Developing Quick Hands via Competition on a SuperDeker

There is only one way to get better at something, and that is to put in the work. Yet, work can often be a challenge and a mental grind. So the question becomes, how do we get motivated to practice more?

By competing!

Team Competition

This is exactly why I bought a SuperDeker stickhandling mat for my team.

I love using the SuperDeker as my team’s stickhandling trainer. We keep a leaderboard, so everyone can see where they are and compete against their teammates. Internal team competition certainly helps motivate players to stickhandle more and work on their dekes.

Speaking from experience… when the goalie has a higher score than they have, suddenly that player is working on their hands to beat the goalies.

No worries, Coach Revak still has a pair of quick hands and holds our current SuperDeker record at 73 within 60 seconds (game mode 1 with no bands).

While they may not beat the coach, they will surely try their hardest! And before they know it, all that practice will lead to quicker hands.

Personal Competition

Setting new personal bests is a great feeling.

I love seeing the light that goes off in a player’s head when they think “I can totally get a higher score.” They concentrate and try over and over and over again until they beat that score. Setting a goal like this is a massive motivator that translates to real improvement.

What is really cool is how players can track their scores over time and literally see their improvement.

My final thought - competition is a great way to stay motivated to practice, and the SuperDeker is the perfect tool to foster competition. My team uses the three game modes to add some variety to our training and keep us fresh before the game.

If you don’t have a SuperDeker already then you should definitely get one and be sure to use my code: HOCKEYIQ735 at checkout!

By Greg Revak, Author of Hockey IQ Newsletter and Host of Hockey IQ Podcast