Reply To: Game Intelligence / Decision Training

[Tom Molloy]

I like the players to start drills on their own and only use the whistle to end an activity or to stop everyone if there seems to be confusion. I also like to have routines that the players know such as an edges and balance sequence we do at the start of most practices. The exercises are the same but sometimes with a puc and sometimes ending with a shot. I also have some passing sequences that run themselves and create lots of passing situations.

Games and transition games can also be learned as routines. The players use the same area of the ice with similar rules but the coach adds variations to work on details.

All of these routines free the coach to observe and interact with the players instead of being a traffic cop with a whistle.

It is important for coaches to stand in places where they can talk with players. i.e. at the end of the lineup on the boards in transiton games to make it easy to talk with the player when they are recovering and waiting for the next rep.

Questioning in the Guided Discovery style of teaching is a good method but not the only effective method. Sometimes Command Style when you show efficient technique is the best. Other times you just leave the players alone and allow the Game to Teach the Game through 'Tacit Learning.'

We all learn differently and coaches have to use many teaching styles to reach the maximum number of players.

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