Question #115:
Dear Dan: My son who is 11, plays AA hockey in the Toronto area. His strengths are in game sense (specifically knowing where to be without the puck, and reading the ice well), and in playmaking, and passing. Although he has a good shot, he gets many more assists than goals because he is unselfish (passing quickly to an open man rather than carrying it in himself and taking a shot). His weakness is that although his skating is technically good - thanks to alot of extra technical skating instruction outside the team - every year he tends to look a little slower because he does not have great "foot speed". And because he does not score a lot of goals (but gets lots of assists) he does not seem to get the appreciation or attention of the coaches relative to the flashy goal scorers (who tend to skate all over the ice), which seems to be affecting his confidence in his abilities. It seems to be a downward spiral that I am not sure how to be of help with.
My question is twofold: first, what would you recommend in order to improve in this area of speed. Second, I feel that most coaches appear to look mostly for speed and the ability to make dramatic rushes and goals in looking for players, and undervalue the other skills which are his strengths. This seems to be hurting his chances of making the team he really wants to play for next year, or even in allowing him to achieve his potential wherever he ends up. Should we be encouraging him to carry the puck more himself and trying to score, or what can we do to help address these confidence issues? C.B.
Dan Replies:
Dear C.B.: While I don't doubt your observation that your son "looks slower", often players with the correct technique look slower but actually are faster. That's usually because skaters with bad technique have to churn their legs and that makes them appear to be faster. I'm sure that several kids in my youth hockey program were thought to be much faster than I was and when I play pick-up hockey with them in the summer, they still look faster as I'm going by. I think most fans would be surprised (as are some players) to learn the results of the timed speed trials that are usually conducted at the beginning of each NHL training camp. So the investment made in good technique is a sound one.
It could also be that your son's physical development is such that his quick twitch muscles haven't kicked in yet while other players' may have. See Scott Moulson's comments at the bottom of Q&A # 90 on the web site for a more definitive discussion about quick twitch muscles.
Regarding his play as regards other flashier players, call up my last newsletter at www.danbylsma.com/newsletter23.htm and see the section "ONE KID'S TRIP TO THE NHL... current installment" and the discussion there about why some flashy players don't make it.
Further to this point, a player has his stick on the puck 30 - 40 seconds in a game. The casual observer will watch the player with the puck and analyze his skills. The knowledgeable person when evaluating players will also watch to see what the player does the other 900 or so seconds he's playing. This because what a player does when he doesn't have the puck is just as (sometimes more) important than what he does when he has it. If your son knows what to do when he doesn't have the puck, believe me when I tell you it will be noticed by (more than likely stand out to) any knowledgeable coach watching him play.
At your son's age, we're talking about a young boy. I'd be encouraging him to have fun with the game. Revel with him in the fact that he leads the team in assists or is the smartest player on the ice or that his skating technique is so outstanding. Most serious hockey skill development comes after puberty. If he remains concerned about his foot speed, check into the Acceleration program in your area (see Q&A #103 for a discussion of this program). Frankly, they typically don't accept kids until they are 11 or 12 because a player needs to have certain muscular and skeletal development before the Acceleration program is effective.
It sounds to me like your son is developing into a fine player (a lot like someone else I know). If he continues to have fun with hockey, he'll continue to work on his game. As his body develops, some of the difference you perceive will go away. If he stops having fun, his interest will wane and turn to something else.
I conclude with the words of Sparky Anderson, the famous baseball coach which emphasizes your role in his development better than I can. "Your son will make to the (NHL) in spite of what you do for him, not because of what you do for him." So sit back, help him enjoy, encourage him, and realize that his progress is not up to you.
