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hockeygodAberdeen,
Three good reads for you:
(1) InsideOut Coaching by Joe Ehrmann
(2) The Double-Goal Coach by Jim Thompson (he also has another book that is excellent!)
(3) Bruce Brown's material (available for discount if bought in 'bulk') – he is at:
http://www.proactivecoaching.info
Once you have read this material yourself, I highly advise these young coaches to be provided access to these – and not all at once – so they don't get overwhelmed. I like Bruce's stuff as you can hand out booklets (better, less intimidating bite-sized pieces.)
Don't worry about the X's and O's… have fun and play lots of cross-ice games! Skills will be learned from within the games. The most important things for these coaches are how they treat people!
You are well on your way as per your 2nd question. Stick length (and composition – these kids don't need composite; save the $ and buy junior (or intermediate) wooden sticks for the kids – the parents will love you for this! It is easier / cheaper to find the right size and develop a feel for the puck… and the straighter the curve, the better!), how to get dressed, proper equipment fitting, use of mouthguards and neck guards, etc.
Safety and function are important, as is "Positive Coaching & Fun." I would include a brief summary of your mentoring philosophy (values, morals, ethics and a couple examples of integrity – "values in action" for the coaches / parents / kids) and how these will impact the development of the kids as people and athletes. The overall plan can be a work in progress as you will add and subtract in the future based on this experience, but it is important to make them aware of your demonstratable expectations (the parents, coaches and kids).
I am including a couple of documents that may (or may not!) provide you with some food for thought.
Don't feel you need to know all the answers from the start. Provide a general framework with a few specifics (values, the plan) and be prepared to learn / adapt as you go. But stick to your values!!!
Mentorship is a living, breathing animal and you will find there isn't a "one size fits all" because you deal with different coaches (and they each bring their own point of view and philosophy to the rink.) Not everyone 'wants' mentorship… you need to develop a relationship with 'your people'… ask them what they want (as a suggestion, provide a specific checklist containing aspects of both the art and science of coaching… have them rank order their top 5 out of 20 as an example… but make sure you can specifically identify 20 factors and can develop a potential plan to deal with them! This will give you an introduction to your coaches and see if you can find some commonality to their needs so you can mazimize your time!)
Best wishes with your mentorship! Because you are open-minded and are looking for suggestions, I know you will do a terrific job! Please keep us informed and ask more questions if you want. We might not know all the answers, but we will try to help as best we can!
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Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
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