Reply To: Season Plan

[Tom Molloy]

Iceman, the season outline looks solid. My only suggestion, and you may already have done this, is to use the 4 game playing roles as the template to rotate the themes of each ice session or in Pops case divide the 2 ice sessions into 4 parts. What do you want in place early in the season as the basis for everything else you will progress towards.

Also at an early player meeting I suggest you have the players come up with a team covenant that lists behavior and performance expectations in about 10 short points.

We start the second week of September and will have 2 practices a week. My early focus will be.
Role 1. Puck control all around the body and against opposition.
Role 3. D side positioning, stick on the puck, stick in passing lanes and tight gaps.
Role 2. Forecheck and breakouts.
Role 4. Back checking and D zone coverage.

We will progress to specialty teams later as well as regroups etc. Lots of games for skills and decision making and transition games for situations and team play.

My players have all played NCAA or CIS or on the National U22 or National team so it isn't teaching the skills but improving the technique and stressing good habits which are the key to playing well.

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