Reply To: Need Advice: Preparing to Play More Skilled Team

[hockeygod]

Dman,

Tough news but hopefully the kids learn that they need to be more disciplined and not to take the other team for granted. Sometimes these are valuable lessons NOW for later on… Keep sitting kids as ice time is the one commodity you can leverage!

Don't get discouraged (and drink of all that lovely Sierra Nevada product!) Keep it up with the systems adjustments you have made. Hold the course and see how the kids respond next week (practice and games.)

Try to do a bunch of battle drills (or drills / games 1 vs 1's where you have 2 or 3 teams and keep score – losers skate / do push-ups, pick up pucks, etc.) That accountability in practice should help reacquaint them with 'desire' (they don't want to let their teammates down / be the guy who causes the team to lose (peer pressure) / they have some pride and want to compete.)

Good luck. Keep us posted.

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