All of the rules of hockey are important and exist for a
reason. However, there are definitely some that are more important than others,
often because they ensure safety on the ice. While young players cannot be
expected to memorize every single rule, they should, at the very least,
memorize some of the “big ones.” Make sure that your young players know the
following very important rules by heart!
Rule #1: Handle Your Stick Properly
First things first, make sure that your players know how
they are supposed to handle their hockey sticks and that they know it is
against the rules of the game to use their sticks to gain an unfair advantage
over other players and their bodies. Sticks, in other words, cannot ever be
used to stop someone’s progress or to purposefully cause injury; this rule is
very important and should be taught to players right away, preferably before
they even step out on the ice!
Rule #2: Know the Punishments for Penalties
Another thing that your young players need to know are the
different punishments for various penalties. By knowing these punishments, your
players are a lot more likely to think before they act and before they do
something they may regret. “Penalty punishments” to teach your players include:
l Minor/bench
penalties result in a two minute “sit out”
l Major
penalties result in a five minute “sit out”
l Misconduct
penalties result in a ten minute “sit out” with another player immediately
placed on the ice
l Match
penalties result in removal from the game and suspension
Rule #3: No Checking or Charging in the Goal Crease
Something else you should teach your players is to know and
respect the rules of the goal crease. These rules include NOT charging or
checking goaltenders for any reason. Of course, goaltenders have rules of their
own they should know, including not tripping, spearing, or slashing other
players.
While these certainly are not the only rules of hockey, they
are a good start in terms of the ones that young players should know by heart.
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