Having a passion for the sport of hockey plays a big role in becoming a successful player. But there is a lot to be said for a “killer instinct” on the ice as well. Although this doesn’t always come naturally, there are ways to learn this, and grow your game performance in the process.

Play to Win

One would be hard pressed to find an athlete who merely comes to hockey practice to “play around”. Most, if not all, of our athletes play to win – which is the motivating force behind playing sports, and what turns the competitive nature of hockey into an arena for success. Teaching our athletes to win on and off the ice is important to us, and championing a bad mood or a bad play is all part of our coaching.

Improve Upon Your Personal Best

Playing to win also means working towards improving on your personal best. Best time, best score, best speed – and everything in-between. Comparing yourself to your teammates is of no value when it comes to gaining instinct. You have to focus on working harder and smarter, while recovering more quickly from mistakes and working consistently to do so.

Get Comfortable With Your Own Success

It may sound odd, but some people feel bad for succeeding, especially if others are falling behind. Having a winning mindset is very different from being egotistical and declaring “I’m the best”. It’s a focused mindset intended to enhance to collective good of the sport, helping the entire team succeed at winning the game.

Learn to Perform

Mental strength counts for a lot in any sport, and sometimes faking it until you make it is a key component to instinct. As much as people may think of instinct as a natural reaction, sometimes playing a role and learning to perform can actually create it’s own reality in your brain, bringing about a learned instinct.

At NHTC, we offer a variety of programs, private lessons, ice rentals and more, and would love to help you merge your passion and instinct on the ice …and look forward to doing so in 2018!