U16 - Defensive Skills & Habits
U16 - Defensive Skills & Habits
Monday, December 13th, 2021
This practice plan is focused on developing "defensive" skills and habits -- reading and matching speed, angling, body and stick positioning, and defensive awareness -- in order to most quickly regain possession of the puck. Encourage players to adopt the mindset that moments of defense are moments where individually, and as a team, you are trying to win back puck possession as soon as possible and transition to offense.
This practice sets up various 1v1, 2v1, 2v2 and 3v2 situations where players must make reads including:
- Location on the ice and knowing where to force puck carrier into a less threatening scoring area
- Speed of puck carrier and speed/spacing of open player
- Hand of the puck carrier and open player
- How to control the space and force the puck carrier to stay outside the dotlines/towards the boards
- How to effectively seal off the puck carrier and transition to offense
All players, regardless of position, should rotate through the various offensive and defensive roles in each drill.
Practice Layout
1 on 1 Tips for Defenders
Pre-Practice Discussion
Length of Time:
3-5min
Backwards Crossover Start
1a
Length of Time:
6-8min
Backwards to Forwards Pivot
1b
2
Length of Time:
8-10min
6
Length of Time:
8-10min