How to evaluate a skater?

[dc00 0]

Hi, I never played hockey myself and need expert's advice on how to objectively evaluate my son's potential as a skater. What are the signs of a great skater, especially for a mite/squirt? Hopefully the feedbacks here can give me some ideas what we should work on. Thanks!!

[chk hrd 164]

You don't say if you know how to skate but If you never played the game and/or can't skate at a high level then you cannot evalute anyone with accuracy. Find someone who knows (like a coach, player or figure skating instructor) and get thier input. What an inexperience person may think looks good may look completely different to the trained eye. i have had people tell me that thier kid is a pretty good skater only to watch a kid with awful form.

[The Mafia Line 0]

It can be pretty tough even if you what to look for. You ever hear scouts say some random NHLer is good despite his poor skating and I just can't really see what they see.

[dc00 0]

I understand this could be tough. I don't like my son's form in many ways but I see NHL players do the same thing. I'm not scouting for a pro team. Just want to help on his development as much as I can even though I barely skate myself.

[Stacey 0]

Your second sentence describes why you cannot effectively evaluate your son, period. It's not tough but rather impossible to be able to describe to you the mechanics and terminology of how a proper skating stride looks if you are unable to translate it yourself especially if you have never done it. So much of teaching comes from personal experience. As mentioned by the first response, find someone who knows

[Law Goalie 147]

Take him to a power-skating coach. This will not only be the best thing for his development as a skater, it will provide the kind of evaluation you want. Ask around, find a good one in your area. The ones to watch out for are the ham-n'-eggers who are there not to improve your kid's skating, but to convince you to keep paying; if the pitch is aimed at you and not your kid, walk away.

[Jordan 13]

A couple of points, speaking as a father of a 9 year old who has become an excellent skater. He is one of the best technical skaters in his age group. I say "become" because he has worked specifically on his skating for the last three years.

Okay, first need to get a couple of things out of the way. There is a difference between technical proficiency and speed. The more technically proficient the stride, the faster your son will go; however, that doesn't mean that some kid who is weaker technically won't be faster.

Speed is a combination of proficiency AND genetics.

I agree that you should get a skating instructor to help you. Skating is a learned behaviour, it is not natural like running. Yes, some kids are more natural than others, but it is still learned. What the instructor can do for you is to break down the stride into components, and identify what exactly needs work.

Also, don't underestimate his skates. He needs to have properly fitted skates. The profile and pitch of those skates can also have profound effects on his stride. Find someone who can help you with this. It won't make a poor skater into a great skater but the correct set-up for your son will allow him to maximize his potential and to improve more quickly.

Finally, improvement comes in stages. A mite/squirt can only develop so much power. What I think you are trying to achieve is to develop proper technique and to prevent bad habits from forming so that when they hit the teenage years and develop real power/muscle that they have the means to transmit that power to the ice efficiently as possible.

Good luck, and it takes patience and work, but it is well worth it.

[dc00 0]

Thanks, Jordan! We are on the same page. My son has good speed. Everyone around keeps saying what a great skater he is. But somehow I can't agree. I believe his technique is poor and he's relying on his natual ability. The problem is it's hard to find a great power skating instructor in my area, if there are any. My son has had many private lessons with several coaches. They do drills all the time and I don't see his technique being corrected.

[chk hrd 164]

The problem is it's hard to find a great power skating instructor in my area, if there are any.

If you don't have any "power skating" instructors and are not comfortable with any of the hockey coaches then look for a figure skating instructor. They will teach great edge control, stride and form.

[Chadd 916]

The problem is it's hard to find a great power skating instructor in my area, if there are any.

If you don't have any "power skating" instructors and are not comfortable with any of the hockey coaches then look for a figure skating instructor. They will teach great edge control, stride and form.

The younger you do it the better it will be, as they get older there is more of a stigma to taking figure skating lessons.

[Jordan 13]

I would say the figure skating instructor is a very good idea. They look at the stride a little differently and some are excellent at identifying wekanesses and correcting them.

They also have some excellent drills that are much more about edging than most (not all) power skaters.

One more idea; why don't you post your location? I am sure that there will be people on here that will have an idea for you as far suggesting a good instructor.

[dc00 0]

Northern New Jersey

[WSjo22 1]

don't know if you're opposed to driving to see an instructor but if you aren't this link is probablly the best one in a reasonable driving distance...

http://www.besahockey.com/main.htm

[Leafsrule16 5]

I would say the figure skating instructor is a very good idea. They look at the stride a little differently and some are excellent at identifying wekanesses and correcting them.

They also have some excellent drills that are much more about edging than most (not all) power skaters.

One more idea; why don't you post your location? I am sure that there will be people on here that will have an idea for you as far suggesting a good instructor.

As emasculating as it may sound, I was taught to skate by a figure skating instructor on figure skates, as i took powerskating later on in my hockey career, he gave me private lessons as well and i think due to this it is the reason that i managed to get any power out of my stride. It may not be 'manly' but being taught some figure skating basics can actually help a lot, my balance is really something that i can fully account to the way i taught to skate.

[chk hrd 164]

When my son was younger I would tell him who gives a crap if someone laughs at you because you get taught by a figure skater. It's hard to hear them laugh when they can't keep up or catch you. My son is not one of the biggest players on his team, but he is the fastest and there are not many kids he plays against that can outskate him. Speed comes from being able to maximize your stride. You can take two skaters with equal strength but the one with better form will be faster.

[dc00 0]

There are many good figure skating coaches around. But how do I know which one can teach a hockey player a good form?

[Jordan 13]

I believe that all figure skating coaches can teach good form and a good stride.

That being said, if you ask around at the local figure skating club, you will likely find someone who already does private lessons with hockey players.