Novice hockey players, according to OMHA (Ontario Minor Hockey Association), are players aged 8 and under.
The drills discussed below revolve around team, technical as well as individual tactics. They also incorporate the skills of skating, passing, stopping and agility.
The first drill takes about 5 minutes and is a good warmup for novice hockey players. In this drill, players are supposed to take off one by one but the trick is that they do this backwards between the blue lines. Also, they have to do a jump of two foot over each line. Along with this, they also have to touch their toes, do leg kicks and trunk twists and do groin stretches.
The next drill is a fun one and takes about 5 minutes. In this drill, each player carries a puck and skates about the neutral zone. Since the players are also stickhandling, they will try to knock off the pucks from one another’s sticks. The puck which goes into one of the extreme corner zones and out of the blue lines, is out from the play. Those who lose their puck now have to try and knock off the pucks of the remaining players from their sticks. This goes on till the last puck is out of the zone.
The next drill is a fun one and instills speed, lateral movement and evasive exercises and tricks. This is
done for 5 minutes. Players are supposed stand in a line on the goal line. When the player at the center yells out a preplanned signal, the players will try to skate to the opposite end without getting a tag. If some player gets a tag, then that player has to help the player at the center to catch and tag the rest of the players. This goes on until all of the players are caught.
Next up is a pond hockey drill. This goes on for about 10 minutes and done by splitting the ice in half so that more kids can play.
So basically the space split in half and two games of three on three are played. When the whistle is blown the players on the floor switch with the players in the neutral zone. Pucks or any other type of balls (soccer, tennis etc.) can be used.
The next drill takes up 5 minutes. Basically, all of the players skate about the ice doing stickhandling. When the whistle is blown, all of the players shift to one half of the space. When the next whistle is blown, all of the players have to move inside of the blue line. When the next whistle is blown, all of the
players have to move inside of the goal line.
The next drill is also of 5 minutes. For this drill, two lines are placed facing each corner of the ice. The players on the line at left, have to be down on one knee. The players on the line at right are the ones with the puck. when the coach gives the signal, the players on the right( ones with the puck) move towards the net to take a shot while the players on the left(those down on one knee) have to play the role of a back checker and try to catch the ones carrying the puck. After this attempt, the line is switched.
This drill also takes 5 minutes. With reference to the figure below, players line up. Lines are spray painted half way between all of the cones so that there is mark of where the players can make their pivot. The players skate ahead towards the first cone and then they pivot backwards at the painted line. This is
continued all the way throughout the set up. Players are always supposed to pivot so as not to lose eye contact with the cone ahead of them. it should be ensured that the players use their stick to lead so that balance is maintained on the pivot. The drill starts without pucks but they are added when the players are deemed ready.
This drill is of 10 minutes. It starts with all of the players on the left hand board. The coach makes a pass to the players fast-tracking to receive it. When the pass is received, the player rushes to the net to take a shot from inside the circle and then attacks for a rebound. When this drill is completed by this player, another player from the center has to make a pass by maneuvering straight upon the middle lane towards the net. This is repeated with other players on other boards. This is continued in a sequence. Circles are supposed to be spray painted as shown in the picture, to motivate players to go on to the net and bout for rebounds.
This drill has to keep going so that the players keep moving. They should be ready to move at all times.
A combination of these drill is great for practice and to develop the novice hockey players.