Hockey Clinics Can be Fun and Useful

Some young hockey players can lace up their skates and look like a natural without much practice. They have a certain level of skill and grace that just can’t be taught. However, most young athletes have to accept their genetic makeup and move on. This majority group requires hours and hours of repetitions before they can master a certain skill. The most dedicated players think of the practice facility as a second home. And while taking advice from a coach has long proven to be an effective method for gradual improvement, there are other ways for youngsters to up their game.

Clinics are useful tools to work on some of the more detailed yet nonetheless vital aspects of hockey. If a player wants to learn how to skate without looking down, clinics can teach this skill by rote. They can also help a young athlete learn the intricacies of a wrist shot, for example. Practice is a vital part of a player’s development. Clinics, even the fun ones, are usually the next step.

Garth Brooks hosts clinic with St. Louis Blues

Country singer Garth Brooks recently hooked up with the St. Louis Blues to jointly host a hockey clinic for the kids of the Mathews-Dickey Boys and Girls Club in north St. Louis, according to the Riverfront Times.

Brooks met up with Blues defenseman Barret Jackman and former Blues players Brett Hull, Bobby Plager and Kelly Chase, among others, to work on basic drills with local kids.

“Even though my name might be on the sign, I’m the exact same piece of the pie as these guys [the Blues players] are,” Brooks told the publication. “These guys, they love children. So I’m just real proud to be part of it.”

Union hockey team runs clinic in Harlem

The Union College men’s hockey team spent some time in Harlem, New York, to host a clinic with kids from the area. The players skated around with the locals as they ran drills.

“We are honored to have been invited and to participate in this event with Ice Hockey in Harlem,” said Union head coach Rich Bennett. “It’s great that our student-athletes can share their passion for hockey with the kids in this program.”

The events with Garth Brooks and the Union squad were mostly a way to encourage social and physical activity for kids. However, the young skaters were almost certainly focused on improving their skills. After all, when you get past the photo shoots and the laughs, that’s the main point of a hockey clinic. And through the use of sports team websites, coaches can point their players to the nearest clinic.