Reply To: Game Intelligence / Decision Training

European vs North American training and player development:

Interesting comment from the Slovak perspective: the handful of kids who left Slovakia to play Major Junior in North America, although the most skilled on the Slovak junior team, their fitness level as a group has decreased since they left. They have lost muscle mass (and weight) and appear to be struggling with nutrition. They are weaker than when they were at home.

Suggestions / possible reasons for this: At home, the Slovaks train intensively on and off-ice with a very taxing (but scientifically periodized) training program. They are on the ice several times per week (sometimes twice per day) as well as doing one to two dryland sessions per day. They typically play two games per week and still manage to schedule rest periods into their training blocks. These kids play against professional men; so strength, size and smarts are taxed to a high level every game!

In NA, they typically practice once per day (sometimes will have an extra session, but it is rare) and the off-ice is only formally done a couple of times per week. They usually play three games per week and have a brutal travel schedule (unlike the Slovak home schedule.) Games are against their age group peers.

In a perfect world, none of the Slovak kids would leave home for Major Junior – they would all stay home and train together (at least till they are 19-20 years old.)