How to Impress a Coach at Tryouts: Part 1 – Off-Ice Strategy

How to Impress a Coach at Tryouts: Part 1 – Off-Ice Strategy

Coaches' Corner, Philosophy, Uncategorized
I recently had the opportunity to serve as an evaluator in our State District Camp. There were four groups, and our job was to decide which players would move forward to the regional camp at each age group. As I watched the various sessions, it was interesting to see which players understood how to look good in a tryout, and which players didn’t. You know how some people do well in school because they’re “good test takers?” Well, doing well in tryouts works the same way, to a certain extent. Yes, it’s important to have talent, but you need to “showcase” your talent in a way that will help the coach see your value to the team. We’re going to address this topic in 3 parts: Off-Ice Strategy On-Ice Strategy…
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Did you “HEAR” the latest?

Coaches' Corner, Philosophy, Uncategorized
Can I be honest with you? I struggle with email. Especially during the season it can be hard to reply to hockey specific questions that take more than a few sentences to articulate. So I often reply with a Sound Byte on Sound Cloud particularly when it's an answer I feel can benefit more than just the person who asked it. Sound Bytes are usually 7-10 mins long (sometimes a little longer). If you visit my Sound Cloud page, I've got more than 200 Byte size audio tracks that tackle a variety of hockey questions and concepts. Here are some of the most popular: https://soundcloud.com/weiss-tech-hockey/how-to-develop-consistency-in https://soundcloud.com/weiss-tech-hockey/how-to-modify-drills-to-fit https://soundcloud.com/weiss-tech-hockey/d-zone-coverage-vs-attack https://soundcloud.com/weiss-tech-hockey/4-keys-to-teaching https://soundcloud.com/weiss-tech-hockey/theres-no-such-thing-as-turn
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“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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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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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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