I just finished watching the first round of Under-18 team tryouts this past weekend, and while the skill level was high and the competition was fierce between these elite girls hockey players, there was one glaring weakness in almost all of the girls’ games that I noticed most during the pre-game warm-ups. Watch the video below to see what the 3 slap shot sins the majority of players were committing:

***Did you notice what makes my shooting different than 98% of all the female hockey players out there? If you think you know what it is, post it in the Comment box below. The first person who gets it right will win a Total Female Hockey T-shirt.***

To develop a “boomer” that people will notice, you have to avoid the 3 biggest slap-shot sins in girls hockey:

Sin #1: The BIG Wind-Up

I never understood why players think that they need to have a huge wind-up to have an effective shot. While it’s true that generating speed through a bigger range of motion will help players to generate more power by the time they get to the puck, the big wind-up is the last thing players should be worried about. When I am working on developing the slap-shots of my players, I get them to perfect the motion from the hip down first. Once they have maximized the power and accuracy of their shot with a shortened wind-up, we work on opening it up.

Sin #2: Poor Puck Placement

Most girls hockey players could benefit from bringing the puck in tighter to their body before shooting their slap-shot. Players will have their individual preference as to whether they prefer shoot with the puck closer to their back foot, front foot or in the middle of their stance. But most have the puck to far away from them body when they go to shoot. The further away the puck is from your body, the less force you will be able to put down into the ice with your stick, and the weaker your shot will be. It takes some practice to get accustomed to having the puck in tighter, but you’ll be able to generate a lot more power that way in the long run.

Sin #3: Not Closing The Blade

The single biggest slap-shot sin I see girls making is that they don’t close the blade on their follow-through. Even those who start with the blade turned over and closed before they make contact with the puck tend to open it up right after and then keep it that way throughout the entire follow-through. To be honest, girls tend to leave the blade of the stick open on their wrist and snap-shots as well. Instead of using a higher follow-through after contact to get the puck up off the ice, they try to achieve that same height by using the stick like a golf club with an open face. To get power and accuracy, you need to keep the blade closed. Period.

Avoid these three slap-shot sins, focus on the quality of the shots you are taking instead of the quantity and you will start to develop the laser-like shot that will get noticed and help you on your way to the elite levels of women’s hockey.

Work Hard. Dream BIG. And Hit The Net!!!

~ Coach Kim

PS - There are less than 10 weeks left until the season starts. Are you doing what you need to do to take your game to the next level this summer and be the fastest, strongest and fittest player on the ice in the fall? Click here to get started with the Total Female Hockey Complete Training System today and start taking your game to the next level.

PPS - If you want to win that t-shirt, don’t forget to guess what makes my shooting different than 98% of all other female players. Write it in the Comment box below.

For the first time ever in August, aspiring female hockey players are going to participate in the most cutting-edge on-ice testing in the world at the Total Female Hockey Experience Elite Player Development Camp. The NEXT Testing Skating combine uses 14 on-ice tests to show players exactly how they stack up in terms of skating, puck control and reaction time. Watch the video below to check out all the on-ice action:

Now girls hockey players can take their on-ice game, dissect it piece by piece and pinpoint their strengths and weaknesses. The NEXT Testing Skating Combine does just that with 70 individual measurements extracted from 14 on-ice tests that break your game down into its critical components: skating, puck handling, and reaction time. Each drill is measured objective by precise laser gate sensors and an automated timing system. No human error and no place to hide. You’ll get an exact measurement of your reaction time, quickness, top-end speed, transition speed, agility and puck handling.

Combine these objective on-ice testing scores with your off-ice fitness testing results, and add in the personal evaluations from women’s college hockey coaches and scouts, and you’ll see exactly which areas of your game you need to work on to take your game to the next level and reach the elite level of women’s hockey.

That’s what makes the Total Female Hockey Experience Elite Player Development Camp different.

After Attending The Total Female Hockey EXPERIENCE Camp, You Will Know:

=> Exactly Where You Stand On and Off The Ice
=> Exactly What You Need To Work On
=> Will Be Able To Put Your Personal Plan Together To Realize Your Dream Of Playing College Hockey

Players, coaches and scouts from all across North America will be joining us at the Experience…

Will you be there?

To see why college coaches are calling this a “must attend” event for high school aged players who want to play college hockey, visit:

=> www.TotalFemaleHockeyExperience.com

I hope to see you in August,

~ Coach Kim

PS - As of the time I posted this entry, the camp was 70% full. There are still some spots left, but you’ll need to act fast. Click here to register for the Experience today.

I get a lot of questions from girls hockey goalies on how to take their performance to the next level. While I know I can help them with the off-ice training and preparation they need to become an elite goalie, I can’t speak from personal experience.

So I went out and talked to a true expert on what it takes to become an elite women’s hockey goalie.

Last season, I did an interview with 3-time Olympian, 5-time World Champion and 2-time World Championship MVP, Sami Jo Small. She is not only a great goalie, but a terrific on-ice instructor, motivational speaker and role model in the world of women’s hockey. She also happens to be pretty darn smart to - she has a degree in mechanical engineering from Stanford University.

Here’s your link to the 23 minute interview I did with Sami:

=> Click Here To Listen To The Interview With Sami Jo Small

Please note: This interview is NOT just for goalies.

Sami may be crazy enough to let players shoot pucks at her head, but she also shares some amazing insights and stories of how she was able to get to, and stay at, the highest level of women’s hockey in the world for over 15 years.

She also probably has the most obscure story of how she got “noticed” by the national team that I’ve ever heard (talk about being in the right place at the right time).

To hear exactly what this strong female role model has to say about working hard and dreaming big, click the link below:

=> Sami Jo Small Interview

Enjoy!

~ Coach Kim

PS - The goalies who are coming to the Total Female Hockey Experience in August will have Sami as their goalie instructor all weekend. The players are stuck with me as their off-ice instructor and my good friend Brooke (former NCAA Player of the Year and Team USA evaluator) as their head on-ice instructor.

There are still a few spots left - but you’ll need to act fast if you want to join us for this game-changing girls hockey camp. Click on the link below for all the details:

=> www.TotalFemaleHockeyExperience.com

Most girls hockey players I know are just starting their off-season training (so if you’ve already been at it for a few months, you are way ahead of the game - and it will show in September). I have been receiving a lot of emails from girls who are coming off injuries or have just gotten hurt while playing summer hockey or another sport, looking for advice on how they can keep pace with their healthy teammates and still take their game to the next level this summer.

The first thing I always tell them is that you have to make the distinction between training THROUGH an injury and training WITH an injury. Let me explain…

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