By / Corey McNabb, Manager Player Development, Hockey Canada
With ice time at a premium in most Canadian communities, it is important that practice ice is used effectively and efficiently. How can coaches use their ice more effectively? It all begins with planning. A well designed practice outlining practice goals, drills designed to work towards the goals of practice, and time allocated to each drill will assist the coach in delivering a smooth practice. The coach should keep a copy of the practice in her/his pocket on a cue card or post the plan on the glass so that it may be reviewed during the practice.
Now that the coach has a practice plan, he/she should “pre-ice” practice with the team.
“Pre-icing” practice means reviewing the practice plan and identifying any key teaching points that they wish to see on the ice. This is a good time to encourage players to ask any questions for clarification. The coach will have to explain the drills again on the ice, however, pre-icing practice will help minimize the time spent at the board diagramming, explaining, and demonstrating the drills. In many cases, this meeting should only take 5 minutes because the goal is to review the highlights.
The next question a coach should ask when stepping on the ice for practice is, “how do we minimize down time (or player inactivity) on the ice”. There are a number of solutions to this question. Here are some helpful hints are as follows:
Have players warm up and stretch off the ice. This could save 10-15 minutes of on-ice time.
While the players are at the board, the assistant coaches should be moving pucks into position for the upcoming drill. Ensure the pucks placed in the same location as on the board.
Have the coach responsible for explaining the next drill draw the drill on the board before the whistle is blown to bring the players in. This will allow the coach to be more precise in his diagram, and will allow the coach to face the players while explaining the drill.
Try to design a practice where players can go from one drill to another without having to change formations.
The use of stations is a very effective way to use ice, and allows the coach to utilize the entire ice surface for skill development. Use each station with a different drill and rotate players through each station. Here are some creative ways to divide the ice into multiple stations: |
