Dennis Chighisola • It's funny Kyle, but I've had just the opposite impression lately, especially as I engage in a number of LinkedIn hockey-related forums...
I do believe in small area games, and I've actually been using some of those since long before they became fashionable within USA Hockey (I believe they've been a staple in soccer for a long time, and that's where I first heard about them).
That said, I do not believe they are the end all and be all, but just one kind of tool available to a coach. More often than not, though, I'm hearing youth coaches in these forums prescribing small area games as the cure for almost everything. Worse yet, I've noticed for years some lazy coaches getting away without teaching a lick by relying on certain kinds of drills -- small area games and flow drills coming to mind right now. They set up the drill, they think the drill is doing the teaching, and they go lean against the boards to sip on their coffee and admire the drill (my old motor learning prof would kill me for doing that).
Again, they are great, but they are not the magic bullet. (By the way, I think your idea of a small area game is awesome. I'd just mix that with lots of other drills.)
I do believe in small area games, and I've actually been using some of those since long before they became fashionable within USA Hockey (I believe they've been a staple in soccer for a long time, and that's where I first heard about them).
That said, I do not believe they are the end all and be all, but just one kind of tool available to a coach. More often than not, though, I'm hearing youth coaches in these forums prescribing small area games as the cure for almost everything. Worse yet, I've noticed for years some lazy coaches getting away without teaching a lick by relying on certain kinds of drills -- small area games and flow drills coming to mind right now. They set up the drill, they think the drill is doing the teaching, and they go lean against the boards to sip on their coffee and admire the drill (my old motor learning prof would kill me for doing that).
Again, they are great, but they are not the magic bullet. (By the way, I think your idea of a small area game is awesome. I'd just mix that with lots of other drills.)
Kyle Campbell • Dennis
I wouldn't run a whole practice with small area games. That, I agree, would not be beneficial. I agree that with flow drills or small area games coaches can get lazy and just sit back but that's not a good coach. That's someone who's just running a practice. Big difference.
I firmly believe though that coaches are far too concerned with individual skill development on a skill by skill basis. I watch coaches all the time line up a whole team in the corner and make the 8 year old skate around the circles. All 5. Next time with a puck. Next time pivot....etc etc..And how boring is that? Kids want to have fun. So let them. You'll get more out of their development if they are having fun. Challenge them and make them go past their comfort zone. That's when you see development. But far too often coaches spend too much time on things like a break out or faceoff play. Not saying coaches shouldn't spend time but most teams have 2 hours per week (travel level) and that's not enough time to spend 20 mins doing breakouts once a week. Teach the kids how to find the open pass, fill in the lane, support the puck, move their feet and get to open ice. How? Simple, let them play (within a structured situation) and teach while they're playing. And I've seen it first hand, kids break out without any structure to a 'system' but do exactly what I would want to implement as a coach.
At the end of the day I think hockey as a whole has gotten too far away from having fun as a kid and we are relying on kids to enjoy being at the rink and with their friends to have their 'fun' while the actual hockey part of the game has become boring and mundane.
Well that's my rant for the day! lol. Thanks for the feedback Dennis. I appreciate it.
I wouldn't run a whole practice with small area games. That, I agree, would not be beneficial. I agree that with flow drills or small area games coaches can get lazy and just sit back but that's not a good coach. That's someone who's just running a practice. Big difference.
I firmly believe though that coaches are far too concerned with individual skill development on a skill by skill basis. I watch coaches all the time line up a whole team in the corner and make the 8 year old skate around the circles. All 5. Next time with a puck. Next time pivot....etc etc..And how boring is that? Kids want to have fun. So let them. You'll get more out of their development if they are having fun. Challenge them and make them go past their comfort zone. That's when you see development. But far too often coaches spend too much time on things like a break out or faceoff play. Not saying coaches shouldn't spend time but most teams have 2 hours per week (travel level) and that's not enough time to spend 20 mins doing breakouts once a week. Teach the kids how to find the open pass, fill in the lane, support the puck, move their feet and get to open ice. How? Simple, let them play (within a structured situation) and teach while they're playing. And I've seen it first hand, kids break out without any structure to a 'system' but do exactly what I would want to implement as a coach.
At the end of the day I think hockey as a whole has gotten too far away from having fun as a kid and we are relying on kids to enjoy being at the rink and with their friends to have their 'fun' while the actual hockey part of the game has become boring and mundane.
Well that's my rant for the day! lol. Thanks for the feedback Dennis. I appreciate it.
Dennis Chighisola • LOL, Kyle, and an enjoyable rant that was to read! Honestly, I suspect that you and I are mostly on the same page, and we'd likely have a lot of laughs being able to talk the game in person (and it would be even more fun if we could drag Keith into it).
With that, I think one of the problems that often arises in these settings is that we can be talking about drastically different players as we support one idea or another. And, truthfully, what can be good for a pro player can be totally wrong for a Mite; and we could say much the same comparing all the levels in between.
Here's how I view the game, however, based on having worked with all levels for over 40-years...In a game atmosphere, players will almost always grasp for the skills they're most comfortable with. No way they're going to look or feel silly by cutting their least comfortable way, or stopping toward their least comfortable side. So, I'm going to suggest to you that young players -- although benefiting from some small area game play -- will only reinforce the individual skills they already have, and avoid the ones they really don't.
One thing you might not realize, but I sense that Keith will, is that we see an awful lot of shortcomings showing in supposedly advanced players, and they're mostly things that should have been fixed when the players were young. In fact, some of those things absolutely need to be instilled early. I could show you a college player who is a high scorer and can't comfortably stop to his left. My son just told me about one of his high scoring Junior players who can't really cross-to his right. How do they still manage? They learned to hide the skill so far, but it will ultimately bite them in the butt and end their careers. Oh, and I can show you a kzillion high level guys with hands of stone who can't either make or catch a pass. Sure, they know how to go to open-ice, etc, but what good does it do them if they then lose the puck?
So, if I get a kid -- hopefully young enough, I am going to make him work VERY deliberately on his cross-overs, his pivots and his stops. And we aren't going anywhere else in those skill progressions until they can do those things in their sleep. I'll do the same with stationary pairs passing at a stick's length apart. Oh, my drills might not look fancy, but I am doing those kids and their future coaches a huge favor.
To me, this turtle versus the hare approach is the only way to go -- for the players' sake. And I use that for lots of things, including how to cover a guy for real, how to play the 2 on 1, how to truly get open for a pass, etc.
Maybe you can see now why I only on occasion want to turn my players loose to fend for themselves. Yes, I do it -- with small area games and some flow drills, but I'm not leaving the real teaching to chance by relying very much on those drills.
With that, I think one of the problems that often arises in these settings is that we can be talking about drastically different players as we support one idea or another. And, truthfully, what can be good for a pro player can be totally wrong for a Mite; and we could say much the same comparing all the levels in between.
Here's how I view the game, however, based on having worked with all levels for over 40-years...In a game atmosphere, players will almost always grasp for the skills they're most comfortable with. No way they're going to look or feel silly by cutting their least comfortable way, or stopping toward their least comfortable side. So, I'm going to suggest to you that young players -- although benefiting from some small area game play -- will only reinforce the individual skills they already have, and avoid the ones they really don't.
One thing you might not realize, but I sense that Keith will, is that we see an awful lot of shortcomings showing in supposedly advanced players, and they're mostly things that should have been fixed when the players were young. In fact, some of those things absolutely need to be instilled early. I could show you a college player who is a high scorer and can't comfortably stop to his left. My son just told me about one of his high scoring Junior players who can't really cross-to his right. How do they still manage? They learned to hide the skill so far, but it will ultimately bite them in the butt and end their careers. Oh, and I can show you a kzillion high level guys with hands of stone who can't either make or catch a pass. Sure, they know how to go to open-ice, etc, but what good does it do them if they then lose the puck?
So, if I get a kid -- hopefully young enough, I am going to make him work VERY deliberately on his cross-overs, his pivots and his stops. And we aren't going anywhere else in those skill progressions until they can do those things in their sleep. I'll do the same with stationary pairs passing at a stick's length apart. Oh, my drills might not look fancy, but I am doing those kids and their future coaches a huge favor.
To me, this turtle versus the hare approach is the only way to go -- for the players' sake. And I use that for lots of things, including how to cover a guy for real, how to play the 2 on 1, how to truly get open for a pass, etc.
Maybe you can see now why I only on occasion want to turn my players loose to fend for themselves. Yes, I do it -- with small area games and some flow drills, but I'm not leaving the real teaching to chance by relying very much on those drills.
Kyle Campbell • Denis, I think we could have a great discussion and debate back and forth, both learning a lot along the way!
I understand what you're saying and agree. I do. And when I work with my JR. kids we do skill specific training. We'll cover pivots, or shooting, or whatever skill set they require to improve the most during that session. I would and do the same with my younger kids as well.
The problem I have is you can't focus on one skill or one kid for too long during a team practice. That's where most coaches have their time to 'teach/coach'. 2 hours per week is difficult to spend 20 mins on properly pivoting.
And the other part of the story is the kid who is only going to play to midget, Jr. A/B. If a player has become a pro hockey player with the deficiencies that you've mentioned then they have the ability and time to overcome that deficiency. They wouldn't have gotten to pro if they didn't have the skill set to over come their weakness. But for kids who are only looking to play rep/travel hockey until Midget/Prep school then be done with it why are we focusing on specific minor skills when the game is there for them to have fun. I'm not saying don't teach or spend time on pivoting or cross-overs but I think you can create games that are fun for kids to use. (IE 3 on 3 but can only cross or turn left/only able to pass and receive backhand pass...etc) Even JR groups. The last JR team I worked with we had about 8 small area games we'd use regularly and the kids loved them. Would ask us regularly to play them. Why? Because at the end of the day we all love to PLAY hockey. Coaches included. Your right that you can't put the cart before the horse but you can teach the horse to run with the cart quite quickly after teaching him how to run.
At the end of the day I think we are on the same page but differ with the amount of time put towards our areas of stronger believe.
I understand what you're saying and agree. I do. And when I work with my JR. kids we do skill specific training. We'll cover pivots, or shooting, or whatever skill set they require to improve the most during that session. I would and do the same with my younger kids as well.
The problem I have is you can't focus on one skill or one kid for too long during a team practice. That's where most coaches have their time to 'teach/coach'. 2 hours per week is difficult to spend 20 mins on properly pivoting.
And the other part of the story is the kid who is only going to play to midget, Jr. A/B. If a player has become a pro hockey player with the deficiencies that you've mentioned then they have the ability and time to overcome that deficiency. They wouldn't have gotten to pro if they didn't have the skill set to over come their weakness. But for kids who are only looking to play rep/travel hockey until Midget/Prep school then be done with it why are we focusing on specific minor skills when the game is there for them to have fun. I'm not saying don't teach or spend time on pivoting or cross-overs but I think you can create games that are fun for kids to use. (IE 3 on 3 but can only cross or turn left/only able to pass and receive backhand pass...etc) Even JR groups. The last JR team I worked with we had about 8 small area games we'd use regularly and the kids loved them. Would ask us regularly to play them. Why? Because at the end of the day we all love to PLAY hockey. Coaches included. Your right that you can't put the cart before the horse but you can teach the horse to run with the cart quite quickly after teaching him how to run.
At the end of the day I think we are on the same page but differ with the amount of time put towards our areas of stronger believe.
Dennis Chighisola • In fear of dominating Keith's post with an only slightly related topic, I'll just add one thing, Mark...
My dad was a successful baseball coach, and I played for him briefly. So one night, when I asked him why we didn't scrimmage, he explained that, "I can hit 30 straight grounders to the third baseman, and exactly the way I want to. In a scrimmage, I don't know if he'll even have one ball hit to him."
You probably know where I'm going with this, but... In a hockey scrimmage, the best players usually have the puck most of the time. So, while they might be getting what you want from a small area game, it's likely there are at least a few kids who hardly ever get any touches. Moreover, even with special small area game rules, there's no guarantee that the same play will happen again. In other words, there's little chance for repetition, which is one of the keys to ingraining either proper muscle memory or good decision-making.
My dad was a successful baseball coach, and I played for him briefly. So one night, when I asked him why we didn't scrimmage, he explained that, "I can hit 30 straight grounders to the third baseman, and exactly the way I want to. In a scrimmage, I don't know if he'll even have one ball hit to him."
You probably know where I'm going with this, but... In a hockey scrimmage, the best players usually have the puck most of the time. So, while they might be getting what you want from a small area game, it's likely there are at least a few kids who hardly ever get any touches. Moreover, even with special small area game rules, there's no guarantee that the same play will happen again. In other words, there's little chance for repetition, which is one of the keys to ingraining either proper muscle memory or good decision-making.
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