Playing "Canadian"

[JCYC5 0]

Interesting... I play hockey with left hand on top, yet shovel driveways with right hand on top...

[Michael9 57]

i write RH, play hockey RH, play golf RH, Bat LH, play badmintinton LH, tennis Rh,

[Fletch 219]

I write lefty, use scissors lefty, punch lefty, bowl lefty, play tennis lefty, give people the finger lefty....

I shoot RH, bat RH, golf RH.

[QandA 0]

Score in hockey left handed, strike out right handed, and triple bogey right handed!

[chippa13 1844]

I've posted this before and I'll do it again. It mostly has to do with how old you are when you start skating with a stick. The younger you are, the higher the likelihood that you will have your dominant hand at the top of the stick because it will be the stronger of the two. If you start older then the likelihood is that your dominant hand will be the hand on the shaft as it is the more coordinated of the two and hand strength is pretty even.

Old stats, 70% Canadian players shoot left handed, almost the same % of Americans are right handed.

[JR Boucicaut 3801]

Agreed, but going by that theory, most of the tots who start out would be left handed in the US. But, what ends up happening is that the parent assumes that if the kid is right-handed, he must shoot that way.

[jjtt99 0]

Canada has a high proportion of left handed golfers due to hockey!

Go Mike Weir!

JJ

[chippa13 1844]

Agreed, but going by that theory, most of the tots who start out would be left handed in the US. But, what ends up happening is that the parent assumes that if the kid is right-handed, he must shoot that way.

The percentage I posted is about 6-7 years old. You will notice in areas where hockey has been well established in the US there are more lefty than righty shooters.

One other reason for more righty shooters in the US is that US kids who play hockey also usually play baseball. In cases where a kid started both around the same age they will usually do both the same way.

[Seth 0]

That's the funny thing for me. I am slightly RH dominant in most things but after playing guitar since I was 10 or so, my left hand is very dexterous. I get the best of both.

Thats excactly how I am. I have very good coordination with my left but hardly any power. I started when I was young and could never do anything LH. Mom/dad had nothing to do with it.

Kovy I have to disagree with you. To make an absolute statement like that is as if you are saying that everyone who plays with their non-dominant hand on top is playing the wrong way.

[MissConduct 1]

Little off topic but kinda the same..

Ok.. here's the deal, when I make a slapshot I use the wrong leg, one guy says I'm shooting off the wrong foot, yet another says it gives him more power?!?!? (PS: I shoot left and stand on my left foot when doing a slapper) I tried the other way and almost fell over... so whats the deal with that?

(oh im a righty shooting left, batting left, golfing left)

[JR Boucicaut 3801]

Agreed, but going by that theory, most of the tots who start out would be left handed in the US.  But, what ends up happening is that the parent assumes that if the kid is right-handed, he must shoot that way.

The percentage I posted is about 6-7 years old. You will notice in areas where hockey has been well established in the US there are more lefty than righty shooters.

One other reason for more righty shooters in the US is that US kids who play hockey also usually play baseball. In cases where a kid started both around the same age they will usually do both the same way.

Yes, but I work in retail and I hear the parents who are starting out. They all give their kids right-handed sticks because they think it is the correct way. I try to get the young ones to use neutrals.

[chippa13 1844]

Fighting the unknowing parent is a difficult battle. Good luck. Usually, the kid will do what comes naturally and the parent will be stuck with the wrong stick. I've seen it happen at a clinic I used to work at.

[kosydar 0]

I've heard that when a kid is first starting out and getting a new stick, face him and hand him the butt end of his stick. Whatever hand he grabs it with is his top hand.

[Chadd 916]

I try to get the young ones to use neutrals.

Exactly, let the kid decide what feels more comfortable. That's how I always try to do it.

[JR Boucicaut 3801]

I've heard that when a kid is first starting out and getting a new stick, face him and hand him the butt end of his stick. Whatever hand he grabs it with is his top hand.

Having him pick it up then hold it would work better than that.

[ktang 34]

Little off topic but kinda the same..

Ok.. here's the deal, when I make a slapshot I use the wrong leg, one guy says I'm shooting off the wrong foot, yet another says it gives him more power?!?!? (PS: I shoot left and stand on my left foot when doing a slapper) I tried the other way and almost fell over... so whats the deal with that?

(oh im a righty shooting left, batting left, golfing left)

I've seen Pronger do the same thing (he shoots left) on power-plays.

When the Blues set up on the LH half board position, with Pronger on the left point, and the penalty killers force a bad pass from the half boards back to his point that is behind him, he pivots on his left skate and slaps it towards the net with a waist-high windup. He doesn't kick the right leg up like wrong-foot snap-shooters.

If you are falling when slapping off the right foot, perhaps you aren't kicking the left leg (enough / at all)?

More on topic, Canada has a higher proportion of left-handed and switch hitters. Larry Walker played hockey at a younger age.

I play tennis RH, switch-hit, golf LH, and play hockey LH.

[mack 44]

Ambidextrous in everything, but I'm going to blame that on teachers trying to make me write RH when I was younger. Never saw an advantage to shooting one way or the other so just stuck with RH.

[gopens67 0]

http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/proshop.p...ps&right_nav=92

[zingbergeur 0]

Good find gopens. After reading that, I'm convinced that I'm almost totally screwed because I'm right handed at everything, including hockey, but my left eye is my dominant eye.

"Righties who play with right-handed sticks will have better power and accuracy on their shots and passes as well as better vision in tight situations. The power comes from having their strong arm lower on the stick, as well as being able to push off their more powerful leg. The vision arrives by having the dominant eye directly over the puck."

According to the article, I'm losing finesse and stickhandling but not gaining that better vison in return. I still think my power and accuracy is 1000 times better than it would be as a lefty.

[gopens67 0]

how do you know which eye is dominant?

[hocckey77 0]

http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/proshop.p...ps&right_nav=92

I remember that article. Dominant eye?

[zingbergeur 0]

I did a quick search and found this archery website that might help explain dominant eye: Determining your dominant eye

[gopens67 0]

OK Im right eye dominant soo...I guess im not screwed :) Although for you, having a left eye dominant with strong hand bottom isnt such a bad thing, you still get the harder shot , accurate passing, with better up ice vision right? You just dont get as much up ice vision as if you were playing with the strong hand at the top.

[chippa13 1844]

If we're tossing dominant leg into the mix then I guess it is a good thing that even though I am right handed for all things but hockey, I am left footed.

[TCsnipes9 0]

ive found that after playing for as long as i have and so often, that my left hand / arm has become stronger. im right handed, and play hockey right handed too, and now it just seems like my left became stronger because of hockey.