Changing from right shot to left shot?

[KBstyle]

In golf, my left hand is on top.

 

[RoyalGremlin]

Stickhandling and Shooting, I'm a pure leftie. Cannot even hold a stick properly right handed, feels too weird.

 

[Phoenix]

are you normally right-handed otherwise? What made you go leftie and when?

 

[94now]

American parents are more ignorant about the game then Canadian moms and dads. Not just parents, but hockey fans that haven't played the game do believe that shooting is the most important part. It is not. The most important part is stickhandling. Those who have been around hockey long enough know that shooting is overrated, while stick handling is underrated
I think Canadians are left shooters not because of clerk in the store or lack of one, but because they in mass know better then Americans the following rule:

If your "artistic" hand is your bottom one, you shot will be the best part of your game. If that "writing" hand is on top by the the butt of the stick, the stickhandling will be your strongest quality.

That's it. That explains Lemeux and Shanahan success as a snipers, but it also explains why almost anyone playing hockey for fun would rather have on his/her team the player able to hold on to the puck rather then a pure shooter not able to get through traffic reliably.
That also explain the success story about the coach converting kids from shooters to puckhandlers and winning everything afterwards. Sure, you can score much more goals if you can stickhandle the puck all the way to the net rather then blast it from the point and have others pick the rebound. Especially when not so many children are developed physically to execute the hard shot anyway.
Back to the original Phoenix question, yes, some people did change, but mostly those with both hands equally "artistic". The benefit of it is not worth the effort for most.

 

[Felonious Python]

I played righty, but switched to left when I started coaching.

It takes a while to recover your skill, but it feels much better now and couldn't imagine going back. There is a definite learning curve to it though. You basically have to relearn everything because your using the opposite side.

Backhand suffers, slapshot suffers, but it feels "right" somehow.

 

[FutureConsiderations]

Maybe someone knows more about this than I do.

My Dad is a natural lefty who switched to right-handedness because his parents wouldn't let him be left-handed (Catholic Church). As a result, his writing (fine motor skills) suffered, but his athletic abilities (gross motor skills) didn't.

I write with my left hand, but do everything else with my right hand (hockey, baseball, golf, throwing, etc).

Do other people with similar situations have success when switching? I feel much more natural with my shot on the right side, but my left is better for puck-handling.

 

[RobertKron]

American parents are more ignorant about the game then Canadian moms and dads. Not just parents, but hockey fans that haven't played the game do believe that shooting is the most important part. It is not. The most important part is stickhandling. Those who have been around hockey long enough know that shooting is overrated, while stick handling is underrated
I think Canadians are left shooters not because of clerk in the store or lack of one, but because they in mass know better then Americans the following rule:

If your "artistic" hand is your bottom one, you shot will be the best part of your game. If that "writing" hand is on top by the the butt of the stick, the stickhandling will be your strongest quality.

That's it. That explains Lemeux and Shanahan success as a snipers, but it also explains why almost anyone playing hockey for fun would rather have on his/her team the player able to hold on to the puck rather then a pure shooter not able to get through traffic reliably.
That also explain the success story about the coach converting kids from shooters to puckhandlers and winning everything afterwards. Sure, you can score much more goals if you can stickhandle the puck all the way to the net rather then blast it from the point and have others pick the rebound. Especially when not so many children are developed physically to execute the hard shot anyway.
Back to the original Phoenix question, yes, some people did change, but mostly those with both hands equally "artistic". The benefit of it is not worth the effort for most.

Lemieux was sort of okay at stickhandling.

 

[jdmef8vtec*]

i play hockey left, golf right, i dont think i could play hockey right for some reason.

 

[Balmer15]

i play hockey right, and i write with my right hand.this is probably because i was used playing field hockey when i was younger, just used to playing the ball/puck on the right side of my body.

 

[NDiesel]

American parents are more ignorant about the game then Canadian moms and dads. Not just parents, but hockey fans that haven't played the game do believe that shooting is the most important part. It is not. The most important part is stickhandling. Those who have been around hockey long enough know that shooting is overrated, while stick handling is underrated
I think Canadians are left shooters not because of clerk in the store or lack of one, but because they in mass know better then Americans the following rule:

If your "artistic" hand is your bottom one, you shot will be the best part of your game. If that "writing" hand is on top by the the butt of the stick, the stickhandling will be your strongest quality.

That's it. That explains Lemeux and Shanahan success as a snipers, but it also explains why almost anyone playing hockey for fun would rather have on his/her team the player able to hold on to the puck rather then a pure shooter not able to get through traffic reliably.
That also explain the success story about the coach converting kids from shooters to puckhandlers and winning everything afterwards. Sure, you can score much more goals if you can stickhandle the puck all the way to the net rather then blast it from the point and have others pick the rebound. Especially when not so many children are developed physically to execute the hard shot anyway.
Back to the original Phoenix question, yes, some people did change, but mostly those with both hands equally "artistic". The benefit of it is not worth the effort for most.

I think this isn't true for many people. My writing hand is on the bottom of the stick and I am very good at stickhandling but my shot has no power, only accuracy. Even though I have an accurate shot I still think that my stickhandling is far superior.

 

[94now]

I think this isn't true for many people. My writing hand is on the bottom of the stick and I am very good at stickhandling but my shot has no power, only accuracy. Even though I have an accurate shot I still think that my stickhandling is far superior.

How long have you played the game?

 

[NDiesel]

How long have you played the game?

I've played since I was 3 and right now I'm 15.

 

[Vincent_TheGreat]

Let me ask you this...

Which hand do you write with?

Which ever hand you write with, goes at the top of the stick! This is the artistic side of the stick. The hand down the shaft, is the power side / leverage side of the stick.

If you make the change, your shot will only improve!

Please read these threads:
http://forums.internationalhockey.net/showthread.php?t=2821
http://forums.internationalhockey.net/showthread.php?t=2820

Sorry, I'm just being lazy at this point. This will keep me from having to rewrite these tips.

Headcoach

Wrong! Normally the hand you write with is your stronger arm/hand and wrist. Unless you can write with both hands. Your strong hand becomes the hand near the middle so you get optimum pressure when connecting and bending the stick when you make contact with the ice and puck.

 

[94now]

I've played since I was 3 and right now I'm 15.

Good. Then you should know by now that accurate shot is a rarity. It could be your biggest asset, but you might have a coach that thinks ( and rightfully so!) that stickhandling is more important for your game. You could also be ambidextrous.

 

[NDiesel]

Good. Then you should know by now that accurate shot is a rarity. It could be your biggest asset, but you might have a coach that thinks ( and rightfully so!) that stickhandling is more important for your game. You could also be ambidextrous.

You could be right, but I don't think I'm ambidextrous as everything I do left handed feels weird except golf feels somewhat okay, but I still Golf righthanded.

 

[Danglous]

I am left handed but play hockey, swing a baseball bat, and golf righty. I cant help it I just feel more comfortable. I wish I played lefty because all of the shops I go to neglect righties. I must say, I have a nasty shot though with my dominant hand on top

 

[Headcoach]

Wrong! Normally the hand you write with is your stronger arm/hand and wrist. Unless you can write with both hands. Your strong hand becomes the hand near the middle so you get optimum pressure when connecting and bending the stick when you make contact with the ice and puck.

My exact point! The top hand is the artistic hand, the bottom hand is the power hand. That is where the fulcrum point is! If you can use the fulcrum to your advantage, your shot is going to be faster.

Head coach

 

[lost puck]

That one is the key IMO. Hand a kid a broom and see how he holds it.

Bad way to figure it out. Most of the time with a broom or mop, your top hand is holding the broom thumb up. Do you hold your hockey stick with your thumb on top? To completely differant motions between sweeping and playing hockey.

If you are trying to figure it out with a kid, best thing to do is give him a flat blade and let him play with it for an hour. He'll figure out which hand works better himself.

As for moving from right to left or vise verse, yes it can be done. The real question is do can you devote the time to relearning. Remember the first time you tried puck handling probably didn't go well. But after practice you got better. Same thin applies to the oppisate grip, the problem comes down to you say screw it I'm better with the other hand and giving up.

 

[Crosbyfan]

Bad way to figure it out. Most of the time with a broom or mop, your top hand is holding the broom thumb up. Do you hold your hockey stick with your thumb on top? To completely differant motions between sweeping and playing hockey.

If you are trying to figure it out with a kid, best thing to do is give him a flat blade and let him play with it for an hour. He'll figure out which hand works better himself.

As for moving from right to left or vise verse, yes it can be done. The real question is do can you devote the time to relearning. Remember the first time you tried puck handling probably didn't go well. But after practice you got better. Same thin applies to the oppisate grip, the problem comes down to you say screw it I'm better with the other hand and giving up.

Most of the time I hold both broom and mop like a hockey stick and I find that most of the kids automatically do the same, and they usually have a strong preference right or left. The advantage of the broom is that they don't have a favourite "broom holder" so they won't hold it like their favourite player, but how it feels most comfortable.

The straight blade starting out is a good idea though, either way. I had a kid who used to stick handle one way, then switch every time he went to shoot. Given a straight stick he ended up holding it the way he always shot (I can't remember if it was right or left)

 

[santiclaws]

I'm a righty, I started with a straight blade as a kid, and naturally put my right hand on top. Forget the broom analogy - if you were to try and knock an apple out of a tree with a stick, which hand would you use? That should be your top hand on your hockey stick (think pokecheck).

I didn't pick up a baseball bat until many years after I started playing hockey and it never dawned on me to bat anything but lefty. Golf, many years after that, again lefty. Probably should be playing righty, but after years and years of hockey, just feels too weird.

Interestingly, I once played on a hockey team on which we didn't have a single right shot. Twenty guys, no right shot. Kinda problematic...

 

[Ruhnie]

Right handed and I:
1)Bat Right
2)Golf Right
3)Shoot Right

I grew up playing baseball and golf, and when I decided as an adult to play hockey I just couldn't imagine not shooting right. I have had little coaching/teaching, but I have always been one of the best stickhandlers on any team I've played on, AND have a good shot.

I don't buy any argument that deals in absolutes when it comes to this. There are far too many examples of people who go against those rules for them to be so. I also don't buy the broom trick, as I have never used a broom by holding it like a hockey stick. If I were to do that, I certainly would swap hands and be sweeping "righty".

My wife is right-handed and recently started playing hockey as a leftie. I try to play with her stick all the time and it feel so completely ridiculous I couldn't imagine trying to re-learn after playing for 13 years. Do what's comfortable for you, it should be pretty obvious after trying both sides for a few practices.

 

[Crosbyfan]

Right handed and I:
1)Bat Right
2)Golf Right
3)Shoot Right

I grew up playing baseball and golf, and when I decided as an adult to play hockey I just couldn't imagine not shooting right. I have had little coaching/teaching, but I have always been one of the best stickhandlers on any team I've played on, AND have a good shot.

I don't buy any argument that deals in absolutes when it comes to this. There are far too many examples of people who go against those rules for them to be so. I also don't buy the broom trick, as I have never used a broom by holding it like a hockey stick. If I were to do that, I certainly would swap hands and be sweeping "righty".

My wife is right-handed and recently started playing hockey as a leftie. I try to play with her stick all the time and it feel so completely ridiculous I couldn't imagine trying to re-learn after playing for 13 years. Do what's comfortable for you, it should be pretty obvious after trying both sides for a few practices.

Just for fun does anyone hold a broom like a hockey stick that doesn't hold it the same as they would a hockey stick? (Any "left broom"- right shooters or "right broom"- left shooters? -no thumbs uppers need apply)

I agree with the no absolutes though, some are definite right or left from the get go and some are less certain. I've never forced anyone either way. I just can't recall anyone that went against the "broom trick", though I may have forgotten someone.

 

[Ruhnie]

Just for fun does anyone hold a broom like a hockey stick that doesn't hold it the same as they would a hockey stick? (Any "left broom"- right shooters or "right broom"- left shooters? -no thumbs uppers need apply)

I agree with the no absolutes though, some are definite right or left from the get go and some are less certain. I've never forced anyone either way. I just can't recall anyone that went against the "broom trick", though I may have forgotten someone.

I'm still trying to figure out who holds a broom like a hockey stick. I've never seen that before.

 

[joez86]

I am right-handed, and shoot right. I throw and bat right in baseball, bowl right handed, but I play pool left (right isn't uncomfortable though), table tennis left, throw a frisbee left, and some other little things left-handed. As far as a broom or shovel, I am more inclined to use left hand on top, although it doesn't matter too much to me either way. I am somewhat ambidextrous I guess, but I know that I play hockey right-handed because thats what feels most comfortable for me. Thing is, even though I write with my right hand, I definitely do not think I have more fine motor control with that hand than my left. My penmanship is horrid. I don't think your writing hand necessarily has to be the same as your "artistic" hand. I feel as if I have better fine motor control over my less "dominant" (right) hand, but I also am probably just somewhere in the ambidextrous range of the continuum someone else mentioned.

 

[Headcoach]

In golf, my left hand is on top.

This is true! Why? Because the left hand is your power hand. If you have ever had a golf pro give you lessons, he will have you drive the ball only with your left hand on the club. This is what my golf pro did to me.

He told me that the bottom hand is used for accuracy.

Headcoach