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Backward V-stop target

End a gentle backward glide by applying controlled braking with both inside edges, then hold a ready stance.

8U · 10UBeginner6 minutes1–1 players
Original drill diagram
Backward V-stop target: player positions and movement 1StartBrake
1 faces left while traveling backward to the right. The long arrow is the initial glide; the shorter arrow after Brake represents slowing. Do not rotate into forward travel to finish. Original schematic; not to scale. Circles with numbers or letters mark players. Other markers and arrows are explained in the caption; some diagrams show puck or ball movement instead of skating. Red arrows show shots. Follow the written setup for spacing.

How to run it

Equipment: Skates, Hockey protective equipment, Cones

  1. Place Start and Brake cones 10 feet apart beside a 6-foot-wide lane, with another 12 feet of unobstructed runout. Start facing away from Brake without a stick. A coach first introduces the backward V-stop from a stationary stance.
  2. Make two small backward C-cuts, then coast on two feet toward Brake. Check the lane before beginning and keep this first glide very slow.
  3. As Brake approaches, turn the toes outward and heels inward by a comfortable amount. Apply the inside edges progressively to slow the backward travel, keeping the chest over the stance rather than sitting behind it.
  4. Finish on both feet and hold for two counts. Return forward outside the lane. Complete six attempts with brief rests during six minutes.
  5. Count stops that reduce speed smoothly and finish without falling backward or stepping around to a forward stop. A shorter approach is appropriate if control is uncertain.

Key teaching points

  • Cue: “Open toes, slow, hold.” The foot shape is different from a forward snowplow.
  • Keep the knee bend available while the edges begin braking.
  • Use gentle entry speed so the player can feel the change from coast to brake.

Common mistakes

  • Player points toes inward and keeps traveling. Try: rehearse the backward stopping shape while stationary.
  • Player sits behind the heels. Try: shorten the glide and return the chest over the feet.
  • Player spins to stop forward. Try: begin from only one backward push and finish facing the original direction.

Make it fit the player

  • Easier: use one backward push and begin braking almost immediately under coach instruction.
  • Harder: repeat the same entry and finish in a consistent 3-foot stopping area beyond Brake.
Research context & source notes

Background sources for this drill’s skills and teaching principles.

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