Coaches are not being taught how to teach
Fellow Coaches,
In a recent post I read a reply from a coach that caught my attention. Why? Because the statement he made reflects a stance and belief that I have held for quite some time, and oddly enough in 25 years of coaching, instructing or teaching the game I have never heard another coach express this concern.
So now that I hopefully have you intrigued here is what this coach said...and I am paraphrasing here…
The coach claimed that it had been his experience that coaches are not being taught how to teach. They go to clinics, symposiums, and seminars where they are taught drills, systems, tactics, strategy, etc but they are not taught "how to teach" this stuff.
I agree 100%. But I can only speak from a perspective of being a coach that has certified through Hockey Canada. I have the added benefit of being a school teacher. I have a degree in Physical Education and have been a Physical Education teacher for quite some time.
So it is easy for me to say with accuracy that coaching certification clinics and seminars that I have taken through Hockey Canada, and I have taken them all but one, do not, in my professional opinion, provide any insight into "how to teach" skills, tactics, game play, etc. They provide vast amounts of info on what to teach, various ways to teach it through varying setups and designs but nothing on the methodology of teaching: Nothing covering the different learning styles, teaching methodologies and philosophies, how to teach cognitively vs. physically, motor learning concepts etc.
So my reason for this post was to hopefully hear from coaches from all over the globe with their take on this issue.
Are we dropping the ball on fully empowering our coaches with the full slate of teaching tools they need to be better coaches?
Should our governing bodies that are responsible for the training and certification of coaches be more prudent in the delivery of material to ensure that it includes more information on the "how" to teach not just "what" to teach?
After all a coach can find the "what" to teach in a myriad of books, manuals and online sites. But if they don't know "how" to teach it, what good is it?
The key to coaching is not just knowing what to teach. It’s as much about (I believe more) being able to teach it effectively so that all your players are learning. Lets face it...we call ourselves coaches but in reality we are teachers. And maybe that is where the problem lies.
Mike Hartman
Hockey Calgary Statistics.
• 1 in 84,615 kids who play Hockey in Calgary will make it to the NHL. Therefore every six (6) years one (1) former Hockey Calgary participant will make it to the NHL. (Source: Hockey Calgary February Newsletter.)
<So parents... take a pill! Odds are against your kid paying off your mortgage! Keep it in perspective!>
Practice by the Numbers - Statistics supplied by: Calgary Hockey Development.
The following facts and figures relate to a 60 minute practice session:
• 1 efficient practice will give a player more skill development than 11 games collectively.
• Each player should have a puck on their stick for 8 - 12 minutes.
• Each player should have a minimum of 30 shots on goal.
• Players will miss the net over 30% of the time in a minor hockey practice.
• Coaches should try to run 4 - 5 different drills / games / activities each practice. More is not better; execution of what you do is development.
• No more than 5 minutes should be spent in front of a teaching board each practice.
• If you have 10 players on the ice, strive to keep 4 - 5 players moving at all times.
• If you have 15 players on the ice, strive to keep 9 - 10 players moving at all times.
• If you have 20 players on the ice, strive to keep 14 - 15 players moving at all times.
A Game by the Numbers - The following statistics were recorded during a 60 minute Pee Wee level hockey game in Calgary:
• Players will have the puck on their stick for an average of 8 seconds per game.
• Players will take an average of 1 - 2 shots per game.
• 95% of passes made backwards are successful.
• Players will take an average of 18 shifts per game.
• 99% of the feedback coaches give players is when they have the puck. Ironically, players only have the puck on their stick for 0.2% of the game.
Most people have two well-developed learning styles. Studies estimate:
• 60% are visual learners
• 25% are audio learners
• 15% are kinesthetic / tactical learners
Interesting Facts about Learning and Memory:
1. People will remember most effectively what is taught at the beginning and end of each session.
2. The longer a presentation – the less impact more information has.
3. Breaks or relaxing moments allow the brain to structure and organize information making it easier to recall later.
4. Repetition, analogies and linking to other parts of a presentation will increase memory.
5. Recall of information declines rapidly if not reviewed.
6. Active participation and visual aids enhance recall.
How does this affect the way a coach teaches concepts? What methods can I use to maximize learning?
The Hockey Canada National Coach Mentorship Program specialty clinics were designed to with the following messages in mind:
Keep Them Moving
Whether its practice, clinic, or camp, ice sessions should be designed to engage every participant consistently. Kids don’t attend practice to watch others play. Kids enjoy practices when they have fun and they experience an improvement in their overall skills. When kids have to stand in line, encourage them to handle a puck!
Emphasize the Fundamentals
Build a foundation that will never crack by properly teaching the basics. Learning the fundamentals and perfecting the same basics at every level of play is essential to having any chance of success. If one player does not execute the fundamentals (skating, puck control, passing and receiving, checking) correctly, the most sophisticated drill or play in the world will not work. It is unfair and not fun to focus on running plays that will fail 9 out of 10 times. Kids’ practices that focus on Team Play over executing fundamentals are cheating every participant out of the chance to learn the game properly. Do not attempt to replicate plays you see in NHL and Junior games! Every scheme that is attempted in a junior or NHL game is supported by years of training in the fundamentals of the game.
Incorporate a Progression of Skill Development for Every Participant
Regardless of a player’s skill level, it is your responsibility as a coach to teach every kid on your team (Make them capable!) It is no secret that if kids experience improvement in their skills, no matter what their athletic ability may be; they will continue to participate and return to learn more. Teach the skills in the proper order so you can continue to improve and build on each training session.
Considerations for Development
Following are some general observations of youth sports as stated in the Long Term Athlete Development Plan.
• Young athletes under-train, over-compete; Low training to competition ratios in early years
• Training in early years focuses on outcomes (winning) rather than processes (optimal training)
• Poor training between 6-16 years of age cannot be fully corrected (athletes will never reach genetic potential)
• The best coaches are encouraged to work at elite level; basically it takes 10,000 hours or 10,000 repetitions to master a skill.
With the ages of 9 – 12 being the most important for skill acquisition it is during this time period that the skills included in the specialty clinics need to be repeated consistently. To that end, the skills were chosen so that a coaching staff can work on these specific skills until a reasonable level of mastery is achieved and then move onto more advanced skills. Ultimately, if you as a coach can master teaching these skills and players can become proficient at performing these skills then success will be the outcome. The goal is to concentrate on teaching these limited quantities of skills and move on only once the players can reasonably master them.
The Philosophy of Skill Development:
In Canada, the four players without the puck depend on the puck carrier, in Russia the puck carrier depends on the four players without the puck. (Tarasov’s Comparison.)
The Importance of Skill Development:
1. Thoughts from the Pro’s
"Very few Jean Beliveau’s or Paul Coffey’s come through the ranks now because we're taught so many systems and so much discipline at a young age that we've taken away a lot of creativity.“
Wayne Gretzky
“There is no use teaching team play, until the kids have reasonable mastery of skating, passing and puck control“
Dr. Murray Smith – Sports Psychologist
“You need to practice to become a better player. You see some kids playing 60 – 70 games, that’s almost too much for a 15 or 16 old. When you are 6 to 10 or 6 to 12, you’ve got to be practicing all of the time.“
Paul Kariya
“When they have too many games when they are young, they are going out trying to fulfill a role and trying to not make mistakes, and as a result they get very little skill improvement.“
Dr. Murray Smith
Practice Tips (Courtesy of Calgary Hockey Development)
THERE ARE 10 KEY INGREDIENTS A COACH SHOULD MIX INTO EACH PRACTICE. COLLECTIVELY THESE LEAD TO ENJOYMENT AND LEARNING FOR BOTH PLAYERS AND COACHES.
1. Coaches should have a minimum of 50 pucks available for practice (typical roster of 20 players).
2. Players must be on time, all the time. Coaches set the standard and lead by example. Parents must be encouraged to buy in.
3. Don’t waste ice time stretching. Stretching should be performed in the dressing room before & after the ice time.
4. The use of stations in practices leads to a dynamic practice. Stations keep participants active enabling them to achieve high levels of repetitions. Have players spend 3 - 8 minutes per station before switching. Two or three stations are recommended. (Must be a coach at each station).
5. Basic Skill Development (skating, puck control, passing, shooting) should comprise 90% of your practice time. Remember you can work skills in game-like drills. Skill development should not be considered boring. It should be considered the building block to greatness!
6. Positive and Specific Feedback are imperative! “Good work” doesn’t convey enough information. Consider the Head Coach who always stands at center ice and runs drills. How often during the practice is this coach able to effectively teach? Teaching is done in the trenches (corners, lines).
7. Routines in practice are dangerous. Players will pace themselves and become bored very quickly. Routine practices develop great practice players. Strive to change things up, create an element of surprise, utilize variety, and generate enthusiasm. Creating competition (keep score – winners get a reward; losers get a punishment) raises intensity and most realistically prepares players for games. Players also enjoy “creative, constructive” time on their own. Five minutes per practice should be sufficient – at the beginning and / or end. This enables players to be creative and try new things; or work on areas of weakness. As coach, you have to make them understand this isn’t “screw around time” to prevent injuries and wasting the time!
8. “TELL ME AND I’LL FORGET, SHOW ME AND I MIGHT REMEMBER, INVOLVE ME AND I’LL UNDERSTAND”
9. Practice Execution by coaches is of principle importance. Great drills that aren’t executed properly by coaches are useless. Execution involves using all staff on the ice, having pucks spotted in the proper areas, informing players of the whistle sequence (1st whistle begin, 2nd whistle stop, 3rd whistle begins next group) and providing appropriate feedback. To assist in practice execution, name your drills i.e. “Killer Bees”.
10. Relate what you do in practices to games and vice versa. “Players, we are doing this drill because in our last game we were unable to finish around the net.” or “This drill will assist you in keeping your stick and body away from the checker and in an effective scoring position.”
SKILL DEVELOPMENT IS EQUAL PARTS OFFENCE AND CREATIVITY (Courtesy Hockey Calgary)
1. OFFENCE
• Read and react is the most important skill – do it quickly, it’ll make an average player a great player.
• Support the puck carrier by moving to open ice.
• Create an attack triangle – support the puck carrier on two sides.
• Communicate to your teammates.
• Protect the puck with your body; shield it away from your opponents.
• Keep control of the puck, don’t just give it away.
• Use the boards to pass to yourself and to your teammates.
KEYS TO OFFENCE
• Slow down to a speed where you can think (create).
• Don’t limit yourself.
• Have the courage to make mistakes.
• Let the puck do the work.
• Support.
• Move to open ice.
• Have desire and passion for playing instead of winning.
OFFENSIVE TEAM PRINCIPLES
• Play for possession.
• Use everybody on the attack.
• Use lateral and circular skating patterns versus linear.
• Be in constant motion and vary your speed.
• Move with purpose (support position).
• Be an option more than once.
• Be at the right place at the right time.
• Always think one pass ahead.
• Be deceptive and creative, not predictable.
TIPS FOR AN OFFENSIVE PRACTICE
• Increase the number of passes in each drill.
• Play “keep-away“ style games with purpose.
• Have segments in practice where players just play, no instruction, only positive feedback.
• Work on puck control skills every practice, to increase their confidence (Drills out of their comfort zone).
• Have give away rules, so the players get used to playing with possession.
• Praise the offensive play, when a goal is scored – not the defensive mistake.
• Have at least one flow drill in each practice, emphasizing timing, passing and support.
2. CREATIVITY
• Practice being creative during practices and free time – i.e. puck handling, 1 on 1’s, 2 on 1’s, 2 on 2’s, 3 on 2’s etc.
• You never know if something works until you try it.
• Have the players challenge themselves – if it doesn’t work the first time, keep trying; don’t quit!
• Use the whole ice surface to your advantage – boards, back of net.
Teaching the Game - By Tony DiCicco
Coaches spend an awful lot of time teaching tactics, often telling players, for instance, that they need to stay in their positions. But what's sometimes lost is the fact that soccer is a free-flowing expression of how you want to see the game unfold.
As a coach, clearly you need to keep helping players understand positioning and spatial awareness. But the last thing you want to do is lock players into specific and rigid roles by saying, "You stay here and you stay there." That's not the way the game ought to be played.
For instance, one thing I hate to see in training is a long line of girls waiting for their turn to go through a maze to practice dribbling. This methodology is totally unnecessary because players can do all the dribbling they need through free movement, where everybody's learning to be aware of space by being creative and improvising. That's how the actual game of soccer is played.
There are, however, specific activities I'd suggest as teaching tools. You can teach passing, for instance, by having the kids stand and pass the ball back and forth, but it's going to get pretty boring for them rather quickly. Instead, you can say, "OK, here's the game. We're going to see how many passes you can get back and forth between you and your teammate in 30 seconds. You're going to keep your own score. I expect everybody to be honest with the score and if the ball goes wild, you've got to go get it together and continue playing from your new location."
What you've done is set up a little competition and it becomes fun. There's also a little bit of intensity and urgency to their play. It's not just a boring drill, it's now a competition. And to spice it up a little, don't always make it a matter of the girls competing against each other. Sometimes you can have them compete against the previous high score, the coach, or even the scores of their parents.
STRATEGY. With young children, strategy and the tactics of the game will come later rather than sooner. My youngest son, who's 10 years old, is playing 11v11 soccer now, and his coaches asked me to have a chalk talk with them.
As we talked about what systems of play I might share with the team, I said, "At this age group, you're really teaching technique rather than strategy. It may cost you some games in terms of wins and losses, but right now it's better to teach the techniques of the game much more often than putting them out on the field and telling them where to run and when to run there. Anyone can teach tactics. But you can't learn technique overnight."
(Excerpted from "Catch Them Being Good: Everything You need to Know to Successfully Coach Girls" by Tony DiCicco, Colleen Hacker & Charles Salzberg courtesy of Penquin Books.)
Tony DiCicco coached the U.S. women's national team to the 1996 Olympic Gold Medal and the 1999 Women's World Cup title. DiCicco, founder and director of SoccerPlus Camps , will be the Boston Breakers head coach when the club begins play in April of 2009 in the new women's professional soccer league. He is currently coach of the U.S. U-20 women's national team.
I spoke to Tom this afternoon and we hope to meet for a beer after the Flames / Colorado game tonight. Craig Conroy is celebrating his 1000th NHL game. Pretty good for a late round draft choice, then attending college, then starting in the minors. He said he was hoping to just make one game in the league... then 400 games (to be NHLPA Pension-eligible)... and now 1000! Congrats to a classy guy!
So... as per the conversation I had with Tom today - he wants to refrain from commenting on this thread because he believes that people see that he was the last one to post, and they might read it, then leave without adding a comment. (I said to go ahead as I plan on posting more myself!)
Tom is hoping (as am I!) that other people will chime in here. I know I have been guilty of reading and leaving in the past without contributing, but I want to help keep this site going and hear from some other people. I can't always take the time to get onto this sit... and even post, but I am going to try to get on here at least once a week now.
There must be some people reading because Tom said he had over 100,000 or 1 M hits or something... A few guys who I have read on here before (Pops Ryan, Kai, etc.) - where are you guys? Hello? Please come back and post up!
So please people - comment on this thread or start another!
Let's do it!
Thanks in advance!
I'm guilty if not posting as much anymore since the site changed. Not sure why though. I still read all the posts. Either way, I will try to chime in a little more as well to help generate more discussion as the site has been such a great crutch for me since I first visited it eight years ago.
On the topic of teaching habits, I had developed a theory with other coaching friends after similar discussions that coaches/former players, despite age and deteriorating skills, could still hang with the youngsters in alumni games, shinny, etc. My feeling was that when I play now(which is rare), I see the game much differently then when I played. I felt I was in the right position more often, followed the skills I had been teaching, but never really practicing. So, our hypothesis was if we had the players teach a skill, it might sink in easier.
Anyways... This lead to an idea that was tested in practice where we coaches would bring three or four of the players (Junior age) down to one end of the rink while the rest played a cross ice game. These players we demonstrated a specific skill. In this case, (A couple years ago) we showed how we would like the players to pin the opposition in the corner. Stick position, feet position, extra arm (this was all legal at the time but it feels strange to talk about now), etc. were all explained. After three or four minutes of explaining, demonstrating, and having them show us to assure that they had it right, those players then had to teach four more players, then those four had to teach for more, etc. until all players had taken a turn learning from one of their teammates and also teaching one of their teammates. At the end, all the players gathered while the final four guys explained it to us coaches again. If they explained it correctly, they were rewarded. If not, a short team skate ensued.
It went well and was a great way with older players to get them to interact early and help in determining leadership. Downside was that it would consume a fair amount of practice time to get everyone through.
Just wanted to say this site is great and very informative. Thank you Tom for all of the information that you share. I included an article in Minnesota's popular hockey newspaper Lets Play Hockey.
X’s & O’s: How much is enough?
By Jack Blatherwick
Let’s Play Hockey Columnist
I overheard some PeeWees talking enthusiastically about their greatest ambition in hockey. One said, “I want to be just like Sidney Crosby.†For another it was Ovechkin. Names like Datsyuk, Phaneuf, Kane and Chara also came up. And then the shocker … one of them said, “I want to be an X, or maybe an O. I haven’t decided yet.â€
Huh? Then I woke up. It was a bad dream, and of course, we’ll never hear that from a young player. But they hear it from us all the time. We draw X’s and O’s on the board so often it might seem that the mission for each game is, “Be a good X.â€
I’m no expert, by any means, when it comes to teaching hockey to kids who are smaller than their equipment bags. In fact, I wonder why they have so darn much equipment they need fathers or wheels to get the bag from the car to the rink. But that’s another topic.
Should beginners be taught how to line up for a faceoff before they know what to do after the puck drops? Should there be right wings and left? Defensemen and forwards? Should we teach breakout systems before kids can receive passes? Power plays before deception, creativity and interdependence?
What about a 2-1-2 forecheck before they can skate the length of the ice to get to the offensive zone? Heck, what about an inflexible forecheck system at any age?
I’ve watched these X’s and O’s forever, and then I see smart players do what seems to be a pretty smart thing — go where the puck will be next. Try teaching that with X’s and O’s.
I make no argument against teaching good, sound defensive systems at certain ages. The important question is: at what age do we teach various systems?
Craig Johnson, from Hill-Murray and the U of M, eventually played NHL, Olympic and European professional hockey. He now coaches 8-year-olds in Los Angeles and sends Christmas greetings to old friends in Minnesota. He also had to let us know they do play hockey in places where coaches head to the golf course after skating instead of heading home to shovel the sidewalk.
Having just coached against a team of 10-year-olds that used the neutral zone trap, Craig, and all players who have competed at elite levels, would like youth coaches to realize that this over-emphasis on systems at young ages is a sure way to stunt the development of their players.
“It’s a shame,†he said. “Defensemen not allowed to join the rush — forwards taught to dump it deep and forecheck only one (X) — chipping the puck out of the defensive zone without trying to make a pass.â€
Johnson relays a story from a Swedish coach who has been instrumental in shaping the direction of their youth program. A few years ago, another European country (we will not name) wanted desperately to “pass up the Swedes†in developing great players. So they had their youth coaches teach systems more than ever, in order to gain a “winning spirit.†Sure enough, their young teams beat the Swedes. But there was no panic, as the Swedes went about teaching skills, athleticism, creativity and synergy in their small-sided scrimmage drills. For a picture of what this looks like, watch any NHL game, and you’ll see Swedes demonstrate how to play hockey. Better yet, replay the last Olympic gold medal game.
Of course, as these same players (from the un-named country) got older, they started to lose to the Swedes, and eventually were not able to compete with them at all. Swedish development is not about winning games at young ages. In the U.S. our emphasis on winning deprives children of the oppportunity to learn by trial and error. It also encourages coaches to teach systems before developing competitive skills.
Adults have an unhealthy need to win in youth sports, making it difficult to accept the mistakes and failures of their children. Johnson points out that getting beat — personally and as a team — then bouncing back is as much a part of the development process as having success.
“For every highlight goal by a forward, there is a defenseman getting beat, and given time to develop, that defenseman might become a Scott Niedermeyer,†Johnson said.
There is a proposal brewing to limit the number of games, but a rule about two or three games per week is missing the point. It’s not the number of games, but the way they are conducted that is destructive. There should be no games where adult egos are more important than youth development and fun.
Hi
I haven't coached for several years but am now back.
I love an active forum with lots of contributors and free exchange of ideas.
I'll do my best to check in every few days. Really enjoyed reading this thread.
I think the a big part of the art of coaching is realizing that there is always more to learn.
Coach for Success
Eric, Pioneer and Anon...
Thanks for posting! I couldn't believe three people posted after my last appeal! Awesome! Keep it coming!
Eric - I love the idea you shared about peer teaching. It provides a great leadership opportunity, greater understanding of the subject matter for all involved and then accountability at the end (to help reinforce listening, learning and doing!) After all, one should try to engage the players to 'think' the game based upon a deeper understanding than "go over here and do this!"
Pioneer - I too am going to post a few of Jack's articles that pertain to the art of coaching. Thanks for sharing this one!
Anon - I agree; learning is a continuous process and it is amazing just how much 'more' info is out there... Just when we think we are fairly competent - BLAMMO - we find even more info!
Looking forward to more posts from you three and hopefully others!
I went for diet cokes tonight with a Colombian, a Peruvian, a German, a Finn, and a guy from the Netherlands. Quite the coaching discussion. (Tom you were missed but another time...!) Soccer, hockey, floorball, coaching in general and a discussion of politics made for an interesting evening... as did the schooners of beer! The Colombian and I are now looking at Finland in the summer of 2011 to perhaps run a week long hockey / soccer / Smart Transitional Games / coaching clinic.
Looking forward to Coaching Day in Southern Alberta Saturday! Flames, Capitals and Hitmen are presenting (via Hockey Canada and Hockey Alberta.)
Eric, great idea about Peer Coaching. I have a development group 2 mornings a week. Half were there last year and are good players and the other half just started and are a year or two younger, some with ok skills and a few beginners. Once last week and yesterday I paired the more advanced with the beginners and the advanced with the younger ok players and they gave them one on one instruction on puck handling and passing.
I reviewed what I wanted stressed before and let them work together about ten minutes. I think they probably listen to players they look up to more than to an adult.
It is a great way to review skills because the one instructing has to focus on good technique and the less skilled player gets some one on one time which is hard for a coach with 15-20 players on the ice.
Dean, great to see you got some discussion going on this site.
Coachy
Great Post Dean-
My season just started so I haven't had a lot of time to jump in here, but here are a few thoughts / observations.
I had the opportunity to go to a coaching clinic put on by some high level division 1 college coaches this summer and came to the conclusion that good habits are what separate an average team / player / coach from an above average one. Simple little things like calling for the pass, stopping in front of the net, and shooting in stride make very big differences. One phrase that was repeated over and over again was "it's that simple," and I'm starting to believe it is.
This season I've been trying to stick to Tom's ABC model....break down / teach a skill, drill the skill, make it a little more game-like,then apply it in small games. I'm amazed at how often kids can perform a skill in a drill but can't apply it in a game-like situation.....we have developed a bunch of drill players rather than game players. Just like in classroom teaching, if they can't apply it on their own they haven't really learned it.
So the question for you all is: What are your top 3 player habits in your opinion, and what do you do to ingrain them?
Thanks again for the post.
Dave
DMan
DMan,
Good question. I think that the habits will be different with each age group it I'll give it a whirl.
I have 16-20 year olds. It's pretty hard to narrow it down to three things but these are the most common that we repeat on a regular basis.
Forwards:
1. Keeping their feet moving on the forecheck... especially the last 15 feet before making contact.
2. Eliminate looking down at the puck before shooting.
3. Communicating.
Defense:
1. Keeping puck off backhand and not stickhandling.
2. Shoulder check while retrieving dumped pucks.
3. Stick on puck in D-zone coverage.
We get a lot of practice time but we remind players on a regular basis before every drill when their trying to accomplish. Finding a different way to say the same thing is one of the biggest challenges we face. We read books, watch tv shows and movies on coaching, etc.
We talk about competing hard and battling all over the ice in every meeting, every on-ice discussion, before every drill so that it becomes part of them. We even started "priming" this year, which is a psychological term for trying to get a specific message across subconsciously through sensory images, sounds, and/or smells.
Thanks for the posts, Coachy and DMan! I told Tom I would try to get things moving on the site (when I have time!) I am busy teaching skill academies in the mornings, doing some coach development and evaluation stuff for Hockey Canada / Hockey Alberta, private coach mentoring, plus working on writing a book about Smart Transitional Games... plus playing dad to two young 'uns!
DMan, After designing purposeful, game-like practices, attention to detail and holding people accountable (to help develop and reinforce positive practice habits) are probably the most critical action steps a coach can take - once he or she understands the game at a high level (and also understands, that he or she never "knows it all" - and is always seeking new experiences and knowledge!) This attention to detail includes teaching life skills and doing what you say you are going to do. I will relate a story below...
I remember I coached a Midget AAA team back in the mid-1990's. WHL scouts told me we didn't have much in the way of returning talent or incoming players. A pre-season poll picked us to finish out of the playoffs (top 4 made playoffs) in 7th place (out of 8 teams in the south division.) Fortunately, I had learned the importance of good practice habits and how to manage players in this regard based on working with Tom Renney and Mike Johnston for a year with Canada's National Men's team. They got a lot of mileage out of predominantly minor league players - some would say the team overachieved. But that is what great coaches do!
I presented my expectations to the kids trying out and told them they would all receive a fair tryout; detailed the process, etc. I didn't have any preconceived knowledge (other than what I found out from talking to the kids previous coaches) or history with any of the kids and their parents (baggage). In the first week, I cut two of my seven returning veterans - a 17 year old D and G. The D was voted the top D-man in the league the year previous as a 16 year-old and the G had put up excellent numbers. However, they didn't work hard, rested on their laurels, and tried to take shortcuts! I talked to them individually the first time I had issues with them (Strike 1); told them that wasn't the standard of performance I expected; and told them specifically how they needed to demonstrate better behaviour. I also told them that if the shortcutting happened again, or if they did anything to further harm my trust in them, that they would be released.
They both tried to shortcut the team run two days later. They hid in the bushes while all the other kids ran out to the turn around point and back. The two vets then rejoined the kids. Of course, all the other kids saw this... but so did the coaching staff as we always had someone at the turnaround point to watch... or we ran with them... or we watched from other vantage points. (Amazing how dumb the kids thought we were!) I met with both kids separately right after the run, asked them if they completed the entire run (which they both said yes), then told them they were lying as we had seen them cheat. Not only did they shortcut, they lied. Both kids cried and beg for another chance, but in my books, they had burned their bridge with me. Not only was it important to do what I said I would do, this sent a powerful message to the other kids trying out. They were waiting... wondering if I would 'see' the short-cutting and if I did, if I had the guts to follow up on my promises.
I did. It was easy. I didn't have to make a decision... I just had to uphold my word. When one clearly understands one's coaching philosophy and can articulate it, things fall into place.
This action made a huge impact on the other kids. They were pretty observant; following up on my words with action helped me be seen as someone who could be respected and trusted. The other kids toed the line all year, knowing I was a man of my word and I wouldn't put up with any guff. It wasn't all roses; we had our minor discipline issues like all teams do. But the kids knew I was punishing the behaviour - it was never personal - and it was for the betterment of the individual and team. Plus I had spelled things out in advance and followed through.
Ten years later, one of the kids that made that team, told me that my words and actions - to cut two significant vets - really set the table for the success that we had that season. He said the other kids were mad at the two short-cutters, and were extremely glad that they had been cut. Lonnie said that by doing this, the kids admired us and worked even harder to show that they believed in our message. He said it cemented out team chemistry and they were prepared to go into battle with me - and to give that little extra! He told me he still demands that his players do the same things that I asked Lonnie to do way back then - stop at the net to look for rebounds; come off skating - not coasting - on line changes; play your same puck in practice (don't pick up one that's closer or easier); finish your play... play until the whistle. (The funny thing was, Lonnie bought in SO well that a few times during the early part of the season, he caught himself skating past the net in a game - you could see the realization by his body language - and he stopped like he was going to get down on the ice and do 10 pushups right there and then! "Lonnie, get your ass back into the play!" I yelled, as the play was continuing up the ice towards our end, and once he came off, he would sheepishly apologize to me and the team for "doing a fly-by" and do the pushups on the bench!)
Lonnie went on to coach this same Midget AAA team, as well as a number of other minor hockey teams in the association, and even assisted me later with a university team for a year. He came full circle from player to coach to mentor and it was very gratifying to see him evolve - and what he told me about the team ten years previous really helped reinforce my understanding of the significant impact a coach can have.
We finished 4th in the south division that year (made the playoffs) but got swept in the first round by the team that would represent the west at the Air Canada Cup. Their coach, Dan MacDonald, is a former WHL, Junior A and college coach. He is also a teacher of 25 + years (who specialized in teaching the kids who were tossed out of the regular school system.) A great coach and someone who I have become friends with over the years. Dan is still teaching and coaching minor hockey. Lucky kids!
Two of our kids were listed by WHL teams. One just missed winning a Memorial Cup (got drafted by Florida) but has gone on to play several years in the AHL, a few seasons in the NHL and is making a good career for himself in Europe in the DEL. I still run into Mike every once in a while, and he has a similar story to tell about those two short-cutters - and how I helped him realize that he could play at a higher level if he worked hard (make him capable and confident!) He said that by holding him accountable to the little things, (which including me benching him for taking needless and unsportsmanlike penalties) that helped develop his consistency, which led to him wearing a letter in the WHL and beyond.
Several other kids went on to play Junior A and a few garnered scholarships or went to college as walk-on's. The best part was seeing that for the most part, they had a positive experience (I know not all of them liked me) and learned life skills. Sadly, a couple of them went a little sideways with drugs and booze later on after their junior careers. I still wonder and worry about one kid in particular as I hear he is struggling. (Our kids primarily came from a low SES district / tough neigbourhoods - lots of challenges, to put it mildly. But overall, they were great kids. I didn't dislike one kid.)
Finally... whatever happened to the two kids I cut? The all-star D made the top Alberta Junior A team that year right after I released him, but was eventually cut a month later - allegedly due to his poor work ethic. He ended up playing Midget AA as a 17 year-old... made the first all-star team (he was a phenomenal skater and had the hardest slapshot in the league in Midget AAA!) then went to play Junior A / Junior B as an 18 year-old. I don't know if he played after that - I heard he gained a ton of weight and was working in the oil patch. Sadly, the other kid played Junior B and was dealing drugs. I heard he allegedly died of an overdose a few years later - before he was 22.
Long story, but it is one that I will never forget as I learned a lot about the power coaches have... I hope you learn from it too!
A continuation from DMan's post...
]"...we have developed a bunch of drill players rather than game players. Just like in classroom teaching, if they can't apply it on their own they haven't really learned it.
So the question for you all is: What are your top 3 player habits in your opinion, and what do you do to ingrain them?
Thanks again for the post.
Dave"
I agree 100% with your comment that we are creating drill players (robots who can't think - just do as we tell them - take orders - it might work for the military, but hockey is a fluid game that requires split-second decisions) - that is why it is so important to get the players to understand the reasons behind "why" we do something! Educate them in Hockey 101... like what Eric said above - watch games, read books, have discussions with a purpose. Playing games (rather than drills) help players improve their read and react skills as well as developing Game Sense!
Practice is for the coach. Questioning and feedback on behalf of the coach should occur more here. Games are for the players. Coaches should learn to shut up (myself included) and observe. Let the players play... and make mistakes. If they have a question, they will ask you. sometimes you may need to ask a player what they say out there... have them take responsibility to determine what worked, what didn't and perhaps what they would do differently next time in the same or similar situation. The coach stays calm, composed and zen-master-like... making mental notes for questions to ask during the intermission... and to help apply towards future practice designs. This ain't football where the plays are clearly defined; with predictable stoppages; players wearing speakers in the helmet; time to look for signals from the bench, etc.
From coaching University women for three years and a U18 provincial team, the girls 'forced' me to be more prepared so far as being able to justify everything I said / did. They always wanted to know the purpose. They held me accountable if I didn't know, or gave them a crappy answer. They forced me to get better and I carry that over to when I coach boys / men.
Now when I mentor, I teach coaches to plan purposeful practices ("drills" - how I HATE that word! And "games" - how I LOVE that word) which involve healthy competition. I keep score and rewards / consequences are always on the line. This improves focus when listening to the Rules of Engagement (parameters), increases intensity during the execution phase, is FUN for the players (if they didn't love to compete, they would be somewhere else... and we wouldn't have a scoreboard!) with the added bonus of increasing fitness levels.
State the reason why you are doing the drill / game, explain or demo it, ask for questions, let them do it, and then when you bring the group back together afterward, ask the players how it went ... draw out the goods and bads on both sides of the puck (D and O) then try to bring closure to that drill (ie: relate it to a game situation and again - the "why" you did it) before you move onto the next one.
As for three player habits (there could be lots I could type here!)... but once you decide on these, you need to design your practices to allow for them to be practiced often (obviously!) and then ensure that you and your A/C's monitor them diligently and consistently.
(1) Play your puck with your head up, at speed (ie: in practice - chase your puck down and and finish your play! Don't shortcut by playing a different puck. The game is only played with one puck! If there is a bad pass, go back, become an option a second time; if it is off-side, go back and regroup... make the drill work. I am sure you can think of other situations to make this apply to your standards!) These habits encourage work ethic, determination, perseverance and taking pride in one's performance.
(2) Drive the net hard, stick down, be prepared to stop to play a rebound QUICKLY (you might only get 1 crack at a rebound in a game situation) or respond to the loose puck. This works on determination, quick hands / quick feet and the ability to make a quick play at speed and under pressure.
(3) Passes are to be hard, flat and on the tape. Stress direct passes on and to the forehand as much as possible. However, you will practice backhands, area, bank, aerial, saucer and rim passes as the game dictates which technique you can use. This works on passing, receiving and timing skills. (Passing and receiving start with the equipment- look at the stick length, lie, curve, thickness (junior, intermediate, adult), flex and material (wood - YAY! vs. Crap-om-po-site - this discussion is for another day!) Is it right for the individual?) This expectation eliminates fancy crap when it's not needed and teaches the kids to try to "play like a professional". It helps them with consistency. It bugs me when kids have all the time in the world, and they needlessly try to do a saucer pass... when hard and flat would be a much superior option!
Regarding habits - I am a firm believer in the Spartan Way.
According to history, the Spartans practiced warfare realistically and with an incredible discipline. From being old enough to hold a weapon, they trained harder than they would ever experience in war. (They had to start young with the 10,000 hours principle as the infant mortality rates were much higher and overall life expectancies were shorter...) Their enemies feared facing them as the Spartan's had a well-deserved reputation as the most skilled, fiercest fighters in the world. They competed to the death! So when they went to war, relatively speaking, the conditions were much better - food, water, treatment, etc. - they looked forward to the 'break' from their high levels of training and the actual fighting seemed like an afterthought.
I am not trying to minimize the people who have served in the military; rather using an analogy here to make my point. Sport does have it's roots in ancient times as a means for one country to compete against another - as a slightly more peaceful way of settling disputes.
Here is how I see the Spartan Way when put into sport terms:
A. Develop the basic skills (skating, puck control (passing, receiving, dribbling), shooting, checking). Repetition is king!
B. Refine the skills - ensuring the head is UP - and while moving.
C. Increase the speed or pace at which the skills can be executed (no other pressure.)
D. Now add increasing amounts / forms of pressure - time, space, obstacles, conditions, etc. (You are working towards making the situation HARDER than what is experienced in a game!)
E. Now expect the skills can be carried out successfully AT SPEED, UNDER PRESSURE, ON DEMAND!
Your practices should be more mentally and physically taxing than games... so when it comes time to play, it seems like a vacation in comparison. Your players will thank you for it. Winning will take care of itself. Personal bests, exceptional individual and team performance are what the players should be striving for! After all, people can only control themselves... (performance) - not the scoreboard (outcome.)
And that is the Spartan Way!
Constructive Approach Determines Improvement
By Jack Blatherwick
The improvement a team and individual players make over a season is almost completely determined by how constructively each event is handled — by players, coaches, and parents. The operant word is “constructive,” not necessarily “positive” or “negative.” For example, I’m not suggesting that a positive spin should be attached to every bad performance — or that negative language by a coach is always counterproductive (just most the time).
The realistic objective for every player and every team is improvement — and it is the ultimate measure of a coach. Given the level of talent and competitiveness at the start of a season, not every team can win — and some can’t help but win. Therefore, a coach’s job is to find ways to improve, whether it is made more difficult by disappointing losses or by too many “easy” wins.
Of course, another important coaching objective is teaching young athletes to be good people — to accept and deal appropriately with strengths and weaknesses of team-mates, opponents, officials, and of one’s self. This is certainly not an easy job, given the level of competitiveness we encourage in our athletes. However, that responsibility is a different topic.
Today’s question is this: how much difference does it really make to use constructive language, to search for constructive solutions to each problem?
If it is universally agreed that a coach’s job is to find ways to improve, it follows that he/she should always be searching for a constructive solution — no matter what happens. In the heat of the battle, this is difficult, of course — probably impossible — but it is the direction toward which we must strive. If our reaction to a bad mistake or a poor effort is to yell at players, simply because we’re mad — because we personally can’t handle the embarrassment, then we are failing, not the players.
In this, every coach will certainly fail many times, because the standard is so high and the trials so difficult. I’ve failed hundreds of times — as a head coach and as an assistant, but if we start the season, knowing that our mission is improvement, then we must also dedicate ourselves to the difficult task of finding constructive solutions.
Maybe we have to bite our tongue — count to five — close our eyes and visualize the end result. I don’t have the answers — only the challenge, because every time I acted out of rage, I was sorry at a later, rational moment. Sarcasm, rage, and even calm, consistent negative feedback will destroy a season. In fact, this kind of language is likely to overcome the greatest physical efforts, even in off-ice training.
Consider — as a single example of the entire athletic experience — the effects of sarcasm in the weight room. A skinny, weak athlete obviously needs strength training more than anyone, but it can be very intimidating to try hard when best efforts are substandard and targeted for ridicule by friends. This is similar to the experience of weaker players on a hockey team; but on the ice it is one step worse, because substandard performances might cause the team to lose.
Of all places where it should be obvious that ability level means nothing and improvement is everything, the weight room should be free from language that is counterproductive. Every athlete, male or female, weak or strong, is in the weight room to get better.
In a dream world it would be totally irrelevant what others think or do, but the reality is that it matters a great deal to a teen-ager what his peers think. And it matters on the ice as well.
The beginner needs encouragement, not sarcasm, to start his strength program. If the environment is intimidating, the natural reaction is to force a public laugh at our own weakness, then make a conservative effort, rather than go all out for improvement. There are few athletes willing to make a maximum effort, knowing their performance will ultimately be substandard.
On the ice, a team that uses sarcasm will not improve as fast as one that creates a constructive, learning atmosphere: highlighting effort, creativity, improvement, or successful performance of ‘small’ responsibilities.
I’ve worked on teams that find fault whenever things go wrong. After each opposition goal the coach points the finger, sometimes in an abusive or sarcastic tone, sometimes in a calm, analytical manner. The result is predictable: the disease spreads rapidly, and pretty soon players are doing the same, ultimately becoming less willing to acknowledge their own weaknesses.
If we looked rationally — not allowing the rage of a bad moment guide our next move — we would conclude that our job, when athletes fail, is no different than that of a classroom teacher or a track coach. When a track athlete trips on a hurdle in competition, the coach doesn’t act out of rage. His actions are predictable: there is a constructive, logical plan to get better. What is it about team sports that makes, or allows us to act differently?
There will be no improvement if present weaknesses are perceived as failure — if lesser-skilled players are targeted for sarcasm — if the coach hollers or makes a gesture publicly, so everyone in the arena knows this mistake was not the coach’s fault.
Consider how devastating sarcasm or negativity can be to a team that emphasizes practicing and playing above the present comfort zone. By definition, this type of practice is meant to expose weaknesses, attempting to execute all skills at an uncomfortable pace, so that sometime later — perhaps in the playoffs — we’ll be comfortable at this tempo.
But if sarcastic peer pressure causes us to practice or play in a shell, to withdraw a little and be conservative, we will not make progress. If we’re afraid to fall in practice attempting a corner at high tempo, we won’t push our comfort zone to new limits. If our stick skills are weak when we attempt them while skating fast, and if our coach acts like this is a failure, we’ll just step back and practice slowly.
It takes a rare athlete to attempt uncomfortable skills or lift heavier weights if there’s a good chance that failure will lead to disparagement from peers or coaches.
Remember, sarcasm is never a meaningless, funny comment. It always contains an element of truth. We don’t make a sarcastic remark about someone’s skinny (or fat) body if they look like Arnold Schwarzenegger. We don’t make fun of someone’s skating ability if they skate like Troy Riddle.
Sarcasm hurts. Improvement stops dead when a team acquires a tone of negativity; therefore, player self-esteem is the top priority for every coach.
Thanks Dean & Eric,
I like the story of letting the talented players go because of poor work ethics. We did a similar thing this year and I notice a much different attitude among the players; they are starting to realize that it's not about popularity, seniority or innate talent, it's about having your head in the game and competing each day. Those that do get rewarded, and are hopefully encourage to do more. Those that don't see the negative result in the form of action instead of words, and I think it allows the coach to focus more on the positive. It reminds me that I went through a few ups and downs as a player, and the coaches that never let me get too comfortable helped me develop the most. One or two "wake-up calls" in high school and college stand out as defining moments where I had to make a personal decision on whether or not I was ready & willing to give/exert more. I wanted to kick those coaches skates out from under them at the time, but they were really doing me a favor and elevating my game in the process.
I get the sense the habits discussion could go on forever, and I appreciate the ideas. Dean, I'm ready for the wood vs composite debate right now! I'll start the thread....please chime in if you have an opinion.
DMan
Dave,
+1 to your comments on releasing lazy players and to sharing your own experiences.
I did respond to your post on the sticks... now I need to calm down and enjoy a beer... a 10% beer! (We brew 'em right up here in Canada!)
Please indulge me on my passion for the art of coaching. I have more stuff to post and will most likely continue this thread. I appreciate all your input!
PS I attended "Coaching Day in Southern Alberta" today. I have lots of video from the Flames, Capitals and Calgary Hitmen practices (plus some from a Flames practice Tuesday before playing the Oilers.) I will try to get the footage to Tom in the next week or two so he can weave his editing magic and pull some clips, post some practice jpegs and text descriptions. Gotta keep him busy and help provide content for his Daily Drill thread.
CRAP - Ovie scored twice in a row a few seconds apart... 3-2 Crapitals in period 2 @ 3:55
Coaches win by the way they conduct practice
By Jack Blatherwick Let's Play Hockey Columnist
One of the most important jobs of a coach — at any level — is to ensure that each practice is challenging and constructive. There is no better reward for motivated athletes.
However, at the youth level, many kids are not yet highly motivated, and most have not experienced firsthand the connection between hard work and improvement – the sheer joy of learning.
It would seem to this novice – having never coached at a level where players need help tying their skates – that one of the primary lessons must be to make this connection obvious. Practices must always be about improvement – not necessarily entertainment. Kids should know – and coaches should remind them a hundred times – how much better they've gotten at a certain skill.
I'm advocating constructive practices, not necessarily entertaining ones, because there is a growing trend toward making youth hockey as entertaining as a TV show, increasing the glitz at games, passing out trophies to consolation losers in weekend tournaments, singling out individuals as if they did it themselves, making practices "fun" by adding games that don't resemble hockey — all in an effort to entertain.
As if hockey should be in competition with TV.
Please don't misunderstand; I'm not saying entertainment is bad. I've seen great coaches at every level, and no two of them do it the same way. Some are entertainers; some are not. Some believe in a lot of variety – day-to-day or minute-to-minute; some might stick with the same drill for 45 minutes, boring a casual observer to tears. Some yell; others talk quietly; some say very little.
Some believe that players should laugh in practice; others are dead serious and their players wouldn't think of laughing – at least when the coach is looking.
However, one of the common denominators is that every great hockey coach is absolutely passionate about practice – passionate enough to plan for hours – and excited to get on the ice and orchestrate improvement. This is where a great coach makes a difference. Kids are pretty darn good at having fun on their own – at finding entertainment – at laughing.
But even the most motivated players are not often capable of practicing constructively without coaches. As they get older, some might practice very hard – even to the point of overtraining, but it is simply not in the nature of most players to practice skills uncomfortably – the way those skills are likely to be tested in a game.
This is what the old Soviet coaches like Anatoli Tarasov did better than most. They constantly pushed players out of their comfort zone – not just in practicing at a faster pace, but elevating the comfort zone of every skill. When players could shoot, then they were pushed to shoot in awkward situations — the way it would be in the most intense games. Multi-tasking: stickhandling while skating and looking for other players to cross paths.
Consider how often in practice a player is forced to shoot before he/she is completely comfortable – before dribbling and coasting to get ready. Stop to think about the drills we design where the shooter is skating straight at the net from the neutral zone. In a game, practically no shot will be made under these comfortable conditions. Instead, the shot will have to be released instantly after making a quick cut to the side to gain some space from the D.
If players are left to their own practice habits, they will choose to shoot within their comfort zone. It's much more fun to impress friends with a wicked hard shot when you're skating straight toward the net. If players made the choice, shooting practice would be dropping a bucket of pucks 20 feet out, winding up, transferring body weight and leaning into the shot.
While learning, of course, there must be thousands of shots under these comfortable conditions, just like skating skills must be practiced slowly and perfectly before picking up the pace. There must also be simplified stickhandling drills before doing it while skating at top speed.
However, all skill learning is sequential, and eventually the coach must elevate the comfort zone, or players would rarely be able to get shots off in games. Tarasov said in each of his books, "Players did not like this (pushing them out of their comfort zone). They complained to the coaches, but we told them this is the way it would be. We are not here to entertain you."
Then the coaches made practices even more uncomfortable — sometimes tripping players as they skated past them — sometimes dulling the edges of skate blades — but always pushing them into more stressful situations in practice. Then the games would be comfortable for the Soviets and stressful for their opponents.
We are not here to entertain you. I don't think that line will make it into HOCKEY MOM'S publication.
Constructive … that's the operative word; not entertaining. The critical coaching step is thorough planning. If coaches have a clear picture before practice exactly where the improvement should come, players will feel the difference by the end of the hour. This is the first step in learning the simple equation: Fun = Improvement.
Jack Blatherwick, Ph.D., is a physiologist for the Washington Capitals.
Don't be a spectator coach
By Jack Blatherwick Let's Play Hockey Columnist
After coaching his team to three national championships at the University of Minnesota — after winning the Olympic Gold Medal at Lake Placid in 1980 — after coaching four NHL teams — Herb Brooks would quietly visit practices of youth and high school teams to learn.
He would invariably find a practice drill he thought would be constructive for his own team, perhaps in modified form. But when he saw a coach who simply diagrammed the drill, then leaned on the wall and let the team take the drill wherever they chose, he'd say, "Now there's a spectator coach. Those kids would be better off just scrimmaging."
"You must have a purpose — a reason to include the drill," he'd say. "Your job is just starting when you explain the drill. A good coach is constantly evaluating the progress toward that purpose. Get involved. Teach on the fly. Push. Prod. Be a coach, not a spectator."
Recently, I watched a bantam practice in Maryland, with Coach Brooks' advice in mind. The two coaches had excellent drills, but the missing ingredient was a well-defined purpose.
This became obvious toward the end of each drill. If it was a skating, passing, shooting drill, the shot — like thousands of shots taken in most practices — was an after-thought to the players. Think of it. The most important part of the drill was done with the least amount of intensity and focus.
At this critical, bottom-line point, the Russian coaches set the standard much higher, and teach young players to get shots off in realistic situations. Perhaps there is a fake, followed by a sharp cut and quick release before the shooter feels comfortable. Then each forward drives to the net for a rebound.
In a brain-dead practice, every shot is taken while the shooter is comfortable — while he coasts or skates straight toward the goal. This is a shot that rarely comes up in competition. So naturally, the goalie just sits on his angle; the shooter practices something that never happens; and the coach falls asleep.
The highlight of this bantam practice was a cool-looking, complicated drill at the start — some passing, a shot from the point, and then a full-ice 1-on-1 to the other end. The coaches started the drill by passing to a forward, so things went fairly well on this end of the ice. However, as the 1-on-1 moved toward the other end, things devolved into chaos.
If the forward became frustrated after losing the puck — from his own failures or because the D poked it off his stick — he just quit. If the D got faked out slightly by the forward — he also quit. In other words, the unintended message was … when competition gets a little frustrating, just quit.
The coaches hadn't identified what they were trying to teach in the 1-on-1 drill. If they had, one coach would have followed closely behind the forward, encouraging — demanding a second and third effort, especially when things didn't go smoothly. After all, when skills break down in a game, quitting isn't an option.
A defenseman coach should have insisted that the D never stop competing — not only because this is absolutely the most important quality a defenseman can have. But the defenseman might just learn he can really make a difference — perhaps even catch the forward after falling for a fake.
The finish to any drill can never be left to the players. A competitive drill must teach second and third effort, and it doesn't end until the coach is satisfied the lesson has been learned. A shooting drill ends when the forward has become a better goal-scorer — not when he tosses a meaningless shot in the direction of the goalkeeper.
Even a skating drill must finish with greater effort than at the start, because players will find they are capable of greater effort when they are slightly fatigued than they might have thought. They should definitely not learn that when they get a little tired, they can just slow down and coast.
If a coach becomes a spectator during drills, bad habits are inadvertently taught. It is much better to scrimmage — every day for the entire hour — then to teach anti-competitive habits from brain-dead drills.
We seem to be victims of our own coaching clinics, and believe that a good practice must have a bunch of creative, cool-looking drills.
Good drills play an important role in the learning process, of course. "Good drills" … as in drills that are well-coached. But drills in which the coach allows brain-dead repetitions are counterproductive.
In a scrimmage or game-like setting, players are unlikely to quit, and when they arrive at the bottom line — the point where they might score or a defender might prevent a goal — there will be a higher level of intensity than at any other point of the practice.
If you have no lesson to teach in a given drill — if there is no well-defined purpose — forget it. Close the drill book and scrimmage in any number of creative ways. The game of hockey will produce a million opportunities for an active coach to be a constructive teacher.
Jack Blatherwick, Ph.D., is a physiologist for the Washington Capitals.
Dean,
You sure know how to guilt a guy into posting.......
Thanks to all for the input. I have a group that's pretty rough around the edges this year, so here's what we've been focusing on for good habits....I welcome any feedback.
1) Skating low (helps everything)
2) Stick on the puck (defense)
3) Calling for the pass and exaggerating the target (offense)
4) Offensive triangle on attack
4) Carry the puck on the forehand & in power (Tom calls it "triple threat") position whenever you can.
I've been keeping it real simple and trying to minimize extra puck-handling, passes and touches wherever possible. Using small games a lot in practice, starting to integrate transition games too.
On another note I really like Kai's video of team Finland a little while back.....never thought of the advantages of having the puck in the center of the ice through the neutral zone....hope to work on that next. Also never heard the term "the big ice" before reading Tom's books, and the videos sure help (though my Finish needs help desperately). I'd love to see more video from those Pro practices if you can put it together.....I get so much from those.
First games this weekend. Time to work on special teams before leaving town. Thanks again for the info...have an Old Style Pilsner for me, eh?
DMan
Quote by: DManDean,
On another note I really like Kai's video of team Finland a little while back.....never thought of the advantages of having the puck in the center of the ice through the neutral zone....hope to work on that next. Also never heard the term "the big ice" before reading Tom's books, and the videos sure help (though my Finish needs help desperately). I'd love to see more video from those Pro practices if you can put it together.....I get so much from those.
Here's the video, and the attachment is the video's "manuscript" translated in to English.
It's great this forum is comming to life. I'll too try post more often.
Thanks Kai,
The translated slide show helps a lot......my Finnish is way worse than I thought! Great video, great points of emphasis. Thanks for sharing.
Dave
DMan
Quote by: DManDean,
You sure know how to guilt a guy into posting.......
Thanks to all for the input. I have a group that's pretty rough around the edges this year, so here's what we've been focusing on for good habits....I welcome any feedback.
1) Skating low (helps everything)
2) Stick on the puck (defense)
3) Calling for the pass and exaggerating the target (offense)
4) Offensive triangle on attack
4) Carry the puck on the forehand & in power (Tom calls it "triple threat") position whenever you can.
I've been keeping it real simple and trying to minimize extra puck-handling, passes and touches wherever possible. Using small games a lot in practice, starting to integrate transition games too.
On another note I really like Kai's video of team Finland a little while back.....never thought of the advantages of having the puck in the center of the ice through the neutral zone....hope to work on that next. Also never heard the term "the big ice" before reading Tom's books, and the videos sure help (though my Finish needs help desperately). I'd love to see more video from those Pro practices if you can put it together.....I get so much from those.
First games this weekend. Time to work on special teams before leaving town. Thanks again for the info...have an Old Style Pilsner for me, eh?
Kai,
Thanks for the .ppt and video. Erkka occupied a Coaching Chair position at Hockey Canada in the early 1990's when I was working there in Video Production. He was indeed a very smart student of the game and it is good to see he is still contributing. I enjoyed his booklet (1994) that was produced in conjunction with Hockey Canada - "Transition:From Game to Practice". Slava Lener previously occupied a Coaching Chair position (1992) and produced another book - "Transition: Defense to Offense".
Dave,
Please clarify - (1) what do you mean by skating low?
(3) For calling for the pass, I would also emphasize that we as coaches should continually emphasize playing "heads up" hockey... scan the ice, be aware of your surroundings and ultimately, eye contact and body language are the best ways to communicate. Calling for the pass alerts the defenders (takes away much of the element of surprise) and allows them to adjust their coverage accordingly.
My suggestion is to try playing drills and games with the "silence" rule - no talking / banging of sticks, etc - otherwise STOP! Now EVERYONE (offending team, non-offending team, goalies) does pushups, etc. Try not to use whistles to start / stop the drills / games (or at least minimize it). Teach the players they need to watch to know when to go and when to stop. It is beautiful. This forces the kids to use their eyes and ears and "sense" the game! As coaches, we should try to foster the independence of the individual athletes - rather than further enable their reliance on the coach. Trust me... I didn't believe it either - I always wanted kids to talk - now I have changed my mind. (Obviously, there is the odd time talking is beneficial...)
When I say this, I realize it is like the old saying... "if you want to sail the seas to discover new worlds, you need to to lose sight of the land." You need to get out of your comfort zone, (as do your players) and stay the course. You will feel like you are taking a huge risk, but once you 'break through' your comfort level, you will be rewarded!
When you say you are "trying to minimize extra puck-handling, passes and touches wherever possible" - I am presuming you are trying to reinforce one-touch passes (no dust!), push the puck ahead instead of over-handling it while carrying it, and quick release shots, etc?
I try to maximize puck touches in practice (pass and receive) to help develop skills. Again, I presume this is different than your meaning of "puck touches?"
I have given Tom my video camera with 4-5 pro practices on it and a major junior practice. He needs a Firewire cable to download it but is working on it... stay tuned.
Dave, I have selected a "Blue Monk Barley Wine" at 9.9% as my drink of choice for this evening's coaching roundtable discussion. Tom is invited, plus my new friend from Finland, Olli, "my Colombian" (John) and Danny from Peru is also on the docket. We should be able to solve some of the world's problems tonight.....!!! 
Dean,
Thanks for the feedback. A few points for clarification.
Skating low: We have a relatively unskilled group for their age, and they tend to play the game very straight-legged. By skating low I'm referring to deep knee bend / low center of gravity. I think this improves every aspect of a players game, but it's a hard thing to change. We spent a good deal of time in the weight room in the off-season trying to improve leg strength. It still needs a lot of attention and work though.
Calling for the pass: I like your idea of silent hockey. Unfortunately we already play silent hockey, but it's a different quality. I agree that calling tips off the defenders, but we are not at that level yet. For us communication speeds up our puck movement, which is a primary challenge.
Minimizing puck handling: We tend to overhandle the puck in game situations instead of driving / transitioning with the puck already in passing / shooting position. As a result we are very predictable to other teams because we have to pull the puck into position before passing or shooting. Again, we're dealing with much lower talent level than you do though.
Thanks again.....looking forward to that video. Sure wish you could attach one of those beers to your post....they sound awfully good.
ps. I played some pick-up yesterday with that wood stick I picked up and what a difference! I was able to spend way more time looking up at the play (what a concept) instead of playing catch-up with the puck. I'm inspired to convert some players. Thanks again.
DMan
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THE ART OF COACHING
Tom,
As per your Oct 26, 2010 posting under Diary of a Season and encouraging good practice habits (on behalf of the players), I appreciate your approach! I submit that we as coaches need to ensure we take the lead role to design the environment to develop good habits...
One of my biggest disappointments is that our coach certification (in Canada) seems to gloss over or ignore ‘the art of coaching.' Most, if not all of the topics presented at the clinics focus on team tactics and systems. Very little is provided in the realm of pedagogy - perhaps a cursory look at communication, practice planning, etc. I am not alone in this concern as I remember an article written my Mike Hartman on the old site last year (see below) – similarly lamenting the time spent on teaching coaches how to teach at coaching clinics.
This is something I started to champion several years ago during my 15+ years on various coaching committees with Hockey Alberta and Hockey Canada. Unfortunately, while lip service is paid to this, it seems that this area often gets excluded in order to focus more on additional tactics or systems. Perhaps coaches feel systems are sexier? I feel we need to teach the coaches 'how to teach’ instead of inundating them with 'patterned drills' and systems (too often, coaches are incapable of teaching the building blocks that MUST come before the tactics / systems.) Like yourself, I agree with the Hockey ABC’s approach – I hope to try to get people to understand that the game is the best teacher! I will keep on trying to be an agent of change.
I will continue to post my thoughts, along with a few articles I have found that are pertinent to this topic.
Although I have never attended a USA Hockey coaching clinic, I have read a lot of material from the various levels and spoken with several presenters and attendees. (I have viewed the new American Development Model material surrounding the Long Term Athlete Development. It is the same information developed by Istvan Balyi and Steve Norris for Hockey Canada and is now being exported to various sports and agencies throughout the world. I think HOW USA Hockey has presented it online to their coaches is much better than anything Canada has done to date.)
If anybody else has similar feelings; (or wishes to contradict me!) or questions, etc., please do so. I am hoping to generate some intelligent discussion on this forum.
Thanks!
Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."