Category: Coaching
COACHING YOUTH HOCKEY IN THE 90'S
Because of the tremendous diverse skills and responsibilities youth hockey coaching demands from an individual, it is often described as an eclectic vocation. Most coaching responsibilities can be categorized into four areas: technical, administrative, conceptual and humanistic functions. Society being as complex as it is and our young athletes being a bye product of society coaches need to work with all of these functions to adequately do a good job.
Essential Functions of Coaching:
A brief description of each essential function of coaching follows:
- Technical: This function includes technical knowledge of basic fundamental hockey skills and having the ability to teach these skills.
- Administrative: This function comprises organizing, scheduling arrangements, budgeting, long range planning, record keeping and other administrative activities.
- Conceptual: This includes the knowledge of basic individual as well as team tactics and strategies involved in playing the game of hockey.
- Humanistic: This responsibility comprises all the elements in the development of the holistic well-being of young hockey players.
The above functions outline coaching as a diverse activity requiring knowledge in a wide variety of skills. While it is not my intent to suggest that every coach at every level of youth hockey be extremely knowledgeable in each of the functions mentioned, I do suggest that an increased awareness of these functions will lead to better coaching. Sometimes, coaching takes place in a haphazard manner, utilizing a "crisis management method." By continually looking for information in coaching effectiveness, the youth hockey coach will have a well-rounded experience.
Here are a few ideas I would like to leave with you to think about and also try to use in your coaching:
Principles: Include in your instruction the following principles: respect for the dignity of the individual players, create an atmosphere of fun, teach an understanding of fair play and develop an environment created for the player to expand their skills. To do anything less would be to cheat our young players of a wonderful experience.
Off-Ice Training for Youth Players: Many states in our country are eliminating mandatory physical education classes which helped to develop our children's overall athleticism. I encourage all youth hockey coaches to help fill this void with off-ice activities. These types of activities should stress agility, quickness, balance, coordination and dexterity. It should not be an intense "work-out session." The purpose of off-ice training is to develop basic motor movement skills which will assist the players in improving their technical skills in hockey. Safety and fun should and must be a major consideration during these activities.
Improve Ice Utilization for Practice: You must search for ways to improve how you teach and the experience you provide for your players. This can be accomplished with shared practice time and an improved use of the ice during practice. Coaches need to increase the number of practices each week compared to the trend of playing too many games. Sharing practice gives an increased number of players more time for improving their skills. It also forces coaches to work together and to plan effectively, thus improving the coaching skills of all involved.
Game Like Activities in Confined Areas: Use game like activities in confined areas to teach techniques, tactics or concepts involved in the game of hockey. These activities challenge players, evolve more players, teach players the ability to make good decisions, enable each player to participate at his own level and also improve basic skills.
Begin and End Practice with a Fun Activity: Coaches should consider beginning and ending their practices with a fun activity. This type of activity gets the players excited and interested in a particular practice as well as leaving your players with a good feeling at the end of each practice and has your athlete looking forward to the next practice on the ice.
The coach's goal must be to help young players become as successful as possible not only in hockey but also in their social and educational aspirations. By constantly seeking to improve yourself as a coach in the technical, administrative, conceptual and humanistic skill domain, and recognize their inter-relationship, you will be well on your way to a tremendous experience.
References:
Leith, Larry, Sports (1983), The Coach as Manager.
McCready, C, Sports (1984), The Coach as a Human Resource.
Belmonte, Val, American Hockey Magazine (1993), Role of the Competition Coach.
Beaney, Bill, Instructor's Briefing (1993), Small Games.
Vairo, Lou, Fun Drills (1985), Fun Drills.
Gendron, Dennis, Associate Level Presentation (1988), Ice Utilization.
Submitted by: Val Belmonte
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