Hockey is a very dynamic game…
As you know, there are many components that go into being an effective hockey player. Some of these are on ice, individual components such as skating, stickhandling, and passing. Some components are developed off the ice, such as improving one’s physical strength and conditioning. And there are certain components that are developed between the athlete’s ears… I’m talking about positional play, read and react ability, and making smart decisions at critical times during the games.
You’ve probably heard coaches talk about a player’s “hockey sense,” or how an athlete has a “knack” for being in the right place at the right time. I’ve noticed that these qualities are often spoken of as if they’re innate, natural abilities that players are just born with. While this may be true in some cases, it’s important to remember that “hockey sense” can and should be developed, no matter how experienced or inexperienced a player may be.
The “OLD” Way…
One of the most effective ways to teach hockey sense is with a two-step method:
- Classroom instruction
- Followed by on-ice application
Or in other words, have a chalk talk before practice, then go on the ice and practice whatever you just talked about. I’ve been using this method for years, with great success… but recently, I came across a better way. This new model is similar to the old, two-step method, but it works so much more effectively, it’s kind of like putting the two-step method on steroids!
The BETTER Way
Let me show you how this discovery came about… In the summer of 2010, I put together a free, online course for hockey coaches, that basically walked through multiple options for positional play, in just about every situation of the game––I’m sure you’ve probably already seen it. We covered various defensive zone coverage set-ups, breakouts, offensive attack options, special teams… needless to say, it was an EXTENSIVE course!
After the course was finished, I released a playbook that contained everything discussed in the course (plus a bit more) in written format, with diagrams, explanations, assignments by position, the whole nine yards. Within the first year of its release, over 400 coaches from around the globe had purchased the playbook, and had begun putting it’s systems to use. The feedback I’ve received from these coaches has been amazing, to say the least!
Here’s How it Works:
So, this is where our “beefed up” teaching method comes into play! While the playbook was intended to be a tool coaches could use during their classroom discussions, I realized that many of the coaches who had purchased the playbook, were using it IN TANDEM with the online videos in the coaches training course! This was possible because the sections in the playbook matched up so well with the sections in the Coaches Training Course. They would assign videos from the course for their players to watch before coming to the rink, then they’d spend some time going through the corresponding section of the playbook AT THE RINK, AS A TEAM before practice. After that, they’d hit the ice and work on whichever concept they had just discussed!
When I realized the power of this coaching method, I got really excited. This is a new day and age for teaching hockey sense! You see, coaches have been using the old, two-step model I mentioned earlier for many years:
- Classroom instruction
- Followed by on-ice application
However, assigning the online videos as homework has added a third dimension to this model, making it even MORE effective than it has already proven to be!
- Video Homework
- Classroom instruction
- Followed by on-ice application
What’s Inside?
So, let me give you a quick peek inside the playbook that makes teaching hockey sense with this 3 step model possible.
The first thing you’ll notice is that we have published this playbook as an e-book. We’ve done this for two main reasons, first, because it gives you instant access to the material, so you can start putting it to work for you right away… no waiting for it to come in the mail. And second, it gives you more control over the distribution of the content. You can print off the whole thing for your team, or just give them selected pieces of it throughout the season as you see fit.
The playbook is divided into sections that coincide with the online Coaches’ Training Course, where you’ll watch your videos. This makes it super easy to use them both in tandem.
The sections include the following topics:
Each section contains multiple options for set-up formations, with the responsibilities of each player laid out in bullet points. This lets players see, at a glance, what they should be doing in any given situation.
In the playbook, we’ve also added links back to the video walkthroughs, in the online COACHES TRAINING COURSE, for each set-up. This feature allows you to toggle back and forth between written text and video explanation.
Along with the written explanations are over 50 diagrams that walk you through each play progression. These diagrams come in handy for your visual learners, like me, who need to see the x’s and o’s drawn up in order to fully internalize the concept and translate it to on-ice performance.
At the back of your playbook you’ll find a glossary. I’m a big believer in hockey language, and I feel that consistency in terminology improves development. When the players and coaches are all speaking the same language, the game can be taught more effectively, changes can be made on the fly more easily, and everything runs more smoothly.
