You Don’t Need Ice – An Introduction
THANK YOU!
Yes, please let me begin with a huge THANK YOU! for allowing me into your hockey world. I promise — at least to the best of my ability, that I won’t disappoint you.
– Dennis Chighisola
(“Coach Chic”)
You Don’t Need Ice – An Introduction
Just so you know, the various entries in the “You Don’t Need Ice” series will be coming to you a few days apart. First, my hope is to not overwhelm either you or your email in-box. Secondly, I’m hoping that each video will be at least somewhat thought-provoking, and that you’ll want to relax and take your time contemplating each.
I might suggest that you be ready to jot some notes as you watch those videos. A lot of times, as I’m explaining a given principle, I’ll also be showing brief footage of my hockey school, clinic or team players performing some pretty unusual drills. I’m sure you’ll understand what’s happening in most of those clips. But, should you ever have a question (or if you ever have a problem during this series), please don’t hesitate to email me. My aim is to always be here for my hockey friends.
I’m sure you’ve guessed already, that the gist of this series focuses on how much can be accomplished away from the ice. And, I’m hoping you’ll be convinced of that, at least by the time this series is complete.
What you’ll discover in the first video is that my deep belief in off-ice training began with my long ago studies in the old Soviet Union. It was an eye-opening experience, for sure. Actually, I left North America with a sense that I was fairly close to knowing-it-all. It took about a day of classes there in Moscow, however, to realize I knew almost nothing. Ya, again, the things I saw and experienced there were truly awing.
To be honest, though, that’s one of the best things that ever happened to me as a young hockey coach. I mean, from that point forward, I viewed absolutely every new training idea with an extremely open mind. Better yet, those USSR experiences have caused me to continually search far and wide for new ideas.
(Okay, so the photo off to the right has already caused you to wonder what the heck that youngster is wearing on his face. 
Actually, it’s a basketball training aid that prevents a dribbler from being able to look down at the ball as he or she moves. Good idea, huh? But, so has it been a good idea for my hockey players to wear their own Dribble Aids as they work on their — eyes-up — puckhandling!)
That is also my hope for you — that you’ll view any new concepts, principles or training devices with an open mind, and ultimately gather a lot of great new ideas. In fact, although you’re going to see the following quote a few more times over coming days, I think it’s worthwhile to share it with you before we even get underway…
“One’s mind, stretched by a new idea, never regains its original shape.”
— Oliver Wendell Holmes
Truly, I’m hoping you’ll discover how many physical attributes can be enhanced away from costly ice-time (and oftentimes even better than we could accomplish such things on the ice). Actually, the 5th video in this series is also going to show ways in which hockey positioning and team tactics can also be enhanced outdoors or in a gymnasium.
Now, as I said at the start, I don’t want to flood your inbox with emails. So, I hope you’ll look forward to hearing from me in two days for the first real installment of “You Don’t Need Ice!”
Finally, I’m hoping along the way that you’ll discover that my true aim in life is to find the quickest, easiest and least costly ways to achieve some pretty amazing…
Talk to you soon,
Dennis Chighisola
PS: If you have a friend who might be interested in this series, please send him or her to the following link… Sign-up Form. If they’re really into hockey, they’re sure to thank you.
This video series is brought to you by…
You won’t find any hockey sticks, skates or pucks here!
Only hard-to-find training help you probably haven’t ever seen before!