You hear the phrase "hockey sense" tossed around a lot. As I watched a game the other night I caught myself thinking about "hockey sense" and it got me thinking...
1. What is hockey sense?
2. Where's it come from? Is it learned or are you born with it?
Hockey Sense
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Hockey Sense
Last edited by RSI on Thu Nov 16, 2006 3:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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MNHockeyFan
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Re: Hockey Sense
I'll take a stab at this. Traditionally it's meant to describe a player's innate ability to be in the right position at the right time and also have a "second sense" of the play developing before it actually does (anticipation). This player knows where his teammates and opponents are, and what they are likely to do next, and just continually and naturally "senses" what is the best play to make, given the fast changing circumstances going on all around him.RSI wrote:You hear the phrase "hockey sense" tossed around a lot. As I watched a game the other night I caught myself thinking about "hockey sense" and it got me thinking...
1. What is hockey sense?
2. Where's it come from? Is it learned or are you born with it?
I believe it mostly comes naturally - some players exhibit it from a very early age - but most players can improve in this area with experience and good coaching.
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hshockeyfan91
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Can be developed...
I agree that some kids just seem to have more hockey sense. However, I think it can be taught in a combination of games and practices, with several factors:
1) Start young - mite / squirt. Not everything can be taught at that age, obviously, but basic principles can be.
2) Reward kids for hustling and avoid teaching "systems" at early ages, even if the team does not do as well as it would with a "system" in place.
3) Praise what kids do well, while only focusing on what they don't do well when absolutely necessary.
4) Teach WHY you should play in a certain way. The players that know why they should or shouldn't do something are way more effective (i.e. more hockey sense) then those who just do what they're told.
5) Watching older players (HS, College, Pro) can be very effective, if OCCASIONALLY there is coaching - pointing out pros and cons - while watching those games.
6) Teach that different levels of risk are appropriate - right in front of your own net might be a low risk situation, but the further away from your net the more it's ok to take chances - work to "guess" (i.e. anticipate) where the puck might go. If you're wrong, then file that away and learn.
Bottom line is don't make kids afraid to make mistakes. Reward and recognize good stuff. Hockey sense will blossom in that kind of environment.
1) Start young - mite / squirt. Not everything can be taught at that age, obviously, but basic principles can be.
2) Reward kids for hustling and avoid teaching "systems" at early ages, even if the team does not do as well as it would with a "system" in place.
3) Praise what kids do well, while only focusing on what they don't do well when absolutely necessary.
4) Teach WHY you should play in a certain way. The players that know why they should or shouldn't do something are way more effective (i.e. more hockey sense) then those who just do what they're told.
5) Watching older players (HS, College, Pro) can be very effective, if OCCASIONALLY there is coaching - pointing out pros and cons - while watching those games.
6) Teach that different levels of risk are appropriate - right in front of your own net might be a low risk situation, but the further away from your net the more it's ok to take chances - work to "guess" (i.e. anticipate) where the puck might go. If you're wrong, then file that away and learn.
Bottom line is don't make kids afraid to make mistakes. Reward and recognize good stuff. Hockey sense will blossom in that kind of environment.
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ghshockeyfan
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Maria Stoa is the first name that comes to mind in this discussion. I can't explain it, but there are things hockey wise that she does and it's just unbelievable. Whichever College she ends up at is amazingly lucky. I had the honor of watching from behind the bench for two seasons, and she absolutely was amazing. She didn't need any acclimation. Stepped right in and absolutely was a star in 8th grade. That takes "hockey sense."