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CHECKING:
Hockey Is A Collision Sport
By:
Mike Gempeler
RMHS & USJDP Director
Mike
is a 15-year hockey school veteran who is the founder/director
of Rocky Mountain Hockey Schools and the U.S. Jr. Development
Program, as well as founder/creator of CamperReg, Camp Management
Technologies, Inc. and Hockey Editor for RINK magazine. He has
spent time as a youth hockey coach, private powerskating instructor,
private stickhandling coach, youth hockey director, and youth
hockey association consultant.
Mike is also a Senior Consultant and Founding Partner with Global
Sports Management & Consulting, Inc., a worldwide sports consulting
business that focuses on the development and management of youth
and adult sports programs. Among the services GSMC provides is tournament
direction, rink and pro shop management, youth association management
and development, turn-key operations, charity events, and coaching/motivational
seminars.
Hockey is one of the few games where
a player may use their body to take the opponent out of the play.
Players don't just bump into an opponent, they take two hard strides
towards the opponent and HIT him hard enough to knock them off the
puck or even off their feet. That's the way it is. Coaches, players,
parents, and spectators have to realize that these body checks do
not hurt nearly as much as they seem to, especially when delivered
fairly. The checks that do hurt and can cause injuries are the ones
that are delivered unfairly, or 'cheaply".
Checking and receiving a check are two fundamental aspects of the
sport that are often neglected in practices. Playoff and tournament
hockey stresses checking and physical play. Checking skills should
be worked on at every practice and used in every game. Coaches must
take the time in practice to teach their players how to check properly
and encourage them to practice with the same spirit with which they
play. I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard someone say "you
will pay the way you practice, so practice the way you want to play."
It is important in all body checking that the player's head is always
up and their attention is focused on the opponents chest. An opponent
will go where their chest goes, so it only goes to say that that
is what you should be watching while delivering a hit. Do not look
at the puck. You job is to remove your opponent from possession of
the puck so one of your teammates can retrieve it. The most difficult
aspect of learning to check is overcoming ones fear of contact. Players
need to understand the purpose of a check is to take the opponent
out of the play, not out of the game. Very few players are able to
throw clean, effective checks at full speed. Just like stickhandling
or skating, checking is a skill that must be practiced and learned
over time.
As a player learns how and when to hit an opponent he/she will realize
that a player who uses the body intelligently will be able to remove
any opponent from the puck regardless of size differences. Agility
and balance, including lateral mobility, are essential for effective
checking.
The shoulder check is used most often along the boards, but with
very careful timing it may be used as a very effective open ice play
as well. The point of contact for a properly thrown shoulder check
is the middle of the opponent's chest. It is important that the checkers
knees are bent and the feet are at least shoulder width apart. A
moment before contact the checker extends into the opponent threw
extended knees to add force to the hit. The momentum should carry
the player up and through the opponent's chest. The top hand is always
on the stick, while the other is down near the hip to prevent injury
to either player. ALWAYS KEEP THE HEAD UP!!! Any opponent who has
their head down, looking at the puck while they are moving up ice,
is a perfect candidate for a shoulder check to separate them from
the puck.
Riding a player off the puck or out of the play is used exclusively
against the boards. To do this correctly, the defensive player skates
along side the opponent keeping that player between themselves and
the boards. The point of contact is the boards side of the upper
body and hip. If possible, the inside arm of the checker should be
in front of the opponent to further inhibit mobility. The defensive
player then turns into the opponent and angles them into the boards.
The puck should continue on in the same direction as the players
enabling the defensive player to gain possession of it by continuing
on in the same direction after finishing the hit.
The hip check is an advanced hit used mainly by defensemen along
he sideboards. Once mastered, the hip check can be an extremely useful
tool for all defensive players and can be used as an open ice play
as well. To do this check properly, the defensive player must be
skating backwards with the top hand on the stick and the offensive
player approaching with the puck. When the offensive player moves
to one side of the defender and is even with that player, the defensive
player must pivot their hips towards the offensive player, rotate
90º into a low crouch and extend the hip into the opponent by
driving off the outside leg. The defensive player meets the offensive
player going backwards and perpendicular to the direction of that
player. Timing is extremely important with the hip check. If you
miss, the offensive player is gone and you are left out of position,
running into the boards alone.
Backchecking in an essential part of any team plan. This is when
an offensive player defends an opponent as the opponent's teammates
attack the net. The offensive player must hustle back into their
defensive zone to help diminish the force of the opponent's attack.
The backchecker should stay no more than a stick length away from
the offensive man they are covering, and must position themselves
on the defensive side of the player (between that player and the
net). The opponent and the puck must be watched by the backchecker
using peripheral vision. The backchecker must position themselves
so it is difficult for the opposing team to move the puck to that
man for a scoring threat. Thereby, eliminating the man from that
offensive rush or play. However, in the event that the player does
get the puck, the backchecker is still in a good position to make
a strong defensive play on them. It is important to stay with the
player you are covering all the way back to the net because this
enables your defensive teammates to cover other player with a piece
of mind knowing the player you are covering is accounted for.
Forechecking, as a defensive skill, can quickly turn into an offensive
thrust when done correctly. Forechecking occurs when a team forces
the opposition to turn the puck over in their own defensive zone.
The forechecker must always keep their head up and play the body
first and then the puck in order to be most effective. Hold the stick
in the top hand to poke the puck away from the defensive player if
possible. You should try to angle the opponent to the boards to cut
off their skating room and force to turnover. Never chase a player
behind the net or approach them in a straight line. Agility is very
important. An affective forechecker can stop, pivot, change direction,
skate forwards as well as backwards, and use their stick to obtain
an advantage and hopefully gain control of the puck.
It is equally important that all hockey players receive a check correctly
to eliminate all possibility of injury, as well as to recover quickly
enough to get back into the play. When a player is moving to give
or receive a check they must understand that backing away from a
check or "giving" with the check gives their opponent the
upper hand. If two cars are headed for a collision, the one with
the most momentum will determine the direction and outcome of the
collision. The same is true for hockey players.
Momentum equals mass multiplied by velocity. This means if you are
a smaller player, you must be moving faster and getting lower to
knock the bigger players around. Remember, checking is only the first
step to getting the puck from the opposition and putting it in their
net.
When the opponent is checking you, keep your knees bent, feet shoulder
width apart, and take the check with the largest portion of your
body. Spread the force of the hit over the largest portion possible.
When a player is receiving a hit they may improve their balance by
getting in a low, semi-crouched position with deep knee bend. You
should never use your hands or wrists to cushion the blows. Every
player must learn to get hit, fall properly, get up quickly, and
become part of the play again without getting angry or becoming mentally
removed from the game. NEVER DUCK UNDER A CHECK OR SUBMARINE A PLAYER
WHO IS TRYING TO HIT YOU!!! You and /or your opponent can be severely
injured in the play.
Unfortunately, injuries do occur in contact sports. The most dangerous
and unacceptable play is hitting from behind. ALL coaches must show
their players why hitting from behind is unacceptable. If you are
looking for a reference for this USA Hockey has an excellent video
on this subject matter in their Heads UP/Don't Duck Program. It does
covers why not to do it, but it also has a great segment on what
to do and how to avoid serious injury if you are hit from behind.
If this does occur, keep your head and chin up as you make contact
with the boards. This greatly reduces the risks of neck or spinal
damage by putting you neck in a straight line at the point of contact.
It is imperative that every coach speaks with his/her players about
the risks of such contact.
Always play hard, but always play safe. GOOD LUCK!!!
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