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One-foot snowplow braking zone

Slow a short forward glide using a controlled inside-edge scrape from one skate while the other continues pointing ahead.

6U · 8UBeginner6 minutes1–1 players
Original drill diagram
One-foot snowplow braking zone: player positions and movement 1StartBrakeEnd
1 glides right. Begin the scrape beside Brake and finish before or near End. The short final arrow represents slowing, not a turn; the cones sit beside the lane. 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. Mark a 6-foot-wide lane with Start, Brake 6 feet ahead, and End another 6 feet ahead, using three cones along one side. Keep 12 feet of extra runout. One player works without a stick; an adult skating instructor demonstrates the scrape before movement.
  2. From a stationary stance, turn the right heel slightly outward and the toe inward. Slide that skate a short distance away from the body to feel its inside edge scrape, then replace it. Rehearse three times per side.
  3. Take one gentle forward push and coast toward Brake. Keep the left skate aimed down the lane while the right skate repeats the small scraping action to reduce speed. Finish near End without adding another push.
  4. Return outside the lane and repeat with the left skate doing the scraping. Alternate sides for six slow attempts, pausing after each pair during the six-minute station.
  5. Count attempts that visibly slow through the scrape and end with both feet under the body. Stop earlier if needed; reaching End is not a requirement.

Key teaching points

  • Cue: “One skate travels, one skate scrapes.” Keep the direction and braking roles separate.
  • Begin with a light scrape and increase pressure gradually instead of jamming an edge into the ice.
  • Keep the braking movement small enough that the stance can return comfortably.

Common mistakes

  • Both skates turn and the player curves away. Try: rehearse with the traveling skate aimed at End.
  • Braking skate catches abruptly. Try: reduce entry speed and use a lighter scrape.
  • Feet spread too far apart. Try: return the braking skate sooner and shorten the sliding action.

Make it fit the player

  • Easier: stay stationary with instructor support until a small scrape works on either side.
  • Harder: repeat the same slow entry and finish within a 3-foot area near End using either braking skate.
Research context & source notes

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

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