Performing the Pro Agility On Ice helped improve the 2010 National Champion Boston College hockey team’s agility. According to BC’s strength and conditioning coach, Russ DeRosa, the drill works the Eagles’ ability to create separation from their opponents, allowing them to control the game’s time, spacing and tempo.
“If you beat your opponent to the puck or point of attack,” DeRosa says, “then nine times out of ten you’re going to be in a better position to make positive things happen.”
Pro Agility on Ice
• Start by straddling red line
• Using crossover step, skate to one blue line; plant
• Skate to opposite blue line; plant
• Finish drill with sprint through red line
A few tips from Coach DeRosa to help increase agility when performing this drill:
• Before performing the drill on ice, first master it on dry land
• When you first perform the drill on ice, focus on technique and effort—not time
• Skate in a straight line and avoid rounding turns when stopping at each line
• Keep a low center of gravity for maximum stride extension
• Stretch! It will increase your flexibility and stride length
