An Observation at My Beginner Clinic

Now, I wouldn’t say this is a critical issue but, it still gives me the chance to share a little bit about my mentality, especially when it comes to beginners…

You see, ever since I began running Learn-to-skate clinics (a kzillion years ago), I’ve realized that the tiny ones can’t stay focused for very long.  So, after about every two or three “tricks” (drills to us older folks), I give my babies “free time”.  This might only be for a minute or two, but to very young minds it probably seems like an eternity.

When I first started doing that free time thing, I noticed another huge benefit, in that the kids often did even more than in the drills — like chasing a buddy, experimenting with a favorite skill they’ve learned, whatever.

In other words, that free time is valuable, as both a mental break for the kids, and as a chance for them to experiment some.  And it’s a necessary part of what I’m trying to accomplish.

So, what have I seen happen lately — when we’ve taken free time with pucks on the ice?  Instead of allowing the kids to do their own thing, a few dads who act as helpers have grabbed students (often their own kids), and started having passes with them.

Okay, I partly smile and think about the bonding that is probably the dads’ true aims.  At the same time, however, I think the guys are robbing those little ones of some valuable time to not be under a grown-up’s control.

Coming in April 2009!

Ever aiming to make this the most complete, most in depth hockey reference site in the world, CoachChic.com just wouldn’t have it all without an area especially devoted to the mental skills required to play hockey well.  So, beginning in April, look for a new category entitled Mental Training.

And, in a future entry I’ll explain and show a video on a special drill format I created over a decade ago called “Think ‘n Skate”.  Wait ’til you see it!

About “Hockey Sense”

Q: Michael G. has a tough one, if only because I think anyone’s answer is going to be a matter of opinion.  That said, Mike states that, “I see the words “hockey sense” in some articles I have recently read. One is the January issue of USA Hockey, and another in the March 2 sports section of the Boston Globe titled Another Carpenter not to be missed. The phrase “hockey sense” seems to describe the ability of a player to read and react quicker to a play than the other players. My question to you is … Is “hockey sense” something you are born with or can a player develop it over time from strong coaching and game time situations?”

A: As I intimated at the start, I think “hockey sense” is difficult to define.  As a matter of fact, I suspect two different observers could watch a given hockey player and have different feelings when it comes to that player’s “hockey sense”.

Still, I think most of us have a fairly good idea of what that phrase means (to us), even if we’re not likely to be able to put it into words.

Actually, two things I’ve written in the past initially come to mind here…

• In just answering Megan B.’s question — about “A Puckhandler’s Field of Vision“, I compared puck-skills with driving a car, and I went on to suggest that we’re not really comfortable with either skill until we’ve done it so many times that it’s almost become an involuntary action (and reaction).
• I long ago did a column for “Hockey/USA” in which I tackled the subject of “Seeing the Ice”.  In that, I tried to describe what I felt analysts or color commentators were really trying to say — about the likes of a Gretzky, a Drew Bledsole (he was the Patriots’ budding young quarterback then), and a number of other noted athletes.  Interestingly, when I suggested to a former LA King linemate of The Great One that Gretzky had more individual skills “on automatic” than we mere mortals, the former King answered, “Bingo!”

Now, those things mainly focus on physical skills.  And I DO believe that great individual skills play a part in a player demonstrating “hockey sense”.  (Although a lot of dads — the ones with kids who can’t skate or puckhandle a lick — try to convince me their young ones are really smart out there on the ice, I have a hard time believing those kids are ever going to get to show their smarts beyond youth hockey!)

Then — and once a player has his or her hockey skills pretty much on automatic, there’s obviously a mental component to that “hockey sense” thing.

For part of this, I’ll refer Mike and other members to the video I created on “Critical Periods in Motor Learning”.  For, I truly believe that we humans learn (or don’t learn) many traits necessary to “sport sense” during infancy and just slightly beyond.  Picture, for example, a ball or puck moving and an athlete moving to intercept it.  Would you believe that some athletes find this simple tracking skill easier than others?  And, I’ll suggest that some other very basic — but very critical — human/sport skills (like balance, proprioception and hand/eye coordination) are either learned or not learned when the timing is right.  As I suggest in that video — and backed by some other very knowledgeable folks, the brain and all the signaling devices to the muscles have to be developed very early-on.

Next, there is the need for a player to “read” and “react” according to solid, time-tested hockey playing principles.

So, where do the influences come from that help one play with so-called “hockey sense”?  Well, when it comes to certain basic abilities, I’ll suggest that they’re a combination of genetics and environment (as in the things youngsters are exposed to during “Critical Periods in Motor Learning“).  Those who should know this stuff will also suggest that hockey players should dabble in other sports — because these not only make him or her more athletic, but other sports also challenge players to deal with new mental challenges (think about that one).  Of course, most players rely on a wise and artful coach to instill the necessary individual hockey skills and to teach solid playing principles.  Oh, ya, and I’ll suggest that knowledgeable parents can help in many ways.

Finally, Mike and other members might now understand why I’ve structured this site the way I have.  I mean, I couldn’t see the sense in helping a player to be better skilled while ignoring his or her abilities to “think the game”.  Nor could I see advising a player to be smarter without helping him or her attain the skill level necessary to executing all the X’s and O’s.  So, if you get my drift, I very much feel hockey training has to be approached in almost a holistic way.

Oh, as a PS (and a very important one):  Guess what.  Over the past month I’ve been dealing with some specialist so that I might launch yet another category here at CoachChic.com.  The title of that new area?  “Mental Training”!  And, as my very first installment, I’m going to introduce something I developed long ago called my “Think ‘n Skate” program.  Ah, you’re going to love it, Michael!

A Puckhandler’s Field of Vision

Q: Megan B. thanks the old coach for answering her previous question (but hey, that’s what I’m here for!).  Then she goes on, “I’m wondering now about how to develop better vision on the ice when I’m handling the puck… I tend to get tunnel vision when I try to break the puck out of the zone, which – frankly – drives me, my coaches, and my teammates nuts. The problem only shows up when I have the puck on my stick. Otherwise I play quite well… There’s just something about the puck that narrows my field of vision. Advice?

A: Actually, Megan, you can put yourself in with countless other players I see in my rink travels, including guys playing at some fairly high levels.  What I’m talking about are players who can skate like the wind and play good defense, but their game slows almost to a halt once they have a puck on their stick.

Now, I’m going to once again refer to my Building Blocks view of offensive skills, suggesting that puckhandling is the Number Two skill, right after skating.  For, how else can a puckcarrier control that little black thing and at the same time scan the ice for enemy checkers and open teammates?

Next, this brief aside…  To begin, try to remember your first time driving a car.   In all likelihood your hands were squeezing the juice out of the steering wheel, your eyes were glued straight ahead, and your body was so rigid you could hardly stand it.  Remember too, trying to remember where everything was — I mean the brake, the turn signal switch, the…?  (Got you giggling, Megan?)  Next, fast-forward to today…  For, you likely tune your radio, check your hair in the mirror, take a sip of coffee and fish for something in your briefcase without even thinking about driving the car.  Why so?  It’s because you’ve driven a car so many times that the movements and reactions are almost on automatic — they’ve almost become involuntary movements akin to breathing.

Of course, you’ve probably already guessed where I’m going with this…  For, right now I’m suggesting that you’re puckhandling skills are pretty close to where you were as a rookie driver.  Chances are your puck movements aren’t anywhere near involuntary status yet; if fact, my guess is that you have to look down at the puck a lot, and you probably panic a bit as soon as a rival checker comes your way.

Okay, so how do we fix all that?  For sure, experience with the puck is going to solve a lot of your problems — just like experience behind the wheel ultimately helped with your driving skills.  Better yet, the new Incredible Stickhandling course I’ve just posted is aimed at taking you from beginner to advanced over the summer months (so that you’ll be more than comfortable with a puck next fall).  I suspect that course will be fun for you (and it should be).  And trust The Old Coach by doing things his way, like not rushing to get through the exercises.  Then, there is ultimately going to be a series of exercises in that course that are going to deal specifically with the vision issue.  (They’re so easy a lot of folks are going to wonder why they hadn’t thought of them!)

Honest to goodness, that course will solve anyone’s puckhandling problems.  It’s likely to make a patient follower extremely strong with the puck, and it’s surely going to make fall’s games more fun.  (I promise, Megan!)

Freeing the Weak-side Winger

The good part of this Q and A section is that I’m getting to make some great new friends, and the ones I’ve answered here so far have submitted some great questions.  If there’s a tough part about this, it’s that I’m already getting overwhelmed (the first month into this new site)!  So, please be patient with me (hey, I’m trying to hurry – LOL); I intend to answer each and every question — promise!

– Dennis C

Q: Jackson H. asks for some ideas for timing his team’s breakout, especially when it comes to when his off-side winger starts moving down the ice.  The immediate problem, as Jackson notes, is that, “We have one winger on our team that always seems to leave a little too early, making it difficult for the centre or puck side winger to pass to him.”  In particular, Jackson is looking for some sort of a cue to give kids in that position, as in, “Don’t cross the _____ before _____…”

A: Right off the bat, I have to give Coach H. credit in looking for simple cues.  That’s what our job should be about as coaches, simplifying the game for our players any time we can.

That said, I think much of what we’d want here should be based on what we’re trying to accomplish with the far-side guy.

So, being not-so-simple at first, let me provide a little insight into what I like to do…  For, both defensively and offensively, I like to create depth in the deployment of my 5-skaters.  As this translates to my breakouts, it would likely have two defensemen back aways at first, a puck-side winger and centerman moving mid-defensive zone, and the far-side winger moving into neutral ice.

I think one cue that would help Jackson’s guy quite a bit (and his currently not doing this is likely the real problem), is that the off-side winger shouldn’t take-off until he’s absolutely sure the puck is being moved safely to the second wave (the other winger or the center).  That, in of itself, will probably prevent a far-side guy from getting too far ahead of his mates.

I might add a second thought here, as well…  I’ve noticed some of my lead breakout guys sometimes moving so far ahead of their teammates that their stick-blades are blocked by a rival defenseman.  I mean, my centerman or winger with the puck is trying to feed that guy with a cross-ice pass, but an opposition defender — or the defender’s stick lies in the way.  Really, it’s just a matter of inches — or at most, a few feet, but a clear path MUST be seen from the passer’s stick-blade to the blade of the potential receiver.  As simple as that sounds, however, a lot of young players just don’t seem to grasp the concept.

Well, I hope that helped you, Jackson, at least somewhat.  If not, though, please don’t hesitate to clarify your question even further.

Evaluate Hockey Problems — RIGHT NOW!

I’ve been writing an advice column for “Hockey/USA” for nearly 20-years now.  Anyway, when my publisher recently asked that I do a piece on “picking a hockey camp”, I thought I’d try something a little different from what other writers might.  So, what I ultimately called that column — and the advice I had for my readers — was (to) “Have An Objective”.

AS A HOCKEY PARENT

Don’t forget that I’ve been a hockey parent, and I’m now a hockey grandparent.  So, let me give you a little insight into the way I’ve handled the off-seasons for young Tony C over the past 15-ish years…

Being the obsessed note-taker that I am, I’ve always kept a slip of paper and a pencil handy as I’ve watched my young guy’s games.  (Sometimes, I’ve been able to also gather valuable ideas while I’ve watched his practices.)

The main idea is to note any hockey playing deficiencies.

Those shortcomings might be skill related — like in the player’s skating, puckhandling, passing, shooting, whatever.  But — and especially with older players, these might involve physical qualities — such as speed, strength, agility, conditioning, etc.

RIGHT NOW is the time to gather that off-season training fodder, and in a few weeks it will be time to start drafting a plan to use the off-season wisely.

There will be plenty of help for you here at CoachChic.com — in the way of off-season skills training and for ways to greatly increase certain physical qualities.  And, if you fear I won’t be covering an area where you see a need, please just let me know.  Hey, this is really YOUR site!

AS A HOCKEY COACH

Of course, we hockey coaches wear many hats.  So, let’s address this topic in according to our various roles…

A) Whether we’re moving up to a different tier or remaining at the same one, it’s a good idea to assess whether our playing system fits where we’ll be coaching.  In other words, I’m suggesting we evaluate — or re-evaluate — the appropriateness of our all the elements in our team defense, our team offense, and our special teams.  The off-season is a great time to re-evaluate such things, and to research some new options.

B) Being in charge of our players’ development as we are, I think it important to make a late season evaluation of our kids’ individual skills and general physical qualities.  Although I’ve described this approach (above) as a parent might do for his or her player, we could do the same sort of assessment for our entire roster.  In fact, if we studied each and every one of our players, it’s likely we’d find a lot of common denominators, or areas where our entire roster would likely benefit.

Whether you’re able to work with your players during the off-season or not, I believe you could keep your players growing over the spring and summer…  In any case, use some of the ideas you’ll find here over coming months.

C) RIGHT NOW is the time to list the various administrative problems you’ve had over the past season (or over past seasons).  Handling in advance is the only way.  For, here’s what I’ve discovered…

If we react to a problem when it happens — like a player constantly showing late for team functions, whatever we do is going to seem personal.  I mean, that player or that family is going to feel as if you’re only getting on them (and in a way, you are).  However, if certain team rules or guidelines are introduced and agreed upon before next season, most folks will go along with them, and it’ll be hard for any later offender/s to take them personally.

So, get on that stuff now.  Make a list of how things need to be next fall, and consider over the coming months how you might best introduce them.

AS AN ADULT PLAYER

Your game should be all about fun.  (Why else would you play — LOL?)  So, would it benefit you to take your own late-season accounting?  You bet!  For, you should find that just a little bit of effort over the spring and summer months can translate into a whole lot more fun next fall and winter.

Now, while our Thinking the Game section will arm you with plenty of ideas for improving your positional play, I think the fastest gains — at least at the adult levels — come with drastically improved individual skills and better conditioning.  So, if you want to take this old coach’s advice, yours truly is suggesting you pay particular attention to the programs I’ll soon be offering to improve your skating, puckhandling and shooting skills.

Finally, two points…

The reason I mentioned my recent “Hockey/USA” column is to suggest to you that it’s super-critical to have an objective these next few months.  The worst thing I’ve seen is for a player or coach to meander through the off-season without any aims, or to find they’re no further ahead when the next fall rolls around.  Just think about it:  It’s a long time from May to September, and a ton can be accomplished if one has a plan.  So, make that plan now, and just slowly lop-off your needs or shortcomings in a systematic way.

Then, as noted previously, I plan on arming you with tons of great off-season advice.  Again though, if you fear I might not include what you need, don’t be shy about letting me know (sorta early).  After all, THIS REALLY IS YOUR SITE!

Strength Training for Young Hockey Players?

Now, hear me out here, because I’m just wondering about something, and I’m hoping I can get some other opinions on the following…

To begin, a few seasons ago I had a young player who demonstrated a ton of physical shortcomings — I’m talking some serious motor-skill problems, and mostly things that I suspected as genetic.  (It’s also quite possible that for some unknown reasons he missed-out on certain critical periods in motor learning.)

As an FYI, I would say he was 12, 13 and 14-years old during the years I worked with him.

Actually, over those 3 seasons, the boy, his parents and I managed to lop-off a number of coordination issues, with most of the lad’s gains made at home and in my off-ice training center, The MOTION Lab.

As examples of the things I had him work on…  He rope-skipped a ton (as do all of my players), and I had him do lots of balancing and proprioception work, especially on inflatable disks, on a teeter-totter, and on a mini-trampoline.  To improve his sport vision, I had him wear an eye patch over one eye at a time — while catching a ball and bouncing on the mini-tramp, while doing some simple juggling movements, and while dribbling a ball or puck on the trampoline.  Again, we made some nice headway in those areas.

However, there was always one thing that truly bothered me, it was something I wasn’t quite sure about at the time, but it’s something I’m thinking very, very seriously about right now.

That boy, like lots of others I regularly see, seemed to have a serious problem with his strength.  Not that he was small or really weak (actually, he was decent sized for his age).  But it was more like he — or his body — didn’t really know how to generate strength or deal with the slightest resistance.  (I can still see his legs tremble as he did some pretty simple exercises.)

So, what I’m wondering about right now is whether a very basic weightlifting program might benefit such kids (or maybe all kids).  Not that my aim would be to have them lift seriously, or to put on added muscle.

To understand what I’m getting at, perhaps adult members could envision a time when they readied to lift something rather heavy — be it a barbell in the gym, or a piece of furniture or equipment at home or at work.  Picture what you initially did…  You likely adjusted your body position and your grip, and you likely did that a number of times before you felt ready to give that heavy weight a serious try.  To me, there’s some learning going on there — as we adjust and re-adjust to the expected resistance.

Can you appreciate what I’m getting at here?  I mean, I have a sense that younger athletes would gain by just learning to address resistance, be it in the form of a very lightly loaded half-squat movement, in a few Olympic lifts, or in some other full-body movements.  Again, I wouldn’t be aiming to make the kids bigger or stronger, and I probably wouldn’t use anything heavier than an empty bar.  But it is that sense of addressing some resistance — and learning to adjust the grip and posture — that I think might help a lot (if not all) young athletes.

All that said, I would love to hear other opinions (especially if we have some members who are truly knowledgeable in this area).

Incredible Stickhandling — Skills 1 – 3

Please be absolutely sure to follow the advice outlined in the introductory post; a player’s success depends on it!

Next, work to perfect these simple movements.  In about 2-weeks, a new collection of drills will be posted to bring you ever closer to Incredible Stickhandling!

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Incredible Stickhandling — An Introduction

Members may have been surprised at my tabbing puckhandling as the second most important offensive skill.  However, besides the reasons I outlined in my Building Blocks Approach to skill development, all my years in the game have taught me that successful puckhandlers have more fun at the game.  Hey, let’s face it, the guy or gal who is good with the puck tends to have it a lot, and he or she is more often making plays, scoring goals, and gaining a good deal of positive feedback.

– Coach Chic

Those involved at all levels — from beginners to intermediates to advanced — should watch this Introduction to Incredible Stickhandling.  Then, please heed the advice I’ve shared, because a player’s success is going to depend on his or her using the tips and tools I’ve suggested.

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Now, I can absolutely guarantee incredible stickhandling skills by the start of next season — IF a player undertakes this program faithfully, and IF he or she undertakes it in true “Coach Chic fashion”…

• Although most of the included drills can be performed indoors or outside, it’s suggested that a small indoor area always be available so that practice isn’t dependant on weather or sunlight.
• Work on the first 3 skills for two weeks (at which time another 3 skills will be introduced.
• As more and more skill-drills are offered, work on the new ones, but also go back and continue to perfect the previous ones.
• I honestly don’t believe that home practices should be a drudgery (particularly for beginner level players).  Besides, the best puckhandlers always seem to have fun (just fiddling and fiddling and fiddling).
• Even an advanced player should never skip steps!  The idea is to master each and every skill, and in the order in which they’re introduced.

Trust The Old Coach here — that some pretty wild moves are going to ultimately be introduced.  And, I promise that a player who undertakes this program faithfully is going to have a whole lot of fun playing the game!

29 Must-do Advanced Skating Drills

I highly recommend that EVERY member study ALL videos in this series — from beginner to intermediate to this advanced one.

With that, you’ll have a sense of the various progressions of each skating skill, or have an idea of the background for a given skill, as well as where you want to ultimately go with that skill.

Furthermore, it’s quite likely a player will be at different levels for different skills.  And that’s just another reason I’ll continue to give MY members access to all the different skill levels.

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Checking — Rink Markings and Imaginary Areas

The Old Coach could go on and on (and he usually does) about the way various rink markings and certain imaginary areas influence strategies.

By the way, some viewers might feel as though some of the information — here and throughout this site — is sort of basic.  That’s this old coach’s nature, though, to make sure absolutely nothing is skipped or glossed over.  And, if you think about it, the so-called “little things” tend to make the biggest differences to the success of individual players and teams.

So, take a look at installment two in this special series on Checking, or the defensive side of your game…

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More Strength on the Hockey Skates

I noted previously — in one of my Coach’s Notebook entries — that I’d noticed a good many of my young players either being tossed around by opponents or losing the battles whenever they had collisions on the ice.

So, I tried to think of ways I could recreate those situations in a practice setting.

In the first part of the following video, you’ll see my kids paired (with others of equal height and strength), and the pairs are doing something called “Shoulder Bumps”.  (In a lead-up drill, I have partners lock arms, just so they stay close together and under control.  That established, I’ll let them unlock the arms and go a little more live with their bumps.  This form of drilling can also be done with the players not moving, or just bumping while in one spot.)

The second part of the video shows pairs of equally sized kids wrestling.  I only let a given bout last for about 10-seconds, because it really does take a lot out of them.

What I’m trying to accomplish in both drills is to give my kids a chance to search for a strong posture.  This should especially be noticeable in the second (wrestling) drill, whereby you’ll see most of the players really spreading their skates and lowering their butts.

By the way…  As you might gather from my video on “Checking”, controlled versions of these drills wouldn’t be bad for beginners and non-body-checking players.  Hey, collisions and jostles for position happen at every level of our game.

Then, I want to point-out to parents that they can use modified versions of these drills (and numerous other ones found on this site) to help their youngsters behind the scenes.  Neither do players have to be on the ice to benefit from these drills.  All a parent has to do is think a little, and make a few slight adaptations, to help a player stay on his or her feet while rivals take the spills.

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About Women’s Hockey Gear

Q:  Nancilee H. notes that, “Women are a different breed of player than the men.” And she goes on to ask, “How can someone pick the right equipment for their game?” And, “Are there any brands that are better suited for a woman?”

A: Ah, what a difference a generation makes!  I mean, not too long ago the few girls who were playing hockey had to get by with whatever they could fit into (from gear that was really designed for boys or men).  Not so today, though.  The popularity of young ladies’ hockey has brought about a lot of changes, including quite a few pieces of hockey gear made just for women.

As for the individual articles, I’d suggest a new player visit a pro shop she trusts — especially when it comes to the protective gear.  I don’t think it necessary to go into each individual piece, except…

I purposely posed The First Rules in Speed Training and my video on Over-speed Training very early, because I’ll need to refer back to them often.  That’s the case here, as I recommend that Nancilee and all women of slight stature seek gear that 1) is very light, and 2) allows free movement of the limbs.  Remember: heavy or bulky gear is not only going to slow movements or get in the way of nice, smooth moves, but it’s also likely to teach you to be slow.

On recommending brands…  I find this difficult to do today, because new gear is always hitting the marketplace, and it’s quite often better than those I just endorsed.

Then, there’s the matter of the hockey stick…  Ever since young girls and older women started playing this game, I’ve recommended they use a “junior model” stick.  These always satisfied their unique needs, in that those sticks are nice and light, they have scaled-down shafts for smaller hands, and they’re flexible enough so that they can be easily bent (which enhances the user’s wrist and slap shot).

Finally, I’ve just been made aware of a company that actually offers sticks designed for women.  As I’ve recommended for years, they’re supposedly light, thin and have nice flex.  They’re called Stix-for-Chix, and they can be found at The Hockey Czech Republic!

Hoping this helped, Nancilee.  Thanks for the question!

A Shortage of Hockey Training Time

Q: Megan B. describes herself as an adult who is relatively new to playing the game.  She goes on to ask The Old Coach if he has any advice on skill development, adding that, “I have one game per week and usually one on-ice practice per week, so my ice time is limited.”

A: Aaaaaah, smiles to Megan, because I loved seeing that question come in.  After all, she pretty much describes what all adult recreational players go through — getting limited ice-time while still wishing to improve their skills.  Furthermore, I’m sure Megan knows — along with all the rest of us, that improved skills are ultimately going to make the game even more fun.

To begin, I’m going to offer an idea that is sure to help every member, young or old, new or very experienced.  For, what I’ll suggest is that a player (or the parent guiding a player) should arrange training conditions so easy that the work is almost sure to be done.  Megan probably asked this between the lines, in that she likely doesn’t want to drive a half-hour several times per week for a couple of fairly costly extra skills clinics.  No, something like that is apt to take about 4-hours out of her night, what with travel, dressing, the ice-time, undressing, showering, dressing again and then traveling home.  And, if the time required doesn’t ultimately get to her, the slightest health, work or personal complication WILL make it awfully easy for her to skip a training session (or two or three or four).

Now, what I’m getting at is that Megan should seriously consider training at home, or at least somewhere that isn’t going to present a huge hassle.

As an aside here…  My notes from last night’s hockey game included a need for me to advise one teen to do some hand strengthen exercises.  Actually, an observation like that is worth sharing with all of my kids.  So, we sat for a few minutes as a team at this morning’s off-ice practice, where we discussed that subject and a few others.  In reference to hand strengthening, I suggested that the kids squeeze tennis-sized rubber balls as a start-up exercise.  Then, in keeping with my want to make this easy for them, I offered the idea of doing that for a short time each night as they watch television.

That’s what I mean by arranging training conditions that are so easy that the work is almost sure to get done.  And that’s what I’m suggesting to Megan, hoping she can create circumstances that are easy for her to undertake, and ones that aren’t likely to annoy a roommate, family members or neighbors.

Then, since she is relatively new to the sport, my guess is that improvement in the two most basic skill areas — skating and puckhandling — will result in her quickest improvement:

SKATING

• Although rather costly, a slideboard is an awesome tool for smoothing the skating stride and adding great power.  (Thankfully, I’ve previously commented on the proper use of The Slideboard below.)
• Easily done indoors is an exercise my older players do frequently.  I call it the Simulated Skate, and I’m including a short video clip below to show you what it looks like (I’ve also included a few others).
• At the end of that video is a clip of the same young guy performing WallSits.  This exercise — working up to about 15-seconds, resting between sets for about 30-seconds — helps a player get used to sitting low in his or her on-ice movements.  (Oh, and while the stickhandling shown in the following video is purely optional, I included it just to keep this player’s mind off the pretty intense burn that can usually be felt in the thigh muscles.)  I’d avoid doing this exercise if knee pain arises.
• Down the road I’m going to do a special post on something I call SkateDrills.  Briefly though, I’ll suggest that Megan can wear her skates indoors on a carpet area (or on a carpet square), and actually practice things like cross-overs, hopping on one skate and the other, jogging lightly, and balancing on one skate while kicking the other.  I’ll even suggest she experiment a bit with this idea, perhaps working on skills closer to her current needs.
• Then with the spring gradually coming to New England (Megan is a fellow Bay Stater), in-line skates can be excellent cross-trainers for on-ice skaters.  Roller training transfers best if the skates are close to a player’s on-ice ones.  And, if a safe area can be found, I always suggest getting rid of the heel stopper.  (Skaters tend to be overly conscious of that extension, consequently making abnormal cross-over movements.)

PUCKHANDLING

• Something like the ball seen in the following video is awesome for quickening hand movements.  (Ours are wooden “Swedish Stickhandling Balls, but a golf ballis also good.)  Just fiddling with it is going to improve Megan’s puckhandling.
• A very simple — but very good — drill is to stand with the eyes closed and just dribble with soft hands while feeling the ball and the vibrations coming up from the stick blade to the hands.  One can even try to sense where the ball is on the blade.
• Finally, the above drill is one of a series of off-ice puckhandling drills that will appear in the Highlight Reel Skills section very shortly.  So, if Megan and others can start with the above drill, there will soon be enough advice here to take an enthusiast player from this spring to late summer, and from beginner to pretty advanced.

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Well, I hope that helps you, Megan.  Be sure to let me know if you need clarification on any of this.  And, good luck!

Goalie Talk Is Coming Soon!

Evidently help for goaltenders is lacking out there, because The Old Coach has been inundated with requests for a special section dealing with that unique position.  So, because the aim here at CoachChic.com is to provide exactly what YOU want, a netminder’s category is in the works — right here and right now!

As of now, our New England Hockey Institute goaler coach, Todd Jacobson, is readying material to help interested parents, coaches and players wind-down from the current winter season and gear-up for an outstanding next season (please see “A Year-round Hockey Training Plan” for more information on this approach to training; it’s in the Timely Advice area).

Coach Todd will be the guiding force behind the new goalie section, but he’ll also be joined by other popular instructors.

Yours truly (good old Coach Chic) will also contribute some advice here…  Mainly I deal with goaltenders within a team structure, so I’ll offer some tips in that area, as well as provide some ideas on how I think goalers should be handled in game and practice settings.  Further, since my specialty is motor learning, I’ll have plenty of suggestions when it comes to quickening or strengthening a give movement.

So, if things go according to plan, look for this section to kick-off in April, 2009!

Now, to make things even better, you ought to send your questions in to Ask the Coach as soon as possible and I’ll steer it to the right specialist.  Again, much of what we hope to offer is help where you really need and want it!

A Year-round Hockey Training Plan

As members will discover — and hear a lot about in the future, I long ago studied at the Moscow Institute for Sport and Physical Culture in the old Soviet Union.  And, boy, was my time there eye-opening.

Just one thing I learned was the Soviets’ (then) unique way of viewing an entire year of hockey training.  (I inserted “then”, because I’ve noticed that in recent years almost every elite level hockey program follows a similar design, and I sense that this is also used today by coaches in numerous other high level sports programs.)

Basically, the Russians divided a 12-month period into 4 special segments:

• The IN-SEASON obviously represents a team’s (or individual’s) regular season, and there’s probably little that needs to be said about that right now.
• The POST-SEASON is that time immediately follow the regular season.  I recall one Russian lecturer describing this as a period of “active relation”.  In other words, while players get pretty physically (and mentally?) beat-up over the course of a long hockey season — and they do need an immediate break, USSR coaches didn’t want their players to go backwards too much in their physical development.  With that, their players would engage in all sorts of fun yet challenging activities, including slightly adapted games of soccer and basketball.
• The OFF-SEASON comes next, with players often working as individuals — and based on individual needs — in areas that might include hockey skill work, as well as strength, speed and quickness training.
• The PRE-SEASON should sound familiar, as that part of the year when players start coming together and gearing-up for their coming IN-SEASON.

Now, all that said, what I like to do is gather the very best information I can find — like that above, and then adapt it to the players I work with.  Said yet another way, I think it’s important to use some common sense when applying such knowledge.  And in this regard, I think that those of us in charge have to realize that most amateur hockey players have numerous other commitments, including but not limited to:  school and homework, family obligations, perhaps work, and a healthy social life.

Oh, by the way…  I don’t don’t see the need to have set dates for either of the four segments.  Sure, there’s going to be a drastic difference between the end of a regular season and the start of the post-season.  However, I’ll design a lot of workouts — like strength training, sprint and agility work and plyometrics — to overlap each other and to span over several spring and summer months.  Still, there will be a difference in my players’ winding-down from a long winter season and their gearing-up for the next fall.

Then, although I probably qualify as a certifiable hockey nut, you’d be surprised what I recommend for my players during their post-season or spring months.  For, because they’re popular and readily available where my guys live, I really like to see them play either baseball or lacrosse as post-season activities.  Tennis and track are also good alternatives (although I’d prefer to see my hockey players engage in short-distance or anaerobic track events).  My thinking is three-fold… 1) My hockey players are going to get a great mental and physical break just being away from the rink for a few months,  2) I believe a number of physical skills will transfer from the likes of baseball, lacrosse, tennis or track, thereby making my players all the more athletic when they do return to the ice.  3) I think there’s something to be said about the problem solving abilities players develop as they work at another sport.  (Just think about that one for a moment.)

If there’s a problem I still haven’t quite resolved yet, it’s the difficulty in hockey players trying to participate in a fall sport.  Understand that I played high school and semi-pro football, so I obviously don’t have anything against that sport.  And I think there are a ton of soccer skills that can transfer towards the positive for a hockey player.  The difficulty I find — and again, this is just my personal observation — is that a hockey player loses his or her entire pre-season by engaging in a fall sport.  And, while he or she is missing out on getting their hands and footwork ready for the coming hockey season, they’re also conditioning themselves in a way that’s not exactly hockey-like.

And here’s yet another personal feeling…  I know that some parents and coaches like the idea of spring and summer games, and even tournaments.  I’m not a big fan, though.  If you haven’t had a chance to listen to my two audio programs on “Russian-style Skills Emphasis”, please do so.  (They’re under The Early Years In Skill Development category.)  There you’ll discover the problems caused when a player attempts to use games as a learning experience.  Moreover, I can still remember the long ago words from a Division 1 college coach, something to the effect that, “It’s tough for us to motivate players who have already played a hundred of the biggest games of their lives!”  Yes, just think about it:  Is some summer league game really worth making a life or death proposition?  In my book, I want to foster a love for the game.  And, I think that can only be accomplished if we somehow make hockey games almost a delicacy.

Finally, why did I introduce this subject at this time?  I have two good reasons in mind…  First, the information I’ll be posting over the coming months will be aimed at arming you with lots of post-season and off-season advice.  Yup, you’re going to soon discover a lot of things that can be done at home and away from the ice.  Secondly, I’d like to recommend that each member do a little accounting — about where a given player or group of players stands now, and where they would really like to be by next fall.  That’s an awful long time, you know — from about April to September, IF we plan that time and use it wisely!

A Magic Word in Coaching: “Do-able”!

I know I touched upon this term in my very first post in this section.  However, it’s THAT important for me to go into yet more detail here.

Also, although this topic might be appropriate under the General Skills section, there are two good reasons why I’ve chosen to introduce it here and at this time.  First, I know I’m going to address it in other ways — and to all members — at numerous times in the future.  Secondly, though, I find that parents and coaches of very young players seem to wrestle the most with it.  So…

When I say “do-able”, I’m suggesting that those with the say make sure that drill selections are really attainable for a given player or group of players.

For example, here’s something I’ve far too often seen or heard at rink-side or at a coaching clinic…  A couple of guys are huddled and observing a high school or college-type drill, and I’ll hear one say to another, “That’s beautiful!  I can’t wait to use it!”  A little later, however, I’ll discover that the coach who intends to use that drill is actually working with 8-year olds (or the likes).

And, I’m going to suggest that subjecting very young players to advanced or elite level drills goes against everything known about motor skill development.

When it comes to using advanced X’s and O’s drills here’s the difference I see in advanced versus lesser experienced players…

More experienced guys or gals can usually cover a great distance in a short period of time.  Experienced players also tend to make fewer skill-type mistakes.  So, the combination of those two things help make the advanced drill function fairly well.

As for what I’ve seen happen when very young kids are asked to perform a NOT-so-do-able drill…  First, it takes forever for each player’s little legs to negotiate the length of the ice, or even the length of one zone.  Secondly, passes hardly ever connect — as in some being far off the mark, and others not being caught.  And the result is that players seldom get to step #2 of a drill, never mind to steps #3 or #4 or whatever!  And what usually happens is that young kids end-up standing in long lines as they wait for a couple of teammates to complete the drill.

Of course, the need for drills to be do-able also pertains to ones geared towards physical skills — like skating, puckhandling, passing, shooting, checking, speed, strength, conditioning and a whole lot of others…  In some cases, safety is an issue, or some physical harm can be done to a young body.  However, even if that isn’t a real concern, frustration quite likely is — as in the player or players trying to do something that just plain ISN’T “do-able”!

Now, I plan on ultimately sharing with you the most important “principles of motor learning”.  In the meantime, though, let me at least provide a tip for dealing with those supposedly non-do-able drills…

If you’ll recall, I touched about this one a little in last month’s entry, The Best Advice I Could Ever Share.  But, let me clarify things just a little more.  For, you see, almost everything IS do-able; it’s just a matter of how we — those in charge — introduce a given drill.  For example, when it comes to an individual skill, the advanced level of execution we desire for our kids might be something like a 9th or 10th progression.  In other words, it would take our young players that many steps to reach such a level.  So, the answer — or my way of dealing with this problem — is to study the higher level skill, and then reduce it to something very, very basic.  I mean, it would be something akin to step #1 in the line of progressions, and it would be very, very do-able!  Thereafter — or after step #1 is mastered, the learned skills and confidence should then make step #2 do-able.  And so it would go: stretching the player to the next do-able step, the next and the next.

Ideas to Quicken the Wrist Shot

Starting back a few weeks ago, I noticed my team missing out on a number of close range scoring opportunities.  A number of times, my guys actually got stripped of the puck as they were readying to shoot.  Not that this doesn’t happen occasionally to every player. But, from my point of view, this inability to get their shots off quicker happened fairly often with my kids.

So, I created a number of very different kinds of drills to speed my players’ reactions (besides the few I’ll show you now). But I’ll suggest that no single one is any more effective than another. No matter which I use, though, the main idea is to recreate the urgency typical to normal game conditions.

That urgency is something I often talk to my kids  about.  For example, in the first drill you’ll see here, I’m asking them to envision a rebound suddenly plopping out in front of them.  There’s no time to waste in a situation like that, because ever split-second they delay is time the opposition goaltender will use to re-position.

Then, before we get to that video, I’d like to share a few slightly related ideas:

• I’d like you to  notice that I often have my players spread along the boards and working on their own.  In this way, they’re going to get far more shots than if they had to wait in a line.  (We also regularly practice our slapshots this way.)
• If you see a ton of pucks or balls spread around a given practice area, it’s because I carry at least 2 or 3 for every player.  (I carry about 80 pucks to every practice.)  Looking to get as much accomplished as possible within a given time frame, I don’t want anyone losing valuable time waiting for or  searching for a puck or ball.
• I earlier hinted at the fact that there’s a mental component in speed or quickness training, when I described what I tell my kids prior to the upcoming  shooting drill.  As a matter of fact, I recall an elite level coach once mentioning at a seminar that, “In order to BE fast, a player has to first WANT to be fast!”  (Yes, speed and quickness training do require the right kind of thinking.)
• Then, because part of this discussion stems from my good friend Ravi’s comment — about weighted pucks and such, let me note that adding resistance to a movement can enhance strength, while lighter-than-normal gear makes it possible for a player to practice quicker than normal.  That said, I will quite often use lightweight (blue) pucks and even foam ones when working on shooting quickness.
• One final point Ravi’s comment reminded me to share with you…  I think a player has to consider the “big picture” when choosing training aids or nontraditional training methods.  For example, I wouldn’t worry about any slight negative effects (like a loss in shooting accuracy) during the off-season, or if I was working with a rather young player.  In other words, I see the long-term gains in those situations far out-weighing any negatives.  However, if we’re talking about a serious high school, junior, college or pro player, I’d wait for the off-season for that kind of training, and not risk losing shooting accuracy or a feel for the puck.

Now, in the first off-ice segment you’ll see, my young players have 3 pucks each (they’ll rest briefly and arrange those pucks between sets), and they’ll move their hands as fast as possible to put them home.  Also notice I have the kids stationed fairly close to the boards, this so they don’t worry about power.  (Of course, as shown next, the same form of drilling can be taken to the ice.)

If you enjoy this video, you’re going to love the next ones…

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Coming from the Penalty Box

Every hockey coach has his or her own way of communicating with players who are serving a penalty. Mine just happens to go like this…

I will get my player’s attention, and then point towards either the ice or the bench. In other words, I’m signaling whether I want that guy to jump right into the play, or to come to our bench.

However, if I do motion for a player to come to the bench, I’ll also tap the side of my head, meaning that I want my guy to use his head as he exits the box.

What do I mean by, “Use your head”? Well, if we’re in trouble in our own zone, it’s smarter if our man jumps right in to help his shorthanded mates.

Of course, neither do we want that guy to come out of the box and watch an enemy attacker skate past him with the puck.

And, if our player sees an opportunity to hang for a second — for a possible breakaway pass, I’ll surely accept that, too!

Reading a Defenseman on the 1 on 1 (Tip 2)

(Please also see: Reading a Defenseman on the 1 on 1 (Tip 1)

At body-checking levels, certain cues can be spotted as to a back-skating defenseman’s intentions.

For example, a smart attacker can watch a defenseman’s skates for a hint of what that guy wants to do.  I mean, those skates are almost always a dead give-away…

On the one hand, a back-skating defender might keep the skates under his body in order to stay moving backwards and to stay mobile.

On the other hand, a defenseman will almost always start to spread his skates in order to gain strength and stability in anticipation of a body-check.  So, when an attacker reads this cue, it’s a good time to put on the jets and  blast around that D.

Turning Points in a Hockey Game

The other night I really enjoyed watching a local college hockey game.  And, although I was mainly there socially, I couldn’t help but occasionally see things through a coach’s eyes.

In the early-going, the supposedly weaker team (henceforth the home team) performed seeming miracles by shutting down their stronger opponent.  In fact, the first period ended with the home team holding a nice 2-0 lead.

As is customary at such a level, the home team initially opened the second stanza with a very conservative forecheck.  Actually, all was going well — at first, with the visitors seeming to be pretty frustrated.

Now, as a coach, I frequently have the feeling that there are “turning points” in a game.  I mean, flow might be going in favor of one team, when suddenly something happens to drastically shift the momentum.  And, that’s what I’m sure I saw occur about 5-minutes into that second period…

What happened at about that time is that the home team had a nice offensive rush.  All three home squad forwards went hard to the net, with the puck eventually trickling behind the goal-line.  From there a home team forward made what I think was a blind pass towards the front of the net.  Also at that point I think the momentum of the game turned drastically.

For, a visiting player scooped the errant pass, which led to a man-advantage rush and then a ton of shots down the other end.  So strong was the pressure on their goaltender that a home team defenseman was ultimately called for a penalty.  Within seconds on the powerplay, the visitors netted their first goal.  Minutes later — probably on a high from their sudden resurgence — the visitors potted another.  Tie game!  And, with the home squad now on their heels, the visitors took the lead for good.

Ironically, I cringed when I first noticed that huge mistake, although I had no idea at the time if it would prove as fatal as it did.

So, what really went wrong?  First, a team has to play a little differently when protecting a lead.  And, I’d have to say that a team that is probably less talented than their opponents had better play all the smarter — and more conservatively — when they’re ahead.

Actually, what went wrong was really a two-parter…  Sure, the team in the lead would have loved to have added another goal.  But, not at the expense of taking risks.  And it was probably an unwarranted risk at the time to have all three forwards go too deeply into the offensive zone.  Worse yet, a blind pass backwards — or towards their opponents’ end — was just asking for trouble.  I mean, these are the kinds of passes that are so often picked-off to result in 2 on 1’s or 3 on 2’s the other way (don’t forget that all three home team forwards were down low in the zone at that time).

And so it happened that night.  Of course, we’ll never know if things could have worked out differently — IF all three attacking forwards weren’t buried in their end, IF the opponents hadn’t snatched the risky pass, IF the opponents weren’t able to immediately get sustained pressure at the other end, IF, IF and IF…

Still, now you might appreciate the snowball effect — or at least the potential for that — if higher level players don’t play game situations by long-standing hockey principles.  And, while so-called turning points can just as often come from great extra efforts, they’re doubly frustrating if they’re just a matter of thinking the game a little smarter.