Reply To: Game Intelligence / Decision Training

[hockeygod]

You are more than welcome, RookieCoach. This is a great forum to read, learn, post with questions or comments… it is a form of professional development that more coaches should take advantage of!

Tom's book continues to produce 'golden nuggets' whenever I read it. You are right, a coach should understand the game and his own team's needs; then implement an accountable plan (games!) to help improve those aspects. Accountability accelerates and cements learning!

By having to help with different teams at different levels (and ages), this helps make you a better coach. It helps put things into perspective for sure. After coaching Pro, Junior and University for 2/3 of my coaching career, it is a real eye opener to come back to minor hockey. The best coaches should be at the youngest levels as these require the most teaching ability. Sad to see our culture is upside down… only the coaches at the top of the pyramid typically get paid (and they seem to be the 'weakest' coaches); whereas we should be paying the coaches developing our kids (as players and people) at the grassroots up to Midget levels. These coaches have the most impact (for better of for worse).

I agree with your comment on preparation. Kids can tell who comes prepared and who 'wings it'! They respect the preparation and coaches should take this professional obligation personally.

I will keep working on you, RookieCoach, to change your old-school ways! My first suggestion to any coach is to take out a regular 'drill' practice and challenge yourself to re-write it such that you have two teams (two colours; goalies compete against each other) and you can make each of your 'old' drills into a competition somehow (measure time, shots on net, goals, etc. – you set the parameters and the 'scoring' system / keep track of the accountability), determine where the AC's stand and what they do (keep track of the score at their end, etc.) and spell out what the HC needs to do to keep the drill running. Then I will ask the coach to start implementing some of Tom's games, or the Smart Transitional Games developed by John and ! (I am still working on the book – I will announce it when it is ready – maybe Tom can put it up for sale on the site?) Then I will ask the coach to throw away the drills and play games that help simulate the game… and ask the coaches what these games teach.

I am a lifelong learner and I see you (and many others on this site) are as well. Nice to see! Keep it up. I look forward to your future posts!

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