My assistant coach in Salzburg played for about 20 years in the Austrian League. He is a huge guy about 6'4". He has been the video coach the last few years for the Red Bulls and he has been a guest coach with Florida for the past week. Here is a note he sent me about his experience. Sounds like a great experience.
Geri wrote: "Yes Tom! Great experience! Game against Winnipeg in the office with their videocoach! After the game great talk with my former salzburg teammate and now jets headcoach claude noel! 2 days with the panthers in their practice center! 2 days at bank atlantic center incl saturdays divisionwinner ag carolina! Small talks with their two germans sturm and goc! Great experience and lots of inputs for back hom! Tomorrow last day -then back home! Yannic is waiting for all his panthers stuff I get! All the best to you! Geri
(Yannic is his little boy about 5)
Concerning Crossing the Top Hand Over and Using Pylons
The video only shows skating forward and it also shows players crossing the top hand under on the forehand. This is a great way to go around pylons but in the last few years it has been discouraged because it is a weak position to shoot or pass from when the turn is finished. Instead bend the elbow back and slide the botton hand down to maintain a good passing and shooting posture.
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Also using pylons after a player is over 100 lbs. 45 kg. breaks the top of the ice and creates ruts for the next players after a few reps.
Another comment on the use of pylons for skills competition and testing.
Also reading research papers during my 9 years of university consitently points out that when you do studies you can't have variables like one skater being tested on clean, fast, smooth ice and compare him/her to the tenth skater going around a pylon on rough, snowy, rutty ice. The test is invalid.
Winsport Arenas: Canada Olympic Park
This is the Winsport Winter Facility at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary. There is a small ski hill that has ski jumping, skiing, moguls, piper, acrobatic skiing, hall of fame, training facility and this new facility with 3 practice rinks (seating at one end) and a 3500 seat arena all joined together. It also has indoor bobsled starting runs. The video is a few minutes.
It was built to be ready for the IIHF World U20 Championships this year.
http://www.hockeycoachingabcs.com/mediagallery/media.php?f=0&sort=0&s=20120410084922876
Here is a link to the Czech Ice Hockey Federation.
Off-ice training with old tires...
http://www.cslh.cz/clanek/667-video-pneumatika-ukazka-cviceni-pavel-arnost-.html
Courtesy Kevin Sullivan from Rhode Island.
If you do a search on YouTube, use HTA (Hockey Training Academy) and you will find some great videos.
http://www.youtube.com/user/ferrax16#g/u
There is a young boy, Jaromir Pytlik, who is featured in many of the videos. He is about 12 years old now but I have seen him on here at the age of 7 or 8. Highly skilled for his age!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdPLwWRxpdA&feature=plcp&context=C49b1cabVDvjVQa1PpcFNZppGAmMNR55Z1lpyvLMWtjlVNiST7LnQ%3D
This made me think, "Man is he talented!" But after I thought about it - No! "Man, has he worked hard and applied himself to many hours of training to become so good for his age." I don't think he is 'innately talented.' I think almost anyone could do this. It means you have to find your passion and then go for it! (It helps to have exposure and opportunity at the right times, too! But not overexposure, or you might burn out / quit.)
Finnish Hockey Instructional Video "Off-Ice Stick Handling"
I know the resolution isn't great, but watch (and admire!) how 'heads up' these kids are when they do all these exercises.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wd_ueEJD-EM&feature=related
As coaches, we really need to encourage this because that ability allows us to 'see the game' as it happens... and this allows us to make better decisions (we can see the available options, the time and space, the defenders, the clock, etc.)
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Dean that video has been on this site for a long time. It is the second half of this video.
http://www.hockeycoachingabcs.com/mediagallery/media.php?f=0&sort=0&s=20080727114215147
This topic is for general comments.
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This is a Youtube video of youth players doing off ice skills in the Czech Republic. It was sent to me by Kevin Sullivan who had it sent to him from Sweden. Good stuff and the other videos on the page also have great ideas.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31a4X6q2WUY&feature=related
'Enjoy the Game'