13Aug 2009 by Jeremy Weiss No Comments

What I learned Today…

Coaches' Corner, Philosophy
Hey guys - sorry for such a long gap between posts! I've been really busy this summer running hockey camps, going to family reunions, and a bunch of other stuff... Anyways, right now I'm at the Level 5 Coaching Clinic in St. Paul, Minnesota. So far it's been a pretty good event - we've heard from a bunch of cool speakers. But the most interesting thing I heard today as about COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT... or in other words BRAIN TRAINING. There is a company called Applied Cognitive Engineering that has developed a product called IntelliGym that consists of a complex series algorithms that can be implemented into a video game that will train your brain to react quicker to the recurring patterns in athletics. They have already developed it for…
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27May 2009 by Jeremy Weiss 1 Comment
4 on 4 and PK Forecheck

4 on 4 and PK Forecheck

Offensive Zone, Special Teams, Team Systems
Penalty kill forecheck and 4 on 4 philosophies On a 4 on 4, the philosophy is simple: treat it like a power play when you have the puck, or when the puck is loose; treat it like a penalty kill when the other team has it. Forecheck: I recommend using your standard penalty kill forecheck when playing a 4 on 4. See the section on the Modified “T” Forecheck for the full explanation. Defensive Zone Coverage: Again, I recommend using your standard penalty kill coverage when playing a 4 on 4. Pick whichever one suits your team’s strengths and weaknesses. Offensive Set-up: Run a modified version of your current power play set-up. A four-man overload is very doable (think about getting the weak-side defenseman to slide down into the slot…
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06May 2009 by Jeremy Weiss 4 Comments
“Snake” Shooting Drill

“Snake” Shooting Drill

Hockey Drills, Individual Skill Drills, Shooting, Skating & Agility
One of my favorite hockey shooting drills. Simple to set up, but teaches some profound concepts. This could be one of the most basic hockey shooting drills out there... but it is also one of the most effective because of the concepts that can be applied. Remember to have your players shoot in stride if they're on their forehand, and to use their Inside Mohawk if they're on their backhand. Here's the diagram and explanation:     Snake Drill Option 1: 1. players line up in corner 2. on whistle, first player in line skates up and around the top of the circle, attacking the "seam" 3. if on forehand, player shoots in stride, if on backhand, player executes a mohawk, and shoots from the forehand 4. after shot, players…
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21Apr 2009 by Jeremy Weiss 6 Comments
Hockey Breakout Drill

Hockey Breakout Drill

Breakouts, Defensive Zone, Hockey Drills, Team Skill Drills, Team Systems Drills
This is an Excellent Hockey Breakout Drill to Teach the Patterns of Game Situations Many hockey situations occur in patterns. This simple hockey breakout drill breaks down these patterns into their simplest form, then puts them back together in sequence to mimic a game situation. Here's the diagram and explanation: Hockey Breakout Progression: PHASE 1: 1.Set up forwards on the blue line, with defensemen on the close hash mark. Defenseman who is going steps out to the dot 2.On whistle, first forward in line passes to the defenseman, then skates down around the bottom of the circle and opens up for a breakout pass 3.Defenseman skates behind the net, then passes to the forward on the boards, who skates down for a shot Note: Teach forwards to pivot and keep…
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08Apr 2009 by Jeremy Weiss 5 Comments
Initiating a Hockey Breakout

Initiating a Hockey Breakout

Defensive Zone, Team Systems
Tactical discussion on initiating a hockey breakout and hockey systems. Initiating a proper hockey breakout is a very important aspect of hockey systems. All to often you see young players who are coached to do nothing more than "dump it in" or "dump it out." While I agree that there is a time and place for "dump and chase" hockey, I believe we do our players a disservice by teaching those tactics at too young an age. Teach possession hockey first, then implement "dump and chase" for specific situations as players develop and mature. My two cents worth :)
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