Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/106685
I'M NEW TO HOCKEY, PLAYING IN A BEGINNER ADULT HOCKEY LEAGUE. A COUPLE OF THINGS I HEAR YELLED, FROM TEAMMATES AND THE PART-TIME COACH, ARE FORECHECK AND BACKCHECK. I DON'T HAVE A CLUE WHAT THEY ARE YELLING ABOUT. IF THIS IS HAPPENING JUST AS YOU STEP ON THE RINK, IT MAY BE THAT YOU'VE PUT YOUR EQUIPMENT ON BACKWARDS. CHECK YOUR REFLECTION IN THE GLASS BEFORE YOU JUMP ON THE ICE. ONCE YOU CONFIRM EACH PIECE OF EQUIPMENT IS ON CORRECTLY, THE NEXT POSSIBILITY IS THEY ARE YELLING ABOUT PLAY CONCEPTS IMPORTANT TO THE GAME OF HOCKEY. YOU WILL FORECHECK AND BACKCHECK WHEN YOUR TEAM IS NOT IN POSSESSION OF THE PUCK. FORECHECKS AND BACKCHECKS SHOULD NOT BE CONFUSED WITH BODY CHECKS. ALTHOUGH BOTH ARE DEFENSIVE PLAY CONCEPTS, BODY CHECKS INVOLVE INTENTIONAL PLAYER ON PLAYER CONTACT, WHEREAS FORECHECKS AND BACKCHECKS CAN BE PERFORMED WITHOUT BODY CONTACT. AFTER A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF EACH CONCEPT, I'M GOING TO GO ANIMAL ON YOU. I REALIZE YOU'RE AN ADULT, BUT I'VE FOUND THE ANIMAL ANALOGIES WORK TO SIMPLIFY THE DEFENSIVE RESPONSIBLILTIES TO YOUNGER PLAYERS. FORECHECK FORECHECKS ARE IN PLAY WHEN THE PUCK IS IN YOUR ATTACKING OR OFFENSIVE ZONE AND THE OPPOSING TEAM HAS CONTROL OR MAY GET CONTROL OF THE PUCK. YOU FORECHECK TO GAIN POSSESSION OF THE PUCK BY WINNING THE RACE TO THE PUCK OR CREATING A TURNOVER. INSTEAD OF ALL THREE PLAYERS CHASING AROUND THE ZONE HAPHAZARDLY, A TEAM WILL HAVE A SCHEME TO CONTROL THE OPTIONS AND DIRECTION THE OTHER TEAM HAS TO PLAY THE PUCK. IF EACH PLAYER DOES HIS JOB, THE CHANCES OF CREATING A TURNOVER ARE BETTER. HERE'S WHERE THE ANIMAL IN YOU COULD HELP. THE BIG BAD BEAR GETS AFTER THE PUCK CARRIER AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. THEY SCARE THE OPPOSING PLAYER INTO MISTAKES. THE SLY FOX READS & REACTS TO WHAT CHAOS THE BEAR CREATES. THIS MIGHT BE TAKING AWAY THE SECOND OPTION FOR THE OPPOSITION OR PICKING UP A LOOSE PUCK. THE SHARP-EYED HAWK FLOATS HIGH IN THE ZONE, SWOOPING IN FOR A LOOSE PUCK OR PASS, SWOOPING OUT TO HELP SUPPORT THE DEFENSE ON THE BACKCHECK. BACKCHECK BACKCHECKS BEGIN WHEN THE OPPOSING TEAM MOVES THE PUCK UP AND OUT OF YOUR ATTACKING ZONE. IF THE OPPOSING TEAM BEATS YOUR FORECHECK AND HEADS UP ICE, THE FORWARDS TURN INTO BACKCHECKERS. THAT MEANS YOU CHASE THE OTHER TEAM BACK UP THE ICE TO HELP YOUR DEFENSE SHUT DOWN THE OPPOSITION'S OFFENSIVE RUSH. WHAT BETTER ANIMAL THEN A CHEETAH TO DO THAT. A CHEETAH... • DOES NOT HESITATE, IT HUSTLES BACK FULL SPEED. • PICKS UP THE OPEN PLAYER TO HELP THE DEFENSE. • GETS THE INSIDE POSITION ON THAT PLAYER. • COVERS THAT PLAYER ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE NET, IF NEED BE. • A CHEETAH NEVER QUITS. USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM February. 2013 47