Reply To: Developing a Season Plan

[hockeygod]

TomM wrote:
So I have a suggestion when you are starting your season plan for next year.

First you have to decided 'Do I want to teach How to Do Drills or Do I want to teach HOCKEY.

Tom,

I remember when you told me about this story years ago, I shook my head. I can understand Hockey Canada seeing your book as competition to their old Nike Skills Manuals as they put a lot of time and money into them; as well, sponsorship monies and contracts probably precluded HC from endorsing something similar. Even so, your book is so far superior the the Skills Manual's that they can't even be considered 'competition'. HC's manuals are DRILL MANUALS. Your book goes far deeper and brings forth the philosophy of the game and how to best make this philosophy take shape on the ice – so it is theoretical (helping explain the game in easy terms) and highly practical!

HC's manuals are simply a collection of drills stapled together – somewhat disjointedly with little or no regard for progressing within the practice or from one practice to another. When I look at them with a critical eye, it looks like they assembled a writer's group and asked for their favourite drills – later trying to group them by age appropriateness – then ramming them together into a 'Novice' or "Atom', etc. Manual. Great idea but the final product is lacking; especially when compared to your book! (I did a similar thing to HC back in the 1990's – I identified several team tactical aspects of the game and then 'filled in' the categories with several drills for each category. I remember being pretty pleased with myself – I had made a 'better' manual specific to my needs! I got input from several of my peers but in all honesty, 85% of the drills were very similar to mine… in retrospect, making me think that hockey coaches aren't very creative and demonstrating the existing culture of hockey coaching really throws a blanket over drills!)

By this I mean that it seems there are a 'core' of similar drills that prevail across the country… continent! (Can't comment on the 'world' as I haven't seen enough international practices – has anybody?) I have watched almost every NHL team practice since moving back to Calgary in 2001 and the only thing that changes are the colours of practice jersey (and personnel) on the ice. Same thing can be said in junior and minor hockey based on my evaluations performed for HC and HA (and done on my own time for my own interest). Not a lot of creativity out there. We coaches seem to have a "DRILL OBSESSION" and line up like sheep for the next 'latest and greatest' drill manual. Sadly, the Holy Grail is not to be found there. But it is more likely to be inspired by reading your book…!

Hockey should be coached in a complete fashion; not by stringing a bunch of unrealistic (non-competitive / non-accountable) drills together to FILL TIME!

It isn't about filling time with drills; it is about providing your players an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the game by providing practice situations that challenge their skill set and decision-making processes – under game like conditions (scoreboard / accountability) – allowing them to fail or succeed and to learn implicitly from these – and 'guiding' them; not telling them, what to do! ("Shut Up Coaches! Let the kids figure it out on their own!")

So it also involves one's coaching philosophy (the critical starting point – 99.9% overlooked and / or misunderstood) and constantly improving ones own knowledge on their level of understanding of the game (relating practices to games to practices and how it relates to the age, skill level and LTAD stage of their athletes) … constantly reflecting on how to be a better coach.

To quote the most interesting man in the world (on TV and radio ads, anyways!), "I don't always drink beer, but when I do, I prefer Dos Equis. Stay Thirsty (and open minded for knowledge), my friends."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U18VkI0uDxE
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Dean, thanks for the comments. Problem solving is the most difficult thing to teach. Even my wife who is in charge of the nurses in a renal units says 'they get trained in how and what to do but few new nurses are very good at problem solving.' I am sure it is a problem in most industries and ovccupations. How do we instruct not only the What and How but also the Why and When.
Juhani is currently working with both the Finnish Education Ministry and FIHA to help them become better at teaching problem solving.

I have probably seen practices from many nations as much as anyone. The Red Bulls mandate was to have coaches from all the hockey nations; so I watched practices from high level coaches including; 1 Russian, 2 Swedes, 1 Czech, 1 Slovak, 1 American, 1 Finn, 1 Canadian, 2 Austrians there along with my travels to places like Norway, Korea, Germany etc.

While attending my daughters graduation last week I talked with wom people at Athabasca University about doing a Masters with the topic of comparing the hockey coaching methods with the culture of the various hockey coaching nations. (i.e. when the Australian National Women's Team played my college team they all had a cold tub treatment after the game for recovery before joining us in a receptions we did for them) Another example was the Koreans felt obligated to pass to the oldest player on the ice.
Anyway that is a thought for another thread.
Tom

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."