Basic Hockey and Skating Skills for Ice and In-line Skating: The Backyard Rink Approach

Glynn A. Leyshon is a professor of physical education at the University
of Western Ontario, a former weekly columnist for the London Free Press,
and author of 18 Sporting Stories.

This is a backyard-rink approach to a game that is as basic and as
Canadian as, well, “He shoots; he scores.” Does anyone need
instruction in the how’s and why’s of creating a backyard pad so
that youngsters can access ice as frequently as necessary to develop
good skaters? Probably not, but it is comforting to know that here is a
homey tome that provides a tip or two to a novice parent rink-maker. How
to spray with a rubber, rather than a plastic, hose (the latter tend to
crack in extreme cold) is something worth knowing ahead of time to avoid
the expense of replacement.

Illustrated with many simple drawings, the book also provides
instruction in the rudiments of teaching youngsters to skate (bob skates
are not mentioned). There are several good (illustrated) tips, including
instructions on how to fall, plus stopping and skating-backward drills.
The chapters progress carefully from the first step to intermediate
levels and then to puck-handling skills. The book does not include elite
skill levels.

Fortunately, the authors have kept things in perspective. Everything is
directed toward backyard shinny, where everyone plays and adults have
not organized the fun to the point of paralysis. No pads, no fancy
equipment; just skates and a puck and a cobbled-together item to serve
as a net. Hockey as it is meant to be played, providing wholesome fun
and healthy exercise right outside the back door.