Page:Hockey, Canada's Royal Winter Game.djvu/55

 him in his confidence, sharpening his eye, training his judgment, adding to his speed, practice assists a player, on each occasion, to become proficient in the necessary art of stick-handling, and to regard himself and the other members of his team, as one well lubricated piece of machinery.

It is difficult to lay down rules regulating the manipulation of the stick. What there are of them, are few and undefined. The stick should be held in both hands. The right hand should hold it firmly at the end of handle, and the left lower down, according to the reach of the player, because, even if most plays are made with both hands on the stick, there are times when it is necessary to use only one, in which case, holding the stick as above, the right hand, is already in place without any change.

The stick should be held in both hands, because in that position a man is always ready to shoot for the goals or to pass the puck. Besides, he can check better, dodge better, resist a heavy check more easily and sustain his position on his skates more securely, when he has the stick thus held upon the ice.

Stick-handling, like confidence, coolness, strength and speed, is acquired by practice, and by practice alone.

The more you play the sooner you will become an adept in the art, and the better you can handle your stick the more effective a player you will be, because stick-handling is one of the essentials of the game.