There’s a problem in girls’ hockey these days, and it
has to do with how they handle their sticks! While boys are guilty too, this
happens more frequently with girls- this holding of their sticks in such a way
that they can’t shoot or pass properly.
What we’re talking about is a mishandling position that’s so
common it has its own name: the “chicken wing.” A player is using a “chicken
wing” hold if she has her top hand tucked near her hip, thus pushing out her
elbow into an uncomfortable and ineffective “chicken wing.”
When a player is holding the stick in this way, she’s going
to be choppy and inaccurate in all her movements, and she won’t be able to move
the stick out or around as widely as necessary. The chicken wing players will
lack follow through and tend to slap passes, and it’s not because they’re bad
players- it’s because they’re bad stickholders!
To fix it, encourage players to move their top hand away
from their body, holding the stick downward and away. They’ll be able to move
their stick much more easily, roll their wrist as needed, and they’ll be more
comfortable and precise during game play.
While this new position may take some getting used to, it’s
the proper one, and your players will immediately see how much better it feels
and how much better they’re able to play as a result. Start working on it now,
and before you know it, you should see a big difference. Your players will
thank you...and they won’t look like chickens!
No comments:
Post a Comment