Reply To: Game Intelligence / Decision Training

[Tom Molloy]

Rookie Coach, the transition games have a lot of advantages and they are not understood by many coaches and I hardly ever see them used. Even in Austria where I coached with elite coaches from every major hockey nation I saw very few transition games. they were still stuck in the whistle and drills Pavlov era. (I just heard a bell and can't figure out why I am salivating)

– players change on the go and there are no whistles; so the coach is free to coach and not be a traffic cop.
– you can vary the number of players joining the play which creates any numerical situation you want the players to work on. Talk to them when they return to the line-up about their decisions in that situation.
– add variations such as dump-ins or regroups to replicate real game situations.
– transition games can be played in any area; one zone, cross ice, half the rink, 2/3 of the rink etc.
– you can vary between passive support, active support or some players active and some players passive when they join the play.
– both offense and defense can get support.
– another benefit is that the transition games are so intense that you DON'T NEED TO DO CONDITIONING SKATING; your players will be doing GAMELIKE SKATING at high intensity which is much better than skating in directions you don't skate in games (straight up and back, stop and starting, around nets)
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In the DT400 (game on one goal with extra players waiting for their turn) you can vary the number of supporting players from 1-to 3. If you have passive support from 3 players then everyone works on the 3 on 3 attack, cycle and low dzone coverage.

In the DT400 2-2 game with back pressure that I posted yesterday the closest supporting player gives back pressure on the puck carrier and pushes him/her into the defender in a defensive 2-1. My team always back pressures and that player stays low in the zone; so it is a great way to practice this skill and also forces the attackers to go to the net quickly or they won't have a play.

In the DT400 2-2 with a regroup everyone learns how to hinge and the regrouping attackers must give wall and middle support. The defenders must gap up and take away ice. These are all things that are important habits especially if you want your team to play TOTAL HOCKEY like we are attempting to do.

Next practice we will do a DT100 (full ice with new players rotating in) transition game with the defenders getting passive support from the point, i.e. the defenders will just keep the puck in and defend vs the original defensive players who will attack the other way. This will have everyone practice a full ice 2 on 2 and low zone play. I will then add that the 2 players at the point are actice, i.e. you can pass to them as jokers, they can shoot or pass right away but can't go in. This causes the 2 low attackers to get open for a pass and tip, screen, rebound, while the defenders must stay dside and cover one each, box out, seal sticks to the outside and breakout. You can vary the number of supporting players as well.

I belive that transition games are the logical progression from situation drills and require a lot more GAME INTELLIGENCE. Many times we play a certain situation to something like 3 goals and then change the amount of players supporting.

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