Reply To: Game Intelligence / Decision Training

[Tom Molloy]

I have a patch on one eye with antibiotics in it; so the typing may not be so great with my eyes closed. This is how I want my players to be able to play the game; except the eyes closed part. I learned to touch type in high schhool and the skill stayed with me even though I didn't type for twenty five years until I got a computer.
The teacher insisted that we have good posture and we were tested regularly and earned the right to advance to the next letters. It was a drill and practice methodwith a planned progression and the consequence that we were gradedd on how fast we could type.

Coaches have to have a progression in mind that has a scope and sequence but in hockey it is not just the technical skill but also the ability to use these skills at the proper place and time during a game. That is like moving across the hall to englih class and writing stories with the typewriter.

So it seems to me the question is 'how do we get players to involve themselves in 'deep practice' where they identify mistakes and work through them until they can do it? Daniel Coyle has a video on his site where he learns to dribble the golf bacll like Tiger by using deep practice. He is self motivated and has no instructor but a video of Tiger. The Turkish coach Deniz wanted to learn how to play hockey so he got a vhs of Mario Lemieux and watched it, then practice on his own, then watched it again until the tape wore our-t and he couldn't watch it anymore. He is pretty good.

When I worked with a team from the orient they would get good athletes and bring them here for a month with ninety six hours on the ice. Some of the coaches of the younger teams would punish the players by making them stand with their hands on the bboards and the coach would beat them on the behind with his hockey stick, and if he was really mad the last whack would be to the back of the knees. Another coach would simply call the player over and he would slug him on the jaw two ot=r three times. S I had to make sure I kept my voice calm because if the coach thought I was upset then some player was going to get hammered. Later teams stopped doing this but used other punishments like hands behind the back, forehead oand toes on the ground then hold yourself for designated amounts of time.

So I have seen a lot. I have also seen our western culture change from where a clild crying in the mall. Then eveyone looked at the parents and condemed them if they didn't spank the kid to now if a parent touches the kid cell phones would be calling the poice .

So hw do we achieve deep practice and hold players accountable for how they practice.

I would like to read what punishments or rewards are given for players doing Deep Practice.

My eyes are still closed so I hope this is readable.

'The Game is the Greatest Coach'
'Enjoy the Game'