Acceleration Angle: The angle between the surface of the ice and the center line of the body or, the surface of the ice and the lower leg. This smaller the angle the greater the effect that gravity places on the body creating a greater fall rate which in turn is the critical reactive force necessary for acceleration.

Angle of Thrust: Is the angle between skate that is pushing away from the body to provide thrust (skating leg) and the intended direction of travel (gliding leg).

Ankle Flexion: The flexing or bending the ankles by pushing the knee over the toes so as to decrease the angle between the front of leg and the top of the skate.

Balance: The act of remaining centered and in control over ones skates whether standing still or in motion.

Basic Stance: That stance where a player is able to move quickly in any direction. A basic stance can be used to describe a player either standing still or in motion.

Body Alignment: The vertical axis running down through the center of the body. For example: correct body alignment should have the player’s shoulders over knees over toes in most skating fundamentals.

Butt Out: A term used to describe a player who is either bending over to far or, when performing wide stance side to side dribbling so as to keep the correct body alignment necessary to provide stability and strength.

Bent Over: A term used to describe a player whose hip flexion angle (chest to thighs) is to severe placing the shoulders too far ahead of the knees.

Center of Balance: Is a term used to describe a player’s body mass relative to stability.  A high center of balance is weak making a player unstable on his/her feet when in areas of physical contact.

Change Speed: The act of increasing skating speed quickly or decelerating quickly so as to increase or decrease the offensive defensive gap relationship.

Cross-over: The action of bringing the outside leg/foot over the top of the inside boot.

Cupping: The action of closing the hockey stick blade over the puck so as to keep it in control

Distribution of Weight: The displacement of body weight over one or both skates equally or unequally.

Direct Pass: A pass that remains on the ice surface.

Drop Pass: The puck carrier leaves the puck for a crossing or trailing teammate to pick up, either for an immediate shot or carry into a scoring position. The drop should occur directly in front of the defender.

Deceptive skater: A term used to describe a player that can change speeds, slower or faster, and/or directions left and right so as to effectively counter defensive checking pressure.

Ears Up: Listening for communication from a team mate when head is down.

Edges: Describes the inherent qualities of the skate blade. There are two edges on each skate

blade; inside and outside edges which are created through the grinding  of a groove down the center of the blade. This is to provide a cutting surface that will bite into the ice surface providing the hockey player with power and stability.

Entry Speed: How fast a player enters into a turn impacts his/her ability to control the turn with correct body alignment. This alignment allows a player to exit quickly and allows for greater reactive capability.

Entry Height: Describes the erect or flexed body alignment position of a player (center of balance) when entering into a particular skating skill such as when stopping or turning. The greater the height the less the stability and exit speed.

Exit: Describes the action of coming out of a turn such as well performing a forward crossover after completing a forward gliding turn.

Extension: The act of moving away from the center line of the body.

Fall Angle: The angle between the surface of the ice and the center line of the body or, the surface of the ice and the lower leg. This smaller the angle the greater the effect that gravity places on the body creating a greater fall rate which in turn is the critical reactive force necessary for acceleration.

Fall and Catch: Describes the action of falling forward and then bringing a skate back under the body to stabilize the act of falling to either slow down or speed up.  When walking we actually fall forward and then step forward with our free leg so as to catch ourselves so that we do not fall on ones’ face.

Fall Rate: Is a term used to describe the effect that gravity has on the body. The smaller the ice-surface to body alignment angle, the greater the gravitational effect. This means that a player would fall forward, sideways or backwards faster.

Fine Observation: Seeing the “smaller” picture; those events and action close to the play or puck.

Fine Tactical: A  term used to describe tactical plays that involves a small number of players and is specific to one on ones, two one ones or two on twos.

Flex Point: The location on the shaft of a hockey stick between the heel of the stick and the top of the shaft where maximum power transference takes place upon impact with the ice as when taking a slap shot.

Flip Pass: The action of flipping the puck high into the air with the objective of getting the puck over the heads of the opposition players into open ice.

Follow Through: The act of extending the shaft/blade completely outwards so as to maximize blade and or shaft speed and puck control.

Foot Extension: The act of extending the toe of the skate so as to maximize the transference of power through the leg/foot into the ice.

Gliding Leg: The leg, when skating, that is not generating thrust and that remains under the body.

Gliding Turn: Turning in a control basic stance maintaining as much speed as possible using correct body alignment and edge control.

Gross Observation: Seeing the “whole” ice surface; players, referees, opposition players, etc.

Gross Tactical: A term used to describe tactical plays that involve a large number of players such as a three on twos, four on threes or five on fours for example.

Head Fake: The act of using your head deceptively when stick handling to make the defending player think that you are going in the opposite direction that you want to go.

Head Up: Head erect so as to see the ice and assist in maintaining body alignment.

Heel Action (1): Skate – Is the use of the heels of the skate blades to perform heel cuts as when maintaining speed around a circle or, “heel-pull and transfer” as when performing lateral quick cross cuts off a deke (most often performed when moving the puck from the forehand to backhand sides).

Heel Action (2): Blade – Is the action of whipping the heel of the blade through the puck as when taking a snap shot.

Hip Extension: A term used to describe the forward movement of the hip upon extension of the leg away from the body by contracting the hip extensors as when forward striding.

Hip Rotation: The action of rotating the toe of the skate away from the body as when striding or into the body as when crossing over or backward striding.

Hip Action: The torso/low leg angle as when crossing over with shoulders level and then cutting back in the opposite direction.

Hip Flexion: Decreasing the angle between the torso and upper legs.

Head on a Swivel: A technique utilized to observe and to read the entire ice surface by quickly rotating the head.

Heavy Feet: A slang term for a player that skates noisily. “Noisely” most often means that the player when skating pounds his/her skates into the ice on recovery.

Heavy Hands: Used to describe a player that has poor stickhandling skills. Identified by excessive noise from ice to stick blade contact when performing side to side dribbling.

Heel Cut: Is a technique used to stabilize the body as when driving to the net by applying excessive force on the heel of the inside or outside skates.

Height of Entry: Describes the erect or flexed body alignment position of a player (center of balance) when entering into a particular skating skill such as when stopping or turning. The greater the height the less the stability and exit speed.

 Impact Point: Is a term used, during shooting, to describe the action and/or location of the blade as it makes contact with the ice surface during the release phase.

Knee Out: The action of rotating the knee away from the body on the inside leg when gliding. This action allows the player turn sharper and in greater control due to the subsequent increase in fall angle (lower leg, inside skate and ice surface).

Knees Up: The action of pumping the knees up and down so as to generate foot speed. This action keeps the feet under the body impacting fall rate which maximizes speed. The action of “pumping” the knees up and down would be similar to a person running stairs; knees up and on the balls of the feet.

Knob: The taped top end of the hockey stick.

Lead with the Stick: Keeping the stick ahead of the body in a turn. This positions the shoulders correctly allowing a player greater control and speed of execution.

Lean In: The action of decreasing the lateral (inward) wall angle as when turning, stopping, pivoting, etc.

“Leaning into the shot”:  Putting more power in the shot by forcing the upper body over the puck so as to add momentum and mass to better flex the shaft of the stick.

Lob Pass: The act of “lofting” the puck high in the air over defensive players into open ice.

Lofting the Puck: The action of flipping the puck high into the air as in a pass or high into the top part of the net as when tight on the goaltender.

Micro-Skill Element: The smallest inherent component of a skill representing the fine motor functions such as finger position of the wrist shot, etc.

Mid-Blade (1): The center of the stick blade as when taking a slap shot.

Mid-Blade (2): The center or, middle portion of the skate blade;  as when gliding.

Off Speed: The act of changing skating speeds deceptively either forwards or backwards. However, this term is most often used to describe forward skating fundamentals.

“One” Position: Is a measurement used to describe the distance between the top and bottom hands as they grip the shaft of the stick as when carrying the puck or when shooting. This position is founded by placing the top of the stick on the back of the top glove, sliding the elbow down so that it light touches and then re-gripping the stick.

Opening of the Blade: The action of opening the face of the hockey stick blade as when performing either a shooting fake and deke or a variety of shooting techniques. The opening of the blade provides the correct blade angle for raising the puck.

Open Hip Turn: Describes the action of opening of the hip outwards so as to align the skate blade in the correct direction perpendicular to the direction of travel to decelerate.

“Over” blade fake: It is the action of faking a backhand pass by bringing the stick over the top of the puck without touching it and then picking up the puck on the forehand side on the way back in towards the body.

“Pinky” Grip: Or “Three Finger Grip” - describes the top hand grip on the top of the shaft of the hockey stick. Three fingers of the top hand; index, middle and ring finger solidly grip the top of the shaft with the pinky finger loosely on the end. This places the top of the stick inside the glove against the backside meaty part of the heel of the palm below the pinky finger.

Pulse Grip: The action of the fingers of the bottom hand to provide vertical shaft action so as to have the blade clear the top of the puck when performing a tight side to side dribble. This action enables a player to have “soft hands”.

Push/Pull: The action of the top and bottom hands working in unison to provide leverage on the shaft to generate shaft speed as when performing many forehand shooting techniques such as the wrist shot.

Punch In: Is the action of punching the inside skate under the body on the inside edge/flat blade position when performing a counter cut back after a tight turn. This action is also demonstrated when performing a crossover start or when initiating forward crossovers off a forward glide.

Punch Out: The action of quickly bringing the outside skate from under the body to an inside edge glide position so as to enable the player to quickly crossover back in the opposite direction.

Pull/Push: The action of the top and bottom hands working in unison to provide leverage on the shaft to generate shaft speed as when taking a back hand.

Quick Feet: Is a slang term used to describe a player who moves his legs/feet quickly as when performing forward lateral crossovers, forward or backward starts or quick changes of direction.

Recovery: The action of bringing the skating leg/foot back into a gliding position under the body.

Recovery Gap: The distance between the toe of the skate and the ice surface when the blade/foot is being brought back into gliding position under the body as when striding.

Recovery Path: The path that the skate takes as it moves from an extended position back under to the body into a glide position.

Rotational Torque: The rotational flexing of the shaft from the tip of the stick through the blade/hozzle and the length of the shaft that takes place when the tip of the stick impacts the ice first as when taking a snap or slap shot.

Saucer Pass: Passing the puck through the air over an opponent’s stick. The ideal saucer pass lands flat on the ice and does not bounce.

Sculling: The action of skating down the ice using only the heels / inside edges of the blades using extension and flexion of the knees and hips.

Shoulder Fake: The act of using the shoulders deceptively when stick handling to make the defending player think that you are going in the opposite direction that you want to go.

Skating Leg: The leg extending when propelling oneself forwards or backwards.

Skill: Represents an inherent fundamental inherent within, and a necessary part of the game of hockey. Forward skating, backwards skating, shooting, passing, etc.

Skill Element: Is a smaller integral part of a larger skill and representing the gross fundamentals. For example; the alignment of the upper body during a forward skating crossover (see micro-skill elements).

Slide Skid: A parallel two edge stop/tight turn skill. It is the action of sliding sideways with skate blade perpendicular to direction of travel and just before stopping transferring body weight to the back of the blade so as to perform and gliding turn.

Soft hands: A term used to identify a player that has superior puck/stick handling skills where very little noise is made when dribbling the puck.

Step In (1): The action of bringing the extended leg from an inside edge position to an outside edge position under the body as when performing a forward lateral crossover agility skate.

Step In (2): A term used to describe a player driving to the net and, through the action of stepping across the body of the defending player with the inside skate, gains an offensive side positional advantage.

Stick Checking: Using the stick or its blade to poke or stick an opponent’s stick or puck in an attempt to get possession of the puck.

Stick Handling: A term used for carrying the puck along the ice with the stick.

Stop/Start: The term used to describe the act of stopping quickly; either forwards or backwards, and then quickly starting again without coming to a complete stop.

Stride: The term used to skate forwards in a straight line.

Stutter Step: The act of changing the location of the “shooting” foot so as to either put the puck into the primary shooting position or to increase shooting deception by hiding the stick blade/skate blade gap.

Tacking: Describes the actual action of skating as a player moves back and forth down the length of the ice. This is due to the angle of thrust of the skate blade.

Three Finger Grip: Describes the top hand grip on the top of the shaft of the hockey stick. Three fingers of the top hand; index, middle and ring finger solidly grip the top of the shaft with the pinky finger loosely on the end. This places the top of the stick inside the glove against the backside meaty part of the heel of the palm below the pinky finger.

Tip Over: The action of turning over the blade after taking a low slap shot. This action forces the blade to remain in a cupped position which keeps the puck flat along the ice as well as adding to blade speed to increase velocity.

Tip to Target: Describes the action of turning over the blade when following through towards the intended target.

Tight Turn: A term used to describe a skating maneuver that allows a player to quickly turn 180 degrees away from pressure in a very small space. This is an “evasive” skating maneuver used to get away from a closing checking player.

Toe: Is the front portion of the blade of the hockey stick.

Toe: Is the front of the skate blade.

Toeing the Puck: Describes the action of rotating the tip of the hockey stick into the ice and over the puck so as to pull the puck in towards the body.

Top Hand: It is the hand that grips the top of the hockey stick. Strong stick handlers usually prefer to have their dominant hand on the top of the stick while shooters tend to have their dominant hand on the bottom.

Touch Pass: The action of moving the puck to a supporting player off an original pass without stopping it.

Touch Up: The action of bringing the inside foot back under the body to the outside edge as when transferring weight  when countering back in opposite direction after performing a forward lateral crossover. Demonstrated when performing forward single crossovers back and forth down the length of the ice.

Triangulation: The three points of reference that determine shooting accuracy: 1-the top hand, 2-the bottom hand and, 3-the tip of the stick.

Transfer of Weight: The shifting of body weight laterally as when shifting from one foot to the other.

Turn In: The turn used to describe the closing of the hips or, rotation of the hips inwards as when skating backwards.

Turn Out: The term used to describe the opening of the hips or, rotation of the hips outward as when striding or accelerating forwards.

Turn Over: Action of rotating the wrists over during a wrist shot in such as way as to turn over the blade on the follow through.

“Two Position”: Is a measurement used to describe the distance between the top and bottom hands as they grip the shaft of the stick as when carrying the puck or when shooting. This position is founded by gripping the top of the stick in the standard three finger grip and then placing the elbow of the bottom hand against the thumb edge of the glove. Once this distance has be established the player then grips the shaft of the stick with the elbow lightly touching.

Two Finger Grip (top hand): Describes the fingers of the top hand during the tight turn. The thumb and index finger provide firm grip support on the top of the stick as the shaft is rotated across the front of the body.

Two Finger Grip (bottom hand): Describes the fingers of the bottom hand (middle and ring fingers) which  provide most of the gripping power certain snap and slap shots.

Under-cross: Is the action of the inside leg/skate as it passes under the body as when performing a backwards crossover.

“V” Grip: Describes the gripping of the hand which is placed on the top of the stick. Used during some shooting skills and when stick/puckhandling, this grip is executed by “shaking hands” with the top of the stick; index finger and the thumb positioned down each side of the shaft.

“V” Start: A forward skating start with the heels of the skates turned/toes out, hence the “V”. The player drives off the toes for the first three steps.

Velocity: The speed of the puck as it travels through the air.

Wide Stance: Basic stance with the feet wider than shoulder width and knees/ankles slightly flexed.

Wraparound: When a player skates around behind the opposing goal and attempts to wrap the puck around the far side goal post and in.

Wrist Action: The action of the wrists as when opening the blade to determine the height of the shot or as when closing the face of the blade on the follow through.

Wrist Shot – Snap Shot: A wrist shot is a term used to describe the action of propelling the puck off the blade of the stick using wrist action to provide shaft and blade velocity. A snap shot is a term used to describe the action of using the wrists and arms in such a way as to propel the puck by through “snapping” action of the blade. 

“X”Over: The action of bringing the outside skate “over” the inside foot as when performing a forward or backward skating crossover.