How to Play Better Hockey with Ron Davidson’s 50 Essential Skills

If you want to improve your hockey skills and become a better player, you need to learn from the best. That’s why you should check out Ron Davidson’s book Play Better Hockey: 50 Essential Skills for Player Development. This book will teach you how to master the fundamentals of hockey, such as body positioning, skating and stick work. It will also show you how to perform advanced moves and techniques that will give you an edge over your opponents.

In this article, we will give you an overview of some of the skills and tactics that Ron Davidson covers in his book. We will also explain why they are important and how they can help you play better hockey.

Fundamentals

The first section of the book focuses on the fundamentals of hockey. These are the basic skills that every player needs to know and practice. They include:

Forward stride: This is the most common skating technique in hockey. It involves pushing off with one leg and gliding with the other, while keeping your knees bent and your body balanced. A good forward stride will help you accelerate, maintain speed and change direction quickly.
Backward crossunder: This is a skating technique that allows you to move backwards while changing direction. It involves crossing one leg behind the other and pushing off with the outside edge of your skate. A good backward crossunder will help you defend against attackers, transition from offense to defense and create space for yourself.
Drive and delay: This is a tactic that involves skating towards the net with the puck and then slowing down or stopping before shooting or passing. It is used to create confusion among the defenders, open up passing lanes and find better shooting angles. A good drive and delay will help you score more goals and create more chances for your teammates.
Heel-to-heel turns: This is a skating technique that allows you to turn quickly and sharply while maintaining speed. It involves bringing your heels together and pivoting on them, while keeping your upper body stable and your stick on the ice. A good heel-to-heel turn will help you evade defenders, change direction without losing momentum and surprise your opponents.
Tight turns: This is a skating technique that allows you to turn in a small radius while keeping your balance. It involves leaning into the turn, bending your knees and using your inside edge to carve a curve on the ice. A good tight turn will help you maneuver in tight spaces, escape from pressure and create separation from your opponents.

Skating Techniques

The second section of the book focuses on the skating techniques that are specific to hockey. These are the skills that will make you faster, more agile and more efficient on the ice. They include:

Crossovers: This is a skating technique that involves crossing one leg over the other while moving forward or backward. It is used to generate more power, speed and agility on the ice. A good crossover will help you accelerate faster, change direction easier and outskate your opponents.
Transitions: This is a skating technique that involves changing from forward to backward skating or vice versa. It is used to adapt to different situations on the ice, such as attacking, defending or supporting. A good transition will help you switch roles quickly, react faster and be more versatile.
Pivots: This is a skating technique that involves turning your hips and feet while keeping your upper body facing forward or backward. It is used to change direction without changing speed or losing balance. A good pivot will help you adjust to different angles, keep your eyes on the play and be more unpredictable.
Stops and starts: This is a skating technique that involves stopping quickly and starting again with power and speed. It is used to create deception, change pace and gain an advantage over your opponents. A good stop and start will help you fake out defenders, create space for yourself and catch your opponents off guard.
Edges: This is a skating technique that involves using the inside or outside edge of your skate blade to control your movement on the ice. It is used to carve curves, make sharp turns and maintain stability on the ice. A good edge will help you maneuver better, avoid falls and be more precise.

Stick Work

The third section of the book focuses on the stick work that is essential for hockey players. These are the skills that will make you more effective with the puck, such as passing, shooting and deking. They include:

Extending your reach: This is a skill that involves extending your arms and stick away from your body while handling the puck. It is used to protect the puck from defenders, create more options for passing or shooting and increase your range of motion. A good reach will help you keep possession of the puck, make better plays and be more creative.
Receiving off-target passes: This is a skill that involves adjusting your body position and stick angle to receive passes that are not perfectly on target. It is used to avoid turnovers, maintain flow and capitalize on opportunities. A good reception will help you catch bad passes, keep control of the puck and be ready for action.
Shooting in stride: This is a skill that involves shooting the puck while moving at full speed without breaking stride. It is used to surprise goaltenders, take advantage of openings and score more goals. A good shot in stride will help you shoot faster, harder and more accurately.
The Forsberg deke: This is a deke that involves faking a shot or pass with one hand on the stick and then sliding the puck around the goaltender with the other hand on the stick. It is named after Swedish legend Peter Forsberg who popularized it in international play. A good Forsberg deke will help you fool goaltenders, create more space for yourself and finish with style.
The Datsyuk deke: This is a deke that involves lifting one leg up while moving laterally with the puck on one side of your body and then quickly shifting it to the other side of your body under your lifted leg. It is named after Russian superstar Pavel Datsyuk who mastered it in NHL play. A good Datsyuk deke will help you evade defenders, change direction without losing speed and dazzle your opponents.

Dekeing and Deception

The fourth section of the book focuses on dekeing

The fourth section of the book focuses on dekeing and deception in hockey. These are the skills that will make you more unpredictable, creative and dangerous with the puck. They include:

Head fake: This is a skill that involves using a movement of the head to fool an opposing player over your movements or intention. It is used to create confusion, draw attention and open up space. A good head fake will help you mislead defenders, change direction without losing speed and make better plays.
Crossovers: This is a skill that involves crossing one leg over the other while moving forward or backward with the puck. It is used to generate more power, speed and agility on the ice. A good crossover will help you accelerate faster, change direction easier and outskate your opponents.
Transitions: This is a skill that involves changing from forward to backward skating or vice versa with the puck. It is used to adapt to different situations on the ice, such as attacking, defending or supporting. A good transition will help you switch roles quickly, react faster and be more versatile.
Pivots: This is a skill that involves turning your hips and feet while keeping your upper body facing forward or backward with the puck. It is used to change direction without changing speed or losing balance. A good pivot will help you adjust to different angles, keep your eyes on the play and be more unpredictable.
Stops and starts: This is a skill that involves stopping quickly and starting again with power and speed with the puck. It is used to create deception, change pace and gain an advantage over your opponents. A good stop and start will help you fake out defenders, create space for yourself and catch your opponents off guard.
Edges: This is a skill that involves using the inside or outside edge of your skate blade to control your movement on the ice. It is used to carve curves, make sharp turns and maintain stability on the ice. A good edge will help you maneuver better, avoid falls and be more precise.
Fake shot: This is a skill that involves pretending to take a shot with a wind-up or a snap of the wrist, then quickly pulling the puck back and skating around the opponent or passing to a teammate. It is used to surprise goaltenders, create openings and score more goals. A good fake shot will help you shoot faster, harder and more accurately.
Toe drag: This is a skill that involves pulling the puck with the toe of your stick blade to dodge a defender or change the angle of your shot. It is used to evade defenders, change direction without losing speed and dazzle your opponents. A good toe drag will help you protect the puck, shoot from different angles and finish with style.
The Forsberg deke: This is a deke that involves faking a shot or pass with one hand on the stick and then sliding the puck around the goaltender with the other hand on the stick. It is named after Swedish legend Peter Forsberg who popularized it in international play. A good Forsberg deke will help you fool goaltenders, create more space for yourself and finish with style.
The Datsyuk deke: This is a deke that involves lifting one leg up while moving laterally with the puck on one side of your body and then quickly shifting it to the other side of your body under your lifted leg. It is named after Russian superstar Pavel Datsyuk who mastered it in NHL play. A good Datsyuk deke will help you evade defenders, change direction without losing speed and dazzle your opponents.

These are just some of the skills and tactics that Ron Davidson covers in his book Play Better Hockey: 50 Essential Skills for Player Development. By learning these skills, you will be able to improve your hockey performance and enjoy the game more. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced player, this book will help you take your game to the next level.

Conclusion

Hockey is a fast-paced and exciting sport that requires a lot of skill and creativity. If you want to play better hockey, you need to master the essential skills and tactics that will make you a more effective and confident player. That’s why you should read Ron Davidson’s book Play Better Hockey: 50 Essential Skills for Player Development. This book will teach you everything from the fundamentals of skating and stick work to the advanced techniques of dekeing and deception. You will learn how to move effectively on the ice, handle the puck with ease, create scoring opportunities and score more goals. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced player, this book will help you take your game to the next level.

So what are you waiting for? Grab your copy of Play Better Hockey: 50 Essential Skills for Player Development today and start improving your hockey skills right away. You’ll be amazed by how much fun you’ll have on the ice and how much better you’ll play. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from one of the best hockey coaches in the world. Order your book now and get ready to play better hockey!

86646a7979

Play Better Hockey: 50 Essential Skills For Player Development Ron Davidson HOT