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Age-appropriate off-ice coordination / Off ice

Lateral hop and hold

Control a small sideways hop from one leg to the other and hold the landing, developing lateral balance for skating movement.

10U · 12UIntermediate6 minutes1–1 players
Original drill diagram
Lateral hop and hold: player positions and movement 1
Floor view: 1 starts at the left tape mark, hops right onto the opposite foot, holds, and resets. The return arrow is the next attempt after the hold, not an immediate rebound. Spacing is schematic; use 12 inches or less as needed. 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: Floor tape

  1. Place two short flat tape marks 12 inches apart in a clear 6-by-6-foot floor area. One player wears athletic shoes; an adult supervises from outside the area. Begin with easy marching and two side steps each way.
  2. Stand over the left mark on the left foot with the knee softly bent. Make a small hop sideways to land on the right foot over the right mark. Let the hip and knee bend as the foot receives the landing.
  3. Hold for two spoken counts before placing the free foot down to reset. Repeat from right to left. Keep the jump low; the marks are guides, not a required distance if balance is lost.
  4. Complete three landings per side, then rest for at least 30 seconds. Repeat one more set only while the landings remain controlled and comfortable.
  5. Finish by identifying which direction was harder to hold. Count quiet two-count landings; do not measure maximum distance or turn the station into a race.

Key teaching points

  • Cue: “Sideways, soft, still.”
  • Let the landing knee follow the direction of the toes rather than collapse inward.
  • Keep the chest controlled over the landing foot before the next attempt.

Common mistakes

  • Player rebounds immediately. Try: place the free foot down only after the two-count hold.
  • Landing foot twists or knee falls inward. Try: reduce the hop distance and return to a side step.
  • Arms swing wildly to rescue balance. Try: shorten the hop and begin with both feet down before takeoff.

Make it fit the player

  • Easier: step sideways onto one foot and hold, with no airborne phase.
  • Harder: keep the same small distance and hold for three counts before resetting.
Research context & source notes

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

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