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Community Outscores Catastrophe " One of the best parts of the community-based model in Minnesota is that we aren't just hockey people. We are a hockey community." maintenance equipment. Worst of all, the City of Duluth condemned the community center, stating that the cost of repairs weren't justified given the condition of the building. Suddenly, the home away from home for hockey players of all ages was essentially gone. Yet for Chad and the rest of the hockey community in Duluth, giving up on hockey in Irving was simply not an option. "I grew up on these rinks in the 1970s and 1980s," states Postal. "The thought of kids in Irving not having hockey is unbearable. We need to provide these kids a place to play." Rivals to the Rescue While the leaders of Irving Youth Hockey were busy assessing the damage and starting the cleanup process, other local associations made a point to reach out and offer their support. Congdon Youth Hockey, located on the eastern side of the city, which had recently lost a rink of its own, held a special board meeting to encourage its members to donate money Irving. The most important contribution, however, came from one of the most unlikely sources. Gary Morgan Park Youth Hockey, a neighboring association, proposed that Irving share their ice in Gary Morgan Park for the upcoming season. "I was really impressed by our parents' reactions when we brought up the idea," says Dave Shea, president of Gary Morgan Park Youth Hockey. "Everyone was really positive about it. They put themselves in Irving's shoes and agreed that we needed to help." Shea wasn't the only one taken aback by their generosity. "They welcomed us with open arms," highlights Postal. "To have an association that you usually compete with on and off the ice be so willing to share their precious ice time with us, it was such a blessing." Since then, Gary Morgan Park and Irving have been working together to provide hockey to as many kids as possible. There have certainly been challenges in running two associations off one outdoor rink, but they have made it work because of their dedication to a common goal. "In a way, this situation has brought out the best in us," points out Shea. "It has united these two neighborhoods that used advertorial Tips to Become a Better Puck Handler! with HockeyShot.com Handling the puck in various situations is crucial for any hockey player. It will help you find open ice for a shot, make a tape-to-tape pass or maneuver through traffic. Learn the basic skills first. Once you are comfortable with these skills, the possibilities are endless! Advantages of Being a Good Puck Handler Play with your head up Being able to handle the puck without looking down will help you find open ice, see the play develop, find open teammates and avoid trouble. Better pass receiver Practicing good puck-handling skills will give you the ability to receive passes that are behind you, in your skates or in mid-air. Recover more pucks Toe drags, chips over opponents' sticks and being able to stick handle outside of your comfort zone will improve your chances of recovering loose pucks. 12 Stick Handling Action • Cup the puck from forehand to backhand by lifting your stick over the puck and rolling your top wrists. • Maintain controlled, fluent movement and feel the puck on the center of your blade. Do not tap the ice. • Start slowly and progress faster once you feel comfortable. • Keep your head up and use your peripheral vision to see the puck. For more information on this and other top hockey training aids, visit HockeyShot.com. Create time and space Opponent closing in fast? Good puck-handling skills can provide you with that extra second to create open ice. Tips Good Hockey Position • Keeping your arms and hands in front of your body, maintain a position that allows you to stick handle fluently and quickly execute a pass, shot or deke. • Do not have your top hand minnesotahockeyjournal.com // march.2013 "locked" on your hip. This will limit your range of motion. Remember that your top hand should be in front of your body. Good Hand Position • Hands should not be positioned any wider than shoulder-width apart on the shaft. • Top hand should have a light but firm grip on the stick. • Lower hand should be gripped loosely so that you can freely move the shaft up and down. Training aids to help improve stickhandling skills Training Tiles or Shooting Pads: These will offer a better surface for you to practice stick handling because they have more of an "ice-like" feel. Green Biscuit Puck: This puck slides better than a regular puck on all surfaces (other than ice). Green biscuit pucks are great for flooring tiles, shooting pads, cement or pavement.