When getting their youngsters into hockey, most parents just throw them right into the fire.
They register them for whatever age group they fall under, head to Canadian Tire to grab them a set of equipment, and bring them to the rink to hope that they’re able to figure it all out.
They have limited knowledge of the rules, how the game works, how to put on shoulder pads probably, but most importantly, how to even skate.
Hockey is an extremely unique sport because it’s played on ice, and on skates, which instantly separates it from almost all other sports of the world.
This provides kids with another layer of the game to learn. Not only do they have to learn how to pass, shoot, and handle a puck, but they also have to do it all while learning to skate.
This is why we recommend considering to enroll your child in a skating program first. Allow them to learn the fundamentals and become comfortable on skates, so that by the time they get into hockey, they can just focus on everything involved with their hockey stick.
They’ll also have a major advantage over their teammates and their opponents. The kids who learned to skate first are always the ones zooming around all over the ice, seemingly on breakaways every shift, impossible to catch.
It’s a totally feasible option too. So if your child can wait just a bit longer to start hockey, maybe have them try skating first!