I recently spent two days trying to sip from a firehose of hockey intelligence at the 2018 Coaches Site Hockey Coaches Conference. The presentations were topically varied, thoughtful, insightful, technical, poignant, and at times, hilarious, but some common threads and themes definitely emerged for me. Here’s my take.
Evolution is not optional.
There’s one reason why events like this conference are so valuable: the game is always changing. As Winnipeg Jets Assistant Coach Todd Woodcroft pointed out, “I was first hired as a coach in 2000, and man, the game has evolved a lot in 18 years. Sometimes it changes within a single season!” His sentiments about the need for coaches to be continuously learning were echoed by virtually every other speaker at the conference. As coach, broadcaster, Montreal Canadiens NCAA scout, and USA Hockey Coaching Education Program member Dave Starman told the 300 or so coaches gathered in Toronto, “You can’t do player development without coach development. And that’s why it’s so important that you’re all here.”
And Paul Carson, VP of Hockey Development with Hockey Canada, touched on the inherent challenges in making positive programmatic changes in the game at the highest levels. He encouraged coaches to “take time to understand the challenges in the game, and understand why change is necessary.” He noted that “what we need in arenas every day are program champions. People who understand the ‘why’ behind the changes being implemented,” and acknowledged that while “some of the changes in youth hockey may not be perfect, they’re good. Perfect is the enemy of good.”
Evidence-based decisions are good decisions.
Related to the theme of intentional evolution, the subject of age-appropriate practices and games came up numerous times, most notably in the comments of Dave Starman. Dave pointed out the still not so obvious fact that “an eight year old is NOT half of a 16 year old,” and that programmatic changes implemented by USA Hockey and Hockey Canada aren’t made in a vacuum. For example, he noted that the decision to eliminate body checking for younger players was based on science. “Studies from the Mayo Clinic showed that 12 year olds could see ‘imminent danger’ but could not process what to do about it. It’s now proven that taking out full blown checking in peewee led to higher player retention rates and higher quality players. Just look at the World Junior Championships the last few years.”
Research also backs up the value of small ice games and practices, and a higher practice to game ratio. As Dave pointed out, “I’d rather see my nine year old in a 45 minute practice with the puck on his stick for 30 minutes than drive three hours to a game where he’ll play 15 minutes and touch the puck for less than a minute.” And 800+ NHL game veteran Jeff Brown echoed that sentiment in his talk about the things driving the notably improved player development in the St. Louis area. “I can’t believe people are pushing back on small area games. They’re a fantastic way to develop skills.” And Jeff commented that the way he sees it, “If a kid touches a puck for 17 seconds in a travel game that cost their parents $1,000 to get to, that’s $1,000 worth of development time that we could have better spent at home.”
Research and scientific evidence also factored into the comments of Mark Fitzgerald, strength and conditioning coach for the Anaheim Ducks, who was not alone in pointing out the physiological risks in single sport specialization. “We played handball with 24 pros yesterday. Why? Movement. Competitiveness. Fun!” And Mark’s response to the temptation to apply adult-level physical training techniques to young athletes: “Strength and conditioning for a team of eight year olds? No! Rent a gym and let them play basketball.”
Yes, the game is changing, but for the right reasons. So as virtually every presenter clearly advocated, for coaches and parents, dropping out of ‘old school’ is essential.
Fundamentals are fundamental.
OK, the game is changing, but the fundamentals are still the fundamentals. Skating, puck skills, and having fun are still the foundations for everything that follows.
Greg Cronin, Head Coach the Colorado Eagles, made it clear: “Never underestimate the importance of fundamentals. We practice them at the NHL level.” And Florida Panthers Assistant Coach Paul MacFarland backed that up, reiterating the continued focus on basics like passing, skating, and hand-eye coordination all the way to the NHL. Edmonton Oilers Assistant Coach Glen Gulutzan stressed the simple skills: “D: It’s ok to punt. If you’re under pressure lift a high one out of the zone. A high flip is a good offensive play when your forwards are flying up ice.” John Becanic of Pyramid Hockey talked about teaching kids to “play fast because they think fast” and the importance of basics like puck retrieval: “Try to incorporate read and react into your practice drills. Players without the puck need to work hardest.” And Hockey Canada’s Paul Carson reminded us that the way coaches teach “FUNdamentals” matters.
And of course, standing room only on-ice sessions with Todd Woodcroft, Brendan Taylor of the Mississauga Steelheads, Jon Goyens of the Lac St-Louis Lions, and former NHL-er Mike Weaver of Defence First Hockey School, offered some rich practical and tactical insights.
Measurement matters.
Data and analytics were mentioned by many presenters. A panel discussion with conference host Ryan Pinder, featuring James Mirtle and Justin Bourne of The Athletic, delved into the growing importance of on-ice/in-game analytics. Justin pointed out that analysts are finding new ways to prove the value of players beyond goals and assists, noting that, “A lot of guys I played with, I thought, “Boy he doesn’t get a lot of goals but he sure gets a lot of ice time.” We’re putting metrics to that now.” And the panelists noted that when it comes to evaluating potential draft picks, “Teams seem to be getting more efficient at finding players, but you’re looking at 16/17 year old kids, and data at that level is sparse.”
Part-time stand-up comedian and San Jose Sharks Assistant Coach Dave Barr noted that he’s “a big proponent of analytics. It buys you a lot of credence with players when you show them the facts.” And Greg Ford of TalentClick touched on the emerging field of analytics that can help coaches understand and adapt to the various personality types that make up a team. “Personalities matter. Take time to understand your players.”
In a nutshell, a wide range of data is much easier to obtain now, and smart coaches are using it not only to make more informed decisions, but to better understand, reach, and teach players at all levels.
Technology is a coaching tool.
It’s undeniable. Technology is literally everywhere in our lives, and hockey is no exception. Former pro Shayne Toporowski gave an informative talk on new techniques in skate blade profiling, noting that “skate blade profiles should help players with acceleration, agility, speed, and stability. Not impede them.” Shayne’s presentation may have focused on the technical, but he brought it right back to another common theme, when he noted that even the right skate blade matters when it comes to the mental aspects of the game. “Every bit of confidence a coach can give a player, the better off the player is going to be.” And technology, of course, featured heavily in one of the most discussed areas of coaching focus: reaching and teaching players.