Club. He is also the Owner of Scoring Concepts LLC, a New Hampshire based hockey training company that offers camps, clinics, private lessons and teams. He has coached at all levels from Learn to Skate to College Hockey. For more info on his teams and programs check out- www.scoringconcepts.com or www.ne-wolveshockey.com
To Purchase Andrew’s new book “The Hockey Planner”, click on this link- The Hockey Planner: A Year by Year Plan to Assist You on Your Hockey Coaching Journey: From Learn to Play to Junior Hockey: Trimble, Andrew: 9781963743388: Amazon.com: Books
