Reply To: Challenge of designing effective practices

It is important for the coach to be able to run efficient practices. Once the players know a practice formation and have done one drill or game from it there is no need to draw it up on the white board or if you do it simply requires a quick 30 second description of the new exercise. The coach can change activities by stopping the drill and adding players, passes or situations. Have a quick demo and then start without wasting time.

I will give some examples with video and some suggestions.

During hockey schools and tryouts when you have a lot of players the B4-C1 formation is very efficient for getting a lot of reps and doing many skills and situations from the same starting place.

You can do many situations from the same starting point. C1 is how we code the players lined up in the middle cicle. This practice formation allows the coach to run full length drills on each side of the ice or go one way and then the other if you use all of the lanes.

Variations:

Pucks – place the pucks in the corner, have them inside the circle, have them more than one place where a player can get a new puck after passing.

Numbers – one to five offensive players or combine offensive and defensive players.

Situations
– Skating with the puck and doing exercises like tight turns (We call it B4 when doing unopposed skills).
– Breakouts usually shoot and then get a new puck from the corner and breakout the new players.
https://www.hockeycoachingabcs.com/videos/watch/c1-2-0-with-breakout-pass/

– Dump in and break out.

– Teach attack concepts.
C1-B4, 2-0 Skate Inside and Pass Outside
https://www.hockeycoachingabcs.com/videos/watch/b4-2-0-skate-inside-pass-outside/

– 1-1, 2-1, 2-2 on each side.

– Regroups .
C1 Regroup-Stretch Pass
http://www.hockeycoachingabcs.com/mediagallery/video.php?n=20090901074922525

-Pass and Peplace
C1-B4 Regroup and 1-0, 2-0 x 2
http://www.hockeycoachingabcs.com/mediagallery/video.php?n=20111020071308202

Example posting below.
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C1 Flow with Breakout Timing 1-0, 2-0

Key Points:
Players taking the pass must face the puck and give a target. Player passing should get between the dots with feet moving then pass. On a 2-0 only allow one pass in the offensive zone before shooting.

Description;
1. Players are lined up down the centre of the rink in the C1 formation. Pucks in the corner.
2. The first player at each end, 1 and 2 leave, pick up a puck, skate down the ice, shoot and rebound.
3. Next player in line leave and time the support from either the boards or the middle lane and give a target for a breakout pass. Then go down and shoot.
4. Progress to 2 players giving support from the boards and middle lane.
5. Regroups can be added by having the passer follow the attack.
* 1-1 and 2-1 can be created by another player leaving the line and defending.

https://www.hockeycoachingabcs.com/videos/watch/c1-2-0-with-breakout-pass/