Diary of a Season 2023-2024

Over the years some coaches like to see the practice plans and situations that happen during our season. This year Jim and I along with two of our former players Emily and Mila are coaching a U15 AA girls team that competes with other AA teams in the Province of Alberta. It is the highest level for girls this age.
We just finished watching 160 players in 8 teams play two games then it was cut down to 6 teams, then 4 teams. There are 3 teams in Calgary and we send our rankings to the coordinator who compiles them and sends out the names of the players who move onto the next round of tryouts. We had a 3 team snake draft where we drew first pick and chose to draft forwards first, we got the D second and G third. So F first round went us getting the 1st, and 6th pick. D draft we got 2nd, and 5th and G 3rd and 4th. We now have 15 F, 8 D, 3 G and have to get down to 11 F, 6 D, 2 G in the next ten days. Players not chose will be affiliates along with others we can name from the division below us.

Our first two practices are tonight, and tomorrow and we play two ex games on the weekend.

During the season we practice two times a week and usually play two games. We will also be in some tournaments.

What I see is a huge physical development gap between 09 and 10 players. The extra year of growth for many of the 09's is evident in size, speed strength and most of all confidence.

Players skate and handle the puck really well. Some have good shots but generally shooting is a weakness. Getting the eyes up and making plays right away needs a lot of work. They really work hard. So our task is to change the offense from 1 vs. 5 to 5 vs 5 and to create 2-1's on both offense and defense.

We will start working on those things tonight and for the next 7 months.

Let the season begin.

U15 Fire Black Practice 09-14-23

Lots of game situations with an agility skate and shots then neutral zone regroup and shots followed by a cross ice tournament of 2-2 then 4-4 with three games at once. We played a full ice 2-2 to 4-4 then 3-2 to 5-5 transition game and finished with a full ice game requiring at least one pass in each zone.

We had to send 5 skaters and one goalie down to the A division, which is hard on both players and coaches. Players send down went through 4 stages of reduction from 160 to 57, so they played really well to get this far.

We now have 11 F, 6 D and 2 G. All players sent down are affiliates who can practice with us and be called up for games.

Team U15 Black Practice Plan - 09-14-23 - Time: 16:30-17:45 Arena: Max Bell

Notes:
- Agility skate with puck and shots
- Tomas regroup with shots 2-0
- Tournament 3 net 4-4 cross ice with modified rules
- Continuous 2-2 – 4-4 and 3-2 - 5-5 Transition game
- Full ice at least one pass in each zone
- Cheer in the middle.
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U15 AA Black Practice Plan Date:09-16-23 Time:18:00-20:30 Venue: Bowness
2.5 hr ice time. Flood after 75' and met in room to go over overload-slot set power play with the magnetic board. Players had snacks and oranges.
Lines: Notes:

Parents meet coaches 5:30
Long strides – cutbacks
Edges and balance
Russian puck handling with shots
Machine gun pass and shoot
Stick on puck –
Swedish angling drill
Defensive zone skating
Coach Jim go over pplay in dressing room
Group at each end practice overload
Bob Johnson PP game at one end
Full ice pp – one player in nzone
2/3 ice game – regroup with Jokers below net
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Exhibition Game vs. Red Deer
Red Deer finished second in the division last season with a 17-9 record. Region produces a lot of really good players.
We dominated the first outshooting them 12-3 and firing 3 golden chances over the net, but 0-0 after one. Second was basically even but we scored 1-0. Third we took 3 penalties, and they had an edge in the play. Lots of goals and final was 3-3.
Ice plant broke down so we got scrapes instead of floods and the ice was really soft causing some players to fall when pivoting.
Game showed that when we play with high energy we are very good. Early with only one team practice so far and haven't worked on much. Breakouts, defensive 1-1's are a priority. Two of our D got hit in the head. I sat one after the first. Other D didn't tell us she had a headache until end of the game. Will have to see if two affiliates can play if doctor says they are concussed.
Next week W-Th-Sat practices and play on Sunday.

Fire Black Practice Plan - 09-23-23 - 12:00-15:15 - Mount Pleasant

Notes:

Team picnic outside of rink
Go over high press pk with magnetic rink
Carry puck and shoot High low shooting
Small horseshoe
Point shots
3-0 behind net – east – west – slot - shot
2 pass games – forehand only pass - plays start from below goal line
PK walk through
Specialty Team Sequence

U15 Black Practice Plan Date: 09-25-23 Time: 19:30-20:30 Venue ECTAS
Notes:
Stride and cutbacks
Double zig zag x 3 and shots
Czech agility skate pass-pass-catch + release
Carolina 2-0 Regroup 3-0
DT100 Transition – D join attack 2-1 to 3-2
D202 in Nzone - 5-5 regroup with jokers – goals on one timer or catch and release goals