Girls hockey is definitely a game of speed. So the faster you players are, the faster your team should be. Right? Players can be the fastest skater or have the fastest shot on the ice. But that doesn’t mean that they are fast hockey players. Confused?

Girls hockey is a game of speed, but more importantly, it is a game of mistakes.

So how do these two things work together?

In order to be great, female hockey players need to have total speed.

Total speed is about being fast within the context of the hockey game.

We aren’t running a 100m dash here. That is a controlled environment where the athletes just need to focus on going fast in a straight line.

In girls hockey, we have very little control over what the game looks like. The most controlled event in an entire game is probably the penalty shot. And even that is highly unpredictable.

So while the fast skater or having a fast shot are important, it is the ability to use those skills within the context of this ever-changing game that makes you and your team great. You need to be the fastest at capitalizing on mistakes.

The faster you can react to your opponents’ mistakes, the faster you can capitalize on those opportunities.

And in order to do that, you have to be as athletic as possible.

How coordinated are your players? How quick are they? How powerful are they? How strong are they?

Being a great female hockey player is more than having great speed. It’s about being an athlete.

And being a great girls hockey team is more than just having the fastest players. It’s about having the best group of athletes possible.

The more athletic you are, the more quickly you react.

The best women’s hockey players in the world are first and foremost great athletes.

Be a great athlete first and a great hockey player second.

Develop fast athletes and you’ll have a fast team

~ Coach Kim

PS – To get started at getting faster, click here.