Team Sessions

Team work and respect for the opponent and officials, motivation and leadership are all by-products of being a "Good Team Player". ES Hockey will provide the learning environment for a team to strive in any aspect of the game that is needed. From general techniques to specific aspects of team play that needs to be worked on, ES Hockey is there for you and your team.

Some of the key topics that can be included in a team session are:

• Offensive zone aggression (forechecking, body checking, age dependant)
• Gaining body position(goal scoring)
• Player to Player communication
• Individual and Team motivation
• Puck support
• Driving to the net
• Angling
• Cycling
• Defensive body contact(where applicable)
• Proper positional play in all zones

The ES Hockey Team have designed sessions that operate at high tempo with minimum down time. They offer a vibrant and enjoyable learning experience with a strong on ice discipline and provide plenty of hands-on individual training while making sure to offer praise for results achieved. Each player will leave full of hockey knowledge and excitement with an outlook towards a hockey future that only he/she can dream of.

Power Skating

Skating Skills taught by Jamie Israel are enhanced by focussing on developing a powerful skating technique emphasizing Speed, Agility, Balance, Quickness and Acceleration, these being the foundation for great game playing and developing exceptional hockey skills. To teach these skills we utilize a series of unique drills, stressing the need for players to utilize these techniques in game play situations. "Getting to the puck first and having the speed, skill and smarts to do the proper thing with it" is what ES Hockey is all about.

All the elements of great power skating including:

• head and hip positioning
• instant stops with explosive re-starts
• knee bend
• leg extension and posture
• 180 degree edge control
• accelerated forward and backward transition
• pivoting
• crossovers
• arm control

Other aspects of skating skills will be addressed, demonstrated, taught and corrected to achieve maximum speed and agility. ES Hockey's innovative drills include the use of obstacles, pylons, counterforce, misdirection and strength training techniques. Skating speed is developed through ice drills that emphasize interval sprints especially those that mimic the types of movements, of players in games.

Stick Skills

Improvement in shooting and stickhandling skills are a natural by-product of improved skating. Taking this one step further, Ben Gingerich will utilize his vast experience to teach skills in conjunction with game situations not only to improve the techniques but how, when and where to use each of these skills during a hockey game.

ES Hockey works to develop the following:

• forehand and backhand shot
• wrist shot
• snap shot
• slap shot
• one timer
• wraparound

while focussing on proper body mechanics, arm, wrist and hand positioning, power, control and quick decision making. Where to aim, (specific areas that are hard to stop for goalies), when to shoot high or low, knowing the scoring areas, and how and when to get there are taught in these everyday sessions. We teach scoring not only shooting.

ES Hockey teaches the very difficult art of proper stickhandling at full speed, while under pressure from opposing defensemen or forechecking forwards:

• toe drag
• narrow and wide dekes
• push and pull feinting
• puck control
• puck protection
• speed and transition
• agility
• deception

Most importantly these sessions are structured to teach each player, when to stickhandle, when to shoot and when to pass, to decide which choice will ultimately benefit the team. Teaching the importance of :

• backhand/forehand
• saucer
• firm vs. feather
• accuracy
• timing
• give and go
• cycling techniques