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Coaches Corner

Developing Great Players in Youth Hockey

Good conversation with Quinnipiac's head coach Rand Pecknold

about developing great skill players--small games, playing at high pace in limited time and space, ADM, etc. 1 - game is about time and space. 2 - practice at high tempo; think fast-play fast. 3 - Keep the top athletes in the game early, limit attrition with fun, skill-building practices.

Important USA Hockey Policy Change for Mite-Only Coaches

Starting with this season, coaches who coach only Mites are not required to advance their certification beyond Level 1.
This change has been mentioned at District 9 Fall Meeting and should be relayed to all associations.

Useful Hockey Links

 If you come across links you find valuable, feel free to send them along to wfish@owatonna.k12.mn.us for posting here.

Camps

Feel free to share info on camps--we'll post them here.

A Few Good Principles

Article from May 29, 2000 issue of Forbes ASAP regarding Marine Training and its relevance to high-tech industry--applies to hockey as well.

How David Beats Goliath

Article by Malcolm Gladwell (The Tipping Point, Blink, Outliers, What the Dog Saw) in the May 11, 2009 issue of The New Yorker Interesting approach for District 9 teams and an example of insightful coaching

How to Land Your Kid in Therapy

Article from July/August 2011 issue of The Atlantic

A sample intro to hockey program--with video examples

 Players,
  Just as you wouldn't jump right into life-saving if you hadn't yet learned to swim, you won't be jumping right into full-ice hockey games until you've learned the skills that you'll need in order to play effectively.  If you pay attention and work hard, you'll develop those skills relatively quickly, and you'll have lots of fun as you improve.
   Level 1 shows the skills you will need to earn a stick. Most of them involve balance and basic skating stride. Learn to do these well without a stick and you'll have better balance than you would if you were using a stick as a crutch to lean on. To see what the Level 1 test looks like, click on the "Level 1" link to the right. Click on each test to see a video clip of that particular skill.
   Level 2 shows the skills you will need to earn a puck. Most of them involve skating well with your stick. Learn to do these well without a puck and you will have better balance, mobility, and control when you get a puck. To see what the Level 2 test looks like, click on the "Level 2" link to the right. Click on each test to see a video clip of that particular skill.
   Level 3 shows the skills you will need to earn full-ice games. To be effective in games, you have to skate well, take good care of the puck, look up at the game around you, and make good decisions. Once you can skate well in all directions and share the puck with your teammates, you'll be ready to learn the game. The games are great fun, especially if you've prepared yourself to make the plays that you see can be made.  To see what the Level 3 test looks like, click on the "Level 3" link to the right. Click on each test to see a video clip of that particular skill.
   See you at the rink.

Strength Training

 Three Phases