Hustle Puck Race
Effort
Legend
- player
- ball
- movement path
How it works
Teach young players that maximum effort in skating to a puck determines possession and builds the effort habit from day one.
What you need
- hockey stick
- puck
- ice
Your focus
At the youngest ages, the player who skates hardest to every puck wins possession more than the player with the best skill. Building the habit of going all-out to every puck creates a foundation of effort that becomes automatic under competitive pressure. A drill that clearly rewards effort with possession makes the connection between hustle and success tangible and immediate.
Coach fires a puck into neutral ice and calls two players' names simultaneously.
Both players sprint from the goal line to the puck.
Player who reaches the puck first takes a shot on an open net to complete the rep.
Rotate pairs; run 3 rounds for each player.
Goal
You've got it when you sprint to every single puck in the drill, not jogging, not coasting, even the ones you think you won't reach.
Helpful cues
- Full speed every rep, not 90%
- Lean forward into your stride, fall forward with speed
- Win the puck race and you win the possession
Adjust the challenge
Make it easier
Strip it back
Give one player a slight head start to guarantee early success before making races equal.
UpLVL it
Add the next challenge
Add a defender who activates 1 second after the winner gets the puck, requiring effort in both the race and the subsequent shield.No account needed
Build a practice plan
Add drills, keep the plan in this browser, then share a link with your staff or parents.This library helps you find the right drill. Inside UpLVL the right drill finds the player.
This library helps you find the right drill. Inside UpLVL the right drill finds the player.After every practice, UpLVL automatically surfaces the drills each player needs to work on most. See it for yourself.