My former player Chuck Fletcher (Midget AA 82-83) just pulled off a great coup by signing both Parise and Suter. He must have learned that move in one of our drills.
It is important for the coach to be able to run efficient practices. Once the players know a practice formation and have done one drill or game from it there is no need to draw it up on the white board or if you do it simply requires a quick 30 second description of the new exercise. The coach can change activities by stopping the drill and adding players, passes or situations. Have a quick demo and then start without wasting time.
I will give some examples with video and some suggestions.
During hockey schools and tryouts when you have a lot of players the B4-C1 formation is very efficient for getting a lot of reps and doing many skills and situations from the same starting place.
You can do many situations from the same starting point. C1 is how we code the players lined up in the middle cicle. This practice formation allows the coach to run full length drills on each side of the ice or go one way and then the other if you use all of the lanes.
Variations:
Pucks - place the pucks in the corner, have them inside the circle, have them more than one place where a player can get a new puck after passing.
Numbers - one to five offensive players or combine offensive and defensive players.
Situations
- Skating with the puck and doing exercises like tight turns (We call it B4 when doing unopposed skills).
- Breakouts usually shoot and then get a new puck from the corner and breakout the new players.
http://www.hockeycoachingabcs.com/mediagallery/media.php?f=0&sort=0&s=2012043009313437
- Dump in and break out.
- Teach attack concepts.
C1-B4, 2-0 Skate Inside and Pass Outside
http://www.hockeycoachingabcs.com/mediagallery/media.php?f=0&sort=0&s=20111103221221695
- 1-1, 2-1, 2-2 on each side.
- Regroups .
C1 Regroup-Stretch Pass
http://www.hockeycoachingabcs.com/mediagallery/video.php?n=20090901074922525
-Pass and Peplace
C1-B4 Regroup and 1-0, 2-0 x 2
http://www.hockeycoachingabcs.com/mediagallery/video.php?n=20111020071308202
Example posting below.
-------------------------------------------------
C1 Flow with Breakout Timing 1-0, 2-0
Key Points:
Players taking the pass must face the puck and give a target. Player passing should get between the dots with feet moving then pass. On a 2-0 only allow one pass in the offensive zone before shooting.
Description;
1. Players are lined up down the centre of the rink in the C1 formation. Pucks in the corner.
2. The first player at each end, 1 and 2 leave, pick up a puck, skate down the ice, shoot and rebound.
3. Next player in line leave and time the support from either the boards or the middle lane and give a target for a breakout pass. Then go down and shoot.
4. Progress to 2 players giving support from the boards and middle lane.
5. Regroups can be added by having the passer follow the attack.
* 1-1 and 2-1 can be created by another player leaving the line and defending.
http://www.hockeycoachingabcs.com/mediagallery/media.php?f=0&sort=0&s=2012043009313437
Another example of how you can use the same drill or game and expand it to practice more situations, team play concepts or game understanding is a drill that has been around for a long time and most coaches use for 1-1 or 2-1 situations with the D joining the play and the F backchecking.
Options:
- 1-1 to 2-2. You need at least 4 D and 4 F to do these situations. The D joins the play and F backchecks and they both fight for inside position while the attacker has a passing option and original D must read if he has a 1-1 or a 2-1.
- 2-1 to a 3-3 requires at least 8 F and 4 D. Now you have added communication between the defending D and the backchecking F. Who picks up the F and who covers the D on the back check.
- 2-2 to a 4-4 requires at least 8 F and 8 D. Now the 2 D can stay with the 2 attacking F's and the backchecking F should cover one D joining the play each. There is now a 4-4 in the zone and the coach should let the situation play out for about 10 seconds or when a goal is scored, puck is frozen or possession lost before starting the 2-2 at the other end.
- 3-2 to a 5-5 requires at least 12 F and 8 D. The defending D must again communicate who the first backchecker should pick up and the other two backcheckers should funnel into the slot and identify which D to cover. Play out the 5-5 situation before blowing the whistle to start the 3-2 at the other end.
- Dump ins - Change the situation to practice the forecheck and the D going back for the dump in to beat the forecheck and identify low coverage.
- Uneven Situations - 1-1 one way and a 2-1 the other way would create a 2 on 3 double team situation. A 3-1 then a 3-2 creates a 5-4 power play. This could be followed by a 1-3 to have a pp at the other end.
So changing the number of players at each end can create whatever situation the coach wants. It would even be possible to add a regroup with the D joining the play.
After using this drill to instruct then move on to a one puck transition game with passive support and then active support.
The drill with backchecking and the D joining I refer to is below.
-------------------------------------------
C3 1-1 to 2-2 - D Join F Backcheck
Key Points:
D join the attack on the whistle and attacking forwards back check. It is a fight for inside position. No penalties. Important that the forwards touch the red line so F1-D1 are close enough to join the play.
Description:
1. Blue D1 pass to Red F1 who skates to the red line and turns back attacking 1-1 vs. D1.
2. On the whistle Red D2 passes to Blue F2 at the other end of the rink.
3. Blue F2 skates to the red line and turns back attacking 1-1 vs Red D2. while Red D1 Joins Red F1 on the attack and White F1 backchecks making it a 2-2.
4. Repeat with Blue D3 passing to Red F3 at original end.
*Situations up to a 3-2 can be practiced. You need at least 8 D and 12 F to practice 3-2 with a 5-5 at each end. With larger number the lineup needs to move into the neutral zone to leave inside the blueline free.
http://www.hockeycoachingabcs.com/mediagallery/media.php?f=0&sort=0&s=20120718110748616
Season planning and practice planning has started. I have used TCWhiteboard to draw my diagrams with the international symbols. The link below has about 500 diagrams coded in the ABC method so they are easier to find. The TCWhiteboard template uses Word and the coach can copy and paste the diagrams over the blank rinks.
You can use any picture file that Word recognizes.The coding explanation is attached and the TCW Practice Outline is a word document included with the files. I can't attach Word documents in this site. The files are listed alphabetically or I guess you could click on Type. It is the only word file.
I paste the diagrams over the blank rink and put the description beside it. I then save as a title for the practice and this leaves the blank template for the next time.
Coaches feel free to use any of the material.
------------------------------------------------
ABC Drill and Game Diagrams: This is a quick way to scan the diagrams as they are organized in the ABCDEFG, DT, T coding system.
https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=bd6fa116988317e9&resid=BD6FA116988317E9!3274&parid=BD6FA116988317E9!111&authkey=!AOgs6KyWsmPjpZI
The way I do it is to find the pdf file and then copy and paste the diagram and then I copy and paste the description. Here is the link to the pdf files.
Drill and Game PDF's: All of the drills and game practice PDF's are organized with the ABC coding system along with an explanation of the codes. I update the folder with the new material:
https://skydrive.live.com/redir.aspx?cid=bd6fa116988317e9&resid=BD6FA116988317E9!3014&parid=BD6FA116988317E9!111&authkey=!AEx0OA9DMEE18FY
I will also attach a sample practice plan that I saved as a PDF.
5 posts :: Page 1 of 1
I haven't been posting a lot of new practice ideas the last few months. Most coaches are doing other sports or not thinking about hockey. Now it is the time that hockey is starting in a lot of places or else in places like Finland they are taking a few weeks off before starting a new phase of preparation. In a lot of places they are having tryouts for the fall teams, many places coaches are doing hockey schools or skill camps. It all depends which part of the hockey world you live in.
I want to challenge coaches to come up with more activites you would do using the 3 areas that the Finnish U17 Team used for their warm up. They had 21 skaters in four blocks of 5 and one working with the goalies. 4 sets of 3 F warmed up in the Nzone, Goalies at one end and the D at the other end.
I think the warm up routine they used was a fantastic example of how to use the ice effectively.
I will repost it below and ask your thoughts on how you could use this basic routine organization but ADD VARIATIONS. i.e. Keepaway with backhand passes only.
I am very interested to read your ideas.
-------------------------------------
B Skills Warm up Finnish U17
Key Points:
This is a great way to warm everyone up at the start of a practice. Defense do the various breakout options and read where the pressure is coming from. Pass the puck back to the coach and move thru everyone. Forwards pass with good technique and eye contact. Goalie coach work on technique and rebound control.
Description
A. Defense work with two doing breakout options vs one forechecker.
B. Forwards lines of 3 work in the neutral zone.
1 - Stationary pass with eye contact.
2 - Pass while moving always face puck.
3 - #8 around partners give and go.
4 - Keepaway 2-1 in four areas.
5 - Two lines move and pass to other two lines on the blue line.
6 - Two lines of 3 pass while skating on one side of the neutral zone.
C. Goalies work with coach at one end.
http://www.hockeycoachingabcs.com/filemgmt/index.php?id=88
'Enjoy the Game'