This always popular intramural program is structured in a
“House League” format. It allows players of different ages (5 to
12) and abilities to participate in skill development clinics
and supervised hockey games. The House League program also
bridges the gap between Skill Development and Travel Hockey. It
introduces skaters to recreational hockey games while continuing
to develop their skating skills. The program is divided into two
divisions that will each play Cross Ice games in a variety of
formats. Cross Ice is a format utilized up through the college
and professional levels to encourage players to think quickly
and to handle the puck well. USA Hockey has several articles
that have been published in recent years encouraging this format
and when the statistics are considered Cross Ice hockey makes
lots of sense:
|
|
Men’s Per Game Averages
(50 Minute game) |
12 & Under Per game averages
(45 Minute game) |
|
Ice time |
18:40.5 minutes |
16.02 minutes |
|
Shifts |
23.65 |
21 |
|
Puck possession time |
1:07.05 minutes |
38.4 minutes |
|
Passes received |
21 |
9.6 |
|
Passes attempted |
23.05 |
12.4 |
|
Shots taken |
4.22 |
5.2 |
|
Puck touches |
40.03 (Gold Medal Game) |
31.8 |
*Excerpted from USA Hockey Small Area
Competitive Games manual
Cross Ice hockey is played in each of the end zones. The
confined space allows for frequent touches and forces the
players to react quickly (changing direction, turning,
stopping and starting on both sides) and to make decisions
on what to do with the puck and without the puck. Out of
necessity, the players learn to think and moves become more
instinctive. One cross ice hockey program uses the
expression “Train the Brain”. Team size allows for plenty
of ice time, usually one minute on the ice and then two
minutes off the ice.
Each weekend will include a one hour full practice/skills
session and the second hour will be for a game. The
practices normally include three or more stations of skill
development and game situations. The typical schedule
includes Saturday and Sunday afternoons as well as some
early Sunday mornings.
