Good Habits at Practice? The Art of Coaching!

[Kai K]

I like how Kai outlined his weekly template. I wondered what he thought of it?

His question, “What is your opinion, should the practice after the game reflect the game you had?" I see this as a “what comes first – the chicken or the egg" big picture question – i.e.: what comes first. I certainly think that there is a great inter-relationship between performance in games and what you do in practice (both before and after the games.)

Dean

The main principles in our YTP and week schedule are:

Long term player development. we want to give to our players good set of tools to future (especially off-ice). With U18 players who have sensitive period on strength, endurance and elasticity. So we really want to set up good base for future training. With skills you work with details and perfect the skill base that players have. So it’s heavy physically template. On ice we work with game sense

Diverse off and on ice training. on off-ice we want to keep it diverse (play basketball, soccer, ultimate etc.) and train the skills off- ice (agility, coordination, elasticity). We try to keep the endurance training diverse and fun.

Themed and focused practices on ice and off -ice. In our training 80%-90% is focused on offensive skills and playing. The YTP is chopped in five week periods each week has its own theme or focus.

How did work? Well I believe the Monday's recovery / skill training served three needs: recovery from the weekend games, work on aerobic endurance, and train individual skills. Players liked it too.
It’s a big challenge to fit the things you need to do in one week. That's why good planning and themes and focuses help. So that you your not trying to do everything every time. According to Harri Hakkarainen with youth players you should have two speed trainings and two strength trainings in week template.

I don't know if this post gives any answers or does it make any sense to anyone (I'm trying to wacth the Jets game at the same time)

Kai

[hockeygod]

Kai,

1) I appreciated your detailed answer. Excellent to find a coach with a purpose behind their plan. Me likey!

2) Your avatar is truly awesome! But you need to find a bigger glass if you want to run with the big dogs…!

3) Your reference to Monty Python was hysterical! I just about purchased their entire DVD collection yesterday – ALL of the episodes ever produced!

All three reasons mean we will have to meet up for a good beer-fueled discussion in person some day! You will have to let me know where to find you in Finland. I have been threatening to return for some time… preferably in the spring or summer as it was too bloody cold in the winter when I was last there (as a player in 1982 ish?) I prefer dark beers greater than 9.8%!

I have Olli Riihimäki visiting from Jyväskylä. He is a principal there. He and his wife are on an exchange until Dec 1. He is a former semi-pro soccer goalie and a floorball player from the late 1980's. He has been out for beer with me a couple of times (and Tom joined us last week.)

Cheers!

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

[DMan]

Kai- Good reminder on the focused practice. One of our assistants is a soccer coach in a successful program and they use themed practices. (ex. "Today we're going to focus on defensive side positioning") It's really tempting to throw offensive ideas in there too, but the trick is to keep the message really clear and focused on one thing. I think this helps the players greatly.

Dean: What template are you talking about?
Tom: How do I get one of those beer pics by my name? I've tried signing up several times but I never get a confirmation email.

[hockeygod]

Dman,

Soccer coaches have taught me SO much… I want to hang out with some basketball coaches too since it is so similar to hockey! My friend Dan went to watch University of Florida (Urban Meyer) run their spring camp a few years ago. They got an inner look at what happens (highly organized, positive and no swearing) and it sounded AMAZING! I heard there is a similar 2011 spring camp (Easter weekend?) being hosted in Oregon. Once I get the info, I will post. I don't know much about football, but am willing to learn about the art of coaching from some top NCAA coaches. Just need to find out the exact dates / times / costs and see if I can swing it!

The "template" to which I am referring to Kai's "weekly plan" or template that he detailed above – Monday is x, Tuesday is x, etc.

We need more beer avatars so I hope Tom can help you… tonight, with the first winter storm upon us, I chose a lovely Australian port for consumption as a change up to my 9.9% Blue Monk Barley Wine. For a mere $20 bottle (my next door neighbour owns a specialty wine / beer store and home delivers whatever I need at a discounted rate!), it was quite delightful. Tawny in colour with sweet fruit on the palate, and a pleasing dry finish. Of course, like any experienced hockey coach, I only drink ice-cold port – exactly how I like my beer… Mmmmmmmm….

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

[Kai K]

DMan,

I used have bad habit of trying to fit erything in one practice. Planing has helped me to correct my tendensies. I'm learning to coach players comprehensively one focus at a time. And I had also a great mentor.

Dean,
I live in Vaasa. Meet up with few beers sounds great!

Kai

[hockeygod]

Kai,

When I was younger, I have also been guilty of trying to jam too much into practice ! A YTP helps me see the big picture and then I adjust daily / weekly. Themes / areas of focus are indeed helpful and I try to keep some time at the start and / or end of practice for individual skill development; sometimes, I will have to cut a drill or two short (or cut them out all together) just so I don't go right up to the last possible second.

I have found it is better to allow players to have at least 5 minutes at the end to work on their own stuff. Then the coaches and I circulate around to provide help / feedback, etc. if needed. It has to be constructive stuff; not just fooling around or playing 'rebound!' This 'Management By Walking Around' (MBWA) is a good way to connect individually and personally with your players and keeps the lines of communication open.

"Athletes don't care how much you know until they know how much you care!" You need to build this relationship with each individual. Then by working WITH them, them to achieve their goals that they have identified – you are showing them how to become a better player. This builds trust and rapport.

Speaking with soccer Coach John today (one of my mentors!), he told me of a story of a group of U14 girls he is coaching this year. One girl has an amazing amount of skill but is a bit cheeky / doesn't work as hard as the others. This is a skill academy setting, so John can't take away playing time, etc. So he told her he expects each girl to juggle at least 250 times stationary, with each foot, by the end of March 2011. If this individual can't do it, John will no longer "pay attention" to her at practice. John will focus his individual attention to those girls who demonstrate a positive attitude and a strong work ethic. He told her this (and to her parents) and they are in full support. John isn't being mean; but he is communication expectations clearly; establishing measurable goals and a timeline for the player. He isn't yelling at her. He is saying, "I will work with you as long as you work with me. If you choose not to work hard on your own, then I will not give any more of my individual time to you. It is up to you to make this work." I thought it was a great way to address the issue.

So Kai, mentors are very important. I speak with John almost daily. I also act as a mentor to several other people – so I can try to give back to the game / to the profession. Mentoring is a two-way street – when I offer my time to other coaches, I learn new things and it is a form of professional development for me, too! Leadership, listening skills, problem-solving, etc. all come into play…

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

[hockeygod]

What else can Renney do?
Oiler coach running out of options
By ROBERT TYCHKOWSKI, QMI Agency
November 25, 2010

EDMONTON – He’s benched the fourth line, the rookies, some veterans and he’s called the team out publicly, after lighting into them privately.

And we’re not even into December.

Tom Renney is working his way through the Grab Their Attention checklist and still hasn’t managed to grab the Oilers attention, or at least keep it for more than one game a week.

Like vanquished coaches Craig MacTavish and Pat Quinn before him, Renney is running out of ways to inject some passion and focus into a group that’s lost by four or more goals five times (5-0, 7-1, 8-2, 6-2 and 5-0) in the last eight starts and has been out-shot to the tune of 19-4, 16-4, 11-5, 20-4 in the last four opening periods.

You have to go back six games to even find a night when Edmonton even had more than five shots in a first period.

So the coach scans his checklist, choosing to run battle drills Wednesday instead of giving them the day off they expected.

“Nobody’s happy with that type of a performance and how we mismanaged our game,” Renney said of the 5-0 loss Tuesday in Phoenix. “At the end of the day there are some tools that you have to look at as a coach that can help you put the proper premium on how they have to play.

“I think I’ve shown a few examples of how that can work. And I’ve got more bullets in the chamber.”

He’s not bluffing and he doesn’t play favourites, not that there’s anybody left in the room who thinks otherwise after Renney benched the captain and the first pick overall in a span of two weeks.

“Tom can be hard on us, he has been in the past,” said Shawn Horcoff, adding what we see publicly is pretty tame compared with the stuff behind closed doors. “He holds guys accountable. It’s definitely a point he’s got across to everyone and he’ll continue to do that until we get it right.”

Renney carved them after the Phoenix loss, the first time he’s come out and questioned their commitment and pride. The only surprise is that it took this long.

“Tom’s been very patient with us, very positive,” said Colin Fraser. “And that’s what we want to have, a positive attitude in here. But when you give up six, seven, five goals as often as we have been lately it’s tough to stay positive. Guy’s don’t want to accept that.”

They seem to be accepting of defeat sometimes, which is most concerning. You honestly have to wonder about a team that plays the way Edmonton did on Tuesday. If they play that way in front of their dads, who exactly are they saving the inspired efforts for?

“With his coaching and the game plan we have there’s no excuses for the efforts we put out some nights,” said Andrew Cogliano. “We have skill in here, we have guys who want to play hard, but some nights the compete level just isn’t there.”

So Renney, like Quinn and MacTavish, will continue to dig. But there are delicate balances between accepting growing pains and accepting losing, between laying down the law and losing the room.

“If I’m in there so often doing those things then it become redundant and they’ll turn me off,” said Renney. “So you have to be creative and inventive as a coach in terms of how you get those messages across and by what mechanism. That’s the art of coaching.

“We’re still nurturing, we’re still supportive, we’re still demanding. And when we need to, we draw a hard line. That’s what this year is going to be all about.

“I thought we played pretty good in Anaheim and I thought we played pretty good at home against Phoenix, as much as we let them come back and tie us.

“I thought we might have been able to kind of round the corner there but this appears to be a pretty big corner.”

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

[hockeygod]

http://www.istadia.com/article/jspano/198

Creating Good Habits
Category: Sports Performance | Specialism: Sports Psychology

Just about everything we do in sports is a habit

Just about everything we do in sports is a habit. Our preparation is based on habit, our practice is based on habit, our technique is based on habit, and even strategy can be somewhat habitual. The key point is habits encompass every part of athletic performance. Yet one of the major areas of poor performance is bad habits. To correct bad habits and maximize the power of good habits there are some questions that must be answered first. How do we create habits? What makes a good habit different than a bad habit? And what characteristics are needed to create good habits?

Habits are created by repeating an action every time a particular situation occurs. This ranges from how you brush your teeth to your warm-up routine to your sport specific technique. Practice, practice, and more practice create habits. Whether the habits are good or bad is dependent on other areas.

Good habits are basic things in everyday life that can make things easier, more efficient, and better for everyone involved not just the lone athlete. They do not necessarily need to be used every second of my day but if they can employ them as often as possible there can significant improvements. (The opposite is true of bad habits, the more they are used the more likely one will experience poor performance).

When it comes to creating/changing habits the individual should be proactive, manage the use of time, be confidence, and focus attention towards the changing habit. Being proactive is simply taking the initiative and not waiting for others to act first. It is acting not reacting, which many people do. It is also about being responsible for those actions that you chose to make. For example, why are you warming-up that way? How do you know it gets you ready? Is there something else you could be doing?

Habits, even if they are automatic take time and in sports sometimes there is not enough time to do every little think that feels "comfortable". So without stepping completely out of your comfort zone, put the most important things first. To accomplish this try to organize your habits and routines with goals in mind. What are the most important actions? How can you be flexible in different situations?

Being confident and paying attention are critical to breaking bad habits or creating good habits. You need to believe you can change and also pay attention to what is being changed. There should be careful attention to detail. Every second and every inch can make a difference in sports so use care when creating habits. Be involved in your performance, pay attention to what is going on around you as well as your own actions. Changing habits is not impossible but it does take hard work, persistence, time, confidence, and an attention to detail.

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

[hockeygod]

http://www.istadia.com/article/jspano

Posted Fri Apr 3 2009 11:51 AM posted by jspano

Rethinking Anger: Anger Doesn’t Equal Intensity

Getting pumped up, excited, intense, or focused are all great qualities for an athlete. Being angry isn’t one. Often athletes (and coaches) equate anger and aggressiveness with intensity. Intensity is a positive attribute, anger is a negative attribute. Intensity is based on being focused and in control; anger comes from frustration and losing control. Anger almost always has negative effect on performance. Anger causes a shift in attention, the focus becomes on what you’re angry about and not what is happening in the moment. This break in concentration causes your performance to suffer. This experience is similar to the effects of stress.

For example, if a basketball player thinks he/she got fouled but doesn’t get a call from the referee the focus may be on the non-call. Their focus becomes the non-call and not the current situation causing performance levels to drop. The use of concentration techniques would be helpful in breaking the cycle of anger and poor performance.

The most effective ways to do this are:

• Cue Words or Phrases (Self-talk)
Cue words/phrases can be used to trigger a particular competitive response. They help athletes narrow their focus when necessary. Cue words/phrases can be either instructional (i.e.; follow-through, relax, watch the ball) or motivational (explode, do it now, strong) to help focus on the task at hand.

• Take a personal time out
As soon as you can take a few seconds and remove yourself from the situation. Take a second to take a deep breath and think objectively about the situation that just occurred. Once that is over take another deep breath and think about what you need to do next.

• Use Performance Routines
Use pre-competition or pre-situation routines help you get focused and prepared for what is about to happen. Using routines when concentration breaks will help athletes refocus and performance will improve.

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

[hockeygod]

More articles like the two above (this is the index): www DOT istadia.com/browse-sports-articles.php

Specific to sports coaching articles: www DOT istadia.com/articles/specialism/6/Sports-Coaching

(This system thought I was posting Spam, so I substitute for my DOT in the address…)

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

[hockeygod]

7 Keys to Building Good Work Habits in Young Baseball Players

By Nick Dixon

http://ezinearticles.com/?7-Keys-to-Building-Good-Work-Habits-in-Young-Baseball-Players&id=1980393

Today the four letter word for baseball coaches is W-O-R-K: Working and learning to work are one of the vital elements required in the building of a successful baseball team and program. In baseball coaching work and baseball playing involves a lot of things. Work is practice. Work is hustle. Work is execution. Work is commitment. Work is being focused. Work and knowing the value of work may be the most important thing that you will teach your players. A player can have all the talent in the world, but if that player is not willing to work hard to develop that talent, the player is destined to be an underachiever.

Work is what allows a player, a team, and a coach to reach their maximum potential in the game. Every player has the potential to be great at something in the game! Hard work is the key element that will determine a the level of success a player will have later in life. Learning to work hard is a life skill that every youth player can benefit from. We all know of players that we played with or that we coached that had great God-given abilities but terrible work habits. They refused to push themselves to greatness. They would always spend more time looking for a way to get out of work, than actually working. They were simply lazy. They did not have the drive. It made no difference what the coach did, what the parent did, or what their peers said, they simply did not have the focus and commitment to work hard. These underachievers always come to their senses but it is always too late. When they look back to the good old day, they always say that wish they would have worked harder. A common saying of underachieves is that if they only had known then what I know now, they would have pushed themselves harder and made themselves work harder.

Players and coaches must understand the value of hard work. Anything worth having is worth working for. You must work hard. The assistant coaches must work hard. The players must work hard.

What are the keys to teaching players to work? Here are 7 keys to building good work habits in young players:

1. Praise
Praise the player when work is done. Instant positive feedback can serve to motivate players to work harder and harder. You should always correct a player when he does something incorrect. But when you do verbally get on a player, always find a reason to pat that kid on the back later. Keeping a balance between corrective criticism and praise is a valuable skill every coach must learn. Always try to send the players home on a positive note with a positive frame of mind.

2. Fun
The kids must enjoy practicing, playing and spending time together. If going to the baseball field feels like going to the dentist, they are going to lose interest and drive. When they lose interest and drive, they will stop working. Plan your practices with a variety of drills and activities to prevent boredom from setting in. Always include a couple of competitive games or drills to make the practice as fun as possible. I am not saying make your practice all fun game and play-time. I am just suggesting that you plan and organize your practices to include as many fun and motivating activities as is practical.

3. Discipline
Team discipline and player self discipline are two crucial elements for having a successful season. Players should be expected to have a high level of self control and follow all team rules. One important team rule is always showing respect to coaches and adults on and off the field. You can be firm and still keep a fun and comfortable atmosphere.

4. Role Model
The players must see their coach work. Kids can sense when a coach practices what he preaches. Do not expect a kid to work for you if you do not work for him.

5. Short-term Goals
Setting a goal for a drill or workout activity will often motivate players to put forth more effort. Have the goal be something simple and have the reward instant.

6. Long-term Goals Setting team goals for the season is an important tool to improve player mental focus and to add value to the work done at practice.

7. Individual Goals
If you have a gifted player that is more advanced and skilled that most of the other players on the team, you may want to have each player set 3 individual goals for the season. Have players set a target batting average goal, a goal of stolen bases, a goal of a number of base hits or such. Such individual goals often can motivate players to work harder than ever.

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

[hockeygod]

Fearless Basketball Training
By Hugh Houchin, eHow Contributor
updated: March 27, 2010

Read more: Fearless Basketball Training | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_6128885_fearless-basketball-training.html#ixzz177My5UZ8

"Fearless basketball" is that sport's highest degree of competitiveness, which means mental toughness and knowing how you're going to perform. Those who have absolute confidence in their offensive and defensive abilities have an edge on their opponents. They weren't born with mental toughness, though; it's developed through training. To understand mental toughness, one must first understand its antithesis.

Stress

1. Fear of failure is the antithesis of mental toughness. Basketball is an exact game, which can be stressful. If a player doubts he can perform, he is subject to fear of failure. If he is afraid of missing a shot, he probably will; if he's afraid he can't guard he opponent, he undoubtedly won't; and if he's afraid of losing, chances are he will. Fear of failure elicits stress, followed by loss of confidence.

Conquering Stress

2. A tough mental attitude is dependent upon conquering stress, and stress is conquered through discipline. To overcome stress, a player should not allow any negative feelings and should remain positive no matter what. There are steps one can take to learn discipline.

Improving Discipline

3. A step-by-step process to train oneself to be disciplined, in game circumstances, is needed to learn the mental toughness of fearless basketball.

The first step is to develop good eating and sleeping habits. If rested and eating right, a player will be mentally and physically ready to learn. Cultivate the habits of being at practice on time, even early, and listening to the coach. Always be excited and ready to go, no matter what he asks. If it's unpleasant, do it anyway, and be enthusiastic about it.

Push yourself to your limit, both physically and mentally. When worn out, don't slump but throw you shoulders back and walk in an erect manner, not complaining. No matter the degree of difficulty, never be negative. Leave it all on the court and be passionate about becoming a fearless basketball player.

Right Frame of Mind

4. To be fearless is a mind game, and success doesn't come to those who play it safe. Always play to win and stay aggressive; losing is never a thought. Playing to lose means the thought of losing has entered your mind, which erodes confidence.

With a fearless mindset, one can deal with missing a shot or defensive assignment and not let it affect his confidence.

Summary

5. To maintain a fearless playing attitude requires constant affirmation, and the way to maintain it is through practice. The improved confidence and instincts lead to the ability to determine when your opponent is susceptible to attack and when immediate action is needed.

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

[hockeygod]

Nachbaur puts main jolt in surprising Chiefs

John Blanchette The Spokesman-Review

January 30, 2011

Just in case they don’t meet in the playoffs, the Western Hockey League schedule has arranged the next best thing: Eight of the Spokane Chiefs’ last 23 games are against the Tri-City Americans.

And if they do meet in the playoffs, well, so much the better.

The first of those eight came Saturday night at the Spokane Arena, a heart-breaking 5-4 Spokane loss, the 11th game for the Chiefs in 18 days. Seems excessive in the context of teenage hockey, and yet it’s not all that uncommon in the WHL even if it corrupts the notion of teams being prepared and dialed in every night out.

But it reminded Chiefs general manager Tim Speltz of a point to be made about his coach, Don Nachbaur.

When the Chiefs and Ams last met in the playoffs, it was 2008. Spokane would win the Memorial Cup that season; there’s every reason to think Tri-City would have had the Ams been the ones to prevail in Game 7 of their series. At the time, of course, Nachbaur coached the other guys.

“I remember beating them here, 2-0,” Speltz said, “to go up 2-1 in the series. I thought, ‘OK, we’ve got them right where we want them.’ I mean, he had (defensemen) leaving that night – I wasn’t sure they’d come back to the rink they were hit so hard and we were on them so bad.

“Right. They beat us the next night and we had to go back to their building 2-2. He’s simply as focused on having his team prepared as any coach we’ve had.”

And maybe at catching everyone unprepared.

To find Spokane hungrily poking around near the top of the U.S. Division standings this season is a little like discovering a Ferrari under your Charlie Brown Christmas tree.

In its first two decades of existence, never had this franchise put together back-to-back 90-point seasons. Coming off three in a row, then, and given the loss of 82 goals from a pair of all-star forwards, quantum slippage seemed inevitable – to the point that even early in the fall, the most anticipated date was the January trade deadline and what it might bring for the future.

That was before the Chiefs won 18 of 24 games during the second third of the season.

“And so we didn’t feel it would be fair to this year’s group,” said Speltz, “with the success they’d had, to say, ‘We have to look to the future.’ ”

Nor to the new coach who has more or less willed this bit of astonishment.

This is not to discount the remarkable jumps made by any number of youngsters of previously negligible accomplishment, or the MVP year Tyler Johnson has in the making or the leadership and consistency of nearly all the Chiefs veterans.

But this has the feeling of alchemy and, as such, needs an alchemist.

That the Chiefs had the opportunity to hire Nachbaur after his one-year toe-dip coaching in the American Hockey League was a gift; that they finally recognized the changing face of the WHL and took the leap away from “developing” a relative newbie was a whiff of hard reality.

“There are ex-NHL guys all over the Western Conference,” Speltz said. “Our guy has 450 wins in this league. That level of accomplishment is becoming the norm.”

If that means instant credibility, fine – but he’s not looking to sell his players on his credibility. His approach couldn’t be more basic.

“Earn it,” he said. “That’s always been my motto. I was given nothing in hockey. I had to earn my way through the ranks. And I think it’s a missing link in society today. I think our guys understand, now, that they earn the right to stay on the ice every night. They can earn their way off it, too.”

The message has not only been heard, but embraced. The Chiefs were the first WHL team to 200 goals, with 10 skaters in double figures. But they’re also among the league leaders in fewest goals allowed – though now their starting goaltender is out indefinitely.

“Don doesn’t accept ‘sometimes’ or ‘maybe,’ ” Speltz said. “By the same token, we’ve never had a coach who agonizes over the players who have to sit out. Somebody has to every night, but it drives him crazy.”

The question with all overachievers – and for the sake of argument, let’s call the Chiefs that – is whether they can sustain the pace.

“You weigh what’s important – being fresh and ready for that first round of the playoffs or whipping the pony to the end to hang a banner and get that home-ice advantage,” Nachbaur said. “I’ve been on both sides, and I think our kids like being in striking position.

“We’re in the hunt. That’s where you want to be.”

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

[hockeygod]

Neat article about Red Berenson and his values at Michigan… I really like how players don't get their rings until they graduate.

The talent factory

by Nathan Sandals

March 9, 2011

Mike Knuble, shown here as a Stanley Cup-winning Red Wing in 1998, is one of 23 former U-M players in the NHL, the most by far of any university. (Photo: Mark Hicks.)

There are no National Hockey League teams that wear winged helmets. But it seems that everywhere you look in professional hockey's top league these days, there is a touch of maize and blue complementing each team's colors.

In the 2009-2010 season, 23 former Michigan hockey players laced up for an NHL team at least once, making Michigan the most represented college in the league.

"It's almost like a guy on every team has spent time in Ann Arbor," said Mike Knuble, who played at Michigan from 1991 to 1995 and is currently playing his 15th NHL season as an alternate captain on the Washington Capitals.

When it comes to former players in the NHL, no other college team comes close really. The Wisconsin Badgers ranked second with 17 former players in the NHL last year.

Consider Michigan's ubiquity in a different context: if the NHL reorganized and started with a draft of every current player, a franchise could fill its entire roster with former Wolverines and not need any other players.

Of course, the Michigan hockey program has been among college hockey's elite for over two decades. But the question remains: why is Michigan producing so many more NHL players than even the other top college programs?

The answer probably lies at the top, with head coach Red Berenson. A veteran coach who has been there and done that, Berenson knows what it takes to jump from the college game to the NHL and in fact blazed the trail as the first player to make that step in 1962, playing in his first NHL game the day after his final college game.

"I think you come in and you see Red's 17 years in the NHL and that speaks to a lot of kids," Knuble said. "He knows what it takes to get there. He's pretty honest with you at times, he's probably pretty blunt at times about your situation, about what you're actually getting accomplished and what you're doing, whether it's on the ice or off the ice."

Knuble is among the elder statesmen of former Michigan players in the NHL. One of the newest is Boston Bruins defenseman Steve Kampfer, who completed his Michigan career last year and has risen quickly to contribute significant minutes on the blue line each night.

Although Knuble and Kampfer were separated at Michigan by more than a decade, they share similar views on the value of Berenson's teachings in shaping them to be NHL players.

"There's a lot of little things that they always taught me," Kampfer said. "Red saying that you've got to play big in big games. Or I can always hear (assistant coach) Billy Powers telling me, 'Stop taking loops, tighten up your gap, you're drifting.' It's those little things, where you hear them over and over and over again while you're at Michigan and it's something that sticks in your head."

Most of all, both players said, it was the high standard of excellence Berenson imparted that they carried with them into the NHL.

Berenson agrees that the work ethic and balanced approach he instills are important values that contribute to success in the NHL.

"I think that's a big part of it, is the citizenship and the work ethic and the dedication and the sacrifice," Berenson said. "You can't come and just be a big party person and expect to stay on the ice and night after night be an effective player. They've got to learn to make good decisions. They've got to learn to make a serious commitment to their career and that starts here at Michigan."

More important to Berenson than success on the ice is a commitment to education and earning a Michigan degree. The coach holds two Michigan degrees, including a Masters in Business Administration earned during his NHL career.

The emphasis on education comes with a bit of enticement. Berenson refuses to give a departing player his Michigan ring until he has completed his degree. Knuble says that incentive played a role in his determination to return to Ann Arbor and earn his degree.

"That was a big thing, to get your ring," Knuble said. "He would hold that ring hostage in his desk until you could come and get it, until you earned it."

Berenson says it is harder to convince players to complete their four years of college today than it was in the past.

In recent years, some Michigan players have left for the NHL before they graduated. Some were pressured by NHL teams to join the pro ranks, even though it would mean playing in the minor leagues rather than the NHL.

"I think there is so much emphasis on this pro hockey career and maybe the money and so on that they forget about the value of the education and then they realize when hockey is over that, 'Jeez, I wish I would have finished school,'" Berenson said.

Berenson cites Jack Johnson, a stalwart defenseman who left Michigan after his sophomore year to join the NHL's Los Angeles Kings in 2007, as an example of a player who was ready to leave for the NHL, but has remained committed to obtaining his degree. Johnson has returned to Ann Arbor each summer since, taking classes to achieve that goal.

Seeing Berenson's success in developing NHL players and watching former Michigan stars such as Johnson, Kampfer and Knuble in the NHL impact current and future Wolverines.

"Knowing that all of those guys are there [in the NHL], it's obviously been working, so we just try to follow coach's lead," senior captain Carl Hagelin said.

Each August, Hagelin and his teammates have the chance to connect with the Wolverines that preceded them, when Berenson hosts an alumni weekend including games, golf and other activities. For many former players it is a highlight of the year.

Berenson understands.

"I came back (to Ann Arbor) every summer," Berenson said. "Even when no one else was coming back, I came back to visit my coach and friends on campus and spent some time here. It was the best four years of my life and it's nice to see that that hasn't changed much."

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

[hockeygod]

VIGNEAULT STOPS CANUCKS' PRACTICE AFTER LACKLUSTRE EFFORT

TSN Staff April 4, 2011

A season that has already netted the Canucks the top seed in the NHL and the Presidents' Trophy wasn't enough for Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault to accept the effort he was getting from his players at practice Monday.

Following a rare home defeat to the NHL's worst team Saturday night and unimpressed with the lacklustre start of practice, the coach pulled the players aside for a brief message before starting up practice again.

"It wasn't a huge message. It was just basically a 'what are you guys doing out here? Let's wake up and play the way we want to play.' We've been professionals all season long and these last three games are still part of the regular season. So it's up to us to stay focused," said defenceman Kevin Bieksa.

"The start of practice wasn't good enough and we realized that too. After that it was fine. I think after last game we needed to sharpen up," said captain Henrik Sedin.

With nothing left to play for – save for individual accolades – the Canucks find themselves in a position of waiting for the playoffs to begin, but needing to keep that level of play that vaulted them to a franchise-best season.

"To stay sharp you've got to execute and you've got to work hard every day. If we do that we'll be fine," said goaltender Roberto Luongo. "If we lay off the gas and go through the motions the next week, then we might have a little bit of trouble getting going next week."

Vigneault didn't seem overly concerned with stopping practice.

"If a coach only has to stop practice one time during the year because he's not happy with execution or total involvement, it's been a pretty good year," he said.

The Canucks finish their regular season with games in Edmonton on Tuesday, their home finale Thursday against the Wild, and they end their regular season in Calgary Saturday night. The players are eager to finish the campaign off strong, regardless of result.

"If a team comes in and just plays better than us we'll accept that," Bieksa said. "But when we're not putting our best game out and putting an effort out like that last game, that's unacceptable. We're looking to build good habits in the last three."

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

[Author]

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