Reply To: Discussion – “The Talent Code”

[Peter Allen]

peter wrote:
I’m just starting to read The Talent Code, but have read a lot of comments about the book. Love the idea about DEEP PRACTICE, and would like to set up drills to accomplish this, but not sure on how to do this. I like to use the following drills in my Novice hockey practices, and feel these do relate to Deep Practice: Would love to hear comments.

Cross Ice 2-2, 3-3, or 4-4 is the equivalent to Futsal, making and correcting errors, lots of puck touches.

2 – 2 Keep away – same reasons as the cross ice.

Circle Monkey in the Middle – 1 or 2 players in the middle of a faceoff circle, 4 to 5 players making one touch passes through the circle. Start with the players in the circle without sticks.

Target Shots – Have the players aim at targets on the boards, kids are really focused to hit the targets. Targets can get smaller as the players get better.

Quick Hands – Players stickhandle through pucks that are spaced out 1.5 feet apart, they see their mistakes when they hit a puck.

I am thinking about doing time trials with the kids for quick turns, and any puck control circuits???
In this way the kids will work on beating their best time. Is this something that coaches in hockey do? Do you guys think this makes sense?
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Peter good to see you taking part in the forum.
I think all of the ideas above are good practice activities. If the players focus and work on correcting any mistake they make right away then it is deep practice. So trying, failing, trying to correct the mistake, failing again, modifying what you are doing to correct the mistake is deep practice.

Do things really well before focusing on speed. If they are competent at a skill then do time trials as it is a way to set up deep practice at going full speed.
Tom

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Thank you Tom, love your ideas.