"Chasing-out"

Very much like my comments under last month’s entry, Plus and Minus Positioning, I think certain defensive mistakes can cause our opponents to gain a dangerous man-advantage rush.  And, such is the case when a defensive player chases a puckcarrier out from behind his own net…

Actually, I liken this to when my little sister and I used to play tag around the diningroom table…  That table sure did protect the one trying to avoid being tagged.

And so it is for the puckcarrier behind the net.  He or she can bide their time until a teammate gets open for a pass, or until the first checker decides to chase.  For, if that defensive player does chase-out, he or she usually falls far behind the puckcarrier, thusly allowing a man-advantage for the offensive team.

Yet Another Way to Avoid Icing

While watching an older level youth hockey game, a player on the team that trailed by 3-goals attempted to dump the puck.  Unfortunately, a whistle followed, with the ensuing face-off — for icing — being held down deep in the offending team’s zone.  That said, don’t take the following lightly, since I noticed some of my college players making the same mistake years ago…

What I’m really getting at here is the need for players to know where they are on the ice.  Or, as in the case of the above described players, I’m talking about 1) realizing that you’re only a step or two from the red line, and 2) realizing that just a little more effort could have resulted in an effective dump-in and no icing infraction.

As a PS…  I often wonder — when something like the above happens in a game, if the coaches make note of it and later go over it with all of their players.  That’s my suggestion to other coaches.  And, if you’re a parent of a player making any of the mistakes found under “Thinking The Game”, I’d make it a point to discuss them with him or her.  Oh, and by the way…  Those “little things” I see happening in a game are the reason I long ago started jotting the problems you’ll often find here or in “A Coach’s Notebook“.

There are some very good reasons we might accept an occasional defensive zone face-off.  However, neither this month’s or November’s are really worthy of putting our net in jeopardy.

Some Food For Hockey Thought

The following video has had plenty of exposure over the past few years (as you might guess from the old CoachChic.com logo).  I think it’s THAT important for players, parents and coaches to have a sense of its subject:  mainly that some hockey training can actually be more effective when done away from the ice.

So, have a look, please (and I wouldn’t mind your comments or arguments on what some might see as a controversial subject)…

Loading...

Creating the Early Goal-scorer

Building on something I strongly suggested last month — about helping a player to be a success at his or her own level, I’m going to share a video I produced a few years ago, this aimed at “Creating the Early Goal-scorer.”  For, if you want to give a youngster confidence, and help him or her gain a real love for the game, there’s no surer way than to help him or her put the puck in the net on a regular basis.

This video also introduces the concept of giving young players just a few, DO-ABLE challenges at a time.

Finally, I placed this topic in the Intermediate category for good reason.  By all means, a player is going to need a number of basic skills in place in order to execute the moves I’m going to show.  So, I’ll suggest that a player should fall somewhere between the fairly skilled 8-year olds and young teens seen in the following video.

Loading...

Passing STRENGTH!

A lack of passing strength isn’t only common to defensemen but, it’s with my younger blueliners that it usually jumps right out at me…

Before going on, let me suggest that very firm, flat passes are best for advancing the puck out of our own zone. And, from my point of view, I’d rather an extra hard pass go for icing than to have a soft pass intercepted.

Now, one of the problems I’ve seen with my D’s passing comes about when they’re in an unbalanced posture. In other words, they have the strength to pass firmly with the feet spread and planted, but they get nothing on their passes if they have to send them while balanced on one skate, or while having to lean in one direction or another.

The difficulty stems from some young players not yet having learned to get leverage through their stick-blades. So I have my defensemen work in pairs — off-ice and on-ice — passing light weights over a fair distance. That resistance against their stick initially forces them to search for a way to generate strength. Then, once they’ve gotten a feel for that, I make the drill a little tougher… What I do is have them pass while kneeling on one or both knees, or I even have them pass while sitting down.

The idea of those last two drills is to take away the players’ ability to use their legs. Or, said another way, they’re forced to generate power with just their core muscles and their upper body. Understand that the idea of these drills isn’t to actually make my players stronger; the idea is to teach them how to generate substancial force through their sticks while in some unbalanced postures.

 

The First Rules in Speed Training

Whenever speed is your aim, it’s important to obey certain scientific (as well as common sense) rules.

It should make sense that a player can’t train at top speed if he or she is tired. So, drilling should be done early in a workout, the working phase shouldn’t last for more than about 12-seconds, and the athlete needs adequate rest before being able to go all-out again.

It should make further sense that heavy, bulky or tight gear can slow or
otherwise inhibit proper movements. As a matter of fact, the concept
of “over-speed” training takes this even further, utilizing the likes of
downhill running and reversed bungees to actually assist a movement to be faster than normal.

Slideboard Use

Q: The mom of a student I’ve had regularly in The MOTION Lab, Sue, wonders about the merits of having a slideboard around her house.

A: Hmmmmm…  A great question, a great tool, and an even better subject for discussion.  In particular, that “having a slideboard around her house” part gives me an opportunity to offer some thoughts — and a little bit of scientific advice — when it comes to using such a tool…

First, should Sue or her husband (or any other non-skater in the household) seek some effective exercise, I’d say, “Go to it!”  Work on a slideboard can surely challenge a user’s legs, buns and more.  I’ll also suggest that a moderately paced, extended “skate” would provide a great low-impact aerobic workout.

That said, serious skaters have to be a whole lot more mindful of their aims when on a slideboard.  The primary purposes of this tool are to 1) commit proper striding technique to muscle-memory, and to 2) strengthen and condition those muscles associated with forward striding.

FYI…  I want my players to be explosive in their skating, and I also think that an athlete’s concentration dwindles as he or she spends more and more time at any given exercise.  So, I prefer that skaters get their aerobic conditioning in other ways.

Which means that Coach Chic highly recommends short, relatively intense bouts on the board, these performed with very careful attention to proper full-body mechanics.

Also, know that I use different boards for different age groups.  For, while younger — or weaker — kids often revert to terrible techniques in order to propel themselves across a board that is too long, a stronger skater can’t get full leg-extension if the board is too short.

Russian-style Skills Emphasis – Part 1

For those who don’t know, I have an on-line radio show — or podcast — where I enjoy sharing tips, tricks and training shortcuts.  Coach Chic’s Hockey Secrets is free, and I welcome you to visit there at your leisure.  At the same time, I’m going to occasionally edit some of those show segments and enter them here for you, mainly because they contain information that’s important for you to know.

That’s the case here, as I’ve taken some valuable quotes by well known skills analyst, Jack Blatherwick, as he describes what he believes are key differences between the way Russian and North American youth programs operate.  Actually, this is a two-parter, with the next segment coming next month.

Please pardon my extra passion when it comes to this subject; I know I can be rough on my listeners at times.

Just press the arrow to play (and enjoy)…

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

YOUR Stick

I know a lot of hockey folks think that a stick is just a stick.  But I’m here to suggest that every decision — in selection, measurement and doctoring — can have a huge and even LASTING impact on a player’s ability to stickhandle, pass and shoot.  So, no matter your level of expertise, please give this simple video a look-see.  I promise there will be a point or two that will even surprise the most advanced viewer…

Loading...

“Stick-over”

On any face-off where two opposing players are matched on a circle, I want my player to hide his intentions until the puck is just about to be dropped. Then, I want him to quickly swing his stick over the stick of his opponent, and to exert a little down-pressure. That action tends to lock-up the opponent momentarily, giving my guy just enough time to gain an advantage in whatever next move he has to make.

We Coaches Need Lots of Training Aids

One of the things that has driven me to make my own training devices
is the need to have a lot more than one of each.

I mean, owning only one medicine ball or a single Power Skating Sled
would create long lines as players wait their turns.  Of course, I can
justify having lots of certain gadgets, if they’re reasonably priced or if
I’m going to use them enough.  But I won’t just scratch a good training idea without first exploring substitute — or even homemade — tools.