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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Providing “Token” Pressure

Providing “Token” Pressure

Coaches' Corner, Philosophy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPJUatjve18 Understanding Token Pressure can be a Game Changer in your Development Drills In working with youth hockey players, I often end up working with a wide range of coaches; some of which are more experienced than others. A common mistake I see in less experienced coaches is providing the wrong kind of pressure in development drills. Sometimes this means too much pressure, sometimes it means pressure from the wrong angle, or pressure with the wrong timing. In any respect, the wrong type of pressure can change the entire nature of a drill. For example, if a drill is designed to work on puck protection, with the puck carrier driving the net, the pressure needs to come from a side angle, or even slightly from behind. The player needs to…
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5 Pass One Touch

5 Pass One Touch

Hockey Drills, Individual Skill Drills, Passing & Timing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_Dvn10-lMo Here's a fantastic passing drill that I picked up from Larry Huras over at Hockey Coach Vision. For anyone who has questions about the software in this video, I'm using CoachThem at the beginning to walk through the diagram, then Hockey Coach Vision to show the animated drill in action. I've got discounts set up for both softwares if you're interested: CoachThem.com - use WEISSHKY15 at checkoutHockeyCoachVision.com - use WEISSTECH at checkout 5 Pass One Touch Player takes a step towards middle ice, pivots, receives pass from next player in line, then passes back to himPlayer now receives pass from first player in the other line, and passes it back to himPlayer now makes a sharp turn to attack across the blue line for long lateral pass from diagonal…
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Which Ice Marker Works Best?

Which Ice Marker Works Best?

Coaches' Corner, Useful Products
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTgLSpV470g I've Tested A LOT of Ice Markers... Here are my Favorites! In a recent video I mentioned using an ice marker to help place players in the right starting position in a certain drill. The video sparked a few questions about which markers I like best. So I thought I'd do a quick video reviewing the ones I've used! Ways I use Markers in My Coaching Using markers on the ice has become standard practice for me, especially since more and more of my practices have become station-based. I use markers in many different ways, including the following: Marking the start point of a drill (where to line up)Which direction to turn around a cone or other obstacleDesignating a receiving zone for passesDrawing a crease if we need to…
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