Backward C-Cut Corridor

Objective: Clean backward skating mechanics in a corridor — C-cuts, not wiggles, from the very first year. Setup: Two rows of cones forming a corridor across the zone. Players in a line at the near end. Execution: Skate backward down the corridor using alternating C-cuts — one blade carves the C, the other glides. Look over the left shoulder at the first cone pair, right shoulder at the next, and so on. Round two: backward with a puck on the forehand. Round three: coach chases slowly, kids keep the gap. Coaching points: The C comes from the hips — carve a full half-circle, heel to toe. Bum down, chest up; sitting tall backward is falling forward. Shoulder checks every cone pair — backward skaters who can't look get run over.