The sport of ice hockey has changed considerably since I was playing in the youth league in Falmouth, MA. The good news is the number of registered players in the U.S. has grown exponentially. For all of us who are involved in the sport, this is great to see. There are more teams than ever and there are leagues popping up (and thriving) in areas that were never thought of as hockey hot-beds.
With so many teams being formed there are more games being played. As a result there are, well, fewer practices. Now, to be honest, I certainly loved playing in games more than practicing. But, let's face it, at any level practices and good coaching are extremely important.
The problem that I noticed some time ago is that with fewer practices, coaches are inclined to spend more time covering strategy than teaching the basic skills necessary to execute those strategies. Specifically, I have found that the most basic skill of skating is being neglected.
I do believe players are likely to improve simply by having the opportunity to get on the ice. I used to hang around the rink just knowing there was an outside chance that a coach would let me jump on during their practice. I know those opportunities made me better. However, there is no comparison between a free skate and structured instruction. Having a professional analyze your stride, break it down and show you the technical elements of a perfect skating stride is really the difference between a "good" and a "great" skater. That, and plenty of practice, of course.