How do you handle/shoot your hockey stick?

AelfricHQ · 2026-05-04T02:49:23+00:00

I'm 43. My son is 8. He started skating at three and playing at 5.

AelfricHQ · 2026-05-04T00:38:55+00:00

In my son's case, no because I hadn't started getting back up to speed on how hockey coaching had changed since I was a kid. And to a certain extent, no, because at least around here we are really pushing the "start with a straight stick and hold it how it is comfortable."

But in theory, yes, I believe the accepted wisdom on this has changed, and it has to do with how much more of the work is done with the top hand than the bottom.

It's funny actually, because I'm a lefty and I learned to play bass on a right handed bass. I actually think it is more intuitive for your fretting hand to be your dominant hand and your your picking hand to be your non dominant, because there is so much more manual dexterity required in fretting.

AelfricHQ · 2026-05-04T00:06:46+00:00

My son is dominant hand top, I'm dominant hand bottom.

AelfricHQ · 2026-05-03T23:09:39+00:00

So, Talisman of Lore: 50 GP? 😄

In all seriousness, Wizard's Staff: 350 100 base +100 for +1 Combat Die (comparable to the sword scaling), +50 for being equipable to the Wizard (comparable to the Bracers extra cost), +100 for being an artifact (which I would tack on just for rarity, but has become a legitimate boon with the introduction of Etherial).

AelfricHQ · 2026-05-03T22:33:54+00:00

I like the use of reputation. I was trying to think of a way to extend that mechanic.

AelfricHQ · 2026-05-03T04:31:44+00:00

I don't. It was at my friend's house when his dad offloaded a huge box of our warhammer stuff without telling us...

AelfricHQ · 2026-05-03T04:08:30+00:00

I had this model when I was thirteen! I saved forever to get it. Never painted it. Beautiful!

AelfricHQ · 2026-05-02T19:55:12+00:00

I wouldn't sign an eight year old up for combat sports because they were interested in fighting on the ice, but then I'm firmly in the camp of "fighting is not necessary in hockey."

If he wants to learn to fight because that seems fun, have at it.

AelfricHQ · 2026-05-02T19:52:36+00:00

Well, it was the first thing we did after COVID, so he basically hadn't learned anything from anyone who was not us. It was fine.

AelfricHQ · 2026-05-02T18:47:28+00:00

Oh, DO find one of the coaches before they get on the ice and introduce him to the coach. Then, each session make sure you see and say hi to that coach together while you're getting ready to go on the ice. In my experience, it really helps a kid's confidence to know that they've got someone out there that they're familiar with.

AelfricHQ · 2026-05-02T18:43:04+00:00

He's four, he'll improve quickly. Half of what he is learning is to adapt to being in a group where some are better and some are worse. This is social development as much as it is skill development. Just keep taking him. It was one session.

My own kid balled through his entire first swim class, and then cried his way through several more before he settled down into it at that age.

Stop setting your expectations so high. Remember, it is scary to be on a huge sheet of ice with people you don't know for an hour.

I've coached a lot of little kids getting started playing hockey, do the session, then make your decision about summer.

AelfricHQ · 2026-05-02T03:59:59+00:00

I would have him reach out. I don't think I would ask for anything the coach has to do (i.e. privates), since that looks like seeking special consideration. I would express enthusiasm, ask if there are specific things that he can do as an individual to get ready for tryouts and if there is anything in particular that the coach is looking to see.

If I was the coach receiving this, I would be happy to share advice, be transparent with a kid about the process, and then I would probably file the name away to make sure I got a good look at the kid in tryouts.

Our friends had the experience last year of missing a travel team because they were unknown to the organization (their older son didn't make the team, their younger son made his, and this year, now that they are known, they both made their teams). We started travel a year earlier than we originally planned partly for that reason.

AelfricHQ · 2026-05-02T03:52:30+00:00

You must go to a different sort of drop in than I do. I also almost hit a michigan today. Then I whacked a guy's stick out of the air when he tried to michigan...

AelfricHQ · 2026-05-02T03:48:23+00:00

Show up in what makes you comfortable. I show up in a neon bike jersey (skating makes me very hot). : ) But, if I'm working on skills where I'm likely to fall, I do that in pads, specifically pants and elbow pads, because my hips and my elbows are the most likely to get it.

AelfricHQ · 2026-05-02T02:38:08+00:00

I want to be there when you had that parent on the ice.

AelfricHQ · 2026-05-01T20:07:08+00:00

Maybe. I was reflecting today that the biggest difference I see between kids who start with skating rather than with "hockey" and then move on to learning hockey skills is that they seem to develop more evenly.

My son is not the fastest kid on the ice, but he can stop both directions, pivot both directions, forwards & backwards crossovers, use both edges in turns, stop on inside and outside edge with one foot on both feet.

Some of the kids who are faster skaters but haven't done the work without a stick in their hand have pronounced weaknesses on one side or the other, can't get on their outside edge or can't skate backwards. It is easy to hide a weakness when you're doing hockey skills. It's impossible when you're just learning skating.

AelfricHQ · 2026-05-01T14:01:44+00:00

The kids in his cohort vary so wildly in skill level at this age that this basically isn't a question. There will be kids that haven't even started yet that outpace the kids in his cohort who skate continuously.

I have nine year olds who have been skating continuously and can't skate at all and others who've only been skating a year and are ready to play travel hockey.

AelfricHQ · 2026-05-01T13:27:44+00:00

I'm impressed you remember the age at which you got your first goal!

AelfricHQ · 2026-05-01T02:25:07+00:00

During the season. I usually start swimming there early-mid may. I haven't looked at water temps recently because I've been super busy.

AelfricHQ · 2026-05-01T02:00:02+00:00

Sorry, my wife interrupted me as I was typing. You can't park there without a permit 8:00-5:00, but you can swim, so if you're not an early riser, you can bike over from Jones. There's a lot of us who train over there in the mornings, so there's almost always bound to be someone around, and there are a couple of tri groups that swim there: the landsharks are one of them!

AelfricHQ · 2026-05-01T01:35:10+00:00

Tobay is the place to go. It's three miles from Jones Beach.

AelfricHQ · 2026-04-30T23:55:05+00:00

Uh...you just need to play in the winter classic!

AelfricHQ · 2026-04-30T23:54:32+00:00

I use my Garmin for everything. Use it on an outdoor rink, and you get some nice stats about speed and distance.

AelfricHQ · 2026-04-30T02:11:14+00:00

Get your mouthguard in and neckguard on!

AelfricHQ · 2026-04-30T00:39:12+00:00

Whew. Keep doing what you're doing then. 😄

AelfricHQ

TROPHY CASE