Hockey Player Magazine

Tag: coaching

  • Penn State Backchecking Drill

    Got this drill last week and ran it in practice with my team. Drill works really well once you get the timing down. Make sure you have F2 work hard backchecking the inside lane while the D rides F1 off the puck. Penn State Backchecking .

  • Five Breakout Plays Every Hockey Player Should Know

    As a hockey coach and a player I am always trying to become smarter, better, and faster. What some players don’t realize is that by knowing your position and knowing your plays you will become a “faster” player. A positionally sound hockey player could be physically slower than every player on the ice, but by…

  • University of Denver Pioneers Transition Drills

    Here are a few transition drills from head coach George Gwozdecky of the University of Denver. These drills add to the growing library of drills given to us from Division 1 head coaches. Hope they can bring some benefit to your team. Transition Drill #1 Transition Drill #2 (3 Passes) Transition Regroup 5 on 0…

  • University of Denver Pioneers Transition Drills

    Here are a few transition drills from head coach George Gwozdecky of the University of Denver. These drills add to the growing library of drills given to us from Division 1 head coaches. Hope they can bring some benefit to your team. Transition Drill #1 Transition Drill #2 (3 Passes) Transition Regroup 5 on 0…

  • Coaching Today’s Athlete Part II

    In today’s post I want to talk about how to gain the players trust and keep that trust throughout the season. We all know that a player will play much harder for you if he trusts you as a coach. The players have to see that the coach is the most committed person associated with…

  • Coaching Today’s Athletes Part I

    Times have changed and coaches need to change with the times. No longer is it likely that the Vince Lombardi method of coaching will work with younger players. Today’s players are raised in an entitled atmosphere where they are given more than they earn. Coaches need to learn how to motivate the new athlete because…

  • A New Season is on the Horizon

    It’s that time of year again when summer passes to fall and hockey begins once again. I’ve been quiet for a while on the site so that I could for the first time in years sit back and enjoy summer with my wife and family. We took a cruise to the Bahamas for eight great…

  • Defenseman Hinge Drills

    While in Pittsburgh for the America’s Showcase tournament I had the chance to speak with a number of coaches about drills and specifically how to teach the hinge play successfully to defensemen. I came away with three drills that really seem to work well. The Shot and Hinge is from Derek Schooley of Robert Morris…

  • America’s Showcase Day #5

    Sunday was a great day for the HS team from the Philadelphia area as we won the Showcase championship 5-3 over the host Pittsburgh team. The game got off to a rocky start for us when we gave up a goal just 51 seconds into the period. Pittsburgh was flying after that and really giving…

  • The Role of a Centerman in Hockey

    When you are playing organized hockey it is important that everyone on the team plays their positions and does “their job”. I like to teach each player what their job is so they understand where they need to be and what they should be doing in each situation on the ice. If just one player…