A SWMHSHL Tradition​

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The Southwest Michigan High School Hockey League has held a Parent and Skills night for many years. The South Division of the SCHSHL chose to carry on that tradition in the 2019-2020 season. In 2022, the tradition has been continued by the Kalamazoo based teams.

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SKILLS CHALLENGE

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The league organizes a series of skills contests which include fastest skater, passing accuracy, shooting accuracy, hardest shot, a shuttle race and Breakaway/Goalie Show Down.

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Each team decides how to select the players that participate in the events. Some teams allow their seniors to choose first, others pick the best players for the event, regardless of seniority.  However they are chosen, the event allows players from all the teams to come together for a fun night!

 

Fastest Skater

Skaters begin at the center ice line and must complete a full lap around the rink. The skater with the fastest time in the heat advances to the next round. Skaters compete in as many elimination rounds as is needed to determine the final 2 skaters. The Fastest Skater Final Round is held later in the event.
Note: the winning time is the time skated in the final match, not the fastest lap skated throughout the event.

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Accuracy Shooting

Each shooter is passed 5 pucks from 2 teammates (10 pucks total) and then must shoot the puck into a pocket /target located at the four corners of the net. Each puck that is shot into the pocket is awarded a point value - 3 points for the top corners, 1 point for the bottom pockets. The player scoring the most points wins.

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Accuracy Passing

Each skater has to pass a puck into 5 different nets as fast as possible. The skater to complete the task in the shortest amount of time is the winner.

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Hardest Shot

Skaters have 3 attempts to set the fastest shot as determined by a radar gun. If a shot does not register a speed on the radar gun, the skater will retake the shot.

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Show Down

This is the breakaway competition for goalies and skaters. Each goalie will face 5 skaters. The goalie who make the most saves is the winner. The skater that scores the most is also the winner. Skaters do not shoot on goalies from the same team.

If goalies are tied after a round of shooters, a second round will be held with just the tied goaltenders. This will repeat until there is a winner.

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Shuttle Race

Teams of 3 skaters compete in this relay race. All skaters start at one goal line. The first skater races to the nearest blue line, stops and races back. The second skater races to the center ice red line and returns, the third skater must race to the far goal line and back. Skaters must stop ACROSS the designated line and the next skater cannot start until the current skater reaches the starting goal line.
Based on the number of teams, there may be heat races and a final.

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Updates:
As time allows we will try to add the historical winners and times for these events as well.  Visit the Skills Night History page for what we have.

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