Hockey is a game that is both accessible and exciting to play, whether you live in a large city or a small town. There are various ways that you can play the game, whether you play with others or go it alone. One of the aspects of the game that can be frustrating is when you’re on the receiving end of a heavy hit that leaves you injured.
While hockey is a challenging game, there are ways that you can protect yourself from taking a heavy hit and hurting your knee, ankle, or other body parts. Knowing where and how to position yourself on the ice can help you avoid taking these types of hits, which can lead to fewer injuries and an improved quality of life when playing the game you love. The following are some guidelines on how to tackle in hockey:
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On The Receiving End Of The Play
The most important thing to do if you’re on the receiving end of a hit is to maintain your stance. Standing directly in the path of oncoming players can lead to you being blindsided and sent sprawling to the ice. A good rule of thumb is to always be playing away from the puck, which provides you with more room to maneuver. While you should always be looking to score and progress the play, you should avoid putting yourself in dangerous situations while doing so. When players are in a heated battle and you step in the way, they might not see you and could potentially hit you.
Check The Puck Off The Puck
As a general rule, when a player is carrying the puck, you should always be checking him off the puck. This applies regardless of whether you’re playing with or against the other team. If you can get the puck off the puck, especially at high speeds, you are providing your opponent with less opportunity to score, and you’re also protecting yourself from a collision if the player with the puck skates straight into you. Checking the puck off the puck puts you in the right position to make a play without being hit by the puck or a player carrying it. You’re already in a defensive stance and can either cover a lot of ice or simply jump over/around the puck. You should also note that if a player checks the puck into the boards, you should be the first one to arrive there to pursue the puck. This minimizes the amount of time the puck is in the air and available to be stolen by the other team. Keeping the puck in the offensive zone for as short a time as possible is crucial for maintaining possession of the puck.
Use Your Stance
One of the biggest mistakes that you can make while playing hockey is to not use your stance effectively. If you’re not using your stance correctly, then you’re making the game more difficult for yourself and creating unnecessary collisions between you and the players you’re battling with. Stand with your feet positioned shoulder width apart, with your weight evenly distributed between the balls of your feet and your heels. This provides you with more stability while also making you a more difficult target for players looking to hit you. The following video from Ben Mercer, an expert coach and teacher of the sport, provides a good visual demonstration of how to use your stance correctly.
As a defensive player, you should always be looking to the forward point of the puck carrier. Keeping your head up is also important so that you can see where the puck is going and how you can help stop it. A good rule of thumb is to always be looking for the puck, but in addition to that, be looking for the player that is attacking you or is about to attack you. This takes some of the focus away from the puck and places it on the player who is about to hit you. Checking your head is one of the best ways to prevent injury. Checking your head ensures that you’re not looking elsewhere whilst defending yourself. You should also make sure to use your hands to check for positioning, as you can get hit by a hard slide tackle if you don’t use your hands to brace yourself against the oncoming player. When playing against another team, be sure that you have your helmet on to prevent injuries from getting head butts in the process of playing. This can cause you to lose your teeth and/or suffer damage to the brain inside your skull. One final thing to keep in mind is that if you ever find yourself in a vulnerable position – on the ice or otherwise – then it is up to the other team to try and take you out. This is part of the game, and you should always be protecting yourself from harm whilst engaging in a tough match up.