Hockey - Balance Board Stickhandling Drill
The Balance Board Stickhandling Drill will improve your players' balance, core strength, eye-hand coordination, and ability to stickhandle while off-balance.
Performed on dryland without skates, it should help players retain possession of the puck during body contact.
Setup
You can perform the exercise on a balance board or balance pods, but if you don't have them available, just get a couple of two-foot 2"x 4"s and cross one over the other (See Equipment > "Balance Boards: Make Them Out of Two-by-Fours" in the download section).
Players stand on the top 2"x 4" holding a hockey stick and with a ball on the ground in front of them.
Execution
Players begin stickhandling, moving the ball all around the body, as far to the left and right as possible. As they become familiar with the drill, they should increase the speed of their stickhandling.
Players should feel their core muscles working during the drill.
Reference: Off Ice Space - NTDP's drills teach stick skills > Drill No. 21: Balance Board Drill, USA Hockey Website, 2006. http://www.usahockey.com/youth/main_site/main/home/
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