How To Play Hockey Intermediate
Adapting to New Roles

Throughout our playing years, we will find ourselves becoming accustomed to playing the different roles that make up a hockey team. As players, we get used to being a goal scorer or a defensive defenseman, a grinding winger or a special team player. Whatever our roles may be, we learn to play that role, and we become comfortable with it. As you get older and you progress from level to level, you'll become more aware of what role it is that suits you and what role you've become accustomed to playing. We're here to say, never get too comfortable, never limit yourself and your potential by labeling yourself, because you may find yourself in a role that you didn't think you could play. And, for many, a role you think you shouldn't play.
Every hockey team is unique, and as you progress through the game of hockey, you'll find that the roles you will come to play are dictated by your particular team's needs and wants. When a player becomes too attached to a role and feels that they can't change or shouldn't change, that player is in trouble, because change is a big part of hockey.

No player likes to go from being a goal scorer or a first line player to a third or fourth line grinder. The harsh reality of the game of hockey is that there are going to be times when you play on a team that this situation will happen. Maybe there are a number of vets. Maybe the coach feels someone else can do the job better than you. Whatever it may be, role reversal is a part of hockey that you can expect to one-day experience. It's not a question of if it happens, it's a question of when, and how you as a player react.

We encourage you to be open to change. We aren't saying to ever accept the change but learn from it. Learn from the other players. Do what it takes to get better at whatever role it is that you're playing. Most importantly, remember to always believe in yourself and be confident in your ability, because there will be times when you begin to doubt it. The only way to change your role, is to continue to improve as a player, do what you do best and whatever part of your game you feel needs to get better. Do it better.

Within the game of hockey we all have our roles. We all can't be goal scorers, nor can we all be grinders. It's when every player plays to the best of their ability and at the same time fulfills their role that a team and its individual members will experience success.

Mid Season Burnout

Why do we feel that it is important to address this topic? It's simple. These burnouts can drastically affect your performance, which in the long run, can affect your goals. Just imagine you're feeling like you want to be anywhere but on the ice. It's not a hugely important game, so what does it matter? You play the game with this outlook, and you do ok. You do nothing special, but you get by. Approaching any game like this is not only letting yourself down, but as importantly, letting your teammates down as well.

Lets face it. It's tough to play at the top of your game night in and night out for the duration of an entire season. It's equally as tough to be mentally prepared to play for an entire season. However, the sooner a player recognizes that they are getting to the point of burnout, the quicker they can address the problem and get back to playing at the level that they are accustomed to.

We wish there was some magic word or special routine that we could tell you that would fix your problem immediately. Unfortunately, there isn't. Recovering from burnout is a personal matter that only you the player can deal with. What we can do is offer you some advice that we and others like us have used to combat the nagging feeling of being burnt out.
"It may sound simple but" Remember that it's a game and that you play it because you love it.
If you're injured, take the steps to get healthy. If there is one thing that brings out mid season burnout, it's a nagging injury. The sooner you get back on the road to recovery the sooner you'll get back to loving the game.
Recognize when you're experiencing it. The sooner you pinpoint why you're not enjoying playing, the quicker you can get back on track.
Learn to relax. Although this may not sound like a cure for burnout, the ability to relax under pressure will help you perform your best. Feeling burned out can make you worry. Relaxation techniques will help you calm your thoughts and focus. There is nothing better for burnout than playing a great game.
Prioritize your life. Often burnout on the ice will come hand-in-hand with stress from other aspects in your life, from school to family. Taking the time to prioritize your schedule will help you get a handle on all of the stresses that you are facing.
Think Positive. It is too easy to let negative thoughts consume you. Overcoming burnout starts with changing your frame of mind. The glass is always half full!
We all know that a full hockey season can be both mentally and physically draining. With that said, we encourage you to always keep in mind that no one can play forever. Enjoy every minute of every game and of every practice, because there will come a time when every ounce of you would give everything you have for the chance to go back and to play one more minute of competitive hockey. Remember that, and your burnouts won't last as long. Enjoy the game while you can, you may never know when you could've played your last game, or shift.

Score More Goals

It's not an easy task, but this article will help you with one aspect of your game that definitely has the potential to help you score a few more g's. We've written this article for our younger users, but you older players can benefit as well.

As we can all attest to, every player loves scoring goals. Some players seem to score goals more naturally than others while others score goals because they have a great shot. However, one thing that the vast majority of goal scorers share is the ability to keep their head up while they're shooting. Sounds easy enough right? Think again. Take a look the next time you watch Sidney Crosby or Sami Salo shoot the puck. They have the ability to focus their eyes on the net rather than the puck while they're shooting. This allows them to see where the goalie is at all times giving them a definite advantage over a player who takes a quick glance and then buries his head. Let's not kid ourselves, both Crosby and salo possess numerous talents that allow them to be the world class players that they are, but their ability to keep their head up while shooting is a very important part of their success.

Keeping your head up while you shoot is a habit that you need to start developing at a young age, because the older you get the harder it is to develop. As players, our natural desire is to take a quick glance at the net and then look down at the puck. If you need proof of this, just watch your teammates (not to mention yourself) during a shooting drill. We'd venture to bet that over 98% of the players you watch will be watching the puck while they shoot.

As athletes, we sometimes don't realize the importance of certain skills until we realize that we don't posses them. That's why we've written this article. For you younger players, we encourage you to start working on keeping your head up. For you older players who know what we're talking about, use this article as a reminder to consciously make the effort to improve on this skill. Remember, "Practice doesn't make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect."

Stop At The Net

Stopping at the net is a skill that every player, regardless of age or level, should try to incorporate into their game. When we say incorporate, we mean sooner rather than later, so let's get started.

Stopping at the net sounds simple enough, yet surprisingly, it's a skill that most players struggle with. Maybe we're not taught at an early enough age, or maybe it's a skill that, as players, we don't view as being important. Whatever the reason, we're here to say that it is important and to encourage you to teach yourself if others aren't.

Next time you're watching an NHL game, watch the players. Whether it's a 2-on-1, a 3-on-1, or a simple shot from the point, these players instinctively know to stop at the net. By doing so, they are constantly rewarded with rebounds and goals that the majority of players never get. The tendency for the majority of hockey players is to curl away from the net rather than to stop at it. If you can begin to incorporate stopping at the net in your repertoire, we guarantee that you will be a better player for it.

We encourage you to start working on stopping at the net as early as you can and as much as you can. Work at it in practices, and it will come naturally in games. Keep it in your mind and commit to working at it, and somewhere along the way, it will become a skill that you posses and a skill that makes you a better hockey player.