These are just little guys and there is a huge variation in skill. They need work on good mechanics and doing the skills under pressure and with more speed. It also needs to be fun. It is a GAME that we are coaching and when they leave the ice they should be sad that they can't stay longer.
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June 13 - 02 Titans
Goals: Review shooting technique.
Introduce and practice the puck in front of the toes move.
Review Passing and then taking passes at full speed and shooting.
Game situations to practice these skills under pressure and to see the ice.
Compete.
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B3 Shooting and Partner Work
-Start with everyone shooting at the boards stationary and then moving across and back.
-Instruction for the group before and then individual help as the coaches move around.
-Partner passing and shooting.
B3 Partner Work on stick handling moves
-Demo of faking and then sliding the puck in front of the toes.
-Move to partners taking turns across and then around the rink.
B6 1-2-3-4 Passing
-1 pass to 2 who passes back to 1 who passes to 3 to 4 and back to 1 who shoots.
-rotate in order.
B6 2-0 Pass and Shoot
-Pass and shoot while skating and avoid railroading between passes and before shooting.
D4 Game
-Review skills in a game situation.
-Encourage the players to shoot quickly and pass to a player in better position than you.
D1 One Goalie Game
-Rule is there must be at least one pass in each zone.
E1 Shootout Race
-Player has to race to the top of the circle then around the offside face off dot and battle for the puck.
The goal of this practice is passing and puck support as well as skill review. Man on man defense and the habit of moving to open ice when you get the puck. 90 min. practice.
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min.
A3 Nervous System Overload Warm up
Partner pass 2 pucks at once skating.
1 puck two passes then change sides. I lap each way.
min.
Saucer Pass Instruction and Partner Practice
Demo and partners pass to each other 6 m. apart over the blue lines. Coaches give input.
Goalies work with coach at one end.
10 min.
D 500 Keepaway in each zone. Rotate groups halfway through.
15 min.
Game of 3 – 3 in each zone. 1 point for making 5 passes in a row. Emphasis role 4 of covering one player each.
-Same game, rotate teams, add rule that they must take at least 3 hard strides before passing to eliminate the habit of passing only while stationary.
10 min.
B6 Pass and shoot 2-0
-exchange puck as many times as possible while skating and shoot by the hash marks.
-4’ from each side.
10 min.
D4 Game of 2 pass at each end.
-stress role 2 of getting open and role 4 of covering one player each.
10 min.
E1 Two 5’ games of Rebound
Goalies work on angles and rebound control. Losing team skate a lap after each game. Goalies switch ends after one game.
10 min.
D2
Cross ice games with nets back to back and jokers.
Half play and half are jokers. Each team shoots on one net. You must pass to the joker to transiton from defense to offense.
-45| shifts.
10 min.
D200 Game
Line up on the blue line and coach calls out 1-1, 2-2, 3-3, 4-4 randomly. Use only one puck and players pass to their goalie on the whistle.
5 min.
E1 Two Shot Shootout
-contest between teams and goalies for most goals scored.
-a player leaves each way and shoots then turns and gets a breakaway vs the other net.
- 1 goal 1 lap, 2 goals 0 laps, 0 goals 2 laps.
I am in Jasper National Park doing a camp now. The kid's get two skating and one hockey one day and then two hockey one skating the next. They finish with a plyo session just before supper and have swimming after supper. So a full day.
We have 26 skaters and 0 goalies. I have 6 small nets on the ice. The oldest player is 14 and the youngest 7. There are 2 girl's.
Ice one was to find out the playing level and get them used to the puck etc.
- started with everyone playing a full ice game with a plastic puck, ringuette ring and a hockey ball. Leave the puck in the net after a goal and see who scores the most. We played 3 games like this. Sticks upside down when you get the ring. 3 nets on each goal line and you can score on any net.
- divided players into 3 groups with 2 teams per group and used pinnies for colours.
- we played 3 cross ice games. Game one with a plastic puck, game 2 with a hockey ball and games 3 with a ring. Games lasted 5 minutes and they switch areas to play with a different kind of puck. One miinute between each game to give instructions and comments.
Rules:
-scoring team takes the puck and goes the other way and defenders must skate to the middle before checking.
- everyone must face the puck at all times. - I did a little demo.
- after you score you can't score again until everyone on your team has scored.
Russian Puck Handling Routine - full ice
- I demonstrated the exercise skating toward them talking and then my son skated to the red line giving a demo of the technique. Oldest to youngest groups left when the next group was near the blue line. We did this for 20 minutes.
Puck Dog.
Started with Jim being puck dog first. The idea is to get to the end without losing the puck.
We played this for 10 minutes and kid's from the middle group won each time.
Observation:
Talent level is very good. A few kid's in the 11-12 age range are elite. One boy may be the best one I have seen at this camp and his brother is also very good. I will adjust the groups a little by moving two kid's up to the older group from the younger groups. We sill have groups of 8-10-8
Today we will do more puck handling games and exercises as well as work on good habits like skating to open ice and making escape moves with the puck. We have 2 one hour sessions today.
Gaston has a group of 6 older boy's at 7 in the morning who want to improve their skating technique but aren't part of the hockey group.
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Session Two - Still on the theme of puck handling.
- full ice game with three nets at each end. Ring, heavy puck and Czech puck with hole in the centre. Game ends when all pucks are scored. 3 games to warm up. This also helps in getting players to be on time as they don't want to miss games.
- Chaos in nzone. Handle a puck and make various moves that I ask them to do and Jim demonstrate. Finish by exchanging passes to as many players as possible within a minute and always make eye contact.
-- 6 games of 1 on 1 with a rotation of attack-defend-pass to first in line and rest. We used the original teams and they played amongst each other. 3 nets at each end on the goal line. All the games at once.
- same 6 teams and now add a joker who is behind the goal line and the attacker must pass to the joker and then get a pass before scoring. Rotation attack-defend-pass-joker-rest.
-15 minutes with more moves. Stress fake shots and then moves. Add partners, work together and practice the moves around a partner. Teach in front of toes and to skate inside-go outside and then inside again when the defender starts outside.
- 3 cross-ice games - first game you must beat at least one defender before passing. Second game - you must make escape move to beat a defender before passing or scoring.
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We have had three more sessions and now have 28 skaters. Activities we have done centre around carrying the puck and good habits.
Games:
We have played games using various formations and amount of nets.
- 3 x-ice games with one in each zone.
- 6 one zone games with 3 nets on each goal line.
- 2 nets on each goal line and 2 nets in the nzone as in a cross ice game. We played 6 games of 2 pass at once and used various modified rules.
- 1 net at each end.
Games:
- Each of the 6 games has a different kind of puck, ball or ring and we rotate between nets.
Game of 2 pass on one net. On transition from defense to offense you must make at least 2 passes before you can score. You must maintain possession within the zone.
Rule modifications with 2 pass.
- all the team must score before you can score again.
- only forehand passes are allowed.
- you must make an escape move before you can pass or shoot.
- only backward skating is allowed.
- 2" only with the puck.
X-ice Game rules.
- no rules.
- all must touch the puck before you can score.
- only one pass is allowed and then the puck carrier must score.
- 3 passes before scoring.
Full Ice Game with 60" shifts.
- three lines who change on the whistle.
Rules
- at least one pass in each zone.
- 2" rule.
- rules like the ones used in the other game.
Transition games at the 6 nets.
- attack-defend-pass rest rotation games of 1 on 1.
Skill drills:
-All players handle two balls at once. Many various kinds of balls from light plastic to lacrosse or field hockey. Every minute the whistle goes and you exchange balls and pucks for two you haven't handled. Stop a few times to point out how to hold the stick properly, have them handle one ball with just the top hand and then switch balls.
- Carry one ball and one puck at the same time and add putting from the skate to the stick and keeping them close.
Shooting Quickly
- Demo a quick snap shot off the inside leg while skating. Follow the shot and shoot any rebound. All the player skate across the ice and practice this shot from the Triple Threat Position.
- 6 groups shoot on six nets by skating around their group in the nzone and then going in and shooting.
- Shoot after a pass - add shoot and then pass to the first player in line who starts skating around the group when you start to shoot.
- Shoot using the D as a screen. - Shoot-Pass then play as a D and the shooter shoots thru the defenders legs, by the foot. Later practice a toe drag and shot, a fake then move the the forehand and shoot.
- From this we progressed to the transition game rotation where the defender passes to the first player in line near the red line and he attacks the original shooter.
Skating: They are doing one or two skating sessions a day with Gaston. When the ice was clean I had them stride and then look at the skate mark on the ice. You want a little inward bend that shows you are producing torque with your blade. If it is just a straight line and a puff of ice at the end, like most players make, then you are not creating the tension that produces and efficient stride.
Next sessions we will work on passing-receiving and getting open to support the puck using about 75% games to teach the game.
We have had three more sessions and now have 28 skaters. Activities we have done centre around carrying the puck and good habits.
Games:
We have played games using various formations and amount of nets.
- 3 x-ice games with one in each zone.
- 6 one zone games with 3 nets on each goal line.
- 2 nets on each goal line and 2 nets in the nzone as in a cross ice game. We played 6 games of 2 pass at once and used various modified rules.
- 1 net at each end.
Games:
- Each of the 6 games has a different kind of puck, ball or ring and we rotate between nets.
Game of 2 pass on one net. On transition from defense to offense you must make at least 2 passes before you can score. You must maintain possession within the zone.
Rule modifications with 2 pass.
- all the team must score before you can score again.
- only forehand passes are allowed.
- you must make an escape move before you can pass or shoot.
- only backward skating is allowed.
- 2" only with the puck.
X-ice Game rules.
- no rules.
- all must touch the puck before you can score.
- only one pass is allowed and then the puck carrier must score.
- 3 passes before scoring.
Full Ice Game with 60" shifts.
- three lines who change on the whistle.
Rules
- at least one pass in each zone.
- 2" rule.
- rules like the ones used in the other game.
Transition games at the 6 nets.
- attack-defend-pass rest rotation games of 1 on 1.
Skill drills:
-All players handle two balls at once. Many various kinds of balls from light plastic to lacrosse or field hockey. Every minute the whistle goes and you exchange balls and pucks for two you haven't handled. Stop a few times to point out how to hold the stick properly, have them handle one ball with just the top hand and then switch balls.
- Carry one ball and one puck at the same time and add putting from the skate to the stick and keeping them close.
Shooting Quickly
- Demo a quick snap shot off the inside leg while skating. Follow the shot and shoot any rebound. All the player skate across the ice and practice this shot from the Triple Threat Position.
- 6 groups shoot on six nets by skating around their group in the nzone and then going in and shooting.
- Shoot after a pass - add shoot and then pass to the first player in line who starts skating around the group when you start to shoot.
- Shoot using the D as a screen. - Shoot-Pass then play as a D and the shooter shoots thru the defenders legs, by the foot. Later practice a toe drag and shot, a fake then move the the forehand and shoot.
- From this we progressed to the transition game rotation where the defender passes to the first player in line near the red line and he attacks the original shooter.
Skating: They are doing one or two skating sessions a day with Gaston. When the ice was clean I had them stride and then look at the skate mark on the ice. You want a little inward bend that shows you are producing torque with your blade. If it is just a straight line and a puff of ice at the end, like most players make, then you are not creating the tension that produces and efficient stride.
Next sessions we will work on passing-receiving and getting open to support the puck using about 75% games to teach the game.
Day 4 the players got 1.5 hockey and 1.5 sessions of skating. They started with one hour of skating and we split the next session with 30 minutes of each and finished with a one hour hockey session followed by 45 minutes of dryland, supper and then swimming.
I searched around the rink and found 45 m. of 2x4 boards which I put lengthwise down the middle of the neutral zone and then used a bunch of pylons to divide the ice into two halves the length of the ice. We had one net at each end of each half. This is the D6 formation and allows the players to go the full length of the ice.
30 minute session
We had 12 older players on one side and 15 on the other. We played 2 on 2 with 60" shifts where you pass to the teammate coming on from a lineup against the boards when the whistle goes. We also played 3 on 3 with the older kids and 4 on 4 with one line and 3- 3 with the other in the younger group.
- Passing Rule: - I didn't make any rule but encouraged them to carry the puck if they are in the best position and pass the puck if someone is in better position than them. I wanted to see how aware they are. The offside rule was in effect.
- It ended up to be two fast paced games and a great workout. The kids really liked it.
- rule: when you score you must touch the red line before checking the puck.
60 minute session - Ice still divided into two full length areas.
- 5 minute game of soccer on one side and ringuette on the other with eveyone playing. After 5 minutes switch the soccer and ringuette ball and ring.
- 1 on 1' on both sides. We started with a quick review of how to play a defensive 1-1 and stay on the D side, eyes up, elbow back.
- Drill - Attacker and defender both leave from the red line and skate back to their blueline and then forward. The attacker keeps going toward the opposite net and the defender must tighten his gap skating forward and then do a transition to backward skating and stay on the D side. When they cross the blue line the next two start and attack the other net.
- 2 on 1 - Now 2 attackers skate back to the blueline and forward vs one D who does the same thing in the opposite direction.
- 2 on 2 game of 60"
- 3 on 2 game of 60" with the teams alternating between sending 2 and then 3 players.
-2 on 2 transition game.- 2 attack and get passive support by 2 players when puck enters zone. On a goal or when defenders gain puck they attack the other way vs the new players on the point. Rotation goes one end to the other with the offensive team always getting support.
We moved to the D7 Formation which uses only one net. So 4 games happen at the same time.
- Game one - Quick transition game of 2 on 2. The groups were 2 of 6 and 2 of 7. Rotation is attack-defend-pass quickly to the players waiting at the blue line - rest.
- Game two - Resting players move back to the red line and the defenders must BREAK OUT OVER THE BLUE LINE before passing to the next players who attack the original attackers. This adds breakout skills to the game.
They are on the ice with Gaston now having the last skating session and we will finish with a full ice regular game this afternoon and then the beautiful drive past the Columbian Ice Fields and thru Banff National Park back to the big city.
When I get home and have my laptop with the drill drawing program I will attach diagrams of the games and drills.
We played the last session with two shifts. The older group had 12 and we numbered them 1-6 with 1 sitting the first shift then 2 etc. The younger group had 14 and numbered 1-7 and 1-2 sat the first 3-4 the next etc.
Jim timed one minute shifts and I was on the ice. On the whistle they passed to me and I put it in the nzone to keep it even. The shifts end up being about 50".
They played games to 5 and I called out the score. On a goal the scoring team has to skate back to centre and the other team picks up the puck and goes. It is really fast paced.
After the game was neat. The players came and shook Jim and my hands and the parents clapped.
All in all a great camp in a fantastic place.
On my morning bike ride I got about 200 m. from my destination, Pyramid Lake and as I looked to my left I saw a cinnamon colored bear eating berries and then stop to look at me. It was about 10 m. away. I decided I wasn't going to cross it's path so I turned and headed back to town. I thought of stopping and taking a picture with my Iphone but then said Nay, I'm leaving.
It was a hard winter and late spring so the bears came down early and when the berries started blooming they decided to stay. So lots of Bruins around but not of the Boston kind.
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The purpose of this practice was to review the mechanics of puck handling and passing. Coaches gave input during the first two skill exercises. The keepaway is to put the passing and puck handling skills into game situations. The other emphasis is to seamlessly switch between the game playing role. i.e. Pass and then get open - don't just watch your pass (Nathan Horton). Check the puck carrier and then cover him after he has passed. The two one zone transition games with jokers caused these situations to happen. The last one was a controlled scrimmage. Rebound was for the goalie who was working on crease movement and getting square to the puck with the goalie coach.
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A3 Nervous System Overload Puck Handling
1 lap with 3 pucks,
1 lap with 2 pucks
1 lap with 1 puck and big moves.
*Goalie at one end with the goalie coach
B3 Partner Passing and Instruction
Wrist Pass: emphansis on making no noise either passing or receiving. Demonstrate then.
-start with sticks together moving forward and back.
-move back one sticklength and pass with good technique 10 passes.
-10 passes 2 sticklengths apart.
-10 passes 3 stcklengths apart.
-skate across the ice and back 2 sticklengths away making as many passes as possible.
D5 Keepaway
-play 2 on 2 and 3 on 3 keepaway in one zone for each game.
-first play with the rule you get one point for making 5 consecutive passes and keep score.
-same scoring in second game but they must make an escape move before passing.
-same scoring in third game but they must beat an opponent with a move before passing.
E1 Rebound
-Play two games of rebound to 10 vs the goalie.
-Losing team skate one lap.
B6 Puck Protection and Stick on the Puck Battles
-Players fight for the puck in the corner and along the boards and the puck carrier go to the net on the wihistle.
-Alternate sides with a whistle every 10 seconds.
DT400 – 2 on 2 with Jokers at the Point.
-We moved the jokers up to the top of the circles to reduce the space.
-Start with a dump in and the players that get the puck try to score.
-Defenders must pass to jokers before they are on offense. Jokers cannot skate in but must pass or shoot within 2”.
-Players must transition between the 4 game playing roles quickly.
-Do not check the jokers.
-Keep score.
DT400 – 2 on 2 Coaches are Jokers at the Point
-Move back and used the whole zone.
-Coaches are the jokers in a controlled scrimmage situation.
-Everyone freeze on the whistle and coaches point out being in the proper game playing role.
1-player with the puck
2-player supporting the puck
3-player checking the puck carrier
4-player covering players away from puck
-When the puck is at the point the players are all in role 2 and role 4.
-Offensive players must get open or screen and tip.
-Defensive players must cover one player each on the defensive side, stick in the lane, box out in front.
-Keep score
'Enjoy the Game'