Customer Reviews

Hockey: How to Play Like the Pros (Hockey the NHL Way)

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-Hockey How To Play Like The Pros- is one of the best books out there for kids (and their parents) to learn about hockey skating, shooting, fitness and game tactics.
This is not your typical "drills" book with too many confusing diagrams but one that covers the skills that make up a foundation for hockey players. For example, section 2 of the book is titled "Skating for Power and Speed" and devotes one page (with pictures) to each skating skill such as Stance, Body Positioning, Skating Backward, Edge Control, Tight Turns, Corssovers, Crossunders, Pivots, Stops and Starts, Hockey Stop, Explosive Starts, Crossover Starts, Stability, and Full Extension. This is the format throughout the book with many many pages devoted to shooting, fitness, defense, goaltending, special teams. This is one of the few Hockey books that teaches player and team skills in such as way as to be not boring or overly technical. Read a page and try the skill. It would be a great book to take to the rink and practice a few skills each time you go. It is sort of a reference using good color pictures (I wish there were more of them). It also has short tips from (and great pcitures of) NHL players which are a great insight into what skills were important to them as they developed. Although the book is aimed at 9 - 12 year olds, don't be fooled. This is a serious book with great information for all ages and beginner to intermediate skill levels. it is written as to be very readable for adults and probably anyone with an interest in hockey skills and tactics. Anyone who is learning hockey should have this book.

This is more for kids wanting to get started in the basics of the game, not for adults wanting to improve their game. Grownups, go for Stamm's Power skating. I wish it had been made clear that this was a lower level book.