Learn To Play Program
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Squirt is a skills development program for young players from 3 to 5 years of age.
The object of the program is to teach all participants ball hockey skills while having fun.
Repetition is used weekly to allow all participants the opportunity to understand what we are teaching and then practice the drills thereby developing basic playing skills.
All skills taught must be demonstrated very slowly to the players since the players are quite young and must completely understand the movements required to master a skill.
On the first night prepare helmet stickers with the child’s first name so that you will be able to speak to the individual by their first name.
Please be sure to have the child perform each drill as slowly as necessary so they can develop the mechanical movements to master the skill. As the child learns to properly do each movement they will naturally speed up.
The cone drill can be modified by shortening the distance between the cones as the group improves on this skill.
Remember that because the children are very young some might decide to stop and have a rest or want to sit out altogether. If this occurs please encourage the child by speaking politely to him/her calling them by their name.
Always remember to keep the child’s interests first and have fun.
| Time | Drill |
| 0 - 5 min. | Warm-up |
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5 min.- 35 min. |
4 Station Drills (7 minutes per station as per diagram below) |
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Break the group into 4 teams and have them rotate through the 4 stations below. Each drill station is set up in a different corner of the playing surface. Remember to have the players do the drill as slow as necessary to use proper techniques.
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Station #1 |
Running without the ball. Frontwards, Backwards, Sideways and around the face-off circle (Cutting). Skills to be taught: safety (keep sticks on the floor) Have every player run from the icing line to the blue line twice in each frontwards, backwards and sideways. Allow a short break between each run to rest. Once every player has completed each of the drills above twice have them run around the face-off circle once each first clockwise and then counter clockwise.
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Station #2
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Shooting Wrist Shoot and Backhand Set up two nets and divide the group into two lines. Set up 5 balls per player and have each player shoot the ball five times then move to the back of the line. After each player has shoot once switch to backhands and repeat.
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Station #3
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Passing Forehand and Backhand Form two lines of players facing each other and the players pass the ball back and forth. Work on proper passing technique for both forehand and backhand passes.
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Station #4
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Cone Drill Set up two lines of cones side by side about 10 feet apart. Space the cones about about 10 feet apart in each row. Have the players stick handle around the cones by going up one side and down the other. Teach proper stick handling technique have the players go as slow as needed to control the ball.
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40 min. - 50 min.
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Red Light / Green Light by Teams Have the players run the length of the floor instructing red light/green light while stickhandling with a ball. Try to get them to stop with the ball under control.
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50 min. - 60min
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Scrimmage Set up two mini-games side ways with two teams at each end.
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| 60 min. |
Kids receive drinking boxes or freezies
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please see the attached diagrams below
