Friday, June 29, 2012

Four "T's" of Passing:

Black Sea Cup: Erzurum Gençlikspor & Georgia 



  • Technique
  • Type
  • Think & Execute Off Puck 
  • Timing
The Four T's of Passing are key to developing fundamental sound players. 

The best players maintain good technique at all times. Good technique must be emphasized on every pass. 

  • Cup, Push, Point

The passer must choose the right type of pass. The player must choose when to use touch passes, first and second touch skating and passing. Players must choose when to make short or long pass. Players must choose when to pass to stick, space or use no space play. Players need to know when to use the boards to make a pass or clear.


Types of Passes

  • Forehand
  • Backhand
  • 1 touch, 2 touch, 3 touch
  • 1 time
  • Saucer
  • Snap
  • Slap
  • Use of boards







Each player must be "thinking off the puck" and working on being in position to receive a pass. Players need to work on things like:  Am I calling for the puck when open? Can I see the puck? Am I in the best place for a pass? How can I give my teammate an option? Can I create space for others? The best players are always thinking and executing "OFF the Puck".

The 4th "T" is for timing. Both the player with the puck and without the puck need to work on timing skills. Timing is everything in hockey. Arrive a little to fast, a little to slow and the play results in a turnover. The player with the puck must choose the right pace of the pass. Pass to hard it arrives to fast. Pass to slow, it behind the receiver or the puck is intercepted.

  • Control Skate, Communicate & Accelerate


Coaches must work on the "Four T's" if they want to improve their team play. When players master the three T's, puck handling, passing, scoring and tactics will all improve.


Related Videos & Teaching Points:
Keith McAdams Coaching Tips: Always Play Live
Nine Words to Improve Your Passing Game - Keith McAdams ...

Power Thoughts:


I skate to where the puck is going to be, not to where it has been - Wayne Gretzky








A winner never whines. 
                   -Paul Brown 

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Coaching Ice Hockey Using Digital Video Technology

Digital video technology allows the coach to breakdown and analyzes the team & player's performance. Digital technology can revolutionize the way every youth coaches can prepare their teams and players. Digital Cameras and application are affordable for most coaches. Video allows you to analyze performance and let you see things you couldn't see during the games & practices. Videos can be used to teach skills, systems, tactics and breakdown the game. Every coach should video games and some practices. We video tape all the practice during training camp. We then video practices two times a month for each age group. We use videos to evaluate individuals and teams performance. We use the videos to teach skills and take work segments. These work segments do not lie! Videos shows us where we are improving. Videos allow us to fine tune our focus and improve our weaknesses in future practices.
  • What you see is what you get
  • You improve on what you focus on
Video Technology allows you to provide accurate feedback to your players. We use Facebook to give players instant feedback on their performance. We post videos daily to aid in the teaching process. We use videos to highlight good plays and motivate the players. If used right, video technology can be used to facilitate mental training and psychological skills necessary to win. Equipment Needed:

  • Editing software 
  • Quality digital camera 
  • Good laptop or desktop computer



The simplest way to breakdown game videos is a followed: 





Offensive Rush: Keith McAdams Coaching Tips: Slovakia Tomas Tatar Goal - Rush ...

  • 1 v 1, 2 v 1, 2 v 2, 3 v 2, 3 v 3, 2 v 1 + 1, 3 v 2 +1
  • Overload
  • Cross
  • Overlap
  • Regroup



Offensive Control: Keith McAdams Coaching Tips: Invert Offense Causes Confusion ...


  • Cycling
  • Crossing
  • Boards
  • Give & Go


Forechecking: Team USA Failed to Capitalize on Good Forechecking vs. Finland

  • Soft Dump
  • Cross Corner Dump
  • Hard Around Boards




  • 1 v 1,  2 v 2, 3 v 3,
  • 2 v 1, 3 v 2,  4 v 3, 5 v 4
  • 2 v 1 + 1, 3 v 2 +1, 4 v 3 +1



Power Play: Chris Kreider Goal - Hard Rims Can Be Effective Play On Regroups


  • Rush
  • Offensive Control
  • Forecheck
  • Transition from Defense to Offense
  • Face Offs


Penalty Killing: Keith McAdams Coaching Tips: Little Things: Patrick Dwyer Penalty ...

  • Rush
  • Offensive Control
  • Forecheck
  • Transition from Defense to Offense
  • Face Offs


Face Offs: New York Rangers Quick Transition On Defensive Zone Face Off


  • Offensive Zone
  • Center Ice
  • Defensive Zone
  • Special Plays


Scoring Chance Form: 


Period: Time Stamp: Team: Type: Description 
1 1.23.01 ERZ OC 1st line cross, cycle shot & rebound 
1 1.40.23 ERZ R Fatih driving wide, pulled down, leads to PP 
1 2.10.06 ERZ PP FO/OC/Goal, Point shot, screen tip & rebound 


You should record scoring chances from both teams. Keeping track of scoring chances, provides an accurate view of your teams strengths and weaknesses.




Power Thoughts: 


"I believe God gave us crises for some reason—and it certainly wasn’t for us to say that everything about them is bad. A crisis can be a momentous time for a team to grow—if a leader handles it properly." -Mike Krzyzewski







Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Four Things Youth Hockey Coaches Can Do To Improve Their Coaching Abilities For 2012-13 Season:


Power Questions:
Do you have a coaching syllabus?

Every coach should have a coaching syllabus. For youth hockey I recommend you break it down into four areas.  Every skill, system and tactic you will teach should be in the syllabus. Your syllabus must be detailed. Your syllabus should be re-worked  and improved each year.

1. Skill syllabus
2. Defensive syllabus
3. Offensive syllabus
4. Special team syllabus


Your Coaching Syllabus Should Change Time to Time:
  • Players change, so your syllabus could need to be changed
  • Opponent change year to year
  • Players progress quickly
  • Player progress slowly
  • Some things work, something do not

My syllabus includes the following: 


System: Is the plan


Tactics: Is how you execute the plan

Principle: A rule used to choose among solutions to a problem which works most of the time.


Goals: Each practice, drills and concept must have measurable objectives


Reads: What players should see


Skills: List of skills and progressions


Keys: Smaller details


Rules: Things that Happen a lot


Roles: Responsibilities of Each player


Terms: "Good Vision Leads to Good Decisions"





"I try to do the right thing at the right time.  They may
just be little things, but usually they make the difference
between winning and losing."

    -Kareem Abdul-Jabbar  



Related Videos & Posts:



Great Inspirational Video To Get Your Players To Give Just a Little More

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Eleven Ways To Improve Your Practices & Team:


ERZURUM GENÇLİK SPOR 2011-12 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS




This is a copy of my philosophy on practice planning for my 14 and under club. My program is based on 11 ingredients:


1. Structure, Structure, Structure:

A successful practice has to be well planned and organized, following a clear set of objectives from start to finish.
  • Dynamic Stretching & Warm Up Off-Ice  
  • Properly warming up the muscles and ligaments of the body is essential for avoiding injury
  • Proper cool down after practice

2. Simple Warm-up On-Ice Stressing 1 or 2 Passing Drills: 
  • Effective warm-ups allow the players to become mentally and physically focused to begin the practice
  • Spend a few minutes stretching center ice - If you have the ice time available.

 3. Fundamentals & Defense: 
  • We work fundamentals and defense daily
  • We take pride in the fact our players are equipped with the basics in puck handling, passing, shooting, rebounding, and defensive fundamentals 


4) Game Preparation: 
  • Keep things simple and progress 
  • The key is executing the system and tactics being used
  • Always be working on understanding how to read & react both on defense and offense


 5. Predictable & Variety:  
  • Practice can become easily boring with the same drills 
  • I keep my schedule and practice format predictable, but continually introduce new progressions and drills to my practice
  • I stay with drills until they master them 
  • If I sense things are becoming to boring I change the format 

6. Competition: 
  • Encourage an atmosphere of hard competition too simulate a game-like level of play
  • One of the best ways to create competition is to add back and forward pressure
  • Keep score at practice of the things you are focusing on

7. Accountability: 
  • Considering rewarding hard play (I.e. Hustling for loose pucks, winning battles on the boards and getting rebounds.)
  • Hold your players accountable for their performance
  • Provide continuous positive feedback, and punishing poor play

 8. Winning & Improving Is Fun: 

Don't take yourself too seriously. Make sure your players are having fun or they'll lose their drive and focus for training.



9. We focus on drill that stress the following: 
  • Multiple touches & reps
  • Multiple groups
  • Multiple skill drills

10.  Utilize Small Area Ice Drill:

The younger the group, the more time I would spend on small ice drills.

  • Small area drills give you more touches & reps
  • Isolate one or more skills

11. End With Small Games


Work on basic game principles including; Pressure, Possession, Defense,  Passing, Movement, Shooting & Rebounding! Set the game up to target an area of your performance.

  • Design small side to sided games
  • Diagonal half-ice games 


Power Thoughts:

"Repetition of the same thought or physical action develops into a habit which, repeated frequently enough, becomes an automatic reflex."
                                                                                                -Norman Vincent Peale




Related Videos & Teaching Points:


Coaching Ice Hockey and Digital Video Technology



Saturday, June 9, 2012

Slovakia Tomas Tatar Goal - Rush & Little Delay


Note: This video is not available in all countries.



System:   
  • Offensive Rush


Tactics:
  • Delay
  • Cut Back
  • Drive to net, prepare the dots & slot
  • Saving Ice
  • Stick Shooting Position


Techniques:

  • Tight Control Turn
  • Good Pass & Shot



Power Thoughts:

"Success is almost totally dependent upon drive and persistence. The extra energy required to make another effort or try another approach is the secret of winning."
-Dennis Waitley



Delay - Cut Back
 Saving Ice - The player waits on boards for dot to open up.
Shooting Advantage - Receiving Puck on Forehand



Thursday, June 7, 2012

New York Rangers Quick Transition On Defensive Zone Face Off


System:



  • New York Rangers Defensive Zone Face Off & Breakout   

Tactics: 


  • When Rangers win face off, the defense in middle ice picks up puck and makes pass to strong side forward skating to point


Reads:

  • All 5 players must quickly read weather the face off is won or lost


Keys:



  • Forwards must quickly be moving out to point
  • D1 picks up puck on won face off


  • D2 & Center must stay with their men and block them out

  • The forwards must cause the defense to back out of zone
In this clip you can see the speed of the NY Rangers cause Ottawa Senators to back out of zone.



On Lost Face Off:


  • Center on Center
  • Defense on Wings & Stay with Your Man
  • Wing in Middle, Stops for Loose Puck or Goes Out to Point.
  • Wing on Out Side Goes Out to Point





Power Thoughts:


"If you accept a limiting belief, then it will become a truth for You."  -Louise Hay




Related Videos & Teaching Points:

USA Creating Problems for Finland on Defensive Zone Face Offs

Chris Kreider Goal - Hard Rims Can Be Effective Play On Regroups & Defensive Clears


                                        

System/Strategy:

  • Wide Rim
  • Tag Up



Tactics:

  • Timing hard rim and timing to be the first to pick
  • Driving to net to create open space in slot


Keys:
  • The puck must get past the goalkeeper for it to be effective
  • Arriving to the puck quickly
  • Know what you will do before you pick up puck



Power Thoughts:



"I try to do the right thing at the right time.  They may
just be little things, but usually they make the difference
between winning and losing."


                                                  Kareem Abdul-Jabbar  











Related Videos & Teaching Points:

Team USA Failed to Capitalize on Good Forechecking vs. Finland












Modelling The Performance Of Dan Girardi On Defense


Teaching Points:
  • Intelligently Finishing Hits
  • Blocking Shots
  • Stick in Passing Lanes
  • Move the Puck




Dan Girardi Stats 2011-12 Season:
  • Hits  211  8th in NHL
  • Blocked Shots  185 5th in NHL


Related Videos & Teaching Points:

Monday, June 4, 2012

Offensive Rush - Crossing Tactics

KYLE TURRIS SCORE GOAL ON OFFENSIVE RUSH -CROSS


Tactics:
  • F1 Puck carrier cuts across blue line
  • F2 Crosses behind to receive puck
  • The player can receive hand off, pass or puck moved to vacated space






Boston Give Washington Hard Time On Rush With Overlap Attack




Purpose:
  • Overlapping attack clears a space and allows team mate to receive pass 

Rule:
  • Overlap to the vacated space

Read The Space:
  • The Offensive players must he has 2 stick lengths of space to cut to middle

Keys:
  • Take the puck wide
  • Cut across the ice, just over the blue line
  • Pass the puck to open space 
  • Skate full speed and fill the vacated space

Execution of Overlap:

  • By crossing behind to the space vacated






Pick & Cross:



Kane Evander Pick & Cross CAN-USA IIHF 2012



Tactics: 

  • #1 enters zone wide
  • #2 skated directly into the skating lane of the defender
  • #3 drives to net

Keys:

  • #2 most not make physical contact with defender










Power Thoughts:




"You may delay, but time will not." ~Benjamin Franklin



"Procrastination is opportunity's natural assassin." ~Victor Kiam


Sports Psychology Tips:

Break the 15 Minute Barrier Today:

Even Olympic athletes some times have problems with motivation or discipline. Sometimes you just do not feel like working out. Other times you may want to break your diet. One common trait of successful athletes is; Successful athletes have learned to break the nasty habit procrastination by break the 15 minute barrier. Successful athletes have learned; The right feeling do not have to come first. Get your body, going in the right direction and the right feeling and emotion will follow. If you do not feel like exercising just force yourself to start, work for 15 minutes. You will find, most of the time the positive feelings will just come. Just start and good things will happen. If you are have a craving to break your diet. Simply engage yourself for 15 minutes in a positive activity and the craving will dissipate.



"The best way to get something done is to begin." ~Author Unknown




KYLE TURRIS SCORE GOAL ON OFFENSIVE RUSH -CROSS




System/Strategy:

  • Offensive Cross


Tactics:

  • F1 Puck carrier cuts across blue line
  • F2 Crosses behind to receive puck
  • The player can receive hand off, pass or puck moved to vacated space


Reads: 

  • Read space and stick of defense
  • 1 stick length drive wide
  • 2 stick lengths take the middle lane


Keys: 

  • Enter the zone wide
  • F2 picking puck up on forehand

Entering zone wide allows you and your team mates to read and set up the play.


Rules:  

  • Receive puck in T.O.P.  position


Goals:

  • Gain the middle lane, we must get a shot on goal 



Terms:  T.O.P.  Position


From the TOP Position - You have three offensive plays. You can shoot quickly, pass or make fake.




Related Videos & Teaching Points:




Power Thoughts: (Success Formula)

SUCCESS CYCLE:
-Unknown Author


1. KNOW WHAT YOU WANT 

2. HAVE A PLAN 

3. FIND A SUCCESSFUL COACH 

4. TAKE CONSISTENT ACTION 

5. REVIEW YOUR PROGRESS (KEEP SCORE)

6. REBOUND AFTER SETBACKS 

7. SET NEW GOALS DAILY