The following skills are taught:
- Forwards skating,
- Backwards skating,
- Turning,
- Puck Handling,
- Passing,
- Shooting, and
- Stopping.
Other highlights of the program include:
- Scrimmaging starting about 40% into the season,
- The Christmas Fun Day,
- January Ice Wolves Tournament (non competitive for us), and
- The Year End Fun Day.
It is best that your daughter already knows how to skate coming into the program, but it is not an absolute requirement. The program is meant for 5 and 6 year-old girls although 7 year old girls are encourage to join the program if it their first time playing hockey. For the 2009-2010 season, only players from the following birth years may register with the Fundamentals program:
- 2004 (5 year olds)
- 2003 (6 year olds)
- 2002 (7 year olds), and only if it is there first year in hockey
The players are on the ice approximately once a week for a 50-minute session starting in early October. We aim for one instructor on the ice for every three or four players, so we need lots of help.
A typical session consists of a short group warm-up. The players then are divided into 4 groups and sent to one of 4 or 5 stations. Coaches are also divided among the stations. The coaches at each station are provided with a lesson plan. They are given about 6-9 minutes to execute their lesson plan. At the end of the 6-9 minutes, the players rotate to the next station. The coaches stay at the one station and teach it to each of the four groups as they rotate through the stations. Early in the season, the last 5 minutes or so is reserved for a free skate. In December, the last 10 minutes or so is reserved for scrimmaging. Scrimmaging is increased in Jan, Feb and March.
Instructors need not have coaching credentials ahead of time but they need to obtain Speak Out and a CPIC early in the season, both of which are paid for by the GKGHA Instructors in past seasons have included fathers and mothers of players, teenage Ice Wolves' players getting school credit for volunteer hours, and other members of the hockey community. If you'd like to help out this season as an instructor or trainer, tick the box on your child's registration form or contact us .
Equipment:
Full hockey equipment is required.
Some girls like to wear long underwear, tights, or sweatpants and a long-sleeved shirt (T-shirt or light turtleneck) under their gear. Others prefer shorts and a T-shirt or underpants and a T-shirt. Just the underpants and Tee-shirt are preferred to prevent restriction of movement. However, if more clothing is required to keep your daughter comfortable and warm, then more clothing should be worn.
Required Equipment:
- Groin protection - either a girl's pelvic protector (Jill strap) or a boy's cup is fine.
- Shin pads. If the shine pads don't come with straps you need some straps or round elastic to hold them on.
- Hockey stockings (socks).
- Garter belt - not required but most kids have them.
- Hockey pants (with belt or suspenders).
- Hockey skates (they need not be new but must fit well).
- Shoulder pads
- Elbow pads
- Hockey sweater (we will provide a jersey. If you are signed up for the Hockey Skills Clinic and don't have a jersey, ask about borrowing)
- Throat protector (BNQ approved).
- Hockey helmet and face protection - must be CSA approved, fit properly and have chinstraps.
- Hockey gloves
- Hockey sweater - If you are doing the September skills clinic and you don't have a sweater, ask about borrowing one. FUNdamentals players wear their team jerseys for all ice sessions.
- Hockey stick - for young beginners, look for a straight stick with a shaft that is small in diameter so it feels good in their small hands. Cut the stick no longer than the level of the player's nose (in sock feet) and file the end smooth.
Tape the blade and make a knob of tape at the top (so the player can pick it up with gloves on). Put the player's name or other identifying mark on the stick so the player can recognize it.
- Hockey equipment bag
Optional Equipment:
- Skate guards - if she wears her skates to the arena
- A rag or towel to wipe the skate blade.
- A water bottle
- Internal mouth guard - these are optional in girls' hockey
- Bandanna, headband, or barrettes to keep her hair out of her eyes
Coaches: All team staff members on the ice must wear helmets with the chin straps fastened.
Other Equipment/Skate Tying Considerations
The Ice Wolves web page has a lot of good information on equipment. From my experience, I can say that for this age group you can save a lot of money just buying used equipment. I say buy it a cheap as you can get it - good quality equipment is not all that important at this age EXCEPT for the skates and the helmet. Don't skimp here - buy her a new and very good quality helmet and buy her good quality skates (new or used).
Skate tying is important. As the players get older this gets to be a very personal thing so it is hard to tell you just how to tie them. However, not to be deterred, I offer the following three pieces of advice:
- This is the one certain thing I MUST tell you: PLEASE, do not wrap the laces around your daughter's ankle prior to tying the bow. There is a strong tendency among parents to do this. You will feel this will help support their ankles and
facilitate their skating. What it really does is restrict the movement of the ankle and retard the necessary strengthening of their ankles - both of which will make them a less effective skater. If the laces of your daughter's skates are very
long, cut them off or buy shorter laces so that you cannot wrap the laces around your daughter's ankle prior to tying the bow.
- Whatever way you and/or your daughter choose to tighten the boot, your daughter's comfort should take priority. If you think they are the proper tightness but your daughter complains she is hurting, please loosen them.
- General Rule of Thumb: the laces towards the toe should be pulled with just enough tension to take the slack out of them. They should be somewhat snugger up towards the ankle.
Stick length: Many of the hockey dads will personally prefer a shorter stick - about chest height. This length is very common among adults. Children's body proportions are different. They do better with a stick that is a little longer. Stick length is also a personal thing but I offer the following general rule of thumb: with your daughter standing upright, the stick should come to the tip of her nose (or, if she is standing in her skates, the stick should come to about the bottom of her chin).
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