Before pressuring children to be interested in ice hockey, they need to master ice skating first. It can be difficult for kids to enjoy playing a sport where they don’t know how to do the most important thing. Other essential skills include flexibility, endurance, coordination, and balance. One of the most significant ways kids get interested in a sport is by watching it on television, but that’s just the beginning. Here are a few ways to get kids interested in ice hockey.
Balance of Play
Ice hockey is a very structured sport with a ton of rules. Coaches play a significant role in keeping kids motivated while developing their skills and learning all the rules. It can be challenging for them to adjust quickly, which is why they deserve some time of free play. During this time, they can play for fun and still learn more about ice hockey along the way. There’s nothing wrong with not following all of the rules to enjoy a sport.
Play With Them
Practice makes perfect, but practices with your parents make it’s so personal. When it comes to game time, kids feel pressured to show their skills to the audience. Outside of their regular practice times, it could help to grab a stick and do some drills with them. Kids seeing that their parent/guardian is also interested in the sport they play can make it ten times better.
Teach Them the Reward
One area kids are unfamiliar with is working. Adults work hard every day to help kids navigate life, so teaching them the reward of working hard in a sport and receiving recognition can push them harder. If they’re playing in a rec ice hockey league, there will generally be medals given to the best teams that season. The best award at the end is playing. Kids should recognize all of the work that goes into them being able to play. From parents and coaches, it truly takes a village to help kids exceed in sports.
Give Them Ownership
When kids are skating on the try not to interrupt them and let them play. If you’re shouting anything, it should be great words of encouragement. Kids lose focus quickly when they hear people telling them what to do. They have worked hard in practice for gamedays and deserve to have full ownership of what happens out on the ice.