What are some of the key areas of focus for my 12U player's development?


  Leaman on preparing
for body-checking
 
 
Providence College head coach Nate Leaman recently led a body-checking clinic for USA Hockey. Teaching body contact and puck possession at the 12U level, he says, is a great way to develop the proper techniques and skills youth hockey players will need and use when they reach 14U, the first age at which body-checking is allowed in youth hockey, and beyond. Here are Leaman's key takeaways.
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  Q: Around the rink, I see teams videotaping games. As parents, is this something we should be doing for our kids at this age?

A: Video is certainly a tool that is used at the older performance levels of our sport. And for many players, it can become very negative depending on how coaches use it. If all they ever present to their athletes are the mistakes, then it doesn't take long for those athletes to dread the next video session. But done correctly, video can be valuable, even at the 12U age classification.

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Vagabond
At 12U, players begin transitioning into a more competitive hockey environment, but that's no reason to lose focus on what's most important.
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