I recommend that you review the passing steps, and run through them slowly in air, then in water, then increase the passing speed. Key points to remember are to:
1. Start the puck moving forward (in direct contact with the puck) before the pass, to replace the static friction of the puck to the pool bottom with a sliding friction instead.
2. Angle the stick slightly back (so that the leading edge is at about an 8:00 position as viewed from the top, with 12:00 as the direction of the pass), so the puck has a chance to start rolling away from your hand, when moving,
3. Concentrate on trying to get the puck to rotate like a Frisbee during the pass, with more of a flick of the stick, rather than a pushing motion,
4. Remember to rotate the stick over (so that the stick rolls from the 9:00 position to the 2:00 position, as viewed from the BACK this time), during the pass. The openings in your stick will make the rotation easier by letting the water flow through the stick.
Also, try what I call a "Quick pass." Start the puck at the mid-point of the stick when you are setting up to pass. Execute the pass and watch the puck zing away. The reason this works is because with the puck at the mid-point, you can accelerate it quicker since the middle of the stick is moving through the water faster than the stick location next to your knuckle. I use it to show that you can get a pass off with this new material, and it is a great pass to know how to do, especially when you get stuck against the pool wall, and you can barely get hold of the puck to pass with.
As a further aid to your passing technique, let me offer the following excerpts from an email with a new user;
>I was amazed! My reactions were twice as quick as before because of the low water resistance. (Is that correct English?) The holes in the stick are a great idea!
The English is correct and that's why the holes are there. Sorta like a helicopter blade, the tip of the blade is going faster through the water than the root of the blade, so having the wide end of the stick at the end increases the water resistance, slowing down the movement through the water. The holes obviously reduce this drag and allow the stick to move through the water almost effortlessly, but more importantly, it allows the stick to be accelerated quickly, thus enabling the puck to also be accelerated quickly during the pass. In addition, the holes will allow for quicker puck handling than ever before, and unlike a wooden stick, you can use the top and bottom sides of the stick to "play" the puck with, since the WS material has the same gripping ability on all surfaces. I have noticed a number of times, where the stick "grabs" the puck when it is bouncing around and there are other players all trying to get the puck at the same time, but I will snag the puck and swim away while the others are still looking for it.
>My pass was a little bit shorter then before, but I think this will become better after some more practice.
Agreed, there is always a learning curve to a new stick and this is no exception. However, if this continues, there are other variables to consider that we can discuss in time. Other factors include the puck design, the pool bottom condition/type, glove type, glove drag on the pool bottom, etc. In an extreme case, we might consider altering the angle of the leading edge to accommodate your specific pool/puck requirements, but that's a last resort.
>The puck tended to elevate too early and jumped over my stick a few times.
The primary reason for a puck to jump over the stick is typically characteristic of a pass that is executed in more of a forward pushing motion, rather than a flinging or rotating motion. The secondary reason for the jumping is when the stick isn't held flat to the pool bottom. I use the wide end of the stick in contact with the bottom to orient the bevel angle to puck relationship. If you start or execute the pass with the stick held slightly off level, the relative angle of the stick to the puck is altered, resulting in a poor pass. Keep in mind that the 12.5-degree angle of the leading edge is based on the flat, bottom side of the stick, held parallel to the pool bottom. Therefore, if the stick isn't held level to the pool bottom, the 12.5-degree angle goes out the proverbial window, and if the angle is less than 12.5 degrees, you won't get loft. If it's greater than 12.5 degrees, either the puck will loft very high, or it will jump over the top of the stick. In either case, practice is the key, and once you get your muscles tuned into a proper pass, then you will be amazed at what you can do.
