“Is There a Reason You’re Not Giving 100% Right Now?”

“Is There a Reason You’re Not Giving 100% Right Now?”

Coaches' Corner, Philosophy
I love hanging out with good coaches... doesn't matter what sport. I love sharing insights, watching them in action, and learning from the way they interact with their athletes. In 2015 I had a conversation with a coach that changed my outlook forever, and got me started down a road I had never considered before. And this guy wasn't even a hockey coach! The conversation was with my good friend, and NCAA baseball coach, Derek Waddoups. If you're a member of my International Coaching Symposium, you'll know him from Session 14 on Leadership and Developing a Competitive Mindset. Derek is a stud, and is like a brother to me. Our sons have been best friends for years, and Derek and I alternate back and forth between being each other's assistant…
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3 Man 3 Zone Timing Drill

3 Man 3 Zone Timing Drill

Hockey Drills, Individual Skill Drills, Passing & Timing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acj6N8YdR9M This is a variation on an old classic, the 3 Zone Timing Drill, which is one of my all-time favorites! Although flow and timing drills have lost some popularity in recent years, due to the hype surrounding small area games, I do believe there's a time and place to make effective use of full-ice flow and timing drills, especially for advanced teams. This style of drill is not only fun, but is great for conditioning, and awesome for getting high-quality reps in for specific game patterns. Here's how the drills works: Drill Description: 3 players leave togetherPlayer 1 swings lowPlayer 2 swings to the boardsPlayer 3 swings high across the far blue linePasser moves the puck to Player 2, who makes a touch pass to Player 1, who makes…
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How to Easily Create More Offense

How to Easily Create More Offense

Coaches' Corner
https://youtu.be/1uHE8dvTMDI As coaches, we often think of offense as what happens on the initial attack. We think in terms of support, creating width and depth, and we try to set up for multiple options. This is all fantastic, and important.  But the initial attack is just the first step. We also need to consider what happens if the initial attack doesn't result in a goal. Or, what should our setup look like when we regain possession after the forecheck?  This is where many youth teams get hung up.  Coach wants players attacking the net... right? And we're supposed to spread out... right? And Coach wants the players to go hard to the puck, even if it ends up in the corner... right?  Because of this, we often see a setup that…
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How to Destroy the “January Blues” in 3 Easy Steps

How to Destroy the “January Blues” in 3 Easy Steps

Coaches' Corner, Philosophy
Here are 3 ways to spark excitement and motivation as you prepare for your playoff run!  These 3 tips have been huge for me… but as you’re going through this, I want to know… what would you add to this list? What things have you done to make sure your team finishes strong?  Drop your own advice in the comments below! Before we dive straight in, I want to make sure you know what I mean by “January blues…”  I’m sure you’ve experienced this at some point, either as a player, coach, or parent.  The season starts, and everyone is pumped up and full of energy… “it’s gonna be a great year!” Teams are picked, development is looking good, you have your first tournament or two… whether you’re winning or…
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D to D Stretch Pass

D to D Stretch Pass

1 on 1's, 2 on 2's, 2 on 1's, 3 on 2's, Hockey Drills, Individual Skill Drills, Passing & Timing, Team Skill Drills
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2J59ipdwkY Here's a Great Stretch Pass Drill to Help Make the Most of Your Full-Ice Practices I don't get a ton of full-ice practices in my organization. But when I do, I like to take full advantage of the bigger ice, and work on things that can't be done on a smaller segment of ice. Stretch passes, Regroups, and full-ice Timing drills are where I spend my time in the rare occasion I get a full-ice practice. Here's a great stretch pass drill to add to your library: D to D Stretch Pass Forwards in four lines, two Defense in each end zoneOn whistle, first Forward of each diagonal line passes down to the close Defense who makes a D to D pass then hits the Forward, who has become…
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