A little more confidence. A little more fun. Free to use.
PRACTICE BARNHOCKEY DRILLS & PRACTICE PLANSBuild a practice
Home / Drill library / Acceleration
Acceleration / On ice

Start, stop, reset

Move from a short start to a planned stop, then hold a ready position before beginning again.

8U · 10U · 12UBeginner6 minutes1–4 players
Original drill diagram
Start, stop, reset: player positions and movement 12StartEaseReset
1 starts at the left. Ease is three meters from Start; Reset is another three meters ahead. Finish the stop near Reset and hold for two counts. Leave four meters of extra runout beyond it. The lower arrow is the return after the hold; 2 represents waiting players. No puck is used. 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: Cones, Skates, Hockey protective equipment

  1. Place three cones beside a three-meter-wide lane: Start, Ease three meters ahead, and Reset another three meters ahead. Leave four meters of extra runout beyond Reset. One skater works at a time; up to three others wait beside Start.
  2. Begin in the ready position and take two or three short starting pushes toward Ease. Once beside Ease, stop adding strides and prepare the stopping method already taught by the coach.
  3. Aim to finish the stop near Reset. Begin slowing early enough to reach that area without an extra burst of speed. If the player consistently passes Reset, reduce the starting effort or move Ease closer to Start.
  4. After stopping, settle with knees bent and feet under the body. Hold still for a count of two before leaving. Return outside the lane, then release the next skater.
  5. Alternate the first pushing foot on successive attempts. Use six minutes for a demonstration and up to four attempts each; count a complete start-stop-two-count sequence rather than timing the trip.

Key teaching points

  • Cue: “Push, prepare, hold.” Treat the glide into the stop as part of the drill, not an accidental coast.
  • Use short alternating starting steps. At Ease, shift attention to the familiar stop instead of squeezing in another stride.
  • Cue: “Ready for the next play.” The two-count finish should leave the player able to move again without first untangling the feet.

Common mistakes

  • Player keeps accelerating past Ease. Try: use two pushes only and have the player say “ease” as that cone is passed.
  • Player stops but immediately shuffles out of the stance. Try: reset on the spot and complete the two-count hold before returning.
  • Stopping distance varies greatly between attempts. Try: repeat the same gentle start and same familiar stopping side before adding any new cue.

Make it fit the player

  • Easier for newer 8U: use one gentle push, then the familiar stop and two-count hold. Keep all the available stopping space.
  • Harder for ready 10U/12U: begin on a visual hand signal instead of a spoken cue. Keep the same stopping target and finish; vary stopping side only if both sides have already been taught.
Research context & source notes

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

Keep building

More acceleration drills · Development guides