Hockey: Learn to Play the Modern Way

Ok, so I'm over 40 and have just been learning how to "hockey skate" and now I find myself in my first hockey "skills & drills" class at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex, practice ice/facility of the Washington Capitals. This class is so popular, that it sells out well in advance and many of the 35+ students are repeats (as I will be for the next session). I was lost - I'm not enough of a life-long hockey fan or past player who already understood the fundamentals and so many of the guys and gals already knew what they were doing. I felt like if I asked simple questions I'd be disrupting the flow of the class (shouldn't be that way, I know, but it's how I felt). So I bought a couple of books to bridge the gap in my ignorance. I am SO PLEASED with this book - it was exactly what I was looking for! Chapter by chapter, it breaks hockey play down into the essential elements I needed to understand - offense, defense, positions, strategy, scenario-based plays, etc. It also went over several drills which means that when they were introduced in class, I had already been exposed to them in writing. In the locker room after the second class, another newbie expressed the same concerns I was having. I shared my book with him and when he returned it the next week, it was like a veil had been lifted for him, too. I'm going to recommend that the instructors provide a copy of this book to every newbie, every session! If you like to read an auto repair manual that breaks down the way an engine works or a computer/tech book that explains in plain English how to use your computer or build a web page, then you'll love this book, too.

This book is truly a very good book for learning how to play the wonderful game of hockey both at the beginner level and advanced level. At the beginner level it shows and tell you how to skate, stop turn, foward and backward crossovers. It also has rules of the game which are especially helpful for the beginner level. It has drills that one should perform to get better. For the intermediate through advanced level it has even more drills and techniques that even the beginners should get to know. It shows how to shoot the puck defensive, offensive and even goalie tactics. It has a conditioning with nutrition chapter, pregame stretches and even the mental game. And finally at the end it even tells you how to build a rink and how to organize and coach a team. Even if you think you know everything about hockey I can almost guarantee you there is something in this 220 page hockey-training masterpiece. I've been playing for only two years and I have learned a ton from this book and you will most definitely too.

I've bought about 7 or 8 books on various aspects of hockey over the past few weeks, and each has taught me something, but I really needed one that could tell me *how the game is played* -- where I'm supposed to be and what I'm supposed to be doing in different situations. This book did just that by explaining the basics of offense and defense with both text and easy-to-follow diagrams. I have a good overall sense of the game now, as well as specific admonishments to keep in mind (like not to chase a puck carrier behind the goal, and not to follow crisscrossing forwards when backchecking). I plan to read this book again in a month (after I've played a few games on an organized team), and I fully expect to absorb even more.

My team, the San Francisco Earthquakes, has several beginner players. Most of them had been to beginner hockey classes, but they still didn't know many of the basics. I set out to find a book that would provide these basic lessons and answer many of the new players' questions. I looked at several books, but this one had the best fit. It is written for beginners, but will also serve experienced players who need to review the basics. What to do, where to be, how to shoot, when to pass? These questions and many more are all answered clearly and simply. This is a book for beginners. Intermediate and advanced players may be looking for more insight than this book provides. My teammates now know what to do most of the time. If they'd only skate a little harder...