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Low chip and immediate recovery

Clear a low stick shaft with a small forehand puck lift, then regain flat-puck control before taking another stride.

12U · 14U+Intermediate7 minutes1–1 players
Original drill diagram
Low chip and immediate recovery: player positions and movement 1
Player 1 stays left of the flat spare stick. The short dashed route is a low self-chip, not a partner pass; settle the puck before the two recovery cones. The solid route shows retrieval around the lower end. Diagram is a top view and does not show lift height. 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, Stick, Pucks, Spare stick

  1. Use a clear 12-by-12-foot area. Lay one spare stick flat across the puck route, with its blade outside the working area. Mark a recovery line with two cones 3 feet beyond the shaft. One player stands beside the shaft with the puck 6 inches before it; the skates stay on the starting side.
  2. An adult coach demonstrates a small forehand lift. Place the puck near the blade toe in front of the body, slightly open the blade, and use a short wrist scoop to clear only the shaft. Do not swing upward toward a person.
  3. Let the puck land between the shaft and recovery line. Reach across with the stick and settle it flat before moving the feet. Count a success only when the puck clears and is controlled inside that area.
  4. Retrieve by skating around the end of the obstacle. Reset the puck at the same starting distance. Complete four attempts, rest, and repeat once with feedback on height and landing distance.
  5. Use the final minute to repeat the most controlled attempts. Keep the same low obstacle; finish by collecting the spare stick before anyone skates through the area.

Key teaching points

  • Cue: “Over, then quiet.” A controlled recovery matters as much as clearance.
  • Make the smallest wrist action that clears the shaft; do not chase height.
  • Keep the receiving blade ready near the landing area rather than finishing above the waist.

Common mistakes

  • Puck travels far beyond the recovery line. Try: shorten the scoop and reset from a stationary stance.
  • Blade strikes the spare stick. Try: move the puck slightly farther from the shaft before lifting.
  • Player steps across the obstacle to chase a miss. Try: stop the attempt and retrieve around its end.

Make it fit the player

  • Easier: remove the spare stick and lift across an imaginary line before restoring the shaft.
  • Harder: after a controlled landing, pull the puck sideways within the recovery area without moving the feet.
Research context & source notes

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

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