Ice Hockey Initiation: Coaching 3 to 6-Year Olds

In this book, I will not focus on the highly technical side of coaching hockey. What I will focus on is what a 3- to 6-year old will realistically be able to accomplish. An example of this would be a forward stride. In teaching a proper technical stride, such as what would be taught in a power skating school, there would be many steps involved, such as blade angles, the use of body joints in order, exact foot placement, etc. — all things that young kids wouldn’t be able to understand or do very well. You can expect them to push out with a mostly full leg extension instead of straight back with a short push off and then dragging their foot back. Having said that, you will be surprised at what these young kids can and will accomplish. Don’t sell them short by not giving them the chance to learn.