Reply To: The Art and Science of Coaching

Dave good to hear from you. I saw your post while we were on the bus back from our game vs Medicine Hat but thought typing on my iphone screen would be too hard bouncing down the highway.

I have attached a copy or Bob's team covenant from a pro team he coached in Germany.

The process is to give the players ownership of the team. They decide the rules, goals and priorities so when you are talking to them you are talking about things they say they want to accomplish. It also gives permission for players to miss because of funerals or family crisis without being criticized. It enables you to set curfews if they will accomplish the goals the players have set.

Team Building:
My team this year had a big sleepover at one of the players houses and made t-shirts for the rookies etc. We haven't lost since they did this. Guys would probably have a get together to watch UFC or something.

We have 15 skaters and as long as they come to practice they play in all the situations and the goalies rotate. I am tempted to go with pp and pk specialists but I haven't and we have had an effective pk and pp so far using everyone. My coach at Bemidji, Bob Peters, always said we are only as good as our weakest player. I want everyone to be able to play in all situations by the end of the season. They will only practice hard if there is a reason to get better and that reason is that they get to play in games and their teammates are relying on them.

Never be a micro manager like my favorite NHL team that I watched yesterday and tell the world in the newspaper that you only have two elite players and the rest are slugs so you must not allow the slugs to cross the blue line with the puck and make a play but to only dump it in and cycle mindlessly until you finally try a blind pass to the middle and the opponents take it down the ic CARRY INTO THE ZONE and create a scoring chance.

You have to allow them to make mistakes and learn from them if they are going to grow. The players own the game and the coach owns the practice.

I think this is the most important thing a coach can do. Give the players a reason to get better and they will surprise you.