Reply To: Game Intelligence / Decision Training

[hockeygod]

TomM wrote:
It is very difficult to teach players how to play away from the puck. Quick support, give a target, get open, make the easy play, go from offense to defense and defense to offense, 'attack so you can defend and defend so you can attack.'

Teaching Roles One, individual offensive skills, and Role Three, individual defensive skills is much easier because a player can work on these on their own. You need game situations to learn how to read the play and react to the cues to be effective in Game Playing Role Two, the offensive players without the puck and Game Playing Role Four, the defensive players away from the puck.

You can do drills to create some situations that mimic a real game but there is no decisions making. The players know it is a 2-1 or 3-3 etc., so they don't need to read the play and communicate with teammates.

It is important to play SAG and full ice games that create situations that require the players to support on offense and on defense after they have scanned the ice and read what the situation is and then make the appropriate decision.

Last night I worked on close support, facing the puck, giving a target, looking around before you get the puck by playing three full ice games.

Game One:
Full ice game of 8 on 8 with the rule that there must be at least on pass in each zone. We played for 7 minutes and I enforced the rule. The score ended up 0-0 so both teams skated across and back because neither team won.

Game Two:
Full ice game 8 vs 8 of Baggo and the rule of that is that you get 2 touches or one second with the puck. This game requires very quick decision making. Score was 1-0 and the losing team went across and back once.

Game Three:
Full ice game of 4-4 Baggo with 45" shifts, Pass back to the your goalie when the whistle goes to end the shift. The score was 2-1 and the losing team skated one across and back.

These games automatically cause the players to get their heads up, give and go, face the puck, give a target, give close support and a lot of other positive playing habits. Other by products of the games are fitness, fun and competitiveness.

Agreed! The best way to teach players 'how' to play away from the puck (roles 2 and 4) is to SHUT UP and let them play! (This also goes for 1 v 1 up to 5 v 5).

As coaches, we have tried to understand and explain the game by over-analyzing the game. Like a complete genetic code, we have broken it down into such small parts (individual strands of DNA), that when we reconstruct them, they no longer resemble the game. It becomes, at best, a mutated whole… like Jeff Goldblum in "The Fly!" A 2 v 1 or 3 v 2 'drill' does not completely, truly replicate the same situation within a game.

"The game is the best teacher!" Only by playing chaotic, unpredictable games will we truly prepare for the chaotic, unpredictable nature of the game! Patterns / predictable drills might look nice in practice when there isn't any pressure or any accountability (score kept / consequences), but they fall apart in a game! Pressure has a way of doing that… pressure that isn't replicated in traditional drill-oriented hockey practices.

I like how Tom identified what the needs of his players / team were, chose appropriate, purposeful 'games' to help reinforce the use of the individual skills and tactics / team tactics that were required, set the parameters of the 'games' and then 'policed' them… and he kept score!

It didn't sound like he 'told' them how and what to do – just provided the purpose of the games and the 'rules of engagement.' It was up to the players to interpret the rules (or ask questions) for clarification. This is an example of experiential discovery and implicit learning… the BEST way to create long-lasting change within each player! Yes, it might take longer to 'learn' things 'on their own', but you 'guide' them by asking 'leading' questions and by demonstrating patience.

DICTATOR COACHES THAT "TELL / YELL AT" THEIR PLAYERS WHAT TO DO ALL THE TIME ARE CREATING DEPENDENT ATHLETES – THIS IS EXPLICIT TEACHING. We should strive to create the opposite: independent thinkers. After all, we can't play the games FOR our athletes! We should be striving to structure the training environment so it accurately reflects the competitive (game) environment so the players feel like they have played in those competitive situations before (in practice) and are more comfortable doing so. Coaches – quit yelling "Stop / Pass / Shoot / Check" etc. (like lots of parents do) during the practice / game; Instead, calmly survey the situation and provide opportunities for guided discussion on the bench / in the room. "What did you see out there? Would you do anything differently next time? How would you change it? Can you try that next time and see how it works?"

Tom kept score and held the players accountable (reward / punishment system.) The players learned from their experiences. He probably debriefed them after each game… asking them what made them successful (or what challenged them / why did they struggle in ____? and how could you overcome these challenges next time… what specifically would you have to do?) and had them share these thoughts / learning with the group – using leading questions.

This is great coaching! This is why Tom is a successful coach; regardless of the scoreboard. He is creating smarter, better equipped players (and good people.) Hats off to you, Tom… "SIR"!

I suppose one could use these steps as a 'formula' to create excellent practices… Maybe I will put something together and post it later.
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Dean, thanks for the kind words.

Juhani Tamminen is a well known Finnish coach who is famous for his great practices ( he played on a line with Juhani Wahlsten at the end of Juuso's career). Hockey Canada asked him to present at one of the international conferences that they USED to put on every second year. Tamminen drew arrows across ice, full ice, 1/3 ice and put up 1-1, 2-1, 2-2 up to 5-5. He said play games with rules in these areas of the ice in order to create great players.

The delegates were not impressed as they wanted all sorts of elaborate drill but Tammy told them that this is what he did in his famous practices. 'use games to teach the game.' (that is the problem with teachers; they love to give lectures) We play the top team in the league on Sat. and then go to the tournament at Notre Dame next week and are in their division. They were Canadian champs last year.

In my school skills class we had two cross ice games and a one goalie game going and played games like; all must touch the puck before scoring and after you score all must score before you can score again. We also played Baggo '2 touches or 1" with the puck and goals must come from one timer shots." The other game was all must touch the puck but you must make an escape move before you can shoot or pass.

Tonight one of my goalies was sick so I had to modify practice to use only one goalie. We did a 2-2 transition game with a regroup and a hinge and then added a second regroup. We also did an attack, defend, rest rotation to practice the pp and pk using one goale.
I gave the players a sermon on 'deep practice' and how it differs from just showing up and going through the motions.

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