This is a special drill which teaches the important “software” skills (anticipation, game sense, timing, the ability to read and react) at the same time that the player is working on the “hardware” skills such as skating, puck handling, passing and shooting.
Explanation of the Drill
Essentially the players weave up through a five cone course using various skating techniques, and then come back through the middle of the same course to get a shot on net.
They can carry a puck through the entire drill or they can receive a pass after going around the last cone and then attack the net. The next player on the drill leaves when the player in front of them goes around the first cone.
This puts a lot of players on the drill at the same time, forcing players to keep their head up and to make decisions while on the drill. The players on the drill actually become moving obstacles on the drill for the other players.
In the “Follow your pass” scrambler, one player starts at each cone and the puck is moved up through the weave with each player following their pass and assuming the position of the player they have passed to.
The last player on the weave comes through the middle of the weave after receiving the pass and attacks the net.
There has always been a debate: Can players learn the software skills- timing, how to read and react, anticipate etc.? In this special drill, which has many levels, the players work on their hardware skills but the design of the drill teaches players to keep their heads up, to find open ice, to read and react and to anticipate.
The weave course can be set up inside the offensive end with the net in the middle of the side boards, or on half ice from the red line in, with the net in game position.
The coach passes the puck from the opposite side of the net from where the first player starts.
Options
You have to design drills that are unpredictable and always changing in order to create a learning environment to develop “software” skills.
The players on the scrambler or this type of drill become part of the drill as moving pylons. At the same time it is a great drill to develop hardware skills- tight turns, acceleration around a cone, transition skating, receiving a pass in traffic, passing and shooting.
This drill is effective for players of all ages and abilities.
Make sure the starting cone is far enough above the net that players starting on the course are not going too close to the net on their route to the first cone on the weave course.
