The snap shot is faster than a wrist shot. Smaller windup, harder release. The puck leaves the blade quicker so the goalie has less time to react. Worth learning at 10 because in a real game, time is the difference between a goal and a save.
What you need: Stick, 5 pucks, a target.
Setup: Player 15 feet from the target.
How to run it:
- Cue: Load, Sweep, Snap, Follow. The Sweep is shorter on a snap shot.
- Load: blade behind the puck, only a 6-inch backswing.
- Sweep: pull the blade forward fast, but only a short distance.
- Snap: hard wrist snap at release. This is what generates the speed.
- Follow: blade finishes high, pointing at the target.
What to watch: The wrist snap. A weak snap turns the snap shot into a slow wrist shot. The wrist has to crack like a whip at release.
If they’re struggling: Stay with the wrist shot for now. Add the snap shot when the wrist shot is solid.
If they’ve got it: Add movement. Take the snap shot off a one-stride approach. Or off a pass.