Running the Gauntlet

This is a great drill to help players learn how to make and take a hit in a game. All players playing with body checking and older girls playing with body contact will benefit from this drill.

Explanation of the Drill

This is a flow rotational drill which allows players to make a hit and take a hit in a confined space under controlled conditions. There are progressions to the drill which help the player learn the skill of body checking and body contact (see options).

When running the drill entirely in the offensive zone, an offensive player starts at the blue-line at the boards and moves along the boards without a puck towards the corner.

Between the blue-line and the top of the circles (the ringette line) the player is contacted along the boards by the first defensive player moving in the same direction. After contact, the offensive player continues down the boards into the corner and is contacted along the boards by a second defensive player moving in the same direction in the corner.

The offensive player then continues up the boards, picks up a puck, skates around a cone between the top of the circle and the blue-line and curls into the slot to get a shot, or deke on the net. The offensive player then rotates back through the drill, becoming the third defensive player, the second defensive player and the first defensive player before returning to the line up at the blue-line to become an offensive player again.

Options

Players learn to make and take a hit through progressions in the drill.

1. Start with both players (the offensive and defensive players) without sticks. Both players keep their skates on the ice at all times and their hands together in front of their bodies in the waist area.

2. Next, give the players their sticks but no pucks, keeping their skates on the ice at all times. Have the offensive player get a puck after the third contact before curling around a cone for the chance on the net. The players will have two hands on the stick at all times and the blade of their stick on the ice at all times. Then allow the defensive player to have one hand on the stick when approaching or angling the offensive player, but two hands just before and through the contact.

3. Next, allow the offensive player to carry the puck from the beginning, reminding them to always keeping their skates on the ice at all times.

4. Now, go through the same progression but have the defensive player move in the opposite direction to the offensive player on each contact.

5. Finally, go through all of the same progressions allowing the players to lift their skates off the ice but still with both skates on the ice at the time of contact.

Throughout the progressions, impress upon the players that the drill is being run under controlled conditions to practice contact.

The advantage of running the drill entirely in the offensive zone is that it forces the players to practise contact in confined areas, which include along the boards and two different corners. When the drill is run in the offensive zone, the offensive player has to be sure that no one is shooting when they are going behind the net. You can also instruct the offensive player attacking the net at the end of the drill to deke instead of shoot, until players get used to the drill.

Try running the drill at full ice, down each side of the rink with the offensive players starting on the boards at opposite ends and corners of the rink at the hash marks. The contact from the defensive players occurs along the boards at the top of the circle, at the red line, and at the top of the far circle, with the offensive player then shooting on the net before rotating back through the three defensive positions before starting at the hash marks again as an offensive player. There are two groups, one on each side of the ice and the players always stay on the same side of the ice.

Coach's Tips

One of the important messages to your players is that body checking and body contact are skills to learn that are part of the game like many other skills that you will teach them during the season.

It is also important that many of the skills that they have learned in hockey will assist them in learning body contact, like proper skating position, balance on skates, the ability to generate speed with both skates on the ice for stability, proper stick position, etc.

The purpose of body checking is to separate the offensive player from the puck, NOT to intimidate or hurt opposing players. The advantage of a drill with flow and rotation is that you can pull one player off the drill and take them to a “teaching” area to work with him or her, and the drill will continue.

This means that there is lots of activity in the drill but it allows for personal instruction of a particular player. Make sure you work through the progressions with your players. Don’t advance to the next level until the majority of the players are ready. It is important that players get used to contact in a controlled and safe environment.

The player’s tips below should be your instructional tips for your players before and during contact. One of the big advantages of this drill is that the players will make and take a hit numerous times under controlled conditions.

Players learn any skill by repeating it, and contact is no exception. After working through the progressions in this drill, your players will become confident with giving and receiving a body check. Teach respect for all players at all times.

Tips for Players

Here are some important pointers to follow just before and through contact:

1. Remember the three C’s: contain, controlled and contact. You contain a player with skating and by angling a player. You are controlled with proper body position with both skates on the ice at the time of contact. Having both skates on the ice will give you balance and stability just before and during contact.

2. The ability to generate speed and glide with two skates on the ice will help you to angle a player and maintain proper position prior to contact.

3. When making and taking a hit, always maintain an athletic stance, with knees bent, back straight and head up.

4. Keep your hands and arms close to your body and the blade of your stick on the ice. The elbows are in and tight to the body. It is important to make your body compact. You can put pressure on your stick just before and during contact for balance and to maintain a good athletic position.

5. When making contact, your shoulder and/or chest area will contact the shoulder or chest area of your opponent. Do not lead with your head. Ideally, you want your stick blade to be on or near the offensive players stick blade, and your body to be on their body.

6. When receiving a body check near the boards, get close to the boards so that your shoulder area and your side has contact with the boards when you receive the contact on the other shoulder and side of your body. You should be positioned along the boards at the time of contact, not facing towards or away from the boards. Proper body position against the boards will allow you to use the boards for support during contact.

7. When receiving a hit, keep your feet moving just before and after contact. When contact occurs, your skates and stick should be on the ice.

8. When making or receiving a body check, use your big muscle groups for stability and strength.

9. Never hit an opponent who is in a vulnerable position. This could mean that their back is to you and they are facing the boards or they are facing you, but are some distance from the boards so that they could be knocked backwards into the boards. Be aware of other factors that could put a player in a vulnerable position like their position relative to the net, an open door of a player’s bench or a stanchion or post near the player’s bench.

10. Avoid direct contact to the head area of your opponent. In particular, the initial point of contact should never be the head area. Show and play with respect to all players at all times.

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