4-5 Years old Kid - Need Advice

[xsauvex]

Hi,

My kid started skating at 3 and was very good compared to all kids of his age.

A year later, he started to play hockey with his age category (2014) and again was a good skater compared to the others. After three months of practice, he got transferred with older kids (2013). In the practices, he fit perfectly with this older group but when he play a game, my god he is not there at all. He's not following the puck, not going for it either. He is skating, looking everywhere, not trying to steal the puck. He is quite useless on the ice and almost never touch the puck.

He says he likes to play but even with his good skating, I'm not sure this is the sport for him. I'm just afraid he would start playing with kids his age next year and still be in the clouds like this...

What do you think? Will he start to focus on the game as he get older? Did you have a child that took time to focus on the puck?

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[vetrano]

I'd say don't worry about it as long as he is having fun. If putting him up a year doesn't make it fun I think it is the wrong move. Just keep encouraging him. He has a good start and strong skating is probably the most important thing at his age.

 

[Pablo Messier]

Yes, my son was like that. Great skater, worked hard in practice and no show in games. Tried all kinds of ways to convince him to compete, but turned out to be the biggest mistake. Made him miserable, made me frustrated. Luckily I backed off in time and he stuck with the game and enjoying it still. Key is not to set your expectations for him. He's the one playing, so let him enjoy it.

 

[Frank Drebin]

lol. Back off a bit. You ever watch most 4/5 year olds play outdoor soccer? Half are trying to pick up the ball and the other half are trying to catch butterflies. Just be happy he's a good skater and enjoys the game. I wouldn't move him up an age group either, but thats just me.

 

[puckpilot]

At that age, most games are just scrums that move up and down the ice, with usually 2-3 kids exploding for yard sales at any given time.

If your kid isn't one of those on the ice, take it as a win. Whatever their success is at the beginning stages here is in no way representative of what they'll become later on. Right now, any puck that slides anywhere near the net has a very high percentage of going in, so is a goal scored that way really that meaningful? As long as they're having fun, sit back, let the Benny Hill tune play in your head, and enjoy a few laughs at whatever silliness is happening on the ice.

As they age, get use to the ice, and eventually get more coaching, you'll be surprised at how big a leap kids can and will make in half a season. It can be like night and day. And when you hear for the first time a parent yelling and screaming at their 6 year old to take the body in a game where they're not even keeping score, you'll be longing for the days of when all you heard was Benny Hill.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

My daughter started to skate at four and picked it up pretty well. At five we put her into a learn to play program and that summer she play agt older and more experienced players for the first time 6-7 year olds.

It was basically an all girls summer league and they played mini games and did drills, etc. My daughter got spanked so badly in the mini games that I figured maybe hockey wasn’t her thing, but she was having fun so I didn’t care.

Now two years later she has made crazy progress and can pretty much take pucks off anyone she wants and is becoming a good little player.

She’s just turned eight though and it’s all about finding a balance and trying to help her without being overbearing. She will sometimes coast in games and I have to give her a gentle reminder to try harder.

Ie the last tournament she was in the first game she was kind of half-assing it and I told her for the second game that I bet no one could beat her if she didn’t let them and she laughed and said “deal”. So the second game she turned on the afterburners every shift and played awesome.

That’s just how kids are, even when they get better. Just gotta find ways to motivate them without being an asshole, and mainly just enjoy the ride.

 

[MartinS82]

When kids first start out, they often don't understand the "compete" factor of organized sports. They have all the skills, but are told to "not take things from others", "play nicely", etc. While as an adult, we can easily tell there is a difference when playing sports, it's not always evident to young kids. (Sometimes a younger sibling will learn these concepts faster...because they've always had to fight for their space.) Eventually they figure it out, my oldest was like that at first, and is now a pretty good player. Just keep working with them on their skills and keep being positive. Focus on having fun.

Or, yell at them and act like a crazy person. One of these two methods should work.

 

[Yukon Joe]

It just takes kids time.

My oldest started hockey the latest (at age 6) and got it almost right away.

My middle kid started skating lessons at age 4, and hockey at age 5. At 5 they don't even play organized games - it's just hour long practices with lots of fun games. At age 6 (this last year) I was expecting him to do awesome - he had two years of skating/hockey under his belt.

But despite his skating being fine, he was totally lost in games: skating around in circles, far away from the puck, his head in the clouds.

But in about mid-February it just clicked. He started going after the puck, and following it. He scored his first goal of the year, then several more. Now he's not some superstar out there, but he's actually playing competitively. And even more surprisingly, he now wants to watch hockey (for a little while), will play road hockey/mini-sticks.

I wish I could tell you there was some magical coaching on my part that got him to "get it", but there wasn't. I think it just comes with growing older.

 

[TheBluePenguin]

If he likes skating, just keep working on skating. Show him things that will make him "Faster" or show him edge work by telling him he could do "tricks" on the ice, who cares about games/scores at that age level. By the time he decides he wants to be good he will literally be a leg up on the other kids!