Go into any rink and you will see a similar pattern, dismal faces on hockey parents that should be at the rink to be social and enjoy watching their children grow through the great sport of hockey. Perhaps they are genuinely trying to enjoy themselves in a sport with so much uncertainty in the area of safety.

Looking at the recent media frenzy around hockey concussions, it is easy to see that the incidence of head injuries in hockey is definitely on the rise. But a deeper look into the issue points at a definite paradigm shift in how we feel about our national past time.

Anyone that has coached minor hockey has faced that win-at-all-cost coach that is the best gate opener in the league, watching his one or two ringers literally win him hockey games at will! You know the one that would rather hang one or 2 kids in the neutral zone for the easy breakaway goal, then actually teach them how to play defensively, earn posession and come out of the zone as a cohesive unit. Rover, stretch-man, floater, whatever you want to call it, it is one of the most frustrating hockey systems to coach against! When watching a Kessel goal from the Leaf’s game against the Jets the other night, you can see that although it is definitely frustrating, it’s not impossible to defend against.

If you watch the video clip of the game you can see it was an error in judgingpuck possession that allowed Kessel to spring the zone undetected. Instead of erring on the side of caution and staying on the defensive side of the puck, the Jets forward over commits to a potential cycle. By the time he realizes that the leafs have come out of the battle with the puck, it is too late, the Jets have 3 men caught low and Lupul brilliantly uses the boards and Kessy is off to the races.

4 Critical Components to Defeating Rover-Style Hockey Systems

Remember: Hockey systems always depend on whether or not your players buy into them!

Coaching hockey isn’t easy!

Getting a minor hockey team to buy into a “Passing Team Concept” based on puck movement can be nearly impossible!  It’s especially hard when a team  is in the upper tier and made up of the better players in the league. Every parent wants to see their kid dangle, snipe and celly, no doubt. Next to crack, I’m not sure what other feeling is more addictive than watching little junior go end to end and bury it. But long term, this is far from what the game is actually all about. So how do we balance out coaching hockey to develop creativity, managing over zealous parental expectations and actually teaching children how to share the puck…

4 Tips to Develop a Passing Team Concept When Coaching Hockey

1) Coaching hockey to get parents on side

A lot of new coaches think that coaching hockey is all about teaching the game and relating to youth,  but the truth is, it’s more about managing parental expectations; the root of which lies in communication. The hardest of all your obstacles as a coach will be getting parents to understand the true nature of the game as a team sport. Nothing showed this more than Sammy Gagner’s 8 point night! Although the feat would stand as an individual accomplishment, EVERY player on that Oiler’s team banded together to help him attain it! The success of the individual is based on the effort of the whole. Unfortunately, just highlighting examples like this won’t do it for some of those wiley parents out there.  There needs to be a real effort to communicate with parents that is frequent, open and specific (to the point). Coaches can try:

1.  Weekly “Coaches Corner” type emails, outlining where the team is at and where the coaching staff would like them to be in the next little while.
2. Monthly “Town Hall” open forums where parents can openly ask questions, make comments or address concerns.
3. “Parent Practices”- Every few practices parents can volunteer to come on the ice and run a few drills of their choice (Coach approved of course)

A lot of coaches shy away from the parents, refusing to socialize or talk to them. This style of coaching hockey open’s up an ego driven, “I know more than you” battle that is impossible to win… remember it’s 16×2= 32(parents)  to 1 (coach) in most cases!

2) Working on the basics

Let’s face it, most coaches coach how they were last coached. We’ve all seen it, the young bucking bronco coach fresh out of a Junior or Semi-Pro career, on a crusade to make sure no careers will ever be cut as short as like his . You know the one that dazzles crowds with the 3 on 2 re-group drills with 7 year olds! Unfortunately, they need to realize, it’s not about “look what I can get kids to do”, it’s a sport that requires kids to aquire certain skill sets at the various levels along the way! Most of the time, coaching hockey at young ages, is about repetition and simplicity! 2 principles hold true in this regard:

1. There is no need to re-invent the wheel
2. It takes 10,000 hours to master a skill… repetition is their greatest teacher
   A.K.A. Keep it simple stupid

3) Nothing moves faster than the puck

 It only takes a few races against a puck in practice to realize this. Add a few video examples of how one pass can beat 3 players,  and how the quicker you move the puck, the quicker you get it back and it won’t be long before the players and parents start to enjoy a whole different type of hockey.

4) Understanding the one-touch- All young players have played hot potato in kindergarten, so it’s not hard for them to understand the move it as quick as you get it mentality. Not only will it teach them to have their heads up scanning the ice for potential targets, but it will teach the players that want the puck to keep their feet moving and skate into openings.

Coaching hockey with an emphasis on puck movement is a true testament to a coaches effort to continually communicate with parents and teach the game properly. If you are or have a coach that does this already, let them know their efforts are appreciates, if not, don’t be afraid to make suggestions.

Until next time…

Passing Properly Prolongs Careers

Passing Incorrectly Spells

Disaster

What’s the big deal about passing anyway?

We all remember being tyke hockey players and having our coach in skin tight jeans barking at us to give the passer a target. Those of us fortunate enough to have a somewhat knowledgeable coach also remember repeating drills over and over again whenever we didn’t use our backhands when we should have… for a great reason.

Passing incorrectly is one of the biggest risk factors in the game today!

3 Reasons Why Passing Properly Prolongs Career (Say that 5 times fast!)

1) Risk of being picked off- that’s right showing forehand when you can easily make a little lateral chip to a teammate tells everyone in the rink “Hey. I’m going to pass the puck right now!” Nothing like doing that in front of a hungry Brian Marchand huh Tyler Myers? Check out this pic

Tyler is trying to move the puck to his right winger and Marchand is right there to thank him for making it obvious An Overhead view shows just how obvious the pas really was! Its almost ironic that later on Horton uses the forehand to “fake-telegraph” a pass so that he can bury it past Miller unexpectedly. This is a general rule of thumb: When you have the puck, never show forehand

unless you are trying to fake a pass and are really going to shoot!

2) Passing the wrong way, opens you up to potential injury

If we go back  to Horton’s goal for a second, let’s imagine he didn’t fake the D out of his pants and that he actually stayed in position. You can only imagine the new “Horton” board advertising if the D were to suddenly put on the breaks and step for a hit while Nathan was in that vulnerable position?

3) Your options are limited

Once you have the puck cocked in a forehand position, there is no return. There is absolutely no way of getting out of it. either dish to that side or shoot, but you’ll never be able to move it up ice the other way.

There you have it kids, lesson of the day: You got a backhand? Use it!

One of the worst habits I see in hockey, are players blistering down the boards, getting ready to shoot and doing the old “Dog Peeing on a Hydrant” pose. Shooting with one leg up in the air, leaning away from the net might feel cool, but it is the total opposite of effective. Here are the top 5 reasons why we gotta trade in the “One-Leggers” and start improving shooting!

1) Shooting like this looks absolutely ridiculous- That’s right, shooting off one leg, leaning away from the target is the most  unnatural pose for anyone attempting to score a goal. How people end up this way in the first place is beyond me, but why would anyone want to be all “Everybody was Kung-Fu Fight-ing” on a 1 on 1. The only hope you have is if both the D and Goalie buckle to the ice in laughter leaving an open lane to a vacant net!

2) Where’s the torque? – Really, imagine trying to hit a baseball on one leg… the ball might, just might make it past the pitcher! Without getting too scientific, you need to invert the hip of the lead leg in order to allow for the explossive eversion necessary to start the shot! So a left handed player shooting on the net shouldn’t start by turning  with all the pressure on the left leg as the centrifical force will cause the dog peeing on the hydrant pose (weird Yoga huh)! If the weigh is evenly distributed on the legs, and the player consciously brings the right leg around to cock the right hip, the result will be nothing short of an absolute howitzer! It feels unnatural for the first few times, but name one thing done properly that doesn’t feel unnatural when starting out!

3) It’s a one way ticket to Lights-Outs-Ville -With all the media attention on concussions,

Johnny -one-legger about to become dinner for a hungry defenceman!

the message is clear… do whatever it takes to be aware, alert andstop concussions! Lifting one leg up in the air is the furthest from a position that will allow you to brace yourself when that D steps up to finish the hit. Bringing the front leg around when shooting not only adds 85% more power to the shot, it puts you perpendicular to oncoming contact and puts your front shoulder in the best position to take the brunt of the impact!

4) Where’s the element of surprise? - Sun Tzu would surely be disappointed. The object of a shot is to not let the goalie know when it is coming right? Well, if you are going to lift your leg in the air before a shot, you might as well just put a bow on it and hand it to the tender! These are vital hockey skills everyone. Shooting can lead to a goal, but it can also lead to an unnecessary injury!

Not all shots off one leg are wrong… just have to make sure your momentum is still going forward and that you aren’t leaning away from the net! Solution? Prepare to shoot ahead of time and position yourself so that you open up for a potential shot!

Do:

Work your hardest – Most camps are only about 8-10 hours long, give it everything you got! The harder you work during a Christmas camp the more successful your second half of the season will be.

Pay attention to details – A lot of kids get really excited about doing a drill, that they often stop listening a few seconds into the explanation. Even if you have already done a similar drill, listen to the very end because the instructor may give it a twist or add some really cool tips!

Do EXACTLY what you are told – Try to imitate the demonstrations as best as you can.  It’s usually the smallest details that lead to the biggest improvements!

Don’t just DO the drills, ATTACK them! – Intensity is everything; doing the drills half speed will not help your game at all. Practice like you play really means: Practice soft, play soft!

Come Prepared - Check your bag before you leave, bring your water bottle and bring snacks to eat in between floods (be careful about dressing room food allergies)

Ask Questions – Most camps have a 1:5/1:6 student: instructor ratio. That means there are a lot of opportunities to ask for help. Don’t be shy, pull aside your favorite instructor and ask away!

Wear the right Jersey – If the camp gives you a jersey, wear it! There is nothing more disappointing than seeing a player come out onto the ice wearing a competing camp’s jersey. Not a great way to get on an instructor’s good side!

1) Pay attention to the stoppage of play – Know where the draw is going to be before you leave the bench

2) Talk to the coach as you step off the bench – Suggest a face-off you think might work, or ask if there’s a draw he wants done. Most coaches have code word’s for faceoffs so it’s as simple as shouting out a few of them. E.g. “Hey coach, Twizzler?” (If he says yeah sure you got any, ask the trainer to check him out for a concussion!)

3) Talk to your D first on the way to the draw – this is usually because they are changing from the door behind you as you leave the bench, so it’s easy to skate away and forget about them. There’s no such thing as a successful faceoff without well-informed defencemen!

4) Position the forwards and double check on the D  – Going straight to the draw without looking around is the biggest NO-NO. Take a quick look before committing to the draw and give any last minute instructions. Remember you’re the quarterback!

5) Get Low for leverage- Low center of gravity + wide stance = Great leverage! It’s much easier to pivot and protect or fence off the opposite C’s stick when you are low. Remember a longer leaver is made for speed and velocity (Golf club). The shorter the lever, the more explosive and powerful the action, so get that bottom hand lower on the shaft.

6) Pick a grip and go for it – Regular grip with the bottom hand palm facing forward is great to bump the puck forward or putting it right on net. Reverse grip (palm facing backward) is ideal for winning it back quick. It all depends on where you want the biscuit to end up!

7) Keep your eye on the prize-never take your eyes off the puck. A lot of centermen get set in

Luca Armstrong captures faceoff technique in this digital art masterpiece

their stance then look up, but it’s a better habit to keep your eye on the puck as you do it. There are stories of NHL centermen that are so focused on the reff’s hand holding the puck, that they react to the changing color of the hand as it loosens it’s grip on the puck and blood flows back into the knuckles. A good centerman is a master of anticipating the puck drop.

8 ) Have a back-up plan – You don’t want to get called for obstruction, but to just let your man go after losing a draw is a sure way to watch the puck cross your goaline! Stay with your man after a lost draw. Be sure to keep your feet moving and keep your stick under his in order to lift it at any time.

It is just brutal to think that people have to show up to a job (remember pro hockey players go to WORK everyday and put their equipment on as a means of supporting themselves and their families) with the risk of getting hurt becaused of negligence! Imagine a teacher having to show up to a day at school not knowing whether they may get pushed down the stairs from behind by a colleague? Ridiculous thought right? Well so is the fact that a guy has to leave a game not remembering his name because someone decides to leave their feet and aim for their head, when all they should be doing is trying to separate man from puck!

With all the money spent from the neck down on the game today, parents might want to consider spending a bit from the neck up, that’s right on the head! Introducing, Fred Nykamp and Battle Sports Science, a company that has developed Battle Smart, an impact indicating device built into the chin piece of a helmet. With a built in accelerometer, the microsensor is capable of signalling any hit over 240 HICs (Head Injury Criterion), making the green light, turn to red. Will it directly diagnose a concussion? No, but it points to a high probability, and gives trainers a heads up that there may be more than meets the eye! As Fred says, the product helps to “Reveal the invisible injury”. Check out this weeks Vital Hockey 20 and hear what Fred has to say about this amazing product!

Best money a parent can ever spend, for more information visit www.battlessportscience.com

The first thing they need to be taught is a brief lesson on angles and banking. Don’t be in a big rush to get the kids down to the local pool hall (not sure you’d get too many signed permission forms for that field trip!), a quick diagram in the dressing room followed by a demonstration will work!

Basically they need to understand that banking the puck when you are close to the boards will result in an “uncontrolled” bounce, usually straight down the ice for icing. Since the point of a chip off the boards is to get the puck behind a defender to a teammate or yourself for a fast break, this type of small angle chip is useless. Instead, if the player does a crossover or two while they chip, the puck, they are creating a larger anle with the boards and the puck will have an outlet pass type bounce behind the player!

Check out Brad Marchand’s goal… think he has it all figured out

A great product I have found to let a kid experiment with this is the extreme passing kit from hockeyshot.com. Attaching it to the length of the synthetic ice surface lets any player try different banks and get a great understanding of how the boards
work! Click the pic and have a look!

The Pokerface- Cool as ice, this guy never shows his cards. Never high with the highs, or low with the lows, this hockey dad might as well be called Iceman. Never throwing the arms in the air, or clapping after a goal, you could miss a lot of the game staring at this guy and wondering what he is thinking.

The Wanderer – Wide eyed and mesmerized by the play, this dad literally paces along the bleachers. Shadowing his son on the ice, this dad is only stationary in the stands while his son is covering the point! You need to have your head on the swivel with this guy marching about, he may make you spill your coffee!

The Addict- Needing a quick fix of elation and serotonin, this guy is on edge waiting for his kid to end the slump and bury the biscuit. You can spot these guys a mile away; if not from their unmistakeable stare, check out their white knuckled grip on the coffee cup.

Grapes – A.K.A. “Mr. Hand Gestures”, this guy’s emotions are written on his sleaves. The first to fist pump celly after a goal, he’s also prone to throwing his arms up in disbelief when his kid misses a pass. Better watch your bag of popcorn because this guys arms are out of control.

The Salesman- Parent by parent, this dad can be seen pitching parents the entire game. Selling his kid like the soup of the day, his tactics are clever. By the end of the conversation, you can’t help but agree that his kid belongs on the first power play unit and that the coach made a big mistake not giving him the “C”.

The Know-It-All – Sitting next to this guy will make you feel so fortunate, fortunate that you don’t have to live with him! Never a dull moment, this guy will comment on every play of the game, enlightening you with his pre-1975 AAA knowledge of the game. This guy watches every practice with a magnifying glass and still can’t understand why the team isn’t playing the 1-2-2 24/7, 365!