Northeastern’s Dave Flint offers summer training tips for ice hockey players

Summer is on the horizon, but for ice hockey players, winter is never far away. dave flintNortheastern’s coach women’s power teamoffers off-season tips and goals to help players of all ages make the most of the warm weather while investing in their skills for the upcoming season.

Tip No. 1: Play another sport

“That’s my big piece of advice especially for younger kids,” Flint says. “It doesn’t matter what you do, play baseball, ride a bike, as long as you do things to give your body a break.”

Stepping away from organized hockey and playing another sport helps players develop strengths and skills that can transfer to the ice (see below) while allowing them to take a breather from hockey.

“One of the problems we have around the world is early specialization in sports,” says Flint. “I get it: Parents pay thousands of dollars to put their kids in camps and help them with private trainers. But by the time kids get to high school, they may be exhausted.”

Playing another sport for fun can help deepen a player’s love of hockey, insists Flint, pointing to the Northeast forward. Skylar Irving as someone who grew up starring in field hockey and lacrosse in addition to his chosen sport.

“Be a boy,” says Flint. “Enjoy other sports.”

Tip #2: Improve your speed bursts

“It’s all short, quick bursts in ice hockey,” says Flint. “There are many players who can reach high speed over a longer distance. But the best players generate that quickness in their first five steps, which makes those players quicker and more dynamic.”

That explosiveness has defined several Huskies, including forward Alina Mueller (who will be the team captain next season) and skylar fontainethe departing All-American defender who was arguably the fastest skater in the nation throughout her Northeast career.

To improve bursts of speed, Flint recommends running five to seven runs of no more than 10 to 20 yards.

“There are a lot of NHL players doing this,” says Flint. “Take a minute to rest between each sprint so your body can recover. You want maximum effort, and that won’t happen if you do them one after another.”

It is also important to add a sense of competition.

“Go up against a stopwatch so you can tell if you’re getting faster,” says Flint. “Nobody likes to sprint and sometimes you can just go through the motions. But if you’re going against the clock or racing against a teammate, that competition will push you and get the most out of you.”

Tip #3: Grab a racket

“Some of the best European players I’ve ever coached have been really good at racket sports,” says Flint.

Tennis, racquetball and squash help hockey players improve their hand-eye coordination in high-speed situations, says Flint.

“I once coached a kid who was an amazing badminton player, which is all about short, quick bursts and changes of direction, and then you add the hand-eye coordination piece,” says Flint. “Racket sports and football are very important to the European players I have coached over the years.”

There is another benefit of playing a sport like tennis that will pay off for years to come, adds Flint.

“You want activities that you can do later in life when your hockey career is over,” he says. “These sports can help you with your development today. And then later on, they can help you stay fit and active by doing something you love.”

Tip #4 – Shoot pucks

On the ice, in your driveway, wherever you are…

“I always tell the kids, if you want to have a better shot, a harder shot, just throw discs,” Flint says. “There is no other way to do it”.

Although there is a way to improve shooting while getting paid to do it.

“As the kids get older, I tell them that one of the best summer jobs you can get is being the shooter at goalie camp,” says Flint. “They always need shooters. You get paid to throw hockey pucks and I guarantee you’ll score more goals next season.”

It’s hard work, warns Flint, who recalls his time as an assistant coach for the men’s team at St. Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire, more than two decades ago.

“We had a kid who was a middle scorer for us,” Flint remembers. “He was shooting goalkeepers all summer, and at one of the first camps we had, his hands were bleeding. He had blisters all over and I had to bandage his hands because he was shooting a lot of pucks. His last two years, he led the team in scoring.”

Northeastern’s toughest shooter is maureen murphywho will return to the Huskies in 2022-23 after leading the nation with 30 goals last season.

“There’s no secret,” says Flint. “Repetition, repetition, repetition. Shoot pucks and your shot will be harder and more accurate.”

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Source: news.northeastern.edu