BallQube supports youth sports and the coaches that help kids grow and learn. Without coaches, youth sports wouldn’t be what they are today. Kids learn many things from playing sports including how to work as a team and how to be a good sport. There are a few things that kids learn from playing hockey that are unique to that sport. Hockey teaches kids about balance, mental and physical agility, coordination and team spirit.

Balance

Hockey allows kids to learn both physical and mental balance. Physical balance comes from first learning how to skate. Getting two thin blades to work on a slippery sheet of ice to move forwards and backwards is no easy feat and requires a lot of balance and coordination, which develops core strength.

Mental balance comes from taking a break. Hockey season offers a three to four month break during the summer which lets kids try out other sports or take a complete break just to be kids and relax. Taking a break from hockey allows kids to rejuvenate and come back to it refreshed and ready to play.

Mental Agility

Besides mental balance, playing hockey also improves mental agility. Hockey is a sport of strategy where plays sometimes happen in seconds. A child who can learn to follow an overall strategy as well as think on their feet will learn concentration, mental imagery, and quick decision making. These are important skills that are transferable to other areas of life.

Physical Agility & Coordination

The sport of hockey has a lot of moving parts. Not only do kids need to learn how to skate, but then they need to learn how to skate with all their gear on. Add a stick and a puck, and they need to learn how to handle their stick to control the puck and make it do what they want. This requires hand-eye coordination as well as the ability to coordinate movements with timing.

Team Spirit

Because hockey is a sport of strategy, it’s really important for all players to work as a team. Kids will learn how to cooperate and rely on others, as well as how to contribute and do their part on the team. They learn that each position on the ice, from goalie to defenseman, to forward and center, serves a specific purpose and contributes something different to the team. They also learn how to roll with the punches, which sometimes means being a good loser.

Every sport has a unique set of skills that need to be learned in order to enjoy and master the game. Hockey is no different. Hockey will teach kids the importance of mental and physical balance, mental and physical agility, coordination, and team spirit. They will learn how to strategize and visualize as well as operate as a team, each contributing their own strengths.

If your kids play hockey, be sure and preserve their precious memorabilia like that puck they scored their first hat-trick with or the stick signed by their favorite player. The memories kids make while playing hockey will last a lifetime.