GENERAL SKILLS ADVICE

Strength on the Hockey Skates

By CoachC | February 12, 2025

I noted previously in another entry, that I’d at one time noticed a good many of my young players either being tossed around by opponents or losing the battles whenever they had collisions on the ice. So, I tried to think of ways I could recreate those situations in a practice setting. The first drill idea I arrived at was something called “Shoulder Bumps”.  In a lead-up drill, I had partners of equal height work in place and lock arms, just so they stayed close together and under control.  That established, I eventually let them unlock the arms, coast slowly,…

High Intensity Skating Drills – Part 2

By CoachC | February 9, 2025

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High Intensity Skating Drills – Part 1

By CoachC | February 7, 2025

The following question was submitted by Eric S. It’s a good one, but it can be difficult answering long distance (or without being able to actually see where his players are at a given time). Nonetheless, I do know that Eric works with a fairly talented teen group, so I’ll approach things from that perspective. – Dennis Chighisola High Intensity Skating Drills Q: Eric states that, “We always spend the first 7-10 minutes on the ice having our boys run some high intensity skating drills without pucks. Currently we have them run overspeed circles, once forward, once backward and once…

A Hockey Player’s Learning Needs

By CoachC | February 5, 2025

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Readying for Tournaments and Tryouts

By CoachC | February 2, 2025

I just received a question from a long-time Twitter and Facebook friend, and this topic seems as timely as one can get.  And, although it has to do with tournament prep, I’d have advised much the same if she was headed to an important tryout)… You see, she and her son are on their way to a hockey tournament a few states away, and she thought she might swing a little out of her way on the drive to have her son’s skates sharpened a little differently than usual.  (Shw had read elsewhere about my interest in a new sharpening…

Coach Chic’s Hockey Podcast 59

By CoachC | February 1, 2025

Within “AI” circles “Michael” is viewed as a good one, and don’t forget to view this post as an introduction to September’s content…

Total Body Travel Workout

By CoachC | January 31, 2025

Dave Schmitz, known as The Band Man, introduces us to his Stabilization Program by way of three separate videos…

Skill Development and Confidence

By CoachC | January 30, 2025

This is a great follow-up to some previous Mental Training entries. – Dennis Chighisola Shaun Goodsell, MASenior Performance Coach Shaun@MentalEdgeNow.com If you scan or read most articles describing the success or failure of an athlete, inevitably, somewhere in the article there will be the mention of confidence as the crucial factor dictating success or failure. Why is it that so many believe that confidence is so important? I think it is because we are addicted to feeling good and believe that everything begins with feeling good. If someone succeeds we think it is because they believe they can. If they…

The Best Advice I Could Ever Share

By CoachC | January 30, 2025

I guess I ought to preface this post with the fact that I was eventually working with about my third generation of hockey players.  Yes, I’d coached or instructed thousands of kids over about 45-years.  So, over that time, you can guess that I’d pretty much seen it all.  And, over that time, I’d also had the chance to see what seems to work, as well as what seemingly doesn’t.  Which brings me to that best-ever advice… Perhaps this short story will give you an idea of where I’m heading, here…  You see, a lot of years ago, I happened…

Introducing Our Exclusive Hockey Apps

By CoachC | January 27, 2025

Actually, while our members only HockeyDrillBuilder app is new, we’ve already added a second version of that, plus a third tool known as the HockeyMentor app. Now, the initial app was aimed at providing member coaches, parents and older players some scientifically based ideas to improve a player’s or team’s skating, puckhandling, passing, receiving and shooting. I’ve tested it quite a few times, and I think this app’s strength is in providing ideas. I mean, thinking back to the numerous times I had a bit of “brain freeze” trying to add a little excitement to the countless practices my team…