Players Should Focus on a Spot at Eye Level to Keep Their Head Up During Drills

Dick Moss

Skating with the head down is a cardinal sin in hockey. It prevents players from seeing teammates, open ice and developing plays. It makes them vulnerable to body checks, and affects their balance by putting them in a bent-over body posture.

Heads-Up Tip
Here's a tip for improving your players' ability to skate and handle the puck while keeping their head up.

On all drills, instruct them to keep their eyes fixed on a target that's about head-height. That might be a seat, a spot on the glass, a sign, or something similar. In drills involving turns, their eyes can run along the top level of the boards as they turn.

Encourage your players to keep their head up as long as they can before losing the puck. Have them repeat over and over until they can handle the puck without looking down.

Reference: Robby Glantz (Power Skating Coach - LA Kings), Correcting Common Errors, Hockey Player--the Online Guide to Winning Hockey,2007. http://www.hockeyplayer.com

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