Coaching assistance

[GSHL99 0]

Lately I've been helping out a friend with a end of the season program for Squirts going into Peewee next year, first couple of weeks is skating stuff and then it becomes the checking clinic they need complete to start Peewee. Anyway, trying to work with some of the kids on backwards crossovers. I really cannot for the life of me remember how my coach showed me and I don't seem to be effectively communicating the proper technique to the kids. So my question is how would you (or how do you if you coach kids at this age) explain how to do backwards crossovers?

[hockeymom 2]

For the life of me, I can't remember how they broke it down. It is a tough thing to visualize... I do know that what "clicked" was exaggerating the movement and the image of cross-under, and "pulling" the ice towards you.

Not sure if you searched already, this link has some good stuff on descriptions, but not necessarily the steps you are looking for:

http://www.modsquadhockey.com/forums/index...kward*&st=0

As I recall, it was kind of like getting balance on a bike... no matter how hard someone tried to explained the concept of "balance" it was impossible to understand until the moment you experienced it.

[mikebu 0]

I don't think you can really tell kids how to do them. Show them how to do them and maybe give kids tips if you can see something really wrong. But basically they will need to learn them on their own.

One thing I see kids have problems with is hitting the skate they are trying to cross over with the other skate. Sometimes telling them to move back the skate they are crossing over can help.

But again just do alot of drills through the circles and the kids will eventually figure it out.

[oggy_3 0]

When i teach younger players to cross over i exaggerate and show my feet crossing over. also explain to them that they have to bend there knees to get power. get them to go around the faceoff circles practising it.