Category: Coach’s Handbook

The MVP, or Most Valuable Player, is typically the accolade that teams strive for, but there is another recognition that is just as important, the Hardest Working Player award. In team sports, this award is often given to the player who puts forth the most effort and gives the greatest contribution to the team. While it can be a great motivator for players to put their all into the game, it can also create doubt among team members when it comes to deciding who the winner should be. In this blog post, we will explore the doubts and motivations behind the Hardest Working Player award in team sports.

Continue reading “The Doubts and Motivations Behind the Hardest Working Player Award in Team Sports”

If you’re a practice player who excels in training but can’t seem to get it together when it comes to game performance, then it’s time to make a change. In this blog post, we’ll discuss how you can unlock your creative potential on the ice and become the game-changing champ you know you can be. Through understanding the power of creativity and learning how to implement it into your practice sessions, you’ll be able to take your game performance to the next level.

Continue reading “From Practice Player to Game-Changing Champ: Unleash Your Creativity on the Ice”

When it comes to hockey practice and training, preparation is the key to success. Communicating your practice plan prior to practice with your coaches and players can be a powerful tool to maximize your time on the ice. Knowing what drills to run and what strategies to implement will ensure that the practice runs efficiently and effectively, giving everyone the chance to get the most out of their hockey training. Planning ahead will ensure that no time is wasted and that all players are well-equipped to improve their skills.

Continue reading “The Power of Planning: How Communicating Your Practice Plan Leads to Success”

The hockey world has seen a lot of changes in the last 40 years, but one of the most interesting and unique shifts has been the evolution of the player coach. During hockey’s golden era, player coaches were commonplace, offering teams the opportunity to have an experienced leader on the ice as well as off it. These days, it is rare to see a player coach, but the impact that they had on the game of hockey cannot be understated. In this blog post, we’ll take a look back at hockey’s golden era of player coaches and explore the influence they had on the game.

Continue reading “Hockey’s Golden Era of Player Coaches: A Blast from the Past”

When it comes to hockey coaches, there is a wide range of coach types present in the game. From the screaming military-style coach who orders players around to the silent coach who stands on the bench and says nothing until they really need to make a point, each coach type has its own unique approach to the game. No matter what kind of coach they are, these coaches all have one thing in common: they strive to bring out the best in their players. In this blog post, we will explore the different types of hockey coaches and the impact they have on the game.

Continue reading “From Screaming to Silent: The Range of Coach Types in Hockey”

Hockey is a beloved sport, and the love for the game only deepens when you have a kid playing. Hockey dads are a special breed, and their antics in the stands can often be quite hilarious. From standing alone in the corner, to feeling like part of the coaching staff, to the screamer in the stands, hockey dads provide an entertaining spectacle. In this blog post, we will explore the funny and wild antics of hockey dads in the stands.

Continue reading “The Hilarious Antics of Hockey Dads in the Stands”

Performance in hockey is not only determined by what happens on the ice, but also off the ice. Hockey Clicks, a term used to describe the formation of exclusive parent groups, have become a major issue for coaches due to the damage they can cause to team morale and performance. In this blog post, we will discuss the negative effects of Hockey Clicks on coach performance and how to prevent them from ruining a team.

Continue reading “Power Plays off the Ice: The Damaging Effects of Hockey Parent Clicks on Team Performance”

As youth hockey coaches, it can be difficult to bridge the language gap between us and the kids we coach. We may understand terms such as “gino” or “apple,” but to the young players, these words mean nothing. It is essential that we learn to communicate with our kids in their language if we want to be successful as youth coaches. In this blog post, we will discuss tips for youth hockey coaches on how to speak the same language as their kids.

Continue reading “Speaking the Same Language: Tips for Youth Hockey Coaches”

Are you a true leader or just a hockey coach? Ryan Blanck’s presentation at the Coaches Site Live conference in Ann Arbor posed this question and inspired us to think deeply about the power of effective leadership. Blanck’s discussion on “Are You Worth Leading” highlighted the characteristics of a leader who can lead with influence, not force. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the lessons we learned from Ryan Blanck’s enlightening presentation and how we can use them to become better leaders.

Continue reading “Lessons in Leadership: Ryan Blanck on Are You Worth Leading”

Conditioning is an integral part of hockey, and the traditional ways of conditioning have been around for decades. From bag skates to running laps, coaches have long relied on these methods to ensure their players were in peak physical condition. But times are changing, and there are more effective and fun ways to condition hockey players than the old-fashioned methods. In this blog post, we’ll discuss why ditching the old ways of hockey conditioning can be beneficial and offer up some exciting alternatives.

Continue reading “Ditching the Old Ways of Hockey Conditioning”