Good Habits and Effective Play - Develop Elite Players
Traveling around to different arenas in the city and basically around the world the thing I notice is that there is little attention payed to playing with good habits or the transition from offense to defense to loose puck situations.
Game sense can only be developed by playing games and good habits have to happen in these games.
Last night I mentored a U13 team and we played with the rules you must have your stick on the ice and you must face the puck. These are core requirements to be successful but are not emphasized in practices I watch.
Today's skill class featured overspeed puck handling ending with a give and go then a shot and then the players hot and defended vs. the next shooter. So the skills were chanllenged.
The players then played 7 games of 1-1 with 3 regular nets with goalies and 4 small nets.
We moved to 2 games of 2-2 and one of 3-3 with a two pass rule.
Rotatated nets and the rule 'goals can only be scored on give and go plays.' This practices the fundamental of all games with nets.
Rotated again and played two pass with give and go and goals must be scored on one timers.
Thee simple rules teach some of the biggest concepts in the game.
TM Sports has had a lot of success helping players move to the next level. Last season, only counting players who spent at least 60 hours on the practice ice, 12 were playing pro, 3 in the NHL and the rest in Europe. Three major awards, Hobey Baker, NHL Rookie of the Year, Finnish Elite League Rookie of the Year. 15 girl's were playing college hockey in Canada or the USA.
I think this shows that game understanding and good habits are essential elements that need to be worked on for players to move to the highest levels.
The point of this site is to give coaches ideas on how to accomplish this. The games and transition games described on the site are two practice methods that can separate your program from others.
This is a great article on giving feedback when mentoring or coaching.
“I’m giving you these comments because I have very high expectations and I know you can reach them.”
http://www.getsportiq.com/2014/10/the-secret-that-increases-effort-40/
'Enjoy the Game'