| You might think that ice hockey is too challenging to | | | | The best thing you can do is to find an adult |
| learn as an adult but starting as an adult is totally | | | | Learn-To-Play-Hockey class in your area. You will |
| doable and starting as an adult even has its | | | | learn a lot in a hurry and the classes are usually timed |
| advantages. Before you can begin to play ice hockey | | | | to happen just before the local adult hockey season |
| you need to be able to ice skate so that is where we | | | | starts so you move right onto a team. In addition to |
| are going to start | | | | taking the Learn-To-Play class, get out and practice on |
| Ice hockey is more challenging to learn than most | | | | the ice as often as you can. You can practice stick |
| other team sports because you have to learn how to | | | | handling at home with a hockey ball and if you put on |
| skate before you can learn how to play ice hockey. | | | | a pair of roller blades your practice will be even that |
| Learning how to ice skate well takes time and | | | | much more valuable. Hiring a private hockey coach is |
| commitment. The fundamentals of ice skating include | | | | also a good idea and you should be able to find one |
| being able to skate forward and to stop in addition to | | | | easily by asking around. |
| turning in both directions. | | | | Playing ice hockey comes down to a couple of key |
| There are classes tough that teach very beginners | | | | skills to learn. As we mentioned before, your ability to |
| how to skate at almost every ice rink. Check the | | | | skate is the most important thing you need to learn |
| bulletin boards at the arena or call the rink and ask. | | | | and you need to learn it before the other skills. After |
| Most of these classes are called "Learn To Skate" | | | | skating you need to be able to handle the puck with |
| classes and they should be able to set you up very | | | | your hockey stick and this is something that you can |
| easily. I would recommend sticking with these classes | | | | do at home away from the rink. Start with a tennis ball |
| through the multiple sessions that it will take you to get | | | | or get a training ball and practice moving the puck |
| proficient in all of the fundamental ice skating skills. | | | | back and forth in front of you and then around objects. |
| Now that you have developed a good foundation with | | | | Stationary puck handling skills won't get you very far |
| decent ice skating skills (starting, forward skating, | | | | so try to add movement as soon as you can (walking |
| turning and stopping) it is time to start learning how to | | | | or roller blades). The last skill is passing and shooting. |
| play hockey. First you will need to outfit yourself with | | | | Set up a target of some kind and shoot and pass until |
| all of the necessary hockey gear (hockey skates, shin | | | | you are very accurate with some velocity on the puck. |
| guards, pants, chest protector, hockey helmet, gloves, | | | | Learning how to play ice hockey has got to be one of |
| socks jerseys, etc). This is a long and expensive list so | | | | the most challenging sports to get into due to the extra |
| try to borrow a friends gear as you are getting | | | | challenge of having to learn to ice skate competently |
| started. It is a good idea to wear the gear while you | | | | first. The big learning curve is also one of the positive |
| are learning so that when you fall (and you will a lot at | | | | aspects of the sport since you will always be getting |
| first) you can bounce right back up and keep going. | | | | better at some skills while being challenged by others. |
| Falling on something as hard as ice is no fun. | | | | Come out and enjoy one of the most entertaining and |
| Now we finally come to learning how to play hockey. | | | | fastest team sports around! |