The Kind of Hockey Coach We Don’t Want to Be!

SPECIAL BONUS ENTRY (the result of a recent member comment)

First, I think it best not to identify the member who sparked this post.  However, from the many years I’ve traveled the rinks and talked to hockey parents, the following comment could have come from a lot of hockey moms or dads.

Secondly, except for the rare weak moments anyone can have (including This Old Coach), I doubt much of this pertains to current members.  The fact that you’re here tells me you care too much, and that you’re likely too bright to let yourself slip in the way at least one other coach has.

All that said, here’s an excerpt from a comment I received earlier today:

“The other night after a game, the coach of a Pee Wee level team was belittling and badgering his kids so badly that they came off the ice crying.  They had a practice later the same night, and that coach told his players not to bring sticks.  A lot of the kids now want to quit the game all together.  So, I want to know why this guy is a coach?  Half the time he does not show up because of his other kids who are skating elsewhere, or because he has to work.  What a jerk!  So how can anyone blame the kids if they make mistakes in games when they don’t really have a coach?”

Phew, do you feel what that parent is feeling?  And, do you feel for those young kids?  (Actually, I kinda burned as I read it, as many of you likely did.)

Well, here are some of my impressions when it comes to the coach in question…

• The answer to why that guy is coaching the team?  It’s because he wants to have control over it.  He obviously knew ahead of time that he was going to have conflicts, and that he’d have to miss a number of practices and games.  But, to not grab the reins of that team would mean he wouldn’t have the say when it comes to line-ups, ice-time, etc. (more specifically, probably, the fear of not controlling where and for how long his own youngster would play).
• About the coach telling his players to leave their sticks at home…  My immediate guess is that he’d heard that somewhere else — like at a high school, junior or college practice.  Yes, sometimes the guys and gals who coach at those levels are pretty harsh, or they pretend to be.  And, sometimes — if the ploy isn’t over-used, older players will respond to a shock treatment.  But, as you’ll notice me saying numerous times within CoachChic.com, an adult must recognize where he or she is.  Or, in this case, I think we’d all agree that 11- and 12-year olds or not ready for belittling, badgering or having to leave their sticks at home!
• Furthermore, let’s consider the difference between bringing the sticks or leaving them behind.  For, I’m going to suggest that we could get a whole lot more accomplished with a group of Pee Wees by organizing and then running an effective, teaching-oriented practice.  (Darn, it would absolutely kill me to have to waste an hour of practice-time in that way!)
• Of course, organizing a good practice would take some time and effort on the part of the head coach.  I have no way of knowing whether the coach in question does that or not.  However, the way he reacted recently suggests that he doesn’t.  To know why I think that, please read on…
• My dad, an outstanding baseball coach, used to say that, “The guys who have to berate their players usually do so because they’re at a loss for what to really say or do.”  (God bless my late dad, my best friend.)  What he meant, of course, is that a coach who knows how to teach spends more time providing concrete directions, and a whole lot less time criticizing.  That said, there’s seldom an excuse for blaming players for mistakes; the kids’ problems most likely stem from a lack of direction, and then from a lack of repetition (doing the right things, over and over again) in practice.

Again, phew…  And again, I doubt anyone who has the dedication to be here needs to be lectured on any of the above.  Still, it’s not a bad idea for us to at least think about these things on our way to being even more effective coaches.  So, with that in mind, let me share a few more personal thoughts and  experiences…

A great many years ago I left my game-bench with every intention of reaming my players.  God must have jumped in though, because I was intercepted by the scorekeeper for a time.  Yes, thank God and the scorekeeper, because my emotions changed quite drastically in the 10-minutes that elapsed, and my changed attitude saved me from doing something very, very stupid.

I’ve been forced to hone my post-game talks all the more in recent years.  You see, our games are almost always followed by a next day practice.  So, I purposely do what God and that long ago scorekeeper did for me, stalling for about 10-minutes before entering a post-game lockeroom.  And during my brief time outside, I gather my thoughts, and then I try to phrase them in a way that encourages my kids to come to practice.  Think along with me, if you will, in that there’s no urgency in my/our addressing sensitive issues at that time; even a well deserved blasting could wait a day or so.

As for dads coaching teams…  Hmmm…  The times I’ve coach my own, I felt the best thing I could do for the young guy would be to teach him sound hockey principles and great skills.  My artificially making him a star on the team wouldn’t last a day beyond his playing for me.  What would last, would be the skills and smarts he gained from our practices.  So, that in mind, I now ask my assistant coaches (who usually have a son on our team) to help me run the most efficient practices possible.  Again, what their kids gain there is the only only thing they’ll be able carry to future teams.  (Stats don’t impress future coaches, nor do championship trophies; what does usually impress are great skills and those hockey smarts.)

Then, I’d like to share with you a little deal I make with my players (and their parents) prior to a season…  I tell them that, “I’ll never criticize you, so long as you do what’s asked of you.”  Of course, that implies things like attending practices regularly, always trying no matter how hard some drills might be, studying extra materials if so asked, behaving properly, etc.  So, in essence, if you do things my way and they don’t work out, the results are on my head.

Finally, although I don’t want to turn this area into a “he did this” and “she did that”, I do think it appropriate that fellow coaches share with us the ways they have positively solved some of the problems noted here.

Over-speed Training

The following video should give you a fairly good understanding about the principles behind “over-speed training”.  Take a look — it’s just a short one.  Then, after you’ve seen that, I’ll give you a further tip (below) that might help enhance speed at home or at a local park…

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One of the simplest and easiest ways to perform over-speed training is to sprint downhill.  The grade downward needn’t be — and actually shouldn’t be — too steep.  For, while a player wants the help of gravity to go down the hill faster than normal, poor mechanics usually come about from running down too steep an incline.

24 Must-do Intermediate Skating Drills

If you’ll notice, there’s a slight overlap in drills here — between the 21 Must-do Beginner Skating Drills and some of those included in the following Intermediate level version.  That’s very much in keeping with the way I recommend doing things, though…  For, it does little good — and it can prove very frustrating — if one attempts higher level progressions before the basic ones are truly mastered.

Like the other “Must-do Skating Drills” videos, this one was created to help instructors teach group lessons.  However, this approach should help everyone, since I offer some pretty good suggestions about key teaching points, etc.

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Checking — The REAL Definition!

Part 1:

I always like to begin any discussion about the defensive side of hockey by putting some things into perspective.  I mean, it can sometimes be difficult for skaters to play a truly balanced game without a solid understanding of where their defensive efforts fit.

So, I’ll be including several short videos in this section over the next few months, with this first episode aimed at better defining the term “checking”.

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21 Must-do Beginner Skating Drills

I first created the following video to help other coaches teach Learn-to type clinics.  However, what better way to also help the parents of beginners than to show them exactly how I do it!

Oh, and as a preface to this video, I suggest that members from all levels of our game take a look.  Intermediate level parents and coaches will want to be absolutely sure every one of these skills is mastered by their youngsters.  And, it wouldn’t hurt those dealing with advanced players to just gain a sense of my thinking when it comes to the game’s real basics….

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Hoping Our Players Won’t Tune Us Out

Ever conscious of the way boredom can undermine my teaching, I’m
even extra careful about how often the kids hear my voice…

For example, when I’m coaching a team, my assistants monitor the lockerroom for me until a time when I need to enter with something important to say.  And, for my players’ sake, it’s as important for me to keep pre- or post-game talks short and sweet.

Even out on the ice — be it with a team or at my hockey school, I have my staff work as closely as possible with the players so that they’re intermittently hearing different voices.

Critical Periods in Motor Learning – 1

Part 1 – The Science:

I probably should apologize in advance that this isn’t a very glamorous subject.  Nor does it make for an exciting video presentation.  At the same time, our knowing about the “critical periods in motor learning” — especially as these pertain to athletics — is going to put us far ahead of other parents, players and coaches.

From necessity, the following video includes a lot of quotes with accompanying graphics.  But I’ve also included a number of short video clips showing my students or players performing some rather unique drills.  Over time, I promise to show you hundreds (if not thousands) of these drills, along with detailed explanations.

Finally, while this video might be mostly technical — and its claims might even cause you to worry some, I promise that the next one, Part 2, will ease your mind a bit, and it’ll also include lots of practical advice when it comes to applying these scientific principles.

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Please continue to Part 2.

Special thanks for animated characters…

Reading a Defenseman on the 1 on 1 (Tip 1)

Just as attackers learn to read what a goaltender is attempting to do, a smart puckcarrier should attempt to look for indications of a back-skating defenseman’s intentions.

In almost all instances, a defender will try to guard either the ice behind him or her or the ice in front.  In other words, the “D” will back-up rather quickly (to guard behind) or hold his or her ground in neutral ice (to protect in front).

One way or the other, it’s usually a good idea for the attacker to take what the defenseman gives away…

If the defender quickly back-skates, the attacker can allow him or her to continue until he or she can be used as a screen.

If the defender stalls in neutral ice — trying to stop the rush early, the attacker would be wise to toss the puck behind the defender and then attempt to quickly get around to retrieve it.

So again, it just makes sense to take whatever area the defender concedes.

Sticks – Wooden versus Composite

Q: Fritz, the dad of an 8-year old, notes that, “My son is currently using a Sherwood PW wood stick.”  He goes on to ask, “Are there any benefits to using composite?”  Then, showing he’s a pretty wise hockey dad, he also mentions the fact that a lot usually has to be cut from the butt-ends of his son’s sticks due to his smaller stature.

A: Addressing first things first, I’ll suggest that a wooden stick is good enough for a young player, so long as it is light, and so long as it has a thin enough shaft to accommodate the youngster’s small hands.  Truly, light and thin sticks help a young player develop quick hands (while heavy and thick ones tend to slow his or her movements, and thereby teach the hands to work slowly).

In the bigger picture, I might lean towards composite sticks for most older players.  I say most, because local pro shops aren’t likely to have on hand the quality wooden sticks available to the pros (and other elite players).  The point I’m really get at here has to do with consistency — as in it being more likely we can find close to an identical balance or feel in composite sticks of the same make and model.

Then, in reference to Fritz’s comment — about having to shorten his son’s sticks…  He obviously knows that any reduction in length also lessens the stick’s flexibility.  In other words, while a stick may feel proper when taken right from the rack, it’s going to feel at least slightly different once it’s cut down.  And, shooting strength is primarily derived from a player’s ability to greatly flex his or her stick shaft.

Finally, sometime back I created an extremely informative video called “YOUR Stick“. Understand that it runs the gamut — from absolute beginners to very advance players.  So, I advise Fritz (and other members) to watch the entire video, thereby being able to grab the various parts that apply to his son’s current needs.  I promise, just about everything one needs to know about sticks — from selection to cutting to taping — will be found in that little video.  (It’s linked directly up above, or look for it under General Skills Advice.)

"Read" and "React" Skills

I usually hate the crazing terms that arise in hockey coaching circles, because most of them hardly describe the technique or principle they’ve been applied to.  That, however, isn’t the case with the expressions “read” and “react”.

To me, “reading” a play is a mental skill, and it also requires a high degree of alertness.  I’m sure you can appreciate what I mean by alertness, so let’s just move on to explore reading skills…

First, a player must recognize the numerical situation he or she is facing.  For, whether on the attack or defending, totally different tactics are needed in 1 on 1 and 2 on 1 match-ups.  (All other match-ups — like 2 on 2’s and 3 on 2’s — are really just combinations of the previously noted ones.)

Secondly — and beyond just recognizing each situation, there’s the need to know EXACTLY how to deal with each.  Oh, those new to the game might think that there’s some generic way of playing all the situations.  But, that’s the furthest thing from the truth; each requires a specific handling (and I promise to address all the various situations in future posts).

Reading accomplished, the next step is for a player to physically do the right things.  Defensively, this mostly involves “reacting” with effective skating technique and body positioning, while attacking can include all the offensive skills, like skating, puckhandling, passing, pass receiving and shooting.

Now, I suggested in last month’s post (Playing with Balance) that reading and reacting skills can set a player apart from others.  And, this is surely so.  Just think about it…  I’d doubt we’d argue the value of alertness when it comes to beating other players.  So is smartness critical to applying the right solution to a given problem.  Then, of course, it’s the cat-like player who gains the upper hand with great — and quickly applied — individual skills.

The Value of Training Aids

Unfortunately, there are as many bad training devices out there on the market as there are good ones.  And, by bad I mean that some gadgets aren’t scientifically based — they’re more hype than anything else, and there’s even the chance that they can be detrimental to effective hockey play.

Just briefly touching upon the scientific side of things (for now)…  I hope you appreciate that there are specific principles that govern the enhancement of a quality like speed (see The First Rules in Speed Training for a few tips).  Hey, go against those principles and there’s a likelihood you’re going to produce slowness rather than the intended result.  So are there specific mechanics that go into a movement like hockey skating, which means that a given training aid must enhance or encourage those mechanics in order for a player to ultimately play better.  My main point here:  that a training gadget must truly help accomplish what it’s advertised to do.  (Hopefully, I’ll be arming you with enough scientific and biomechanical information along the way so that you can make these sorts of judgments on your own.  And, if ever you need advice in this area, don’t be shy about asking The Old Coach for help.)

Also, I’m frequently heard saying that, “Training aids don’t make you better; using them does!”  As an example, $2000 worth of weightlifting equipment doesn’t make anyone stronger IF it’s left gathering cobwebs in a basement corner.  No, the idea is to use that gear.  (As the off-season months approach, I promise to provide you plenty of solid scientific advice on strength development.)

Then, perhaps stating the obvious…  I also have to emphasize the importance of using a given training device properly.  Considering the weightlifting gear, as an example, I’m sure you’ll appreciate that greater strength gains (not to mention safety) should be achieved if that gear is used in the right manner, and in agreement with appropriate scientific principles.

As hinted at in last month’s entry, I’ve found a lot of training aids really excite my students and players.  For example, you ought to see how antsy kids get at the prospects of having their shots measured with a radar gun.  And I’ve seen them get just as psyched to race with a speed chute or any one of the other contraptions I use in similar fashion.  So, I might be inclined to use a given gadget solely because it excites my players.  I mean — even if it’s not all that useful for better hockey play, and so long as I only use it on rare occasions, I might employ a fun-type gadget just for the sake of exciting my players.

Toughness in the Slot

 

Recently, some of my junior high school players haven’t been as aggressive around the net as they really should to be. And, let’s face it, all hockey players need to be physically (and mentally?) tough in that area — including forwards, defensemen and even goaltenders. .

The remedy calls for creating isolated small group battles in a practice setting. (So, I use tons of drills for this, and I’ll describe some of those elsewhere in this site.)

The gist of each slot toughness drill involves matching a forward against a defenseman, and then introducing a puck in some manner. If you can picture it, the forward has to really stick his or her nose in to fight for the puck, the defenseman has to battle for position and try to control the attacker’s stick, and the goaler has to try to wade his or her way through that battle to either stop a shot or to grab the loose puck.