The national team under-18 and under-22 tryouts are in town this week, which means I’ve been able to watch some great hockey and bring back some tips for you that will help you take your game to the next level.  All of the 80+ players at the tryouts have got all the basic skills down pat – they can all skate, pass, shoot, stickhandle and check effectively. For many young players, being able to execute basic skills at the right time, while under pressure and while moving at high speeds is very challenging, but when you put the best players from across the country together to compete for a spot on the national team, you can see that they’ve all got the ability.

 

So if they can all do the basic things well – what separates the best in this group from the rest?

 

I’m going to share 2 examples from the games I watched on Sunday night that really jumped out at me as critical areas players must develop to get to (and excel at) the next level.

 

#1:  There were a few Olympians out on the ice with the under-22 players and they definitely stood out above the rest.  One of them scored two beautiful goals in the game and a gorgeous one in the shootout.  She is a great goal scorer and always comes through in the clutch.  Want to know how her first two goals went in?

 

She kept her feet moving, got the goalie moving laterally and shot the puck along the ice through the five hole quickly and accurately.  She made it happen so quickly that it looked effortless.  It’s so important to keep your feet moving when you are shooting.  All coaches should be hammering this point home with their players.  When you keep your feet moving, your actions are unpredictable, which makes the goalies job much harder. And if you can make a move that makes the goalie adjust right before you shoot, even better.

 

The best part about these two goals was that they were scored on low shots. I know – you think that going “bar down” with your shots looks cool.  And that knocking off the goalies water bottle with your shot is the best thing ever.  BUT – most high shots players take end up ringing off the glass or in the goalies chest.  The hardest shots to stop are the low ones – especially the ones that are 5-10 inches off the ice and inside the posts.  And last but not least, these goals were scored from the slot.  This player didn’t wait until she was 3 feet from the goalie before she took her shot.  She let it go from above the hash marks and the goalie never had time to adjust.  Don’t wait until you are in the goalie’s lap to take the shot – shoot early, shoot often, keep your feet moving and keep your shots low.

 

#2 – My favorite play of the whole under-18 game happened in the 3rd period – and it wasn’t a goal or assist.  It happened when one of the defensemen joined the rush, delayed as she crossed the blueline and then made a bank pass off the back boards to her winger driving the far post on the other side of the net.  It was so well-timed and so accurate that the winger had a one-time shot from in tight that the goalie had to make a great save on. Did it change the game or directly cause a goal?  Nope.  But I can tell you that every scout in the rink noticed that play.

 

She didn’t try to force the puck through the middle of the ice or take a long shot with no traffic in front.  She could have just done a simple dump or waited for one of her wingers to post up on the wall to support her.  Instead she made a play that is quite rare for a 16 year old – especially when you add in the fact that she is at a national team tryout.  I’ve had the pleasure of watching this defenseman play for years and her ability to make the right play at the right time all over the ice is what makes her standout – as well as the fact that she can think outside of the box and execute complicated plays while under pressure and make them look effortless.

 

These two players not only executed these skills extraordinarily well in this particular game – they do them consistently.  It is one of the things that makes them stand out on the national and world stage.  This is an important concept to grasp.

 

You have to be strong at all the basic skills to get to the next level.

 

You have to be able to showcase your biggest strengths when it counts.

 

BUT you also need to be “the best” at something.

 

I’m not saying you need to be the best playmaker in the world to get noticed. But just being an average playmaker won’t cut it if that’s your biggest strength.  You should aim to be the best on your team, the best in your league, the best in your state, and even the best in the country.  Why?  Because being “good enough” isn’t good enough to get you to the top.  It’s your biggest strengths that are going to standout to coaches and scouts.

 

With only a few weeks left until the season, now is the time to figure out what your big strengths are, think about how you can make them even stronger, set your long-term and short-term goals for improvement and then put together your plan to achieve them.

 

The players trying out for the national team didn’t just get there by chance.  They all have a few weaknesses they need to work on, but I can guarantee you that they got to this tryout because of the strength of their strengths.

 

Work Hard. Dream BIG. Take Action.

 

Your friend and coach,

 

~ Kim

 

Kim McCullough, MSc, YCS

CEO, Total Female Hockey

Girls Hockey Director, PEAC School For Elite Athletes