Feb. 20, 2001
Everyone knows that Canada is known to be the Hockey Empire of the World. Since 1972 the realization that other nations have caught or surpassed us in the skills of hockey. Many people cannot figure out why we have lost the prestige of being #1 in the hockey world.
I have been involved in this sport of hockey for many years. I have taught Power Skating and hockey skills for nearly 25 years in many communities in Ontario. It's my belief that there is a very simple answer to the question - Why are we being surpassed in the skills of hockey by the Russians and European communities? I truly believe that the minor hockey players in Canada (Beginners) are not taught the proper way to shoot from an early age. It's my belief that if they simply shot the proper way they would excel at the game.
It's simple, if your left handed you have to have your dominant hand (which is your left hand) on the top of the stick. That means the hand you write and do most things with. The right hand must be situated on the lower part of the stick. The power that comes from your dominant hand should always be on top (the left hand). The same goes if you are right-handed. You have to have your dominant hand (right) on the top of the stick. The left hand must be situated at the lower part of the stick.
The reasons we deviate from this theory are fairly basic - each of us tend to favour either our left or right hand. For most of us we tend to favour our right. This is because there are more right handed people than left handed people. So it is automatically assumed that a right-handed person should shoot right. NOT SO A hockey player must have the stronger hand at the top of his stick. It's as simple and as basic as that.
In Canada there seems to be little discrepancy in the left and right-handed shots in the minor and major hockey. I have observed that 25% of young players shoot the improper way and use the wrong stick. Researching this and talking to players, coaches and Scouts of Europe and Russia I have found that 80% of minor hockey players from those countries shoot left and 20% shoot right. In Canada 60% shoot left and 40% shoot right.
Lets look at an example down the road from where I live. Oil Springs, a small farming community has produced three professional hockey players and another OHL Junior A player from one remarkable family. Of the four Hunter brothers, three are naturally right-handed but shoot left. Another, Mark Hunter shoots from the right. When he signs autographs, he signs with his left hand. Your correct he's left-handed. All four are skilled hockey players who have enjoyed amazing success with the game. Part of their success in my professional opinion comes from a profound belief that all four have used their dominant hand on the top of their sticks and shoot the puck the proper way.
It would be interesting to do a survey in the NHL to find out how many left-handed players indeed shoot right and right-handed players actually shoot left. It's my bet the vast majority place their strongest hand at the top of the stick.
I know of at least one NHL player who actually switched hands when he was in Pee Wee. As for myself I've switched 25 to 35 kids over the years and I've never had a complaint. They never looked back. This situation can easily be corrected by educating the kids at a very early age. It's up to the parents and the coaches to ensure their kids are learning and developing to their maximum potential. This means they must use their dominant hand on the top of the stick. Too often parents and coaches leave it up to their children to decide how they are going to hold the stick. That's wrong. Hockey is a game of muscle but it's also a game of precision like skills. Kids need to learn to use the hockey stick to their advantage and that starts by having them shoot the proper way right from the get go.
It's my opinion that many minor hockey players, who may have been stars on their teams at a younger age, find they aren't developing as quickly when they become older and start playing a more advanced level of hockey such as Triple A or Junior.
I think it comes down to the way they were taught to shoot the puck, which was the wrong way!!! This disadvantage wasn't as apparent when they were younger, but as they started playing a faster, skilled and more physical game, they find themselves lagging behind the kids who shoot properly.
One of the reasons the Europeans are excelling in hockey is because they've been able to take advantage of the relationship that exists between the dominant and the weaker hand.
THE DOMINANT HAND MUST ALWAYS BE ON THE TOP OF THE STICK.
In the 1970's for whatever reason, the Europeans had a philosophy that your dominant hand must be at the top of the stick. We all know the advancement they have made since the 70's, just look at the roster for any team in the NHL.
When I hear that the people who run the sport of hockey trying to decide if longer practices, lighter pucks, what age to start checking, more tournaments, taking the centre line out of the game, these are incidental things. They are putting the horse before the cart.
Teach the kids to shoot the proper way and everything should fall into place. |
