From the Hockey Library

From the hockey library
By Don Laner
Oct 30, 2001, 11:51

Every fall, as a new ice hockey season begins, we look forward to checking out the new hockey books and videos that are offered. This fall promises not to disappoint, especially for those picking up the in-line version of the game. There’s a great selection of material for in–line players and coaches, goaltenders, youth coaches and fans.

Get In-line

In the span of a few short months, three new in–line hockey videos have been produced. First up is Winning In–Line Hockey featuring former Olympic and NHL coach Herb Brooks and RHI player Mike Butters. This 30-minute video covers skating techniques, stickhandling, passing, shooting and choosing the right equipment. This $19.95 video provides an excellent training source of individual skills from novice to expert players.

Also selling at $19.95 is Roller Hockey: The Pro Approach, featuring the leading scorer from the WRHL playoffs, Stephan Desjardins. Stephan has assembled some of his favorite drills and tips that will help even the most advanced player improve. As in Winning In–Line Hockey, fundamentals like skating, shooting and passing are covered. An added feature in The Pro Approach is a section devoted to team concepts for offense and defense.

The third video, Mastering the Game, covers basic in–line techniques presented in a high-energy, hard-rock format that will have special appeal to the younger player. All of the important in–line skills are covered in special segments interspersed with practice game footage. This 40-minute video sells for $12.95.

Still can’t get enough hockey? Then look for Hockey Player Magazine: The In-line Skating Show, our half-hour show airing on ESPN2, coming soon to home video.

Ice Time

Moving to the ice, a series of four 55-minute videos called One On One with the Stars! provides coaches with a unique approach to hockey instruction. Volumes One through Three are set up based on age level, starting with Beginner/ Atom, then moving to Pee-wee/Bantam and Midget/Junior. Volume Four is devoted to goaltending for all ages. These videos were filmed in Canada in the late 1980’s and have finally been made available in the U.S. NHL player/ instructors featured in the first three volumes include Paul Coffey, Larry Robinson, Mario Lemieux, Henri Richard, Steve Yzerman and others. Among those featured in the goaltending volume are Billy Smith, Gump Worsley, Bernie Parent and Patrick Roy.

Volume One covers fundamentals of skating, basic stickhandling and shooting and simple positional drills. Volume Two covers power skating and mohawk turns, shooting for accuracy, body positioning and balance. Volume Three concentrates on the finer aspects of the game, such as positional play and play–making. Also covered are advanced skating, shooting, and fitness training exercises and techniques.

Volume Four features prominent NHL goalies and coaches demonstrating the special skills required for the netminding position. Proper body balance and mobility, playing the angles, stick control, challenging the shooter and other skills are all discussed and demonstrated in a way that takes the mystery out of goaltending. These videos sell individually for $24.95, but the complete set can be purchased for $79.95.

Coach’s Corner

Also new this fall is a much needed coach’s drill book written by Dave Chambers, who has coached Team Canada and the Canadian National Junior Team. The Incredible Hockey Drill Book features over 600 drills in 20 different categories—including skating, passing, shooting, checking, power play, breakout and penalty killing. There are also drills for evaluation, conditioning and just plain fun. All drills are illustrated by clear, easy–to–follow line drawings. This 8 1/2” by 11” soft cover manual is 224 pages and sells for $22.95.

The Ultimate Handbook?

For goalies and their coaches, Lords of the Rink: The Psychology of Goaltending by Ian Young and Terry Walker could be the ultimate handbook. This book includes inside tips of goaltending psychology and a conversation with NHL goalies Kirk McLean and Peter Sidorkiewicz. They discuss many aspects of being a professional goaltender; how they got started, facing the world’s best scorers, superstitions, mental preparation, conditioning and how to customize equipment. Lords of the Rink also contains a detailed analysis of the play and technique of more than 25 modern goalies, including Roy, Fuhr, Potvin and McLean, as well as 15 great goalies from the past. This 6 1/2” x 9 1/2” soft cover book has 192 pages, with 16 black-and-white photos and 6 illustrations, and sells for $14.95.

Fan Fare

For hockey fans, there are many new exciting books available this fall. Two of the best are Rocking the Pond: The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and Wayne Gretzky: The Authorized Pictorial Biography. Rocking the Pond, by Dean Chadwin, a Los Angeles–based sportswriter, chronicles the fantastic first season of Mighty Ducks hockey—from the granting of the franchise through training camp and their incredible run for a playoff berth. This book also provides an in–depth look at the Disney corporation’s first foray into professional sports. As the only written record of Anaheim’s first season, sports fans and collectors will want to own this book. This 7” x 9” soft cover book is 224 pages, and features 16 pages of black-and-white photos. It sells for $14.95.

Wayne Gretzky, by Jim Taylor, is the hockey gift book of the season. This stunning book provides a unique and original perspective on Gretzky by chronicling his amazing professional career and off–ice personality through an insightful text and a compilation of great visual material. The text is complemented by dozens of interviews with people whose lives have intertwined with Wayne’s, from his early days in the backyard rink to his modern–day position as hockey’s Great One. Wayne Gretzky showcases a fascinating collection of photographs, important artifacts, mementos and trophies assembled from the Gretzky family archives, personal friends and associates, the Hockey Hall of Fame and internationally acclaimed sports and celebrity photographers. Also included is an up–to–date statistical appendix detailing the over 60 NHL records Gretzky has collected while single–handedly redefining the game of hockey. This beautiful 9” x 12” coffee table book contains 176 pages, with over 200 predominantly color photos, and sells for $29.95. l

—Don Laner

This first appeared in the 11/1994 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2001 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®