03Sep 2024 by Jeremy Weiss 2 Comments
Synchronized Passing Drill: Improve Full-Speed Passing Skills Without Breaking Stride

Synchronized Passing Drill: Improve Full-Speed Passing Skills Without Breaking Stride

Hockey Drills, Individual Skill Drills, Passing & Timing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05di0WHx404 Understanding the Synchronized Passing Drill In the world of hockey, mastering the art of passing is critical. Smooth, effective passing can make the difference between a successful play and a missed opportunity. In this guide, I'll walk you through a quick, simple, yet effective passing drill called "Synchronized Passing." This drill can be applied to players of all ages and skill levels. Moreover, it offers several variations to keep practices dynamic and challenging. What is Synchronized Passing? The Basics Synchronized passing aims to teach players to give and receive passes smoothly without breaking stride. The essence of this drill is maintaining close distance between players to ensure precise and efficient passing. You'll want to focus on moving the puck "tape to tape"—meaning your passes are hitting the sweet spot…
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31Aug 2024 by Jeremy Weiss No Comments

Building Success Through Leadership and Hard Work in Youth Hockey

Coaches' Corner, Philosophy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKpHsFbyCMc A Journey of Growth and Success in Youth Hockey Coaching In the realm of youth sports, coaching is as much about developing character and skills as it is about winning games. The story of Max Sinnis, a dedicated hockey coach from Nova Scotia, provides a compelling example of this philosophy in action. Over twenty years of coaching, Max has honed his approach, emphasizing discipline, team culture, and continuous improvement, guiding his teams from humble beginnings to significant achievements. Below, we delve into his coaching journey, the strategies he employed, and the invaluable lessons learned along the way. Starting Late but Catching Up Quickly Max's own hockey journey began relatively late. He didn’t start playing the sport until he was nine years old, an age considered late for many competitive…
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19Aug 2024 by Jeremy Weiss No Comments
Sound Byte: The Coach as a Thermostat

Sound Byte: The Coach as a Thermostat

Coaches' Corner, Philosophy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWtEeIn7ikw Jeremy Weiss explaining one of the many roles of the coach... the team "thermostat" ​This Sound Byte emphasizes the coach's role as the emotional thermostat for their team, particularly on game days.​ Coach Weiss outlines the necessity for coaches to assess and manage the emotional state of their players, adjusting the energy levels to maintain an optimal atmosphere during pregame meetings and throughout the match. Key Points The Role of the Coach 00:00 Jeremy Weiss introduces the topic, focusing on the coach's responsibility as an emotional thermostat for the team, particularly on game day. 00:20 The coach must gauge the emotional state of the players in the locker room before the game. Assessing Emotional Energy 00:47 If the team's energy is flat, the coach needs to energize them; conversely,…
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13Aug 2024 by Jeremy Weiss 3 Comments
Introduce Important Timing Tactics with the Center Lag Timing Drill

Introduce Important Timing Tactics with the Center Lag Timing Drill

Hockey Drills, Individual Skill Drills, Passing & Timing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYtyFWze_rQ Video explanation of the Center Lag Timing Drill The Center Lag Timing Drill Timing in hockey is a skill that requires not only physical ability, but mental ability as well. It is not uncommon to see young players buzzing around in practices or games - they appear to only have one speed: FULL SPEED. Since they're working hard, they think they're doing a good job... In reality, it is the player who arrives in the right spot, at the right time, with speed that will be the most effective. Teach your players to pass to designated receiving areas, not necessarily to players. The responsibility lies with the receiver to make the play work. The receiver must select the proper route to the receiving zone so that he or she…
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06Aug 2024 by Jeremy Weiss No Comments
Master the 2v2 Continuous Backcheck Drill: Step-by-Step Guide

Master the 2v2 Continuous Backcheck Drill: Step-by-Step Guide

1 on 1's, 2 on 2's, 2 on 1's, 3 on 2's, Backchecking, Hockey Drills, Team Skill Drills, Team Skills
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQl4oILv5Q4 Video walkthrough of the 2v2 Continuous Backcheck Drill Put this high intensity backchecking drill to work for your hockey players! Here's the diagram and explanation: Diagram of the 2v2 Continuous Backcheck Drill 2v0 from the blue line (just to start the drill) Coach passes to either attacker As soon as the shot is taken two players from the opposite blue line attack, with the original shooters backchecking Coach passes to either attacker Drill repeats USE THIS DRILL IN YOUR OWN PRACTICE PLAN: PDF: 2v2 Continuous Backcheck Drill
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