Beginner training plan
Your first lessonFor your first lesson, start by keeping things simple and focused on comfort, safety, and getting a feel for each player’s level. Begin with a quick introduction and set expectations, then observe how they move on the ice—this will tell you whether they’re true beginners or more advanced. For beginners, focus on basic balance, falling safely, getting up, and simple forward skating with controlled pushes while staying low and stable. If they’re more advanced, you can quickly move into edge work, acceleration, stops, and puck control at speed. Introduce a stick only when they’re comfortable moving, starting with simple puck handling and control while stationary or gliding. Keep drills short and adjust difficulty on the fly so beginners aren’t overwhelmed and advanced players aren’t bored. Finish with a simple game or fun competitive activity that matches their level, and end with quick feedback and one or two key points to work on next time.
Lesson 2-3For lessons 2–3, the goal is still to build confidence while starting to separate skill levels more clearly and add structure. In lesson 2, spend a bit of time reinforcing skating basics for anyone who still needs it, but begin layering in edge work, tighter turns, and controlled stops for stronger skaters. Introduce puck control more consistently—basic stickhandling while moving slowly, and simple puck protection. You can also start small progressions like skating from one end to the other with a puck, focusing on control over speed. In lesson 3, you can start pushing more game-like movement: transitions (forward to backward for advanced players), passing in pairs or small groups, and simple decision-making under light pressure. Beginners should still work on skating and puck comfort, while stronger players can handle more speed, tighter space, and basic positioning concepts. Keep sessions structured but flexible, and continue finishing with a small game or competitive drill that matches each group’s level so everyone stays engaged and improving.
