Youth Hockey
The Hockey Academy is introducing new levels with skill work designed to teach the fundamentals of hockey skating and progressively advance to more difficult skills with the stick and puck. Youth participants start in the lesson program, progress to the Polar Bear Hockey League, and then advance to the Ice Bears Travel Hockey program.
The Park District of Oak Park puts the fun in hockey with a focus on game play! We have aligned our program with Learn to Skate USA and USA Hockey, the industry leaders. Our class offerings focus on three important areas: skating, stick handling skills, and FUN!
We develop stronger skaters with the skills and training needed to reach their goal of playing for the Ice Bears in the Northwest Hockey League. We hope that along the way, they will meet new friends, foster a team mentality, and develop a love for the sport.
While we teach Cubs foundational skills, we will focus on fun and game time during every lesson. Instructors will still teach techniques and skills for the first 20 minutes of class, and then they will drop the puck and let the players put their new skills into practice. Adding game time develops endurance and teaches players teamwork.
Once players pass Mini Cub 2 or Mighty Cub 2, they should add Skills and Drills and Ice Bear Prep League to their repertoire. Skills and Drills will teach additional stick handling and skating skills, while the Ice Bears Prep League will teach players rules and hockey etiquette, as well as how to transition on and off of the ice. Power skating will then help players with speed and agility, as well as how to create power in a game. While players are encouraged to take Skills and Drills, Mighty Cub and IBPL at the same time, if time does not allow, they can alternate sessions as the work toward the requirements to play Ice bears. See the chart below for a visual description. See specific class descriptions here: Inset page with the class detailed info on page 3.
Class Descriptions
Parent and Cub
Falling, standing, basic skills to go forwards and backward
Mini Cub/Mighty Cub 1
Falling, standing, hockey stance, marching, two foot glides and dips, forward swizzles, double c-cuts, t-push to a two-foot glide, snowplow stop, basic stick and puck skills.
Mini Cub/Mighty Cub 2
Forward strides, one-foot push and glides, forward c-cuts single leg and alternating, backward march and glide, backward swizzles/double cuts, backward c-cuts, two foot moving snowplow stops, advanced puck carrying and shooting
Mighty Cub 3
Lateral crossover march, forward c-cuts on circle, forward inside and outside edges on half circle, backward c-cuts, backward snowplow stops, ¼ turn with hockey stop, advanced shooting
Mighty Cub 4
Forward v-start, backward one-foot glides, forward and backward crossover glides and on circle, hockey stops, advanced shooting and puck carrying.
Skills and Drills
Focus on hockey specific skills in small class size through fun and interactive drills. Players should also sign up for IBPL to gain practical experience in a fun, game-based setting.
Power Skating
Powerful backward c-cut, forward and backward alternating crossovers, forward power hockey turns, lateral pivots, fast stops and starts, fast backward skating with quick backward v-stops. Players should also sign up for IBPL to gain practical experience in a fun, game-based setting.
If you have any questions or general questions regarding our Hockey Programs, please contact Kayla Lindgren.
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