FAQ

1. Who best suits this kind of clinic?

Answer: Any player who wants to see dramatic improvement. Any level. Most of the drills are either individual, resistance/assistance with a partner, or one on one. We work to match players up.

2.Why this clinic?

Answer: a) It is very specific and different in that it systematically breaks down the skating components, practices to perfect and apply them to the 5 major skills and to overspeed training. Every skating situation encountered in a game is covered.

b) Also it works of the specific details that coaches are often unable to spend time on when running team practice. A great jump on the second half.

3. What makes this clinic different?

Answer: We are not training students for the sake of training. We do not work simply to condition players by skating them up and down the ice with no real purpose. This practice is proven that when lactic acid builds up, and exhausted muscles set in, players perform skating fundamentals (thus all theother skills) improperly. These poor habits (example: straight legs, hunched over back) become permanent.

4. Without skating them into the ground . . . will my player work up a sweat?

Answer: Absolutely . . . few players have any juice left after a 1:15 minute session. Why . . . because we are working to perfect all aspects of skating starting by instilling the SUMO system. Most players have skated without full use of the key skating muscles. Doing things right is exhausting. We also ensure they do not perform drills when muscles are fully fatique. We do
not want to compromise the goal to perform the key components perfectly and PERMANENTLY.

5. Are we only going to skate the whole time ?

Answer: Our emphasis never leaves the skating components . . . however, it is great to be able to skate well, but if you cannot apply all the components to the other 4 major skills (stickhandling, shooting, passing and checking) . . . it will do you little good. All skills are worked on . . . with continued reminders as to employ and perfect the skating components.


6. What is the benefit of video and how do you use it?

Answer: a) Simple . . . video does not lie. We have learned that you can tell a student 100 times what you want them to do...but until they actually see the right way and cross reference it with their own performance they may never really understand what they are or are not doing correctly.

b) We start by videoing each player doing a specific configuration in the first few minutes after the initial warm up. We then go over each skating component and work specific drills to learn, understand and execute each skill correctly. We then observe the video after practice. Openly
interact. Finally we again film the same procedure the final day to see improvement. We observe after practice. Parents are welcome for video sessions.

7. What do we do in a typical session?

Example . . . Day 1

• Meet 45 minutes early, discuss purpose..observe hockey video
• Off ice warm up. Plyometrics..we do not want to waste valuable ice time
• Brief on ice warm up
• Discuss the concept , purpose and necessity of SUMO. Understanding key muscle needs
• Apply SUMO around the ice
• Review stride components( SUMO,start, middle, finish, return, gliding leg, back, hips , edges, power, explosiveness etc) Many of these drills are down with sticks up in front to force strictly leg use and eliminate dependancy of arms
• Begin systematic breakdown of stride. Each leg individually, front and back without and with resistance
• Graduate to both legs front and back. Employ arms forward and back with stride . . . not side to side.
• Crossovers/crossunders- Slowly apply perfect SUMO form without and then with resistance
• Acceleration- WIN HTE RACES TO THE PUCK-Ensure all players are employing perfect SUMO position...then start short explosive bursts . . . forwards-backwards and both sides followed by resistance done with perfect form
• Turns- Using SUMO to maintain balance, speed and eliminate (proper stick placement) space
• Stickhandling- Start by emphasizing SUMO posture to be most agile, quick, strong and effective. Stationary dexterity drills to recover from skating and get proper feel for puck. Move to restricted area movement drills...emphasising proper skating technique . . . then introducing OVERSPEED practice . . . (working at perfect execution outside your comfort zone
• Shooting- Stationary-Learn how employing SUMO with proper hand arm and body technique improves, release, speed, power and accuracy . . . numerous shots for and back hand. Graduate to moving back and forth across ice . . . employing all components arms, weight distribution, release point, follow through in SUMO position, in stride off of both legs


If time prevails the first day we would touch on applying SUMO to passing and or discuss the key components of a seldom properly taught fundamental . . . checking. How SUMO enables all players to pressure quicker, contain better, balance body to body better, acquire possession of the puck and do it all in the safest way possible for both checker and checkee. Also possible acceleration time tests to be put in databank for future clinics.

• Finish on ice with a SUMO challenge.
• Note numerous 1-2 minute breaks are given players to "do their own thing in SUMO with pucks" be creative and recover from challenging drills
• Off ice---observe each players strides prior to any instruction

The next two days do a lot of repetition through different drills employing all skills in a manner as above, more one on ones, two on ones etc everyone working on everything.

The final day . . . we film players again and observe the improvements.


Please do not hesitate to invite other friends etc. We run the program in a very upbeat passionate mode. Our true gratification comes from seeing each and every student improve
dramatically and even moreso . . . see them enjoy the growth.

SWEAT, RED FACES AND SMILES make it all worthwhile