Pulling Away From the Pack

When you get into the first paragraph of the following article, you’re likely to wonder why I’ve chosen to post it at this time, rather than on New Year’s Day.  Well, as you’re also likely to discover, Justin Johnson’s piece is timeless, in that his suggestions would serve us well at absolutely any time of the year.

That said, I think that NOW is a very critical time in a hockey player’s year.  As many of us CoachChic.com writers suggested last spring, this is a time for reflection, or for taking an account of how we did this past season.  And so is it a time to plan ahead — so that we might improve upon some of our shortcomings, and to build further upon our strengths.

– Dennis Chighisola

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Justin Johnson, Performance Coach

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Pulling Away From the Pack

As many athletes return to school from break and we stare down another year, I wanted to lay down a challenge to all and any youth athletes and non athletes reading this, especially, those contemplating New Year’s resolutions. Whatever your area of activity, be it in school, friends, family, church, or in athletics: Separate Yourself. Be special, dare to be different, lead the pack, go big or go home.  However you would like to say it or phrase it, I ask you to be bold enough to do it.

Few athletes exemplified this mindset more than baseball’s Babe Ruth; he swung for the fences whether it was on the field, at the dinner table or in his life off the field. “I swing big, with everything I’ve got,” Ruth said. “I hit big or I miss big. I like to live as big as I can.” As a result, for many years Ruth held the record for most home runs and for most strikeouts. He saw strikeouts as part of the deal. He actually said, “Every strikeout brings me closer to my next home run.”

By this time you may be asking yourself how can I, little average old me, do such a thing? Here is how you get started. Find one activity you do regularly in your life. School, sports, church and friends are all good venues. Then give more effort, care, time and energy to that activity. Use your time in that activity to do it better and longer than others around you. The result, over time, is that you build a sense of pride and fulfillment within yourself. This feeling will only propel your drive to continue to separate yourself.

There is one other way you will know you have begun to separate yourself. Others will question you and urge you to stop! They may even make fun of you or criticize your increased efforts. This is exactly what you want! You see, there are far too many of us stuck in the center of it all. Risking little, gaining little, and losing little.  Yet this is not the way we were meant to live. Others will feel threatened by your new found feeling of fulfillment and your new status separate from the center, and they will do what they can to urge you back to the pack. Don’t let them! Dare to be special, dare to be great and continue your efforts to do so regardless of what others say.

If you are looking to make some changes this new year, or even capitalize on some momentum built in ’09, then make sure you are willing to be special. Don’t be afraid to separate yourself to go after what you want. I assure you, you deserve it and you won’t regret it.

If you would like help in taking the first step, or when others begin to urge you back to the pack, please call us…we’d love to help you with your success 763-439-5246!

Justin

Justin@MentalEdgeNow.com

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Members might find this interesting…  I’ve written a hockey advice column for “Hockey/USA” magazine for close to 20-years.  And, over that span, I’ve changed the focus of my articles about four or five times.  However, for about a 5-years, the title of that column was “Dare To Be Different!”  Ya, as Justin might say, I was suggesting to my readers that they should separate themselves from the rest of the pack!

I have no doubts that member hockey players and coaches know right now what is needed for them to jump far beyond all their competition next fall.  Following Justin’s advice RIGHT NOW is one sure fire way to get what you want.  There’s a long time between now and the start of next season, you know, and all those months offer you plenty of time to make huge changes in your game.  In so doing, remember one of my favorite lines, in that, “By the inch it’s a synch!”

– Dennis Chighisola

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.

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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.

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

THE Bobby Orr Move

Ya, like there was only one — or “THE” Bobby Orr move. There were probably more like a hundred of them. However, for the sake of helping my NEHI players to add one more move to their offensive bag of tricks, I several years ago dubbed a certain Orr move “The Bobby Orr Move”.

Now, I’m going to soon go into an analysis of that special play. But first, I think it’s time to resurrect Number 4′s memory. Yes, I’m wondering right now if a generation of young players (maybe more) only knows the name. So, for their sake, and also for those who recall how much fun it was to watch him, here’s a little something special borrowed from YouTube.com…

Next, as you perhaps wipe away your own tears, please go back to the 20-second mark of that video and watch the play that follows. That, my dear friends, is what I refer to as…

THE Bobby Orr Move

By Dennis Chighisola

Over the next few minutes you may just want to review that portion of the video again. At the same time, let me explain what I’m seeing there.

Countless times as I watched Orr during his years in Boston, he’d freeze the man covering him by faking a slapshot. Just the sight of Orr raising his stick usually caused the defender to brace-up — as if to block the shot, which then allowed Orr to perform further magic.

In that brief clip of Orr’s special move at the point, he walked around his cover and then fed a teammate cross-ice with a nice pass. At yet other times, I saw Orr take a slapshot as soon as he’d broken free from his check.

Of course, I’m here to tell you that this move — or this string of moves — can actually be learned by a younger player. In fact, if you click on the photo below you’ll see a video of one of my outstanding young Team NEHI Junior HS kids doing a pretty good imitation of the all-time great…

Now, I’ve sometimes mentioned elsewhere in these pages how I break down such a fancy move so that I can teach it to younger players. In fact, that’s how the boy above and many of his teammates learned this play — from my dividing the more complex skills into several easier, fairly do-able steps. Okay, so let’s explore those steps:

Step 1 is the Fake

I’m talking about a real fake here! I mean, if you can appreciate it (and I talk to my players often about this), a defensive player — be he a goaler or a skater — is NOT going to go falling on his face just because an attackers wills it, or prays it. Naw, a deke has to be believable! And, if it is, the defensive player will likely to do what the attacker wants him to do. So again, the whole thing starts with a big, believable slapshot motion.

Step 2 is the Pull

In a way, this is the spinarama move made famous by another offensive great, Denis Savard. In this case, however, I have my players do as Orr did, by only pulling the puck around on the backhand. (My personal belief is that spinning around from the backhand is easier and quicker to execute, it might carry the attacker wider around his man, and it also brings the attacker to a great shooting angle once he’s gotten around the checker. By the way, this is one reason I like to play my defensemen on their “off-wing” side.)

Step 3 is to Go Wide

And, as in Step 1, I really mean that a player has to do this step to his or her max — or to exaggerate it. As I’ll so often say to my kids, any fake is going to only last so long, and then the checker is going to try to recover and get you. (Think about that, if you would… An attacker takes the bait, but that has that “Oh, my God!” moment, at which time he or she desperately lunges back into the play.) So, the wider our attacker swings, the safer he or she is going to be.

Step 4 is to Penetrate

Actually, I’ll ultimately give my attackers all the usual options here. However, as we started practicing Orr’s move, I at first limited my young guys to just quickly getting around the imaginary checker and unleashing a slap on-goal. In due time, I asked my players to read the goaltender — and to shoot if they saw open net, or to move-in if the goaler had come-out on the angle. Down the road, I’m going to add a teammate to the play (probably over on the weakside backdoor), just so the guy doing the Orr move has the third option to pass.

Now, the following snapshots are linked to more action videos (so just click on each). And, in the case of the first one, I hope you get a kick out of our youngest player doing the same move as a righty shooter (because I surely did). In fact, I think he demonstrates the move awesomely!

Here’s a video taken from a front view, just to give you a different perspective (click on the image).

And, the final video is in slow-mo so that you might see the big guy again from the front view (click on the photo below).

Now, from all the above I’m kinda hoping you might come-away with a number of impressions…

1. The greatness of guys like Bobby Orr is that they pioneered some amazing moves. Years later, however, it’s possible for fairly skilled young players to perform those very same moves.
2. Complex moves aren’t quite so complex if we study them and then break them down into easier, do-able steps.
3. In many instances, some of those steps require real emphasis — as in the case of Orr’s move, where it’s extremely important to make a believable fake, and just as important to swing far-out and away from a recovering defender.

Now, I had what I hope you’ll see as an interesting conversation with my assistant coach the other night, this while our kids were practicing this move. For, I mentioned to him that each of the players was going to get something slightly different from what they were doing. Oh, I’m going to bet that two or three of my kids will try that move in a game over the next few weeks. At the same time, a number of my players aren’t quite ready to do that — just yet. So, what’s in it for the latter group? I think that working on such a move is an awesome skill drill for every one of them. Just picture it: They’re working on faking, pulling the puck in a spinarama, learning to swing wide around a defender, and trying to get their shots off as soon as possible. So again, I think inserting something like this into a fairly skilled team’s practice is a very worthwhile endeavor — for all of the players.

Finally, once I’ve given you enough time to put this drill to good use, I’ll then show you another favorite move of mine, this one made famous by the great Guy Lafleur!

Reflections of a High School Hockey Coach

I actually asked our good friend, Todd Jacobson, to provide this mid-season report for all of us.  Why at this time?  Well, I just sense that it’s about at the midpoint in a season when a coach has a pretty good grasp of the roster, a sense of how things are going — or where they’re going, and it’s also around this time when he or she might wish, “I shoulda done this,” or, “I shoulda done that.”

Now, Todd is in about his 5th or 6th season at the helm of his school’s program.  And, with that, I’d like member coaches to appreciate just how little he leaves to chance.  I mean, he begins his next year’s planning REAL early, he knows exactly how he’s going to early-on screen and then assign players to roles, he’s planned how lines will be formed and then used, he has a picture in his mind about how his overall program will function (between varsity and JVs), and he has a philosophy — or an approach to his overall season — that he totally believes in.

But, enough from me.  This is some really good stuff!

– Dennis Chighisola

Reflections of a High School Coach

I’d like to start off by saying that anyone who wants to coach high school hockey better be prepared and willing to put more than their fair share of time and effort into it, if he or she really wants to make it work.

I also want to say that I absolutely love it. You have about a 13 week season in which you have to fit in tryouts, scrimmages, regular season games, on ice and off ice practices, team meetings, weight room sessions, and that is only the stuff on the surface.  That list doesn’t include all of the administrative work that goes into a successful program.

Believe me, when I say that I start preparing within weeks of one season ending (usually sometime in April). It starts with getting letters out to rinks as I look for quality ice times. It also encompasses numerous league meetings — for scheduling, etc.  I also have to have a balance of practices and games for both the Varsity and JV teams. Then there is the budget and trying to keep the ever skyrocketing prices of ice under control without having to sacrifice the number of practices we’ll have.  Next I have to juggle weight room sessions, off ice training, and team meetings into the off days. So, in any given week, our Varsity team will meet about 6 times, and the JVs about 4 times. (As an FYI, we also have a pay to play fee which I have always been totally against.  But to put a quality hockey program on the ice you need money to come from somewhere other than just the school.  So, about 25% of our budget comes from the pay to play fees.)

Getting started we have about 4 days of tryouts (3 on ice and 1 off ice) whereby the coaches are to look for the standouts at both ends of the roster.  In this way, by the second day, we are really looking at a small group of what I call “bubble” players.  Bubble players are the kids who will make the last couple of spots on our Varsity team and be the top players on the JV roster. We also have what we call swing players and JV-plus players. Swing players may be kids who don’t see a lot of Varsity game time but can fill in when needed, and they get to practice with the varsity all season long, as well as get plenty of game action on the JV team. The JV-plus players are a few JV kids who we bring up from time to time, for practices and for certain games (so we can maybe get them some much needed varsity experience).

Once tryouts are over, we have about 10 days to get ready for the season opener. I purposely start my Varsity games later than most other teams. This gives me time to get the proper amount of practice on our playing systems. We usually play anywhere from one to three scrimmages during these 10 days.

Typically, line combinations are made quickly, based on a number of criteria I use:

• I try to balance my top two lines (that way teams can’t focus on one group or the other).
• I look for a scorer, a grinder, and a playmaker for my first two lines. (When I talk to other coaches, I hear them say it’s tough to play us because we do balance our lines pretty well.)
• My third line is usually a defensive minded one.  I look for kids who will hustle and work hard for 35-45 seconds, which provides the necessary rest for our top two lines. Any offense we get from them is a bonus.
• I personally like to run 3 lines of forwards and 4 to 6 defensemen. I feel our up tempo style dictates that we roll three lines (and I find that all the successful teams do much the same). The teams who don’t usually find themselves tired in the third period usually pull away in the end.

I’m a huge fan of the subliminal (or the “head games” coaches typically play on opposing teams):

• We have a dress code for games; whether it is at home or away, we dress appropriately. I always say, “If you dress with class, you play with class.”
• I also like my team to hit the ice first, regardless of if it’s at home or away. I think when you show that you are eager to be out there it sends a message to the other team.
• I like to have my players at the rink well beforehand, or at least one hour in advance.
• Our players will do some warm up type drills (agility ladders or golf ball stickhandling) to get themselves in a good mindset for the game to come.
• Sometimes I will have a team meeting as soon as the kids arrive at the rink, and then I give a pre-game talk just before we go out to the ice.

Most coaches will tell you that the majority of their coaching is done in practice, and then we bench manage and make corrections during games.

My philosophy has always been to scout all of our opponents (I try to see every team within about 2 weeks of when we play them).  But this can be time consuming and difficult to work into any schedule.  However, with a good sized staff of coaches, sometimes we benefit from an assistant skipping a practice to go watch a team that we will be playing soon.

My other key philosophy has been to plan on taking away something another team does well, this in hopes of frustrating them. If I feel we are the stronger team, we work on setting the tone and making the other team adjust to what we do well.

I also believe in playing a quality schedule. We play some of the toughest teams in our state year every year.  So, when we ultimately do qualify for the state tournament, we have earned it.

To give you an idea of where we stand with four weeks to go in the current season, we have 9 games remaining (8 of them at home) and are we’re just below the .500 mark.  (Like it or not, we play some very tough teams in the next two weeks.)

I have a saying that, “You can’t leave points on the table.” And in two games so far this year, we’ve done just that.  So, now that we’ve dug ourselves a hole, we need to steal some points from some of the better teams we’ll soon play. Last year we left points on the table early in the year, as well, but then knocked off some pretty good teams down the stretch to qualify for the tournament. If there’s one thing in our favor, I feel that we usually peak later in the year, which is when you want your team to be clicking on all cylinders. Some teams come out fast and fade.  But I feel the more important the games are later in the year, the better my teams will usually play.

So as we move toward “crunch time”, and needing to play some pretty solid hockey against some pretty good teams, we continue to work on the things that we need to tighten up. Positional play within our systems has been a struggle, but we are getting better with every practice. We have a group of kids that work hard on every shift.  There are no superstars, but they’re more a collection of kids who have skills that gel well together.  In other words, this year’s squad is a real “blue collar” type team. They’re definitely the definition of a team, they need each other to be successful, and in the end I know that they will do just that.

Your in Hockey,

Coach J.

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Now, I’m not about to put words in my young buddy’s mouth.  However, if you’ll notice how much Todd’s “system” means to his team’s success, you also might realize how little influence he and most other high school coaches have over their players’ individual skills.  But, let me try to explain that better…

I know darned well that Todd works on his player’s skills nearly every day.  I know he holds some great practices, both on-ice and off-ice, and that many of these are geared towards enhancing his kids’ skating, puck-work, passing, scoring, defending, strength and conditioning.  All that said, it’s hard for him — or any other high school coach — to affect huge changes in a player’s overall skill capabilities in only 13 or so weeks.

What am I getting at?  It’s that high school coaches — for the most part — only get to work with the players as they’ve arrived.  So, we’re thrilled if they’ve learned highlight reel skills on their way up through the youth hockey ranks, and even more thrilled if they’ve busted their buns during the very long off-season.  For, once they arrive, the major part of a coach’s job is to pull them together into some sort of system.

The reason I’ve added this particular wrap-up?  I think the onus is really on prospective high school players to prepare well in anticipation of truly competing at that level.  After all, there’s a HUGE difference between the 13-weeks the high school coach will have them, and the 39-ish weeks a player has to really prepare.  (But, that’s just this old coach’s 2-cents worth.)

Unbelievable job, Todd!

– Dennis Chighisola

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Be a friend:  You know how much we appreciate your Comments!

Troubleshooting the Tight Turn (or Boston Turn)

Now, this has really been fun!  A number of avid members offered their thoughts on the following problem (begun over at “The Tight Turn (or Boston Turn“), and I got to interact with them (which is always the most fun).

Anyway, to recap things, just in case you’re jumping in late here…  The first photo below shows my young buddy and grandson, Anthony Chic, protecting the puck and making a tight or Boston turn around a defender.  And, although he’s one of the best at this ploy, the camera catches him making one glaring mistake — at least at the moment that photo was taken.

From there, a bunch of my CoachChic.com friends tried to figure what this zany old coach was getting at.  And, while most seemed to be coming kinda close to what I was seeing, no one really hit it dead-on.

With all that, I’m going to do my best below to explain myself.

– Dennis Chighisola

Troubleshooting the Tight Turn (or Boston Turn)

Okay, it’s quite possible that a lot of my great friends here are ultimately going to slap their foreheads and mutter to themselves, “That’s what I meant!”  And, while many of you — especially Jerry Z, Ravi and Ozzy — almost sounded as if you were hinting at what I’ll suggest, I don’t think anyone really said what I was looking for.  (After I’d prepared this piece, Michael G actually came as close to the answer as anyone.)

Anyway, (to the left) let’s start here with the original photo of Tony C fighting off that defender.  I’m showing this again, just so we’ll have a frame of reference.

Next, to give you a sense of how this old coach sees such things, let me show you the same picture (below), but with the defensive player removed…

What I’ll normally suggest (or joke about) to one of my students who strikes a pose like this is that, “If someone opens a door and a little breeze enters the rink, you’re going to fall on your dawgoned ear!”  Can you see it?  Anthony’s skates are both FAR outside his center of gravity.  And in such a posture, he has no strength — or no stability — whatsoever!

Then, I’ve doctored that photo again (below), but this time moving Tony C’s inside foot/leg closer to under his center of gravity.  So, take a look, and see if he just might be a whole lot stronger in that stance.  (Moving parts around within that photo wasn’t easy, and it’s not exactly how I’d like it to look.  But, it still should give you a sense of what I’d be aiming for.)

Now, in reality, I’ve solicited Comments and withheld my thoughts for a time so that I could address some other common issues when it comes to a move like this.

You see, there are a kzillion hockey “wives tales” forever circulating around the rinks — and particularly within youth hockey circles, with a number of them either raised or hinted at in the accumulated Comments.  So, please allow me to tackle some of those, because I think these points will help an awful lot of my friends deal with some of those so-called wives tales:

1. If you have the time, go over to YouTube and watch a few of the highlight reel goals.  I guarantee you’ll find most of your favorite players — from Ovechkin to Crosby to Datsyuk — making big-time plays with one hand on their sticks.  You see, a player can only make very narrow dribbles and dekes with the stick held in both hands.  And, while I’ve picked on Anthony here because I found a flaw at one moment in time, he is actually doing a ton of things right in that play.  For example, notice how he is able to extend his reach with the stick held in one hand, so that the defender doesn’t have a prayer of getting to that puck.  As importantly, Anthony is able to fend-off his man because his other hand is free to do so.  Oh, and by the way…  Because all of my students and former players can do everything both ways, Tony C would be just as comfortable extending the stick far out in his left hand and holding-off his man with the right.
2. I think a lot of the wives tales — or false impressions — stem from players or youth coaches “thinking” they see something they really don’t.  And one thing I sense a lot of folks around the rinks believe is that the skates should be arranged one behind the other when executing a quick cut like this one.  Oh, for sure, the inside skate must lead — a little — in the tight turn.  But, to move with the skates in a straight line also removes strength and stability.
3. I loved that one of my NEHI HS Prep kids jumped in on this conversation.  And I also love the chance it gives me to address something else…  I mean, you will hardly ever hear me say or see me write, “Keep your HEAD up!”  Why?  It’s because the EYES are the important thing when it comes to puckhandling!  Actually, the best attackers in the hockey world look down at the puck; one can’t carry for very long without occasionally checking on it.  That said, can you just imagine a great puckcarrier bobbing his or her head up and down as he or she moves down the ice?  Geeeeeeze…  What a good attacker should really do is hold the head fairly steady, use split vision to see almost everything, and occasionally just move the eyes with quick glances — down, up, etc…
4. I am going to suggest here that our game is one of constant adjustments.  And I’ll further suggest that any given technique might be good at one moment and not so good at another.  As an example, I’ll often joke to my older students that they can skate like figure skaters in open ice, but they’d better drastically change their posture as they enter traffic.  In other words, large and pretty cross-overs or an upright stance might be okay with no one around you; but, you’d better sit low and spread those skates as soon as there’s a chance for body contact.  Said yet another way…  Within just a few seconds, we might see a player in a speedy or graceful posture suddenly shift to a bracing stance; he might go back to an open ice stride, and then quickly return to the strong and stable position.

Oh, and one more thing about those wives tales…  Supposing a young player or youth coach spotted Anthony’s photo and presumed that — since he’s a pretty dangerous attacker — his technique is one to emulate — to a tee.  Well, you and I now know that it’s true in many regards, yet it’s definitely not in at least one other.  If they picked-up on his method of protecting the puck, I’d say they’re on the way to better skills.  However, if they hung their hats on the way he’s been caught in his foot placement…  Well, can you imagine a coach teaching that method for the next 10-years?  And that’s what I’m getting at about a lot of those so-called rink wives tales.  They were based on a wrong assumption in the first place, but nonetheless keep being spread and spread and spread.

Finally, I can’t tell you guys — Jerry, Scott, Ravi, Wilder, Ozzy, Mike and GKelly — how much I appreciate you jumping in here.  Honest to God, I couldn’t have done this piece without your help, and I’m praying I haven’t discouraged you (with a few of my teases) from weighting-in on future conversations.  I love you guys!

Oh, as for a prize…  I was originally thinking about an all-expenses-paid trip to Pluto.  As it turns out, I can’t afford that.  So, I’m hoping Jerry, Ozzy and Mike will settle for a shorter ride — maybe to Jupiter?    (Thanks again, guys; you’re the best!)

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PS:  Anthony Chic recently told me that the defender in that photo actually took a penalty on the play.  So, while I’m suggesting that he could have fallen on his own, an official evidently blamed the ensuing spill on the defensive player.  Ya, there are some advantages to being tricky out there on the ice, including drawing a lot of penalties.  Oh, well…

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No way should the conversation end here.  So, please DO add your Comments below!

What If You Don’t Have an Agility Ladder?

Having lots of posts here in reference to using — and even making — agility ladders, it was just a matter of time before someone would write me about what to do if they don’t own their own ladder.  And, as you’ll soon see, that’s an easy one to answer.

– Dennis Chighisola

What If You Don’t Have an Agility Ladder?

Up front, let me tell you that agility ladders can be a pain in the butt to use.  Laughing to myself here, I should point-out that all the great videos we find around the Internet have most likely been edited — a lot.  And that goes for my videos, as well.  I mean, athlete’s miss-step plenty when they’re first learning, and they frequently get a little tangled in the ladder or at least knock the ladder out of shape.

That said, I use a number of approaches to working on footwork, with most of these depending on the location where my players will work…

For example, there are a lot of places where we need to get our agility work in, and then vanish from that area without a trace.  And for that, it makes sense to just spread a ladder, do our workout, roll it back up, and pack it away.

For another example — this one having to do with agility work in a more permanent location…  I recall numerous hockey (and other sport) parents telling me that they made a ladder for their youngster after having liked the way I work with the one in The MOTION Lab.  Most of those parents told me that they used colored tape to mark-out a ladder on the floor in their basement or den.  I’ve actually done that myself — using good old duct tape, although I’ve discovered that older players and a lot of traffic will ultimately scuff the tape and turn-up its edges.  Really, though, most of my tape-jobs have last a few months, at least.

I’ll sometimes offer that a family can paint the outline of an agility ladder on their driveway or another paved area.  If there’s a caveat here, it’s that frequent work on an unforgiving surface can be rather hard on the legs.  Along this line of thinking — about using paint…  I haven’t sprayed those on grass, but I do use white, water-based spray paint to mark the field area where my NEHI teams do their off-season sprint workouts.

Then, of course, it is possible to use chalk to outline an agility ladder on the right kind of surface.  If there’s a problem here, the chalk isn’t likely to stay very long.

Finally, my experimentation in The MOTION Lab has brought me from using a regular agility ladder to a taped one to the painted ladder that now sits in the middle of the Lab.  There are no ropes or rungs to get tangled in, no set-up time required, and the paint stands-up far, far longer than the tape I’d previously tried.  Better yet, our agility ladder is always there (as shown in the above photo), even though we can ignore it most of the time to perform other types of drilling in the same area.

PS:  If I’ve failed to mention it previously, the standard agility ladder is 18″ wide with the rungs spaced 18″ apart.  But, I see no scientific reason for being exact on those dimensions.

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Do you have any ideas along these lines?  Have you tried something similar but better?  Please tell us in the Comment area below!

The Tight Turn (or Boston Turn)

This post could really be entitled “What’s Wrong with this Picture?“, because that’s exactly what I’m going to ask you.

This photo happens to show my young buddy and grandson, Anthony Chic.  And, while he is really one of the best at protecting the puck in these types of plays, he’s making one glaring mistake — at least at the moment this photo was taken.

So, here’s the deal…  I’m not going to complete this post until a number of members have weighed-in, or offered their opinions or guesses.  Once I do receive a number of Comments (down below), I’ll share with you all I know about tight turns (or so-called Boston Turns).

– Dennis Chighisola

The Tight Turn (or Boston Turn)

The Effects of Growth Spurts on Hockey Players

I sometimes wonder if my friends at CoachChic.com appreciate the unique topics discussed here.  Oh, I don’t mean to sound like I’m patting myself (or our other awesome writers) on the back when I say that.  However, there are some — perhaps not so hockey specific — subjects that I never see mentioned elsewhere, despite the fact that they can impact hugely on a hockey player’s skill development, safety, and more.  Anyway, I think the following topic is an important one.  But, I’ll let you be the ultimate judge of that.

– Dennis Chighisola

The Effects of Growth Spurts on Hockey Players

Right now, a number of my Team NEHI junior high school kids are in a funk.  In other words, while they’re pretty nice players, little things are going wrong in their execution.  (Well, sometimes there are more than just little things going wrong, but…)

Ironically — and despite my having seen this happen for going on 40-years, it always seems to take a few weeks for me to notice.  Thereafter, it might take me even a little while longer to recognize the real problem.

The reason I mention my junior high team kids is because they’re in the rough age group where growth spurts so often take place.  I mean, growth is obviously happening with my littlest students, and also with my high school guys.  But, that group of kids from about 12- to 14-years old is really something else.  And, of course, some of the kids in this age bracket are also experiencing the effects of puberty, which further magnifies what I’m about to discuss.

Now, let me offer a personal story here (and maybe give you another opportunity to laugh at this old coach).  For, probably a good 25-years ago, I was sitting in the stands at one of my son’s pre-season hockey games, and I’m watching a previously highly skilled boy fall all over himself.  I mean, he’d made one of the top high school teams in the country — as a freshman, mainly because he had wheels, he could do tricks with the puck, and he could shoot absolute bullets.  Yet, just prior to his sophomore season, he was now skating like he’d never had a lesson in his life, and he couldn’t handle a puck beyond a couple of dribbles!  Man, I mean to tell you that he was awful.  (You should have heard me whisper to my wife that night, like, “I teach dawgoned skills for a living, and my son can’t even skate!”)

Thank God, in that the effects of his latest growth spurt didn’t last into the regular high school season.  Phew!

Okay, so was it just a short bout he had with this thing?  I’m guessing not.  More likely the effects of that spurt began way back in the spring months, but they just weren’t as obvious during our off-season clinics and hockey camps.

So again, quite a few on my current team are in a funk, some of them looking an awful lot like my son did at the height of his struggles.  Yet, a few of the kids are just a smidgeon off in their body control.  And, my fairly educated guess is that there are a number of reasons why those in my small group are currently facing slightly differing challenges:

1. I’m sure that every individual does experience growth spurts in different ways, and to different degrees;
2. I’m sure that all of the kids are at different points in their current growth spurts;
3. I’m sure that they’ll all struggle through these for differing lengths of time.

I think those three points (and there are probably more) contribute to why it takes me a length of time to recognize what’s happening with any given player.  After all, it shouldn’t be surprising if he or she has a bad game (or two or three).  Hey, even most pros aren’t all that consistent, so pre-teens should be expected to go a little up and down in their play.  However, what catches my attention is when a player is drastically off his or her game for a stretch, or when that rough stretch starts to go on for a considerable length of time.

Okay, so what do we do during such times?

• First, I have to remember that I was in my team parents’ shoes some 25-years ago.  So, I’ve most recently talked to the ones with players who are struggling a great deal.  I don’t want them to overly worry about what they’re seeing, and I especially don’t want them to be overly hard on their kids if those kids aren’t exactly performing up to snuff.
• In the case of the older players who are now suffering through tough times, I’ve actually had short talks with them, and I’ve tried to ease their minds a bit, and even suggest that they’ll be far better players than they were before, as soon as they get used to their new bodies.  (And that’s what the difficulty is, you know, in that such kids are climbing — or falling — out of bed every morning with a totally new body!)
• Because so many on my current roster are in the same boat, I’ve been gradually switching back to a lot of coordination type drills.  (That’s the only thing I’ve sensed that helps at such times.)  So, footwork, puck control, passing and timing their shots have been high on my drills list.  And, we’ve been doing a lot of tumbling and ball-playing activities lately in our off-ice sessions, while I’m going to start getting everyone back to twirling their jumpropes soon, as well.

By the way…  Have you noticed that most of the exercises I’ve prescribed would be good for all of my kids, and not just those who are struggling through growth spurts?  That’s the way I feel about most of my troubleshooting efforts, in that putting a couple of drills or exercises into a given practice or routine for a few doesn’t hurt the other kids at all; in fact, I’ll suggest that approach helps everyone.  (Actually, while some might not yet be into a growth spurt — quite yet, what’s the likelihood they will be very shortly?  I’d say, pretty darn good.)

Now, there’s another concern I want to raise about kids who are experiencing growth spurts, and it just might be as important as all I’ve said to this point.  For, with some players seemingly sprouting inches overnight, there’s the distinct probability that they’re quickly outgrowing various pieces of hockey equipment.  Worst of all, parents may be too close to the situation, and tending not to notice such things.  Also, I think parents get into a rhythm about gear purchases, expecting to make most of the larger ones in the spring or summer.  During their son’s or daughter’s earliest years, there probably wasn’t the need to replace pants, shin guards or gloves mid-season.  However, those are the items I most often notice being too small on kids who have suddenly grown.

Then, a third point…  If you’ve followed things here for very long, you probably recall my concerns when it comes to the effects gear has on skill development.  Tight or restricting equipment can cause a player to perform skills differently, most often in the wrong way.  And, all he or she has to do is practice the movement wrongly enough times, and that becomes the way he or she is going to do it until the muscles are retrained in the right way.

Finally, while I’ve spent a lot of time on the way sudden growth spurts can impact on player performance, and I’ve also brought to light some safety and developmental issues, I think there’s one more thing that’s pretty important to consider.  After all, I’ve noticed that even very good players can get down on themselves during times when their skills suddenly fail them.  That should be as understandable as anything else I’ve said to this point.  Sure, little setbacks here and there are part of the learning process — and I’ll suggest they’re one of the huge benefits to our growing-up in sports.  At the same time, you and I don’t ever want any sort of setback to really devastate a youngster.  So, that in mind, I think we coaches and parents have to first recognize when a growth spurt might be affecting a player.  Thereafter, I believe a combination of 1) explaining things to them and 2) giving them some worthwhile exercises will make all the difference in the world.

Okay, so I’m going to end as I began, wondering if you’d ever find this kind of information anywhere else.  (In a way, I guess it’s an inner drive in me — to be as thorough as possible — that gets me so much into a topic like this one.)  But, of course, I’ll have to leave the value of all that up to you.

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Okay, so tell me what you think (by adding a Comment below)!

Imagination

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Shaun Goodsell, MA

President and CEO of Mental Edge

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Imagination

imag·i·na·tion  i-ˌma-jə-ˈnā-shən  1 : the act or power of forming a mental image of something not present to the senses or never before wholly perceived in reality 2 a : creative ability b : ability to confront and deal with a problem c : the thinking or active mind  3 : a creation of the mind

What has happened to the imagination of our youth athletes? Many hit a roadblock and it not only seems to stop them in their tracks…it appears to stifle and paralyze them for a long time.

Recently, I was talking with a young player that has been experiencing some personal challenges with his team. He is performing at a high level and enjoying some of his greatest success. When I asked him if he was having fun he replied, “Not really”. I immediately felt sad for this young person. I thought to myself, “What skill would help him overcome his lack of enjoyment and allow him to experience fulfillment and accomplishment for the all hard work he’s put into his sport?”

At this point it occurred to me that he would need to utilize his power of choice to craft and create new meanings from the events that were getting him down. He was stuck in his current negative and pessimistic meanings, which lead him to despair, to live in a constant state of disappointment and a lack of personal power. How does one do this?

This is done through imagination. Imagination is the ability to creatively bring into being something that has yet to be formed.  Every change that one makes occurs because of the ability to gain a vision for a different reality. When we can imagine a different response and meaning to events that, in the past, have resulted in unempowered responses we reacquire control of the quality of our lives. The inability to be imaginative costs many their sense of well-being, quality relationships, improved performance, and most significantly a sense of personal power.

Becoming imaginative and creative grants us incredible power to shape and create the quality of life we want regardless of the events that might be taking place around us. In becoming imaginative we become people of possibility rather then pessimism.  This is not to say there are not events that are difficult and realities that should not be dealt with.  But many people underestimate the capacity they have to utilize their imagination to navigate and manage the journey of sport and life.

If you would like help sparking your imagination, give us a call today 763-439-5246!

Until next time, here’s to your possibilities!

Shaun

Shaun@MentalEdgeNow.com

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This note from Coach Chic…  Although Shaun and his staff do an unbelievable job of talking to our playing members, I’d like to suggest that coaches like me also need to heed their advice.  Hey, with the long hours we put in, and with the challenges we so often face (alone?), we coaches surely do need the kind of positive advice offered above.

Then, since I am into such stuff, I’d like to paraphrase an appropriate saying (that I’ve heard attributed to a number of great thinkers), in that..

“No great idea ever materializes unless it is first conceived in the mind.”

The Broken Hockey Stick (and More)

As always, I warn folks involved at our game’s higher levels not to take something like the following too lightly — I mean, just because my examples happen to involve some young players.  As I’ll ultimately suggest, learning should never stop, no matter the age or experience level.

With that…  I can’t believe I (at least in a way) missed jotting this note during yesterday’s Mighty Mite hockey game.  It’s not like a big deal wasn’t made out of it.  Thankfully, though, good friend Michael G reminded me in an email this morning.  Yes, one of my little guys broke his stick in yesterday’s game, and I’m now going to explain to my friends here why I think it’s necessary for hockey coaches AND PARENTS to make note of such events.

– Dennis Chighisola

The Broken Hockey Stick (and More)

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Now, I’ve mentioned elsewhere here about our need to spot so-called “teaching moments”.  And, to me, such moments usually involve some important event that doesn’t happen often enough to get covered in practices.  Let me give you an example, though…

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When my buddy Anthony Chic was a Mite B, his team played in an exciting holiday tournament at a nearby rink.  A critical point in one of the earliest tourney games was when one of Tony C’s teammates closed his hand on a puck in their crease, with this resulting in a penalty shot for the opponents.  Okay, no big deal, right?**

Well, maybe you saw this coming, but…  A few days later, in the game which was to decide the team’s chance to move-on in tournament play, the very same thing happened.  I mean, a different defenseman on Anthony’s team once again smothered a puck in the crease, and the deciding goal was scored on the ensuing penalty shot.  (Ugh!)**

Hmmmmmm…  Now, one might think that all of the kids who witnessed the penalty days earlier would have remembered the consequences.  Ya, one might think.  But, the fact of the matter is, not all 6- and 7-year olds are noticing — or totally understanding — what’s going on at such a time.**

The rest of that “Hmmmmmm-thing” is that we now know our team’s coach did not use that earlier event as a wonderful teaching opportunity.  (Worse yet, I have to wonder if he ever used the second occurrence to explain what happened to his kids.  ???)

Okay, so yesterday we had that youngster break his stick during the game action.  In a panic, he rushed to the bench, both portions of the stick still in hand.  Since we’re allowed to be on the ice during these Instructional League games, an assistant coach and I both rushed to tell him, “Drop it!  Drop it!”

With that, we might have been able to convey to a few kids the message about it (playing with a broken stick) being a penalty.  But, how many kids really understood that in the craziness of the game?  And, I’d be willing to bet that most of the kids who were involved in the action at that time didn’t even witness what took place.

So, here’s the big deal, as far as I’m concerned…  There were 20-ish kids involved our game yesterday, and probably 30-something playing in those long ago tournament games.  And, since two great teaching moments were missed for the sake of quite a few kids, I’m going to suggest that those kids are (or were) left in jeopardy of committing the same rule infractions sometime down the road, maybe even during a very critical game situation.  And, is it going to make some young player feel pretty badly if he or she gets nailed for such a violation?  I’m thinking that’s so.

Now, at the higher levels I’m going to suggest that the consequences are all the greater.  I’ve seen players benched by their high school or college coach for taking needless penalties.  As a matter of fact, many higher level associations have officials visit member schools during the pre-season, just to talk to the players (and coaches) about recent rule changes.  Ya, they think it’s that important.

Okay, so what should we parents and coaches do about all this?

For sure, I and my fellow coaches have to grab those teaching moments and make the most of them.  A long winter schedule usually provides us a number of these, no matter our level of competition.  In each instance, we want to pick a time or method when every single player can be in on the conversation (which means the team bench is hardly the place to handle these things).  As for me, I think I’m going to compose an email that will direct my Mighty Mite parents to this article, and I’ll also put a link on our team website.

As an aside here…  There will always be a difference in the ways we each communicate with our teams.  When it comes to my two older groups (ages about 12- to 18-years), I can usually present the information directly to my players.  However, if we’re talking about very young kids, it might not be a bad idea to share our advice with both the players and their parents.

Then, as for the beauty of Mike G’s email…  He did something very much like I’ve always done for my son or grandson, in that he took advantage of that teaching moment as a parent.  I was absolutely sure Anthony Chic wasn’t going to close his glove on a puck in the crease immediately after we saw it happen the first time.  And Mike did the same for his little guy.  As he explained it to me, he’d read some bedtime stories to his son last night.  Then, as Mike wrote, “I started to talk briefly about the fun we had skating today…”  Of course, the broken stick issue arose during their conversation, with his little 4-year old actually telling dad exactly what he should do if he breaks a stick. 

This final aside has to do with my sneaking suspicions about why such a young player was/is so sharp…  Oh, I’m sure it helps that Mike played a lot, and that he still plays.  I’m guessing the little tyke has already seen his share of games — watching his dad, or those on TV (yes, a “hockey house” probably has games on the tube more than most others).  Yet, I suspect that the most impactful thing is that they talked often about the game already.  And this causes me to further surmise that numerous little bull sessions have encouraged him — even at 4-years old — to think the game.  So, while Mike ended his email by saying his son “sometimes can surprise me…”, I’m going to suggest that perhaps his growing hockey smarts shouldn’t be so surprising at all!

Now, those parents who haven’t played much (or any) hockey can take heart in the fact that you can still help your very young one with his or her game.  All you have to do, I’ll suggest, is to just stay a hair ahead of him or her in your hockey knowledge.  There’s certainly plenty of information available at your local library and on the Internet.  And, I happen to know that’s why a number of folks spend a lot of time here at CoachChic.com.  And remember, you can always ask for my help whenever you need it.

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You know how much I enjoy your feedback.  So, please DO add a Comment below!

Russian Circle Passing – Variations #3, #4, #5

Please see Drill Submission Rules and Help at the bottom of the Free Drills page.

Contributor: Stirling Wright – Virginia & Maryland, USA

Drill Category: Skating, Passing, Pass Receiving, Attacking 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 are possible.  (Click here for: “Russian Circle Passing“.)

Stirling has added quite a few great variations to the basic drilling.  So, I’ll let him take it away from here…

– Dennis Chighisola

Russian Circle Passing – Variations #3

Drill Description:

Comments:

The set up is the same as the basic drill, but the first player starts with a puck and is skating backwards. As he gets to the red line, passes the puck back to the line he came from, and continues backwards until the apex of the circle, where he opens up his stick to get a pass from the other line.  He quickly transitions to forward, now attacking the net.

Benefits:  Players become more aware of the transition space in the neutral zone, and able to transition the puck forward twice in the same drill.

Running the drill:

- In the basic set-up, skaters are lined-up along the boards and behind a blue line on both sides of the ice.

- The drill begins with one player skating backwards (with a puck) around the center face-off circle.  Nearing the red line, he passes the puck back to the original line.

- Continuing on, he pivots from backwards to forwards near the bottom of the circle, and then receives a pass from the other line.

- That player then continues to attack the far goal.

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Click image below to see a short video of this drill in action.

PS:  If you set your video player to “Loop”, the drill will play over and over again.

Russian Circle Passing – Variations #4

Contributor: Stirling Wright – Virginia & Maryland, USA

Drill Category: Skating, Passing, Pass Receiving, Attacking, defending and Goaltending

Drill Description:

Comments:

This next variation is the same as #3, except that the second person in line becomes a defenseman for a 1 on 1.

I’ve altered Stirling’s variation a bit here, placing a line of defensemen next to each line.  In this way, “D” get to handle each rush.  (To be honest, I also did this so that the video would be a little clearer.)

– Dennis Chighisola

Benefits:  All the previous skills are honed, along with the addition of players getting to work their 1 against 1 skills.

Running the drill:

- In the basic set-up, skaters are lined-up along the boards and behind a blue line on both sides of the ice.

- The drill begins with one player skating backwards (with a puck) around the center face-off circle.  Nearing the red line, he passes the puck back to the original line.

- The first skater continues on to take a pass (as in the earlier drill), while the second player in the original line (or the red defenseman in my sketch) jumps out to defend against the first skater.

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Click image below to see a short video of variation #4 in action.

Russian Circle Passing – Variation #5

Contributor: Stirling Wright — – Virginia & Maryland, USA

Drill Category: Skating, Passing, Pass Receiving, Attacking, and a faster pace on the Goaltenders

Drill Description:

Comments:

From the same set up as all the rest, but this time the second person in line takes the pass from the first player and immediately heads straight in on goal for a scoring chance. This keeps the pace up and both goalies staying very busy. (Remember to allow time for goalies to recover, but keep in mind that speed drills are not just for skaters.)

Benefits:  All the previous skills are honed.

Running the drill:

- In the basic set-up, skaters are lined-up along the boards and behind a blue line on both sides of the ice.

- The drill begins with one player skating backwards (with a puck) around the center face-off circle.  Nearing the red line, he passes the puck back to the original line.

- The first skater continues on to take a pass (as in the earlier drill), while the second player in the original line quickly attacks the net..

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Click image below to see a short video of variation #5 in action.

Variation #6 coming soon!

Resisted Shooting

A couple of things went into my slightly changing the way we”re working on shooting drills at this part of our Team NEHI Junior High School season…

First and foremost, we (players, parents or coaches) shouldn”t ever stay at one progression level of a given skill if at all possible.  (Actually, that”s an important principle of motor learning, and something I”ll have to go a little further into some day.)

Anyway, for an example, when it comes to shooting I still allow my kids to work on their technique while standing close to the boards.  However, it isn”t often they”ll get to stand comfortably and take shots in their games, so we also practice plenty taking them while flying down the ice.  Even that form of practice has outlived its usefulness, though.

Secondly, I”m noticing that my young guys are missing some shots because they”re being disrupted in one way or another by opponents.  And, if you think about it, that”s really how the game is played — I mean, with our attackers trying to make plays as defenders practically maul them.

All that said, it was obviously time to move-on to a new and more difficult kind of shooting practice.

– Dennis Chighisola

Resisted Shooting

Okay, so what I did was to have my players go through their normal shooting progressions at the start of last night”s skills session, and then I gathered them together to explain what we”d do next…

I tried to explain that each player had kasino to do a favor for his partner, by attempting to make it difficult for him to pull-off a shot.  At the same time, I also warned them that I didn”t want to see anyone get hurt.  Actually, my kids are pretty good in understanding such directions.  So again, I let them know that they were really helping their buddies get better if they made it hard for them to shoot, but that they should foul them within reason.

I wasn”t able to garner the best video in the world last night during the brief time I had my camera out.  But, at least you can get a sense of our first attempts at this new drill by clicking on the photo below.  (If you”ll notice, the trailing players still haven”t gotten the handle on their roles in this.  That”s okay, though; that”s why we practice 3-times per week, and why I”ll stay at the following drill for a good long time.)

As I intimated above, I”m not stopping there by a long shot (pardon the pun).  So, I promise to gather more video footage as soon as the kids get more into this form of drilling, and as I likely change some of the ways we”ll do other types of resisted shooting.

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What do you think?  You know I love to see your Comments.

Hard Around the Boards (and Dump-ins)

The other night I had to use an extremely conservative forecheck against a pretty strong opponent.  The X’s and O’s of that is a story for another time.

I sensed we had to be very good at a few other things in order for my kids to execute that new forecheck well.  And, while good dump-ins were going to be needed, there was something about those dump-ins that had to be done even better.

What you’ll soon discover is that we needed dumps and some clearing passes to travel rather fast or go hard around the boards.  So, the following is going to show you how I’ve managed to start making my kids aware of certain things having to do with this particular ploy.

– Dennis Chighisola

Hard Around the Boards (and Dump-ins)

Now, I think a lot of coaches take things for granted.  In other words, they might (or might not) notice their players doing some things wrong in games, but they never think to design or search for a drill that will correct those problems.  In a lot of instances, coaches might think players will just “get it” when they get older (or whatever).

By the way, remembering the things I need to help my players with is a huge reason why I take frequent notes.  And this particular area of CoachChic.com is mainly available to you because of the fact that I take so many.

Anyway, that new system needed really good dump-ins (and so does our powerplay entry), and we also needed some unique help getting the puck out of our zone.

I actually started the teaching process by gathering my Team NEHI players so that they could see our off-ice rink just about as it’s shown in the photo to the right.  I then started explaining some things that others might take for granted, or things they might think their kids will ultimately solve on their own.

(Here I go chuckling to myself as I so often do, but…)  It seems that a lot of players don’t think much about the angle in which their dumps have to hit the boards in order to gain speed and travel a good distance.  So I started talking in extremes at first, asking the kids what will happen to a puck if we shoot it directly at the boards (or at an angle perpendicular to the side boards, as in #1 below).  Of course, the puck will pretty much die right there, or it’s surely not going to travel around the boards.  Then, pointing my stick as if it was an arrow, I asked them what would happen to pucks that hit at angles of something like 5-degrees (as in #2), 10-degrees, maybe 50-degrees, and so forth.  What I was doing was trying to convince them that shots closer to the perpendicular weren’t going to travel far, and that shots coming closer to parallel to the boards were going to assist them (with #3 and #4 getting closer to the ideal).  Actually, there is an angle — close to parallel to the boards — whereby the puck seems to whip through the corner and even pick-up speed.

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Did I really need to go into such detail before taking on my intended drills?  Yes, I did.  For, while a few players might have understood already the above concepts, I knew a number of them didn’t.  Besides, I never leave anything to chance, and I don’t take much for granted.  Furthermore, I am not about to leave players in my charge to fend for themselves (at least when I can help it).

Now, as you might notice in the first video (click on the photo below), you’ll see that I placed all of my kids on the side that put their sticks close to the boards (lefties on the left side, righties on the right).  From this positioning, it’s easier for them to get their drives close to parallel to the boards, and easier is what I’m always looking for in a new drill.  (By the way, I just noticed from re-watching these videos that a number of the kids put their heads down or gave some other indication when they erred.  I think that’s good, at least in this case.)  So, take a look at the video and see how some of my youngest players did.

After they got a handle on the first drill, I had lefties and righties switch sides.  I once again preceded the next drill with a short discussion, this time explaining how it might be a little more difficult now for them to get their dump-ins parallel to the boards.  Take a look to see how they did (by clicking on the photo below).

In case you wanted to know, we need our powerplay dump-ins — and the dumps for our new forecheck — to go all the way around the boards and partway up the other side boards.  But I also wanted to clear the puck from our end with very hard passes behind our net and perhaps even out of the zone on the other side.  And this had me altering the above drill as show in the video below (just click on that photo to see it).

If there’s a message in all this, it’s that we need to find ways to explain and then practice the many “little things” that go into making competent and confident players.  We can’t take anything for granted, and we can’t let anything go while the kids are in our charge.

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You know how much I enjoy your feedback.  So, please DO add a Comment below!

Backward Skating Help for Beginners

The following post is in answer to a question submitted by member Jamie L.

Jamie helps coach his son’s Mite C team, and he’s asking for suggestions in aiding the kids on that team with their backward skating speed.

So, with that, let me give this one a try…

– Dennis Chighisola

Backward Skating Help for Beginners

To begin, I have to caution coaches about being overly concerned with backward skating speed.  Oh, for sure, a back-skating defender needs a certain amount of speed — he or she must get off the mark rather quickly, and at least initially reach a decent level of speed.

However — and this is a BIG however, to push lesser experienced players to try for fast backward skating just might introduce a lot of unwanted extra movements.

Trying to explain this better here…  I’d like for a moment for Jamie and other members to put themselves in the role of an attacker…  For, as you’re moving down the ice and approaching an enemy defender, I’m sure you’ll be looking for ways that defender might become vulnerable.  The photo to the right shows a defenseman leaning forward and towards his right, which would suggest to you that you could quickly cut towards your right and leave him hanging there.  (Oh, notice that the player in that photo also makes matters worse, as he looks down at the puck.  Tricky puckhandlers just love that!)  Actually, if you click on that photo you can see the play on video.  The attacker doesn’t take advantage of the D’s mistake (shame on him), but you should see in the slo-mo portion just how vulnerable the defender has made himself.

That established, I want to suggest that any upper body movements by a defender — like bouncing around, lunging forward, or pumping the arms — will put him or her in trouble.  You might imagine how risky it can be for a backwards skater to bounce around (constantly jeopardizing his or her balance), and pumping of the arms is just as dangerous.  And, lunging or leaning forward (like the player in the adjacent photo) makes it virtually impossible for him to be mobile or to react laterally with an attacker.

In much the same way, a very large cross-over step commits a player in that direction, and it would take too long for him or her to react-back should an attacker make a quick cut.

So, too, can wiggling during the skating motion make a player extremely vulnerable.

Now, for my money, the best backward skating drill in the world is the one my in-line student, Jerry Z, is performing in the next video.  While a player is doing this, I’m asking him or her to keep a steady upper body.  As you’ll see, this drill was initially a real challenge for Jerry (he’s far better at this now).  What you might also notice is that he wants to lean forward, but the hopping motion is going to put him on his nose if he doesn’t come up and over his skates.  (By the way, this drill is far tougher on ice blades, since those are rounded on the bottom.)  Carrying one’s body weight over the middle of his or her blades is the steadiest he’ll be, and this posture also offers the best chance for quick lateral movements.  Go ahead and click on the photo below to watch that video, and I’ll add some further thoughts after that.  (Jerry would probably laugh about this now, but you might noticed that I yelled at him early-on, so that he’d switch to holding his stick in just the top hand.  That’s important for a D when he’s playing a 1 on 1 situation.)

Now, anyone who got into my previous post, “Help for Beginner Cross-overs“, has to think there’s a lot of contradiction between my current suggestions and the earlier ones.  But, there are and there aren’t…

For example, the large cross-overs I earlier prescribed for beginners are awesome for learning outside edge control.  They are not useful in playing our game, however, for the reasons I stated above.  In fact, once my students and players become pretty proficient at crossing, I’ll switch them to practicing the 2-step drill also shown in the earlier post.

I might further suggest that a player (and we coaches) separate the defenseman’s backward take-off from his or her actually being involved in playing a rush.  In other words, he or she might use a little extra body movement and larger, more powerful cross-overs to get going off the mark.  Thereafter, though, playing an attacker requires the steadiness I was looking for in the above hopping drill.

Okay, so what should Jamie do with all this?  My suggestion is to use all the drills I’ve shown in these two posts.  Each will satisfy a given need.  I would not make young players push for backward speed, since that’s when all the unwanted extra movements creep in.  In time, the kids’ backward skating should reach a point where I might be able to help further.  I just hope I’ll still be around to offer further advice at that time.

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Well, this post is probably deserving of a lot of questions and Comments.  So, please fire away.  You know I love that.

Towel Pulls — for Speed & Form

This is but another entry I’d promised Eric S some time ago, in reference to his question about alternative high speed skating drills.

And, just so Eric and other members know…  Once in awhile it takes me a few days to gather some video footage to show what I’d like to show, and a few more days to put the video and photos together.  And that was the case with the following exercise, in that I had to wait until my next team practice to shoot the following…

– Dennis Chighisola

Towel Pulls — for Speed & Form

Now, this exercise has been used in sprint training for quite awhile (and I’m guessing the drill has probably been known by a number of names).

If you take a look at the nearby photo, you should notice that one of my players gets a chance to work on his running form as a partner supports him (or holds him back a bit).  Quite often that partner holds something like a towel at both ends to support and slightly restrain the runner, and thusly the name, “Towel Pulls”.

I’d need an awful lot of towels (or whatever) to accommodate all my players, so I’ve resorted to having the supporting partner hold the back of his teammate’s jersey — be it in our off-ice or on-ice form of drilling.

In my own adaptation of this exercise, I look for three phases…

Phase One – I ask the back partner to provide some resistance for his partner to work against, and during the first few seconds I’d like the front guy to concentrate on running (or skating) form.

Phase Two – Seconds later the pair start moving, with the runner or skater working faster and faster.

Phase Three – Finally, the back player lets go of the jersey (or towel), whereby the runner or skater usually shoots out like a rocket.

If you click on the last photo (to the right), you’ll see this pair working together in action.  The sprinter doesn’t do badly for one of his first attempts at this exercise.  However, you might notice that his arms and legs could travel in wider ranges of motion.  Still, that IS why we practice, isn’t it? 

PS:  Studies have proven that there is a direct correlation between running speed and skating speed.  So, if I am able to help my players run faster, it makes sense that such speed gains will ultimately transfer to their on-ice game.

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You know how much I appreciate your feedback.  So, please do add your Comments here!

Help for Beginner Cross-overs

A few days ago, member Scott Thurston chimed-in on my article about “A Difference in Hockey Teaching Levels“.  As Scott said, “I find a lot of truth here”, in reference to some of the nervousness experienced by adult level beginners as they try new things.

Scott went on to say that he has “several mental blocks”, these primarily having to do with forward and backward cross-overs.

Then, shortly after I’d let Scott know that I’d prepare something to help him with his game, I received a very similar question from another member, Jamie Lockwood.

 

In Jamie’s case, he’s helping with his young son’s Mite C team, and he’s hoping I might offer some thoughts to help his son and other kids on the team become more comfortable using their outside edges.  As he describes it, many of them “are dragging their inside foot/toe on turns rather than leaning with them on the outside edge.”   (I’ll deal with Jamie’s other question in a separate post.)

Finally (and sorta laughing at myself here), after having said in that earlier article about how differently I normally have to approach the unique age groups, I find that Scott’s and Jamie’s kids’ problems can be handled very similarly. 

– Dennis Chghisola

Help for Beginner Cross-overs

To begin, although Scott (and almost everyone else I know) describes a cross-over problem as being with the skate or leg that is swinging over, the real problem is with the insecurity of bearing one’s weight on the other skate.  In other words, if one feels a little unsteady crossing the left skate over the right, it’s because that player is uncomfortable with putting all of his or her weight on the right skate.  (By the way, this left over right thing is the most common among beginners — of any age.)

I can also picture exactly what Jamie is saying about his young kids…  And, I’d be willing to bet that most of the ones who are dragging a skate on their turns are doing so mostly as they cut towards their right.  Why so?  It’s for the very same reason Scott feels unsteady, as in not trusting carrying the weight on the right skate.

As an aside here, I’m not sure if this is or isn’t a cultural thing.  If you think about it, we all learn to run the bases in baseball while circling towards our left.  So, if you’re from a baseball playing nation, just envision the discomfort of running the bases in the opposite direction, or mostly bearing our weight on the outside edge of our right cleat.  (Laughing at myself again…  I’d mentioned in a recent post about my high school football exploits.  So, let me tell you that, while I scored a number touchdowns or had long runs sweeping towards the right, I absolutely hated if the quarterback called a play sending me out and cutting in the other direction.)  Again, I don’t know if it’s a cultural thing, but more new skaters do have difficulty placing their weight on the right skate for any length of time.

Now, the key phrase in that last paragraph — and the key to changing things for the better — is that part about “placing their weight on the right skate for any length of time“.  Ya, most of us can stand on the left skate, and even rock from edge to edge for a spell.  But, it’s balancing on the right skate “for any length of time” that gives us an uncomfortable feeling.

I will say that there’s a benefit to the fact that an adult player can at least understanding this, and eventually do something about it.  So, while Scott might struggle (due to the voices I joked about in that earlier piece), he probably can make a more concerted effort to solving the problem than can Jamie’s little ones.  In Jamie’s case, I wouldn’t even mention this stuff to the players; instead just get them to do certain things certain ways.

Okay, thanks to one of my great young Team NEHI players, Alex B, I was able to shoot some quick video last night before our Junior High School Team practice.  First, however, I’d like you to note the poses in the two adjacent photos.  For, in the beginning, I have new skaters just stand with their feet crossed — right over left for about 10-seconds, then left over right for an equal length of time.  While holding a given pose, I want the players to rock from side to side a bit, thusly shifting the weight from skate to skate.  As you can imagine, this forces a little bearing of body-weight on each skate, but in the least threatening way.

Next, I ask a player to just slowly cross in place, right over and then left over.  Take a look as Alex performs these…

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You may have noticed that the previous drill caused just a slight use of each outside edge.  But, I’d like to step that up some by having a player do larger, exaggerated cross-overs.  The idea is for the player to really go slowly and far up with a leg, this so he or she is spending a longer amount of time on the other skate, and a little more time on that skate’s outside edge.  Here, take a look…

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I’ll usually move to a slower version of my “2-step Drill” next.  Actually, this is an advanced movement my older players do often on the ice — in place, moving forward and while skating backward.  For beginners, this drill has the most benefit right at the transition point.  In other words, as you watch the video below, notice that Alex has to push-off with an outside edge as he comes out of a stop and tries to cross in the new direction…

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Now, there are two other areas of CoachChic.com that should help you both immensely…  I have quite a stretch of cross-over and change-of-direction drills included in the “24 Must-do Intermediate Skating Drills” video (and you might also find some help within the other two (Advanced and Beginner) videos.  The other area that could help a lot is the one where we follow adult in-line skater, Jerry Z, as I help him along the way.  (Start at the very beginning of those entries.)  Don’t let the in-line part of that area bother you; Jerry’ problems are very similar to what early ice skaters go through.

Also, don’t discount the use of the skates on a rink’s rubber mats (Jamie), or somewhere safe at home (Scott), like on a small carpet square.  Trust me, there is a great deal of skill transfer from the off-ice practice to on-ice capabilities.

By the way, crossing-over is crossing-over, when we’re talking about beginner skating challenges.  In other words, all the in place exercises I’ve shown you are at the same time going to make it easier for a player to do the exact same thing when moving to the ice.  Those drills can also be done when moving slowly forward on the ice.  And, once a player is comfortable doing the crosses that way, it shouldn’t be too difficult for him or her to do them slowly while going backwards.  Then, from that point onward, the speed of the drills should be based on how well a player (or players) can keep their discipline.  In other words, there’s no sense in a player trying to go faster if he or she suddenly avoids doing the crossing movements properly.

Lastly, I know exactly what Jamie is talking about when he says that his young players drag a skate as they make a cut.  That would be an inside skate (maybe closest to a pylon), and usually the right skating while cutting towards the right for most kids.  Why?  For the same reason noted above, in that it can be uncomfortable bearing weight on a certain skate.  Ironically, I found some footage of Jerry Z performing this movement in one of our earliest sessions together.  He’s far better at this now, but if you’ll notice in the video (click on the photo below), Jerry’s turning and crossing problems are the exact opposite of most new skaters, in that he had difficulty turning towards his left.  By the way, this skating maneuver is often referred to as the Boston Turn.

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Now, other members might like to know that Jamie and his son skated with me last winter in my Learn-to-play clinic.  And I’m kinda hoping that he remembers a drill I did with the kids that is similar to the one an in-line player is demonstrating in the following video.  (Oh, by the way…  I just dug-up this old clip from someone else’s website — go figure. Well, I guess it’s nice to be popular.  )  Please click on the photo below to see that video.

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Then, a tip to both of you…  There’s no way around the fact that “practice makes perfect”.  So, don’t look for quick fixes, but long-term gains instead.  In other words, practice those shortcomings as often as you can (hey, the pros still practice theirs).  Oh, and good luck!

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PS to Jamie:  As promised, I’ve answered your question about backward speed in a new post.

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Just so other members know, I’m loving it when guys like Scott and Jamie toss me questions or post Comments here.  So, please do the same when you get the chance!

A Difference in Hockey Teaching Levels

This happens often, so I guess I shouldn’t always think it’s so ironic that I have very similarly themed conversations with different hockey folks within a matter of minutes or hours.

That’s actually what happened from yesterday morning to later in the afternoon, and then just now in an email exchange.  That email exchange, by the way, was with our in-lining hockey friend, Jerry Z.

So, let’s explore Jerry’s question, and also relate that to my earlier conversations…

– Dennis Chighisola

 

A Difference in Hockey Teaching Levels

To begin, I consider myself extremely fortunate to be able to work with players at all the different levels of our game.  Some might think this is a negative, in that I might be a Jack of All Trades but Master of None.  Ya, you might think.

However, it’s worked-out to be a huge plus for me, and here’s how…

One example might be a former pro player (and current pro coach) I worked with for a good many years.  You see, despite the levels he ultimately reached, he had a skating flaw that was virtually impossible to correct or override by the time he became an adult.  I suspect that flaw crept in during his very first times on the ice, and he just reinforced it and reinforced it over about the next 20-plus years of skating.  The huge benefit for me — and to the hundreds (if not thousands) of beginners I’ve had in subsequent years — was that I knew that problem was possible — but preventable — if I did certain kinds of drills with my Learn-to-skate kids.

The above, of course, is just one example of how going back and forth between levels has benefited me and my students or players.  And I can tell you that it’s worked in both directions — from elite player traits helping younger kids to the experiences with young players helping my oldest guys.

Okay, so now, about that email from Jerry…  We’ve gotten in the habit of communicating about once per week, especially if we haven’t had the chance to work together for awhile.  Anyway, within his most recent report to me, he included the following:

“A friend made an interesting observation about my last video (posted on the CoachChic.com site), the one where I’m skating with the old skates and stick. He said I skate as if I’m afraid to fall. I thought that was an interesting observation and am looking into falling more on purpose so I know what to do when I’m careening out of control…”

With that, I need to mention here that I have for years conducted beginner hockey sessions — for toddlers, and for adults.  And, while our game’s basic skills are obviously the same, I actually run those clinics in drastically different fashions.

A conversation with one of my Learn-to-play parents at rink-side Sunday morning helps explain part of this…  And he totally agreed and understood as I explained my reasons for having my little ones roll on the ice, do bellyflops and backslides, and initially jog their way across the rink.

I really got into this a great deal more when I bumped into a high level figure skating coach outside a local store hours later…  We’re birds of similar feathers, that young lady and I, both of us thinking and looking far, far outside the proverbial box when it comes to helping the skaters in our charge.  Anyway, when the conversation turned toward our creating outgoing or flamboyant “personalities” in our athletes, I described the way I try to create little daredevils in my Learn-to kids’ very first times on the ice.  Ya, I’m talking about the diving and rolling and flops again, and the way I give the kids high-fives when they do a crazy fall.

Okay, so I’m presuming you have the gist of how I approach my “baby groups”.  And you have to be thinking I’m just going to walk into a beginner adult class and run a carbon copy of the little ones’ lesson plan.  Huh, hardly.

Number One, adults know too much.  I mean, my babies will flop around with absolutely no thoughts or fears of hurting themselves (and that mentality usually stays with them for all their years in the game).  My adult guys and gals, on the other hand, are thinking to themselves, “Hey, I’d better go easily here…  I could break a leg or somethin’!”  Probably even more often, they’re thinking, “Hey, I have to go to work in the morning!”

Ya, adults know too much, and they are almost always holding back quite a bit — or a lot, if we’re comparing them to their toddling counterparts.

And this brings us back to Jerry’s friend’s observation, in that he looks in that video as if he’s afraid to fall.  Ya, our buddy just turned 50-years old the other day (Happy Birthday, JZ!).  And, while it doesn’t have to be a conscious thing on his part, there is definitely a conversation going on in his head — as in, “Hey, I could get hurt here!”

Having dealt with probably a thousand or so adult beginners, I’ve found most of them — including Jerry — to be willing workers.  Only rarely have I had a student who totally held back (which caused me to wonder why the heck they were even on the ice).  Yes, Jerry and most others do really try, and they usually try pretty hard.  Still, with each slight wobble or near fall, I don’t think he or many other adult beginners can resist that ever present internal voice which warns them, “Hey, I have to get up and go to work tomorrow morning!”

All that said, I’ve noticed that confidence grows as adults master given skills.  So, while there’s a point in the early going where Jerry or another beginner might turn pale in the middle of a very basic movement, it’s pretty likely that he and others will eventually whistle and not worry doing the very same thing a month or so later.  Sure, there is probably always going to be something new that rattles them, at least a bit.  But, even those fears can probably be overcome with time.

Oh, that Jerry suggests in his email that he might try “falling more on purpose”?  I sense that is a good thing.  I highly recommend it (just not when I’m around, and not when my liability policy is on the line — LOL).

Then, one final reflection, this having to do with age…  A lot of the adult groups I’ve worked with over the years have been teams, and they’ve been a mixture of guys and/or gals, some in their 20′s and some much older.  And it should make sense to the reader that the 20-somethings quite frequently take to the ice in hell-bent-for-leather fashion.  Those young people are probably also playing street hockey, basketball or flag football with buddies, and they’re still acting — and especially thinking — like kids, with not much concern for their physical well being.  At the other end of the spectrum — and, at 50, Jerry surely is far at the other end, well, the older guys know too much, and the voices are likely screaming at them! 

High Intensity Skating Drills – Part 3

Eric S started this ball rolling a few weeks back, as he asked me about some suggestions for high intensity skating drills.  I did the best I could with my first response (Part 1 and Part 2), but I still promised to add a little more here.

Now, for those who might get a bit turned-off with my dryland drill samples, please understand that it’s often easier for me to video-tape during our weekly off-ice sessions.  At the same time, almost everything I show you from those practices can be done on the ice.  So, don’t discount transferring any of these drills to a traditional on-ice practice.

– Dennis Chighisola

High Intensity Skating Drills – Part 3

Now, let me provide a little background to the following exercises.  Thereafter, clicking on each of the thumbnails will show a different way I incorporate jump take-offs in both my off-ice and off-ice practices.

By the way, after having one of my high school students twist an ankle while trying to negotiate a rather rigidly constructed jump, I switched to foam barriers for a lot of exercises.  Actually, the gadget seen in the following videos (and in the photo to the right) is made from a foam “noodle”.  You probably know this as a swimming pool toy.  It’s extreme inexpensive, and it can be discarded after it’s served its purpose.  I formed the 90-degree angle with a wrap of rubber tubing, but I think tape would have just as easily done the trick.

Now, click on any of the thumbnails below to see my Team NEHI kids performing some light jump take-off training.  Again, these exact same drills can be performed on the ice (actually, the first one — done on-ice — was shown in a previous video).

Just as a suggestion (or a safety precaution), I usually limit the amount of intense jumping exercises I do with young players.

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What do you think?  Can you or your player/s benefit from this kind of training?  Please let me know in the Comments box provided below.

A New Mighty Mite Pylon Course

Some new pylon course ideas are soon to be unveiled here at CoachChic.com.  Not that there’s anything new about different configurations, or that it’s unusual to rearrange the pylons to create different kinds of skating or puckhandling patterns.  Still, as I’ll suggest in that entry, various layouts should really be aimed at enhancing specific kinds of skills.

Now, if you go back to my earliest Mighty Mite post (“Our First Mighty Mite Hockey Practice“), you should see that I used a straight row of obstacles as a very simple of way of showing my babies how to go in and out of opposition players.  (In my case, I carry around foam dots instead of pylons.)

Still, while a good many of those youngsters maneuver fairly well through that course now, and while most of them are starting to instinctively use both sides of their stick-blades to change directions, I’ve felt lately that something new was needed to bring these skills to at least a slightly higher level.  So, with that, I changed my dots a little and created the following…

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– Dennis Chighisola

A New Mighty Mite Pylon Course

To begin, there are plenty of good things to be said about using a basic straight-line course, and I’ll continue to use that layout with my Mighty Mites.  At the same time, I wanted something that would cause the kids to cut more sharply, as well as a design that might force them to use both sides of their stick-blades more.  In actuality, I ultimately want my little guys to be able to make sharp cuts with the puck, something like one of my former junior high school team kids is doing in the photo to right.  (Wanna bet those little rascals won’t be able to do that by this coming spring?)

A straight-line course can be made all the more difficult just by moving every other pylon outward a bit.  The photo to the left illustrates that, with the arrows showing how I moved a pair of cones (or foam dots) slightly to the left.  The photo to the right helps show how drastic the cut now has to be (in comparison to a straight-line course).

As I mentioned above, some of my kids still need a lot of work to make handling the puck on their backhands more instinctive.  And you should be able to see that in the video (just click on the above right photo), with some getting it, and others not (at least yet).  But, that IS what teaching and practice are all about, huh?

As an aside here…  You will quite often hear my voice in the background of that video, and you’ll hear either me or other coaches providing constant feedback throughout the videos hosted on this site.  Yup, constant feedback is important, and it’s one of the key elements in an “artful” way of coaching.

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Please share your thoughts on the above.  You know I love hearing from my CoachChic.com friends!

Various Pylon Courses

Please see Drill Submission Rules and Help below.

Contributor: Dennis Chighisola — Whitman, Massachusetts, USA

Drill Category: Skating and Puckhandling

Comments: Every coach uses pylons (or other kinds of obstacles) from time to time.  However, I wonder how many coaches have considered the following…

Benefits:
For sure, there are huge benefits to be gained by using pylons or other barriers in various patterns.

At the very youngest levels, an obstacle course forces players to weave as they might need to do in their games.  As importantly, having to frequently turn left and right as they move through a course gives us a chance to teach them how to use both sides of their stick-blades.

I even find various courses beneficial for older players, but with some reservations…

Those Reservations:
When I use pylons (tires or my foam dots) with older players, I warn them that slow meandering through the course isn’t going to help them with their game; in fact, it might hurt them to practice in a way that isn’t related to the way they want to play.

I even take the time to compare the typical course to computer based games — you know, the kinds that can be approached at different levels or at different speeds.  And I’ll go on to explain that a game is usually easy when the twists and turns come at you slowly, while the real challenge lies in having the winding road or obstacles really flying at you.  That established, I constantly remind my guys that they have to supply the challenges.  In other words, if they move at breakneck speed through the course, the obstacles come at them at a pace that will actually help them with their game.

Of course, there also comes a time — when kids get older — when the real-life pylons are trying to kill them (or at least put a pretty good hurt on them).    And this is all the more reason for older players to approach any given course as quickly as they would rival checkers during a game.

If you click on the nearby photo you’ll see a video I previously posted in an entry about passing.  Yes, part of the drill was aimed at helping my NEHI Jr HS kids connect on passes.  But, I also incorporated a straight line of tires that had my young guys executing some pretty sharp cuts with a puck.  So, have a look before going on.

Now, one last point before showing you a few of the course designs I’ve used over the years.  You see, I think whatever kind of a course we use, it ought to fit a certain purpose, with our players understanding exactly what that purpose is.

For example, using a straight course for young players would be worthwhile for them if we first explained how the obstacles represent the “other team’s players” we want to go in and out of, and that it’s important that we use both sides of the stick to accomplish this.  Later on we might want to have them start using cross-overs to move themselves from side to side.

At the other end of the spectrum might be the kids you just saw in the above video…  Ya, most of those kids are attacking the tires as if they’re attempting to perform a highlight reel goal in an over-time game.

All that said, the following are some pylon course layouts I’ve used fairly regularly:

1)  The most obvious and most used course consists of just a straight line of obstacles.  Again, as noted above, that course is what you make of it.

2) Over recent years, this pattern has been one of my favorites.  I talk in terms of speed and highlight reel moves as the kids ready for this course, and I really push and prod them to attack it as fast as they can possibly go.

3) With an even number of pylons, a coach can pull every other one out so that players have to zig-zag and cup the puck with each cut.  Speed in this simple course can be adjusted according to the age and caliber of skater.

4) This can be a fairly advanced course, owning to the fact that players have to make very sharp cuts — with their skates and with a puck.  And again, speed should be adjusted per the level of our players.

Finally, such courses really are what we make of them.  And so do our players reap benefits according to the way they negotiate them.

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Have questions or suggestions concerning this entry?  Please leave a Comment below.

Mighty Mite Team Wide-dribbles

Well, my Mighty Mites suffered the first setback of their season yesterday (hmmm…  actually, the first hockey setback of their young lives).  And, while I always feel a little bit down after a loss (as any passionate coach probably should), there’s one trait that just as probably separates me from lots of others.

You see, I am forever an optimist.  Better yet, I see every season as a marathon.  Or, as a sport psychologist might suggest, “It’s not a good idea to get either too high with a win or too low after a defeat.”  Naw, the best thing to do is to stick to a long-range plan that I/we know will ultimately work.

That said, a return to practice this morning (on the day after) saw me pick-up the training a notch.  In other words, I stuck to “the plan”, and introduced or refined some skills that will benefit the kids hugely in the long-run.  Below, I’ll explain the drill we refined quite a bit this week.  (Within a few days, I’ll let you in on another drill I just added.)

– Dennis Chighisola

Mighty Mite Team Wide-dribbles

Now, at the very start of this season, I made a big deal out of our need to miss rival goalies with shots, and to instead look for all the open space around him or her.  As the photo to the right shows, I used my SMG (or simulated goaler) to remove the luck factor.  In other words, that SMG removes the chance for a great play by a live goalie, or a bit of luck on his or her part.

Almost all of my little guys have grasped this concept by now, and probably about half of the roster has scored goals in games by doing exactly as I just described.

Okay, so it’s time to add yet another skill to their individual attack capabilities.  And, for this, I’ve started teaching the kids to fake towards one side of the goalie before bringing the puck across and tucking it in on the opposite side.  The photo to the left shows one of my older players executing a maneuver that’s intended to tease or distract a rival defender in open-ice.  The photo to the right shows one of my Mighty Mites using the same faking movement — the “wide-dribble” — to set-up the goalie (or SMG).  If you can envision it, this youngster has first drawn the goalie’s attention to the right, and he is now in the act of shifting the puck across to deposit it on the left side and behind the netminder.

Of course, you’d like to see that play in action.  So, just click on the photo below for a video showing several 4-, 5- and 6-year olds performing a wide-dribble move on the SMG.  (They’re doing pretty nicely, if I do say so!  )

Now, I think it’s important for members to know a few other things that are actually going on surrounding this particular move (on the goaltender).

First, most young kids don’t naturally handle the puck on both sides of their stick-blades.  So, this particular skill is being taught or encouraged in several other drills (one of these to be posted shortly).

Secondly, a lot of members might be surprised at my spending so much time on the very end of a play — as in scoring goals.  However, this is a technique I use often in the teaching process (and I especially employ this method when I’m teaching a skill like body-checking).  What I’m trying to do is first establish the end result.  Then, with that, I’ll start showing my students or players how to work their way towards that end.  Still, for fear that I haven’t really explained myself well enough here, I promise to cover this approach in more detail within some future entries.

PS:  The above video just might be useful to a young player for visualization purposes.  In other words, have a youngster (or youngsters) watch it — over and over again — in hopes he or she (or they) might be able to memorize the moves (or internalize them).  Seriously, give that a try; it really works!

By the way…  While I’m teaching these things to kids as young as 4-years old — and they’re getting ‘em, I have to wonder how many 10- or 11-year olds haven’t yet mastered such moves.  Okay, just wondering, but…

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Please let me know if you have any questions or suggestions about my approach here.  You know I love to interact with you guys (and gals)!

Defenseman’s Figure-8

Although I call this a defenseman’s drill — because it does help enhance some blueliner-specific skills, I actually have all of my players work at it.  And, although I’ve placed this in the Puckhandling section, this drill really does help improve skating mobility, mobility with the puck, as well as passing and receiving skills.

– Dennis Chighisola

Defenseman’s Figure-8

While skating and puckhandling… I initially have individual players practice this drill on their own, learning to skate the figure-8 pattern, and to carry a puck with them as they move through that pattern.  (Younger players might attack these skills separately at first, initially learning the skating portion, then later trying to carry a puck along.)  As stated above, this really is an awesome drill for skating mobility and for moving in numerous ways with the puck.

As the above sketch shows, a player places his gloves about 8′ apart, and then moves in a figure-8 pattern around those gloves.  The challenge to this particular drill, however, is that the skater must face one side of the rink at all times, thusly having to execute numerous pivots — from forward to backward to forward, etc. — as he moves around the gloves.

For skating, puckhandling, passing and receiving… I ultimately turn this into a passing drill, positioning two players with their gloves arranged parallel, and the two players facing each other.

One player performs the skating and puckhandling part of the routine first, as his partner rests and gives a target for a pass.  After about 8-seconds, the puckhandler passes the puck to his partner, whereby the two players switch roles.  (To see the drill in action, just click on the photo below.)

Now, I ask you:  Is this a pattern defensemen frequently have to skate (and handle a puck through) in a game?  You bet!

PS:  There is one little technical matter required to make this drill work well…  As players stickhandle around, they must move forward through the middle of their gloves and backward around the outsides.  This makes it a little easier for them to make a pass moving down through the middle and towards their partner.  Oh, and it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have the players change direction each time they do the drill.

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Do you like this drill?  Will it prove helpful to YOU?  Please let me know in the Comments box below.

Russian Circle Passing Variations

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 are possible.  (Click here for: “Russian Circle Passing“.)

– Dennis Chighisola

Russian Circle Passing Variations – Basic Set-up

- From the basic set-up, I will occasionally have the last attacker stop at the net and then attempt to screen, deflect or pounce on the rebound on the next attacker’s shot.

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- Also from the basic set-up, I like to send two players at a time from each line, thusly having them attack 2 versus the netminder.  At times, I’ll ask the attackers to weave — or criss-cross — on their way to the net.

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- When I’m looking to mix a little conditioning into this drill (as well as work on our attack triangle pattern), I’ll send three attackers from each line.  Man, do the guys run out of gas quickly, since there’s little time to rest as groups of threes return to line.

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Russian Circle Passing Variations – Set-up with “D”

The next phase of this drill requires positioning forwards and defensemen as shown in the accompanying sketch.  From this layout, numerous different match-ups can be practiced.

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- Clicking on the image to the left will show how 1 on 1′s work from this set-up.  As the sketch shows, defensemen are stationed at the opposite side red line as they await playing an oncoming attacker.  I tend to like this way of practicing such match-ups, mainly because each play is preceded by a pass to the attacking forward, which forces him or her to catch and control the puck in anticipation of confronting a defender.

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- From this set-up, all the various numerical rush situations can be practiced — from 1 on 1′s to 2 on 1′s to 2 on 2′s to 3 on 2′s to 3 on 3′s.  All the coach needs to do is send the appropriate number of players from a given line.

And, as suggested in the initial drill description, it’s important for the coach to frequently change the direction in which players circle (either towards their left or towards their right).

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Might you have any further ideas for making this drill format even more useful?  I’d love to hear from members — either in the Comments box below, or from your following the directions provided for drill submissions (found in the free Drills area).

Russian Circle Passing

Please see Drill Submission Rules and Help below.

Contributor: Dennis Chighisola — Whitman, Massachusetts, USA

Drill Category: Skating, Passing, Pass Receiving, Attacking and Defending

Drill Description:

Comments: This is perhaps one of the most versatile drills I have ever used.  In it’s basic form, Russian Circle Passing is a great up-tempo drill that includes fast skating, great puck movement, and any form of attack on net a coach chooses.  Better yet, CoachChic.com members will be treated to numerous variations of this drill that include all sorts of offensive and defensive match-ups (please see the link to drill variations down below).

Benefits:
Again, this is a great up-tempo drill that incorporates fast skating, the need to provide good stick targets, and the need to connect on passes as receivers move through circular patterns.

Running the drill:

- In the basic set-up, skaters are lined-up along the boards and behind a blue line on both sides of the ice.

- The drill begins with one player skating (without a puck) around the center face-off circle and providing a good stick-target for the first player in the other line.

- The first player in the other line hits the circling player with a pass, and the pass receiver then continues on to attack the goal in any way the coach prescribes (either shooting or deking the goaltender).

- Upon making a pass, a player leaves his or her line to circle and receive a pass from the other line.

Obviously, this drill should be run so that the players circle to the left (as shown), and then to the right (by just moving the lines to the opposite side boards).

Click image below to see a short video on the basic drill. (CoachChic.com members may click on this link for numerous other Variations on Russian Circle Passing.)

Some Simple Head-manning Drills

It’s nice that the questions keep coming in.  And, while the most recent one asks for “a” simple head-manning drill, I’m going to try to do a little better than that…

– Dennis Chighisola

Some Simple Head-manning Drills

Now, I never just skip ahead, or presume that every member knows every bit of hockey jargon.  So, let’s begin by discussing the term, “head-manning”.  (Is there anyone out there — like me, who wonders how such words and phrases ever came into being?  Oh, well…)

It should make sense that the puck can be advanced up-ice much faster with a pass than by having a player skate it over the same distance.  In fact, the following principles are pretty widely accepted, as they govern the decisions a puckcarrier should make while moving up the ice and through the neutral zone:

1. Whenever possible, advance the puck quickly over a long distance by passing it to a teammate who is closer to the opposition goal.  (This is what’s referred to as “head-manning” the puck, or passing it ahead to a man up-ice).
2. If there’s no immediate chance to head-man the puck, continue carrying.
3. If at some point the puckcarrier faces a rival defender or defenders, these things should be considered…  A confident attacker might attempt to beat a single defender, 1 on 1.  However, should he or she be confronted by more that one defender, smart hockey principles dictate that the puck be dumped.  (Hey, it’s wiser to gain the opponents’ zone and move the puck ahead some 60-plus feet, rather than risk a turn-over in neutral ice.)
4. There can be a fourth option for the skilled puckhandler, in that he or she might be able to move away from the defenders — or enter the offensive zone far from traffic, and then protect the puck and wait for teammates to arrive.

All that said, I don’t know of a single head-manning drill, but I do try to precede most attacking plays with some sort of pass.  And, many of these would be considered among the head-manning variety.  So, here are three:

Spring the Wing – I just created and started using this drill to accomplish a number of things.  I use it early in our practices as a way of warming our goaltender with some long shots (I had to recently abandon the two drills shown later in favor of this version, because we have had only one goaler at practices).  As you’ll see in the video (click on the adjacent photo), this drill starts with a long pass to a player flying up the wing-boards.  I ask my kids to help their mate keep flying (not to slow him with the pass).  If you’ll also notice, I’m trying to get my young guys to cut quickly while carrying the puck in and out of opponents (in this case a row of small tires).

Long Pass, Long Shot – This is a basic warm-up drill I like to start most practices with (when I have at least 2 goalies).

As in the earlier shown drill, the passing and skating and shooting on-the-go are great for my skaters, while I want them to view the shot as actually helping warm their goalers.

As shown in the photo (to the left) and in the video (click on the photo), skaters with pucks are positioned in two rink corners.  A skater flies towards neutral ice, receives a long, hard pass from the far corner, and then takes a long shot on net from about the blue line. (Obviously, this drill can and should also be run from the opposite corners.)

Now, I especially like drills like this and the next one for developing soft hands on a catch, because the force of a long pass is increased when the skater is moving towards the pass.

Breakaway Passes – This is just a variation on the previous drill, but it probably better satisfies a coach’s desire for a good head-manning drill.  In this one, a skater moves to neutral ice looking for a breakaway pass, catches the long pass from the other end, and then turns to attack the net at his own end.   (Click on the photo to see the video.)

(This drill should also be run from the opposite corners so that skaters get to loop in both directions.)

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Do you have any drills that even better help this member in need?  Just send your idea/s along according to the directions offered under “Drills”.

Creative Training Ideas for Goalers! Part 4

Todd Jacobson is still off with his women’s team at Notre Dame Academy for the next few months.  Of course, that won’t prevent him from occasionally sending us updates, ideas or further insight into goalie training.

In the meantime, my Team NEHI kids keep practicing and playing, and I’m still here to show you a little of what we’re doing.  And, picking-up from where we left-off in Part 3 of this series, I’m going to show you another step in those 2-puck Drill progressions.

– Dennis Chighisola

Creative Training Ideas for Goalers! Part 4

If you haven’t already, please take a quick run through the earlier post on this topic.  (It would be a good idea if you view the previous “Creative Training Ideas for Goalers” entries, just so you have an idea of how the next drill evolved.)

Now that our goalies can tumble and find one ball with pretty good regularity, it’s time to move them on towards a REAL challenge.

I mean, we all thought that 2-puck Drill was pretty difficult, huh?  Well, wait until you get a look at this one…

Here a netminder is tumbling, but he’s confronted with having to find and catch two balls at the same time!  Not easy folks, but it’s awesome to help a goalie deal with all the craziness that happens around him, and with the need to find a puck amid chaos.

So, have a look at the video (just click on the photo below)…

Well, to date that’s it for progressions along this line.  But, I’m still thinking, and I’m hoping you are, too.

Actually, maybe you can help with some new ideas.  Todd and I would love your Comments or suggestions!

As a postscript, I’m posting a link to this video from the Highlight Reel Skills section, mainly because the young goalie in this video demonstrates something I want all of my players to have.  I mean, did you notice his reaction when he failed one time?  Sure, I think he felt a little embarrassed.  At the same time, however, I think he was laughing at himself, knowing full well that he can eventually lick that challenge.  So again, that’s an awesome training attitude to have, the ability to laugh at oneself as you try new challenges.  And it’s something I always noticed about the kids I had who went on to make a name for themselves in the game.

– Dennis Chighisola

Starting Your Hockey Year Off Right!

It isn’t often that I’ll ask skaters to take a look at a goalie training segment.  Naw, you guys and gals USUALLY have enough on your minds without worrying about another position.  This time, however, what I’m about to suggest to you might just make all the difference in the world as you approach a new year.

Now, before reading further, I’m going to ask that you click on the photo below and watch the very short video of a Team NEHI goaltender doing a VERY difficult drill.  Please don’t read on until you’ve done that, and then I’ll see you below.

– Dennis Chighisola

Starting Your Hockey Year Off Right!

Ah, gotta love those kinds of guys…

Okay, now I hope you noticed my young goalie friend making a mistake and missing the balls one time in the middle of that video.  But, more importantly, I hope you noticed his reaction.  Just take a look again at the photo above for a hint at what I’m getting at.

Sure, I’ll bet he was a little bit embarrassed to muff the drill.  But, did you also notice he was laughing at himself?

Now, most members know that I’ve been doing what I do for about 40-years, and that I’ve taught thousands upon thousands of young players, with quite a few of them making a name for themselves in our game.

Want to know a common trait I’ve seen in all the best of them, though?  Well, it’s the same one demonstrated by the goaler in that video.  Yup, the best have always seemed to be able to laugh at themselves — or just shrug-off a mistake, and keep going right back at the challenge (again and again and again).

There are countless examples of this in sports lore, one story having to do with the great home run hitter, Babe Ruth.  Yes, the Sultan of Swat for a very long time held the record for the most homers hit in a career.  Yet, did you know that The Babe also held the record for the most career strikeouts?  That didn’t seem to get him down, though.  No, he just kept coming back, swinging and swinging and swinging.

And did you also ever consider that the top baseball hitters — hitting around .300 — actually make outs more than two out of three times they go to bat?  None of those guys would skip another try in the batter’s box, however.  Again, like Ruth, you can be sure they looked forward to yet more swings.

So, this is my New Years gift to all my CoachChic.com friends…  If you’re a player, learn to inwardly laugh at your mistakes, and keep coming back for more swings.  I promise you’ll ultimately get it, when lots of others got discouraged and dropped by the wayside.  And, if you’re a parent or coach, try to encourage this very worthwhile trait with those in your charge.

Happy New Year!

Using Your Down Time!

There’s a point I try to get across to amateur hockey players — of all ages, and it’s closely related to this entry’s title — about using one’s down time.  I happen to think it’s an important topic, yet I’d forgotten to mention it here until I ran across an awesome video by my good friend and fellow CoachChic.com member, Michael Mahony.

Okay, so let’s have a listen at how Mike uses his down time to great advantage (just click his photo), and then I’ll share with you the way I often recommend much the same approach to those in my charge…

– Dennis Chighisola

Using Your Down Time!

As you can see, Michael wisely makes use of time that he’d other wise let go to waste.  And I’m known to do much the same.

For example, my wife would prefer to do the driving on our long treks chasing Anthony Chic’s hockey schedule all over New England.  So, whether you realize it or not, I’ve written a good many of these entries from her Jeep’s passenger seat and on one of my trusty laptops.  Hey, we can still talk as we ride — and I’m not being rude or anything, but I sure can get a lot of writing accomplished in 4- to 6-hours on those boring highways.

But, let me bring this topic closer to the needs of my favorite hockey players…

For, you see, I don’t believe hockey homework has to always be a drudgery.  In fact, I’ll warn parents of very young players that such things should NEVER seem like work to their little ones.

In particular, I think adult players and younger ones who still need work on their basic skills could do something like the following.  (Actually, I put this video together in an entry I did long ago for Megan, a site member.  And, while the skating drills demonstrated at the start of the movie might require exact focus on what a player is doing, I’ll suggest that the last two exercises could easily be done as part of some multi-tasking.)  So, please have a look before I comment further…

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As a follow-up to that video, I’m always suggesting to older players that they could do something like WallSits while watching TV or while doing lots of other things.  And so could any player experiment with a stick and ball — as Anthony Chic is doing at the end of that video, also while watching television.

I have often advised my young teen players to kill a couple of birds with one stone, perhaps keeping a tennis ball stashed somewhere in the rec room, and squeezing it for hand and forearm strength while watching TV.

As Mike Mahony is saying, an athlete can use what might other wise be consider down time to enhance his or her physical abilities.  And what Mike is also suggesting is that certain kinds of down time happen on a regular basis.  And that’s pretty close to what I’m usually pointing-out to my students, team players and local parents.  I mean, if an adult player regularly watches the local news on TV each evening, why not do a simple hockey related exercise at the same time?  Something like the previously mentioned ball-squeezing exercise, sit-ups, push-ups, and other very simple movements could be done by any aged player on a planned basis.  Or, what about just balancing around on one of those air pillows as part of your multi-tasking?  Of course, I could go on here with more ways to improve during regular down times.  However, you probably know more about what you really need, and even more about what you’d enjoy doing.

The real point here — that Mike and I are both trying to make, is that we all tend to waste some time, and I’ll even suggest that we all engage in a lot of activities that are almost mindless.  In either case, there are opportunities within our schedules to get-in some regular work on our game.  And, judging by the players I’ve seen take that advice, there’s an awful lot of fun and satisfaction to be had down the road.

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Have any thoughts on this subject, or some ideas to share with other members?  Just use the Comment box down below.  I love interacting with you guys (and gals)!

Dealing with "Murphy’s Law"

During my very first year in coaching, I lost my best player for an important tournament game.  Oh, he wasn’t out injured, he wasn’t home sick in bed, and his parents’ car didn’t break-down on the way to the game.  No, it was something more common than any of those things that robbed us of our top scorer.  “Murphy’s Law” is what did us in that day, and I swore it would never put my team in a hole again.

– Dennis Chighisola

Dealing with “Murphy’s Law”

Okay, so here’s what happened on a frigid February morning nearly 40-years ago…  My team was assembled in their lockerroom awaiting their march down the corridor for the start of an exciting holiday tournament.  As the players arose from their seats, one of my guys slightly stumbled and evidently stepped onto some bare concrete.  I thought nothing of it at first, but a few seconds into our pre-game warm-ups we discovered that an edge had been completely stripped from that player’s skate-blade.  (As I recall, he couldn’t cut to his right without the skate going out from under him.)  Believe it or not, the rink’s pro shop wasn’t yet open.  And, believe it or not, this was a time when few coaches or players thought to carry a skate-stone.  And, of course, this was long before the advent of small, handheld skate sharpeners.  So, just by a stroke of luck, and because we were unprepared for such an occurrence, our team lost one of the most dangerous scorers in the region.

Now, I’m sure you know the gist of Murphy’s Law, which basically states that, “If anything can go wrong, it will!”  Still, what you might not know is “Coach Chic’s Law”, in that, “I only need something to happen once before I find an answer to it!”

So, how many times has Murphy’s Law struck me — or one of my players?  Let me count the ways…  A missing helmet screw, a missing mouth piece, a missing neck guard, a missing cup, a broken goalie pad strap, a missing chin strap, a missing…

True to Coach Chic’s Law, however, I learned from the first crisis and pretty much assured myself and my team that at least THAT crisis wouldn’t bite us again.  In other words, every time some little — or large — problem arose, I found a way to deal with it should it ever happen again.  In most instances, that meant adding another tool or small piece of gear to a collection that I ultimately dubbed my “Murphy’s Law Kit”.

You can imagine the things that are now in my kit box (shown in the two adjacent photos)…

• first aid needs
• skate-stone (several)
• scissors
• pliers
• flathead screwdriver
• phillips screwdriver
• awl
• file
• sandpaper
• Swiss Army knife (with various tools within)
• helmet screws
• matches or lighter
• extra skate laces
• tape (various kinds)
• new mouthpiece
• neck guard
• goalie strap
• chin strap
• pieces of foam
• pieces of leather
• several glues

Actually, I’ll oftentimes see a strap or other small item left in a rink parking lot or wherever, and I’ll consider whether that might come-in handy sometime when Murphy thinks he’s going to get me again.  And I’ll do the same thing when discarding sports equipment from home, or when tossing out some old hockey gear from my NEHI equipment room.  In each case I’ll ask myself, “Can something here bail me out in an emergency?  (Sure, call me a packrat if you must.  But, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten a player back into action when Murphy’s Law wanted to send him to the bleacher!)

In more recent years, I’ve been fortunate to receive a lot of little Swiss Army like gadgets as Christmas stocking stuffers or as gifts.  As a matter of fact, I have one beauty of a tool that straps conveniently on the shoulder strap of my skate bag, and that thing is always getting used to tighten some clinic kid’s helmet or facemask.

Is a hockey coach the only one who needs a Murphy’s Law Kit?  Aaaah, far from it.

A number of years ago — when my grandson started going off to the rinks on his own, we thought it a good idea to set him up with a smaller version of my kit.  A small, unbreakable box it was, stuffed with a stone, some extra helmet screws, an extra pair of laces, and a few tools that would help him in a pinch.  Oh, that tool kit has evolved over the years, but it could always be found in his hockey equipment bag — during his high school career, at prep school, at several showcase tournaments, and now at college.  And I’ll suggest other players gather together odds and ends to form their own Murphy’s Law Kit.

As a matter of fact, I don’t think it’s a bad idea for hockey parents to carry something like that kit, even if it’s just safely stashed in the car trunk for when Murphy rears his ugly head.

Finally, I’m thinking that the contents of a fully stocked Murphy’s Law Kit would prove valuable to members.  Ya, imagine if thousands of us put our heads together and kept adding to the list.  So, if you’ll add your ideas in the Comments section below, I’ll find a way to keep our running list somewhere available for all of us to see (and maybe print-out).  Deal?

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Please add any ideas you might have for our Murphy’s Law Kit in the Comments area below!

Straight Cycle Passing – Variation

Please see Drill Submission Rules and Help below.

Contributor: Dennis Chighisola — Whitman, MA USA

Drill Category: Forward & Backward Skating, Passing and Receiving

Drill Description:

Please see the Straight Line Cycling Drill for details on the initial set-up.

As for the variation…

• The drill runs exactly like the basic one, with this exception…  The passer carries the puck to mid-ice, then begins skating backwards.
• About half the distance back to his starting place, that player initiates a pass cross-ice while still skating backwards.

Objective of the Drill:

Backward skating and puckhandling are involved in this variation.

Better yet, the most difficult pass to make in hockey is one done while moving backwards, so this drill forces players to work on that skill numerous times within just a few minutes.  (A player doesn’t have the chance to use his or her full body to generate force in this kind of pass.)

Running the drill:
Please watch the video linked below to see the variation in progress.

Click image below to see a short video.

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Have questions or suggestions concerning this drill?  Please leave a Comment below.

Straight Cycle Passing Drill

Please see Drill Submission Rules and Help below.

Contributor: Dennis Chighisola — Whitman, MA USA

Drill Category: Skating, Puckhandling, Passing and Receiving

Drill Description:

Groups of threes perform this drills across the ice.

All players can (and should) participate in this kind of drilling, from forwards to defensemen to goaltenders.

• Two players assume start positions on one side of the ice, with one of these players having a puck
• A third player begins at the other side boards.
• The player with the puck carries it to mid-ice, and then fires a firm, flat pass onto the stick-target of the man on the other side of the ice.
• The passer follows his pass and takes the place of the pass receiver.
• The pass receiver now carries the puck to mid-ice and makes a good pass to the man on the other side boards.

(The sketches shows the layout of players, while the video below accomplishes more than I could do in words.)

Objective of the Drill:

It’s a sound practice for players to follow their passes.

So is it helpful for players to work on their passing skills while moving.

This drill makes it necessary for the passer to be extra accurate when sending the puck, since his or her target is in a stationary posture.

As an added benefit…  I find that with the passer moving towards his or her target, a fairly firm pass requires the receiver to have really soft hands in executing the catch.

FYI…  We do our weekly individual skills session on a mini-rink (shown in the video below), so the short distance across the ice dictates less skating and quicker passes than when we do the same drill later in the week on a regulation sized ice surface.

Running the drill:
Please see the video below to see how the drill looks in progress.

Click image below to see a short video.

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Have questions or suggestions concerning this drill?  Please leave a Comment below.

PS: Watch for a variation on this drill within a day or so.

Hockey Line Changes

Now, this entry was inspired by a coach asking for some guidance when it comes to changing on-the-fly.  More specifically, he was wondering if there is a certain age or level when players can be expected to learn this.  So, let me give that a whirl, and let me add as much as I can about making those kinds of changes…

– Dennis Chighisola

Hockey Line Changes

Getting right to that coach’s main question here, my feeling is that the time to teach changes on-the-fly has an awful lot to do with a team’s overall game awareness.  Said yet another way, I’ll suggest that youngsters who have their basic skills under control, and those who are able to understand basic positioning should also be able to learn how to make exchanges while the game is in progress.  So, I’m guessing that decent Squirt or Atom players should be able to learn it.

As an aside…  I asked for some input on this subject, and I received a couple of good suggestions — about things I’d want to be sure to include here.  And first to arrive in my inbox was the suggestion from Mike M, who said, “Do them quickly and often to win games.”

Ya, quickly and often, which brings me to the timing of our shifts.

Now, I have to chuckle a bit as I think about how the earliest levels of our game frequently start-out by playing 2-minute buzzer-hockey.  The reason I’m laughing to myself is that an awful lot of kids, parents and even coaches believe that sort of timing should continue through later years, with the players staying out there on the ice for several minutes at a whack.

Of course, watching just one pro or college hockey game should change that impression.  For, teams at the highest levels probably play something closer to 30- or 40-second shifts.  Yup, go out, bust your buns, and then get-off!

When it comes to the timing of shifts, I’d like to insert this personal feeling, as well…  You see, while most folks are (rightly) concerned about the length of time players are out on the ice working, I’m as concerned for the players who are sitting.  This is a three-pronged thing with me…

• First, players who are sitting for any length of time are physically cooling-off, and I think this gets worse with the length of time they’re off their skates.  So, while there’s definitely a need for players to rest and catch their breath, I believe there is a point where time away from the ice becomes a negative.  (Is there a greater chance for injury as players sit for long stretches?  I don’t know, but I think this ought to at least be considered.)
• Secondly — and this is probably something most members haven’t thought about before…  I honestly believe that a player can get mentally out of the game if he or she is away from the action for very long.  In other words, I think there’s the real danger that a player can lose his or her focus and intensity during a long stretch away from the ice.  Consequently, I think a coach can keep his or her players more alert by quickly getting them back out there — quickly and often, as Mike M says.
• Then, maybe my third point is really a combination of the previous two.  For, I know that players like to stay in a certain kind of rhythm over the course of a period — especially my good players, and it’s hard for them to do this unless there’s a reasonable sort of rhythm to their shifts.

So again, as Mike M might say, “Do them quickly and often!”

As another sidebar when it comes to keeping my players in the flow of things…  It’s always driven me crazy when my team has suddenly taken a string of penalties.  All the above points come into play when that happens, with a number of my guys sitting and getting cold, getting themselves out of the game, mentally, and also getting out of that proverbial rhythm.

Oh, I might add one more thing to the timing of shifts…  I usually like to keep the earliest shifts in a period a little on the short side.  I want to get everybody a quick taste of the action, and I also want to delay the build-up of lactic acid as best I can.  I might lengthen the shifts just a tad in the middle of a period, and then go back to shorter ones as the period winds down.  This approach is really just a personal thing with me, but I’ve sensed through the years that my players have benefited from it.

Now, as for going about the teaching of line changes, I recommend that members next watch my brief video on “Dumping the Puck“.  As you’ll see there, the right kinds of dump-ins provide units the “time” to make changes without getting caught shorthanded.

I also believe bench decorum plays a big part in effectively getting changes on-the-fly.  So, I highly suggest these things…

• During each period, all defensemen should sit on the defensive end of the bench, while all the forwards sit on the offensive end.  Getting our guys (or gals) even closer to their end of the ice, the next defense pair will sit closest to the defensive zone, and my next forward line sits closest to the offensive zone.
• I make it a rule that players who are going out next should keep a very close eye on the man they’ll replace.  In other words, the instant a centerman enters the play, the next centerman must keep focus on him (or her).  Why so soon?  The idea is for us to never get caught shorthanded — should a player limp to the bench with an injury, should he discover an equipment problem, whatever.  The point is, unforeseen things can happen seconds into a shift, and the next player up has to immediately notice if or when he’s needed.

Then, there’s the matter of the actual exchange of personnel…

As much as I like having players go over the boards as they enter the ice, we coaches must take into consideration the height of the boards in comparison to our players.  Under normal circumstances, this probably suggests that those at least below Pee Wees aren’t going to be able to make the climb.  However — and believe it or not, I’ve actually coached at a few rinks where even high school players weren’t able to get over the unusually high boards.  That in mind, I think all players should learn to properly enter and exit through the bench doors.  And for more help in this area, I suggest that members refer to my article on “Buzzer Hockey Line Changes“.  (Don’t let the title fool you; there’s valuable information there about older players changing on-the-fly.)

Next, there’s the matter of when to change.  And for this, I have the following suggestions…

• You’d think that growing-up amid farms would have provided a great atmosphere for a young boy to hone his whistling skills.  Or, perhaps, that the powers that be could have had a course on whistling in my long ago Phys Ed studies.    The truth is, I can’t whistle a lick.  If I could, I’d use that as a signal for my guys to change.  Instead, though, I’ve had to resort to calling-out loudly, “Get a change!  Get a change!”  (Oh, well…)
• Now, the lengths of shifts can’t be totally dictated by the timing we’d like.  No, conditions for a successful change aren’t going to fall exactly every 35-seconds or so.  That said, I’ll usually opt for less than the desired time if it looks like going any longer is going to trap my guys out there.  For example, I have to know there’s the possibility that a unit heading down-ice on the attack is going to ultimately have to backcheck, and then breakout again in order to get a change on-the-fly.  And, presuming they’re not going to have the juice to accomplish all that, I’ll probably call for the early change.
• I might also call for an early change if a unit has been bogged-down in their own end for an extended period of time.  Hey, it’s just better to get fresh legs (and minds) out there, and to give the unit coming-off a little time to regroup.
• Of utmost importance is the need for the players on the ice to be absolutely sure the puck is safe before they turn and head-off. I mean, even though they see the puck being dumped, they mustn’t head to the bench until they’re absolutely sure that it is going to safely get through rival players and land deep in their opponents’ end.

Now, despite the fact that the next players up are supposed to be watching the man they’ll replace, I also like my players yelling their positions as they come-off.  In other words, as the left winger comes to our bench, he yells, “Left wing!  Left wing!”  I don’t know; it’s just a safety measure that makes me feel good.

Then, Deb K inspired the next suggestion…  You see, she’s not only a youth hockey parent and coach, but she’s also a referee.  So it should make sense that she’d joke a bit and offer, “Tell coaches about the changes so refs aren’t having to educate from the ice “

Deb’s comment in mind, this biggie…  From my perspective most of the “too many men on the ice” penalties are caused by the players who should be coming-off the ice, and these usually come about because the man coming-off either changes his mind or he fools the player who is supposed to replace him.  In other words, the guy coming to the bench gives every indication that he’s coming, the new player hops over the boards and onto the ice, and then the player who is supposed to come-off doesn’t.  (I don’t know of any way to actually practice this key communication, but I surely do beat it to death in conversations with my players.  I mean, I make it a very big deal that guys coming-off shouldn’t fool their replacements or change their minds at the last second.)

Finally, if a hockey coach feels that line changes are an important part of his or her team’s game, then it should make sense to practice these as often as other plays.  And, once established, it wouldn’t hurt to review them on occasion, and to also frequently talk about the principles involved.

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A lot of things go into proper line changes, and I almost fear I’ve forgotten a few.  If you think I have, please add a Comment so that this topic is eventually covered as thoroughly as possible!

Soft "Touch" Passing

For anyone who stopped by here thinking that I’m going to be talking about one-touch passing, naw; that’s a subject for another time.

What I do want to share with you is my feelings on the passes players often make to themselves.

– Dennis Chighisola

Soft “Touch” Passing

Just supposing a player is going to push the puck through a defender’s skates, then go around that defender to retrieve the puck on the other side.  Well, I can’t tell you how often I’ve noticed attackers treating that puck rather roughly as they send it, which usually brings about new problems when they go to retrieve it.

The first thing I usually do in dealing with this is to suggest to my players that they are actually making passes to themselves.  I don’t know, but most of the time this method seems to help in getting them to look at that kind of play a little differently.  Actually, once I get them to realize that it is a pass — and that the pass is to themselves, they tend to pay closer attention to the technique required.

By the way…  Making passes to oneself happens more often than some might think.  It’s required along with nearly all the different dekes or maneuvers players use to get around a defender on 1 against 1′s (as in the drill I described above).  And a pass to oneself is also what’s happening when a player banks a puck off the boards and around a defender.  And so is it a major part of the way I teach breakaways (so see my article and videos on “Proper Breakaway Skills“).

Anyway, once that’s established — that the pass is to oneself, I next try to get my players to appreciate that it takes a certain kind of “feel” or “touch” with the puck to make that pass.  In just about every instance, the attacker wants the “pass” to arrive in a certain location.  And in every instance he or she wants the puck to just sit there, nice and flat (not rolling or wobbling around).  So again, the attacker doesn’t want to treat the puck roughly on that pass ahead, but instead “place it” with a nice soft “touch”.

Of course, talking about the problem only gets us part way in establishing a better touch or feel for that kind of pass.  So, I’ve developed a number of drills to help my kids develop such skills.

Now, as members know by now, I have the luxury of both on-ice and off-ice practices throughout most of the year.  And for that reason I’ve had to create drills that can be done in both venues.

The first photo (on the left) shows a drill I created long ago to enhance a number of qualities in my players.  Tumbling — or any gymnastics — is great for athleticism, and it also puts my kids in a slight, momentary state of confusion, not unlike the frequent collisions they have in games.  The reason I initially created this drill was so that my players could learn to find the puck quickly coming out of a roll.  So — as described elsewhere here at CoachChic.com, I’d have my kids roll and then quickly find a puck that had just been introduced by a coach.  And that drill certainly has helped them in the ways that I’d hoped.

More recently, however, I’ve expanded the drill to help encourage the skill at hand.  So, clicking on that first photo (above) will open a short video I shot at a recent off-ice practice.  It shows players pushing the puck ahead, tumbling, and then having to find the puck so he can perform the next challenge (to either tumble again or shoot).  Go ahead, watch the video before going on.

Hmmmm…  If you don’t mind watching that video again, I just caught the first little rascal doing something I hadn’t noticed before, and it’s something that truly does make my point here.    For, as he comes out of his last tumble, he doesn’t shoot his own puck at all.  No, he fires a different one, because the one he brought down the course wasn’t ultimately placed nicely, or where he really needed it to be!

Now, the second sequence hopefully shows that soft “touch” pass a little better.  (You should know that I purposely spaced the tumbling mats the way I did, just so each player had to be pretty accurate in placing his pass.  For — as you’ll see in the next video, that pass had better fall close to the right location if the player is going to be able to immediately take-on the next challenge.)  So, click on the second photo and see what I mean.

Now, between the lines, I’m kinda hoping that you’ve noticed how I try to make drills simulate the craziness of our game.  Just in the shown drill, for example, I’ve at least slightly recreated the confused state that comes with falls or collisions, and I’ve also tried to recreate the urgency necessary between challenges.

As an aside, I’ve previously joked in other entries about how the little firing mechanisms in my noggin’ tend to make me think of something new as I’m working at another project.  So, don’t you know, I just arrived at a new drill for pass-receiving as I wrote that last paragraph.  I’ll be sure to show you that once I breathe life into it.  However, just as a hint…  It drives me crazy that a lot of my players are too casual about catching passing during drills, and this results in far too many lost pucks during our games.  So, why not insert a give and go between tumbles (or other challenges) as an adaptation to the above drill?  Hmmmmm…

Okay, as for an on-ice application to the above drill…  We don’t often do tumbling on the ice.  So, what I’ll usually do is have by players execute continuous spins down the length of the ice.  In other words, a player will tap the puck ahead, then spin to find and grab it; he’ll tap the puck ahead again, and spin in the opposite direction next, etc.  And, much like the off-ice version of that drill, a player must make his pass with some “feel” in order to have the puck lie where — and in the way — he needs it in order to continue on to the next challenge.

Finally, I hope you also noticed that the two physical challenges featured in the drill examples are drastically different.  With that, I’d like you to appreciate that the rolls or spins (or shots) are purely things that need to be done before or after a pass to oneself.  However, make not mistake about it:  Those passes have to be done with a nice “touch” in order to make the next move possible.

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The Angle of Pursuit

Although I had my share of notoriety and recognition as a young football player, I’ll tell you — right up front — that I wasn’t all that hot.  However, I did have great hands (from my baseball background), and I could run like a deer (from honest to goodness great genes)! 

That said, I always was kind of a “thinker”, even as a kid, and even as a football player.  Oh, by the way, I also had one of the region’s best high school football coaches — far ahead of his time, I think he was, and he later went on to coach a string of championship semi-pro teams before settling in as a game film rater for the New England Patriots.

Anyway, the reason I mention all this is so that I can introduce the topic at hand.  For, one day during a defensive segment of a team practice, my old high school head coach described that “angle of pursuit” thing to his players.

You don’t have to totally understand this, because I’ll explain it better and show you later how this relates to our game.  But for now, what my coach was suggesting had to do with defenders needing to watch a ball carrier’s route — or anticipate where that route would take him, and then meet him at some point along that route.  Again, I’ll explain that far better in a minute.  However, just so you know, I was playing The Thinker again that day, inwardly shaking my head, and wondering to myself, “Does anyone really have to be told this?”  Oh, well…

– Dennis Chighisola

The Angle of Pursuit

Now, the answer to my question actually came by way of a video I watched just a few years ago, this from the Centre for Hockey Excellence in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.  For, in that video, former Canadian National Team coach, Dave King, took quite a bit of time explaining that very concept, and almost in the same way my old high school football coach had.

Okay, so here’s the gist of it, as it relates to our game…  If you click on the adjacent photo, you’ll see one player dump a puck that is destined to go around the boards and arrive near the opposite corner.  What you’ll also see is a skater from the other team chasing the puck in the wrong manner.  Go ahead, and watch that short video before you read on.

Confounding me, but giving validity to Dave King and my old football coach, I’ve come to realize that some athletes actually do follow behind in the pursuit of a puck or opposition player.

That out of the way, I’m sure my late-coach would appreciate the animation I’ve just created to show a little smarter way to pursue that same puck.  So, please click on the (left) photo to watch that video.

Now, it has been a long time since I viewed that piece by Dave King.  But, I recall him suggesting that we (hockey) coaches can run drills to show the merits of pursuing the puck rightly.  So, my next video shows two players taking different routes as they race for the loose puck (click on the photo below to view that).

You’re probably wondering what caused me to raise this “angle of pursuit” issue tonight.  Well, as I’ve been standing back and watching my young Mighty Mites team, attempting to drink-in as much as I can — about their specific needs, and about the way they learn.  And, I’ve been fascinated by a number of things…

- In one instance I watched a little 4-year old race back out of our offensive zone for a puck that had been tossed out to neutral ice.  The little tyke was skating right towards where I stood on the bench that afternoon, so I had a great view of what was to happen.  For, as he began to approach the puck, I saw him turn his head about halfway, this so he could see if anyone was nearby.  He next snatched the puck and made his exit in the direction opposite from the nearest rival.  Unbelievable or what?  The truth is, I actually run drills to ingrain that looking-over-their-shoulder thing in my older players, and most of them take quite awhile to make it a regular part of their game.  ???

- On a number of occasions I’ve seen members of that Mighty Mite team gain the puck along the side boards in their offensive end, and somehow realize they weren’t on the greatest shooting angle.  With that, they kept moving towards mid-ice with the puck, finally sending it on-goal once they reached a better angle.  And again, I felt this to be really good thinking for little guys who had only played a handful of games.

- Then, that old angle of pursuit thing…  I shot the following video really only as an example of how the game action looks in that instructional league.  I’m not sure you can pick-up anything special in this brief clip, but I’m going to suggest that some kids are moving laterally at times, just to keep themselves in the path of a rival puckcarrier, or — as if they knew enough to anticipate it — right in the path of a possible pass up-ice.  Go ahead; click on the photo (below), just so you can see some of their game action (my kids are in black, with our opponents in dark blue).

Now, I’ve written this entry for a number of reasons…

• First, if you never had cause to think about or teach the correct angle of pursuit, perhaps I’ve armed you with some valuable knowledge.
• Secondly, I hope the observations I’m sharing about my youngest team members awakens you (as it has me) to the fact that all of our players are growing organisms.  And, as such, we coaches and parents have the awesome responsibility of guiding them in that growth.
• Then, from what I learned on that long ago football practice field, it’s important to appreciate that some players do certain things instinctively (or seemingly so), while those same things evidently don’t come naturally to others.  And, while it might be easier to coach the gifted ones, I believe the true measure of a “teaching coach” is in our ability to help the players who really need it.  (Come to think of it, it’s only since I’ve grown older that I realized my old high school football coach dealt with us in that way.  So, God bless, Coach, and thanks so much.)

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A Beginner Hockey Player’s Skating Speed

This is about a note I took as I watched our beginner (or Mighty Mites) team play in one of their earliest games a few weeks back…

Let me start by stating that my kids seemed as though they already skated faster than most opponents.  What caused me to jot that note, however, was that I knew my little guys could be much faster, and that I’d want them to be far, far faster as we got deeper into our season.

As an aside here, I think this might be a way of conveying how helpful note-taking can be — for a coach like me, for a player, or for a parent.  I mean, in this case I’m aiming at a long-term goal, and not one that’s going to be a one or two practice deal.  Probably making this point even better, I recently watched one of my teenaged guys play in a scrimmage with his high school squad, and I noticed an area of his game that still needs some work.  The fact that I recorded that in my diary when I arrived at home doesn’t help him now, since I won’t get to work with him again until next spring.  What will help him is the fact that I placed it among my March of 2010 notes, with it then acting as a reminder to design some things that will help him (and other like skaters) with that problem.  In the case of my Mighty Mites, my notes went under the next several Sundays, since that’s when we’ll be practicing.

Anyway, here are a couple of things I’m now doing for the sake of their skating speed.

– Dennis Chighisola

A Beginner Hockey Player’s Skating Speed

I hope you appreciate that skating speed can’t be solved by just one drill.  As a matter of fact, beginners tend to move around the ice better and better just from gaining more and more experience on their blades.  That said, there are a few things I feel I can do to hasten their development in this area.

If you haven’t done so already, I suggest you review two earlier posted videos (“21 Must-do Skating Drills for Beginners” and “24 Must-do Skating Drills for Intermediates”) as prerequisites to what I’m about to cover…

Going back to their earliest times on the ice for a moment, understand that most first-time skaters walk rather than skate, and they usually do this by inching their way along on the “flats of their skates”.  In other words, they don’t immediately thrust with one blade and glide on the sharp edge of the other.  No, again, they basically march or walk around the ice.

So, do you want to know what will ultimately encourage the desired push-offs or thrusts?  The answer is to introduce some form of resistance against the skater’s movement down the ice.  And, for beginners, I find their attempting to push a similarly sized partner down the ice on a chair works awesomely.

What you should know is that this kind of exercise almost adapts itself to the various player levels — or, should I say, the players from each level tend to use the exercise differently, and we can also coach it a little differently according to the players.

In the case of my Mighty Mites, I now view them as intermediates.  Ya, while they’re still very young, my little guys get around the ice really well at this point.  So I kinda push and prod them a little (not meanly or anything, but still trying to get them to work harder and faster), and I look for increasingly more speed with each repetition, and with each week that passes.  (Some footage of this drill in action can be found near the middle of my video on “24 Must-do Skating Drills for Intermediates”.)

For this next one, it would be extremely helpful if you review my video on “Analyzing the Forward Stride“.  For, in that analysis, you’ll see that a player’s arm — or shoulder — motions can help a great deal in adding rhythm, power and efficiency to his or her forward movement.  And, this all translates to better forward skating speed.

Anyway, over the past month I’ve had my kids regularly practicing pumping their arms (without sticks) — while standing in place and while moving down one side of the ice.  In the beginning we can expect a real forced, uncoordinated movement.  But, over time, even the youngest ones will ultimately put things together.  And again, when they do, you can expect that they’ll skate far faster than when their arms and legs were out of sync.  (Click on the adjacent photo to see my kids in their earliest attempts at coordinating the arm/shoulder pumps with their skating push-offs.)

I hope you appreciate how much getting the sticks out of this drill really helps the kids concentrate on their arm and shoulder swings.  As as matter of fact, I have my older guys practice their striding without sticks on a fairly regular basis.  (Oh, as you’ll also notice, some of these little ones are already getting it.  Actually, I just watched that video again, I thought to myself, “Aren’t they cute!!!”  Ya, I things in perspective:  These kids are adorable, but they also want to be taught to be successful.)

I’ve also added a second video from that group (click on the snapshot to the left), this one in slow-motion, so you can see how much of a difference the arm-swing makes in a young skater’s forward movement.

Finally, I can’t say enough about the benefits of holding competitions when working on skills that will ultimately require some urgency in a game.  For example, the group we’re studying now frequently engages in races for loose pucks, with the winner getting a chance to continue on towards the goal for a shot.  (If you click on this link you’ll see an example of that from an earlier post on “Loose Puck Races“.)

By the way, I also have these little guys do other sorts of races, sometimes with a little trick required in the middle.  In one such competition, I find it very appropriate for kids at this particular level to race down the ice, do a belly-flop at mid-course, and then recover as quickly as possible to sprint for an end-mark.

Currently, however, I’m adding a competition to the arm swing thing.  In other words, my kids are engaging in short races — again without sticks — while also needing to pump those arms.

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PS: As always, I love to know what you think. Please comment and even share this article with your friends.

Proper Breakaway Skills

For sure, breakaways are among hockey’s most exciting plays.  That being the case, I’m really surprised at how often I notice these — and related skills — being taught wrongly.  Anyway, hear me out, huh?  I think what is to follow should make sense.

– Dennis Chighisola

Proper Breakaway Skills

Every time I approach this subject with my students or players, I begin by having them envision us holding footraces out in the rink’s parking lot.  That picture planted in their minds, I’ll then ask which runner they’d like to be — the one with his hands in his pocket, or the one allowed to use his hands as he runs.

Of course, it doesn’t take but a few seconds for everyone to agree, that anyone can run faster if he’s able to pump his hands and arms while sprinting.

The reason I raise this point is because I frequently see coaches teaching their kids to hold a puck on their sticks as they race down the ice on a practice breakaway.  The adjacent photo shows what I mean…  The sample player holds his stick in one hand with the puck kept right on his stick-blade, which means that he can really only pump one hand.  If you click on the photo you’ll see a slow-mo video of that youngster in action.  Oh, by the way, I sense that he’s initially doing things the way he’s been taught elsewhere; but, he ultimately starts doing things a little differently when I yell to him.

Again, did you notice that he could initially only pump his left arm, but then he eventually shifted to my way of doing things (I guess you can tell at which point I yelled, huh)?

Now, the next photo pretty much shows what I recommend…  First, I want my players to achieve maximum speed by having both hands free to pump — almost as if they don’t even have a puck (’cause they don’t).  Secondly, my guys don’t really need to control the puck on their way down the ice.  In fact, I’ll suggest to them that, “You and (most likely) a chaser are going to have a footrace to a point just inside the offensive zone, and all you have to do is beat him there and have the puck!”  In other words, there’s absolutely no reason to stickhandle or make dekes on the way down ice; all one needs to do is go straight and have the puck in the end.

And that brings me to the suggestion that a player tap the puck far ahead, and then use both arms to speed towards the puck.  Actually, I’ve studied numerous of my top students — high school players to pros, and I’ve found that the best of them only need to touch the puck three times from about the top of a defensive face-off circle to about the middle of the offensive zone.  In other words, they tap the puck straight towards the net, fly up to it, tap it straight ahead again, fly up to it, and then grab the puck in readiness to attack the goal.  Nothing fancy in between, but everything just aimed at being speedy on a straight line.  Okay, so click on the photo up above to get a sense of what I’ve been saying (and decide for yourself if this isn’t the fastest way to get down-ice).

This next player is a pretty good one, and he’s awfully quick down the ice.  He had a problem on the rush I video-taped, however, which gives me a chance to show you something that often goes wrong on these plays…

Once you (click on the photo to the right and) watch the video, notice that near the end of his rush — after he’s done pretty nicely, this youngster finds the puck almost in his feet.  Purposely, I’ve really slowed the video at the end, just so you can see that my guy is nearly upright.  And, you know he can’t be going at full speed in that posture.  So, the lesson to be learned from this?  A player needs to gain a certain “feel” for tapping that puck ahead — not so far that he can’t get to it, but not so short that it’s going to break his stride.  Again, about three touches of the puck seems to do it, in order to cover the distance I’ve described.

Next, let’s deal with grabbing the puck and attacking the goal…

The photo to the left shows my guy just after he’s picked-up the puck about mid-zone.  Now, I can appreciate both sides of the argument — for carrying the puck the rest of the way out in front of the body or off to the forehand side.  For a lot of years I’d taught the latter, but more recently I think a player can hide his or her intentions better with the puck held out-front.  Again, though, both arguments make some sense, and I think the best answer is that the attacker have an idea of what he or she wants to do in the end.

My final bit of advice is to suggest that a player NOT move his or her body left and right in order to make the goaltender move.  Sure, a player can make head and shoulder fakes, but I don’t advise skating side to side.  For, I believe that the stick (with puck in-tow) can travel faster and farther, and the goaler has to respect that as much as if the attacker moved his body (after all, netminders line-up on the puck, and nothing else).  In other words, if the attacker is able to move the goaltender towards one side with just a wide deke, he or she should be able to move the puck quicker across to the other side than the goalie can react back.

Finally, while I’ve covered a lot here, the one thing I want to emphasize is that long dash towards the far end NOT being slowed by much handling of the puck.  Tap it ahead, fly, tap it ahead, fly…

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Have any questions or arguments with what might be some controversial territory?  You know I really appreciate your Comments!

Reacting to Adversity

Like a lot of adult members, I wear many hats.

For sure, I’m thinking hockey nearly 24/7; that’s what I love, and that’s what I love to immerse myself in.  At the same time, I’m a businessman.  And, whether I like it or not, I can’t keep doing what I really love to do unless I keep succeeding in that area, too.  Then, if there’s something that really keeps me on my toes, it’s the fact that so many hockey people rely on The Old Coach for guidance.

All that said, you might appreciate my need to devour books, manuals, videos and audio programs of all types.  Ya, even when I’m working on a hockey project, there’s a good chance I have a recording of some kind running in the background.  (Multi-tasking is my middle name.)

Of course, the New England Hockey Institute library is something most hockey folks would die for.  I mean, it’s just loaded with all sorts of training manuals and videos I’ve gathered over 40-ish years.  (Actually, a member has recently requested I share with others a list of my favorite hockey books and videos, and I’ve promised to do that here pretty shortly.)

What might surprise you, however, is that I’ve delved as much into the life stories of greats from outside hockey, or even from outside the sports world.  For, there’s something to be said for understanding the likes of famous statesmen, military leaders or businessmen (and women).  In fact, if they’re leaders in just about any field, I want to know how they think and how they function.

And there’s also something to be said for getting a daily spiritual boost — from my well worn Bible, as well as from a myriad of motivational speakers.  Yup, nothing picks me up and gets me going quicker than some good, honest positive talk.

And this all brings me to the subject at hand…  About a year ago I began following a pretty interesting guy on Twitter.  Billy Cox is his name, and his bio describes him as “…one of the most dynamic and entertaining authors and speakers in the world.”  And, as Billy says, his “Goal is to Energize People to Action and Inspire Positive Change!”

Anyway, today I needed a little energizing and inspiration, so I looked-up Mr Cox.  And, once I got into his presentation, I realized how much his words could help a good many of my CoachChic.com friends.  So, borrowed here from YouTube.com is what I think is an awesome video…

– Dennis Chighisola

Reacting to Adversity

( Billy Cox’s video title is “PERFORM BETTER“)

As a final preface to this video, I’m going to suggest that every one of us gets down at one time or another — I mean, it happens to everyone, from business people to parents to coaches to athletes.  And, as I so often share with my grandson, “I think the measure of any great person (or player) is seen in the way he or she reacts in tough times, or in times of adversity.”  (More to say on this at the very end!)

Okay, here’s that Billy Cox video.  And, while he’s obviously talking to a room full of business people here, this speech just as easily could have been staged in your team’s lockerroom or mine….

(If you visit YouTube.com, you’ll find a number of other similarly themed Billy Cox videos.)

Okay, so how do those Three P’s relate to our game of hockey?  Well, here’s my humble opinion:

1. Preparedness – Practice!  Practice!  Practice!  You know, I’m an incessant long-range planner, and I’m always asking those in my charge to look ahead.  Right now, for instance, you likely know about an important tryout that’s coming-up.  Or, there’s something you’d like to achieve by this season’s end.  In either case, you should have a feel for what needs to be done, and you also know exactly how much time you have to accomplish that.  From there, it’s a matter of attacking the long-range goal in small increments.  Ya, just lop those intermediate steps off, or…  Practice!  Practice!  Practice!
2. Persistence – I’ll tell you a funny story…  By the time I was an older teen, I’d failed at countless strength programs.  Ugh.  Then, one day, like out of the blue, I told myself that I was going to stick with a program just to see if all that I’d read really worked.  In other words, I’d read that after about 90-days I was guaranteed results.  So…  Hmmmm…  So, I stuck with that program — six days per week, and I never missed a session no matter what.  I also did all the other things rightly — this time, including sticking to a special diet.  So, what happened?  One night — not even 90-days into that lifting program, another teen spotted me with my shirt off in the gym lockerroom, and he asked me, “What do you do to get such a big chest?”  (Huh?  Is he talking to me?)  Shortly after, while out riding with a bunch of friends, the two guys on either side of me started complaining that my shoulders were taking up the whole back seat!  Ya, I’d realized by then that I’d gotten big — huge, in fact.  So, how did my earlier attempts at strength building differ from the one that worked?  It surely wasn’t the difference in the routines.  No, the reason my earlier tries failed was because I looked for quick gains, and I was too easily discouraged when they didn’t come.  And, the reason the last one worked was because I gave it an honest to goodness chance.  Man was I persistent — and faithful, to the max.
3. Playing the numbers – I like Cox’s stories about Ruth, Edison and Colonel Sanders, each suggesting that those men couldn’t be totally discouraged by setbacks.  So, another quick story…  I attended a special lecture one time when I was in college, this on the art of job hunting.  The guest speaker, a famous author on the subject, made one point clear enough that I still remember it to this day, suggesting to the audience that, a certain number of turn-downs should be expected before we’d likely hear that first, “Yes!”  In the end, he rationalized (and I paraphrase), “Why not get all those turn-downs out of the way so you can hurry to the answer you’re really looking for?”    Just think about that one for a sec…  After all, that’s the way Edison and The Colonel handled such matters!

So, in closing…  If you’re not currently getting the results you want, prepare yourself even better for future tries, be persistent, and play the numbers (as in getting all the setbacks out of the way so you can get on to the good stuff)!

Oh, and speaking of learning about how some of the great minds think, here’s an appropriate quote from General George Patton:

“I don’t measure a man’s success by how high he climbs but how high he bounces when he hits bottom.”

Finally — and since there’s the likelihood we’ll all feel a little discouraged from time to time, why not save this page among your favorites?  I know I’m going to be revisiting that video often.

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If you liked this — or even if you didn’t, I’d love to hear your feedback or Comments!

Coach Kelly’s Hockey Shooting Drill

This won’t likely be the last post on this subject…  Naw, I have the feeling my search for “finishing skills” around the net will be a season-long thing for me (with both my Mighty Mites and my Jr High School Team).

Coach Kelly did kind of get the ball (errrrr… puck) rolling awhile back, however, with his own suggestions.  As Greg offered, “How about pairing up the kids about 1-2 feet from the boards. One of the kids drops 3 pucks in front of the shooter. If they stay close to the boards the pucks won’t travel as far. Of course they can take turns shooting and dropping.

I know you’ve done a similar drill in Lakeville (at the off-ice facility) by lining up three pucks horizontally, equally spaced and close to the boards. But by dropping the pucks instead of having them in-place should make the kids react quickly to the pucks bouncing in all directions.”

I countered with the fact that that was a pretty good idea.

If I have a difficulty with some forms of drilling, it usually revolves around the administrative side of it.  In other words, if it’s difficult to run a drill, not as much gets done in the allotted time, and I tend to cringe at using it very often.

I went on to tell Greg that — like his idea of dropping the pucks, “… we have to find a way to create urgency (like in a game).”

Anyway, I thought I’d show members what I’ve so far done with Greg’s idea.  (FYI…  And this is only a “so far” proposition.  I guarantee the below drills will evolve, perhaps as early as in this week’s practices.)

– Dennis Chighisola

Coach Kelly’s Hockey Shooting Drill

Actually, I believe I’ve shown the drill in this first  clip elsewhere, because it’s one I’ve used a lot through the years.  Mainly, I give the kids a small handful of pucks (no more than about 5, so they don’t lose concentration), and then I ask them to move their hands as quickly as possible in flicking each puck towards an imaginary net.

Practicing out of the way, you’ll hear me in the next video ask the kids if they’re ready for a little competition.   With this, they’ll compete against each other to see which one can shoot all of their pucks the quickest.  So, if you’ll click on the next photo (below), you’ll see a pair racing to get rid of their pucks.

In this third adaptation of what is really the same kind of drilling, I ask a pair of players to ready an odd number of pucks for another competition.  We need that odd puck, because the goal of this game is to see who can get rid of the most pucks, and that single, remaining puck is almost always sort of the tie-breaker.  So again, click on the nearby photo to see how this competition goes.  Oh, by the way…  This pair wanted to arrange their pucks neatly, with the odd puck sitting in the middle of the others.  However, I ultimately suggested that all the pairs of kids just toss their pucks out there in random fashion.  Either way is okay, though.

Oh, and have you noticed that the kids really work when there are some bragging rights on the line?  That’s my fascination with competitive drills like these; the players almost always work harder (or quicker) to beat their buddies. 

Finally — as I mentioned earlier, we expect this form of drilling to evolve in some ways (although I might not yet know how).  It seems to me that both of my current teams are missing-out on a lot of scores because they’re not quick enough around the goal mouth.  So, I’ll suggest that getting more from our efforts is a very worthwhile endeavor.

Creative Training Ideas for Goalers! Part 3

Todd Jacobson is still off with his women’s team at Notre Dame Academy for the next few months.  Of course, that won’t prevent him from occasionally sending us updates, ideas or further insight into goalie training.

In the meantime, my Team NEHI kids keep training, and I’m still here to show you a little of what we’re doing.  And, picking-up from where we left-off in Part 2 of this series, I’m going to show you another step in those 2-puck Drill progressions.

– Dennis Chighisola

Creative Training Ideas for Goalers! Part 3

If you haven’t already, please take a quick run through the earlier post on this topic (“Creative Training Ideas for Goalers! Part 2“).

Now, this particular drill does not employ 2-pucks, but there’s a reason for that…

You see, Todd and I like to bring our players along in slow, do-able steps.  So, all Team NEHI players learn to tumble (forward and backward) when they first join us.  And from there, we can add tons of new and challenging twists.  That said, we had to get the forward roll and finding a ball skills in before going on to the next problem.

In this drill, one goalie tumbles while another lobs a ball to hang in the air just above where the tumbler will arise.  And, a lot like happens in a game, the goaler has to quickly orient himself and find that ball.  Oh, I said “orient” himself on purpose, because a player will get a little disoriented during the roll, which makes it all the harder to find that ball (and maybe even harder than it would be for him in a game).

So, click on the (below) photo for a neat video showing a really into it goalie tackling these problems.

As stated earlier, we have some other progressions to show you shortly.

Can you help with further challenges along these lines?  Todd and I would love your Comments or ideas!

"Controlling" Hockey Drills

I know I’ve mentioned “controlling” drills in the past, but probably haven’t explained that very well.  So, I thought I’d take this brief opportunity to tell you why I do this, as well as describe a few of the ways I manage to accomplish it…

– Dennis Chighisola

Controlling Hockey Drills

To begin, I do find it a little difficult to explain exactly what I mean by “controlling” drills.  In a way, there’s my want to organize certain drills a little differently than other coaches might, this so I can keep my player’s focus on specific skills or techniques, and so that we might positively affect muscle memory.

But, knowing that I still haven’t explained myself well, perhaps a few examples will help you far more:

1) One example is the way you so often see me run shooting drills…

The above photos show members of my two NEHI teams staking claim to their own area along the side boards, and armed with a handful of pucks.  We do this at the start of almost all of our off-ice and on-ice practices, and quite often for a good 10- to 15-minutes per practice.  So, how many shots do you think one of my players takes over the course of a season?  My guess is that the number falls somewhere near 5- or 6-thousand.  Ha, little wonder my kids ultimately shoot absolute lasers!

In contrast, just envision the team that practices shooting by having a player circle, collect a pass from someone, and then head towards the net for a shot.  If he or she is on a normal sized roster, that means an individual player probably has to wait for 14 other skaters in order to have a turn.  And that, at least to me, removes the chance for a player to truly develop muscle memory.  If you think about it, there’s a good chance that my kids will get somewhere in the order of 20- to 30-shots in the time a player working in the other format gets one or two.  And, when it comes to muscle memory, my kids get to gradually adjust their technique as they take one shot after another.

As an aside…  I use many of the traditional attacking drills, including something like the one I just described.  The difference is that I’ll run those kinds of drills for other reasons, or to give my kids the chance to use their newly improved shooting skills in more of a game related context.

2) Just recently I described this drill for enhancing my kids’ ability to tap a puck out of the air and towards the goal (or, in this case towards an imaginary goal).  Done in similar fashion to the above described shooting drill, my players are again close to the boards, and pairs have a handful of pucks at their disposal (see the photo below).

Now, here’s how I sense other coaches might run this drill…  I know that a lot of them would have someone flip a puck — off their stick — so that an attacker could swipe at it.  Worse yet, it’s quite likely that some coaches would have players, one after another, head to the net for their periodic attempt at the play.  (I’m chuckling a bit right now, recalling the player who occasionally asks me why we don’t use the nets.  To which I’ll answer, “Because we have 30-players here, and only 2 nets!” )

My method, of course, assures lots of repetition, and it also assures fairly well placed pucks for our attacker to practice on.

3)  Okay, here’s something I haven’t previously shown you…

In the above photo, one of my hockey school coaches is helping a young defenseman with his 1 on 1 skills.  What the coach is doing is pretending to be the attacker on that 1 on 1.  And, he’s controlling everything about the drill, including the most important aspect, skating speed.  (In other words, he’s keeping the speed under control so that he can do the following…)

Throughout the course of this drill, my coach is talking to the young blueliner — about controlling the gap between them, about keeping his eyes up (not down towards the puck), about pokechecking technique, about angling, and about so much more.

Of course, I’m sure you can picture how this way of doing things so drastically differs from typical one against one drilling.  Actually, I’ll suggest that absolutely nothing is learned if attackers and defenders aren’t closely matched.  Moreover, all too often defenders just continue to reinforce the wrong techniques when working at full speed and just trying to survive the drill.

Finally, I don’t want members to get me wrong here…  As I intimated above, I use all sorts of really great game related drills in my practices, many of them described or shown throughout CoachChic.com.  However, when it comes to working for repetition — and working on the good kinds of muscle memory, I’ll suggest that we coaches really do have to find ways to “control” our drills.

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Can you help Coach Chic and other members?  Your Comments and additional ideas really do add value to this site!

Carrying Our Hockey Pucks

Okay, this might not seem like the greatest tip in the world.  However, anything that makes our jobs easier has to be worthwhile.

If you think about it, a typical youth coach — working with his or her team on the average of only twice per week for thirty-five winter weeks — is going to tote his or her pucks into and out of a rink at least 70-times.  And, while I travel to rinks close to 5- or 6-times per week, just 70-ish trips would get me to looking for a better way.

– Dennis Chighisola

Carrying Our Hockey Pucks

All right, so I’ve suggested that toting our pucks around IS a big deal (at least to me).  The reason I feel that way is that they’re a part of the “tools of our trade”, and it would be pretty awkward to try to run a practice or hold a hockey game without any of those little black (and sometimes little blue) things.

Now, the photo below shows a number of aids, including my rather huge, black practice puck bag.  The reason I need something so large is because I like to carry in the neighborhood of about 70- or 80-pucks, and that thing does the trick.  (I like to figure on at least 3-pucks per skater, which would mean about 45-pucks for a roster of 15-players.  The reason I generally carry more than that is because my high school and junior high kids quite often practice together or on the same ice.)

Why so many?  First, a lot of my drills call for players to use anywhere from 3- to 5-pucks at a time.  Furthermore, I dump all of the pucks on the ice once we hit the ice — and I like them to be spread all around, because I don’t want a player to miss more than a couple of seconds without having one on his stick-blade.  Hey, a given drill might be designed for stickhandling, passing or shooting, and I’ve yet to run a drill called “Look Around The Ice For A Puck”! 

Looking at the photo again, notice my smaller white bucket.  That contains my game pucks.  No, I don’t want to continually dig into the big bag — or carry that humongous thing into the games (if I don’t have to).  So, I keep about 20 “pre-game pucks” in that bucket, plus a couple of newer one if they’re needed for the actual game.

Ah, yes, MY kind of pre-game pucks…  If you’ll notice, there’s a silver colored puck in the fore.  All my pre-game pucks look like that one — painted silver or while on the sides, and left black on the top and bottom.  Mean coach that I am, I want my older goaltenders to have to REALLY focus when they face warm-up shots.  And, nothing is going to cause them to focus more than dealing with pucks that are VERY difficult to follow.  (Ought to make the games seem easy, huh?)

Then, as for the other colored pucks in that display…  A few years ago a friend and assistant coach of mine returned from his USA Hockey Level 5 training with a cute game that calls for kids to deal with a whole bunch of differently colored pucks at once.  Actually, it’s a lot like the games I introduced in “Maybe It’s Time for a New Kind of (Hockey) Practice“, in that different rules can apply to different pucks.  Anyway, I usually have a handful of those spray painted pucks in the back of my SUV, just in case I want to use them at a given practice.  These, like my other pucks, are contained in a different type of carrier, a small net bag.

Oops, that picture of the blue puck reminded me that this season I’m now carrying around a collection of those, because they’re required at my Mighty Mite team’s level.   In the beginning I put those in an inexpensive canvas bag.  But, it took only a few weeks for the constant wetting and drying of that canvas to make it fall apart.

And that thing about a bag falling apart (at the very worst time) brings me to one more point…  Most canvas bags won’t last long (I’ve even tried — and ruined — some very heavy duty ones).  My black bag is a heavy vinyl, and it’s elevated on heavy plastic feet that keep it up off the ice.  Plastic buckets get brittle in the extreme cold, and they fall apart if hit by a puck.  My game bucket never touches the ice, though, since it goes from the lockerroom (where kids grab their own warm-up puck) to the top of the game bench (where the kids each deposit their own puck later).  As for the little guys’ blue pucks?  I think I’m going to get another small bucket for those.  Although it may go on the ice at times, the beginners aren’t nearly as apt to break it with an errant puck.

Oh, as for where I’ve come by these aids…  I stumbled across and purchased about a dozen of those huge bags in the baseball/softball area of a sporting goods store.  (I think they were made for carrying softballs.)  The plastic buckets are free at a local company that makes pastries for area doughnut shops.  I know that some coffee shops also sell them for a dollar or so.  The net bags I use for those odd colored pucks are just small launder bags, and they can be found in any department store.  (I generally buy those by the cartload, because I use them for all kinds of small balls and such, especially up in The MOTION Lab.)

Now, again, to explain myself..  Appreciate that I don’t want to have to bring all the different kinds of pucks into a rink if I only need one type.  Nor do I want to have to sort-out pucks from one large container whenever I only need a few.  So, because these ARE part of the tools of my trade, I really do go to at least some small extremes to carry my pucks around as conveniently as possible.

PS:  Talk about the tools of MY trade, wait until you see what I have to show you next!

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Okay, you know how much I love your feedback (and other members do, too).  So, please add your comments below, and even share with us any ideas you might have in this area!

On Sale: Hockey Skates & Sticks!

ON SALE!

Ya, that’s pretty much what the pitchman said on the radio this morning…

– Dennis Chighisola

On Sale:  Hockey Skates & Sticks!

  The reason I’ve decided to comment on this particular advertisement is because I immediately thought of our buddy, Jerry Z, as I heard it!

Actually, the sponsor was a well known hockey equipment super store, but the message wasn’t really for us serious hockey players, coaches or parents.  Naw, what they were peddling was “pond hockey gear”!  I mean that, and that’s exactly the expression the announcer used: “pond hockey”.  And, as best I can recall, that equipment was/is selling for $40 to $60, or thereabouts.

Now, why did I choose to raise this issue here?  It’s because Jerry owns two pairs of in-lines skates, with one pair being of pretty good quality and the other pair being rather questionable.  (You can go back and see about our previous exchange on Jerry’s sticks and skates by clicking here.)

Okay, I know that sophisticated members usually know exactly what they want when they enter an equipment shop or store.  But I can’t blame any new hockey player or parent from being confused when he or she sees the wide array of products carried by some merchants.  (I suspect that’s what happened to Jerry his first time around.  In fact, why would a new skater even realize that some of the stuff made by a reputable company could be junk?)

Anyway, that’s the point of this article, to help save anyone who might be fairly new to such things.  And, if I had to advise new players or parents of new players, here are a couple of things that come to mind immediately…

1) Even though a company might be known for their high quality gear, there’s the likelihood that they also produce low quality equipment for recreational type players.

2) Most of the pro shops (or those located inside local rinks) primarily carry gear that is more suitable to competitive players.  They may have some lower priced articles for real young players or adult rec skaters, but even that gear should meet player needs for a time.

3) It should make sense for a customer to ask plenty of questions wherever he or she does shop.  Armed with the above information (and loads of other equipment advice distributed here at CoachChic.com), he or she ought to have a better sense of what’s needed before even arriving at the store.

4) All that said, I’m going to share one more thing I’ve noticed…  A lot of the so-called super stores hire athletes to wait on their customers.  That’s the good part.  Perhaps the not-so-good part might be if a family is trying to get “expert hockey help” from a tennis player or swimmer.  This again probably suggests going to a rink pro shop when you need advice.  They’re almost always manned by current or former players, and usually by people who really like what they do.

Blinded by Winning

Man, where has this article — or this line of thinking — been all my coaching life?

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Now, I’m going to bite my tongue (for as long as I can stand it), and let you read this unbelievable piece by Mental Edge’s Shaun Goodsell.  Thereafter, you know I’m going to have LOTS to say!

– Dennis Chighisola

Shaun Goodsell, MA

President and CEO of Mental Edge

Blinded by Winning

As the winter sports kick-off I am preparing for the many questions I will field as teams and individual athletes seek to chase their ideal success.  Athletes, coaches and parents will invest enormous resources of time, energy and money to climb that ladder of whatever they are chasing that defines success. Some will determine success by wins and losses; others will use a post-season appearance or a championship and still others will dig deep to frame success in ways that cannot be defined in visible ways. However each team or individual defines success, there is no doubt there will be ups and downs along the way.  The small successes and disappointments experienced on the journey are significant in dictating the overall success at the end of the season.

Recently, I have been looking for a mental paradigm that can help people look at their season in a way that helps to prepare them and their teams to play better at the end of the season than at the beginning. Here is the challenge as I see it:

For years I have been hearing that each time a team or player sets out to perform they should be their best. Coaches talk about bringing your best game day in and day out. Parents go watch in the hopes of seeing a quality performance and a win. There is no doubt that watching a winning performance is fun and exciting. However, winning can at times blind us to what makes us vulnerable as an athlete and as a team. It is as though chasing the Win becomes the goal instead of seeking to use the contest as a learning opportunity to reveal to us what requires work to make us most invincible at the end of the season. Wins, although important, often blind teams and individuals to vital points of development that if not fixed sabotage teams and individuals from the ultimate goal they may be chasing. What might be true is that a well timed loss or short term disappointment may be more critical leading to success of the team because of the focus it creates on what makes a individual and team vulnerable later on in the season.

We need to value the learning that can occur through points of defeat and disappointment. To do this requires us to lessen our focus on winning and increase our emphasis on learning. Every athlete and team should ask themselves after a win or loss, “What did we learn about ourselves and our team?” Subsequently, “What do we need to do in order to get better in that aspect of the game?” Becoming seduced by the short-term success of a win can alter our ability to learn crucial lessons about ourselves that can be bridges to long-term success. Every moment needs to be seen as part of a bigger picture. Doing this allows learning to be a viable goal each time we perform.

This season consider learning from disappointments and team losses and resolve to use them to improve yourself and your team. You will find that you will elevate your game with this mindset when in the past you had become frustrated and disappointed and missed those vital points of learning that kept you stuck.

At Mental Edge we desire to challenge people to experience breakthrough in their lives by establishing new thinking skills and thought patterns leading to a renewed energy for their lives and what is possible. If you are ready to make breakthrough changes in your life, please call Dawn to take the first step at 763.439.5246!

Until next time, here’s to your possibilities!

Shaun

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Okay, let me begin by saying that a “young Coach Chic” would have taken the “W” over anything else.  Thank God I changed my ways by the time I started working with my second generation of players!

Now, let me tell you a few things that should help validate Shaun’s comparison of wins versus losses (or learning experiences:

1. I started using video-tape back in 1979.  And, back in those days, I had a great dad who followed my high school hockey teams, and he was also really into video.  So, we arranged that he’d tape all the games he could attend, while I spent countless hours studying those tapes.  A funny thing happened very early-on, however.  I discovered that games in which we won big were of almost no value to me.  I mean, it seemed as if only tough opponents really exposed our weaknesses or showed me the things I had to do to help my kids back at practice.
2. By now, members know my penchant for note-taking.  In fact, there’s an entire category here that allows me to share some of the things I record.  Anyway, much like what I discovered from the study of videos, I’ve come to realize that my notepad is nearly blank after an easy win, and it is crammed full whenever we suffer a setback.  Ya, again, it takes a stronger opponent to expose the things we really need to work on.
3. Next, I need to say that a combination of things have helped me become a better coach…  Number One — and what I see as a main part of Shaun’s article — is that This Old Coach has had to be open to learning.  Secondly, and as you should have gathered from the first two points, I’ve needed to face some tougher opponents each season in order to learn or to grow.  (In actuality, I don’t think I’ve have ever arrived at some of my training inventions or training manuals unless I first found I was failing at something.  Ya, think about that one, if you would.)
4. Lastly, I know my players are better today than they were on opening night, mainly because of the very “mindset” Shaun describes.  Thankfully, I have managed to convince my players and (most of) their parents (as well as myself) that “Development comes first.”  If you think about it, “winning at all costs” usually requires shortcuts, or shortchanging players.  You know what I mean:  a coach only skates certain kids in a tight game, he or she arranges lines or defense pairs solely for the sake of winning, or a coach pays more attention to the best players during the practices because they’re the ones who spell “W-I-N-S” for him or her.  On the other hand, I can’t tell you what a relief it is to put development first…  With that, I probably pay a hair more attention to the kids who need to catch-up with the rest of our roster; our practices are mainly dictated by what the kids need for the long-term; I spread my talent evenly over all the lines so that kids are learning from each other; and — until the last minute or so of a close game, I just keep rolling my lines with no regard for the “W”.  (FYI…  I do one thing each week that might seem like it’s for the sake of winning, in that we do have a set powerplay unit for each game.  However, that’s actually used as a reward for practice attendance!)

As for my comment about “where has this article been all my life?”  Well, I’ve lost a few hockey families through the years, mostly due to the fact that I couldn’t convince them that long-term gains were far more important than stats, championships or trophies.  And, while I wish I had Shaun’s article to help sway them back then, I plan on using it to save some future folks in need.

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Double-dare you to argue this one in our Comments area! 

High Intensity Skating Drills – Part 2

As promised (at least to Eric S), here are some video clips of the speed oriented drills I described in the earlier entry (High Intensity Skating Drills).

– Dennis Chighisola

High Intensity Skating Drills – Part 2

In the initial one, my kids work on their forward take-offs by first moving backwards.  As you should notice when watching the video (click on the nearby photo), a shift in upper body momentum is needed in order to start the forward motion.  Also know that I’ve dictated which way the kids should stop — with their skates in a vee, with the right skate or with the left skate.

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The second video happens to show one of my quickest young skaters (an 8th grader).  His technique is first shown in slow-motion, but you can really see how quickly he shifts his weight and moves his feet in the second part shown at normal speed.  (Please click on the second photo to see that video.)

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As noted in my earlier post, I oftentimes allow my players to work on their own when they’re practicing their take-offs.  Yes, I like races at most times, to get the kids really working hard.  At the same time, I’ve found they sometimes cheat in order to win races, and in this sort of drilling that likely means they’d avoid concentrating on technique.  Anyway, clicking on the third photo will show some of my junior high school kids leaping while going backwards, and then immediately (or as best they can) taking-off forward as they land.

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Photo four (and the linked video) isolates another 8th grader executing the latter exercise.  And, as I also said in the previous article, I feel there’s a slight plyometric component to this form of drilling.

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By the way, I go easily with — or limit — jumping exercises like these when it comes to my junior high school kids (or younger ones).  So, at most, such a group will do something like this only once per week.

Finally, I just shot some additional video at our weekly off-ice practice, but that still needs to be edited and doctored for posting here.  I promise to do that soon (as Part 3), because it shows some awesome twists to the above exercises, and I’ll also show you the way my kids work on that earlier noted “towel drill”.

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In-season Hockey Strength Training

I’ve had the chance to grow-up through many generations of training approaches, and it’s amazing how things have changed over my 50-ish years as both an athlete and a coach.

I’m actually shaking my head at the atmosphere and thinking that dominated my youth — mainly through the 1950′s and 1960′s.  Back then it was believed that work with weights would slow a skilled athlete.  (Ha!)

Even years later — when elite athletes began seriously training for strength during their off-seasons, a prevailing belief was that the weights should be abandoned as athletes played and practiced during their regular seasons.  Ya, that was the case until some studies were done (within the NFL, I believe) that showed most players “de-trained” or lost body strength during their playing seasons.

With that, most pro sports teams (and other elite athletes) have shifted to “maintenance programs”, or programs aimed at maintaining strength levels over the course of a long regular season.

Then, I love the point Scott Umberger makes below, in that an in-season program will help an athlete take-off from a much higher level once he or she ends the season and heads into the off-season.  So, have a read, ’cause I have a sense this is going to put you far ahead of what most other amateur hockey players know.

– Dennis Chighisola

In-season Hockey Strength Training

Scott Umberger
Umberger Performance LLC

So you have busted your butt to get into shape for camp. You were “jacked” and strong when the season started and you end the season smooth and all sucked out. Maintaining your strength levels are vital to your post season training as well. If your strength levels are down it will take 4-6 weeks to get ready to train hard. If you are “familiar with the bar” by having trained all season, that time can be cut in half.

Here are my thoughts on keeping your weight up and trying to maintain your strength levels throughout the season:

• At minimum you must continue to squat, press (bench, dumbbells, etc), and clean or snatch. I prefer box squatting closer to games (2-3 days before a game) over back squatting, due to the potential soreness from squatting.
• Keep reps on the lower end with these lifts. I’ve slowly dropped the hang clean and squatting reps for my hockey players. We are performing around 5-6 sets for 2-3 reps depending on their game schedules. This will eventually drop to single reps.
• If you feel great on an off week you can go over 75-80% of your pre season maxes. Don’t go crazy here, you aren’t maxing out. I’m simply saying that if you have on off week and you feel great, it’s ok to go a little heavier.
• Don’t start incorporating new exercises that you haven’t done in a while and get out of control with them. If you haven’t lunged in a while, take it easy on the weight and volume (sets and reps) for the first week. The new movement alone will get you sore and you don’t want to be to sore during the season.
• Always perform a dynamic warm up before practices and games. These warm ups really help keep the body working like it should. Let’s face it, skating isn’t a natural movement.
• Make sure that you continue to perform assistance or accessory exercises that maintain wrist/grip strength, ankle mobility and strength, hip mobility, and shoulder mobility and stability.
• Buy and use a foam roller.

This insert is courtesy of Dennis.  Scott and I knew you might not be all that familiar with the foam roller, so I found a few videos on YouTube that should prove helpful…

Although Scott and I can’t necessarily endorse a given foam roller, Scott prefers the shorter one over the longer, because he feels it easily fits into your hockey bag for weekend tournaments, etc.  Anyway, Dennis has done a little of the work for you…  The image on the left (below) is linked to a popular model, while the image on the right takes you to the results I received from a Google search.  (Neither Scott or I have any commercial interest in a certain roller brand, and we even suggest you comparison shop after looking at these)…

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• Do workouts to recover from long weekends. My guys hate life when they walk into Umberger Performance after playing 4-5 games at a weekend showcase. After a complete dynamic warm up they feel a little better. I’ll have them perform a few sets of a barbell complex and they’ll feel much better and on the road to recovery. A barbell complex can be many things…. A typical complex can be a dead lift, Romanian dead lift, push ups on the bar, bent over row, push press, and back/front squat. You can also add some Olympic movements if you prefer. Perform all of the movements until you have gone through every exercise. Perform 5-10 reps for 2-5 sets in a workout. They are tough but they won’t kill you.
• Don’t forget to eat the right food at the right time. Post practice and post game meals are very, very important. Shakes are a great and convenient way to maintain vital nutrients and calories during the long hockey season.

I know the season is long and it’s very hard to stay on top of the things that I’ve just outlined. If you can stay disciplined and maintain a training and eating schedule you will finish the season the strongest and healthiest that you have ever been. Remember that players get “paid” for consistency. Point a game is great production in any league. However, it’s hard to be consistent if you loose 70% of your strength and 10 pounds over the course of the season.

Good luck and shoot me an email if you have any questions,

scott@umbergerperformance.com

Best Regards,
Scott Umberger
Umberger Performance LLC
www.umbergerperformance.com
412-523-0060

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Whole Body Vibration Strength Training

One of the things I’ve promised you, my valued member, is that I’ll do all the long, exhausting research, and then pass my findings on to you.

That said, the following excerpt explains a little side project I’ve been into for about the past 5 or so years.  It’s from an article entitled “History of Whole Body Vibration Technology” (from the website History of Whole Body Vibration Technology).  I’d like you to have a read, because it should introduce you to something that I find absolutely fascinating:

“There’s nothing new about the benefits of whole body vibration technology; it’s been around for over 47 years.  The world first saw its effectiveness when the Russians started winning all the Gold at the Olympic Games in 1960.  Then, they started keeping their cosmonauts in space longer and longer — eventually, over a year longer than we could.   However, the Russians kept the technology of whole body vibration a secret until after the Berlin Wall came down in November 1989.  Therefore, the world didn’t learn the secret to the Russian’s superiority at the Olympic Games or in outer space for 30 long years.  It was one of Russia’s key sports scientists, Dr. Vladimir Nazarov, by experimenting with a vibration system, who began the research of this technology.   Nazarov was an active sportsman, a member of the Soviet gymnastics team and occupied a chair for sports biomechanics at the State College in Minsk.  Finding his experiment a success, he introduced this technology to competitive sports, ballet, and medicine in the former USSR.  The Russian Space Program continues to use the technology — while the cosmonauts are in space — as physical therapy to help the cosmonauts overcome the considerable decrease of bone mass and muscle tone that they risk during extended periods of weightlessness.  After the fall of the Soviet Union, Nazarov’s research on whole body vibration made its way to Europe in the early 1990’s…”

Now, the following YouTube video starts out a little corny, but the guest really knows his stuff about WBV benefits and methods.  So give him a minute, and the be prepared to have your eyes opened to what Whole Body Vibration technology promises do…

If you’re interested, here are the final two videos in that Youtube series…

I actually stumbled across this rather new (to the Western world) strength training approach long ago, from an unrelated Internet search.  And as I soon discovered, all sorts of Whole Body Vibration (WBV) machines are currently available.  Professional models can go for well over $10,000, these made for heavy duty use in busy sport clubs, etc.  I actually managed to eventually find and purchase a smaller, far less expensive type more suited to individual or small group use.

Now, I’m not really here to promote this form of training; again, I find it fascinating, and I love the workouts I get from my machine.  However, there are as many studies out there downplaying the benefits of WBV as there are supporting it (so it’s up to you to decide if it’s right for you or your player/s).  Also, while I personally think there’s a huge difference — in the way exposure can be governed and in the way settings can be controlled, we’re all likely aware of the potential for injuries from overexposure to driving heavy equipment or operating some vibrating machines.

So, why have I posted this particular entry — if I’m not really promoting it?  It’s because I needed a way to set the groundwork for my own invention.  For, as you’ll soon discover, my “WakeBoard” came about because of an interest in Whole Body Vibration technology.

Look for that article and related videos to appear here very shortly.

"Bunting" the Hockey Puck

Okay, by now you probably know I like to be descriptive — or maybe colorful — when it comes to hockey technique.  That’s the teacher in me, really.

I’ve done that with the following skill because I want my players to picture a given kind of movement as they practice.  But then, you’ll see…

– Dennis Chighisola

“Bunting” the Hockey Puck

From the first photo you can probably already guess that I’m talking about my players learning to tap the puck out of the air and into the goal.  And, you might also guess that I use the “bunting” tag because I want the kids to think of the movement as a rather short rap at the puck, not a wild swing.

Also, you might notice from the way I set-up this drill (and numerous others) that I like to have control.  In other words, players needn’t be moving all around or dealing with pucks that aren’t placed right in a good area to practice with.  In fact, the way I arrange this and a lot of other drills ensures my kids get far more repetitions than do players I see in other practice formats.

The Basic Drill……….From the picture you should see how I like to organize this drilling…  Pairs of players are very close to the boards, with one partner kneeling and holding about 3 or 4 pucks.  That “feeder” must take care to lob the puck –  between waist-high and chest-high, so that the “bunter” can practice tapping the puck towards an imaginary net.

Now, you can click on the photo to see a short video of that pair in action.  These are actually two pretty good young players, yet the one doing the bunting is achieving so-so results.  You might also notice that he needs reminding to shorten the stroke, and to be sure to keep his stick down.

Batting the puck out of the air (or a regular basis and with some accuracy) really is a skill.  And, as such, it should be practiced often.  Also, I’ll suggest that all the tricks players do with a ball or puck — like keeping it balanced in the air for a good length of time — will also help with stick dexterity.

A More Game Related Drill……….The set-up in the next drill is exactly the same as the previous one.  This time, however, I’m going to have the bunter jog in place as he attempts to bat pucks towards an imaginary goal.  The purpose is to get my players moving and to cause their hands and eyes to bounce a little, thereby making the focus and contact with the puck a little more difficult.  I say this form of drilling is more game related because — in a game — players only get a quick glimpse at the puck and only an instant to swipe at it, and they don’t get any time to really focus their eyes are pretty their posture.

That said, you can click on the second photo to see some players jogging in place and attempting to bat (or bunt) the puck out of the air.  (By the way, we could create similar game-like conditions by having a player step back and forth over a low obstacle, or by having him or her spin a different way just prior to each toss.)

Now, having seen the two videos, I’ll bet you know how you’d have corrected the youngsters who appeared in them.  I give them credit for just starting to learn that skill.  However, I think we can see where they made some nice “bunts” or where they swung a little too wildly, and we can both likely recognize when they needed to carry their stick a little lower.

Finally, and as I suggested previously, this really is a skill.  And, as such, it requires lots of practice.

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Error Recognition & Awareness

One of our outstanding strength coaches and good friend, Jason Price, wrote this piece for Athletes Equation, and it does have a slant towards strength training.  However, I’d like players, parents and coaches to look at it more from a “player’s” perspective — in other words, as this same line of thinking might apply to correcting hockey skill-type errors.  So, give it a try, huh?  I think you’ll see what I mean…

– Dennis Chighisola

The Difference between Error Recognition & Awareness for Athletes & Coaches

Jason Price, MS, CSCS, ATC, CPT, USAW Club Coach

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When coaching athletes in drills and lifts, one key point that I try to get the individual to understand is the difference between just recognizing their technical error and truly becoming aware of the error. In his book “The Inner Athlete” Dan Millman describes this difference very eloquently:

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“There is a great difference between recognizing an error.. and accepting an error as an error — an acceptance that implies full responsibility for correcting that error. Full awareness implies willingness to change, and we may not be ready to do that.”

As a coach I can’t make an athlete correct an error. I can only direct them towards making the correction. It is easy for an athlete to say they understand or recognize an error taking place. But, it isn’t until they are fully aware of the error that they can correct it.

So, why is understanding this difference between recognizing errors and becoming aware of errors important for coaches and athletes? It is because ultimately it is up to the athlete to make the correction, not the coach. The coach can only teach proper technique or how to do a skill; they cannot “make” the athlete do it correctly. Making errors and mistakes is what athletes must do to learn, grow and improve. But the athlete must want to understand their body and what they are asking it to do.

An example of this is one of the simplest drills in the weight room. The Romanian Deadlift (or stiff legged deadlift) is a simple exercise which requires only movement at the hip while stabilizing the other joints involved. Seems simple, but wait, because it is actually one of the more difficult exercises to coach. Simply, it’s because many individuals are not aware of what their body is doing. They think they are doing one thing and then they do something completely different.

This is where understanding the difference between error recognition and awareness comes into play. Coaches mostly recognize errors and flaws in what is being asked of the individual. That is what we do. But, how many coaches try to teach awareness?

Now this may not be appropriate for all levels of coaching. For the personal trainer, strength coach, athletic trainer, physical therapist and some sport coaches this is exactly what is missing from their instruction on some drills. If an athlete just doesn’t seem to get it and you are hammering home the same points, change it up. Put it on their shoulders to truly become aware of what they are doing. If the athlete or individual doesn’t understand they are making an error, they can’t become aware. Again, using the Romanian Deadlift example, my goal as a coach is to try to make the person aware when they don’t move at the hip or don’t fully stabilize. I can tell them all I want what they did wrong. However, unless they are aware they won’t make the correction.

So next time you are coaching a drill or exercise, instead of focusing on telling individuals what they are doing wrong and how to correct it, ask them what they are aware of, or that they are doing. Ask them how it feels for them try to make the correction without you having to tell them or position them over and over. Yes, this may take a little longer at first, but it will save you time in the long run.  For, as the trainee or athlete learns this skill, they will be ready to be aware of what they are doing as they are learning any new skill.

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High Intensity Skating Drills – Part 1

The following question was submitted by member Eric S.  It’s a good one, but it can be difficult answering long distance (or without being able to actually see where his players are at a given time).

Nonetheless, I do know that Eric works with a fairly talented teen group, so I’ll approach things from that perspective.

– Dennis Chighisola

High Intensity Skating Drills

Q: Eric states that, “We always spend the first 7-10 minutes on the ice having our boys run some high intensity skating drills without pucks. Currently we have them run overspeed circles, once forward, once backward and once transitioning @ the hash marks. Then they do two sets of iron crosses and then one other high intensity start/stop drill that we developed. They have been doing these for about 3 weeks and we want to replace one of the drills with a new one every few weeks to keep things fresh. Can you suggest a few other drills of this nature that we could incorporate?
Thanks, Eric”

A: First, Eric, when you say that you do these rather intense exercises in the first minutes of a practice, I’m trusting that effective (and long enough) warm-ups are done prior to the hard skating.  As you’ll read in some of what Scott Umberger and I have said, (other than the obvious injury prevention) more growth is gained from a workout if the muscles are properly warmed.

Continuing on that first point for a moment…  Members might like to know that I begin most skill oriented practices with drills that need to be done slowly, and ones that tend to enhance skating technique.  So, instead of using specific warm-up exercises on the ice, I kill two birds with one stone by having my guys do useful drills at a gradually building intensity.

Now, as for some drill suggestions, I’ll first remind Eric to refer occasionally to my video on “29 Must-do Advanced Skating Drills“.  A goodly number of the exercises shown there would likely suit your needs.  You might also check the few entries I’ve done in reference to speed training or over-speed training for some really good tips.

Then, a couple of things come to mind for specific drill ideas…

- It sounds like you’re attempting to satisfy my first suggestion.  I mean, remembering that players need to be able to go quickly in four different directions (forward, backward, and in both lateral directions).  My “2-step Drill” (shown in the above linked video) is a great one for lateral work.

- What I like to do with those directional drills is to also incorporate quick changes in direction.  For example, if I want my players to work at quick, short forward bursts, I’ll begin the drill with the players first skating backwards, then breaking and shifting their weight to go forward.  Sometimes we coaches will run races and oversee the drill with whistles or voice commands.  However, a lot of the time I’ll let my older players work on their own.  In other words, I’ll tell them what to do, and then I’ll allow them to do the drill in their own area (which frees me and the other coaches to move among them and to offer tips or feedback).  Again, these can be done in all four directions, with the players beginning with a movement in the opposite direction.

- Now, I only do this next one with my older guys (because it’s pretty stressful).  Actually, it’s the same kind of drilling I’ve just described, but with a plyometrics component added.  For example, adapting the drill I just explained…  My players will start skating backwards, but then they’ll jump in the air and immediately dash forward upon landing.  Again, it’s pretty stressful, but it’s also pretty effective.  And it can be adapted to use in all directions.  (I’ll try to get some video of this form of training later this week and attempt to update this entry — or do a follow-up one — as soon as I can.)

Oh, by the way…  When left to their own devices, most players will turn towards a favorite side to do their stop and take-off.  Knowing this, I dictate ahead of time how they will stop — with a vee, turned to the right or turned to the left.

- Oops, one more great one just came to mind…  By now, I’m sure you know how I like to adapt ideas from other sports.  Such is the case with a sprinting exercise called “The Towel Drill”.  In the gym or on a track, one sprinter has a towel around his or her waste, while a partner holds the ends of the towel to provide resistance against a short run.  Part way through that brief but intense sprint, the partner lets go of one towel end, thereby letting the runner really burst out.  (I tend to think there’s an over-speed component to going from lots of resistance to no resistance.  ???)  I like to use this drill both off-ice and on.  And, when we’re on the ice, I have my guys hold their mates’ jersey-tails instead of using towels.

Come to think of it, the above drill could be adapted to accomplish a little striding technique work as Jerry Z is shown doing (using a bungee rope) in a recent video (click here).

Finally, Eric, I like the fact that you are attempting to rotate drills (much like I’ve also described elsewhere, or a lot like strength trainers use in “periodization”).  Hopefully these few tips get you started.  However, if there’s anything more specific you’d like me to deal with — or a drill you might want me to invent for you, please don’t hesitate to ask.  Good luck!  (Oh, I just remembered to ask:  When are you going to send me some video footage of that “high intensity start/stop drill” that you developed?  I know I’d love to see it, and I’ll bet others would, too!)

This PS to my members:  Something evidently has (at least on occasion) gone wrong with the submission of questions.  I mean, they sometimes aren’t immediately relayed to me as they should be.  So, if you don’t see your question dealt with in a day or so (and I should answer that quickly), please email me.  I really want those questions, and I especially don’t want anyone to think that I’m not responsive due to some technical snafu.

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On Lopsided Hockey Scores

Today’s entry is just sort of a muse on my part…

You see, besides being an incessant not-taker, I also clip and save a lot of little bits of information from the nightly newspaper or from other on-line sources.  These usually contain ideas I either want to explore more for my coaching, or they’re on subjects I might like to comment on here at CoachChic.com.

Such is the case with a news clipping that just fell from my notebook…  It’s a beauty, as you’ll discover, and something I’d at least like for you to ponder.

– Dennis Chighisola

On Lopsided Hockey Scores

Okay, hold onto your hat as I tell you the headline on an article I long ago clipped from the local Brockton (MA) Enterprise newspaper.  For, it reads:

“An 82-0 score… in hockey”

Yup, you read that right!  And the article begins by saying, “With more goals than minutes in the game, Slovakia’s women’s ice hockey team claimed an amazing 82-0 victory over Bulgaria in Olympic qualifying.”  It further states that Slovakia outshot their opponents — yikes, 139-0!

Now, I know you and I are going to have very different views on that game’s outcome.  I mean, I can image you being outraged that a team would pound on another squad like that, especially if you’re from North America.  Ya, it only seems that we in North Americans get bothered by lopsided scores — I mean, as if a team is trying to run-it-up.  On the other hand, I’ve noticed a lot of really out of whack scores abroad (although none probably as bad as that one), and I don’t think I ever got the sense that the losers felt insulted.

That said, let me offer some thoughts of my own here…

To begin, I thought the idea of a game was for two teams to go out and play to the very best of their abilities.  ???  And, if that’s the case, why should one feel insulted by that game’s outcome?  Again, it’s just two teams playing as hard and as skilled as they can.  From there, you win some and you lose some, and you sometimes either win or lose by a wide margin.

Oh, I suppose that we could enter a game with the idea that we’re only going to play our best if we’re evenly matched or inferior to the other team.  (Wanna read that one again?)  But, somehow that just doesn’t sound right (does it?).  In a way, however, that seems to be the North American mentality:  Only play your best if the game is close or if you’re losing.

If you think about it, a team (or at least a youth hockey team) practices all week to ready for an opponent.  And, pretty likely their hope is to beat the other team with the skills and tactics they’ve learned to that point.  So, what a downer it is — or would seem to be — if a team discovers that it has to play other than it’s very best.  In a way, it almost seems a waste of time (as in, how can we NOT score today?).

Actually, my sentiments are very much like the Slovakian coach, Miroslav Karafiat, who is quoted as saying, “We took it as training.”  Yup, there is nothing better for a team than to get to practice against just a slightly less than equal amount of resistance.  We coaches do this all the time in our practices (perhaps having a shorthanded group play with their sticks reversed so that our powerplay unit’s plays work a little easier than usual).  It’s one way to build confidence in what our players are trying to learn.

Now, I’m not saying that there aren’t times when a lopsided game isn’t badly mishandled by the stronger team’s coach or individual players.  For sure, they can do or say or act in ways that are degrading to the losing side.  But, to be upset because the stronger team keeps playing hard doesn’t seem right to me.

As a matter of fact, many years ago I tried doing off-the-wall things in an attempt to not run-up a score.  And, I ended-up discovering several problems with this…

First, an opponent can be all the more embarrassed if the superior team overtly tries to hold back on the attack.  Secondly, I’ve actually seen some of my teams have difficulty getting untracked in subsequent games after I’ve made them do some odd-ball things.  Thirdly, there is a huge danger in players getting hurt when they’re too relaxed, or not playing with full intensity.  (I think pro teams in most sports feel the same about this one, so they oftentimes pull their regulars at some point.  Of course, I don’t think it would be fair — or even possible — to bench a youth team’s best players once a game gets out of hand.)

Of course, it’s my hope that no member takes me wrongly about all this.  I usually hate being on either end of a lopsided game.  However, if we’ve come to play, we ought to let the kids do it to the best of their abilities.

Actually, I’ve experienced both sides of this as a coach over the past two weeks…  In our big win, I looked for my kids to polish certain areas of their game in preparation for more difficult opponents.  In the one where we got trounced, I used a goodly number of our mistakes (or shortcomings) as “teaching moments”, and I also gathered a boat-load of notes from which to help my kids further at coming practices.

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Okay, no fairs sending firebombs to my NEHI PO Box!    At the same time, I really would like to hear your impressions on this topic!

Maybe It’s Time for a New Kind of (Hockey) Practice

By Dennis Chighisola

Last week I lightened the training for my NEHI High School Prep guys.  Hey, they were in good enough shape (actually, better than good enough), so I just wanted to keep them working some without risking a last minute injury or sending them off to their respective school team tryouts being either physically or mentally drained.

We did plenty of puck work and shooting at our last on-ice skills session, and our last mid-week X’s and O’s practice has traditionally been a fun oriented intra-squad thing I call our Red vs White Game (involving both high school and junior high members).

So, what should we do with our very last get together — the weekly off-ice training session?  Well, over recent years it’s become another tradition that we play all sorts of crazy games, many of these while the kids wear their in-line hockey skates and other gear.  Oh, by the way, the key word in that last sentence is “crazy”. 

Ya, I want everything to be a little off-the-wall.  It just makes sense — to get the guys laughing and feeling loose, while at the same time giving them an opportunity to work-up a good sweat.

Anyway, using the tools at our disposal (like a roller hockey rink complete with hockey nets and even four basketball nets), I organize games of soccer, basketball, and European handball.  Of course, that’s nothing; the real reason the kids laugh so much is that we often have a couple or three games going on at once.  Yup, I might have a b-ball game taking place across the rink, with the handball or soccer game (or both) going on lengthwise while using the hockey nets.  And, if I think the kids need to be shaken-up a bit more, I might tell them that they can play in either game once we get underway.  In other words, a player might be defending in the soccer game, and suddenly take-off with the basketball that just bounced his way.

In effect, there are few rules, no rules, or whatever rules might pop into my (sometimes pretty sick) mind.

With that, click on the photo to see a brief video showing my older and younger teams mixed in a warm-up game of basketball on in-lines.  (Things would get a little crazier after this footage was shot.)

First, I must say, thank God my guys are hockey players, ’cause they sure are terrible b-ballers!

Secondly, though, while I know my friends here come from all ages and levels, and that you’re not all headed towards high school tryouts, I’m really telling you about this for a very different reason.

You see, things can get pretty stale over the course of a long winter.  In fact, the kind of boredom I’m suggesting has a way of sneaking up on us coaches (or parents), with our kids starting to suffer the effects without us even noticing.

So, my real point here is to suggest that we — coaches, at least — look for ways to shake things up before boredom has a chance to rear its ugly head.

Oh, understand that I absolutely hate to waste a minute of valuable practice time.  At the same time, it might be wise to do something a little off-the-wall once in awhile in order to make the next practices all the more effective.

Now, I’ve mentioned elsewhere about using basketballs and soccer balls to practice our breakouts and powerplays.  I’ve done that at times, however, in order to get my kids to be more creative (than they would be with a puck), and to encourage them to think more about the overall principles of our given plays.  Still, here’s an even better idea…

From my long ago Soviet studies, I learned that their hockey teams often engaged in versions of soccer and basketball during the off-season, with these games played mostly by hockey rules.  So, for example, we might choose to have our kids play soccer, but this would be done with five free moving players per side — plus a goalie, and to include rules like off-side and icing.  I can envision even giving extra points if a team is able to execute something we’ve been working on lately (maybe like a regroup or a face-off play?).  Even special teams play could be included, huh?

My point, really, is that a mental break is needed every so often.  And, I’ll also suggest that there is a lot to be gained in the learning process if our players get the chance to mix their hockey tactics with some other form of play.

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Be a friend:  EVERY worthwhile Comment really helps Coach Chic!

One Way to Improve Your Hockey Skating at Home

As you might recall, a big part of the reason I took-on Jerry Z (as sort of a private project) was that I felt this would greatly help you.  Of course, Jerry has said that our work together has also helped him plenty.

My reason for raising that point again is that the following should give you further insight into the ways I study a player (or players), as well as how I tend to arrive at given solutions.  Ya, I think it should help both beginners and advanced folks if you can follow this old coach’s thought processes.

– Dennis Chighisola

Improving Your Hockey Skating at Home

Now, I’d like to begin by showing you a fairly recent clip of our friend moving around the roller hockey floor.  (Understand that there’s virtually no difference in the way I view an in-line skater versus an ice hockey player.)  So, please click on the first photo (to the left) and watch that video before going on.

From my viewpoint, Jerry is miles from where he was when we first met.  He actually doesn’t do badly moving around that floor nowadays.  Still, my old but experienced eyes tell me there’s more that can be done to enhance his movements.  And, in this case, I’d like you to watch that video again — this time concentrating on the slo-mo part at the end, to see if you can notice how his arms and legs are still just a little bit out of sync.

With that hopefully established, there’s something else at play here, and it’s something I think should help other skaters even more.  You see, between our conflicting schedules (that make it hard for us to meet often) and the onset of winter here in New England (which undermines his outdoor training), Jerry is going to have to lean more and more on practicing indoors, at home, and in fairly small areas.  So, as I just suggested, there might be some things you can borrow from what we’re now doing.

Okay, as we get into my trying to help sync Jerry’s movements, please click on the next photo (below) and keep referring to this video for awhile…

It begins with him working with my Skater’s Rhythm-bar in The MOTION Lab.  (Even better than video, the large mirror he’s using throughout this clip should give Jerry instant feedback.)

Now, over time, the R-bar will help loosen a skater and bring him or her into sync.  So, that’s the point of my sticking with that form of training, as well as incorporating some of the things shown in the next parts of that clip.

Actually, as I was shooting that segment with the Rhythm-bar, I noticed that Jerry was still too tight or too rigid.  So, I had him set aside the bar, and I asked him to just try to relax (be kind of “loosey-goosey” is how I put it).  If you can appreciate it, any tenseness is going to rob Jerry — or any skater — of valuable energy.  Oh, for sure a player has to do some things forcefully as he or she skates.  At the same time, clenching the hands or tightening the upper body for no reason is definitely not good.

Lastly in the above video is a clip that shows Jerry wearing a weighted vest and jumping laterally for a short distance.  Of course, skating isn’t just about the legs, and it isn’t just about pumping the arms or shoulders.  No, skating is a full body motion  (or at least it is if one wants power and maximum efficiency).  And that’s what we’re attempting to work on with Jerry doing that jumping exercise.  If you’ll notice, he didn’t really put it all together in his first trip down the floor.  However, I think my giving him a mental picture — telling him to “really coil-up” — helped him look really good on his next attempt.

So, that’s about where we were early last week when Jerry visited the Lab again.  And, still looking to pull everything together for him, I adapted a drill I normally use with my fairly advanced players, this incorporating the bungee cord I described in a recent post (“New England Hockey Recycles!“). Now, if you click on the photo to the right, you’ll see Jerry doing that lateral jumping movement again, but this time supported by the bungee.  In reality, I’ve asked him to jump for a point just a little ahead, this to create some tension in the rope.

For your sake (and so Jerry can see), I’ve also included a slow-motion version of the above video.  Clicking on the final photo you should notice how the rope’s supporting him is probably helping to sync the movements (or it’s probably making it easier for him to move in the right way).  That said, there’s one more point…  Like all relatively new skaters (and some more experienced ones), a good knee bend is a problem.  I mean, I’ve probably sounded like a broken record to Jerry through these past months, constantly reminding him to sit low, or bend his knees.  However — and maybe it’s because he’s working against a little resistance, but it surely looks to me as if he IS bending his knees a little more in that video!

Finally, that bungee skating approach truly is effective — for working on mechanics or form, and it can be adapted to enhance strength and/or conditioning for more advanced skaters.  As I’ve explained in the earlier linked article, it’s really easy to make your own training device, and the materials can usually be obtained at no cost.  Of course, as with all training devices, safety should be your first concern.

Now, I’m always worried that a more sophisticated member might discount things like I’ve noted above.  That in mind, let me tell you about something that came to mind as I was writing this piece…

Years ago I used to frequently cross paths with local NHL scouts.  Back in that time, I happened to read about a young tough guy who was borderline in making the jump from a minor league roster to the big club.  The knock on him:  His skating wasn’t up to NHL caliber.

Actually, I’d seen that player skate a few times, and I knew that his problems weren’t unlike those I’ve described above.  Sure, that guy was only one notch away from the big time.  But, that’s the point I’m trying to make here, in that very experienced skaters can have similar problems to near beginners.  And, I can tell you that that out-of-sync thing is exactly what was holding the young pro back.

Well, to finish the story…  I called the scout associated with that kid’s team, and I offered to square away his skating stride.  The scout answered, “That would be great, but we just traded him (to wherever)!“ 

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Want a professional device that’s even better than the rubber bands Jerry is using?  Take a look at these Techni-cords!

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Your Comments are truly welcomed here!

New England Hockey Recycles!

Here’s a huge (<= SMILE) right off the bat!

Actually, as Jerry Z and I were standing outside my office after a session in The MOTION Lab, I could tell he was amused by my stories about making some of the training devices I use.  So, while I’m preparing to show you a pretty good drill for working on the skating stride in an off-ice setting, why don’t I share a few of those “recycling” stories with you.

– Dennis Chighisola

New England Hockey Recycles!

Shortly I’m going to be posting some video clips of Jerry training in the Lab.  In those, you’ll see him using an easily made device that really helped him with his striding.  The gist of this article, however, is about some of the devices I use regularly — either in the Lab or out training at the rinks.

Bungee Ropes……….Actually, this whole thing started when Jerry asked me where I got the bungee-like material we used that night.  So, I told him that the late-John Cunniff was a good friend.  For those who don’t remember John, he was a former NHL player (for a long time with the Hartford Whalers), and he was later a coach with both the Boston Bruins and several US National Teams.  Anyway, John gave a presentation in the Boston, MA area many years ago, and one of the gadgets he showed was something I believe he said he’d learned about from the Soviets.  In effect, it was a long bungee-type rope anchored at one end and tied around a player’s waist at the other.  With that, the player gets to work against the resistance of that large elastic for a time.

Now, a lot like this old coach, John wanted to impress upon all the other coaches in attendance that good training gear doesn’t have to cost a lot.  So he passed his bungee apparatus through the audience, pointing out that it was nothing more than a bunch of bicycle tubes strung together.

That was a long time ago, and long before folks were really into recycling such stuff.  What I’ve discovered in recent years was that my local bicycle shop is thrilled to get rid of as many old tubes as they can (my guess is that they actually have to pay to have discarded materials like that removed).  I still have boxes of these up in the Lab, I give them to my players or students when they visit, and I gave an arm-full to Jerry so that he could continue his training back home.

Tow-trainers, et al………. Talking about recycling rubber products, and about merchants being thrilled to unload such things…  Last month I showed you Jerry working with my version of an off-ice and on-ice sled I dubbed the Tow-trainer (and I also provided plans to build your own in the *Gift section).

Well, a lot like bike shops and those inner tubes, I found that the local automobile service station is just as excited to get rid of old, worn tires.  Yup, just ask, and I’m sure a mechanic will point you towards a pile of them.

By the way, I’ve used tires for a lot more than as towing devices…  I store a set of very large tires outside our off-ice facility so that my players can twist and heave them — from the left side and the right, as a means of strengthening their shooting muscles (click here and view this article to see what I mean).  In several other areas of this site I’ve either shown or mentioned my players passing metal or plastic weights so that they get a sense of how to generate good force into their sweeping motion.  However, I have on occasion substituted very small tires (the kind used on small off-road vehicles).  And again, the guys at the local recreational vehicle shop are usually happy to unload a trunk load of those.

Tumbling Mats………. Now, I have a lot of nice, clean tumbling mats in The MOTION Lab.  However, once I decided to have my Team NEHI guys train — indoors and outdoors — at our off-ice practice facility, I also decided to look elsewhere for mats.  No matter where my teams use them, they take quite a beating.  Furthermore, I didn’t want to have to cart mats back and forth between the Lab and the athletic club.

So, thinking long and hard, I ultimately decided to ask a local carpeting installer if I might have any padding he was going to toss-out.  And, while I suspect that the thick rubber material left over from their installation projects is more valuable than old tires or tubes, the store manager was great about supplying me a huge section to take home.

What I did from there was to spread the big piece on my lawn, mark it into smaller sections, and then cut it so I have about 8 good sized mats.  Oh, and while I worried about wear and tear on professionally made mats, that original set looks the same today as it did about 5-years ago.

Now, those are the three types of gadgets I mentioned to Jerry the other night, although I’m guessing I own a whole lot more training aids that have been fashioned from recyclable materials.  (I’m sure I’ll show more as we use them.)

But, there is one last, HUGELY important point I want to make here, and it’s a major reason why I like to use low cost — or no cost — material…  As I’ve said countless times elsewhere, I hate long lines, and I hate seeing my players standing around waiting their turns at a given station.  So, I need a lot of gadgets to run my kind of workouts.  And, while I might not want to invest in something like 4 or 8 professional sleds, I am willing to spend a warm summer day in my backyard making Tow-trainers (or whatever).

Finally — and I’m guessing my old friend John Cunniff would suggest the same if he was around today, in that, “Fancy gear doesn’t make you better; using it does!”

I truly appreciate your Comments!

Creative Training Ideas for Goalers! Part 2

Todd Jacobson is off with his women’s team at Notre Dame Academy for the next few months.  Still, that won’t prevent him from occasionally sending us updates, ideas or further insight into goalie training.

In the meantime, my Team NEHI kids keep training, and I’m still here to show you a little of what we’re doing…

– Dennis Chighisola

Creative Training Ideas for Goalers! Part 2

Tennis balls continue to be a great (and sometimes safer) way to enhance our netminders’ reactions, both on and off the ice.

Actually, the following drill isn’t an NEHI creation, but one we found some time ago on the Internet (my apologies for not recalling whom to credit).  It’s called the 2-puck Drill, but we often substitute small balls for the pucks…

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If you notice in the accompanying video, there’s a lot for a player to deal with as two balls travel towards him, and I especially like the way this drill forces a player to multi-task and also use split vision.  So, have a look  at two of my HS Prep goaltenders in action (by clicking on the above photo).

Awesome, huh? 

By the way, this drill has actually evolved into other progressions with even more difficulty.  But I’ll show you some of those fairly soon.

Got a better idea for increasing the difficulty of this drill?  Todd and I would love your Comments or thoughts!

Quickening the Slapshot Setup – Part 2

By Dennis Chighisola

The last post in this section (“Quickening the Slapshot Setup“) showed my Team NEHI guys working on this drill while in an off-ice setting.  And, since I said back then that the same exact drill could be used on the ice, I thought I’d gather some video footage of that just as soon as I could.

Actually, the kids I was able to capture on camera are all pretty skilled players, and they make awesome demonstrators.  So, have a look (by clicking the photo below), and notice the footwork required to set-up quickly for a slapshot.

Having seen that (and hoping you’ve seen Part 1), do you have a sense of why that skill was better taught off-ice first?  I do that as often as I can, taking time to demo and explain a new skill away from the ice, initially.  I just find it a lot easier and quicker if my guys have gotten the feel for something new (and perhaps fairly challenging) before they take to the more costly ice-time.

Your Comments are truly welcomed here!

Defenseman’s Point Decisions

Please see Drill Submission Rules and Help below.

Contributor: Dennis Chighisola — Whitman, MA USA

Drill Category: Point shooting, decision-making, passing, reading and reacting, point coverage

Drill Description:

Comments: This is one of my all-time favorite drills, and I sense that my players love it as well.  Really, the video below probably shows it best.  However, I’ll attempt to describe it here:

• Two Point Defensemen:  Once a pass is made to them, the pair attempt to shuttle the puck back and forth for an open shot (versus a forward covering them).
• Defensive Forward/Point Cover:  A forward from one corner goes and covers the two point men as soon as a pass is made out to them.  This checker keeps working until a shot is made or until he or she prevents a shot.
• Offensive Forward:  A forward from a corner passes to either point man, then breaks for the net to screen, deflect or rebound a shot from the point.

Objective of the Drill:

I find that defensemen very quickly learn to draw the checker, thusly getting their partner open for a clear shot.  This drill also encourages quick handling of the puck — under real game-like pressure.

I’ve noticed that slightly experienced D also make good use of flip passes and dekes while challenged by this drill.

Running the drill:
The Offensive Forward in the corner basically runs the drill, starting it with a pass soon after the previous shot is taken.  Forwards switch roles/corners after they work on one side.

An Extra Benefit: Over the past few seasons I’ve also employed three defensemen in this drill, this to simulate our Umbrella powerplay formation.

Click image below to see a short video.

I Need to Quicken My Players’ Shots!

Although I’ll show you some of my Team NEHI guys working at the drill I eventually created, the inspiration for that drill came from watching my babies (or my little Mighty Mite team).

Oh, you know how I am about taking notes — especially during games.  Well, I’m doing the same at our weekly instructional league contests, and I’m going to gradually fill you in on the things I’ve observed there.

That said, here’s the first problem I noted…

– Dennis Chighisola

I Need to Quicken My Players’ Shots!

My little guys came-out smoking in our very first game, with plenty of action around the opponents’ net.  If there was a problem, they didn’t score nearly enough goals for all the swipes they had at loose pucks.

I wrestled for quite awhile trying to solve that, and one version I arrived at will be shown in the accompanying video.  What I’d like to do beforehand, though, is give you a little insight into what I was thinking…

I’m sure you’ll appreciate how chaotic it can be out in front of the net:  Oops, there’s a puck; oops, then it’s gone!  Ya, one second a player has the chance to bat the puck home, the next second that opportunity has vanished.  And it’s recreating typical game situations (like that) that makes a drill worthwhile (or not).  So, how could I make my players feel that kind of urgency?

Actually, I’m experimenting with a couple of variations right now, and I’ll soon let you know how I feel about each approach.  For the time being, however, here’s what I’m experimenting with:

1. The drill shown in the accompanying video (click on the above photo to watch) has three players in a nearby line each tossing a puck softly to the slot.  As you can see, the forward in front of the net attempts to pull the trigger — three times — as quickly as possible.  If you’ll notice something wrong in this video, my hope was that the pucks would all arrive at close to the same time — to make the forward out front really scramble.  Didn’t happen.    (Honestly, I think I can do better than that drill.)
2. I tried something differently with my little Mighty Mites, this time having a coach drop three pucks from his hand and into the crease area.  This is a little harder to administer, but I think it comes a lot closer to the problem I was seeing in our games.
3. I tried yet another version of that second drill, this time have two offensive players battle to see which could score the most goals from the number dumped into the crease area.  Again, trying to keep a supply of pucks on hand to keep the drill going was a pain.  But, I think this drill comes a lot closer to recreating the urgency of a game.

Now, while I always enjoy your Comments to a post, this time I’m hoping some members might even have a better idea than mine!  (Ya, help!!!)

Jerry Z’s New Stick

Okay, while I’m certainly celebrating Jerry finally investing in a better, lighter stick, I can appreciate how you wouldn’t necessarily jump for joy at that.

Still, some of the discussions he and I have had surrounding his new stick — and his change in skates — should provide some interesting food for thought for members at all levels of the game.

– Dennis Chighisola

Jerry Z’s New Stick

For sure it’s taken some time to convince Jerry that a new stick would make a difference in his ball handling (remember, he’s a roller hockey and deck hockey player). So, he finally took the plunge, and here’s an excerpt from his first email back to me:

“I had a game on Thursday night. It was the first time I used the composite stick. Even though the stick is too long — I haven’t cut it down to size yet– I can feel the difference. You woulda laughed… I had a goal where I pushed the ball between the defender’s feet and got it on the other side, then shot high — hit the goalie’s shoulder pads and in. Later I had a pass I sent a guy from pretty much one face-off circle to the other one and he one-timed it in for a goal. The stick is light and allows me to do things I haven’t been able to do before.”

Geeeeeze, Jerry, I’ve been telling you that for weeks!

Days later my good friend wrote me with this:

“I cut the new stick down to a smaller size than I’m used to, so it’s lighter and I can stickhandle with it better. It also forces me to bend the knees while skating. I don’t think my shots go any faster than with a wooden stick, maybe slightly slower? And with a puck it seemed like I didn’t get solid contact at all, especially on one-timers. I need more experience with it.

Okay, some very good observations from Jerry, and ones that are worthy of discussion here.

• Although a lighter stick might ultimately whip quicker into a puck or ball on the slap shot, a shorter stick does usually result in a slightly slower shot. If you can envision it, Jerry’s lever arm — which is the stick-shaft — is slightly shorter, and thusly creates slightly less force than a longer one. Here’s the trade-off, though… Most poor puckhandlers just don’t get-off that many shots (they’re just too slow getting open and tee-ing the puck). So, what I advise players to do is to use a short stick until puckhandling becomes a strength. With that, the player can trade-off a little of that skill — by going to a slightly longer stick, in order to get a little harder shot.
• As for Jerry’s difficulty in contacting a puck, I’ll suggest that the ball is easier to drive than a puck. Thusly, he probably notices more the fact that he isn’t making perfect contact with the puck.

Then, because he is still trying to get some outdoor practices in — and, because he’s still experimenting back and forth between two different pairs of in-line skates, Jerry added this to his most recent email:

“I’m using the (enter brand name) skates that we decided to banish from the games. (If member will recall, I found one pair of his skates to be of nice quality, the other pair real cheapies!) These seem slow and loose in comparison. Do you think I’m hurting myself practicing with these clodhoppers? I’m upset at (enter brand name) for these.

Okay, a couple of things needed addressing here…

• I wrote back to suggest that Jerry stay with the good quality skates whenever he can. I figure he’s going to be able to do more — and improve more — in those. If there’s a problem here, outdoor use will ultimately wear the wheels and require earlier than normal replacement. Still, wheels are relatively inexpensive.
• I told him not to be upset with that skate maker. Most companies make quality skates for competitive players and not so good ones for purely recreational use.
• I also suggested that his stumbling upon poor quality skates was the result of his initially shopping at places other than a pro shop where other, more serious skaters shop. Let’s face it, department stores are going to stock their shelves with cheaper, rec type gear, while pro shops generally deal in quality.
• I usually suggest the latter approach to new hockey players and parents, as well, especially if they need help of advice on selection or fitting. Once a shopper gains experience, he or she can likely find some deals at yard sales!

In closing, I’m hoping members are finding it interesting as I attempt to help Jerry improve upon his game. After all, he asks great questions and makes some interesting observations. And, as many of you might be discovering, he and I are forced to do some of the same kinds of troubleshooting so many hockey players, parents and coaches face.

Can you help me by posting a Comment or question here? And thanks — a bunch!

Olympic Hockey

Talk about getting goose bumps…  That’s exactly what I told my young friend, John Galluzzo, when I read the following article.  Never mind that his brief recap of the Miracle at Placid really touched me, but I know (or knew) many of the characters John mentions here.  Actually, the author’s late dad worked with me as an assistant high school hockey coach eons ago, and a young John skated in a few of my clinics way back when.  Then, I worked with Bobby Sheehan, Ed Taylor and Peter Breen, and I even had the chance to watch a young teen named David Silk in his youth hockey days at the old Cohasset Winter Gardens and Pilgrim Arena (where my NEHI Teams still practice).

No matter how you connect with the following, however, I doubt anyone forgets where he or she was the day Al Michaels spouted those magic words (through a snowy, pre-cable broadcast?).

Many thanks to John for sharing this…

– Dennis Chighisola

Olympic Hockey

As originally published in South Shore Living

By John Galluzzo   johnjgalluzzo@hotmail.com

Broadcaster Al Michaels’ final call of the astonishingly unexpected wrestling of the Olympic Gold Medal for hockey away from the juggernaut Soviet Union team by the United States in Lake Placid, New York, in February 1980 still echoes in the minds of hockey fans across the country. “Do you believe in miracles? YES!”

While the victory itself was one for the United States as a whole, and one which had obvious political overtones during the strenuous days of the Cold War, the story of the accomplishment ultimately grew from early morning skating drills and hockey practices in only four states: Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin and right here in Massachusetts.

We may never fully understand the effect that Boston Bruins defenseman Bobby Orr had on the development of that 1980 team. Much like the Tiger Woods craze of the late 1990s is responsible for the overabundance of golf courses today in the U.S., the urge to be like Bobby drove kids in the Boston area to beg their parents for skates, pucks and sticks in the early 1970s. Their wishes spurred the construction of ice rinks all over the region which were soon filled to their rafters with town teams of “mites, squirts, peewees and bantams,” sometimes two and three levels deep, organized into leagues that kept the lights burning from pre-dawn until post sunset.

The South Shore already had a love of the game, played until the mid-sixties outdoors on frozen ponds, and more formally in places like the Hingham Skating Club, where a small wooden hut with a wood-burning stove gave players a place to lace up before hitting the pond. “There has always been a strong hockey tradition down here,” said Richard Johnson, curator of the Sports Museum at the TD Garden. “In the late 60′s and early 70′s no less a team than the Montreal Canadiens signed both Larry Pleau [of Lynn] and Bobby Sheehan of Weymouth at a time when you could count the number of Americans in the NHL on the fingers of one hand.” In Pembroke, Hingham, Rockland, Cohasset and elsewhere, indoor rinks became the schooling grounds for the boys whom Johnson calls “the sons of Bobby Orr.”

“Dave Silk started skating at the Winter Gardens at a very young age, 7 or 8 years old,” said Peter Breen, former owner of the Cohasset Winter Gardens, which sat on what is now the site of the Cohasset commuter rail stop on Route 3A. “He skated a lot with Ed Taylor, in his hours,” he remembered. Taylor, a champion of South Shore youth hockey, founded the Scituate Braves program in 1968, coaching, managing and even driving his team from home to the rinks and back. Young Silk, who had just lost his father, found “a surrogate father” in Taylor, he told the Boston Globe years later. And so the road to the Olympics began for the Scituate youngster.

Thayer Academy called first, and Silk answered with an astounding 85 points (goals plus assists) in his freshman year. Boston University’s attention was gained. In his first year there, 1976-77, Silk broke freshman records for goals, assists and points, earning New England rookie of the year honors. In 1978, he and his teammates earned a national collegiate championship, and the National Hockey League’s New York Rangers could wait no longer. They drafted him that year.

But Silk had one final item on his hockey agenda before giving up his amateur status, which, in 1980, was still required to participate in Olympic sports. He skated for the national hockey program through 1979 and into 1980, alongside a final squad composed of twelve Minnesotans, two skaters from Wisconsin, one from Michigan, and three of his Boston University teammates: Mike Eruzione of Winthrop, Jack O’Callahan of Charlestown and goalie Jim Craig of North Easton.

Their story has been told repeatedly through nearly thirty years, most recently notably through the Disney movie Miracle. Silk netted 48 points in international competition, climaxing with two assists in the 4-3 victory over the Soviet Union on February 22, 1980, the penultimate game on the road to gold medal, but, to all true fans of the sport, the gold medal game (the United States beat the Fins two days later 4-2 to officially claim the medal).

As the final seconds ticked off, Al Michaels began his call, giving Scituate and the rest of the South Shore youth hockey community – the coaches, the rink owners, the teammates, the Zamboni drivers, the fans, the pro shop skate sharpeners, the moms and dads who sacrificed early morning sleep to help their kids follow their dreams – a moment they would never forget: “Eleven seconds, you’ve got ten seconds, the countdown going on right now! Morrow, up to Silk. Five seconds left in the game. Do you believe in miracles?”
“YES!”

A REAL Goaler Challenge!

I should have prefaced my previous post (Goaler Warm-ups) with a reminder, in that our goaltenders start learning to juggle on their very first days with us.  Most of them need to start with one ball, and then very slowly progress to a second and a third.

Yes, a little at a time, the degree of difficulty should be increased — for any drill.

That said, take a look at this one…

– Dennis Chighisola

A REAL Goaler Challenge!

I hope you’ll agree with me, that the game of hockey is pretty wild.  I mean, there are all kinds of things going on out there in the game action, which causes our players to have to very often deal with more problems than one.

Knowing this, I create a lot of drills to meet this challenge by combining several previously learned skills into one new drill.  (Let me repeat:  The drills that are combined have been fairly well mastered by a player or players, which signals the need to increase their difficulty.)  Such is the case with the following.

As the adjacent photo shows, our goaltenders are using the long jumprope, and at the same time juggling two pucks.  (Down the road we’ll follow the same kind of progressions noted earlier, moving to three pucks!)

Ya, this surely is an unbelievable challenge.  But, click the photo to see a video of our young NEHI HS Prep goalie doing a pretty good job.

By the way…  Can you envision how this might help a goaltender in the wildness of an older level game?  After all, they so often have to move and bob and weave to see through a maze of sticks and bodies, while at the same time needing to keep focused on that puck.

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Did you know your Comments really help me?  So, please get involved.  Just click the “Comment” link above to offer your thoughts, questions or suggestions.  (And thanks — a bunch!)

Goaler Warm-ups

I like to pre-program (if that’s the right term) a number of things that 1) get a given job done with my players while also 2) freeing me to get done what I need to.

Such is the case with my Team NEHI pre-game warm-ups.  My team captains know where to find the special card I created that lists our dynamic stretch routine and warm-ups, so they can run these on their own.  That, in turn, allows me to ready for the game in my own way.

In reference to this, my HS Prep team’s goalie is seeming to be someone special.  Actually, I thought he struggled quite a bit during the early part of our season.  But, I now truly believe he’s one of the most dedicated workers I’ve coached in recently years.  I mean, he’s one of the first players to arrive for anything, he’s one of the first to be dressed and ready, and he’s proving to be all business when it comes to his pre-game preparations. (Over recent weeks, I’ve felt he’s often carried his team on his back as they climbed to first place in their league.)

– Dennis Chighisola

Goaler Warm-ups

As you should have figured from the above, our goaltenders should do their normal warm-up with their teammates.  However, their position is unique, which means they should have some added exercises specific to the way they play.

So, early in the year I gave my goaltenders some ideas for their own warm-ups — beyond the regular team ones.

As should be noticed in the adjacent photo, young Josh is using a wall outside our dressingroom to perform some hand-eye drills.  If you click on that photo, you’ll see Josh doing a drill that few other goalies in these parts can do.

Actually, he’s juggling the tennis balls while at the same time bouncing them off that wall.  At times, though, he’s also attempting something I added on this day — asking him to range a little further outward towards each side so that the balls are closer to where he frequently has to catch or blocker them.

An awesome job for a young guy, huh? 

*

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Quickening the Slapshot Setup

As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, practicing the slapshot in a stationary pose is okay.  In fact, I think it’s necessary to do this as one attempts to polish his or her technique.  Of course, the other side of the argument is that one hardly gets to stand still for very long during serious game action.  And, the higher the level of play, the less time a player has to get-off a shot.

All that in mind, I noticed a few years ago that a number of my younger players were being smothered by defenders as they raised their sticks to shoot.  With that, I decided to create a few drills that would help lessen the amount of time my kids needed to set-up for their slapshots.

– Dennis Chighisola

Quickening the Slapshot Setup

You should know that all my big ideas don’t necessarily end-up working so well. 

Actually, the first drill I created to solve the above noted problem calls for spreading 30 or so pucks high in an end zone, and then having two players at a time race to get three quick shots on goal.  That drill is okay, and I still do use it once in awhile, 1) because my players seem to like the competition, and 2) because it just seems to be a decent change of pace from all the other shooting drills we use more often.  Really, though, administration of the drill is a pain, and it also bothers me that too many players are left standing around while only a pair of players are active.

So, I ultimately arrived at a drill that’s far more efficient, and one that seems to far better meet my players’ needs (to set-up quicker).

As the accompanying photo shows, a player has spaced three pucks in a straight line leading away from the target shooting area.  (Know that all of my other players also have three pucks, and they’ve staked claim to their own shooting area, which means that all of my guys should be improving at the same time.)

Now, the main idea of this drill is for a player to work on his footwork and body positioning prior to each shot.  In a way, it’s a lot like a golfer “addressing” his ball in anticipation of a shot (with the obvious difference being the very short amount of time a hockey player has).

As a side note…  Most drills have to include a time of concentration or effort and then a time for resting (both the mind and the body).  And, make no mistake about it, in that it’s as important for a player to rest briefly if we want him or her to apply all of his or her intensity or focus for a given period of time.  If you think about, a player who shoots more than a few quick shots is going to start losing focus (or tire), and that’s when poor technique starts to creep-in.  So…

I have my guys start slowly on this drill, at least until they’ve gotten the feel for a good set-up.  Over time, however, I want them to speed things to something closer to a game-like pace.  I do NOT want my guys to hurry the actual shot; what I do want quickened is the time it takes to move and set-up between shots.  Then (as suggested in the above note), my guys use the time it takes to put the pucks back in place to rest and gather their thoughts for another go-round.

Now, click-on one of the thumbnails below to see a video of guys working at this drill.

Then, if you click-on the next thumbnail that video shows a closer look at my guy’s footwork between shots.

Two final points…

Make not mistake about it:  This drill is all about the kind of footwork you see in the above videos.  Most of my guys can shoot the puck pretty well.  It’s the set-up that now needs to be perfected, and that set-up mostly involves footwork.

Don’t be thrown-off by the fact that these clips were taken at a recent off-ice practice; we do the same exact drill on the ice at least once more per week.  And, I assure you the footwork you’ve seen here is exactly the same in the on-ice application.  Yes, this form of practice easily transfers to quickening on-ice slapshot set-ups.

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Eyes-up Puckhandling (or Not?)

Our friend Jerry visited The MOTION Lab tonight.  And, while he warmed to do some new stickhandling tricks, something struck me — that I needed to share with him, and also with you…

– Dennis Chighisola

Eyes-up Puckhandling (or Not?)

As Jerry did a little light dribbling in anticipation of learning some new puckhandling tricks, I noticed that he was trying to keep his eyes-up.  Aaaaah, good for him — that he remembers to work on that often.

At the same time, I mentioned to him that I usually have to emphasize or de-emphasize that stuff, depending on what I’m having a player (or players) do.  And that usually depends on where we are with a given puckhandling skill.

For example, if we’re working on the beginning level of any given skill, that usually requires total attention.  And my feeling is that a player usually has enough to worry about without taking his or her eyes off the puck or ball.

Of course, the time ultimately comes when I feel a player has pretty much mastered that skill.  And, it’s at that time I believe he or she has to start doing it without looking downward.

(Just click-on the photo above to see Jerry working on his ball dribbling while doing a pretty good job of looking out and around.)

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The Nature of Our Game

Dennis Chighisola here, with what I feel is one of the most important posts I’ll ever make within these pages.

To begin, despite my inclination to frequently think outside the proverbial box, I’d like members to know that I don’t make hockey related decisions without a lot of serious thought. In fact, over my forty-ish years in coaching, I’ve mostly relied upon a set of standards I’ve come to call…

The Nature of Our Game

“Hmmmmmm,” you say. “The nature of our game?”

Well, I’m sure you’ll agree that playing ice hockey is very unlike trying your hand at the likes of chess, sumo wrestling, or cricket. And, although we might share some similarities with other games — like basketball, soccer, and the other skating sports, there are probably far more differences.

Yes, every game has its very own nature. Factors like unique rules, a special playing surface and the specific aims for each game make this so.

That said, I’ve always felt that the ability to analyze a given game or sport — to understand the true challenges and demands on its participants — is critical to preparation. For, with this we can go to work on developing the proper traits needed to excel in that specific sport.

Now, I feel the need to add this side note, since I’m famous for borrowing lots of training ideas from other sports. I mean, I incorporate sprint training in my teams’ off-ice practices, I use lots of football-type agility drills and ideas for explosiveness, and the list of training methods I’ve obtained from other sports goes on and on. As I said in the opening, though, I don’t take such decisions lightly. No, I’m more often than not asking myself the simple (or sometimes not so simple) question, “Does this really relate to the challenges my players face out there in the game action?”

If you think about it, training time is extremely limited — especially for amateur players. So, to go off on tangents that have little to do with our game isn’t such a good idea. Moreover, to incorporate training methods that don’t fit with the nature of our game just might hinder a player.

Now, I probably could write a book on this topic. However, to give you the gist of that nature thing, let me at least briefly touch upon the determining factors I noted earlier.

To begin, consider the surface we play on…  The rink is surrounded by boards and glass, these aiding a player in trapping an opponent or banking the puck around or over defenders. And, while basketball players might be able to scale a ball the length of their playing surface, our rink’s lines and related rules influence quite a different approach.

Actually, those rink lines deserve more consideration here, in that hockey teams use them for the development of strategies and tactics. I mean — a lot like military tacticians, teams work hard to defend each line as their opponents attempt to attack, while attacking teams work just as hard to gain each zone on their way up-ice. (Thus we also have forechecking schemes, breakouts, defensive zone coverage, etc.)

While we’re on the subject of our playing surface, consider this… Supposing our game was played on a rink measuring about 20′ by 60′, but still included 5-skaters and a goalie per side. How much fast skating and stickhandling would take place? Not much, huh? In fact, we’d probably recruit sumo-sized guys, and develop plays that look more like rugby scrums. On the other hand, what if we played on a rink the size of a football field? Ha, there would hardly be any physical contact, and the star players would likely be fast skaters and great puck-movers. Of course, our game is played on a surface somewhere between those two extremes, suggesting that the most desirable players should probably be both quick and strong.

Also appreciate the fact that soccer, basketball, lacrosse, field hockey and our game are considered so-called “transition sports”. In other words — and in contrast to games like baseball and football, the ball or puck is constantly up for grabs. And, this kind of continuous action puts a premium on players who can quickly switch roles, from offense to defense to offense to defense, and so on.

Even something like a roster size influences the nature of our game. For, given a certain number of players, coaches deploy them in waves, with traditional set-ups (for the sake of discussion) using three forward lines and two to three pairs of defensemen. Oh, some might take this lightly. However, that kind of player rotation is where the prescribed work-to-rest ratio comes from — as in a player typically practicing so he or she can efficiently work for x-seconds, and rest for twice that time. (In other words, a unit goes out for a brief shift, then rests while two other units do their thing.)

Now, I’ll bet I wrote and lectured on the following at least 30-years ago, although it’s been only recently that I’ve seen it documented in some scientific studies. What I’m getting at is that the typical on-ice shift is really a series of alternating bursts and coasts. In fact, some of the studies I’ve read lately state that the better players cruise with both skates on the ice for a great deal of they’re time out there. Of course, how well one coasts is not the measure of a hockey player. However, that coasting phase is important, allowing him or her to briefly rest in anticipation of going all-out. And, make no mistake about it: the most consequential plays — either offensively or defensively — are carried out in a matter of seconds, during those brief spurts.

The latter two paragraphs should give us fairly good guidelines for conditioning a hockey player… Yes, he or she should be aerobically (long distance) fit. But, I’ll suggest, not to the point of robbing the anaerobic (explosiveness, quickness) system. Remember: It’s the brief, all-out confrontations that usually spell a player’s — and a team’s — success.

Of course, our sport includes its fair share of collisions and incidental contact (whether we’re playing in a body-checking league or not). So, besides the areas of strength development that aid in skills like skating and shooting, the nature of our game suggests that a player be very stable on the skates, as well as be able to safely deliver or withstand heavy hits.

That said — about the need for strength in our sport, I’ll suggest that there’s a tricky balance required — between the want for strength, speed, agility and smooth, efficient movements. Just being strong doesn’t make one an effective player, nor does just being fast, just being pretty, just being…

Even our decisions about hockey equipment should be influenced by the nature of our game. For, as I just suggested, a solid player needs to possess a number of different physical qualities. And it’s important that the gear helps. Quite obviously, the first consideration is that it should protect the player. However, equipment has to also be light enough to aid quickness, as well as allow for smooth movements.

Then, while I’m hoping all the above noted physical traits make sense to you, a study of our game wouldn’t be complete without considering the mental aspects. For, an ice hockey player surely does have to be able to think and skate at the same time. And, if our game is a “read and react” sport, it’s important for a player to instinctively know what to do in each unique confrontation. Moreover, smart players can follow a game plan, and they have awareness when it comes to the game-clock and the score. And, while some might feel otherwise, I happen to believe thinking skills CAN be taught — IF players are helped early enough. (Actually, I’ve developed several drill formats to help enhance this area in my players.)

Then, just briefly let me suggest that training for other important game skills — like puckhandling, passing, receiving and shooting — should also pass that nature of our game test. And, here are two of my observations… First, all of those skills have to be accomplished in combination with other skills (or amid lots of problem solving). Secondly, the best players are able to execute all of those skills in unbalanced postures (with defenders draped all over them, whatever).

Finally, the above is a combination of science, personal observation and experiences; so take it for what it’s worth. Still, I think it should be helpful that players, parents and coaches have some frame of reference when it comes to the daunting number of choices we have to make. So, hey, maybe this is one of those pieces you’ll want to clip and save!

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What is Consistency?

What is Consistency?

By Brady Greco, Performance Coach — The Mental Edge

A common performance concept that is rarely taught but always referred to by coaches is playing a more consistent game.  You hear coaches all the time say, “play with more consistency day in and day out.”  There is no problem if a coach makes this statement and communicates to the team about what needs to take place in order to become more consistent.  However, the majority of coaches fail to explain in detail what consistency even entails, making it impossible for a player to understand how to become more consistent in their play.

Consistency can be described in the sport’s world as a level of quality play over an extended period of time.  Every competitive athlete has experienced a game where they performed very well. In turn, every athlete has encountered what it feels like to perform poorly, making the concept of consistency very tricky.  Here is a checklist of five keys to focus on as an athlete that will help maintain consistency throughout your personal journey as an athlete:

1. Awareness: Reflect on your performance and determine what areas you did well in and what areas you need to improve upon.
2. Good Habits: Practice good habits throughout the athletic season.  This means staying disciplined and remembering to do the ‘little’ things both on and off the athletic field or arena.
3. Pre-game Routine: For an athlete to become mentally prepared for a game/practice, they must take the proper procedures.  This means an athlete must find a comfortable and effective personal routine they go through on days of games/practice.  Establishing a good pre-game routine will enable an athlete to be prepared mentally which will create a better chance of optimal performance.  Don’t be afraid to ‘mess around’ with your routine if you feel something is not working.
4. Imagery: Imagine yourself accomplishing the task at hand.  Picture yourself already playing the game and making the right plays in every situation.
5. Positive Self-Talk: Don’t be afraid to talk to yourself.  Tell yourself ‘I am the best, I am the best’.  This will create encouraging thoughts to flow through your mind to remain positive.

At the Mental Edge, we can teach you mental toughness skills like these to empower you on your journey as an athlete.  Simply call Dawn to start at 763-439-5246.

Brady

Backchecking Drill (1/2 Ice)

Please see Drill Submission Rules and Help below.

Contributor: Dennis Chighisola — Whitman, MA USA

Drill Category: Team Defense, Backchecking

Drill Description:

Comments: I’ve only used 3 pairs of players per drill because it’s easier to keep an eye on and inspect the efforts of a few at a time.  Also, all positional players — both forwards and defensemen — take part in both offensive and defensive roles.

• Backcheckers:  Lie facing away from attackers so that no plans can be made ahead of time on which defender will cover which attacker.
• Attackers:  Begin the drill by lying face down; on command, circle the back obstacle in order to make it more difficult for the backcheckers to sort whom they’ll cover.  (With younger players, or to initially teach the drill concepts, I might not have the attackers circle an obstacle, but instead have them go on the attack on the command.)
• Coach:  Holds a puck at side boards and ultimately (maybe after about 3- to 5-seconds) feeds to an open attacker.

Objective of the Drill:

The attackers attempt to get open for passes (from the coach and then from open teammates) to attack the net, while all defenders attempt to cover their men so tightly that passes can’t be made to them.

As an extra benefit, the attackers tend to work extra hard to get themselves open for passes or scoring opportunities.

Running the drill:
Usually the drill lasts about 10-seconds, or until the coach is satisfied that the backcheckers completed their tasks (or didn’t).

Click image below to see a short video.

Preventing Odd-man Rushes

One of my NEHI HS Prep assistant coaches called me the other day with something he’d noticed in some of our closer games.  (Actually, anything that goes wrong tends to only become noticeable when we lose or when a game is close.  Seldom can anything be learned from a lopsided win.)

Both of the points made by Mike H were taken seriously, and they’re both worth talking to our players about (over and over and over again).  So, I’ve done just that this week — going over the following, in anticipation of a really tough game this coming weekend.

– Dennis Chighisola

Preventing Odd-man Rushes

Rightly so, Mike feels our next opponents are really quick at transitioning onto the attack.  And both of his observations had to do with our once-in-awhile tendency to allow quick odd-man rushes towards our goal:

• There have been times when our defensemen have headed to their bench before they’ve made sure the puck was buried fairly deep in our opponents’ end.  And that’s an absolute must.  What happens a lot of times is that a D gets it into his head that he’s going to get off the ice at the first opportunity.  With that, he sorta guesses that the time is right, even when it’s not.  Sometimes a teammate’s dump-in initially looks good, the defenseman starts off the ice, and then the puck doesn’t find its way deep into the zone.  At yet other times a defenseman wrongly thinks a teammate is going to carry the puck safely and deep, and he never follows the puck long enough to ensure that actually happens.  In either case, a turn-over in neutral-ice — or high in the oppositions’ zone — provides those opponents the chance for a quick counterattack and a man-advantage rush.

• Actually, Mike’s second point involves the comments I just made about puckhandlers erring in neutral-ice or at the oppositions’ blue line.  But, let me deal with this in two parts…

1. As I point-out in my video on “Dumping the Puck” (I really suggest you watch this), he absolutely must get the puck all the way through traffic and deep into an offensive corner.
2. As importantly, puckhandlers must make wise decisions as they carry through neutral-ice.  Headmanning the puck is always the first option, and carrying further would be the second.  As a player carriers, however, he should only do so if resistance is light.  A player should never try to carry when out-manned by the defenders.  No, the wise thing to do then is to dump the puck.

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Evaluating Roller Hockey Gear

Although I’m a little late in making this special entry, I’d like members to know that I’ve been evaluating Jerry’s roller hockey gear from Day One. If you can appreciate it, one can’t learn to move around the roller court (or the ice) if the skates aren’t right; nor can a player dribble or pass or shoot very well if the hockey stick and surrounding protective gear are holding him or her back.

What’s delayed things to this point is that my observations have been ongoing, and because one piece of gear, in particular, has been a sticking point for me. But, let me explain that in a little more depth…

– Dennis Chighisola

Evaluating Roller Hockey Gear

As it turns out, Jerry Z dresses like most guys who play roller hockey recreationaly. I mean, he dresses on the light side as far as gear goes, wearing most the bare necessities.

As an aside here, it might not be a bad idea for the reader to view some of what I’ve written or shown in some videos when it comes to “over-speed training”. To give you a shortcut version, though, let me point-out that:

1. heavy or bulky gear is going to slow a movement (or movements); and,
2. however we practice a movement (be it slow or fast) is going to be the way we ultimately do it.

That in mind I watched Jerry as he moved around the floor in our first few sessions together, and I noted that nothing really obvious was either slowing or inhibiting his movements. (For the most part — and I’m sure Jerry would agree, his early struggles had mostly to do with inexperience.)

Now, I mentioned earlier that my assessment of hockey equipment is an ongoing thing, and this is true no matter the atmosphere or the player. Younger players outgrow gear quickly, or they replace pieces without letting us coaches know.

Then there’s another reason I keep re-evaluating Jerry — or any other fast improving player… What I mean is that certain things might not matter when a player is at one level, but they could suddenly have a great impact as a given player improves. And, such has been the case with Jerry over more recent weeks.

Okay, I have to chuckle a bit as I type this, because my roller hockey buddy has driven me a little crazy ever since he started feeling better about himself in his Thursday night games. Oh, I mean that in a nice way, but he did start telling me about some of his offensive and defensive plays, and he’s also recently begun asking me some questions about the game’s X’s and O’s.

The reason I raise this point, however, is to suggest that I soon felt the need to help Jerry with his puckhandling and a few other areas of his game. And, while I’ll have no problem showing him the right things to do to improve in this area, something now has to be done about that log of a stick I’ve let him get by with for a time. Ya, it’s a full-grown sequoia, and I’m often heard to mutter something about maybe hurting myself when I chance to hold that thing. Right now he’s resisting me on a move to something lighter. But, real positive change is not going to take place until Jerry’s stick allows his hands to move much, much quicker. (For great advice in this area, please see my video on “YOUR Hockey Stick“.

Now, I mean to tell you that Jerry has really come a long way in his skating. In fact, I started giving him some greater challenges about a month or so into our work together. And, here again, some gear that was okay in the beginning suddenly looked like it was holding him back.

What I’m talking about are Jerry’s in-line skates. You see, in the early going I think Jerry had enough to worry about just striding around the rink. The most we’d done beyond that in the earliest sessions was some very basic crossing-over and a little bit of cutting towards the left and towards the right. Suddenly, however, his skates — or should I say the configuration of his wheels — began seemingly holding him back.

In this aside, I need to say that I pretty much pioneered the use of in-lines for the training of ice hockey players as soon as they became available to the masses. Long-time members know how much I value off-ice training (ever since my 1979 studies in Moscow of the old USSR). But, as much as I love using dryland to enhance a player’s game, imagine my excitement at my students ultimately being able to skate away from costly ice-time. Yes!

My son actually owned the first pair of in-lines in our house, these having an old Erector Set kind of arrangement that held the wheels under a real hockey boot. My first pair weren’t quite as nice. In fact, I felt like a beginner in them, which caused me to seek the help of an old friend and former student, Olympic speed skating Silver medalist, Eric Flaim. Eric owned a pro shop in Boston at the time, and he knew tons about in-lines, having used them as part of his speed skating training.

The difficulty I was having with department store in-lines had to do with a flat configuration of the wheels. So, Eric made for me a special frame that allowed the four wheels to be raised and lowered. And, with that, I could come very close to simulating the rocker — or radius — shape of my on-ice skates.

By the way… Since my students didn’t have the kind chassis Eric introduced me to, I suggested they simulate the radius of their ice blades by putting slightly larger diameter wheels in the middle and slightly worn or smaller ones on the back and front.

Back to troubleshooting Jerry’s problems, I was noticing that he had difficulty making really sharp cuts. And he really struggled in his attempts to pivot on either skate — from forward to backward to forward.

Now, understand that various ice skate blades are designed to meet the unique demands of their sport. (For lots more on this, please see my article on “Comparing Hockey, Figure Skating and Speed Skating“.) I’m sure you already realize that speed skates are long and flat to accommodate most long, straight ahead skating with minimal turning; while figure skating blades make it easier for athletes in that sport to spin and cut. Hockey skate blades, on the other hand, are shaped almost like the figures blades, but just a little flatter to facilitate more straight ahead speed.

I mention all that so you might appreciate what I thought I was seeing as Jerry attempted to spin. For, once I noticed his difficulties in that area, I got down on my hands and knees to inspect the way his wheels contacted the roller hockey floor. And, sure enough, all four wheels on each skate were touching. In effect, he was trying to perform figures or hockey moves with the equivalent of speed skates. Or, as I’ve said to Jerry, it’s like he’s trying to do sports car moves while driving a tractor trailer.

It’s nice to have friends in high places (as with Eric Flaim). So this time I touched base with an old friend I consider “The Man” when it comes to in-line hockey equipment. And Mike W confirmed my suspicions, along with adding a ton of additional advice. As it pertains to the problem at hand, though, Mike suggested the kind of chassis arrangement that has bigger wheels in the back and smaller ones towards the front.

New problem: Jerry had that exact so-called Hi-Lo configuration. Hmmmmmm…

Interestingly, a group of really good in-line players followed us onto the court one Saturday. And, man, could those guys skate. So, chancing to ask a couple of the better players, they told me they had no problems with the Hi-Lo arrangement. So again, hmmmmmmmm…

Back to working with Jerry, something else struck me: My older Team NEHI players move just as nicely as the guys I just mentioned, and they do it with store-bought skates (or without having to make the adjustments I used to recommend). So, could it be that experience matters? I mean, others are doing awesomely while Jerry surely isn’t.

Then, Jerry mentioned that he had another pair of in-lines — his “back-ups” he called them, IF I’d like to see those. Geeeeze, would I ever!

As it turns out, what Jerry referred to as back-ups were really, really nice skates. Better yet, I discovered that only one or two wheels touched as I ran them across a flat surface. Bingo!

Then, one thing I’ll share with you that I also mentioned to Jerry, in that the less blade or wheel touching the ice or floor, the less glide. In other words, there’s a trade-off. With only a small area to spin on, he should have a lot more mobility. At the same time, he’ll lose just a little straight ahead speed. And, considering the (small) size of the floor he usually plays on, I’m thinking this is a very, very worthwhile trade.

As a final aside here… Jerry’s two pairs of skates are made by the same company, and one noted for great roller hockey gear. Still, the skates I like look a lot better than the others in more ways than just the chassis. Ya, my guess is that the ones I like are the real thing, while the others may have been made for less serious — hobble with your girlfriend for a stroll — skaters.

Okay, so that’s it for now… Jerry and I have a lot more work to do together. And, I’ll be sure to keep you posted on his equipment escapades and lots more.

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Our First "Mighty Mite" Hockey Practice

Over the coming months (and seasons) I’m hoping to share with members what I’m doing in my various Team NEHI programs.  And a lot of the time I’ll also want to let you in on my thinking as I prepare for each of those.  Let’s face it, you’re not going to get a real handle on things if I just tell you, “Do this!”  Naw, I think I’d serve you best by letting you know the whys and the wherefores of a given practice.

As an aside here, I’m chuckling to myself as I think about my latest undertaking.  I mean, I had a number of minor league pro coaching and GM interviews, I head coached in high school and college, and for about the past decade I’ve run teams for junior and senior high school players.  But, don’t you know, I just couldn’t resist an invitation to coach a team of beginners from my Learn-to-skate/Learn-to-play clinics.  Ya, “Mighty Mites” we’ve dubbed them, ranging in ages from 4- to 8-years old.  And, don’t you know, I’m already loving it!

Anyway, I wrote earlier about our first get-together (Teaching the Beginner Hockey Player), or our so-called tryout.  But the following will describe our first real practice, as well as my thinking behind each drill.  (Oh, and click on the thumbnail photos below for a brief video showing a given drill in progress.)

– Dennis Chighisola

Our First “Mighty Mite” Hockey Practice

As I’ve said countless times within these pages, “It’s important to know where one is!”  And by that I mean that we coaches — AND PARENTS — have to adjust everything we do according to the ages and experience levels of our players.  In my case, for example, the game changes drastically from my college-playing grandson to my high school guys to my junior high kids and now to my “babies”.  And so do the challenges they each face.

1- I did a little brainstorming based on that thinking, and my wife actually helped me arrive at the first drill (as well as some others)…  She’s raised two players to pretty high levels, so she knew what she was talking about when she discovered I was headed to an instructional level practice.  “Oh, that’s the funnest age!” she beamed, adding that, “I love it when they all fall down!”  (Grrrrrrrr…  Not my little Weebles!  As a matter of fact, take a look at the video below — just click on the photo — to see that my kids actually learned to stop in our clinic, and I can call them together without anyone getting hurt!)  Of course, she was still right — on both counts.  So I decided to start things with a basic body-checking drill that had the kids bumping the boards with their shoulders, and a little later bumping a partner’s shoulder.  The idea is for the kids to gain a sense of what it takes to be stable, and what it takes to resist the occasional bump during game action.  And, make no mistake about it:  although body-checking isn’t allowed in instructional hockey, collisions take place in absolutely every level of hockey.

2- Hockey skating, in general, is a lot like playing one against one tag.  So we did that in pairs, sending several sets of twos at a time into an end zone.  We limited their time on these to about 8- or 10-seconds.  (Sorry, no video of this drill.)

3- Next, I dumped a bag full of weighted pucks for the kids to experiment with.  First, I had pairs passing those heavy things as far as they could, and I also suggested they try spinning the pucks so they’d stay flat on rough ice.  The concept is explained more in Passing Basics in Hockey, but what I was trying to do is give my kids a sense of what it took to get a firm grip on the puck and to generate decent power through their sticks.  (Really, the idea is much like the boards bumping drill, in that I wanted my kids to search for their strength.)

4- I then had my youngsters try to fire those weighted pucks off the side boards.  Standing only about 6′ off, I asked if they could make the loud booming noise demonstrated by a few of us coaches.

5- From there we switched to the blue, lightweight pucks used by all younger USA Hockey teams.  Now, to me puckhandling is about experimentation.  So I gave the kids a brief demonstration of side-to-side dribbling and then sent them on their way around our half of the rink.

6- Having already said that skating in the little guys’ and gals’ game is a lot like playing tag, I next went to games of pairs keepaway.  Yes, that’s basically what the puckhandling game will be like for them — trying to keep that biscuit away from their opponents.  So we sent the kids into a zone again in twos, this time having each player attempt to keep the puck away from his partner for as long as possible.  (Click on the thumbnail to see a brief video.)

As an aside…  When I ultimately intend to put together a number of skill drills, I begin by teaching each segment separately (usually starting with the end skill, then working backwards).  I did that in the following series of drills that begin with us beating a defender of some sort and end with us attacking the goal.  But, let me explain that further…

7- The end result of many later attack drills was going to be for our kids to shoot on a simulated goalie.  In this case, I borrowed a mini-net from the rink to place (backwards) inside the larger net (see the photo to the right).  We gathered around the goal for a time, as I explained the difference between hitting the goaler — and making him look good, or hitting an opening to get the goal (see Creating the Early Goal-scorer for great help in this area).  And, as you can hear (by clicking on the following thumbnail), I’d asked the coaches to make a REALLY big deal out of whether a kid scored or not.  After all, that’s what it will be like in a game.  S0, why not make things exciting right here in the practices?

8- We then took the puckhandling to a typical pylon course, except that I used large foam dots to represent what my kids hear me refer to as “the bad guys” (LOL).  If you might notice (click on the thumbnail to see a brief video), and thanks to our weekly Learn-to clinic, my little ones are starting to get the hang of using both sides of their sticks as they do this one.

9- Now, I had in mind using some different training devices in place of rival defenders.  But I had to first show the kids what those devices represented.  So (as shown in the thumbnail and the next video) a coach stood stationary to act as an “open triangle” the kids could attack.  This is a typical Mite level play, as the attacker tosses the puck through the defender’s legs and then retrieves it on the other side.  You might also hear us coaches correcting the kids on the forcefulness of their passes, since this play calls for just a soft tap ahead so the puck ends-up sitting right where the attacker needs it to be.

10-  I eventually brought a metal device out (see the thumbnail below) and placed it in front of a coach, this so the kids could appreciate that the device’s legs would now simulate those of the coach.  In this way, the coaches were freed to do what they do best:  coach.

As another aside…  At one point I teased a very experienced helper about (not) stationing himself at the front of a line.  My point in that brief exchange was that he was far more valuable getting out and among the players.  And, while I had only a little luck with teaching these really young ones my way of dealing with lines, I suggested to each that, “A coach won’t tell you when to go for now on.  Instead, take your turn when the player in front of you gets to such-and-such an area.”  Oh, they’ll get this over time.  And when they do, our practices will run all the better.

11- Ultimately we put things together, having the kids beat a given obstacle, then move-on to score against the simulated goaltender (click on the photo to see a video).

12- The practice ended with pairs of players racing for a loose puck, with the winner scurrying to the net for a shot on-goal.  This also simulates what happens in the little one’s game, in that races to loose pucks determine a lot, as does scoring under at least a little pressure.  (Click on the photo to see a brief video.)

Now, I’m betting a lot of readers are going to be a little surprised at how many drills I fit-in during an hour of ice-time, or how much we got accomplished with those little rascals.  That’s my (our) job, though, to get as much accomplished as possible on a kzillion dollars worth of ice-time!

Oh, and you might also be surprised to see (or hear) how animated I am with the kids.  Well, that too I think is super important to my work.

– Dennis Chighisola

Special thanks to Andy L. for taking the videos! 

Did you know your Comments really help me?  So, please get involved.  Just use the box below to offer your thoughts, questions or suggestions.  (And thanks — a bunch!)

(A Different Kind of) Hockey Warm-ups

I was psyched to receive the following article — about hockey warm-ups, and I was even more excited to see the awesome videos Maryse Senecal produced for us!

To be perfectly honest, though — and as much as I learned from the following, I ended-up having a ton of questions (let’s face it, a lot of this stuff is quite different from what most of us coaches have been doing).  And my guess is that a lot members will similarly want to know more.  That pretty surely being the case, please see my note at the end once you’ve gotten a grasp of what Maryse is showing us.

– Dennis Chighisola

(A Different Kind of) Hockey Warm-ups

By Maryse Senecal

As an orthotherapist, I see many athletic injuries. A few weeks ago, I received a 13 year old athlete in my clinic. She had sprained her lumbar spinal region during the pre-game warm up.  (During a warm up?)  As I treated her with heat, massage and mobilisations, I asked the questions:

How do you warm up?

How much time is allotted for warm up?

What is the warm up routine?

True to all thirteen year olds, the answers were vague.  So I decided to go see for myself.  I should have stayed home, because what I saw made my skin crawl.  I strongly believe that the coaches who take on that position at that level should be commended for their dedication and their time.  Without them, we wouldn’t have organized sports, and let’s face it, it’s all volunteer work.  What amazes me is that there is very little training for these coaches.  One weekend certification program is all they get.  They love the game, they love the kids, but..  They only know what they know.

I decided there and then to give of my time and expertise to the local hockey and ringette associations to help their coaches build stronger programs for their young athletes, keeping in mind the therapeutic limitations to training young bodies.  These athletes are still growing, we are dealing with loose ligaments to support the joints and uncalcified epiphesial plates (growth plates).

Click on a thumbnail image to see the video.

Here’s what I suggested to them:

1 – Activation

Always start the warm up with activation.  It doesn’t have to be long or too hard, just a few laps around the arena or the parking lot, or jumping jacks for example, a few slow lunges –- get the heart rate elevated and ready for work.

2 – Body Connection

This is by far the most important aspect when coaching children.  Remember that these young bodies change almost weekly.  Their arms and legs get ganglier, the joints get looser, then they tighten up to start over again.  It may seem a little odd, the kids lose perspective of their bio-mechanics.  Sure, the big stuff is easy, like walking or running.  But those internal stabilizers that guide and protect the skeletal mass get off kilter.

I suggest a stretch yoga style.  I know, I’ve researched the arguments, we shouldn’t stretch before the game, it takes away from the performance. I agree!  I wouldn’t suggest just a slow deep stretch; that just serves to calm the body. What I prefer to see are activated yoga poses:

 

• a) the warrior – hold the position, let gravity take over to deepen that lunge, activating the hip…

 

• b) the triangle – this will help warm up the torso…

• c) upward and downward dog – connects core strength and engages the body as a whole…

• d) here, all the exercises are shown strung together…

Remember that the athletes will reactivate strongly once on the ice.  This is a great time to talk the athletes through a little focus time.  Without realizing it, they start to connect with their body, engaging the muscle chains in synergy.  As the body prepares for the upcoming work-play load, the excitement will slowly build with focus.

So I was asked:  What about the adults who play the game?  It’s all the same!  It works for all athletes.  The reason I have targeted the young is because they are at risk of injury due to their continuous growth.

Work hard, play hard, prepare your athletes by being prepared!

*

I hope you found that all as interesting as I did.  But then again, those questions…

Yes, I must have emailed Maryse about 5 or 6 times as I was preparing to post this to our site.  Finally (despite my thinking I was the Head Coach here), she thought we ought to carry-on our discussion in the Comments section “… so members get to see those questions and answers!”

Okay, so — besides being a great personality in front of the camera, Maryse is a pretty smart lady.  And we’re going to do just as she has suggested.  Just drink-in what you can from the above, watch for our exchange over coming days, and be sure to join-in with us!

– Dennis Chighisola

 

How Should a Beginner Hold a Hockey Stick?

My Facebook friend (and CoachChic.com member), Kathy C, couldn’t have posed a more timely question.  For, it’s mid-October, beginner hockey players are flocking to learn-to-play type clinics all over North America, and a lot of new hockey parents are scratching their heads as they attempt to outfit their youngsters.

More specifically, Kathy jokes that I get to settle an ongoing debate — between her, her husband and the local pro shop guys — in determining which way her 4-year old son should hold a hockey stick.

Fortunately for Kathy (and any other new hockey parents), I’ve been dealing with this issue for a good 30-years or more.  So, with that, here goes…

– Dennis Chighisola

How Should a Beginner Hold a Hockey Stick?

Up front, I’ll suggest that there is an easy way out of this dilemma, that being to purchase a stick that has a flat blade, and then let the chips fall where they may.  This, however, is not my personal preference.  Over recent years I haven’t seen a decently constructed flat bladed stick, with most of them being hunks of tree limbs that are far too heavy for kids in the toddler to 5-year old range.  Moreover, a slight curve in a stick’s blade encourages my young students to carry the puck just as I’d like them to — between the blade’s midsection and its heel.  Oh, and there’s something else I like about most curved sticks that I’ve held, in that they have a nice (but perhaps undefinable) “feel” to them.

That out of the way, here are two tidbits of background information that really are meant just as FYIs:

1. Quite often, one holds a hockey stick just as he or she might hold a broom or a shovel.
2. Quite often, one will feel more comfortable with the dominant hand holding the top of the stick.  (I get a kick out of new parents who scratch their heads at their kids being right handed while holding the stick to their left side.  But that would be natural, as you see, with the dominant hand used to steer the stick-actions from the top of the shaft.)

Still, notice that I said “quite often” in both instances.  For, although these are relatively common occurrences, THEY ARE NOT RULES.  Every player still needs to seek his or her own comfort in handling a hockey stick.

Now, I actually chuckled to myself as Kathy said something to the effect that one shouldn’t ask her son which way he shoots.  She is right-on about that, since asking a young one how he or she shoots is going to cause him or her to think too much.

That said, I think we have two different situations when it comes to the which-way-should-he-shoot question…

In Kathy’s case, I know that her little guy has been playing around the house with a flat bladed stick for some time now.  So, I’d suggest that she and her husband just quietly observe the boy as he bats at a ball (or whatever).  Whatever he’s doing during that time — not knowing he’s being watched — is pretty likely to be natural.

On the other hand, there are those who find themselves at a local pro shop and suddenly faced with the need to buy a stick.  Hmmmmm…  What I’ll often suggest in that situation is that the parent roll-up a piece of paper into a ball, and then encourage the youngster to shoot it around the shop for awhile.  Then, doing just as I’ve suggested to Kathy and her husband, the parent can step back and quietly observe his or her youngster doing whatever comes naturally.

Finally, although the purchase of a youngster’s first hockey stick seems traumatic, consider the fact that he or she will probably ultimately own dozens upon dozens of sticks through the years.  So, while my suggestions still only give a first-time hockey parent a 50/50 chance at being right, beginner sticks are inexpensive enough that re-thinking things a few months down the road isn’t going to be too painful.

Just so new members appreciate what I’m trying to do here…  Kathy sent me that question this morning and I had an answer posted a few hours later.  I want to do that for my members (and friends), providing you answers when you need them!

Did you know your Comments really help me?  So, please get involved.  Just use the box below to offer your thoughts, questions or suggestions.  (And thanks — a bunch!)

3 Principles Atom Minor Hockey Coaches Should Follow

Carol, a new Twitter friend and a Manager for her youth program’s Atom Division, posed a REALLY tough question for this old coach.

As she put it, “What are the three top principles an Atom minor hockey coach should follow?”

Of course, it would have been easier to troubleshoot a hockey skill problem, or to suggest a solution for some area of team play.  Offering what I might consider to be top principles is yet another challenge.  Not only that but, my guess is that Carol would likely get lots of very different suggestions had she polled other experienced coaches.

That said, I took the better part of today — thinking long and hard — to arrive at what is to follow.

(Oh, by the way, for those who aren’t familiar with the Canadian age level known as “Atom”, it’s basically the same as the “Squirt” designation used in USA Hockey.)

– Dennis Chighisola

3 Principles Atom Minor Hockey Coaches Should Follow

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1) Give every player a reason to look forward to the team’s next get-together

I’m not so naive as to think there aren’t a lot of things that go wrong in a typical hockey practice or game.  In fact, I can’t blame coaches of losing teams for feeling plenty of frustration, and I can also appreciate how difficult it can be to stay positive under such circumstances.

Still, there is a time for everything.

For sure, players need to be pushed and prodded.  And when it comes to younger players, I’ve even pretended to be mad at the lot of them.

That out of the way, I choose my parting words VERY wisely.  I mean, I actually delay entering my team’s post-game or post-practice lockerroom for about 5-minutes.  During that time my kids get to partially undress and I get to gather my thoughts.  Oh, there might be nights when I’d like to blast them, and there are surely a lot of nights when I’d like to go into a 20-minute talk — on why we should have done this and how we could have done that.  In reality, though, what’s done is done, and the only thing that’s important at this point is our next game or our next practice.  So, it seems the most productive thing I can do as I send the kids on their way is to give every player a reason to look forward to our next get-together.

2) Continually look for “teaching moments”

Over 40-years of coaching, I have a pretty good outline — or checklist — for readying a team.  My season’s plan is pretty detailed, and my practices are planned to the minute.

Yet, unusual things happen all the time — during practices, and especially during games.  Sometimes it’s a rare circumstance that crops-up during a game, sometimes it comes from a great question posed by a player, sometimes it comes about because of a difficulty experienced by a player, and sometimes it stems from an outstanding play.

No matter, I call these “teaching moments”, and I think they’re worthy of holding a good old fashion bull session.  Actually, I sense that my players (young or old) have enjoyed these.  Better yet, I sense these kinds of discussions stick with a player for many, many years.

3) Think long-term

No doubt we’d all gain a great deal of satisfaction from seeing some of our players go on to do well at the game’s higher levels.  That said, coaches dealing with the youngest players have to realize just how significant their contribution really is to that cause.

On the negative side of things, my work as a skills analyst has me spotting numerous older guys who struggle just because they weren’t helped when they were young.  Not knowing their history, it’s often hard to know exactly what went wrong.  But my educated guess is that some of their earlier coaches either skipped steps in certain teaching progressions, or they didn’t establish in their players a certain kind of discipline or mentality when it came to skill work.

This brief aside…  A lot of years ago I attended a coaching symposium that included a roundtable discussion on skill development.  (If it wasn’t so sad it would have been laughable.  But…)  An NHL executive started by pointing to the other members, suggesting that they had to get the skill development accomplished because his guys couldn’t practice often enough, what with all their games and heavy travel schedule.  The Major Junior coach obviously took exception to that, complaining that he had to concern himself with winning games or he’d lose his job.  And so the buck-passing went, all the way down the line, with each level offering its own excuse and asking the same basic question as the others:  Why don’t you guys down below send me skilled players?

I tell that story because I too often hear coaches at the youngest levels make their own excuses — as in, “Oh, my players will get that when they move-up to the next level.”  Not so, of course, at least from what those guys at the roundtable had to say.

To my way of thinking, the seeds for great skills and playing smarts should be planted early.  And so should the lead-up skills be taught so that players can later skate like the wind, handle a puck wildly, thread perfect passes and fire absolute bullets.  Having your players eagerly looking forward to their next team event will help towards that end.  Finding plenty of “teaching moments” is going to help young players think the game better.  And, thinking long-term tends to help us coaches resolve that age-old win-at-all-costs versus development-first issue.

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"Seeing the Ice" in Wayne Gretzky Fashion

Understand that scientific declarations aren’t easily arrived at.  I mean, in order to state something to be scientifically so requires extensive testing under some pretty strict rules.  I have to start this piece in such a manner just so members appreciate that the following hasn’t been tested or proved in any way.

That said, I did think you might find the following very, very interesting.

– Dennis Chighisola

To begin, a friend happened to mention recently that he’d at one time heard or read about something a young Wayne Gretzky did.  And my friend further suggested that this may have enhanced The Great One’s ability to (supposedly?) better anticipate puck movement during game action.  Of course this intrigued me, and it sent me scurrying towards an Internet quest for more information.  Hey, I’d like to know everything a young Gretzky, Orr, Ovechkin or Howe did as a youngster, figuring there have to be some intriguing keys to their future success buried away there.

As an aside…  I hate some of the expressions used by a lot of sportscasters, no matter the sport we’re talking about.  In this case, the one about “seeing the ice” really doesn’t say much.  In other words, the wordsmiths toss such phrases at us, and they leave it up to the listener to fill-in his or her own meaning.  Still, what we have to guess these guys or gals are talking about — in reference to seeing the ice well — is a player’s ability to anticipate coming conditions, or to sorta picture in advance what is likely to happen.  That said, most superstars in most sports are given credit for that rare ability, and probably most of us would feel that’s a huge part of what separates them from mere mortals.

Well, I have my own take on that “seeing the ice well” issue, and I once had a friend and former NHL-er confirm at least some of my suspicions…  At the time I was readying to write one of my magazine columns on this subject.  And as a premise, I was about to declare that Gretzky could “see the ice” better than most other players because his basic skills were so advanced in comparison to others.  Oh, I took more time to explain it to my friend, a former LA King, but it only took him a second to think about his experiences with The Great One and reply, “Bingo!”

Now, please hear me out on something…

I’d like you to recall back to the very first time you drove an automobile.  Can you remember?  Your hands were probably gripping that wheel so hard!  Everything about the moment was likely pretty tense, and you probably went through a checklist in your head (like a pilot readying for take-off): “My seat needs adjusting…  the mirror needs fixing…  the…”  Again, you should appreciate what I’m getting at here, about everything being pretty tense and consequential.

Next, fast-forward to having years of experience behind the wheel…  Lord knows the things a long-time driver does while motoring down the highway — from changing radio stations to reading a GPS to checking his or her hair in the mirror to talking on a cell phone to (God forbid) texting or shaving or apply makeup.

What I’m suggesting here is that days and days and then years and years cause the everyday operation of that vehicle to become almost automatic, or the movements are almost as involuntary as breathing and blinking.  What else could it be that helps us swerve or brake in just the right way, except that we mastered our driving skills far beyond the beginner?

And that’s what I was suggesting about Gretzky in my magazine column…  He no longer has to think about his footwork or puck control as he moves down the ice; those movements are as automatic to him as his breathing and blinking.

Yet another aside…  Don’t get me wrong; every NHL player is able to skate without thinking, puckhandle with his eyes up, etc.  But what I’m really getting at is that these things are relative.  In other words, the guys we see as superstars have their basic skills sooooooo on automatic that they can deal with matters others don’t get the chance to even see.

Along this same line of thinking, I recall long ago a great young quarterback entering about his third NFL season and saying something to the effect that, “The game has really slowed-down for me!”  Yes, another one of those expressions that leave us guessing as to what’s really meant.  But in this case, I know the guy was talking about the fact that he’d learned to read pass rushes so much better than when he first entered the league.  If you can envision it, his first season was probably spent in absolute panic with all those 300-pound linemen coming his way, and with his receivers running patterns that were yet not so familiar (probably not unlike our first driving experiences).  Over time, however, he learned to recognize most of the keys — or what to really look for, which made it all the easier for him to pick the opposition defense apart.

Okay, so now for the story that inspired this post…  What my friend had related to me had to do with Walter Gretzky evidently having his very young son follow the flow of televised games in a certain way, perhaps aimed at Wayne honing those “seeing the ice” kinda skills.  What I discovered instead — in an on-line article from *The Arizona Republic by David Vest — was that the whole thing was actually Wayne’s idea.  Evidently a 7-year old Wayne would sit in front of the TV and trace the movement of the puck throughout a televised hockey game.  In fact, Vest quotes the senior Gretzky during a 2005 interview, “I remember saying: ‘What are you doing, Wayne?” Wayne’s reply to Walter was, “Look, Dad, see all these dark spots? That’s where the puck is most of the time.”

As Walter described it, Wayne drew a rink — complete with lines and nets and such, and then kept his pen or pencil on the sheet of paper throughout the game action, continuously following the movement of the puck.  Hmmmmmm…  My guess is that Wayne was a real thinker even at a very young age.

Still, my relatively educated guess is that the actual results of Wayne’s early studies aren’t all that useful, if even valid.  But, that would be another very long discussion.

For now, however, I’d like to suggest that the young Gretzky may have benefited quite a lot just from those frequent exercises.  I mean, how often have we wished our own young players would “really get into the game” or “really study the high level guys”?  So, here was Wayne, only 7-years old, following the actions of his boyhood idols (among them maybe all-time greats like Gordie Howe, Frank Mahavolich and Jean Béliveau?).  If you get what I’m suggesting here, it’s that Wayne — even as he was following the puck — couldn’t help but mentally record all the things going on with and around the puck.

As a final aside here…  I hope my long-time CoachChic.com friends don’t become bored by my occasional references to Anthony Chic.  It’s just helpful to me, oftentimes, if I can personalize a given experience or observation.  The reason I feel the need to once again tell a Tony C story is because my grandson has for the past few years been a YouTube.com fanatic.  I don’t think he’s missed a “Greatest Goals” video over that span, and I can’t tell you how many times he’s called me to watch over his shoulder to inspect a frame-by-frame breakdown of some incredible move by one of today’s great scorers.  Is there learning going on during such an exercise?  I’m betting there definitely is.  In fact, I’m betting the physical moves he’s watching are actually being internalized by Anthony, and I’m also betting he can almost sense how it feels to perform each of those moves.

So again, I’m not sure Gretzky’s arrival at certain puck movement patterns was all that beneficial to his later playing success.  But, I bet he was taking-in a ton of peripheral information, and he was quite likely internalizing the moves of his boyhood idols.

All that said, I might try such an experiment if I was once again the dad of a young player.  And, I might even find a way to have one of my teams try this.  What I’d likely do with today’s resources is prepare a large rink as a master, and then run-off some copies to keep on hand for my player/s.  Whatever you or I do with this idea, though, we can’t allow our kids’ work with those rinks seem like a drudgery.  The last thing we want is to tie the watching of a hockey game with any sort of negative thoughts.  I don’t immediately have an answer to that, but I do know I have a lot of bright and creative friends here at CoachChic.com.  So, I’m hoping lots of you might offer your thoughts or suggestions down below.

* Gretzky’s father recalls origin of hockey genius (by David Vest The Arizona Republic Oct. 17, 2005 12:00 AM)

Did you know your Comments really help me?  So, please get involved.  Just use the box below to offer your thoughts, questions or suggestions.  And thanks — a bunch!

Can Goalies Improve Without A Coach?

In fairness to Todd, his very interesting article is based on a quick question I shot his way as we were recently talking — in the dark — outside The MOTION Lab.  In a way, though, I’m glad he didn’t have all the info, because the route he takes in trying to solve the problem at hand is exactly what every other coach and parent likely faces in their search for answers.

So again, I find the following a very interesting read.  Better yet, I think you’re probably going to (as I surely did) associate with some of the frustrations Todd experienced in his search for answers.

– Dennis Chighisola

Can Goalies Improve Without A Coach?

By Todd Jacobson

Coach Chic mentioned to me recently that a dad had posed a question to him, this having to do with a dad not being happy because his goaltender son probably wasn’t going to improve much this coming year.  As I understand it, the real problem is that the boy doesn’t have anyone within his current team’s coaching staff helping him with goalie specific training.

I initially thought this would be a pretty easy topic to tackle. Well, I was wrong. This is a great concern for this dad and his son, and the more I thought about it the more concerned I became. So I figured I would attack this article much differently than I have most others.

Like many other hockey coaches, I have a stubborn side (to be successful you have to be at least a little bit stubborn), and every once in a while I try to fight that urge. This time I fought it and won!

I instantly went to my favorite search engine, Yahoo (I’ll be waiting for my royalty check from them for the advertisement), and I typed in the question, “Can a goalie improve without a coach?”  The results were pretty interesting.

The first page that came up was one that had an interview with a Finnish goalie coach named Jukka Ropponen.  And while the interview was interesting and informative, it really didn’t shed any light on the problem at hand. Coach Ropponen did use a quote in which I think many coaches can relate to: “You can’t win without good goaltending.”

The next page I opened was an article from goaltending coach Steve Carroll of the Carroll Goalie School.  And while he didn’t quite answer the question, the title of the article was very telling, and the info inside was such that every coach at every level should read it. The article was titled, “Goalies should not be shut out from coaching”.  To sum it up, Carroll speaks to coaches who don’t really work with the goalies, and he suggests they really should spend some time training them instead of just using them as practice targets. Coach Carroll dives deeply into the fact that so many coaches out there don’t really know the details of the position, so they typically spend most of their time working with the skaters (while giving hardly any time their goalies).

I thought about this for a long time, and I know it to be true. When I was a young 19 year old looking to get into the coaching ranks there weren’t a lot of open positions. I had to find a way to get my foot in the door.  And what area was the most neglected?  You guessed it, it was providing help for goaltenders. I had a little inside edge here, with my father being a long time goalie coach (and I’d played the position if only for a very short time). I knew that if I really learned the position I could be an asset to a coaching staff somewhere, and I’d also have an easier time landing a coaching job. I again was correct.

As time went on, the majority of my younger coaching years were spent as a goalie coach.  And as the game changed, so did that position, including the areas of emphasis, as well as the way training should be conducted.

Going back to that second article, it still didn’t answer the specific problem, so I continued to look further.  The third page I opened (I think by Mitch Korn) had some absolutely innovative and creative training aids for goalies. Most were very large and bulky however, and I could see that being an issue for a coach, lugging those things around to numerous rinks.  Worse yet, within the typical 1 hour practice, maybe a goalie would get the chance to use one of those for 15 minutes or so.  Still, these training tools were fabulous (I know Coach Chic has come up with some similar training tools, and he’d have gotten kick out of seeing these).  Yet another unfortunate part is that you really can’t use these items by yourself (they need to be used in a team or multiple player type setting). So again I didn’t get the answer I was looking for within that third web site.

All in all, I waded through many more web pages, many of them containing a lot of great info on goalie training.  But the question posed by that dad never was really answered.

So, after all that searching, I really didn’t want to write another article about working independently and being creative, because that has been the theme of so many of my past writings.  In the end however, that seems to be the only answer.

I would suggest that the dad who raised that question speak with his son’s coach (or coaches) on a professional level. Be courteous and just plant the seed — that he’d really like to see his son get some one on one coaching. I also would suggest he go back to some of my past articles.  There are a lot of great ideas to help a goalie work on his or her own, as well as how to make and use some inexpensive devices.

On a final note, it might not be a bad idea to seek out a goaltending coach to work with on the side (maybe that dad will get lucky and find a young, eager man or woman looking to get into this unique area of coaching, just as I had done so many years ago).  I know it could possibly be costly to send your boy to a professional goalie coach or a weekly clinic.  Still, when you really think about it, every season lost due to a lack of growth can be even more costly.

Yours in Hockey, Coach J.

Now, even Todd doesn’t know (until he reads this) that I actually took a different route in search of an answer, and still arrived at exactly the same conclusion he did.  Of course, I had the benefit of knowing the CoachChic.com member who first tossed the problem our way, and I also knew a little more of the background. With that, I have a feeling Todd’s and my combined ideas should prove extremely helpful…

One thing I knew was that my friend’s son had a seemingly great goaler coach back with his old team.  The dad and boy evidently liked and trusted that guy, and I also sensed through some discussions that the previous coach was kind of a forward-looking type.  (In other words, it seemed he wasn’t locked in the dark ages, and he was open to new and creative ideas.)

So, what I proposed was that the dad and the former coach find a small space they could use (or rent?) for supplemental off-ice training.  In effect, I was suggesting they put together a mini-version of The MOTION Lab, but this one designed just for helping goalies.  I even hinted at the thought that they could make that facility pay for itself — and their labors, but advertising it to other goalies in similar need for help.

Hey, take a moment to think about what I just said…  Todd scoured the Internet and basically found one consistent fact, in that goaltenders mostly get ignored during typical youth practices.  So, does that suggest to my friend — and to every other reader — that there’s a dawgone market for goalie help?

And while I’m on the subject of business, let me introduce some economics here…  You see, I can run about 40-skaters through a skills type session, and I can give them a heck of a workout while also easily paying for the ice-time and my time.  Try to do that with goalers, though.  No, it’s had to pay for an hour of costly ice-time unless you can find a way to get a pretty high number of players out there.

Small group sessions are what work best for netminders, and that’s why I’ve suggested some sort of off-ice facility for their supplemental training.

As for training ideas?  I wouldn’t just limit them to those currently offered by Todd.  Oh, they’re awesome, and there are plenty of them.  However, I’d also recommend taking a read through Craig Shaw’s articles, because those are loaded with great exercises.  And so are many of my pieces listed under several different skill oriented categories.

Then, presuming the goalies training in the Lab-type venue are seeing all the shots they need during regular on-ice practices and games, I’d reserve the off-ice work to “movement” exercises of all sorts.  To me, the ideas are really endless, to include quickness work, footwork, hand-eye coordination, core strength work, and I could go on.  (As you might see from the photos I’ve chosen to include, not a lot of space is required to enhance a ton of important goaler qualities.)

So, I borrow this bit of advice from a well worn slogan:  “There’s nothing to it but to do it!”

Finally, I got to doing some serious thinking as I read Todd’s article and then added my own two cents worth…  You see, I’ve had a lot of little visions within the main one for CoachChic.com.  In other words, although my primary aim has been to put together a hockey resource area that will ultimately be the most thorough in the world, I can now also see it as a place for those with individual needs to do some really serious research.  If you think about it, Todd spent considerable time chasing through that rabbit hole known as an Internet search.  And all the while there was probably more buried within our site’s pages than he (or anyone else) could find elsewhere.

Ya, hmmmmmm…

Did you know your Comments really help Todd and me?  So, please get involved.  Just use the box below to offer your thoughts, questions or suggestions.  (And thanks — a bunch!)

2 Ideas We Can Borrow from Ovechkin

For those who may have just joined (or just happened by this entry), I strongly urge you to view the YouTube video I dubbed “Studying Alexander Ovechkin“.  I’ve asked members to run (and re-run) goals #4 and #2 there, just to get a sense of how the The Great OV oftentimes balances on one skate as he readies to unleash a shot.

Oh, and as an FYI…  I doubt Ovechkin is the only player to demonstrate the following skills.  I just happened to use him as an example because I tend to spend so much time studying his moves.

– Dennis Chighisola

1) The Skate Wiggle

As I hinted at in my previous notes, I long ago noticed Ovechkin wiggling his left skate as he readied to shoot from the right side of his body.  And as I also noted, I think this can be a huge distraction to a goaltender.

Just think about it:  The goaler attempts to focus on the puck, but there is this extra movement going on (in the corner of his eye) that must be awfully hard to ignore.  How distracting is it?  I’m not sure (and I’d love for some experienced goalie-types to weigh-in on this).  However, aren’t we all looking for an edge — no matter how slight?

Now, I actually had more than one motive when I decided to have my team players learn this.  For, as I’ve noted in numerous other entries when I’ve talked about shooting, it’s a good idea for players to learn how to pull the trigger in all sorts of off balance postures.  So, while the drills I’m going to show in the following videos will likely help some of my better players add something new to their bag of puckhandling and shooting tricks, I’m going to suggest that every one of my kids has enhanced his skills just from practicing so often on one skate.  (I’ll have a little more to say on this topic a little later.)

Okay, I’ve provided the sketch to the lower right just so you might see the basic posture…  The idea is for the shooter to balance on one skate while slightly wiggling the other.

As an aside here…  Last season, when I first introduced this skill, I had my players wiggle the skate opposite their stick (just as I’d seen Ovechkin do).  As I noted above, I felt this was going to cause the most distraction for the goaltender.  However, because I was adding another skill this season, I had my guys try that wiggle with the skate closest to their stick.  You’ll see why in awhile, though.

I’d like to share a few more tips here, beyond the actual shooting tricks…  For example, I find certain settings better for my Jr HS and HS Prep players to try new skills.  So, as you’ll notice in the videos linked to many of the following photos, we work off-ice a lot (even in The MOTION Lab), and the players also work on their own firing at the side boards (my guys probably get 20-shots to every one they’d have had if they were standing in long lines).  Neither do I allow them to initially shoot on a goaltender when I really want them concentrating on a given skill technique.  (Just click on a photo to see the video.)

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2) The Kick

In the previous post I promised to show you something even more challenging for the goaltender.  So, here goes…

The accompany sketch shows a player’s stick going forward as the leg opposite his stick moves backward.

Now, think “equal and opposite reactions” here — as when a sprinter’s arms pump forward and backward to aid his leg actions, or when a skater moves the hands, arms and shoulders side to side to help the outward thrust of each skate.

In other words, as the shooter pushes his stick forward, he has to simultaneously kick rearward in order to add some extra umph to that forward stick action.  (Click on the photos below to see some of my guys executing what I’ve come to call “The Ovechkin Kick”.)

By the way…  I noticed in putting together the second video that the young lefty shooter is slightly off in timing his kick with his shot.  Can you see it?  The kick appears to be a little too early to really help his shot.  Knowing the player, though, he will get it with a little more work.

Does the direction of that backward kick matter?  You bet!  As a matter of fact, that’s probably been the most difficult thing to convey to my kids.  That kick has to be as close to 180-degrees to the direction of the shot as possible; otherwise a great deal of the force will be lost.

Actually, I’ve started talking to my guys in terms of feeling the extra power, and I’m often heard to ask them, “Can you feel it?” as I move up and down the line of shooters.

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3) Combining the Movements

I initially introduced the above two skills separately, and I had players practice them separately.  Ultimately, though — after probably a good month or more of separate drilling, I had the guys combine the moves.

The videos below show my players putting the two tricks together.

By the way…  You’ll notice that the kids are usually doing a wiggle first, switching skates and then performing their kicks with the other skate.  That kind of order is just for practice purposes, however.  In reality, I’ll want them to do whatever comes naturally once they’re in a game.  I also know how an athlete’s mind works, and I can assure you that each player will grasp for whatever does come naturally in the heat of battle.  Some will actually dare to string the two moves together, some will want to get the shot-off quicker by going to just the kick, some will wiggle a skate and fire, while some won’t dare do anything other than just pull the trigger as fast as they can.  But, for more on this topic, please consider my closing remarks…

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In summary, I want to re-affirm something I just hinted at, in that individuals will tend to get differing results from an unusual type of skills training.

Over 40-years of working with thousands of athletes, I can tell you that a few special ones will put that new skill into their game almost immediately.  It’s just the nature of those very unique beasts.  At the other end of the spectrum, there will always be a few players who will never dare to do anything new in a game setting.

All that said, I’m going to suggest that just working at new skills — like those described above — is going to affect some positive change in every single player.  So, even though those in the lower half of a roster might not dare to purposely pull-off moves like I’ve just showed, they are going to frequently find themselves balanced on one skate or the other in a game, and they’re going be confident about handling the puck or even letting it fly from that posture.

– Dennis Chighisola

Did you know your Comments really help me?  So, please get involved.  Just use the box below to offer your thoughts, questions or suggestions.  And thanks — a bunch!

Garage Sale Drill

Please see Drill Submission Rules and Help below.

Contributor: Deb K. — Boulder, CO

Drill Category: Fun, Conditioning (oh, boy!), Skating

Drill Description:

All kids start at the goal line and skate to center ice, they leave their sticks there, next skate to the far blue line, touch up, skate to center ice again, leave a glove, skate to the near blue line, touch up, skate to center ice, leave the other glove, then to the blue line, touch up and retrieve all equipment in the order in which they dropped it, then race to the goal line.

This note from Dennis Chighisola…  Coach K seems to have a knack for fun oriented drills.  Ya, her approach to the game always seems to make me smile, and I can just imagine that her players look forward to what she might have planned next.

My take on such drills?  I firmly believe we can have a balance when it comes to strict teaching drills and fun ones.  As a matter of fact, I think at least one of these would be good for somwhere near the end of a practice (hey, why not have your players leave the ice laughing?).

I might also add that a drill like the above one isn’t only suitable to younger players.  I mean, think about it…  Even a high school or college coach could use it, but with something at stake, or something that results in bragging rights, whatever.  Again, picture it, with older guys absolutely killing themselves while also laughing their heads off.  No, not a bad way to end a practice at all.

Sorry, no video for this drill.  Actually, Coach Chic found it dizzying trying to create one (LOL)!

StickDrags

Please see Drill Submission Rules and Help below.

Contributor: Coach Chic – Whitman, MA

Drill Category: Skating, Strength

Drill Description:

Comments: This drill is really a variation of Deb K’s Chariot Races, but perhaps with some added benefits and uses.

Benefits:
Perhaps the major difference between this drill and Deb’s is that the player on the ice represents a whole lot more resistance because he has far more of his body creating friction against the ice (whereby the player’s shinguards in Deb’s drill makes it a little easier for the player to be towed).

Variations:

- I use this drill at times like Deb does, aiming to help players with their forward body leans, and with helping them learn to get a good grab with their skate edges.  To do this — or to emphasize technique, I keep the length of the drill relatively short, say across ice or between the blue lines.

- I also sometimes use this as a “finisher” near the end of a practice with older players.  And as a finisher, I mean the kind of drill that is sure to have my players leaving most of their energy out on the ice.  For this effect, I might lengthen the course players will work along, perhaps even from goal line to goal line.

By the way…  Although it’s certainly easier to be dragged rather than to do the dragging, there IS some effort required of the player on the ice and holding onto those sticks.

Running the drill:
In either application, one partner pulls the length of the course, and they switch roles to return back to the starting point.  When it comes to the finisher-type of drilling, I’m on my players to make quick exchanges in roles so there’s little lag time during the drill.

Click image below to see a short video.

The Skater’s Tow-trainer (or Sled)

If you’ve ventured-off into training for other sports, you’ve likely come across sled-like devices that are used for adding resistance against the running motion.  In fact, such a gadget is usually called a “sled”, and I’ve seen them used by sprinters, football players and rugby players, and I’m sure they’re being used by athletes in lots of other running sports.

So, why couldn’t such a training aid be used to add resistance against the skating motion?  Well, the difficulty is that the metal “runners” seen on most sleds are made to be used grass or pavement, and they just wouldn’t work well on the ice.

Thankfully, about a dozen years ago, I saw a demonstration by a Swedish hockey player using something like the gadget shown in the photo below…

Of course, I couldn’t have run out to a local store and purchased such a thing.  So, I took the next best step and built four of my own.  Ya, I built more than one of what I dubbed a “Tow-trainer” because I frequently work with groups of players — in a hockey school, in a clinic environment or with a team.  Oh, and by the way…  As you’ll soon discover, the material at the bottom of my training aids allows them to be used on the ice as well as on pavement, on grass, or on a roller hockey floor.

There’s actually a reason my Tow-trainer is the subject of an article and videos right now.  You see, as I’ve been working with Jerry Z, I’ve noticed that the next step in his development is to get him leaning forward and driving forward.  Members who have been following Jerry’s progress should appreciate what I’m doing here, in that we’ve already solved a number of basic shortcomings in his game to this point, so it’s time for me to look for the next “grossest” problem.  And that forward drive is it.

Now, Deb K — in a drill she calls Chariot Races — suggests that to apply resistance to the skating motion aids in two ways:  1) a player is almost forced to lean forward to gain momentum, and 2) a player is forced to turn the skates outward in order to achieve a decent grip on the ice (or pavement or floor).  I totally agree with Deb on those benefits, and you should be able to see them actually happening in the videos to follow.

If you click on either of the  two photos below a video will open for you in a new window.

Notice in the first video that Jerry Z must wrestle more than a little to get the Tow-trainer going.  Yes, trying to get momentum at the start is difficult — with the device, and with the extra weight he’s added to it.  (The bus sighted at the end of the second clip will be featured in a new agility drill to be shown later!    )

Members ought to know that I loaned that Tow-trainer to Jerry after a recent session in The MOTION Lab.  So I could only give him some rough suggestions on its use.  The reason I mention this is because I’d have made some adjustments to the ways he used that device had I been at his first workout with it.

For one, I’d probably lessen — by about half — the amount of weight he put in there.  As you can see, the load he used caused a motion that really wasn’t natural.  Oh, it might be good for his leg strength, but not for our intended aims.

I would also likely use only a part of the hill he’s on, or that part that isn’t drastically steep.  Ya, a slight incline would probably be good, but not too much.

I would also ask Jerry to shorten the distance for that drill.  As I mention when it comes to using something like a slideboard, I prefer that serious skaters not work on their stride for longer than a period in which they can really focus on mechanics.  For, once the concentration wanes, the skater starts to practice the wrong techniques.

Safety Suggestions

Oh, and here are some serious safety tips I’ve learned from experience…

Be extra careful with a Tow-trainer’s use on a slick surface — such as on ice or on a SportCourt-like roller hockey floor.

Once a skater gets momentum, the sled will keep going after he or she has stopped.

I also now avoid having a skater do turns or cross-overs unless I can really control the training area.  For, the device is going to really whip outward during such movements.

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Now, those members who are here during the month of October, 2009 are fortunate to find directions for making your own Tow-trainer/s very easily and VERY inexpensively.  You’ll find those directions in the *Gifts category.  However, if you missed them, I plan to rerun past gift offerings at later dates.  Promise.

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Ya know, as I add content to this site, I truly wonder if any of these kinds of advice, drills or training devices can be found anywhere else on the Internet.  I don’t know; what do YOU think?  I’d really like to know — in the Comments below — if you’ve found anything here you don’t believe you’d have ever found elsewhere.

Thanks a ton!

– Dennis Chighisola

Defenseman’s Slot Coverage Drill

The Best Slot Coverage Drill I Know!

Why is this “the best slot coverage drill I know”?  It’s because it deals with what I believe are the two most important aspects of a defenseman’s work in that critical area.  As a side benefit, forwards get the chance to work on their toughness and other offensive skills in that area.

– Dennis Chighisola

Although I’m going to introduce this drill in two phases, you’ll later see how it combines those phases into a drill that forces defensemen to adapt to our game’s constantly changing conditions.

The Drill Set-up

Create lines as shown, with forwards split between the outside two lines, and the defensemen lining-up in the middle.  Here the forwards on the right have pucks, but the drill can — actually it should — be run from both sides.  Also, as the forwards complete their roles coming from one line, they should then move to the other line.

Phase One

The drill begins with a forward moving into the offensive zone and circling behind the net with a puck.  This player has only one duty in this drill:  to make a pass.  Thereafter he must exit the play after making a pass (we don’t want to confuse things by making this a 2 on 1 for the defender).

As the drill begins, the forward from the other line drives to the net, while the first defenseman backchecks that man to the net.

As the player with the pucks emerges from behind the net, his first option would be to pass to his teammate who has moved to the slot.  Only the defender’s success at covering his man will prevent a pass to him.  (Click the sketch to the right to see a video of Phase One.)

Phase Two

This drill moves to Phase Two if a pass can’t be made to the forward in the slot.

In Phase Two, the player with the puck then passes to the second defenseman in line.

As the puck moves to the point, the role of our slot-area defenseman changes drastically.  No longer should he be as concerned with the pass, since the new problem is that his goaltender is now in danger of losing sight of the puck and facing a possible deflected shot.  (If you click-on the sketch to the right, it will show the full drill, as it flows from Phase One to Phase Two.)

Putting the Two Phases Together

Really, the drill runs as shown in the second video…  As you saw, the puckcarrier quickly moved through his pattern and the defenseman is forced to deal with the problems as they occur:  covering for a pass with the puck down low, and then quickly driving his man outward and controlling his stick if the puck moves to the point.

As I said in the beginning, what makes this such an awesome drill is the fact that the defensemen ultimately learn to deal differently with the different threats.  I happen to use this drill fairly often in my practices, and it has served me well for over a decade (maybe twice that long).  It’s that good, at least to me, and I urge every coach (of players probably older than 10-years) to give it a try.

– Dennis Chighisola

If you either agree or disagree — about this being one of the best drills ever, please let me know what you think in the Comment area below.  And thanks so much!

Teaching the Beginner Hockey Player

Okay, I have to start with a huge smile here, because I’ve just finished what I’ll call — for the lack of a better name — a “tryout” for a new 5- and 6-year old team coming from my winter Learn-to-skate/Learn-to-play program.  Ya, they were an adorable lot, with a 4-year old even being one of our better little guys.  Anyway, for the sake of those who might be forming a similar kind of team right now, I thought I’d share some of my thoughts here, as well as some of the “drills” we started with today…

– Dennis Chighisola

Now, it shouldn’t surprise you at all that almost all of what I’ll share here can already be found elsewhere within the CoachChic.com site.  The reason is that I really DO practice what I preach.  I mean, if I’ve said, “This is how we should teach _______,” it’s because that’s what I’ve found over 40-ish years will really work.  And I don’t care if it has to do with beginners or elite level players; that’s how I’d do it.

As far as “my babies” go, I told a few of their parents beforehand that it wouldn’t take more than a few minutes to get a sense of whether a youngster belongs on that team.  In a way — and not much different from older kids, most of us can usually spot a hockey player as he or she comes out the door.  There’s just something about the way he or she carries himself or herself.

Of course, it might take a drill or two more to gain a sense of whether a very young one is ready to take a few instructions.  Understand that I was only going to start planting the seeds in this first gathering.  In a way, I wanted to get a head start on some things I’ll want the kids to ultimately learn.  But I also knew that those kinds of drills would actually give me an idea of whether the kids — at their young ages — could focus and understand some verbal instructions and brief demonstrations.

Now, here’s what guided me in my drill selection…

• The younger players are, the more malleable they are, and the more a really good “teacher” can influence them.
• Defensive play may be a factor in the kids’ success down the road.  Sure, there might eventually be a time when youngsters can start appreciating a forechecking scheme, different kinds of coverages, etc.
• But, right now the only thing that will really capture these little guys’ attention and enthusiasm — and probably the only thing they can really understand — is offense, as in scoring goals.

That in mind, I grabbed a number of ideas from my “Creating the Early Goal-scorer” video (and you might also scan “ The Idea(s) Behind Those Goal-scoring Gadgets“).

Of course, my current youngsters are true beginners at the game, which makes them slightly less experienced than the players I was really aiming to help in that video.  So, while I did try a few of the ideas demonstrated there, I had to use another important teaching technique I’ve mentioned a few times elsewhere.  I mean, what I had to do was create some even easier to do lead-up progressions to start easing my new kids towards the more difficult skills.

Remember:  Really young ones aren’t into too much structure or discipline.  So I started things by just tossing pucks out onto the ice and encouraging the kids to just have some fun.

Also remember:  Since these ARE really young ones, it’s not right for me to immediately talk to them like older players.  So, I quite often during this session called them into a little group by announcing, “Okay, kids, let’s have a really important meeting here.”  And, getting them on their knees and focused (for about the 20-seconds their attention spans will allow), I’d frequently start with some kind of question — maybe about the row of pylons we were going to attack, or about the “simulated goaltender” sitting in the net-crease.

I also loosely applied the Whole: Part Method of structuring drills…  For example, each little guy got to attack the make believe goalie in one drill, we had 2-player races towards that goalie — this to encourage more speed in their attack, we practiced going in and out of pylons (which I referred to as “the bad guys”), and at one point we played a simple game of keepaway with a puck.  At the end of the morning session, I put a couple of the earlier practiced “parts” together by having them — one boy at a time — weave in and out of the pylons at a decent speed, and end by scoring on that simulated netminder.

Oh, and you know my penchant for taking notes…  So, at one point during that session I made a note to myself to bring some weights to use for strengthening their stick grips, passes and shots.  (What I plan on doing can be found in the “Passing Basics in Hockey“ video, in the section on “Discovering Stick-strength”.)

Finally, at one point during our session — while the kids were playing keepaway, I mentioned something important to two dads who were out on the ice helping…  Both dads had themselves played to pretty high levels, so I thought it a good idea to share the distinctions I see.  Or, as I said while we watched the keepaway going on, “That’s really what THEIR game is all about, you know.”  And I went on to suggest that it’s not about the leftwing lock, defensive zone coverage or a powerplay.  No, THEIR game is about getting the puck and keeping it away from their opponents.  It’s about weaving in and out of those “bad guys”, and it’s about beating a little goalie who is usually no more agile than the plastic one we’ll use at our practices.  And, as I’ve also said at numerous times in these pages, our jobs — as parents and coaches — is to help our youngsters be successful at THEIR level.

Now, before ending I have to say that there’s yet another reason I was smiling — or even chuckling — as I reflected on this morning’s tryout session.  As I noted above, these “babies” are as malleable as players can be, and they can be changed rather quickly under the guidance of a really good teaching coach.  And while I have a strong belief in my own abilities, I also know I can almost triple our teaching efforts by helping my assistants to be nearly as effective.  Oh, my reason for chuckling?  It’s because I can only imagine what our games are going to be like when every single young member on our team is able to stickhandle through their opponents and cooly tuck the puck into their opponents’ nets.  Oh, boy…  I suspect we’re going to be creating some hockey monsters this coming winter!

If you like this article, or if you have any questions about it, please do Coach Chic a favor and add a Comment below.  Thanks!

Catching-up with Jerry Z

Well, it’s been some time since I first introduced our new buddy, Jerry z.  Actually, about a month.  But, he and I have needed that time together.

I needed some time to sorta sit back and get a sense of where he was — personally, as well as in comparison to the guys he regularly plays with.  But, I’ll explain that more a little later.

I also had to get a sense of how much Jerry could do between our sessions together.  (I’m chuckling to myself right now, but I recall giving some homework assignments to a young lady who lived in a 2nd floor apartment, and man did her downstairs neighbor scream at the pounding from above.  Oh, well…)  Thankfully, Jerry was able to do the things I prescribed as homework, and he even had access to some outdoor venues — including a nearby tennis court and a local high school track.

Anyway, let’s get on to the video I’d done about Jerry.  After you’ve seen that, I’ll have a few more comments to add…

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Now that you’ve seen the video, allow me to back-up a bit…

You see, I’d like this to be a learning experience for a broader audience than just in-liners.  So, I’m going to share some of the problem-solving techniques I commonly use with players — be they roller or ice hockey participants.

As I mentioned in the video, overcoming his greatest overall problem is going to make the most impact on Jerry’s playing ability. So, that was my major concern when we met for the first time.

As an aside in this area, I can’t tell you how many folks I see inspecting beginners and immediately fixating on some little, picky thing that has hardly any bearing on that experience level.  In other words, it doesn’t make sense to look for a minute mechanical flaw when a player is suffering from a much more basic one.  In fact, if you want to really frustrate an inexperienced player, force him or her to worry about the angle of this or that, his or her weight distribution, or the likes.

With that, my assessment was that Jerry mainly lacked time on his wheels, and along with that the comfort and energy efficiency seen in more experienced skaters.  Of course, I could have told him to just skate more, and send him on his way.  However, there was still some solid advice I could provide him, including how to move through a pattern similar to what he’d experience in a game.

For sure, that pattern had to include changes in direction.  So, parts of our next few sessions included me helping Jerry with pivots, sharp cuts and cross-overs (and you might notice his improvement in those areas as the above video progressed).  I also showed him how to stop in in-lines.

Now, had a glaring equipment problem jumped out at me in the very first meeting, I’d have dealt with it immediately.  However, it wasn’t until Jerry tried doing some fairly sophisticated moves that a stick and a skate problem came to light.  (I want to go into a little depth on those topics, so I plan on addressing them soon in another post.)

In closing — for now, I hope you noticed Jerry’s progress from the first sessions to the last.  I surely did, and it’s been even more noticeable up close and in person.  As a matter of fact, as I watched the end of that video, I realized Jerry had new needs.  Oh, he’ll still benefit from doing some of the basic drills.  However, I have a couple of new gadgets I want to tell you about shortly, these aimed at bringing Jerry’s game to yet a higher level.  So, stay tuned…

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NHL Birthday Calendar

Coach Chic’s good friend, Tyler, from the NHL Digest is responsible for sharing this fun and interesting collection of National Hockey League birthdays.

Amazingly, it contains “…all players ever to play in the National Hockey League! It currently contains more than 7000 players. It will be updated as the final rosters for the 2009-2010 NHL season are announced.”

So, click on the NHL Digest logo below, enjoy the calendar, and even share it with friends!  Again, enjoy…

CLICK THE LOGO TO GO TO THE CALENDAR

Follow Tyler on Twitter for great hockey updates…  @NHLDigest

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Shooting Gallery

Please see Drill Submission Rules and Help below.

Contributor: Cameron F. — Niverville, Manitoba, Canada

Drill Category: Fun, Offense, Goaltending

Drill Description:

Comments: Many drills require nearly a full team to execute during a practice. This is a drill I like to use when we are short players. The drill itself needs 3-5 players plus a goalie and does not take up a lot of room on the ice surface.

Benefits:
FUN!
Forwards: This drill brings into focus nearly every aspect of goal scoring: accurate shooting, fast hands, quick decisions, and shot selection.
Goalies: This drill is designed to work on fast twitch muscles, balance, and recovery while under pressure.

Set up with shooter in the middle of the ice, at the hash marks with pucks. Other players are lined up towards the net, on both sides, in line with the edge of the crease.

Goalies must stay inside the crease for the first shot. As an added challenge, have the goalies start within 6 inches of the goal line.

Objective of game:
Players – score – 1 point
Goalie     – cover puck – 1 point
- puck goes behind the goal line – 1 point
- puck goes outside the blue line – 1 point
- puck touches side boards – 1 point

Running the drill:
P1 shoots the puck, G makes save and attempts to cover or direct rebound away from players.
After initial shot, players are allowed 1 pass before shooting. Progress to one-touch passes and one-timer shots to best simulate game situations.

After point is awarded, set up the drill and run again. Play to seven points (suggested).

Click image below to see a short video.

Chariot Races

Please see Drill Submission Rules and Help below.

Contributor: Deb K. — Boulder, CO

Drill Category: Fun, Conditioning, Skating

Drill Description:

All the kids line up in pairs on the goal line. One kid remains standing, the other is on his knees. The standing player holds the blade end of both sticks, while the kneeling player holds the butt-end. On my cue, the standing players race, pulling their teammate down the ice. We try this with forward skating and backward skating and of course we switch the players around at each end of the ice so they both get the fun of being dragged In this drill, the kids really have to dig in, so they eventually figure out keeping the skates forward (I call it running man style) doesn’t allow them the propulsion they need, and they start turning their skates out to really dig in.

Click image below to see a short video.

Tic-Tac-Toe Down Low

Please see Drill Submission Rules and Help below.

Contributor: Cameron F. — Niverville, Manitoba, Canada

Drill Category: Fun, Offense, goaltending

Drill Description:

Comments: This drill needs at least 7 players for flow and one end of the ice from the hash marks to the boards.

Benefits:
Forwards: This drill works on driving the net, accurate passing, timing, and shot selection.
Goalies: This drill is great for working on plays that come from below the goal line and lateral movement.

Set up:
Two lines, one on each boards at the hash marks. One line has pucks. One player below the goal line on the strong side.

Running the drill:
P1 passes to P2 who is below the goal line.
After pass, P1 and P3 drive to the net from each side of the ice.
P2 can pass to either P1 or P3 for a shot on net. **Progress to P1 or P3 has option to make another pass before shooting**

After shot, players exit drill area through middle of ice so next group can run as soon as goalie is set.

Players can change their approach to the net to experiment with angles of attack and the related timing.

Click image below to see a short video.

Good and Bad Pain in Strength Training

You can put my good friend Michael Mahony near the top of the list of those I’m constantly referring to as the best and brightest on Twitter.

For those who don’t know, Michael posts frequently in “The Muscle Building Fat Burning Video Blog“.  It’s an interesting place to visit, in that he’s talking to readers (and video viewers) about his personal fitness quest.  (Mike’s videos can also be found on YouTube).

Now, when I saw Mike Mahony’s latest post — concerning pain, I thought to myself that CoachChic.com members just have to consider this stuff.  So, have a read, and I’ll add my own comments a little later.

– Dennis Chighisola

What about pain?
By Michael Mahony

What’s on my mind today?
I’ve been doing some thinking lately and have come up with a few interesting conclusions regarding pain.  I am not talking about the debilitating, unable to walk type of pain.  I am talking about the type of pain you get from an intense workout or how your lungs burn during an extreme cardio workout.

How long?
When you walk barefoot in your house and stub your toe, how long does the pain last?  Generally it passes rather quickly.  You might be left with a bruised toe, but the pain itself subsides as fast as it started.  It is the same way with the pain you get during a lift.  Yes, it hurts to push yourself past the burn, but that pain subsides.  It goes away quickly.

How much?
You obviously need to pay attention to the intensity of the pain you are feeling.  There is the pain of going past the burn during a lift and there is the pain of an injury.  Both are different kinds of pain and they are obvious as to which is which.  Pay attention to pain from an injury because it is an indicator that you need to stop what you are doing.  However, the pain you get while taking a lift to failure is something you want to go beyond.  Push yourself hard and you will see gains.

How often?
Each time you do a lift you are going to feel pain if it is done correctly.  Your job is to push beyond that pain.  Working at this level of intensity is required to get good, consistent gains.  Yes, you are going to be sore after pushing your body this hard, but the results should be worth it to you.  If they are not, maybe this isn’t the right thing for you to be doing?

What is failure?
Finally, you are trying to take the set to failure.  What is failure anyway?  I strongly believe the point of failure is completely influenced by your mental attitude.  Yes, the muscle has a point where it will be unable to move the weight another repetition, but is that where you quit every time?  I am suggesting that most of us quit sooner than we should.  We let our brain stop us before our body does.  Do me a favor.  The next time you are in the gym, do not pick a stopping point (ie. 8 repetitions).  Just pick a weight and do the exercise until you can’t move the weight any more.  I call this “doing all the repetitions.”  That’s right, do them all.  Don’t stop until you can’t move the weight another repetition.  Don’t let your brain stop you, let your body stop you.  You will have to be ready to go beyond the pain that you feel, but it will be worth it.  Give me this favor for the entire workout and then let me know what you think.

Mike mentions some VERY interesting things within his piece…

I have a huge sign posted in The MOTION Lab that states, “No pain, no gain!”  You might find it interesting, however, that I whisper to parents that it’s only partially so; I mainly put that up for the sake of some teenagers who seem to have a need for such stuff. 

As Michael suggests, there’s a good pain and a not-very-good pain, and it’s important for athletes (or those responsible for athletes) to recognize the difference.  In fact, if one of my players or students complains that something hurts, I’ll usually question him until I get to understand which sort of pain he might be talking about.  Hey, it surely is going to make a difference in how we’ll approach the next drill, the next practice or the next game.  And, with a little bit of experience, it might also provide us a pretty good indication about whether the player should seek some medical attention.  (Obviously, it’s best to err on the safe side.)

Now, I can’t for the life of me exactly remember the quote, but…  In a Jerry Kramer book about Vince Lombardi, the late, great Green Bay Packers coach pushed his players with the belief that, “The lesser conditioned player will always quit first!” (or words to that effect).  My interpretation is that Lombardi was really talking about pain — or, a player’s ability to endure it.  Just think about that, if you will:  Two players do battle, and one just finds it easier to quit.  We might also be talking about “mental toughness” here, in that the one able to endure a little (of the right kind of) pain is likely to have more staying power than someone who can’t.

Then, I’ll bet most non-athletes reading all this have still experienced both the good and the bad kinds of pain.  As this relates to our (adult kinds of) labor, I’m often heard to say how much I hate the tiredness that comes from something like stressful paperwork, while I really enjoy the tiredness derived from a day of toiling in my yard.  (Man, I sleep like a baby after a day of getting the good kind of tired.)  Athletes experience something very much akin to this, even very old athletes like yours truly.  I mean, it’s definitely no fun dealing with a real injury, but there’s something still kind of nice about that little bit of soreness gained from some hard work.

Finally, thanks, Michael.  And I look forward to following your progress over at “The Muscle Building Fat Burning Video Blog“!

– Dennis Chighisola

Goalies: Readying For Your Season

Goalies:  Readying For Your Season

By Todd Jacobson

It’s now late August and you’re most likely looking to head back to school. For youth hockey or club players, your practices and games begin in a few weeks. High school players, on the other hand, are either looking forward to a fall sport like football or soccer, or your half season town or club team is about to get underway. So I’ll break this up into two parts, one for the youth player and one for the high school player, plus I’ll add a few reflections from a coach’s perspective.

For youth or club team members:

There really isn’t a lot of time between your first practice and your first game. (As a long time youth coach I used to hate the way the schedule was formed. You’re lucky to get any practices in before you put on the jersey for your first real game. Personally, I found it took a good six to eight practices to really be ready as a team, and this depended on how practice attendance went.)

The one thing I did notice as a coach was who worked out or did that little extra in the summer. It usually was pretty evident in the first few drills, and sometimes it was as easy as seeing the guy come through the rink door and onto the ice (it was that obvious). Hopefully you did do some training in the spring and summer months so that the coach will see that you’re ready to play. (As a youth coach with two goaltenders I would usually let my goalies rotate between starting and finishing the game, but sometimes I would step in and make the decision for them. Typically I would want my stronger goaltender playing in the second half of the game, hoping the first could keep us close, while the second goalie would give us the chance to close out the win.)

So while most goaltenders at these levels aren’t competing for time, I am sure many coaches out there have a sense of which goaltender they want to use in the clutch. Do you want to be that goaltender? If you are serious, many of the training ideas we have spoken about in the last few months could still be done throughout the season. It just takes a small amount of time and commitment to stay sharp. And the respect you get over the coming season just might boil down to some simple choices:  While maybe the other goalie is watching TV at his home, you could be improving your game on your own in an unstructured environment. The best players make themselves better in their free time. So keep working on the little things, like juggling or some of the hand quickness drills we previously discussed.  And won’t your coach be happy with your level of commitment and your level of play come game time.

The high school goaltender faces a different kind of challenge:

While I know many will be competing with at least one other goaltender, some of you might be in a battle with numerous other goalies.

As a high school coach, I’m pretty sure every candidate can pretty much stop a puck.  So I look for two things that tend to separate the serious players from the pretenders.  Number one with me is work ethic in practices (because typically the one who works harder in practice usually works harder in the games).  Secondly comes a host of intangibles (what else can the goaltender do to help the team?)

Going further into those intangibles, I much prefer the aggressive goalie who likes to play the puck and make clearing passes, compared to the goaltender who sits in the protection of his or her net. Communication falls in this category, too.  So I like a goalie who directs traffic in front of the net, and one who talks with his or her defensemen?  Focus is also important, even when the puck is down the other end of the rink. (Yes, “little things” like these will impress a coaching staff.  And when it comes down to picking a starter, coaches like that guy to be a leader out on the ice.)

So while you may still have three months to prepare for your season, don’t sit around waiting for good things to happen for you.  Keep working on your own in a creative setting.   You probably won’t have much time to impress a coach in tryouts, so you have to take advantage of every opportunity. Be sharp when you show up for tryouts, especially as a goaltender.  Most coaches can’t afford to wait for a goalie to play himself into shape, so you could win a job just by being ready at the first tryout.

Then, to end with a quick story, way back when I started coaching high school we were about four days into our tryouts when a sophomore goaltender came to me.  Mind you, we only had one day of tryouts left, when he asked, “Coach, what do I need to do to make the Varsity Team?” My immediate answer was, “You probably should have asked that back in March!” And, while my answer might have been a bit harsh, it did reflect the reality of high school hockey.  Still, there was a happy ending to that story.  That boy did end up being a varsity backup, while playing in most of our JV games.  At the end of the season I put together a program for him to do over the off season (with some of those drills being the same ones I’ve shown you). Wouldn’t you know that same kid won the starting varsity job his junior and senior years, he led us to the state tournament both years, and had an absolutely phenomenal senior year in which he was a main part of our success. Amazing what a little work and focus on your own can do.

Keep working, and good luck,

Coach J.

Build Your Own Off-ice Hockey Training Center

A lot of the content this month has to do with being creative, and Todd Jacobson and I have (and will continue to) suggest ways you can solve problems by actually creating new drills.  At the same time, many good drills require some sort of training aid (I’ve mentioned previously that a lot of pretty good training tools can even be homemade).

Well, what got me started on the current topic was Craig Shaw’s awesome article on “How Training Like an Astronaut Can be Beneficial to the Brain“.  For, in that piece he mentioned a lot of great little training devices that really CAN help a player improve his or her athleticism — a lot.

But, here’s my fear:  It’s easy to read an article such as Craig’s, drink-in the main idea, then gloss-over some of the other (might I suggest equally important?) particulars.  And in this regard, I’m talking about Craig’s mention of rope skipping, juggling, a trampoline, scooters, wobble boards and the likes.  And I’d throw into that mix something like those Bosu aids (or small inflatable disks often used for balance training).

As an aside here, every parent is probably familiar with the oft repeated summertime chant of youngsters, like, “Ma, there’s nothing to do!”  And my answer to this is to always have a few gadgets sitting somewhere nearby (these have often been conveniently located in our back hall or at the end of our driveway).  Ease in grabbing something to play with is key here.  Hey, no one, including us adults, wants to spend a half-hour setting something up, only to have less time to play with it.

All that said, I thought I’d just mention how I’ve come by some of the unique gadgets you’ll often seen used in videos or photos taken up at The MOTION Lab…

– Of course, jump ropes are inexpensive — or, at least the types I suggest using.  Those made from something like a 3/8″ vinyl will whip through the air pretty quickly.

- So is a container of tennis balls fairly inexpensive.  Actually, the lower the quality, the less bounce you’ll get from one that’s dropped.  There are even some great tutorials available on-line that make juggling fairly easy to learn.

- In some of the videos from our Lab, you might notice a goaltender hopping and juggling while wearing a patch over one eye.  These eye patches are also readily available — and only a couple of dollars — at most local drugstores.

– And would you believe I found our first trampoline at a neighborhood yard sale?  I think it went for about $5.  I later discovered that one of the largest department stores in our area carries pretty decent tramps (so the dad of a Lab student tells me) for a little over $20, and these are available on-line if they’re not in stock at the store.

- I know that scooters were a rage when my grandson was about 10-years old, and I still see them frequently offered at low costs in most local department store flyers.  Oh, by the way…  When Anthony was motoring around our neighborhood, I suggested he split his time on that gadget — I mean, thrusting with his left leg as often as with his right.

– Wobble boards (or teeters, as I call them)?  You don’t need to buy one.  Two crossed 2″ by 4″ boards about 2′ long will do just nicely (and store very easily).  Actually, wait until you see my video on “Chop Stix”, whereby I’ll show you how to make a batch of great balancing, puckhandling and core strength gadgets from a single $3 hunk of wood. 

- Then, about those Bosu trainers…  They’re dawgoned expensive.  However, local department stores carry pretty inexpensive (about 12″ wide by about 2″ deep) inflatable disks that go for about $10 to $12 each.  I have a batch of those in The MOTION Lab, and they’re awesome.  But, while you could easily get away with owning one, two disks are all you’d ever really need.

Two final thoughts…

Whether price is an issue with you or not, I like to make it one as I offer this kind of advice.  (I don’t ever want a player’s chances of improving tied to his or her wallet.)  If there was one thing I took away from my long ago studies in the USSR, it was that those folks were dirt-poor.  Yet, while a lot of their gear was old and worn (not shiny and new like you see in most US gyms), it — and the teaching — was extremely effective.  (I somehow sense my old Moscow friends would smile if they visited my Lab today.)  Anyway, seeing what I did back then caused me to forever after adopt the following sentiments…

Yes, I feel the need to repeat something I’ve said quite a few times in other prior posts, in that, “It’s not really the gadget (or weight set) that makes us better; improved skills and greater athletic qualities come from the way we use them!”

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Training Like an Astronaut Can Help the Hockey Brain!

It gives me great pleasure to introduce yet another awesome guest writer in one Craig Shaw.  Craig has been involved in hockey for over 30-years — as a player, coach and cognitive trainer (or what he calls a “brain trainer”). He has also worked as an educator, counselor and educational therapist specializing in motor skill and cognitive enhancement.  Craig plans on contributing a series of articles explaining what parents and coaches can do to improve some of the underlying motor and mental capacities of their athletes.  (And, lest you think this stuff is just for youngsters, know that Craig is also currently using a very similar approach with elite level hockey players.)

– Dennis Chighisola

How Training Like an Astronaut Can be Beneficial to the Brain

By Craig Shaw

Have you noticed how Coach Chic uses a variety of off-ice techniques to improve balance and coordination, such as trampolines, wobble boards and skipping? These kinds of exercises are consistent with what researchers are finding out about brain development. Studies have shown that rocking, swinging, bouncing and spinning babies not only helps to soothe them, but also enhances their later motor development. In one study babies were spun in swivel chairs in several positions ten repetitions four times a week for a month. These babies showed more advanced motor development than the control group. Likewise seniors who continue work on their balance in such activities as walking, dancing, skating and yoga show slower mental decline as they age.

Why is this? Balance (or the vestibular system in the inner ear) is integral to our ability to control posture, body movement, arousal, eye movements, and sensory integration. In other words, accurate perception, a much-needed ability in the game of hockey I might add, largely comes down to a smooth running vestibular system. And how we perceive the world has a lot to do with healthy brain functioning and emotional stability.

Can this ability be enhanced? It most surely can. Balance is one of the easiest things to train, and our body responds quickly to this training. The types of movements that help to train balance involve changes of movement in space:

1. Up and down movements – such as jumping, skipping, trampolining or going down a slide.
2. To and fro – such as running, skating, starting and stopping and swinging.
3. Centrifugal force – carousels, doing the ‘circles’ on the ice.
4. Turning movements of the body – movements used in spinning, dancing, rolling or turning somersaults.
5. Depth – riding a scooter, skating forward.

The best ways to develop these abilities is gymnastics (I recommend starting them young), doing activities such as those done in Coach Chic’s Motion Lab, and many and varied sports. Activities that require multi-tasking or divided attention, eye tracking and rhythm are particularly good for the vestibular system and the brain in general. Such drills would include juggling, juggling on one foot, juggling on a balance board or a mini-tramp, dribbling while bouncing on a tramp or balancing on a balance board, skipping, skipping while doing mental challenges or singing songs. Standing on one foot with your eyes closed is also effective. (I once worked with a boy who had little confidence in school and came to me for help. I ended up teaching him to juggle on one foot while reciting the Canadian prime ministers in order. When he did this in front of his school, he got a standing ovation! Did that do wonders for his confidence?)

One last thing: now, I have not read any specific studies on this, but it is just an observation that I believe follows some of the ideas that you have just read about. I once traveled to six different middle class elementary schools in Japan to teach them conversational English and Canadian culture. Well, I boiled it down to maple syrup and hockey. Anyway, one school was miles ahead in many ways – ability to learn English, behavior and so on – and I wondered what was different with that school. The only thing I could find was that they had a well-stocked shed holding about 150 unicycles. And did those kids use them! I don’t recall seeing any obese kids, and do you think they had good core strength?

Readying to post this unbelievable article, I can’t resist the urge to add a little something…

In the “good old days”, it was thought that specializing was the best approach to preparing an elite sportsman.  Oh, for sure, so many individual skills must become ingrained in the athlete (for example, skating, puckhandling and shooting in our sport).

At the same time, however, modern day scientists have discovered that certain foundation qualities (like those mentioned by Craig) have a huge bearing on an athlete’s ultimate chances at success. Just think about YOUR favorite NHL skater (my guy happens to be the great Ovechkin) or YOUR favorite goaltender…  In nearly every instance, these guys are acrobats on ice, or gymnasts on their skates and with their bodies.  They’re not one-dimensional at all.

– Dennis Chighisola

Making A Lockerroom Sign

Although there’s still plenty of summer left right now, I feel it’s the hockey coach’s job to plan far ahead.  For sure we hope our players are doing the same — or doing their off-season training right now.  At the same time, we coaches have to work behind the scenes DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS to ensure a smooth start to the coming season.

I happen to use a lot of aids or gadgets to make my coaching job easier.  And it’s during these off-season months that I can relax and do the job rightly.  As a matter of fact, lots of the little things I do are in answer to problems I’ve spotted in past seasons (and most of them come from the notes I’m constantly taking during the season).

As for the current little helper…  Almost every rink I deal with lately has multiple surfaces.  And, even if my players and parents know which rink we’re skating in on a given night, there’s always the confusion of which lockerroom we’ll be using in that rink.  Ya, if you get my drift, most kids end-up peeking in one dressingroom after another until they discover a familiar face or two.

So, I long ago solved this problem — for my teams, as well as for other teams who wonder the hallways.

What I did was to make the shown sign to be affixed on our lockerroom door.

I first did the artwork on my computer, printed it, then copied that onto a fairly stiff card stock.  (I’ve often doubled or tripled the thickness of the final sign by just gluing extra cards to the back.)

Most rink lockerroom doors are metal.  So, having saved a bunch of refrigerator magnets (the ones that are always arriving via mail to advertise the local real estate agent, whomever), I glue about four of these on the back.

I next protect both sides of the sign with a clear Contact Paper (or you might have the local print shop laminate yours).

As an FYI…  Magnets actually lose their strength if they’re not kept in contact with a metal surface.  So, since I carry a large 3-ring binder to each game (for rosters and other game related materials), I keep an 8.5″ x 11″ sheet of tin in that book upon which I affix the sign for storage.

Sure, this all sounds like a bit of work.  At the same time, it’s awesome to be able to walk into a rink, find a lockerroom, and then slap that sign on the door.  My players get used to looking for it soon enough, and I think they like the idea of not having to drift around to find their mates.

Also as an FYI…  The sample shown here is one sign I’ve used in the past.  Some others have my New England Hockey Institute logo on them, and I’ve even had some that displayed a brief motivational message — ie, “Enter here with…”

Core Confidence

Core Confidence
Justin Johnson
Mental Edge Performance Advisor

One of the best feelings an athlete can have is when you stand on the playing field and have no doubt you will be able to achieve your objective. The most consistent finding in athletes who perform at a peak performance level is the direct correlation between their confidence and success. Every year from pre-game chalk talks to post-game interviews you hear about the importance of having the confidence in your ability to succeed. Yet for many athletes regardless of their level or past experiences have a weekly struggle with their confidence. The primary reason this occurs is that athletes tend to place too much importance on external results rather than their inner belief in their abilities.
As an athlete you gain confidence from two segments: external and internal.

External confidence is often the easiest to recognize and what you are most likely familiar with, making a big play, encouragement from a coach, or wining a big game for your team gives you an instant dose of confidence. It is easy to gain confidence from such events and the feeling is often very powerful. However there is a very real danger in staking all or even too much of your confidence on external events. The reason athletes struggle with confidence is because they fail to realize they do not have complete control over external events. Instead, your focus should be on elements you can control in order to influence events in a way that results in your favor. For example as a baseball hitter you don’t have complete control over whether you get a hit, because the pitcher decides where to throw the ball. You can, however, influence the chance of getting a hit by working on your swing technique and by deciding to swing at quality pitches.

So, how do you know if you are an athlete who places too much emphasis on external confidence? Chances are, if you only feel confident when you make a big play, or when coaches are encouraging you, or when you are winning, you tend to place too much emphasis on external confidence.

To avoid the rollercoaster feeling of having your confidence at the mercy of positive or negative outcomes, you must learn to develop your internal or core confidence. Core Confidence is developed from two sources, the movement towards mastery of skills and by engaging in quality thought. If you are a goaltender, for example, developing crisp movement, solid positioning, and smart save selections, these are skills you have complete control over. Core confidence comes from an inner assurance that when needed you can execute these skills to stop the puck. This is why many coaches suggest going back to the basics to reclaim your confidence. By setting aside a portion of time in practice to concentrate on basic skills you allow yourself to focus on the areas you have control over. This results in a higher level of assurance that you are capable of executing the skills of the trade.

The second source of core confidence is having quality thoughts. Much has been said about the importance of positive thought, so much so, that this has become a cliché of sorts to many athletes. What few athletes realize is that quality thinking is a skill, just like any other physical skill in athletics. Because it is a skill, the more you work on it the better you become at it! Core confidence is built by the quality of thoughts you have about what is going on around you. An athlete who engages in quality thought notices their strengths and successes and looks at failures or shortcomings as a skill or opportunity that has not yet been fully developed. Remember thoughts are very powerful, so powerful in fact that they dictate how you feel which in turn tells your body how you should act. So, in order to perform in a confident manner you must have the type of thoughts that produce confident play. As you develop your quality thinking skills less effort will be required and the foundation of your core confidence will be built.

Quality Thoughts = Quality Emotions = Quality Actions

So how do you develop your core confidence? In order to build core confidence you must:

• Identify and focus on what you can control You don’t have control over events; instead focus your energy on the thoughts and actions that will influence events to occur in your favor.
• Devote time to the physical basics Skill refinement allows you to build your assurance that you can do the job.
• Train yourself to think quality thoughts You have control over your thoughts so choose quality thoughts, which will lead to quality performances.

Simply put, you know you have core confidence when you believe you can make the play, instead of, because you made the play.

How to REALLY Tie Hockey Skates

Actually, this topic should have been one of the very first ones addressed here.  After all, isn’t skate tying part of the foundation for all a hockey player will do once he or she hits the ice?  Thankfully, though, a member recently mentioned his bout with “lace bite”, which caused me to put the following together — for him and for all my other CoachChic.com friends…

Now, we have to begin with a premise (or two) here.  I mean, the greatest skate tying job in the world isn’t going to help a player if his or her skate boots aren’t 1) of good quality and 2) properly fit.  Those things assured, the boots should support a player through the rigors of hockey movements, even with a poorly done lacing.

And that last point is important to keep in mind as we go about tying the skates.  In other words, a quality boot that fits right is already somewhat supporting the feet…

1. So, understand that there is absolutely no need to pull the laces very tightly in the lower to middle eyelet areas.  Worse yet, to tie the laces extra tightly over the arch area of the foot is going to put pressure on the arch, and it’s also likely to cut-off blood flow (since this area contains blood vessels that supply the lower portion of the foot).  My advice then is to tie the lower and mid eyelets as you would dress shoes or sneakers.
2. The real “support” in a skate boot stems from the leather (or more likely the modern day synthetic materials) that surround the ankle.  And it’s the top three or four eyelets that — when pulled pretty tightly — will draw the skate boot snuggly around the ankle.  (The number of holes involved in this can vary, but it is usually in the ball park of three or four eyelets.)

That’s it, folks..  Because there’s no real supportive impact in the lower to middle holes, and because there’s a danger of causing great pain by tying those areas too tightly, the laces down below should be left relatively loose.  And, because the top eyelets are the ones that affect support, these are the only ones that should be pulled snugly.

Then, a few more tips…

After years of video analysis, I can spot from the far end of the rink a player with excess tape or laces wrapped around the ankles.  There’s something unnatural — or rather robotic — to his or her movement, because they’ve lost the ability to really flex or snap the ankle from being so encumbered.  (In a way, they’ve pretty much removed the ankle joint from the skating motion.)

Like the premise that skates should be of good quality and fit properly, it just makes sense that spending $2 for the right length laces is worthwhile.  And, although there’s nothing wrong with using a light wrap of tape to just keep the lace-bow in place, excess tape should not be used in an attempt to gain extra support (hey, good boots and the right lace job take care of that).

Now, I’m always fearful of sharing this last tip, mainly because I don’t want the parents of younger, weaker skaters rushing things (let them first learn to skate and let them develop some foot strength).  However — and this might help that skate bite victim…  A lot of years ago, a pretty stylish skating pro player suggested I try not using the very top eyelets in my skates.  (He was talking about stopping short at the next to last hole on each boot.)  As he said (and it’s the very opposite of what those who bind their ankles with tape or laces achieve), “It really helps to get more flex at the end of each thrust!”  I tried, I loved it, and I’ve ever since I’ve been advising my older players to do just that.

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Since this article has brought about some spirited discussion by way of member Comments, I thought I’d add the following picture just so that we could all have a pair of skates in view while pondering various opinions…

Losing Players by the Whistle?

I’m kinda shaking my head as I ready this post for release…  I mean, as much as I’m into improving skating and stickhandling and playing smarts, I’m frequently thinking this website wouldn’t be worth a hoot without the kind of articles that are surfacing in this very special section.  Ya, and it’s YOU writing in this area (not us so-called experts), and I’m thinking YOU are saying some things here that just need to be said.

With that, along to my desk comes the following article submitted by the hockey playing daughter of a long-time charter member.  And, man, does it hit home with me, as it should with other parents and coaches.  So, please pay attention to what young Samantha is saying.  For, without heeding her advice, we never get to teach kids the skating, puckhandling and other stuff…

– Dennis Chighisola

Losing Players by the Whistle?

By Sam Hiller

Discipline has always been an important aspect to the game of hockey, but how much is too much? We’ve all seen good coaches, sometimes even great ones, but usually they can only be spotted in the upper levels of age groups and skill level. This is to say that the players these coaches acquire have made it past youth hockey and the issues that many players go through to get to higher levels of the game. Then I ask myself, just how much influence does a coach have on his/her players?

I believe it starts when the player first joins a team at a young age. They have so much to look forward to and every time they lace up their skates (or have someone else lace them) they just want to have a good time. Rarely can they follow positional hockey because they’re just out there to have a good time and put the puck in the net. For a coach, this could be frustrating and sometimes lead to too much screaming and not enough instructing. All parents should be cognizant of the environment their child is playing in regardless of whether or not they’re in competitive or non-competitive hockey. When a player is just learning how to skate or learning the basics of hockey, there’s no need for them to worry about the complex threads of the game because all they want is to have fun. However, fun doesn’t just stop when you have to learn more technical and physical objectives of hockey. My first year of competitive boys hockey as a second-year squirt was probably the biggest jump for me. My coaches were supportive and never yelled at the team or even remotely sucked the fun out of our game, but I learned a lot and carried that with me to peewee hockey. These were the two worst years of my young hockey career where I almost dropped the gloves for good.

My head coach was terrible and even though I was young, I was intelligent, yet he was always condescending towards me. Sometimes the drills weren’t done correctly (frequent in all levels of hockey) and I was usually the example player for what not to do. He pointed out my faults to the team and it was embarrassing to say the least. I was never the star player for those two seasons but I wasn’t the weak link either. Being the only girl on this competitive team, I was often ridiculed by other players and I usually felt uncomfortable in the locker rooms. When I brought this to my coach’s attention he did nothing. He may have said, “treat her like an equal” once, but he looked at me as a woman in a male dominant sport, not a player. It’s almost shocking how our coach’s attitude rubbed off on the team. The players weren’t like that at the beginning of the season, but they soon picked up on the fact that I was not the favorite and got the idea that these actions were okay. Our coach was also rude to referees and occasionally other coaches. With our impressionable minds, we thought this was okay, too, so we joined in. We were no more than 13-years-old and here we were cussing at referees and cheap-shotting players because we hated the other coach. After those seasons I took about four months off. It was just too much to handle. I thought I was going to quit the game that I once loved and couldn’t stop thinking about. While kids my age were crushing on other kids, I was sitting there crushing on hockey and missing every moment of it.

During the summer prior to eighth grade, I went to a hockey school in Breckenridge, Colorado. This camp made me want to wipe the cobwebs off my equipment and get back on the ice because I realized that I wasn’t going to let one coach get in the way of my dreams. Cammi Granato was a guest coach there and I tried to stay beside her for most of the camp and learn as much as I could from her. One day, for lecture, they brought the girls into a meeting room on the second floor of the arena. The fluorescent lighting with the backdrop of a scoreboard and the mountains that lingered outside was the perfect setting for a story. Cammi began to tell us about youth hockey for her and all the issues she faced as a girl on a boys team with a coach that wouldn’t do anything about it. My eyes watered when I thought of my own experiences and now that I reflect on it, I see why many kids drop-out of the sport. Not only women, but boys who think that their coaches don’t care for them or give them a hard time without purpose.

Boys don’t necessarily get to hear these heart-felt stories about how to recover from a terrible season. They can’t complain to another coach and say, “I’m not being treated fairly” because it’s not the ‘masculine’ thing to do. They’re supposed to just suck it up right? So instead of sacrificing dignity, they’d rather quit the game and waste whatever talents they used to have. I have many friends who played AAA hockey or midget major AA and right before junior hockey, they quit. Not because they couldn’t make it, but because they could no longer have fun with the game. The pressure from coaches saying, “you gotta be the best” and skating them until they puke or from parents showing disappointment dwells in a kid’s mind. An 18-year-old is still out there to have a good time, just like a 9-year-old.

Yes, there is a lot to learn and oftentimes a coach needs to be strict with his/her team if they want to get somewhere. From mini mites to midgets is youth hockey and a coach needs to recognize that. What is it that each individual player wants? Some are college-bound and some are not. Some want to play past the age of 40 and some don’t. I believe it’s the job of the coaches to help the players keep open minds about their future with the sport. Something brought them to it, so don’t take that away from them. Coming from the view of a youth player, all I want is for a coach to treat me as an equal to every player on the team. I want a coach who can crack a joke but be honest and serious when it’s necessary. Coming from the view of a young referee, I think the more a coach can respect the rules and how we choose to execute them, the more respect they gain from their players and everyone in the vicinity. We refs make mistakes, too, but I promise you, I don’t hear a coach any better at three times the volume. Finally, coming from a young instructor/coach, I think it’s important to laugh and smile. It’s important to let a kid know that he or she is the future of the game and give them pointers and praise at the same time. It’s our job as instructors and coaches to teach and share our love for hockey with our players.

More On YOUR Hockey Stick’s Shaft

I’ve spent a lot of time with the Slapshot Visualization video over the past few days (see it under the free *Gifts download section).  I mean a LOT of time — running and re-running it so many times that I can probably recite most of it by heart.  In so doing, something really jumped out at me in one of the clips…

Now, those who have been through this site a number of times should probably recognize my grandson, Anthony.  Anyway, in a sequence of on-ice stop-action shots, Tony C’s stick is frozen for all of us to see.  And, it is frozen in a pretty good bend.  In other words, his stick-shaft is REALLY flexed, or loading-up to unleash all it’s power into the waiting puck.

Take a look at Anthony’s stick as it bends quite a bit.  (Actually, I suspect we could have found it to flex all the more if some video frames weren’t missing.)

Next, a funny (and at the same time sad) story…  I knew the science of such things when Anthony first entered the game.  The problem back then was that super-thin shafts weren’t yet available to little guys.  So, I actually trimmed adult wooden sticks so that they’d fit into his little (5-year old) hands, and they’d flex when placed under the small amount of pressure a little one could apply.

The funny (or good) part to this story is that folks marveled at how well he could handle that stick and fire the puck.  In fact, one teammate’s dad constantly told me, “I get goose bumps every time I see Anthony shoot the puck!” 

As for the sad side to this tale…  I always tried to be careful in Anthony’s team lockerroom (although that wasn’t always easy).  But when I took some ribbing about my young buddy’s homemade sticks, I dared explain the science to any nearby parents who might listen.  If there was a problem, few (if any) did heed my advice.  Naw, most of the kids never did get the sort of benefits I’m talking about here — either stickhandling wise or shooting wise.  And hardly any from that group even went on to play local high school hockey.

So, I’m hoping I get the attention of all my friends here (if that’s really needed).  And, I’ll direct you to one of the first videos I posted here when this site first opened — that one on Your Stick.  You (or your player/s) won’t be sorry for the quick review.

Basic Strength Exercises for Ice Hockey Players

Once again Scott is arming you with some great information, this time with exercises that are going to provide you with a strong foundation, as well as help guard you against some injuries.  (If you’ll recall from one of my earlier posts, I mentioned how much faster my grandson has felt on the ice this summer, this surely attributed to the strength he’s gained by doing a workout very similar to the following one.)

Then, just as this entry was being readied, Scott asked me to remind you about his last post, in that it’s important to be well warmed before you start lifting.  In fact, the more attention you pay to those “dynamic” warm-ups, the more you’ll tend to gain from the actual lifting exercises.

– Dennis Chighisola

Click on each exercise Photo to see a short video.

Back Squat

The back squat is much easier to learn than the front squat.  Make sure that your hands are evenly set up on the bar.  When placing the bar on the shoulders you will want to shrug the shoulders back and up to create a “shelf” for the bar to sit on.  If you do not shrug, the bar will sit on your spine which is not good.  The key to the squat is to break the hips first and sit back like sitting back on the toilet.  Make sure that your chest is up with your back arched upwards.  Lastly, maintain a tight grip on the bar.  This will keep your entire upper body tight.   Make sure that your knees do not collapse and that you keep your weight on your heels, not the toes.

Front squat

Although this young hockey player is using kettlebells rather than a loaded bar, the technique is still the same as Scott describes here…

Again, use an even grip.  Keep your elbows up which will keep the bar on your shoulders.  You don’t want the bar on your clavicle (bone at the base of your throat).  Like the back squat, the first movement is to sit back.  Make sure that your knees do not collapse and that you keep your weight on your heels, not the toes.

Bench

Scott is using a slightly different (and more difficult) load to his bar, but the technique is just as he describes here…

Make sure that your grip is closer as opposed to wider.  You are not a power lifter.  Make sure that you keep your elbows tight. Bring the bar down to your nipples or lower.  Ladies, the bottom of your sports bra is correct for you.

Hang pull

Pick up the weight with a stance that is shoulder width apart.  Bend over while pushing your butt back like for the squat.  Stop right above the knee, pause and then explode the bar vertically keeping it tight to the body.  The key is to keep the bar vertical while not hyper-extending your back (leaning backwards).  I suggest holding off on adding weight to the bar until after you have mastered the movement.

Hang clean

Pick up the weight with a stance that is shoulder width apart.  Bend over while pushing your butt back like in the squat.  Stop right above the knee, pause and explode the bar vertically keeping it tight to the body.  The key is to keep the bar vertical while not hyper-extending your back (leaning backwards).  Some coaches teach their athletes to slide their feet out while sitting down.  Like the previous exercise, I recommend adding weight to this after you have mastered the movement.  When you catch the bar, make sure that your elbows are up like in the front squat so that you catch the bar on your shoulders.  As you catch the bar, bend your legs and sit your butt back to absorb the force of the bar.   The Hang Clean is a hang pull and a front squat.  The only added aspect is catching the bar at the your shoulders.

Deadlift

This young lady is performing a variation of the deadlift, but she still serves as a good example of what Scott describes here…

Set up with your feet a little outside of your shoulders, but not much. Grip the bar so that your arms are outside of your legs.  Drop your butt down to the bar keeping your chest up and back arched upwards.    The key to the deadlift is to stand up while keeping your chest up.  Many people straighten their legs when they stand up.  You are supposed to make sure that the movement is one piece, not two.  Drive your heels into the ground as you raise your chest upwards.

Along with his opening suggestions concerning proper warm-ups, Scott also asked me to point-out to you that THIS is the time – at the end of a heavy workout – when “static” stretching should be done.  I’ll let the authority go deeper into this at a later date.  However, let me at least point-out that lactic acid (the byproduct of heavy exercise) builds-up during a workout like this, as well as when you practice on-ice or play a game.  And that’s a major reason for muscle soreness afterwards.  So, if you want to bounce back quicker than usual (and quicker that other players), gradually “cool-down”, and finish by statically stretching all the major muscle groups.  Both will aid in getting the lactic acid moving and on its way out of your body.  (Scott says he uses ”stretch bands” at this point in a workout, and others will suggest massaging the muscles.  But, let me leave those kinds of details to Scott.)

– Dennis Chighisola

Failing HUGE!

Simply one of the best articles to appear on CoachChic.com to date!

– Dennis Chighisola

Shaun Goodsell M.A.
Senior Performance Coach

Mental Edge

After 8 years of working with athletes of all ages I have concluded that there isn’t enough failing taking place.

Now this might sound strange to hear because of our insatiable need to always perform with perfection and excellence. Without a doubt the number one fear and driving force in the mind of many athletes is how their current performance is being seen by a parent or a coach. When this happens the athlete stops being aware of the environment around them and hyper focuses on the opinion and thoughts of the person they are trying to please. This critically injures their capacity to play decisively and aggressively because they are ultimately afraid of displeasing or disappointing their parent or coach. This type of environment stifles the athlete from taking the necessary risks that often result in development and growth.

Ideally, the athlete would be free to learn about what adjustments to make, and what skills need development by focusing on what the game teaches them, when to take a risk, when to hold back, when to stay still and when to move. They are not aware of these important cues when their focus is on pleasing the coach or a parent; they become frozen with fear that something they do will result in disappointment or punishment. Competition will teach the athlete if they are open to taking in what is there to learn and the environment rewards taking risks by communicating with the athlete about what they are trying to do and why. Often times the intention is right on but the execution is lacking. I was watching a soccer game recently and the young player had a really good intention but failed to execute the play. That moment could be used to learn that the skills needed to complete that play need work but the thought behind the play was good.

If you are an athlete that is hampered by a fear of failure I have some tips for you that will help you break free from this disabling state of mind:

1. Focus your attention on mastering your skills. These skills are what you will need to create greater competency in your sport and earn you more and more opportunity in competitive situations.
2. Evaluate yourself by your own set of standards. Determine what your goals are, work for them.
3. Take risks. Risk taking helps us increase our understanding of our abilities and helps us see where we need to work in order to improve. Without taking risks we will never reach our full potential.
4. For every “Failure” there is a potential positive outcome. If you are successful with the risk then there is positive if it doesn’t work out then it doesn’t happen. To make big plays you need big risks and sometimes that means failing.
5. Set out to take risks. Not stupid risks, just risks. The biggest asset you have as an athlete is to use your mind and courage to see what you can do during competition. So next time you are preparing to compete get yourself to fail huge!

*

Having thought long and hard about Shaun’s words — or about his theme, something ultimately struck me…  My guess is that each of us has a favorite pro player or idol.  I know I have several of them.  And, the ironic thing is that I think the one quality I admire most in each of them is their daring.  (I mean, can we picture an Ovechkin here?)  Think about your own favorites — in any sport.  Consider how often they dare to fail.  And, consider that THAT just might be a great quality to emulate!

– Dennis Chighisola

3 on 3 Tournament at Pilgrim Arena

Perhaps like anywhere else, a lot of rinks in the South Shore area of Massachusetts look for creative ways to use ice-time during the off-season months.  Some ideas are probably not all that great, but some surely are.

I think one of those worthwhile undertakings is a weekend long 3 versus 3 tournament held each summer at Pilgrim Arena in Hingham, MA.  (I don’t know why they dubbed that place “Arena”, because it actually houses three ice surfaces, two of regulation size and one that’s considerably smaller.)

FYI…  The guys who run Pilgrim Arena tend to try some of the most unique stuff, even holding summer and fall 4 versus 4 leagues for local high school players.  They seem to have more variety in teaching programs as well (and I sense that small rink gives them the latitude to do a lot more than other local facilities).

The tournament takes place in the middle rink (the smaller one), which sort of forces bigger guys to handle to the puck quickly.  And it’s pretty much all action, with no real stoppages…  As I understand it, member teams supply one guy to quasi-officiate, his job basically including dropping the puck for the one face-off that starts the game, then ruling on goals and penalties.  Oh, ya, there’s a pretty stiff punishment for a penalty, in that the fouled player is awarded a penalty shot.  The play keeps going after a goal, with the scored-upon-goalie quickly dishing the puck to a teammate to start a rush back up-ice.

Teams are composed of 9-skaters and one goaltender.  And most of the participants in this league are either current or former college players or pros.

Anyway, my grandson has played in this event the past two summers, and that’s why I was at the rink yesterday, and why I happened to grab a little video footage.  Hey, besides saving a few clips of Anthony for posterity, I also thought my friends here at CoachChic.com would get a kick out of seeing this kind of format…

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Slapshot Visualization Video

While a free download-able version of this video is/has been made available in the *Gifts category for the month of August, 2009, this entry will always remain available (although not in a downloadable format).  Still, many of the most popular gifts will be re-released at later dates.  Hey, as always, I want to respond to YOUR needs, YOUR requests.

-– Dennis Chighisola

Slapshot Visualization Video

Members might find it interesting that I’ve been using “visualization” techniques with my players for better than a decade, even though the value of these is just becoming known to — or appreciated by — the general population.  (Trust me:  There’s a lot of science to back-up the validity of visualization.)

In the earliest years I used audio to help my hockey school and team players envision carrying out their positional responsibilities — as goaltenders, defensemen, wingers or centermen.  “Mental imagery” it’s called, and this technique has been used by National and Olympic Teams the world over, and it’s been used by figure skaters, downhill skiers, weightlifters and numerous other world class athletes.  (By the way…  I hope to someday resurrect my old audio tapes, convert them to digital, and then make them available in the Gifts section.)

In more recent years broader media capabilities have given me the ability to mix both audio and video, this so my students or players can process the audio instructions while also watching a high level player demonstrate a given skill or tactic.  This has worked awesomely with my students in The MOTION Lab, as well as for the benefit of my Team NEHI players.  And I know this added method of training can do wonders for you.

That said, here’s your on-line version…

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As I suggest in the video, watching it — over and over again — is what will make a difference (a HUGE difference).  And if space permits, I advise members to copy the motions seen in the movie.  (For safety purposes, I have had players in the Lab use short stick-shafts for this purpose.  Learning seems to take hold, even though a regular stick and puck aren’t present.  That makes sense to me, however, since it’s the “motion” we’re trying to acquire.)

Offensive Face-off Plays

As you’ll discover over time, I make a big deal out of face-off plays.  And, although I’ll cover this statement in much more detail at another time, I almost view face-offs — particularly those held deep in either end zone — as I would soccer style free kicks.

For now, though, I believe every team should have a few offensive face-off plays.  As I’ll say in the video, there are numerous plays that could be worked down deep in your rivals’ zone.  At the same time, perfecting just a couple is probably a lot better than having a bunch of them that aren’t nearly as effective.

So, here are a few that have worked well for my teams…

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In hockey defense, know that “Sticks Score Goals!”

I hear you chuckling as your read that title.  Sure, everyone knows that hockey sticks are ultimately responsible for putting the puck in a net.  Yet, the following video is going to give you a better idea about why I make such a big deal out of such a simple premise.

You might also get a hint here about my (unique?) teaching method.  Because, despite all the things that go into preventing a rival player from scoring, I try to give my guys a very simple and clear end-goal to accomplish that.  Said yet another way, I’ve found that my players are ultimately able to measure their own successes or failures in this area because I’ve given them this clear cut responsibility.

Oh, by the way…  Member coaches should see a couple of drills I use to work on this “stick controlling” skill, and I highly recommend you borrow these for your practices…

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