Hockey Skill Breakdown: The Spin-O-Rama

Update (April 2022): I am leaving this video up as I believe there is some value in the description of how this movement is achieved in games. However, my current understanding of skill acquisition research leads me to believe that this kind of skill decomposition (aka “chunking”) is NOT the optimal way to develop skills. Instead, players should be encouraged to explore their own movement solutions in a game-representative environment. Coaches can help players in their search for optimal movement solutions through the use of the constraints-led approach rather than through prescriptive instruction.

In this video I break down the process that I use to plan a skills lesson with the end goal being practice-to-game transfer that actually improves player performance. The skill in question here is the "Spin-O-Rama" which might be dismissed by some as "just a trick shot." However, this move actually helps demonstrate a number of important concepts which can be applied in many situations. These core concepts include: spotting the puck into open ice, using false information and body language to control the movement of defenders and keep open the ice you actually want to attack, and establishing body position between opponents and the puck.

Here's a short summary:

Prior Work. Determine what to work on by watching games for commonly used and effective skills. Once I've decided on a skill I...
1. Determine the smallest possible "chunks" that make up the skill and can be worked on in practice.
2. Determine the sequence of these "chunks" (IE, should the puck or the foot move first?) as well as what skills lead into and follow the focus skill.
3. "Map" the skill by determining where on the ice it usually happens in a game.
4. Analyze the "stress vector" (basically all of the attributes of stress/pressure that the skill is used against). Where is the pressure? Is it front pressure or back pressure? Is the principal aim of the pressuring player to finish with a stick check or a body check? How can we mimic this pressure in a practice environment?

Once these questions have been answered, it's possible to plan a lesson that logically progresses from practicing the simplest chunks of the skill one-by-one to practicing game-realistic scenarios under pressure. At the end of the day, the goal is to help players transfer what they're working on in practice to a real game.

It is key to remember that skills do not exist in a vacuum. The goal is not just to perfect the skill chunks that are necessary to execute the "Spin-O-Rama" (or any move for that matter), but rather to understand the core concepts that make the move work and how to use these concepts to your advantage in various game situations. To paraphrase, don't just learn how to use a hammer, learn what the hammer actually does to achieve its purpose.

For a deeper dive on lesson planning and skill progressions, check out this article: https://www.brshockey.com/what-does-s...