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

Two-foot C-curves

Link two shallow gliding curves while keeping both feet on the ice and a steady distance between the skates.

6U · 8U · 10UBeginner5 minutes1–4 players
Original drill diagram
Two-foot C-curves: player positions and movement 12StartEnd
1 follows a shallow S from Start to End; all six cones mark the corridor edges, not obstacles to weave around. The corridor is eight meters long and four meters wide. Stop beyond End and return along the lower outside arrow. 2 represents waiting players. Reverse the first curve on the next run. 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. Use six cones to outline an eight-meter-long, four-meter-wide corridor: a pair at Start, a pair halfway along and a pair at End. Leave another four meters beyond End for the finish. With 1–4 players, one skates while the others wait beside Start.
  2. Take two gentle strides into the corridor, then bring both skates onto the ice. Travel toward End in a broad, shallow S: first toward the upper half of the diagram, then toward the lower half, returning to the middle at the exit.
  3. Let both skates turn together through each curve. Keep the curves inside the corridor without aiming at its boundary cones. Here “C-curves” describes the gliding route; it does not mean pushing the feet apart in repeated C-cuts.
  4. Finish on two feet, stop beyond End, and return outside the corridor. The next player starts after the returning player is back. On the next attempt, begin toward the opposite side.
  5. Use five minutes for a demonstration and short turns. Count a successful attempt when both curves are completed without lifting a skate or stopping between them; aim for two attempts beginning each way if time allows.

Key teaching points

  • Cue: “Soft knees, two blades down.” Keep the glide supported through both skates.
  • Cue: “Same gap between your feet.” Avoid letting the stance widen as the curve develops.
  • Look toward the open part of the corridor. A smaller arc with a smooth exit is the first target, not a deeper lean.

Common mistakes

  • Feet spread until the player slows to a halt. Try: reset the starting stance and use a smaller curve.
  • Player steps or crosses a foot to force the turn. Try: practice one shallow curve from a slower entry before linking two.
  • Player turns sharply at the middle cones. Try: demonstrate the entire S without pausing at the midpoint; those cones mark width, not a turning command.

Make it fit the player

  • Easier for newer 6U/8U: complete one shallow curve, straighten and finish. Alternate its direction on the next attempt.
  • Harder for ready 8U/10U: keep the same two curves and try to match their size and rhythm on consecutive runs. Add no speed until both starting directions feel alike.
Research context & source notes

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

Keep building

More edge control drills · Development guides