Hockey Foundations
Love of the game starts here!
Blue Ridge Youth Hockey's Hockey Foundations Program is one of a kind. While structured through the American Development Model from USA Hockey. It has been developed by local coaches with a lot of experience from teaching kids to step on the ice to the collegiate and professional level. At times it may not look like your traditional hockey training but the goal is to keep it fun, increase puck touches, keeping their feet moving, and sneak in the skills they need to learn and develop as players and individuals. The players will pass through 8 levels and gain helmet stickers of their success along the way. See below for what they will accomplish at each level. Please note that they will be learning much much more than what is on this list.
Level 1
-Sit and stand with skates off ice
-Walk off ice in skates
-Sit and stand with assistance of object for support
-March in place 4-6 stomps without assistance
-Move between 2 objects set 3-6 feet apart on ice
*Helmet, Skates, and thick gloves required at this level to participate*
Level 2
-March forward 8-10 steps and glide without assistance
-Squat in place on ice
-Fall and get up without assistance
-Know ready hockey stance
-Scooter push with one foot
-Scrape snow with skate while holding onto the boards
-Push puck forward with stick while skating
*Full Hockey Gear required for this and all other levels*
Level 3
-Scooter push with both feet across ice
-Dive on belly, get up, and continue across ice
-C-Cuts and O's across ice
-2 foot glide in turn
-2 foot hop in place
-Short forhand pass in place
-Shoot puck into net from 1 stick length away
-Backward wiggle 2-4 feet
-1/2 snowplow stop
Level 4
-1 foot glide across ice (both feet)
-Skate backwards across ice
-Full snowplow stop
-Moving pass and short shot into net
-2 foot hop over lines while skating
-Stick handle through cones
-Backward 2 foot glide
Level 5
-Control puck through cones then shoot on net
-Skate backward goal line to goal line
-Understanding of shooting body mechanics
-Goalie screen
-Tip in
-Give and go passing
-Verbal understanding of offsides
Level 6
-Shoot and hit targets set / attached to net
-Forward / backward transition skating
-Kick puck up to skating
-Forward crossovers
-Puck protection
-Understanding of basic break in / break out
Level 7
-Deke in motion
-Receive puck on skates
-Angling
-Separating player from puck
-Reading the play and show understanding of options to react
Level 8
-Backcheck/Forecheck understanding
-Blocking shot
-Safe body contact
-Regrouping
-Cycling puck
-Backward crossovers
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