It doesn’t matter if you are practicing on synthetic ice, dryland hockey tiles, or some other hockey flooring surface you are on you can’t go wrong when you sharpen your skills with a hockey passer. Hockey training aids that allow you to push yourself to the highest levels of speed and agility are the best kind to use. With a puck rebounder, you can hone in on your passing skills and focus on your shooting strategies as well. What better way to practice shooting one-timers than to have a high-quality passer to help you strengthen your game?
First Drill: Double Pass
In order for this drill to work properly, you will either need two puck rebounders, or a friend to help. If you don’t have either of those, you can still do it, with a little ingenuity. All you need is one puck for this exercise. If you would like to keep a pile close to use if you lose it, that is great too. You never know what will happen when you slap pucks around. First place one puck rebounder to your left, and the other to the right. Give yourself enough space in the center so that you have room to move around. Simply pass the puck to the left and let it come back to you. When it comes back to you slap it back and forth twice between your left and right side. After two slaps, when the puck comes back to your left hand, slap it to your right to the passer hard enough so that it rebounds right back to you. Keep this up for 5 revolutions. If you don’t have two passers or a friend, simply pass the puck to the rebounder and allow it to come back to you. Instead of passing it to the next rebounder, turn your body all the way around so that y9ou are facing the other direction and shoot the puck to the passer that way. This way you can exercise both sides of your body.
Second Drill: Pass Shoot
In this drill, you will need to have a stockpile of pucks so you won’t have to stop and chase each one as you hit it. You will also need a hockey shooting tarp in place so that you can practice your shooting skills as you pass. For this drill, you need to pile your pucks on whatever side is best for you so that you can easily access them. You can put your passer on the left, or right of you, whichever side you feel needs the most work. This one is pretty easy, but it will help you with your hand-eye coordination skills because you have to pay attention to what you are doing. First, shoot a puck at the rebounder with enough force for it to come back strong and fast. Repeat this, and on the second comeback of the puck, slap it in the goal on the shooting tarp. Repeat this exercise over and over again until you run out of pucks to shoot. You can start out slow, but as you progress try and hit faster and harder with each pass. The quicker you get at this, the quicker you will be in a real game.
Third Drill: Upper Snipe
This one will make you work a little harder, and think a little more. It is pretty simple, but not easy. You will need a good stockpile of pucks to make this one work. Make sure that your pucks are within reach and not difficult to grab. Position your passer directly in front of you between you and the shooting tarp goal. Get a puck quickly and slap it to the rebounder so that it comes back to you with a little heat. As soon as it gets within your shooting reach take a shot to the upper left or right corner of the goalie on the shooting tarp. Pop the puck up and over the passer every time until you run out of pucks.
Continue to Build Your Skills
There are literally millions of ways for you to build your shooting and passing skills. The best exercises are the ones that you will actually do. Doing is what makes things happen. Not doing, is being static and what leads to nowhere. No hockey player ever got great by sitting on the couch. Keep building and working on yourself until you are the best version of yourself that there is. In other words, keep on practicing every day no matter what, for the rest of your life.