Simple Pregame Faceoff Routine Working on Pops and Clamps
These drills are done individually. Try to do them every day as well as in Pre-Game warm-ups. The goal is to build better reaction to the whistle as well as quicker hands.
The player reacts to quick sharp whistles; do five to seven in a set.
Face off players take their positions over a ball on a line with their sticks in a face off position.
On the whistle the player pops his stick over the ball so that the stick touches the ground on the other side of the ball, and then he immediately returns his stick to the original position.
For the Clamps the drill is similar but we do it in two different segments, building on the drill.
Repeat the drill but rather than 'Pop-Over' the players quickly clamp their stick over the ball, then release the stick back up.
In the next segment (still done with just one player and a ball on a line) the players not only clamp on the whistle but then step as they would in a game to position themselves in front of their opposing face off players.
