Coaching hockey is no easy task. The required skill-set to be a good coach is much different than the skill-set to be a good player. Many players find it difficult to transition to coach because of this difference. I often hear new coaches say they find it hard to get their players to execute what they are trying to teach them, or that they don’t know how to explain hockey skills, just how to demonstrate them…
In these situations, I usually recommend that the coach try to break each skill down into three key points that he or she can verbalize. For example, if I were explaining proper forward skating technique, I would say that each player needs to (1) maintain a good knee bend, (2) push each stride to the side at about a 45° angle (not straight back), and (3) avoid head-bobbing. These three steps are easy for players to remember, and will become a reference point for you to come back to if skating technique becomes sloppy in subsequent hockey drills.
Once you have one or two players who are able to execute the given skill correctly, ask them to demonstrate the skill, and tell the other players to “watch the demonstration, visualize themselves executing with the same precision, and imitate the final result.Motivation to execute the given skill precisely can be acheived by reminding players to watch, visualize, and imitate.
This coaching strategy can be applied to most situations, and can include everything from individual hockey skills to team systems and positioning. In order to verbalize what you want the players to do, try breaking skills and concepts down into 3 simple steps. It will also ensure that the instructions you are giving are comprehended and implemented correctly by the players. Small tweaks and fine-tuning should be made once the main points of the given skill can be executed correctly.
