Hockey seems as though its played at top speed when played by top-level college players or professionals. All of those players start off playing as children, some as young as 3 or 4 years old. When young people start playing the game, they need to work on a few basic skills to understand how the game needs to be played.
Skating
The most basic skill for hockey is being able to skate. Youngsters will need instruction in skating before they start to play. Those lessons don't need to be formal with a skating teacher if either parent can show their child the basics of pushing off to the sides to skate and using the edges to start, stop and turn. Playing hockey requires forward skating, backward skating and the ability to stop and start. Drills such as skating from the goal line to the blue line and back and then from the goal line to the red line and back can help a youngster feel comfortable on the ice.
Passing and Receiving
As you are learning to skate, you can begin to play the game. You will want to be able to pass and receive the puck. Initially, you will pass with your forehand side because it is easier to move the puck toward your teammate accurately. Receiving the puck is tricky because you have to learn to hold the stick with less tension, so you can control the puck when it hits your stick. If you don't, the puck will bounce wildly when it reaches the blade of your stick.
Shooting
This is where youngsters can start to feel like hockey players because shooting the puck means scoring goals, raising your arms in celebration and sharing the joy with your teammates. At first, shooting is little more than pushing the blade of your stick in the direction of the goal when you have possession of the puck. Shortly thereafter, you will learn how to twist and then unfurl your wrists to let go of a wrist shot. When you improve your skating sufficiently, you'll be able to bring your stick back, transfer your weight and take a slap shot.
Stickhandling
Stickhandling in hockey is the equivalent of dribbling in basketball or soccer. You will shift the puck from your forehand side to your backhand side steadily as you move up the ice with possession of the puck. Youngsters look at the puck on their stick as they skate, but as you get older and more proficient, you will be able to stickhandle up the ice without looking at the puck. This will help you find open teammates and make plays by passing to them.
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