The ability of the eyes to work in unison while tracking a moving object (the puck or puck carrier, etc.) and to change focus instantaneously – as the distance of that object changes in relationship to your own position. This can be particularly important for the victim or a two on one, or for the goalie when facing the long shot, or as it is often mistakenly refer to “the easy shot”. Actually, it can be extremely difficult to handle for a goalie with accommodation problems, as the eyes must adjust so rapidly over such a great distance in order to keep the puck in clear focus all the way.

Most miscues occur not because of the action taken, but rather when the action was taken. The player caught out of position usually reacted too soon or too late due to faulty visual information regarding when to perform. A goalie who is down on the ice when the puck goes in the top corner of the net has committed himself too soon. Offensively, anticipation timing helps decide where a teammate is going to be; where to pass the puck; when to make a move around his opponent; or when to break for holes in the defense.

The ability to concentrate on the task at hand despite harassment, crowd noise and numerous other distractions. It is important to maintain this concentration (focus) even when fatigued. A goalie must be able to keep his focus on the puck through a maze of players and must also be able to maintain high levels of concentration, to keep himself in the game, when the majority of action is at the other end of the ice.

Depth perception is a critical visual skill for a goalie. Excellent depth perception allows him to judge the distance, speed and direction of the puck as it approaches the net. Players need to know where their teammates are in relation to the opposing players in order to make effective passes. In a one on one situation, good depth perception helps you judge when to make your move in relation to the defensive player between you and the net. You can also more accurately judge the movement of the puck as it related to the stationary lines and/or moving players to prevent off-sides.

Hockey is a very fatiguing sport which requires excellent conditioning. Physical fatigue can greatly affect concentration, visual reaction time, and eye-hand coordination. Eye fatigue can also affect performance levels in much the same way. When the muscles in our eyes feel tired or strained, we feel the fatigue all over. Just like a weight lifting routine is used to increase physical endurance, visual exercises can be used to strengthen the eye muscles and thereby reduce fatigue.

The process of taking a pass and accurately shooting to the open part of the net is one of the prime examples of this skill. Eye-hand coordination plays an important part in deflecting shots and knocking down high passes in order to control the puck, or in helping a goalie to make a glove save.

The ability to focus on the appropriate key (i.e. puck carrier) and still maintain an awareness of overall play/action including the position of all other players on the ice. Peripheral awareness is essential in tracking both opponents and team players outside the major focal point in order to avoid a miscue or possible injury. Maintaining an awareness of all the options for play development will help to keep the player from being caught out of position. It also allows the players to use a “heads up” skating style and still be confident in his puck handling.

The speed of the game demands that players take in and absorb many different actions at one time. A player must keep his focus on his assigned task but must also absorb and interpret other actions developing on other parts of the ice. The faster the speed and the greater the span, the less likely a player will be caught out of position.

Depth perception is a critical visual skill for a goalie. Excellent depth perception allows him to judge the distance, speed and direction of the puck as it approaches the net. Players need to know where their teammates are in relation to the opposing players in order to make effective passes. In a one on one situation, good depth perception helps you judge when to make your move in relation to the defensive player between you and the net. You can also more accurately judge the movement of the puck as it related to the stationary lines and/or moving players to prevent off-sides.

Hockey is a very fatiguing sport which requires excellent conditioning. Physical fatigue can greatly affect concentration, visual reaction time, and eye-hand coordination. Eye fatigue can also affect performance levels in much the same way. When the muscles in our eyes feel tired or strained, we feel the fatigue all over. Just like a weight lifting routine is used to increase physical endurance, visual exercises can be used to strengthen the eye muscles and thereby reduce fatigue.

The process of taking a pass and accurately shooting to the open part of the net is one of the prime examples of this skill. Eye-hand coordination plays an important part in deflecting shots and knocking down high passes in order to control the puck, or in helping a goalie to make a glove save.

The ability to focus on the appropriate key (i.e. puck carrier) and still maintain an awareness of overall play/action including the position of all other players on the ice. Peripheral awareness is essential in tracking both opponents and team players outside the major focal point in order to avoid a miscue or possible injury. Maintaining an awareness of all the options for play development will help to keep the player from being caught out of position. It also allows the players to use a “heads up” skating style and still be confident in his puck handling.

The speed of the game demands that players take in and absorb many different actions at one time. A player must keep his focus on his assigned task but must also absorb and interpret other actions developing on other parts of the ice. The faster the speed and the greater the span, the less likely a player will be caught out of position.

The faster a player processes visual information, the faster he is able to initiate a physical response. By improving visual reaction time, players more consistently follow the flow of play and respond more effectively as the play develops. Excellent visual reaction time can help a player create a turnover; control a rebound; help a goalie make the save; a centre to win the draw; or be the difference between avoiding or taking a body check at the wrong time.