Ringette Drills
Drill of the Week: 2019-2020 Version
Please feel free to use these drills in your practices, modify as you see fit for your athletes. If you have questions or comments, please email us at [email protected].
PDF: Drill of the Week – Week 1
Back in 2014 we had released the drills below to put out some additional resources for coaches and parents who might want to learn a few more drills. Feel free to take a look through and use what suits your needs.
PDF: DOTW – Week 3
PDF: DOTW – Week 4
PDF: DOTW 5
PDF: DOTW – Week 6
PDF: DOTW – Week 7
Primary Ringette Drills
Checking Drills
Beginner
- Circle 1v1 to 2v2 works on ring protection, the 2v2 simultates a quick break into the offensive zone.
- Queens Corner works on ring carrier breaking to open ice and defense chanelling to the boards
Advanced
- Read and React drills keep the players thinking helping them work on quickly reading whats going on and reacting accordingly.
Circle 1v1 to 2v2
Both circles begin at the same time. They play 1v1 in the circle until the coach whistles. They leave the ring in the circle and skate to the circle red line stop and skate back and race to the ring passed by the coach. The players who played 1-1 against each other are now a team an they play 2-2 against the other team who comes from the other circle.
From the first whistle new players go to the circles and start playing 1-1.
Queens Corner
Drill is run out of 2-4 corners of the ice. 2-5 players line up facing the boards. The coach tosses a ring in over top of the players’ heads so it lands in front of them. The players fight for the ring and the player that comes out with it must skate it through the pylons (she then goes in for a breakaway shot). The next athletes line up against the boards and the drill continues.The focus of this drill is to get the players to skate away from the boards to open ice.
Read and React Checking
Players set up the diagramed formation in all 4 corners. The goalie (or coach) behind the net has the rings. She will toss one ring at a time to either side. Both groups have to be ready. The defence races for the ring, 2 forwards check. D must cut through pylons (If checked before F’s go in for one shot). Once through pylons the forwards stop checking and break over the blueline for a pass. The forward the doesn’t receives the ring cuts back over the line to receive the ring and it becomes a two on one to the net.
* Note: Maintain the speed of the drill by only allowing one shot. If the D checks the forwards drill is over.
Read and React with D-support
The players set up in the same formation as the Read and React checking drill. Expect now both D are on the same team and there is only one forward marking each D. The goalie behind the net tosses a ring to either side and it is the job of the D to read and react if they are going for the ring or moving to a support position. D with the ring must skate through the pylons and pass to the other D over the blueline. In the neutral zone all four players will do five rushes from blueline to redline. Full stops. Stay as close to the boards as possible.
Variations: Have D pass to a forward and then return for a two on two.
Triangle Drills
This week the drills are focusing on the triangle. Specifically sticks down and stepping up.
- Sticks Down Passing
- Sticks Down Step Up
- Stepping Up Drill
Sticks Down Passing
Set up partner passing but insead of stabbing the ring have them put there sticks down to stop the ring like in the triangle. The key is to make sure they are bending their knees not their backs.
Sticks Down Step Up
In groups of three athletes practice getting their sticks down on the ice to stop a pass or to deter an opponent from making a pass by taking away the lane.
Assign numbers to the pylons. X1 and X2 are doing the same thing at the same time. X3 (alternatively you can have the instructor call numbers) calls which pylon they skate to. Once they get to the pylon they bend their knees, and put their sticks on the ice. They should always be able to see each other. Then they back-up to their starting position. Repeat. After 5 or 6 tries the participants change roles.
Stepping Up Drill
Defenders line up next to the goal crease behind the goal line (one defender starts in the slot). The drills starts when F1 begins to skate across the ringette line with a ring. F2 times it so she receives the pass from F1 just as she crosses the ringette line. The defender must skate up around the pylon and she times it so she arrives at the right time to push F2 away from the slot. F2 can do whatever she wants to try to score but must stay on her half of the ice. The defender is practicing stepping up and pushing the forward away from the Hot Spot. (After 15 – 20 reps switch sides)
First round take away defense sticks and have them focus on body position.
Offensive Strategies
- Beginner L-Support
- Drop Pass and Drive
- Picks
Beginner L-Support
The ‘L’ is the simplest way of generating speed in the offensive end by moving the ring.For it to work, the ring carrier always needs 2 teammates as passing options.To practice this, do an ‘L support’ passing drill… whoever is on the diagonal from the ring carrier has to move so she is in a better support position.Players work in groups of 3. Pass for 30 seconds, rest for 15 seconds. Repeat 4 times.
Drop and Drive
An instructor will stand at the top of the triangle. X1 and X2 leave at the same time. X2 skates close to the instructor trying to pull the instructor with them. Then X2 drops it back to X1 and X1 drives around the instructor to the net for a shot.
If they are doing the drill well have X2 set up on the low post for a cross crease pass.
Key Points
- drop the ring beside body away from center
- get the instructor to skate with you before dropping the ring
- drive right around the triangle
- drop the ring right when X1 and X2 meet.
Pick Drill
X1 from the line skates with the ring and uses the pick set by X2 to get around the center and into the middle of the triangle. Then X1 drives to the net and shoots or makes a pass to X3 on the corner for a one timer. X2 sets a pick with the right timing avoiding a pentalty but also surprising the center. X1 becomes X2 and X2 becomes X3. X3 joins the line. The triangle can be made up of coaches or players. A successful pick is all about timing. X1 also needs to drive at the center as close as possible to trap her against the player setting the pick.
Breakouts
Breaking out of the defensive zone or into the offensive zone is all about getting open. From the defensive zone you want to break into the middle of the ice to avoid getting trapped on the boards and allow for more passing options. When breaking into the offensive zone you want to break toward the boards so you can set up in the offensive zone. Getting open is all about timing, change of speed, L-cuts, fakes and change of direction.
- L-Cuts for Breakout – This is a drill that should be used to explain how useful lateral cuts are to lose a check and how it spreads out the ice.
- 1v1 Break – This drill works on timing and L-Cuts
- Quick 2v2 – This drill works on breaking free from man on man coverage using L-cuts, change of speed, fakes, and stops.
Lateral Cuts for Breakout
This can be run from both ends of the ice. Remind them to stay on their half! D skates behind the net, receives a pass from the goalie, skates to ringette line to pass to F. F skates up the ice and makes a lateral cut across the blue line, receives a pass from the D. Skates up the ice and makes a pass to F2. F2 makes a cut from the center of the ice across the blue line and receives a pass from F. Skates in and takes a shot on the goalie.
1v1 Break
On the whistle D1 passes to G, G passes it pack to D1, D1 passes it to F1 from the opposite side who is breaking across the blue line. Then D1 plays defence against the the forward who received the ring from the other D. F1 has to time it to be breaking over the blue line when the D is close enough to pass the ring. Both D’s need to leave at the same time to ensure no collisions occur. (leave on the whistle)
Quick Break 2v2
On each blue line there is a line of D and F. The cicles are on the same team and the Xs are on the same team. The D cover the F man on. Forwards have to try and break in the zone over the blue line for a 2 on 2. Both sides go at the same time on the whistle. Highlight key points for getting open with man on coverage.
- Change of speed
- l cuts
- change of direction
- fakes
Shooting Drills
The following shooting drills are designed to give the shooter a chance to work on breakaway shots, cutting the sil, and moving the goalie to create open space to shoot.
- Inverted Shoe
- RMc’s Shooting Drill
- Shoot-Breakout-Shoot
Inverted Shoe
X1 skates across the top of the crease and receives a pass from X2 on the far side of the ice. X1 skates down straight towards the net and across the top of the crease. At any point as she moves across the top of the crease, she can shoot. The idea is to make the goalie move and look for holes to shoot at.After X2 passes, she skates the same pattern as X1.The pylons force the athletes to skate across the crease – they cannot skate between the pylons.
RMc’s Shooting Drill
X1 starts the drill by skating across the ringette line and receiving a lead pass from X2. X1 drives around the pylon and across the top of the crease. Her job is to make the goalie move and then “bury her chance” from the hot spot.Options are: race the goalie to the far post, shoot five hole, or stop and shoot back where you came from. Coaches may have to demo these moves one at a time to give athletes ideas.X2 leaves as soon as X1 is around the pylon. Run in both ends.
Shoot-Breakout-Shoot
X1 starts the drill by taking a shot on net. After she shoots, she grabs a ring from behind the net or gets a pass from the goalie and passes it to X2. X2 then skates in with ring and shoots. She grabs a ring from behind the net or gets a pass from the goalie and passes to the X1 line. The drill continues in that pattern.
Goalie Drills
Goalies often get forgotten when there is no goalie coach at practice. Here are a few drills to keep your goalie involved and moving.
- Rebound Drill – A fun game for goalies and players. Goalies work on rebound control and players work on passing and picking up rebounds close to the net. This drill can be done with all age groups. When the rebound drill is being done the rest of the players can work on passing or checking near the neutral zone.
- 5 Points – This drill is for just the goalie and one coach. The goalie works on movement through the crease using a decision training technique.
- Double Pass – This is a good goalie warm up drill for goalies and players. The goalie has to move quickly to follow the passes and takes 2 quick shots.
- Double Barrell – This drill has 6 shots in one round, helping the goalie work on staying focused and ready after each shot.
Rebound Drill
Use 3 – 5 skaters. The skaters form a triangle in front of the crease, with the top player around the hashmarks with rings. She takes a stationary shot at the goalie. She wants to score or create a rebound. If the goalie keeps the ring in the crease or the ring hits the boards at anytime (from a missed shot/pass or the goalie clears it) the goalie gets one point. If the player scores off her shot the players get a point. If a rebound is given any of the skaters can pick it up, make passes (no skating around) and shoot when they have a good opportunity. The players only receive a point if one of them scores. Keep going until one side earns a point. Keep track and play to 5 points. Players rotate after each point the goalie earns.
5 Points
Show the goalie 5 points around the crease.
- 1/5 – at the post
- 2/4 – lined up for the shot from the free pass circle
- 3 – top of the crease.
The instructor calls out numbers and the goalie has to move between the numbers using shuffles and T-pushes. Once in a while the instructor can take a shot while the goalie is moving.
It is important to make sure the goalie is facing out of the crease and staying low in goalie stance. To make this drill more advanced you can add calling out a movement (sliding butterfly, push while down, ect.) the goalie has to do between the numbers.
Double Pass
X1 skates and passes to X2, continues to skate around X2, recieves a pass back and goes in to shoot. X3 then passes to X2 and X2 goes in to shoot. X3 follows their pass and replaces X2. As soon as both shots are taken the opposite corner goes.
Double Barrell
Players #1, #2, #3, and #4 leave at the same time. #1 and #2 skate around pilon at top of circle and shoot one after another. #3 and #4 skate around pilon at blue line and shoot one after another. As soon as player #4 has shot, #5 shoots and then #6 shoots. #5 and #6 stay in for about 5 shots and then switch out with other players in line.