Full size rink vs Studio rink

[hockeyover40]

With more smaller studio rinks opening up, and more Association and AAA teams practicing on them. Which size rink is better for squirts and above? Does it hurt the older teams to have a majority of their practices on smaller rinks?

Thoughts!

[The Huge Hook]

A pet peeve of mine. I've coached extensively on both. Despite what the owners/shareholders of the small rinks will tell you, with Squirts and up, an intense practice will lack one major component..........SPEED. These kids need to practice in an environment that will help to slow down game situations not speed them up. jmho.

[JoltDelivered]

I would add one small caveat to that...studio rinks are great for 3 on 3 play at the older ages. I have had both bantam and pee wee aged boys play in a studio rink summer 3 v 3 league. Great stuff to watch and the kids love top play it. LOTS of puck movement.

The studio rink is not meant for speed, much like a short track in NASCAR. Less speed but much more "jockeying" for position.

The studio rink's mission is to promote ice awareness, puck movement and the like.

And hey, not alot of guys can work in a NASCAR reference on a youth hockey board...

[O-townClown]

And hey, not alot of guys can work in a NASCAR reference on a youth hockey board...

Jolt, so I'm at the rink last night. Our program has a boy that has a black helmet with a yellow stripe. I always call it a football helmet. For some reason it looks like the Steelers' helmet to me.

So his father is asked which one is his and he says, "rot thar (right there) with the rookie stripe."

Evidently rookie NASCAR drivers are given a yellow stripe. When his son started he put a yellow stripe on his helmet so he could pick him out from all the other kids.

The reference was completely lost on me!

[hockeyover40]

I didn't want to get into a Blades bashing thing, on another topic on this board, (bait and switch). So, I started a new topic. I thought there would be many more opinions on full size rinks vs small rinks. I think there's a place for both in youth hockey. Another option. I agree the 3 on 3 games and leagues played on the small rinks are great. I was thinking more of practices with the majority of the ice time on small rinks, and whole programs run out of them. I do see the lack of speed and long ice drills on the small rinks. Can teams be ready to play high tempo games on full ice when they practice on small rinks?
Again, THOUGHTS.

[JoltDelivered]

OTC - That is an OUTSTANDING story!!!

And he is correct. Every rookie driver in NASCAR has a bright yellow stripe across their rear bumper. It's there to warn other drivers there is an inexperienced driver ahead of them...SO HOLD ON TIGHT!!!

From the NASCAR website:

Definition: Yellow tape on the back bumper of a NASCAR race car. It's presence means that the driver is a series rookie.

Also Known As: yellowback, bumper stripe, rookie tag

Examples: The veteran drivers use a little extra caution when they come up behind a car with a rookie stripe.

Next time you go the rink, ask that Dad how much longer the kid has to wear the Yellowback? You'll have loads of street cred...

[JoltDelivered]

Can teams be ready to play high tempo games on full ice when they practice on small rinks?

The answer is yes. White Bear has had a studio rink since the 1920's. There is an artist's rendering of the historic rink along with other historic rinks from Minnesota painted on a wall inside of the Xcel Energy Center.

All WB mites learn how to skate at this studio rink called "The Hipp" which is short for Hippodrome. However, it's not uncommon to see squirts and even pee wees and bantams practicing in there throughout the winter season. However with the new 2 sheet ice arena going up in Vadnais Heights, it's my guess that the older boys will shift their practices to the new rink this year. Not because the Hipp is a bad place to practice rather it's an ice maintenance and ice time issue. Those older boys can really tend to tear up the ice on a small sheet and you hate to see bantams sucking up ice time at the studio rink when mites and squirts have to travel to other larger rinks.

[black sheep]

Can teams be ready to play high tempo games on full ice when they practice on small rinks?
Again, THOUGHTS.

sure...but...as the age increases so does the need for some full ice

many high school and beyond coaches still run 3x3 half ice as part of their weekly routine

most of the game is still o & d zone possesion and that can be done on half a full sheet

the key to high tempo is still quick shifts

[Pens4]

Your team’s access to studio rink can be a great advantage during a long hockey season. You look for ways to add variety and maintain intensity in practice and the smaller rink is a great tool. We scheduled every non-tournament Friday at Velocity Hockey Center and it always created a different atmosphere to practice. All the things mentioned…faster pace…quicker decisions….but most importantly it is different.

[JSR]

Can teams be ready to play high tempo games on full ice when they practice on small rinks?
Again, THOUGHTS.

sure...but...as the age increases so does the need for some full ice

many high school and beyond coaches still run 3x3 half ice as part of their weekly routine

most of the game is still o & d zone possesion and that can be done on half a full sheet

the key to high tempo is still quick shifts

Mike Eaves of the Badgers and Mark Osiecki of tOSU both use small area games that can be played on a studio rink as a major part of their practices for their D1 college programs. One particular game is run for over 45 minutes just playing one particular small area game regularly at practice. Osiecki uses this game at all youth levels when he is coaching youth teams through high schoolers/midgets as well for camps or other teams he is involve din coaching. He actually beleives hockey is nothing but a series of small area games and speed can be taught even in samll rinks or half sheets of ice. I think Osiecki has some pretty good street cred so I believe him

[hockeyover40]

Can teams be ready to play high tempo games on full ice when they practice on small rinks?
Again, THOUGHTS.

sure...but...as the age increases so does the need for some full ice

many high school and beyond coaches still run 3x3 half ice as part of their weekly routine

most of the game is still o & d zone possesion and that can be done on half a full sheet

the key to high tempo is still quick shifts

Mike Eaves of the Badgers and Mark Osiecki of tOSU both use small area games that can be played on a studio rink as a major part of their practices for their D1 college programs. One particular game is run for over 45 minutes just playing one particular small area game regularly at practice. Osiecki uses this game at all youth levels when he is coaching youth teams through high schoolers/midgets as well for camps or other teams he is involve din coaching. He actually beleives hockey is nothing but a series of small area games and speed can be taught even in samll rinks or half sheets of ice. I think Osiecki has some pretty good street cred so I believe him

I'd like to learn about all the drills they use. But, that 45 min. one must be great.

[black sheep]

I'd like to learn about all the drills they use. But, that 45 min. one must be great.

two good ways to do that

1. go to a usa hockey coaching class or get a book/dvd from someone...usa hockey has a lot of good info available

2. go find a top HS or college that has practice open to the public and watch a couple...heck even the top pee wee & bantam programs are worth the time

two of my fav's are 3x3 offense & 3x3 defense...difference...in O everyone trys to score at all costs attack the puck like mad...In D team with out puck posession has to make sure everyone is covered...its great with new teams as u can see who has offensive or defensive tendencies

[sorno82]

Check with Marian Gaborik's mom. Rumor has it that she flooded a spot in the back yard - kind of a studio rink. I think he is kinda fast on the big rink so I don't think it hurt him much.

[StayAtHomeD]

With more smaller studio rinks opening up, and more Association and AAA teams practicing on them. Which size rink is better for squirts and above? Does it hurt the older teams to have a majority of their practices on smaller rinks?

Thoughts!

The studio rinks definitely have their place. They are great for 3 on 3 leagues of all ages. They are fine for mites for practice and games. Squirts and above, I would agree that full sized rinks are more appropriate.

[areaman]

I've wondered about this from a goalie perspective. My thought is that the goalie is facing more shots, which should be a good thing.
Another parent (of a very, very good goalie) said his son never plays in the smaller rinks because the angles are all wrong and it might screw him up on the bigger rinks.

Thoughts?

[old goalie85]

I've heard the same thing pertaining to angles.

[offside14]

I've wondered about this from a goalie perspective. My thought is that the goalie is facing more shots, which should be a good thing.
Another parent (of a very, very good goalie) said his son never plays in the smaller rinks because the angles are all wrong and it might screw him up on the bigger rinks.

Thoughts?

I agree. Especially for younger goaltenders, if they spend 2-3 games on a 3x3 rink then, without a practice in between on a regular sheet, ask them to play a game on a regular sheet. You will notice they over play the short side of the net because the angles are so different. Alot of the time you will see them do this when they move to an olympic sheet from a regular sheet as well. Like you said the pros are the number of shots and the speed at which they come. It is great for the as they learn save selection - what works best when, and quicker recovery to rebounds. I have found atleast for mine it is a very valuable tool to learn recovery and save selection but just make sure there is a practice or 2 to re-orient back to a regular sheet before games, just my 2 cents.

[JSR]

sure...but...as the age increases so does the need for some full ice

many high school and beyond coaches still run 3x3 half ice as part of their weekly routine

most of the game is still o & d zone possesion and that can be done on half a full sheet

the key to high tempo is still quick shifts

Mike Eaves of the Badgers and Mark Osiecki of tOSU both use small area games that can be played on a studio rink as a major part of their practices for their D1 college programs. One particular game is run for over 45 minutes just playing one particular small area game regularly at practice. Osiecki uses this game at all youth levels when he is coaching youth teams through high schoolers/midgets as well for camps or other teams he is involve din coaching. He actually beleives hockey is nothing but a series of small area games and speed can be taught even in samll rinks or half sheets of ice. I think Osiecki has some pretty good street cred so I believe him

I'd like to learn about all the drills they use. But, that 45 min. one must be great.

The one you wondered about is a great drill. Two goals, two goalis both on the same endline. The half sheet of ice is split in half. There are two defenders protecting against 3 effensive players on one half and the same on the other half, the 2 defenders are the "teammates of the 3 offensive guys on the other half of the ice, you have to stay on your half of the ice, the idea is the defenseman are trying to get the puck to their offensive guys on the other half of the ice and they are tying to score. Goalies are preventing all shots. Hard for me to properly explain but it's a great little drill/game. Probably easier to diagram it but tough to do on here..... Her is a link to a bunch of small area games they use http://www.gslhockey.com/coach/SmallGames.pdf , unfortunately the one I discussed above is not diagramed in this book but most of the rest are. I am a huge fan of half court 3on3. You have to have a full sized rink to play that on but you only use half a sheet of ice but that one is great for both skaters and but unbelievabely great for goalies because the angles are the same for the goalies but the goalies are getting pepered no matter if there is a more dominant team or not. I actually believe this is the game kids should play until their first year of Pee Wees or at worst through firsst year squirts, it would develo better skaters and potential goalies across the board JMHO