IHD Newsletter – March 2013
This month’s newsletter has been sent. You can read the March 2013 Newsletter here.
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Past Newsletters
This month’s newsletter has been sent. You can read the March 2013 Newsletter here.
Related articles:
Newsletter sign-up
Past Newsletters
I recently had the chance to test out a number of new products from HockeyShot’s balance line. I’m a big believer that developing balance and coordination off the ice can lead to improved performance on the ice. The first product I tested out was the 20″ Wobble Board, as shown in the video above.
Construction:
The platform of this Wobble Board is made of birch wood with a slip-resistant top. The birch wood gives it a nice feel, while still maintaining it’s durability. “Feel” is an important feature with balance products. I’ve used plastic wobble boards in the past that don’t hold a candle to this one, mainly because of the feel.
The spherical base is made of durable plastic, that is sure to withstand any reasonable amount of abuse you’ll throw at it. The base is adjustable, which allows you to change the level of difficulty as your skills improve.
Usability:
The wobble board is easy to use, although it will take some practice to get good at it. I recommend setting the base at the easiest level while you work on your balance and strength. The base is well-designed, and easy to adjust.
Benefits:
The benefits of using a wobble board are pretty obvious for hockey:
By now, you have probably heard about or seen Sidney Crosby’s no look backhand pass. It was what those in Pittsburgh have become accustomed to seeing from him. Incredible plays that create opportunity.
I’d like to talk a little about this play. First, watch it here to refresh yourself of what happened:
I’ve talked before and will soon have my own video on the site about using the backhand. The key to this play is the use of the backhand for the pass by Crosby. Obviously, he has already looked ahead and knows where he is going with this pass. He catches the pass, protects the puck with his body, spins and puts it where it needs to be.
All to often, we see players at the levels we coach afraid to use their backhand. They get a puck on the backhand in a good position to make a pass or shoot. Instead, they take the time to spin around to the forehand. By that time, the defense has moved into position and so has the goalie. Using the backhand allows for a quick movement of the puck and will open up opportunities.
The second key to this play is Dupuis. He catches the puck on the backhand, realizes he is too low to shot the puck on net on the backhand. He immediately drags it to the forehand gets off a quick shot.
Teach your players to use their backhand. You won’t be sorry.
Last week was the last official practice I held for a team that was 4 years in the making. It was sad standing at the door of the rink moments before my team went on. I was set to prepare them for the biggest game of their young lives, Game 3 of the Finals, yet my heart was heavy. I knew in just a short hour and a half I’d blow the last whistle with this team.
5 years ago I was just a Dad who loved the game of hockey. My son came home one day and said, ‘Can I play inline hockey for the school?’ Soon after, he was signed up and I was making calls and sending emails, trying to understand what this game was all about and what he needed to get started. I’d played Ice Hockey, but this game was new. I volunteered to ‘help’ his local youth organization, and before the season started was given a Head Coaching position of an Elementary aged team (Grades 1-5). Here I was thinking, ‘I’m going to be coaching hockey’. Man, I had no idea what I was getting into.
I went into overdrive trying to figure out how I was going to coach this team and make them competitive. At this young age, the focus is usually on skills and fun and if they win, great. While I’d like to say I completely get that, the competitive side in me burned on. I’ve always taken a differnet approach. Focus on drills that incorporate skills, while making the boys competitve. Teach them to play the game of hockey through positioning and game play situations. Push them to push themselves to get better in every situation. Players seeing themselves get better in their skills, their understanding of the game and their game play = happy players. Happy players have FUN. TEAM first attitude is what I’ve always taught. Hockey is not an individual sport, you need all players working together to accomplish a goal. I’ve watched some very talented groups fail, because they didn’t understand this concept. The moment you get selfish, it all falls apart.
Not long into my first season a Hockey Mom ran up and hugged me and said “Thank you” with tears in her eyes after the team pulled out a win in a close game. At the time, I was thinking, ‘Wow, she must be really happy with the team winning’. Not until later that day when I got an email explaining the effect that my coaching and motivation had on her young son, did I finally understand. These players aren’t just here to play hockey. It was so much more.
I’ve learned how hard you can push a player and how to make them believe in themselves. I’ve learned that each player has his own potential and you just have to find what that is and help them reach it. Not just hockey lessons are taught on the rink, but life lessons too. Just like life, hockey is an emotional game and it has it’s ups and downs. I honestly believe that hockey, unlike any other sport, teaches you how to deal with all this and ‘play through the situation’.
Not long ago, I was in a spirited game of knee hockey with my son and one of his teammates. As we were playing, the boy made a comment to my son about what he had to do to beat me and I said ‘Wow, I have taugh you something all these years.’ He turned, looked me dead in the eye and said, ‘No Coach. You’ve taugh me everything!’ I’d like to follow that up by saying these Players and Parents have given back so much more than they realize. They’ve taught me so much over the years and I’ll be forever thankful.
I’ve learned so much and it is the reason you are here on this site. I’ve been privileged to coach several inline teams over the years both at the school and tournament level and each one was special in it’s own way. I’ve made a lot of great friends and relationships that will not end any time soon. I’ve worked with some great coaches and made contacts all over the world and I’m grateful for all of it.
What a transformation it’s been from that first day. I’m no longer just a Hockey Dad. I’m a Coach, a Mentor, a Teacher.
The night before Game 3 I sent this email to the team…
7 months ago you were each hand picked to be here. To be here in this moment with an opportunity to win it all. The opening night of practice I sat you all down and told you, ‘I believe you are the best team in Elementary. Now you need to start believing it too.’ I still stand by that and believe it today.
Game 3 represents the last 45 minutes you’ll play as a team. No matter what happens, I’m proud of the team you are and the players you are. Play hard. Skate hard. Play with Respect and Play with NO FEAR.
Leave everything you have on the rink. Sometimes there is no next time, no second chance, no time out. Sometimes it is now or never.
It’s your time.
Clear Eyes. Full Hearts. Can’t Lose.
Coach Denny
As they huddled up in front of the net, I heard a player yell, ‘Come on boys, it’s our last 45’, I knew it would be a great day. I watched as a TEAM came together for one common goal. Worrying about each other first and themselves last. It seemed only fitting that the original 4 members of this TEAM closed out the last minute of play. As the last whistle sounded, the celebrations began.
I recently received a question on the 2-3 Press Forecheck. The question looked like this:
Jeremy,
How do you transition from forecheck to offense when you create a turnover in the 2-3 press? It seems tough to run a cycle because you will draw players out of good defensive position.
Nick
I decided to answer it in a post, rather than to try to explain it via email or blog comment. Here’s a quick summary of how it works:
How to Convert the 2-3 Press into Offense after the Transition
1. F1 Drives deep and hits the puck-carrying defenseman
2. F2 Reads the play, and supports F1
3. F3 sets up on the blue line, between the two defensemen
4. If F1 or F2 cause the turnover, and pick up the puck down low, slide immediately into the cycle, with F3 dropping into the high slot
5. If the turnover happens up top, or in the middle, whoever picks it up steps into the slot and shoots.
There is a passion amongst hockey players unlike any other I’ve ever seen or played. It’s different. It’s hard to explain to someone who hasn’t played it or been around it. As much as we want to tell the kids go out and play for fun, it’s so much more than that.
It’s not just a game.
Don’t get me wrong. Hockey is FUN. But it’s an emotional game too. A lot of work goes into playing the sport. You are committed or you don’t play. It’s just not an easy sport that you get dropped off with a ball and they run around for a while. It takes time. It takes patience. It takes skill. It takes commitment. It takes passion. You don’t need motivation. Being a part of it all is motivation enough.
I coached a team of 9-11 year old boys this year. They were undefeated to this point of the season and playing their biggest rival and the #2 team in the Division. 45 minutes of hard fought play and they were victorious. They battled from the moment they started and never quit. I was proud beyond belief. In the locker room after, they cheered and celebrated and 5 minutes later most sat on the bench and just hung out. Not too many words were said, but none were really needed. They all got it.
On the car ride home, my wife asked why he wasn’t more pumped up about the huge victory and how well the team had done. Plain and simple, he had nothing left to give. It was all on the rink.
Whether you coach, play or are just a fan, you feel it. There is no casual hockey player, coach or parent. It takes too much from you, but it gives back so much more. That passion spills to other places to. Like the Bench. And the Stands.
As coaches, it’s easy to get caught up in the moment and the bad calls or the mistakes the players make. Coaches, you need to remember that players feed off of your emotions and more importantly, your actions. If you are calm, they are calm. If you are yelling, they are tense. Think about it. Control your emotions. Coach your players and the game will work itself out.
Parents, same with you. It’s very easy to get wrapped up in the moment because we all want to win. We all feel that emotion and passion that our players bring to the rink. So as you are in the stands, while it makes you feel better to yell at the refs (believe me, I’m guilty of this too), think about being in their position and taking it all in at full speed with no vested interested in the game. Be encouraging to your players. Remember, when you are calm, they are calm. When you start coaching them and telling them how big of a game this is, they get tense. Leave that to them, they know how big it is. Let them play.
Embrace the passion. Embrace the emotion. Play, Coach or be a Fan of Hockey, you won’t be sorry.
A few years ago, I did a quick video dissection of Joe Pavelski’s over time goal against the LA Kings. This video shows perfect execution of one of the Attack Triangle options we outline in the Coaches’ Training Course and in the Playbook. Here’s a quick summary of how it works on this play:
How the Sharks used the Attack Triangle on this Play
1. F1 drives the puck wide, while reading the gap of the strong-side defenseman
2. F2 realizes he has an inside lane to the net, and drives straight through the middle, pulling the weak-side defenseman with him, and opening up space in the high slot
3. F3 (Joe Pavelski) reads that the weak-side defenseman has been driven low, and that there will be space in the high slot, so he fills that space
4. F1 reads loose gap from the strong-side defenseman, and sees that the weak-side defenseman has been driven deep, then feathers an “area pass” to the open ice in the high slot
5. F3 walks in, picks up the pass, and snipes the game winner!
In this article we have three hockey tips from George Parros of the Florida Panthers. Parros has played over 400 games in the in NHL, won a Stanley Cup with the Ducks and has a great Mustache! In the videos Parros teaches a trick shot, how to take a snapshot, and shares some tips for the forwards crossovers.
Thanks to H20 Overdrive for setting up this opportunity with George Parros, although I would have liked to see some tips geared towards his physical style of play, maybe later we can do a video with tips for intimidation and dropping the mitts.
In this video Parros teaches his style of the snapshot which many NHL players use. This is a great shot to use to incorporate a lot of power and a deceptive release. This snapshot is a hybrid between the full wrist shot and the quick release snapshot that I taught in another article and video.
Parros has some great tips in this video. His advice will help you make a tight turn while using crossovers but also maintain good body position and balance. Once you have mastered the forwards crossovers you can start working on your backwards crossovers
In this video Parros teaches you how to pull the puck back and then flip it up in the air. If you are looking for some more trick shots you might like our video on how to do the scoopy puck move
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This past Saturday I had the opportunity to be a guest again on the Illegal Curve show on TSN Radio 1290 in Winnipeg. If you haven’t listened to the show before, and you’re a Jets fan, check it out here: http://illegalcurve.com/
The topic I covered on Saturday will be useful to any coach, whether you’re a Jets fan or not. I also made a video dissection of the Jets power play after the fact, illustrating a few of the things I mentioned on the show. So, Check out my segment in the audio below, then watch the vid!
This past Saturday I had the opportunity to be a guest again on the Illegal Curve show on TSN Radio 1290 in Winnipeg. If you haven’t listened to the show before, and you’re a Jets fan, check it out here: http://illegalcurve.com/
The topic I covered on Saturday will be useful to any coach, whether you’re a Jets fan or not. I also made a video dissection of the Jets power play after the fact, illustrating a few of the things I mentioned on the show. So, Check out my segment in the audio below, then watch the vid!
