From grassroots to the pros, TCS Live has something for hockey coaches of all levels.
Youth development takes focus on our Best of TCS Live series, as we look back at some of our top presentations from last year’s conference that are sure to help you prepare for the next minor hockey season.
What is the best way to design a minor hockey practice and why should you be coaching habits, not positions? Those were just a couple of the pain points covered that every youth coach faces at the 2022 event.
Gain valuable knowledge from some of the experts leading our game – and don’t forget to save your spot for this June’s conference!
Brock Sheahan – Designing a Minor Hockey Practice Focused on Player Development
Chicago Wolves Head Coach Brock Sheahan believes that regardless of level, individuals come first. That is especially paramount at the lower levels when hockey is supposed to be fun and about learning, but continually becomes results oriented.
“My main focus for our players is the same as any youth program, to get better everyday. Get better in their skill, get better in their compete and I believe players can get better with their sense.”
Sheahan’s talk is a masterclass for anyone involved in minor hockey. He shares practice plans and drills galore that promote problem solving, reading time and space, and improving awareness. This is definitely a presentation you’ll be coming back to.
Bob Mancini – Being Comfortable with Chaos in Practice
During a 3-on-2 drill in practice, what are the odds you or another coach from your team would randomly knock the stick out of a player’s hands?
Well, chaos is the name of the game, according to Bob Mancini, Assistant Executive Director of Hockey Development with USA Hockey. Although practice seems like the time to run drills that build up your teams’ confidence and make everyone feel good about themselves, Mancini urges for the opposite.
“Practice should be all about failure, or they’re not going to learn. It’s failure from practice that will make your team better.”
During his presentation, Mancini depicted why it’s crucial to cause chaos during practice. If players train for those situations, they’ll know what to do when they arise in a game, much to the benefit of your team.
Kenny Rausch – Coaching Positioning and Habits, Not Positions
What is the difference between position and positioning? Kenny Rausch, VP of Client Relationships with RinkNet Software, asked this question to kick off his TCS Live presentation in 2022.
For very young players, offence and defence are all you teach. But as soon as there is cognitive learning and thinking happening, the four roles of hockey come into play: offence with the puck, offence away from the puck, defence on the puck, and defence away from the puck.
“If you watch a youth or NHL hockey game, the puck changes possession anywhere from 300 to 500 times, maybe more, in a game. Players are changing roles constantly and the faster they can anticipate those roles and go from mental to physical and physical to mental, the better off you’ll be.”
Watch Rausch’s presentation and learn the importance of teaching interchangeable positional roles.
