Muscle and prowess, speed and power, grabbing and shooting the ball: it's all in Hockey if you want to play the best game on the ice, you can start by learning the basic rules and basic skills needed to get started. Improve your game by learning tips from the experts and strategies to play successfully. See Step 1 for more information.
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Part 1 of 4: Learning the Rules
Step 1. Learn the game
Hockey is a game played by two teams with six players each, five players sliding along the rink trying to score goals, one guarding the goal placed at either end of the ring. The object of the game is to score goals by putting more pucks or balls, in the form of small rubber cylinders or rubber balls, through the opponent's goal than the opponent. Each goal is worth 1 point.
Hockey games consist of three innings, the length of which depends on the level of competition, but most games consist of three rounds of 20 minutes each
Step 2. Know the outline of the ice rink and its dimensions
While hockey can be played on roller skates (roller hockey) or on the floor (floor hockey), the most popular and common is hockey played on ice. Ice hockey is played on an ice rink measuring 61 m long and 25.9 m wide, divided into three sections, marked with blue stripes on the ice. In the center of the rink, there is a red line dividing the two playing areas, and two blue lines 1.5 meters from the red line on either side. Between the two blue lines is called the "neutral zone," beyond the two blue lines is guarded by each team.
- At the end of the rink, there are two thinner red lines where the net is. In front of the goal there is an area called the crease. The crease line is usually colored blue. This is the goalkeeping area.
- On the rink there are also five face-off circles where the ball is dropped to start play at the start of play, the start of the half, or after a penalty that stops play.
Step 3. Learn the basic flow of the game
Each game of hockey begins with a "face-off," which is when the ball is dropped by the referee between players from the two teams facing each other close together. From then on, game time begins. One team has the ball and tries to get a point while the opposing team tries to keep the goal or get the ball.
Like football or lacrosse, the game flows non-stop, only stopping at the end of each half, after each point, or after a penalty
Step 4. Study the major and minor offenses
In hockey games, major and minor offenses are distinguished by the length of time a player is removed from the rink into the penalty box. Minor fouls lead to 2 minutes in the penalty area, while major violations are 5 minutes.
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If a foul is committed, the team must play during that time without a single player committing the foul without a substitute. If the opposing team scores a goal during penalty box time, penalty box time ends. Major and minor offenses are at the discretion of the referee. Common violations are:
- Dangerous use of a bat, including cutting or stabbing upwards
- Barrier violations, including pulling or tripping
- Annoying players who are not in control of the ball
- Grab the ball from behind or by targeting the head
Step 5. Prepare the equipment
Due to the physical demands of hard ice hockey players, players wear equipment like football players, the most unique of which are hockey bats and skates.
- A bat is a wooden or polycarbonate stick with a curved end, called a blade or blade. Players use the bat to drag the ball along the ice field and try to score a goal. Having a bat is important in ice hockey. Get a custom-sized bat and learn how to wrap it up for play.
- The metal parts of the hockey shoe are sharpened and adapted for playing ice hockey. Hockey shoes are more curved than ordinary ice skates, made to move quickly. The shoe should be tight, with good heel support and should be sharpened regularly.
- Helmet and padding must match shape and weight. Usually hockey pads include shoulder pads, feet and a safety helmet that keep you gliding fast and playing safely.
Part 2 of 4: Learning the Basics of the Game
Step 1. Learn to glide quickly and efficiently
Even if you are an expert ice skater, sliding while playing hockey requires a different set of skills. Learning to change direction and brake properly without hitting the board will take time, but with regular practice you will be able to move quickly in no time. Before you even get a hold of the bat, build your gliding ability so that you can glide as naturally as walking.
- Back sliding is essential to being a good hockey player, allowing you to change direction suddenly without constantly adjusting your body position. Learn to do a complete "mohawk" quickly, stepping between the ball and your other foot while moving forward and moving backwards.
- Crossovers are also an important part of gliding in hockey. Hockey players often change direction quickly not by skating, but by making quick sideways moves called cross-overs. Practice gripping the ice with skates and doing sideways to improve your game.
Step 2. Learn to handle the bat
In your dominant hand, hold the ball at the end of the bat, aligning the bat in the middle along with your body position. Your other hand should be holding the bat as well as about two gloves away from your dominant hand. The grip should be tight, but not tight.
- Keep the bat always in front of you, your arms comfortably stretched but straight. Don't let the bat close to your body.
- Holding the bat properly and learning to move together is the difference between a skilled skater and a skilled hockey player. You can't be effective on ice if you can't use a bat.
Step 3. Master the ball
As in basketball and soccer, you have to learn to "dribble" the ball, moving it around while skating to make it harder for your opponent to snatch it from you. practice shuffling the ball back and forth in front of you and to your left and right without moving your feet. Keep your eyes up and try to feel the ball without looking down.
Surprisingly, mastery of the bat comes from your non-dominant hand, which is higher on the bat, not the dominant hand used for writing which is lower on the bat. Learn to master the bat with your wrist, making gentle but fast movements with the ball to master it
Step 4. Make sharp and accurate passes
Think of your bat as legs and feet. To pass the ball to a mate on your team, you can set the ball to move from the blade of the bat from the heel to the tip of your toes, using a sweeping motion to move the ball instead of stabbing it. Continue to complete bat sweeps after the ball is no longer at you.
Do not slap the ball while passing. One of the biggest misconceptions about playing ice hockey is that the best way to move the ball on the ice is to slap it. While a slap is appropriate in some situations, passing requires you to use more skill with the ball
Step 5. Form a pocket with your bat to receive a pass
When you're first jumping on ice, it's hard to learn to hold the ball as it comes at you. Point the top of your bat's hockey knife at the ice as if you were making a pocket you use to catch a ball. Practice taking fast passes without making the ball bounce off your bat wildly and you'll be a valuable asset to your team.
Step 6. Score goals with precision and power from the wrist
To shoot, sweep the ball forward and flick your wrist at the last moment to give the ball some momentum and make it fly. Continue to direct the ball with the tip of the bat in the desired direction.
Like many things, accurate shots depend on wrist movement. To develop your shot, learn to move your lower hand on the bat and position yourself at a 45-degree angle to the goal. As you bring the ball back, lower the crest and transfer your weight to the back foot. Keep the ball as close to the center of the bat as possible and make a pocket for catching the ball after the pass. Then let the ball fly
Part 3 of 4: Playing Your Position
Step 1. Lead the team from the middle
The attack and defense coordinator, the centerpiece, is the player who takes the face-off and becomes the team leader on the ice. If you want to play in the middle, you have to be a very good skater and a good hockey player who is a strategist. The hockey coach selects the midfield from the players on the team who are the smartest, most talented and most experienced.
Step 2. Guard the goal
There is perhaps no more difficult and iconic position in the sport than the ice hockey goalkeeper. Equipped with sufficient cushioning to stop an elephant, the goalkeeper sometimes stands between the ball – which is traveling at 160 km/h – and the back of the goal. A good goalkeeper has quick reflexes, excellent hand and eye coordination, and a laser sharp eye.
Step 3. Score goals as a winger
The left and right wings are attacking players who play each side of the ice, play physically and creatively, make shots and score goals. The winger must be a fast and accurate shooter who can handle the corners and confines of the rink.
Step 4. Play defense
Because the game of hockey is very fluid and the players can traverse the ice quickly, defenders in hockey are more involved and attacking than in soccer or other similar structured games. Still, the attacking player's goal is to hold off the opposing team's winger and disrupt their play, then pass the ball to their own winger.
Step 5. Try playing in a variety of positions to determine the one that works best for you
When you are starting to learn to play hockey, it is important to be a good player in all positions. A good winger is better than a player who can shoot the ball a million kilometers per hour. He also needs to be able to play strategically, keeping the team working as a unit. Your hockey game will generally be better if you get a chance to see the ice rink from a variety of different positions.
On the other hand, goalkeeper is a full time commitment. Usually the goalkeeper starts from the beginning and stays in that position forever to learn the tricks to play the position
Part 4 of 4: Playing Well
Step 1. Keep your head up
A good hockey player in any position has excellent vision, anticipates team members' movements and makes sharp passes. It's hard to make accurate and clever passes when you keep your head on the ice. Keep your eyes up and look around you.
This will take time, after spending a lot of time skating and practicing ball control
Step 2. Spread out into the open space and fill in the gaps
Your team doesn't have to be a six-headed monster chasing a ball around an ice field. Spread out, fill the room and find the right angle to pass and move the attack into a goal-scoring effort.
A good pass is more effective and important to a team's success than the ability to outwit an opponent and make a strong shot alone. You can't do that unless the players are spread out and exposed
Step 3. Protect the ball
Make smart passes and control the ball to give the team the best chance to win. The team with the ball controls the game.
Keep the ball on the ice to avoid possible stray passes. The pass has to be sharp and not hard, meaning you have to try your best to control the wild ball that lifts off the ice. When shooting and passing, practice lashing the ball forward and avoiding slaps without success
Step 4. Relax when the ball is in your hand
Inexperienced hockey players tend to tense up when they get the ball, grip the bat too hard and lose the basics they have learned and the ability to control the ball. Suddenly the pass was too wild and too loud, the ball possession was messed up, and the game wasn't great. Learn to relax. Breathe deeply and have fun.
Step 5. Join a team and practice regularly
The various skills required to be a good hockey player take years to master and it is helpful to practice with experienced players and coaches. Check out the leagues in your area that you can play for recreation and learn the skills needed to become a good hockey player.
