Games! Games! More Games!

Not that I needed any incentive to tackle this topic but, legendary Boston University hockey coach, Jack Parker, expressed my feelings (exactly) in a recent interview with The Boston Globe.

The real question posed to Parker had to do with the recent decline in the number of Massachusetts guys found on Division I college rosters, as well as on recent Team USA squads.  In other words, the Globe writer was asking Coach Parker what he thought might be the cause of this.

Oh, I’m not going to give you the answer to that one so quickly, instead coming in by the back door as I sometimes do here.

– Dennis Chighisola

Games! Games! More Games!

If you haven’t yet had a chance to see the YouTube video I posted recently on how Apolo Ohno prepared for Vancouver’s Olympic Games, I highly recommend it to you.  Besides being appropriate to the following topic, TIME’s Sean Gregory did an awesome job putting that piece together.

If you’re in a hurry, though, Eric Johnson — of KOMO Seattle – also does an excellent job in another YouTube video, this one following Ohno through a typical daily workout in Olympic training (with different exercises than shown in the other video).  Have a look, if you would, because it’s going to set the tone for the rest of this piece…

Next, we get the chance to follow TIMEs’s Sean Gregory again, this time as he follows World Champion aerial skier Ryan St. Onge…

*

Now, if you want to know what Jack Parker suggested as a reason Massachusetts based hockey has slipped, it’s that kids today play too many games.  Oh, I can attest to that, also adding my own two cents worth, in that, I think kids today spend too many hours in a car on their ways to far away games!

Not to sound too sarcastic here but, I sense that some hockey parents would have Ohno skating and racing for 8-hours per day.  And they’d probably prescribe a full day of ski jumping for St. Onge.  Ya, competition – at least to some – is what makes an athlete better!

Ha, and NOT!

As Ohno’s coach mentioned, he didn’t show us everything the great skater does in his daily training routine.  Yet, did you make note of how much time was devoted to off-ice training?  And, let me remind you of what we saw in the earlier video on Ohno, in that he did an off-ice drill my guys do in The MOTION Lab, he spent some time on the ice, and then finished with a grueling stair routine.

I hope you also noticed that a lot of the off-ice work Ohno does is FAR more strenuous than anything he could possibly do on the ice.  That’s just one of the benefits of getting away from the ice, and it’s part of the theory I express in my long ago video post on “Some Food for Hockey Thought”.

Of course, you also got to see both athletes work on technique (with that previous post showing Ohno doing those “turnbuckle” exercises).  And that can be yet another huge benefit to working away from the ice.  In fact, it’s oftentimes easier to work on proper muscle memory in a very controlled environment.  For, on the flip side, a game or other kind of competition frequently causes (or allows) an athlete to resort to and practice all the wrong techniques.  (To me, games are where kids try to look good in front of family and friends, and for some it’s where they just barely survive.)

Technique work in mind, let me re-raise a point my dad made many years ago as a baseball coach, this in answer to why he preferred to practice his teams, rather than have them scrimmage…  As dad would put it, “I can hit an infielder 40 or 50 grounders in just a couple of minutes, while there’s no guarantee he’ll get a single ball hit to him in a game!”

True enough.  And, when it comes to a player polishing his fielding, nothing works better than repetition.  In other words…  Move, scoop the ball and throw…  Move, scoop the ball and throw…  Move…

Of course, the same can be said about out sport, hockey.  And, just think about the skills we could enhance with proper repetition.  God, I can think of a ton of ‘em — including deflecting the puck, passing it, receiving it, shooting it, saucer passing, one-touch passing, shooting off the pass, handling a man in the slot, tying a man up along the boards, defending in various numerical situations, or attacking in those same situations.  And, while players could attempt to learn and then get better at each of those skills, an abundance of practice would make it possible for him or her to truly master just about any skills he or she is willing to work long and hard at.

So, let me echo my dad’s words once again, in that a player just can’t get that kind of practice (or repetition) in a game.

Then, let me echo Jack Parker’s sentiments, in that young players today play too many games.

Of course, between the lines what Parker is obviously saying is that current day kids don’t practice enough.

As an aside here…  Most scientific folks who study such things (as well as most high level coaches) will tell you that the era of specialization was an absolute failure.

*

My take on this?  While players of that time may have become fairly proficient at game-like skills — my mainly practicing their sport year-round, there was (and still is?) something drastically lacking in their athletic abilities.

*

Worse yet, some studies I’ve come across suggest that one-dimensional players tend to be more prone to injury.

*

And, in case it hasn’t struck some readers yet, gaining more athletically qualities very likely calls for less hockey game-time and a lot more off-ice activities.

Now, you’ve likely heard before the prescribed ratio of practices to games.  Obviously, it’s not a scientific equation but, you’ll still hear most of those concerned with development suggesting either 2 or 3 practices for every game played.  (Over the past decade or so, my Team NEHI players have practiced three times per week to one game.)

Before closing, let’s revisit that thing about off-ice training…

To my way of thinking the only argument parents or coaches might arrive at is that it’s difficult to get extra practice time.  But, I’m here to suggest that some form (or forms) of off-ice training is the answer.

You might find it interesting that The MOTION Lab can accommodate almost every drill you saw Apolo Ohno do in those two videos.  No, we don’t have all the weights or a large trampoline like St Onge used, purely because we don’t have the space.  However, my kids do perform just about every exercise you saw.

I only raise this point, though, to suggest that a lot of improved physical development can be accomplished by an individual in a relatively small basement or garage.  And, when the weather cooperates, in-lining and outdoor skill work can be limitless.

For anyone who is responsible for a team, here’s yet another idea…  If you visit the post about my MP Drill Format, you’ll get a glimpse of how I’ve used different venues to teach and refine positional play to teams — from beginners through college players (and you’ll also discover that even NHL coaches have borrowed that drill idea).  With that, I’ll suggest that a no-cost local school gym, tennis court or parking lot could be the answer to extra practice time for my fellow coaches.

Finally, this site is absolutely loaded when it comes to off-ice practice ideas.  In the end, though — like Ohno and St Onge, it really comes down to one’s want to go for the gold.

*

Please give me your feedback, huh?  I’d love to hear how you feel about all this!

Speed Skating Versus Hockey Skating

Well, I find it pretty interesting how the Olympic Games spur extra interest in the various winter sports.  For sure, I’ll bet the excitement surrounding the ice hockey tournament has attracted a lot of viewers who probably don’t normally watch NHL games (live or on TV), and it will also likely bring a lot of young parents to all of a sudden look into skating or hockey lessons for their kids.

Hockey isn’t alone in benefiting from increased exposure, of course, and I’m sure sports like skiing, snowboarding, curling, figure skating and speed skating will also see a rise in new fans and new participants.

Oh, yes, speed skating…  I’ve noticed quite a boost in searches for information about that sport, and I’ve also noticed some of those searches link both speed skating and hockey skating.  As a matter of fact, here are a few questions I’ve seen in recent days:

• Why don’t speed skaters use their arms?
• Why do speed skaters pump with one arm?
• Are speed skaters faster than hockey players?
• Could speed skating training help a hockey player?

Of course, I’m not supposed to be an expert on speed skating.  However, I used to employ a speed skating coach to work in my summer hockey schools, and we spent quite a bit of time exchanging teaching and training ideas.  Oh, and our common student, Eric Flaim, ultimately made a name for himself in the long-blade sport, winning a Silver Medal in the ‘88 Olympics held in Calgary.  So, I will at least take a stab at those speed skating related questions.

– Dennis Chighisola

Speed Skating Versus Hockey Skating

Let me start by trying to get those first few questions out of the way…

1) I don’t know what games a questioner was watching if he or she thought figure skaters DON’T use their arms.  They surely do, but let me handle the rest of that in the next section.

2) Those who posed forms of the second question got it pretty much rightly, in that we’ll most often see speed skaters pumping just one arm (I’ll deal with no pumping a little later).

Now, I’ll have to ask my CoachChic.com friends if they’ve ever noticed that speed skaters pump a specific arm, not just any one.  I mean, they don’t pump the left arm because they’re left handed, whatever.  No, they mostly pump the outside arm – which is always the right one, this to aid in their mostly counterclockwise skating pattern.

I said “mostly” – in reference to the arm pumps, because there are times when they use both arms, and there are times when they don’t pump either.  And, I said they “mostly” skate counterclockwise because only the outdoor version of the sport has fairly long straight-aways, while the so-called short track event includes almost all turns to the skater’s left.  (In other words, the track is so short, that there are hardly any straight-aways.)

As an aside here, know that I really don’t get a chance to watch a lot of the various events.  However, there seem to be some huge (but perhaps not obvious) differences between the outdoor and indoor versions of this sport.

*

In a way, I see the outdoor event on the huge track as an all-out sprint against the clock.  Skaters are staggered for most of the race and separated in their own lanes, so the only thing that makes sense to me is for a contestant to race at 100% against that clock.

*

In contrast, it appears to me that an awful lot of strategy goes into the short track event.  I mean, skaters aren’t confined to lanes, and they consequently don’t always skate all-out as they attempt to outwit and out-maneuver their opponents.  My guess is that the lack of arm pumping – after the take-off – is due to the short-tracker’s need for more control and even greater streamlining than is required in the long track events.

Then, one more thing about the use of a skater’s arms (actually, those who study the biomechanics of skating would say that skaters use their shoulders in that motion)…  If you get the chance, please review the video I made for you about “Analyzing the Forward Stride”; there’s quite a bit explained there about arm (or shoulder) actions, as well as about the body’s need to stay in balance for the sake of energy efficiency and momentum.

When it comes to the take-off, I’ve said that there is hardly a difference when running or skating – with a brisk forward and backward pumping of the arms aiding greatly in getting either a hockey player or speed skater (or sprinter) quickly off the mark.  Once under way, however – or once we get beyond the take-off (within just a few steps), we shift to a “skating mode”, in which the skates push outward and the arms need to travel through a side-to-side motion to balance everything.

4) Okay, now for another question, as in, Will speed skating training help a hockey player?  Well, before tackling that, let’s take a look at an awesome YouTube.com video featuring TIME’s Sean Gregory as he learns how Apolo Ohno prepared for Vancouver (by the way, something like the “turnbuckle” or belt arrangement shown in the start of the video has been a staple in The MOTION Lab for a good 6- or 7-years, and I’m soon going to make these fairly inexpensive contraptions available to you in the CoachChic.com Hockey Store)…

So, do you want my honest opinion when it comes to the training shown in that video (of course, minus the specific short track on-ice stuff)?

I’d say that everything – from the belt training to the stairs workouts — would be awesome for a hockey player.  Actually, we use almost all of those methods with our hockey players in The MOTION Lab.

That said, I do need to add one caveat…  Don’t ever forget that our sport is not based solely upon a pretty, powerful stride.  No, hockey players need to shift gears, react in all directions, and oftentimes handle a puck as they’re moving.  Come to think of it, they also have to skate for their lives with opponents oftentimes trying to run over them!

3) Which brings me to the question I obviously avoided early-on.  For, I would be willing to bet on a speed skater if he or she was matched against a hockey player in a straight-ahead race, or a sprint in one direction around the rink.  Drop a puck, however, and all bets are off.  Ya, everything a speed skater does — from training to dressing — has to do with those two kinds of races.  As soon as lateral movements and stops, starts or cuts are required, my money is on the hockey player.

But again, much shown in that video would be good for an ice hockey player.

Finally, remember that I don’t see myself as an expert on speed skating.  So, I surely would appreciate hearing from those who might know a lot more about both versions of that sport.

PS:  TIME’s Sean Gregory actually has a series of videos available over on YouTube, and I’d highly recommend you view them.  And, if he has a great collection of those up-close studies for sale, I’d love to own them.

*

Please give me your feedback on this one, huh?  And I’d like to hear from both hockey and speed skating folks!

A Creed for REAL Teaching (or Coaching)

I happened to look up to my studio wall the other night to spot something I need as a constant reminder.  A Creed for REAL Teaching is what I dubbed it long ago, that 8.5″ x 11″ poster which acts as a reminder of the way my young charges (and all humans) learn.

Immediately I thought to myself, “Gee, every CoachChic.com member — or at least every coach and parent — should have their own copy.  And with that, I present a gift down below from me to you.

– Dennis Chighisola

A Creed for REAL Teaching (or Coaching)

Sometime down the road I’m going to transfer a VHS video I once sold to numerous coaches and hockey school directors around North America.  The title of that program was “A Total Mastery System“.

In it was contained all the principles of motor learning, as well as what I’ll now described.

Shown to the right is a small copy of a poster that actually adorns my downtown office wall, my next door studio, as well as the little alcove I use at my house as a home office.  Ya, I want that thing everywhere, reminding me of how thoroughly I should do my job.

Now, as if it needs any explaining…

- Addressing line one, I think we’ll all agree that there’s a likelihood anyone will eventually forget just about anything we spend only seconds telling them about.  It’s just the nature of us human beasts, what with all the information we’re constantly swamped with.

- The second line, of course, suggests that the combination of explaining a certain principle or drill along with some sort of demonstration will do the job far better.  Agreed?

- Finally, a very wise Chinese philosopher had to really know his stuff to appreciate that involving a student in the learning process will get the job done best.  In fact, it’s the combination of all three points — and maybe even more — that will likely make the information stick.

As for that “maybe even more” part…  Today we know that the more senses involved in a given presentation, the better it’s going to be absorbed, and the longer it is likely to be retained.  So, while it probably isn’t going to very often make sense to have our players taste or smell a given playing principle or skill, we WOULD be wise to touch their senses of hearing, seeing and discussing that information.

All that said, you can do as you wish with the following download, and you might even post it somewhere (or everywhere) as The Old Coach does.  I know I certainly need the constant reminder.

*

A Creed for REAL Teaching

Simply right click the link above and Save As to your desktop or wherever.  And, while you can ultimately print it, I actually used several pieces of colored card stock in my copy machine to create more durable and more attractive posters.

*

Let me know if you like these sorts of downloads, huh?  And, I’d surely like to hear your feedback about the principles involved here!

Use the Olympics as a Learning Experience

Ever since my Soviet studies long ago, I’ve kept an eagle-eye out for unique training methods, particularly those done by international competitors.  There’s usually a ton of science behind the training methods used by those athletes.  And, with that, nothing satisfies my thirst for new ideas as much as the Olympic TV broadcasts.

– Dennis Chighisola

Use the Olympics as a Learning Experience

Now, the video below features the Russian National Team prepping for their 2008 World Cup appearance.  But, you get a pretty good idea of what I’m talking about — I mean, the way we can learn just from getting a glimpse here and there of what a team of that caliber might be doing to ready for world class competition…

Ya, for sure, the pros also apply all the science known to man in the training of their athletes – be it in hockey, baseball, football, basketball and numerous other sports.  And I’m sometimes lucky enough to be privy to their methods.  However, the Olympics (and some World Cup broadcasts) tend to prove awesome for fans (as well as to yours truly).

What I’m really getting at are those up-close-and-personal kinds of segments whereby the television crew shows clips of an athlete training at home or behind the scenes.

And, I’m not just talking about the times they focus on ice hockey players.  In most instances, there are a lot of things done by athletes in other sports that we can learn from, and a lot of training techniques are used in most sports, including ice hockey.

By the way…  CoachChic.com members are probably going to get a kick out of seeing Olympic athletes doing some of the things I’ve shown in From The MOTION Lab or in video clips on my teams’ off-ice practices.  And, my Team NEHI players are probably going to say numerous times over the next week or so, “Hey, we do that all the time!”

Anyway, keep your eyes open for those close-ups of all the athletes, and perhaps watch them through the different kind of perspective you should have gained as a member here.  Also, since my coaching schedule is going to prevent me from watching a lot of telecasts this year, I’d love to learn from your observations.

*

Use the Comment box to fill me in on what you see, huh?

Are Hockey Players Being Taught to Dive?

If this isn’t one of the most frustrating subjects I’ve tackled here in the past year…  Jeeeeesh…

Actually, member Stirling W raised this issue about a month ago, and I’d promised to deal with it as soon as I could.  Ya, I’d promised.  If there was a problem, though, we hashed over so much stuff on the topic of players taking dives, that I initially had a tough time sorting through it all.

In the end, however, I recalled what Stirling had said when I first asked him if he minded me writing an article on this.  After all, how could I not undertake this project after he offered, “Let’s run with it! Our players and future players deserve the chance to put these tools in the toolbox!”

That said, DO let us run with it!

– Dennis Chighisola

Are Hockey Players Being Taught to Dive?

Now, Stirling started by mentioning a conversation he’d recently had with a young Bantam player, with the boy sharing with him that, “…some coaches tell their players to fall down and throw their gloves off if they get hit by a stick or bumped by the other team so they can get a powerplay.”  Stirling told me that he was “appalled at that.”  Ha, could one blame him?

Actually, I’ve been well aware of NHL players taking their dives, or faking as if they’d been shot by an elephant gun.  But, no way was I aware of youth coaches advising their kids to do the same.  In fact, with all the kids I deal with over the course of a year, an idea like that has never crossed my mind.  And, frankly, I hope it never does.

As an aside here, I can’t much argue with whatever a pro coach wants to do.  Nor can I argue with high level college coaches or maybe even guys who work with juniors.  Oh, I might never do things in the same way they do.  But, I can’t really criticize them, and here’s why…

Their neck is in the proverbial noose every single night they go to the arena.  I mean, their livelihood is on the line every night, and I have to presume that every single one of them is doing whatever it takes to win, or to just survive.

That said, I think I can speak for Stirling when I say that we are both more about teaching the game than cheating our way to wins.  I think we’re both also about sending our young players along to higher levels as well armed as we can possibly make them.

Reverting back to the pros and near-pros again…  I am going to suggest that most of the players at those levels are what they are.  And by that, I mean that (within reason) they’re nearly as good as they’re ever going to be, and more of their preparation is geared towards playing stronger, harder, longer, etc.  (Said yet another way, by the time they’re well into their 20’s, they play and fill roles according to the skills they’d brought to that level, and it’s unlikely that a certain kind of player is suddenly going to change himself into another type.)

Stirling and I, on the other hand, mostly work with “developing” young players nowadays, or kids who have a chance to greatly change their playing capabilities.  And, might I say, that that’s how I also see the role of every single youth hockey coach and clinic director in the world, in that you mainly work with kids who are still malleable enough to change – a lot.

Okay, so let’s try a little something here, envisioning a very typical youth hockey game scenario…  One of our players is heading on the attack, and he is winding his way through opponents (in Bobby Orr fashion?), with the far-end goal in mind.  On the way, though, he is partially tripped-up by an enemy defender.  Now, let’s freeze that frame, and give our attacker some options:

1. of course, he could try to right himself, try to keep possession of the puck, and then try continuing on towards the rival net; or,
2. he could give-in to that I’ve-been-shot-by-the-elephant-gun thing his coach taught him, take a fall, and then pray that a penalty will be called.

So, I ask you…  Which option would you prefer your son (or daughter) take?  (Geeeeze, I’ve been a hockey dad, and I’m currently a hockey grandfather, and I can tell you that the choice isn’t even close in my mind.  Ya, I don’t talk about highlight reel skills here for no reason!)

Actually, you can go through all I’ve offered here in the way of drilling — for wild skating, puckhandling and scoring drills, and you can also go through what I’ve posted in The MOTION Lab area.  What you’ll find are innumerable ideas for keeping your balance and fighting your way through heaving traffic.  Nowhere within these pages will you find a drill about how to dawgone quit on your way up-ice!  (Chuckling to myself and shaking my head at the same time, all I can envision is hockey turning into an event much like figure skating or gymnastics, whereby judges hold-up big placards saying, “9.6”, “9.8”, “9.3”.  Ugh…)

One other thing here…  It strikes me that asking players to take dives is akin to a youth coach installing something like the “neutral zone trap”.  I mean, dictating that our kids take dives turns the game into one of coach-versus-coach, rather than allowing the players to just play to the best of their abilities.

Again, there are levels (up above us) where coaches must attempt to outwit their counterparts — with tight checking systems, line matching, and even half-cheats in order to gain a man advantage.  (Oh, and I have to chuckle once again here, since I haven’t seen many Mite, Squirt, Pee Wee or Bantam teams who can even take regular advantage of a powerplay situation.)

Stirling added something else from his conversation with that Bantam player, in that he told the youngster, “That is NOT how to play hockey and NOT how the spirit of the game goes.”  (Man, I love that part about the “spirit of the game”, ‘cause that’s something that would likely come out of my mouth if I was in that conversation.)

Stirling also said that the young Bantam made reference to seeing NHL players do it all the time.  Hmmmmm…  That is always a problem for those of us who try to teach the game rightly to developmental aged players.  But my answer is to have a serious talk with my players (you’ve probably read here about my weekly “bull sessions” at our off-ice practices).  I’ve done it every season when it comes to the roughhouse play my kids so often see on TV.  And I’ll also do it when I see something happen that I think reflects on a team’s or player’s love of the game or respect for the game.  So, I can see myself soon having a talk with my guys about diving, and I am pretty likely to steal Stirling’s line, about playing within “the spirit of the game.”

Do NHL Players Tie Skates Differently?

I hate to do this but, I am going to reserve this information for members only, this for a very special reason.  You see, what I’m about to share is a little on the tricky side, and I suspect it could be misapplied if not truly understood.  Moreover, this topic gives me the chance to put yet another one of those so-called hockey wives tale to rest, hopefully, once and for all.

– Dennis Chighisola

Do NHL Players Tie Skates Differently?

This question actually came in an email I received about a week ago.  Unfortunately, the sender didn’t provide a name.  No matter, it is a very good question.

Now, it must have been a good 20-years ago (probably more), when my son returned home from his latest minor pro hockey season, and when he suggested I try something a little different.  What he asked was that I try skating without using the top eyelets in my skate-boots.  In other words, tie the skates normally, but stop the laces and tie the bow at the next-to-last hole.

Quite honestly, I think I showed a big question mark on my face when I heard that, but my son continued, “Try it, dad.  Wait until you feel how much flex you get in your ankles!”

So I did try it, and I quickly became a believer.  In fact, I’ve been tying my skates that way ever since, and I’ve been sharing that bit of advice with my older students and players, too.

Notice that I said “older” students and players there.  For, I really don’t recommend that approach until a player is pretty dawgoned strong, and until a player has TRULY mastered his or her skating.  Hence my reserving this information for those who are into the CoachChic.com way of thinking.  In other words:  everything in time, everything in proper sequence.  Or, as I’ve said countless times within these pages, “Never skip steps!”

As an aside here, going down an eyelet on a good player’s skate tying really does help him or her to achieve better ankle flexibility.  And, with that, I can see my players looking all the more – I don’t know, I guess “stylish” is the word.  From a skating analysis standpoint, the added flexibility allows a player to nicely snap the ankle at the very end of each thrust.

*

Of course, my son had gotten that tip from some other guys he was playing a medium level pro with, so this was something that was obviously known within that level (and most likely higher).  So, when that email arrived in reference to NHL players tying their skates a little differently, it should make sense that I’d answer, “It’s pretty likely.”

*

Slightly connected…  I know that some years ago I heard that Soviet players were sometimes practicing with their skates virtually untied.  (Whoa, that has to be a challenge!)  The idea in doing that, of course, would be to make practicing (MUCH) more difficult, so that skating in games — with a regular skate tying — would ultimately feel a lot easier.

Okay, so let me briefly switch to another slightly connected topic, that having to do with tying the skates of very young, or much less experienced skaters.  Actually, while this point was raised by one of my Mighty Mite parents the other day, it also gives me the chance to address that wives tale I mentioned earlier.

It seems that the dad’s son had just been called-up to play and practice on a Mite C level team, and the coach of that team recommended that the dad wrap tape around the boy’s ankles (to evidently gain better ankle support).  Hmmmmm, and ugh…

Now, I can be at least a little compassionate towards that youth coach.  After all, he doesn’t have the benefit of knowing the things my members do – about how to analyze a stride, or about the need for ankle flex in the skating movement.  And, he likely doesn’t realize how applying very much tape around the ankles could make a player skate in almost a robot fashion.  In other words, with the feet and lower legs pretty much fused together, it should make sense that the player is going to move rather rigidly.  (As an FYI…  I don’t mind a player making one or two wraps of tape around the top eyelets, this to keep the laces from coming undone.  Any attempt to lay the tape on heavily or very tightly, however, IS going to cause the aforementioned robot-like problem.)

Trust me, that I didn’t leave that Mighty Mite dad hanging.  Instead, I spent a short time observing the boy moving around the ice during our recent pre-game warm-ups.  And, based on my 40-ish years of studying such things, here are the possibilities I considered before even looking at that youngster:

1. I think the first challenge for a beginner skater is in learning to manipulate the thin steel blade that extends-out from each skate-boot.  Please think about what I’m saying here, in that the skater wears the boot snugly tied to his or her foot (which isn’t tough at all), but then he or she has to control the blade in order to really skate.  (Ever hear the expression “edge control”?)  Actually, good control of a skate’s blade takes unbelievable coordination of tiny muscles in the foot, with different combinations being required to glide, cut, stop, move forward, backwards, or whatever.
2. Appreciate that some beginners – and I’m mainly talking about very young kids here – are a little lazy.  I don’t mean this in a harsh way at all.  What I am suggesting is that some 5-year olds might actually try to conquer their wobbly blades, while some others might not really focus well at first, or they don’t totally understand the coach’s instructions or demonstrations — yet.
3. One other possibility also has to do with rather young kids, and especially kids who are hurrying towards some other goal without worrying about what’s happening with their feet.  Far from the lazy type, this kind of player is usually extra aggressive, and just doesn’t have the patience to worry about how he or she will get from Point A to Point B.

As a final note here, one should only skip to the above checklist after ensuring that the player’s skates fit properly, that they are of sufficient quality to support him or her, and that they are tied correctly.  Of course, the above also assumes that there are no serious physical or learning disabilities present.  (On occasion I will notice a youngster doing something rather odd in his or her skating movement.  Presuming there isn’t anything physically wrong, however, I’ve provided the best ideas in the world to solve almost every beginner skating problem in my video on “21 Must-do Beginner Skating Drills”.  I’ve also included more help in separate articles and videos under the General Skills Advice category.

As for my young Mighty Mite, I kinda knew ahead of time that the best way to describe him would be found in Point #3 above.  Sure, he’s still new at skating, so there’s a little of Part #1 involved (with him and all of my little guys).  But, the main problem – if there even is a problem – is that the youngster in question is hell-bent-for-leather.  I mean, he wants the puck, he wants goals, and he is seemingly not caring how he gets to do those things (right now).  So, does it stand to reason that his footwork isn’t going to look very pretty?  You bet.  But, does it seem to have anything to do with his skates?  Absolutely not.

As yet another aside, my preference is for players who are zoned-in on the puck.  (Some of the prettiest skaters in the world can’t play the game, and some of those have been buried at center-ice or implanted into the local rink’s boards.  So, while “pretty” can be good, “effective” is a far more important quality in my book.)

To sum-up all of this (and to add a little more), let me make these points:

• Beginners need all the help they can get, and this includes good quality skates that are fit properly and tied properly.  And, since beginners do need all the help they can get, I’d lace their boots all the way up through all the eyelets.
• My biggest fear is that the parents of an intermediate will (skip steps and) go right straight to the advanced way of skate tying.  I’d much prefer that kids in this category 1) gain the benefits I mentioned in the above point, 2) become REALLY proficient skaters under normal skate-tying conditions, and 3) build-up their ankle strength to the point where they might be ready to perform stressful movements with the top eyelet not tied.
• I actually advise my players and students on an individual basis when it comes to making equipment changes.  So,  it isn’t like I tell all kids at a given age or level to do away with their top lace-holes.  Instead, I usually sense that one player could really benefit from doing this, while another of the same age and level will not.  When I do prescribe this, I will have a player test it in an easy practice setting, and I’ll usually suggest that he or she continue practicing through the long off-season.  Again, it’s rather stressful if one is skating hard with the skates tied in this manner, so I’d prefer my kids get plenty of chances to build-up strength and to get used to the new feel.

Finally, if you want more of my feelings on whether NHL players are tying their skates in the way I’ve described above, I’d be willing to bet that a great many are.  However, a lot of this would have to do with where a player came from, as well as what sort of player he is.  Furthermore, pro athletes can be a superstitious lot, and they are often open to or resistant to change, depending on so many things.  So again, I’d guess many current pros are tying their skates differently, but probably as many will never change the way they’ve always done what they’ve done.

4 Things Coaches Do to Harm a Goaltender’s Mental Game (without knowing it)!

If you like this article by Justin Johnson, and if you think it might benefit your goaltender, feel free to email it to his or her coach.

By Justin Johnson
Performance Coach, Mental Edge

This past fall I traveled across the state of Minnesota conducting goalie coaching clinics for youth hockey associations. During the two-hour sessions I consulted with coaches about ways they can increase the likelihood of their goaltenders having a positive experience in the game of hockey. What I discovered is there are many coaches who are on the right track with their goalies and their development. There are also a few who have trouble communicating with their goalies. Even more struggle with how they should orchestrate practices and games in a way that encourages goaltender development.

In an effort to shed some light on how coaches can set their goalies up for success, I have included four common pitfalls to avoid. My aim is to inform coaches about the ways they harm their goaltenders’ mental development, oftentimes without even knowing it!

1.)  Not sure what to say, so say nothing
Issue:
Historically head coaches and their staff have struggled with how to coach, challenge and develop the goaltenders on their team. Many coaches haven’t played the position, so they feel paralyzed when trying to address technical information and fundamentals. This lack of goalie know-how, typically leads to frustrating conversations or even an avoidance of conversations because it doesn’t land in the coaches’ comfort zone.
Advice:
I encourage coaches to make an effort to positively impact every player on the team, including goaltenders. Rather than keep quiet, sit down with your goaltender(s) to learn about what they need to be successful. Many goaltenders, even as young as squirts, know what should have been done differently on goals they gave up. As a coach, ask them what you can do to make practices better to address the situations you are seeing in games. Goalies need to feel a part of the team and process – ignoring them because of your ignorance can shake their trust, confidence and ultimately negatively impact on their experience.

2.)  Pulling the goalie without giving explanation
Issue:
Eventually a game will get out of hand or an off-night will come around where it is in either the team’s or the goaltender’s best interest to pull him or her from the game. I believe that the pulling of a goalie is a necessary part of the game and one that if done correctly builds character and a winning spirit in an individual. If done incorrectly you may have a disruptive issue that lasts all season, and negatively impacts the mindset of your goaltenders for quite some time. I have witnessed and even been a participant in many ugly pullings, where coaches yell at the goalie on the way to the bench or display incredibly poor body language that sends the wrong message to all watching.
Advice:
When you decide to pull your goaltender, doing so correctly comes down to two items:

1. Conduct yourself in a calm and professional manner, including body language, by continuing to coach your team in a positive way.

You must not let that goaltender leave the arena without knowing why you pulled him or her and/or how you intend to help them have a better outing next time. (As a side note, I feel it is acceptable to tell the goalie on the bench why you pulled him if it was done to help change team momentum. If it was simply a rough night for the goalie, it is better to discuss that in private after the game.)

3.)  Shouting instructions from the bench
Issue:
Rarely have I seen great coaching advice that makes an immediate impact on a goalie’s performance by being yelled from the bench for all to see and hear. Other than encouragement or to signal the goalie to come to the bench, coaches should never yell to a goaltender. The repercussions of yelling include embarrassment, confusion, frustration, and a fear of making mistakes, all of which deter a quality mindset and performances. In other words, whatever gem of advice you may have and result you get, it will be eroded by a mindset that requires the goaltender to play for you rather than themselves and their instinct.
Advice:
If a persistent issue is occurring, there are a number of ways to communicate more effectively. You can wait until there is an intermission, relay the message to a mature player you feel will communicate it to your goalie with the correct tone and message intended, or call a time-out.

4.)  Waiting right before the game to designate the starter
Issue:
Perhaps the most common mistake coaches make without knowing it is waiting to decide or inform which goalie will play. Coaches fail to understand that goaltending is a position that requires a significant amount of preparation. If a goalie does not know, that preparation is undermined, resulting in a less than prepared, less confident goaltender. Coaches have stated they use this tactic to judge who looks best in warm-ups or to make sure both goalies are ready. Both of these tactics are mentally counterproductive and will create negative effects, not only for your goaltenders but also for the rest of the team.
Advice:
I suggest coaches give notice to BOTH goaltenders as to who will be playing a night in advance, if possible, or the morning of the game, at the latest. This should provide plenty of time for your goaltenders to prepare, giving your team the best chance of a quality performance. This is a simple request and one that will be greatly appreciated by your goaltenders.

Remember, if you are good to your goalies they will likely be good to you and your team!

For more information, contact Justin@MentalEdgeNow.com

Again, feel free to email this article to a coach who might benefit from it’s great advice.

*

And, as always, we REALLY appreciate your Comments!

Russian Circle Passing – Variation #6

Please see Drill Submission Rules and Help at the bottom of the Free Drills page (all coaches would appreciate your contribution).

Contributor: Dennis Chighisola – Whitman, MA, USA

Drill Category: Skating, Passing, Pass Receiving, Attacking, Screening, Deflecting, Rebounding and Goaltending

Please first see the basic set-up of this drill as described under the free Drills section.  For, from that basic format, some really awesome offensive and defensive variations have already been shown.  (Click here for the basic drill, “Russian Circle Passing“.)

– Dennis Chighisola

Russian Circle Passing – Variations #6

Drill Description:

Comments:

Just about any of the previously shown setups can be used and then enhanced by just one little change.

What I am about to propose is that the last player to attack from a line can stop at the net and then prepare to screen and deflect (and pounce on a rebound) for the next attacker to come.  That process continues, with an attacker shooting, and then going to the net to setup a screen.

PS:  I do this often with many other shooting drills, merely having the shooter eventually going to the net.

Benefits:  Obviously, players should become adept at all three skills – as in screening the goaltender, deflecting shots, and then reacting to possible rebounds.  However, I think the addition of this component to any attacking/shooting drill also gets players in the habit of following-up their shots and going to the net.

Running the drill:  Before this drill begins, I will usually place a screener/deflecter out in front of the net.  Once the drill gets underway, the last shooter replaces the player at the net.

No video is available for this drill.

Only the Great Hockey Players Take a Beating

Okay, I lied about that, only because that title sounds better than most others I could think of.  Yes, the poorly skilled hockey players also take a beating, but that’s so because they often skate with their eyes down, or they don’t have the agility to avoid a lot of really big hits (ouch).

Still, thanks to Craig S, I have the opportunity to tell you all about how – or why — I think the better hockey players take such a beating.

– Dennis Chighisola

Only the Great Hockey Players Take a Beating

Now, Craig gets this going by describing the conditions his very little guy, Sam, is playing under in an instructional hockey league out in Western Canada (that has to be an awful lot like the Mighty Mites level I talk about elsewhere here).

As Craig tells it, “Sam has been complaining that kids are tripping, slashing and bodychecking him.”  I guess Sam is one of the youngest players, at 4-years old, but as his proud dad says, “He’s quite nifty with the puck and can turn, spin, toe-drag and (do) the rest so he’s the guy they are chasing much of the time.”

And, therein lies the reason for this article’s title.  My son was a wild stickhandler, his son Anthony is like that, and so are a ton of my other students sprinkled around the region.  And, if these kinds of kids have the puck a whole lot, what do you think will happen?

Actually, I want to share something with Craig (and other members), this having to do with conversations I’ve had with both of my own guys and with another student of mine who is currently starring in local high school hockey.

First, I’d like older players, parents and coaches to think along with me here…  For, what we want for our guys is that they take away something they can use to become better.  So, while I could have coddled Tony Chic, for example, what would that really do for him?  Oh, deep inside we hurt for the kids who might take a beating, and a few alternatives might fleetingly pass through our minds.  However, I think we really need to leave-off with something that will help a player — something positive, and something useful.

Anthony Chic is sorta fun to have such conversations with, ‘cause he’ll play right along with me.  So, I put it to him at the start, asking, “You’re a pretty good puckhandler, right?”  And when he agreed, I asked if a few hacks might come along with his having the puck more than most other guys.  Again, he agreed.  Then, I asked if he’d trade his skills for those of the guys who seldom get slashed or hooked very often.  “Of course not!” he answered (as a if a light bulb suddenly came on).

Oh, the welts sure do hurt at times, and I personally cringe when I see some of them.  But, to the “puckhandler” — or to the great player, those can at least be turned into badges of courage.

Now, if you’re talking to a young player along these lines, you don’t have to use my wording.  My point is to somehow steer him or her towards something positive – or sorta turning a negative into something they can use.  The way I’ve done it, at least my guys have felt more proud of their skills, they recognize that they’re a little bit special, and those things tend to make at least some of the hurts go away.

As an aside…  The boy pictured to the far right must look like an abused child when he undresses at night.  First-off, he is quick, he’s highly skilled, he has the puck a good deal during our Team NEHI Jr HS games, and he is getting absolutely smoked about once or twice each game.  Okay, he’s still young, his skills are still improving (although they’re already real good), he hasn’t totally discovered how to get out of trouble yet, and he is also dealing with the growth spurt issue I mentioned a few days ago.

*

Also, as I intimated earlier, I don’t ever like to see one of my babies get hurt.  Yet, short of that, rival players are oftentimes helping these kind of guys or gals to get even better.  I mean, while opponents are running at the couple of really top-notch puckhandlers I currently have, my kids are kinda using them as moveable pylons. (Of course, those pylons hit back, but…)  On the other side of the spectrum, though, the not-so-talented kids aren’t carrying the puck enough to get that kind of challenge.

Now, what I quoted above from Craig was more of a statement, and it gave me the opportunity to address something I thought worthy of sharing.  However, he was really steering his way towards a question…

What Craig wanted to know in the end (besides how to help his son endure this), was whether it was right or wrong that coaches don’t call many (if any) penalties in that instructional kind of hockey structure (where coaches run the games on-ice, rather than referees).

As for me, I wrestle with that question a bit…

In a perfect world, I would have no scores be counted, and no standings kept.  Oh, I’d let the kids celebrate their goals – that’s a good thing, but I wouldn’t ring them up in lights.  For, with just that, the coaches on the ice would be thinking more about development than they would the “W”.

Also with that, I think you’d see opposing coaches getting together and making better decisions about how to run the games, how to call penalties, etc.

As an example of what I mean – about calling penalties…  There are some kids who are so timid in the early games that they need to be encouraged to “get involved” in the play.  That said, can you picture how calling a boarder line penalty on him or her could make that kind of player all the more fearful of sticking his or her nose into the fray?  On the other side of the ledger, though, we might actually be helping if we call those border line jobs on a kid who is overly aggressive.  Yet another thought of mine involves kids digging for pucks around the crease, because – while we want to protect young netminders, we also want to encourage skaters and goalers alike to be a little tough in that area.  Of course, none of this could take place under strict hockey rules.  Naw, it could only happen if opposing coaches were working together, and just doing what was right for each youngster.

By the way, Craig ended by mentioning ages, as in his thinking “… coaches are reluctant to call even obvious penalties at this age.”

Well, my feeling is that the more that’s accomplished with young ones, the easier it will be to help them solve some other things when they reach the higher levels.  So, if the ideas I suggested above were used at Sam’s level (or with my Mighty Mites’ age group), I happen to believe those kids would very easily be able to inch their ways a little later towards “real hockey” or “officiated” games.

As a final aside here, I have one other tip for puckhandlers or parents of puckhandlers…  Every time my son or grandson took a little dingle, I inspected his gear to see if a gap in protection allowed that (or if faulty equipment or gear that was too small was the culprit).  If the gear was basically okay — and it was in a gap where my guy was taking the hits, I’d frequently take the time to sew some extra padding or plastic in to cover the exposed area.  (Hey, I’d take my time and do it while relaxing watching TV, or while sitting outdoors on a nice summer night.)

*

Oh, in case you’re wondering about this altering of equipment…

*

My feeling is that consumer level gear is made for someone named “Joe Average”.  I mean, it wasn’t designed for my physique nor for yours or your kids’.  The fact of the matter is, a certain piece of equipment might “fit” both of us, but it really doesn’t totally do the job for either of us.

*

Another problem is that hockey equipment (and a lot of other sports gear) is made to be sold.  In other words, a company might be able to produce an awesome piece of protection, but the general population wouldn’t be able to afford it.  So, doesn’t it make sense that manufacturers do the next best thing — by cutting back on the costs so that the masses can buy it?

*

So again, with the probability that the gear you’re using doesn’t totally do the job, my suggestion is to inspect it, and maybe adapt it to do what you really need it to do.

*

Oh, and this goes for goalie equipment as well…  Todd Jacobson and I have had more kids get dinged because of gaps in their goaler pads, and we’ve quickly recommended that they either replace the gear (maybe they’ve outgrown some), or get to sewing and patching as I’ve described above.

Of course, most of this article is just one Old Hockey Coach’s opinion.  But, I truly do believe in it.

My Equipment Cart

By Dennis Chighisola

Okay, you’d better not laugh about this one.  Actually, I introduced my Net Blocks recently just to soften you up for something that’s even more unusual.  Yes, the contraption shown below is Old Coach Chic’s cart.  (And, no, I’m not homeless, as some of my rink buddies suggest!)

Now, if you’ll recall what I said about those Net Blocks, I tend to look for answers that solve problems, and especially if they help me do a better job of teaching/coaching.

That said, let me paint a little picture here…  The other night I pulled into the rink where my team practices on Wednesday nights.  From a couple of hundred yards away, I could see that there had to be a high school hockey game going on in the front rink.  I mean, the parking lot was full, and this was going to mean that I’d have a hard time finding a parking spot very close to the rink.  (At least once per year I tease the rink’s manager about getting my own spot, and more times than that I ask if someone will call me a taxi.  )

Next, appreciate that there’s just one main entrance to that place, and I have to pass through the crowded lobby, then through the front rink, until I reach the rink in the back where we’ll practice.

By the way…  I’ve just described conditions at one rink, and I work there at least twice per week.  However, there’s yet another I go to even more often, and it’s nearly as difficult to negotiate.

Anyway, with that kind of trek in mind, now picture that I STILL want to run the best practice I can.  And this is going to mean I need — at minimum — my usual kzillion pucks, some obstacles for stickhandling around, my fairly large skate bag, my stick, my clipboard, extra practice jerseys, sometimes a big camera with accessories, and oftentimes several other special gadgets.

Now, let me tell you what some guys or gals might do…  They’d likely ditch two-thirds of the pucks, and they’d probably only carry those, their skates and their stick.  As for me, I’m thankful I’m not that way.

No, it seems to me that running a great practice is my first objective.  From there, it’s up to me to figure-out how I can pull that off, or how I can get all I need into the rink.  And, the answer, at least for me, is what you see below.

* * *

I’m guessing I’ve been through about three different models of carts over about the past 15-years.  Actually, I have two right now — the bigger one you see above that’s kept in my SUV, and a smaller one that collapses and stores easily in the trunk of my car (and I have another complete set-up of gear for the car).  That bigger cart was made for toting golf clubs — and the large wheels make it easier to roll through the snow, while my smaller one is more like the light shopping carts that can be purchased in local department stores.

Just to point-out the things I happen to have in the above cart…  Perhaps you can notice my clipboard (and lesson plan) hanging from the front.  At least one Net Block is dangling close by, and so is there a small bag of extra jerseys hidden from view.  Inside the cart are my foam dots (for puckhandling courses), a bag containing about 80-pucks, and my own bag is on the very top, this containing my skates, gloves, some tools, extra whistles, and lots of small teaching necessities.  I happened to take these photos on the night I was running my team’s skills session, so there wasn’t the need for a few other teaching accessories.  However, if I needed my greaseboard or Model Rink, they’d easily affix to that cart.

Oh, there might be an option I haven’t mentioned here, like storing some gear at the rink.  I do that with my SMG, and sometimes with some other larger gadgets.  However, the stuff I carry in my cart is needed at between three and five different facilities each week.

Finally, a carriage like mine is not for everyone, and I didn’t mean to poke fun at anyone who doesn’t use something like that.  My real point — as in many other posts — is that some problems need to be solved in order to run the best training sessions possible.  Some such problem solving gadgets are shown in this section — in the Coaches’ Corner, while others might been found in From The MOTION Lab.

*

Okay, joking aside, might you have any ideas to add?  You know I look forward to reading your Comments!