Category: Coach’s Handbook

Want to inspire your team and reach new heights? Mark Messier’s iconic career showcases the benefits of the Four C’s: Communication sharpens collaboration, Commitment boosts morale, Courage ensures resilience, and Chemistry strengthens unity. Teams adopting these principles can position themselves for long-term success and impactful results.

As I re-watched our home opener over this past weekend on our Facebook live stream, I realized just how much our defense had learned during our practice plans that focused on gap control—quite literally shrinking the offensive zone as low as inside the faceoff circles. It was astonishing to see how effective this approach was in action with our U13 AA female team. After sharing a screenshot with a friend, even he couldn’t believe how low our defensemen were positioning themselves. The results of this tactic have been nothing short of phenomenal in our first month together, significantly hindering the opposing team’s breakout attempts. However, this aggressive approach comes with risks, such as the occasional odd-man rush. Still, the benefits have outweighed the drawbacks.

Just the other day, I took my kids to the rock climbing wall. My 9-year-old, fearing heights, would only go a quarter of the way up. Without hesitation, I told him if he could reach a point that indicated the halfway marker, I would give him 20 dollars. And if he goes to the top, I would give him 50 dollars. Thinking at the time, I was helping him overcome his fear of heights, but later found out I was using extrinsic motivators, which was clearly the wrong thing to do. This scenario is no different than parents in hockey telling their kids they will pay them 10 dollars per goal. An extrinsic motivator is giving an award for accomplishments, even when a task is expected of our kids like household chores. Now, an intrinsic motivator is where the real learning takes place. This is when we challenge our players so that they need to problem solve, which creates a learning environment along with giving them that feeling of pure enjoyment when coming up with the answer on their own or in my case overcoming my son’s fear of heights.

The Breakout in hockey is an integral part of the sport, and often goes unnoticed due to its efficiency when executed properly. In this blog post, we delve into the key details that make breakouts successful and highlight the unique role each position plays. From defense to goalie, everyone has a part to contribute to the success of a breakout. Let’s dissect the game and unravel the intricate workings of this fundamental play.

Choosing the right Captains for a team is a crucial decision that can greatly impact the overall performance and dynamics of the group. Player leadership is a key factor in the success of any team, and the role of a Captain goes beyond just on-field performance. They are responsible for motivating and uniting their teammates, making strategic decisions, and representing the team as a whole. In this blog post, we will discuss the importance of choosing the right Captains and how they can make or break your team.