Are You The Perfect Female Hockey Player?

By Kim McCullough, MSc, YCS

I believe there are 10 attributes that make up the perfect female hockey player and I also believe that it is impossible to have all 10.  The best female hockey players in the world might have 6 or 7 of them.  Every player has their own strengths and weaknesses, but you need to excel in at least 5 of these areas if you want to become the best player possible.

Here are the top 10 attributes and their definitions:

Top 10 List for The Perfect Female Hockey Player:

1. Skating: This is by far the most important attribute required to play elite female hockey and a pre-requisite for being a bonafide superstar.

2. Shooting: We’re not just talking about having a great slap-shot here. Players need to have great overall shooting skills (slap-shot, wrist-shot, snap-shot) and the ability to shoot from any position in order to score high in this category.

3. Puck control: This is extremely important in the female game. Without body-checking, your opposition can’t body-check you to separate you from the puck, so if you can maintain control of the puck, you can dominate the game.

4. “Hands”:  This is a little different than stick-handling. This player can take a pass at top speed in her skates, or pick it out of mid-air without slowing down at all.

5. Passing & Playmaking:  This is all about being able to put the puck exactly where it should be, at the exact perfect moment, to give your team an advantage.

6. On-Ice Vision: I always refer to this as the “Gretzky” ability. This is the ability to see the ice in a way that allows you to make plays that other players can’t even dream of. This is all about anticipating and creating plays.

7. Hockey Sense: This is your ability to make the right play 90% of the time. You are able to see two or three steps ahead, being in the right place at the right time and rarely getting caught out of position. Players with this ability are “a coaches’ dream”.

8. Skill: This isn’t just about having the skills needed to play the game. This is about making the entire game look effortless. Skill players can do everything at top speed with perfect precision and have an endless supply of moves. They seem to have the puck on a string.

9. Strength: Don’t confuse this with being big and muscular. This is the player that wins the 1-on-1 battles all over the ice with other players are draped all over her. She goes into the corner against 3 opponents and comes out with the puck. Strength is an attribute that is both God-given and achieved through off-ice training.

10. “Heart” & Leadership: This is the most important attribute of all. You could be the most skilled player in the world, but you need to have the drive and passion in order to be great. This is the player who rises up to the challenge each and every game and does whatever it takes to make their team better.

So there you have it. The ten attributes that would be used for parts to create the perfect women’s hockey player.  My 4 best attributes as a player would be: #6, #7, #9 and #10.

Which of these 10 attributes is your best? Which of them do you think you need to improve on the most?  Which one do you think is the most important to becoming a great female hockey player?

© Total Female Hockey 2008

Kim McCullough, YCS, MSc, is a Athletic Development Specialist and founder of Total Female Hockey. In addition to training and coaching girls at all levels of hockey, from novice to the National team, Kim has also played at the highest level of women’s hockey in the world for the last decade. Kim’s female player development website features a state-of-the-art Complete Off-Season Training Program and her blog gives the coaches and parents of aspiring young players access to the most up-to-date tips and advice on how to help their players take their game to the next level. To learn more about female-specific player development, get your Free Report: The #1 Mistake Female Players Make in the Off-Season at http://www.totalfemalehockey.com