I want to improve...Should I play more games or go to practices & clinics?

Let's look at some numbers-

A PRACTICE BY THE NUMBERS
The following facts and figures relate to a 60-minute practice session:

• 1 efficient practice will give a player more skill development than 11 games collectively.
• Each player should have a puck on his or her stick for 8 – 12 minutes.
• Each player should have a minimum of 30 shots on goal.
• Players will miss the net over 30% of the time in a minor hockey practice.
• Coaches should try to run 4 – 5 different drills / games / activities each practice. More is not better; execution of what you do is development.
• No more than 5 minutes should be spent in front of a teaching board each practice.
• If you have 10 players on the ice, strive to keep 4 – 5 players moving at all times.
• If you have 15 players on the ice, strive to keep 9 – 10 players moving at all times.
• If you have 20 players on the ice, strive to keep 14 – 15 players moving at all times.

A HOCKEY GAME BY THE NUMBERS :
The following statistics were recorded during a 60-minute Peewee level hockey game:

• Players will have the puck on their stick for an average of 8 seconds per game.
• Players will take an average of 1 – 2 shots per game.
• 99% of the feedback coaches give players is when they have the puck. Ironically players only have the puck on their stick for 0.2% of the game.
• 1 efficient practice will give a player more skill development than 11 games collectively.

After each season I get feedback from parents and players about how they spent their off-season.  The old adage inevitably always applies.. Off-season preparation is what goes into having a successful "In-season". 

Parents will approach me and talk about how their son/ daughter played in this tournament, or this league... how they traveled to this "showcase".  Then they will ask me how their son/ daughter can improve and get to the next level, and each and every time the answer is simple... MORE PRACTICE.

One of the biggest issues surrounding the development of hockey players is the number of practices they have compared to the number of games they play. An ideal, realistic ratio is 2 practices for every 1 game played for ages 7 – 13.  If you look at the above stats, how can we expect kids to develop when they are playing more games than practicing? Studies show that the better kids are at something, the more they will enjoy it, and the longer they will play. Many kids quit hockey because they get to the level where they can’t compete due to lack of skill – therefore it is no longer fun. At the ages of 5 – 6 or 5 – 7, the practice to game ratio should be even higher (6: 1) and in my opinion there is no need for formal games. 

Keep in mind that children can practice hockey almost anywhere. You do not have to wait until a planned practice to practice your hockey skills. Encourage children to practice at home in the driveway or on the street and with friends.   Hit the gym and develop the functional muscles to make yourself a more powerful skater.  Look for outdoor rinks in the winter and places to practice shooting and stick handling in the summer.  At night... watch hockey on TV.

In conclusion, if you want to be the player that makes the biggest jump in their skill level from one season to the next, practice each and everyday and even on off-season game days.  Oktay Armagan, a terrific hockey coach and private lesson instructor has this outstanding quote on his website, and it certainly applies to my philosophy-

VICTORY HAPPENS WHEN 10,000 HOURS OF TRAINING MEETS ONE MOMENT OF OPPORTUNITY!

Thanks to the OMHA for allowing to publish the above chart.

Facility Review- Rock Ice Center in Dunellen

Over the last two years I've had the privilege to hold many of my "Scoring Concepts LLC" Clinics and Private Lessons at the Rock Ice Center in Dunellen, NJ, and felt it was about time to share my experiences with what I feel is the best HOCKEY facility in Central New Jersey.

Foremost, you need some backstory on Rock Ice.  "On August 2nd (2009) I purchased Rock Ice LLC and became the sole owner of the ice rink here in Dunellen.  I am fully committed to turning the "new" Rock Ice Center into a great place for everyone from the beginner skater to the seasoned hockey player." said John Puskar, owner of Rock Ice.  John has over 20 years of hockey coaching experience, including stints as Head Coach at Morristown- Beard (where he was a 4-time NJ Prep School Champion coach), Whippany Park High School, and the County College of Morris. In the brief time since John's arrival, he's seen his vision take hold, as Rock Ice has constantly made aesthetic improvements, and steadily seen a dramatic rise in the volume of kids coming through the doors to take part in the Jersey Penguins youth hockey program, clinics, several of the High School programs who call it their home rink, and the "Rock Ice Summer Camp".  NJ PowerRanking had this to say about the facility, "Renovated Dunellen rink is much improved over previous years. Fans agree that customer service has improved greatly. Nice grades is many areas especially overhang viewing area that puts spectators right in the action. Locker room improvements helped image considerably."

Yet, more than anything, like a new paint job or bigger locker rooms, I like dealing with Rock Ice and John Puskar for 2 reasons. 
1.  John is a hockey guy.  Many rinks are owned by people who see the facility as pure business, and have never coached or played the game themselves at any reasonable length.  They don't understand anything more than the bottomline... and in my experience, can be brutal to deal with. John is the exact opposite of that model.  He understands the passion coaches have for teaching the game, as he himself has walked in the those shoes.  He takes this experience and acts as a mentor for many young coaches, players and parents experiencing the game on any variety of levels. 
2. The Hockey Programs.  John invites some of the absolute best in the business to coach at Rock Ice.  This summer, in addition to his own "Rock Ice Summer Camp" & "Rock Ice learn to skate Programs", he will host Pro Ambitions hockey camps, world renowned powerskating instructor Robby Glantz, Private Lesson instructors Jeff Gorman and Greg Rinder, and my weekly Scoring Concepts "Friday Night Ice" Skill Clinics.  I'm sure that John could make more money by offering these programs or clinics by doing these with in-house staff... like many other local rinks offer.  Yet, Rock Ice outscources these programs to some of the BEST coaches in the business and as a result gives the kids who train at the facility a far better product.

In the end, Rock Ice offers a premier facility for your youth hockey player to train.  In addition, to having all the above mentioned attributes and outstanding ammenities like a brand new snack bar, Jumbo- Tron style scoreboard, pro shop, a new ceiling lining to ensure great year-round ice, and plenty of parking, Rock Ice has friendly staff that make coming to the rink even more enjoyable.  I highly recommend parents, players and coaches, to check out Rock Ice in Dunellen FIRST when choosing when and where to play.

For Information Check Out-

The Rock Ice Center

Address:

125 North Ave

Dunellen, NJ 08812

Phone:

Telephone:732 752 8600

http://www.therockice.com/index.html

Friday Night Ice Practice Plan- 6/24/2011 Powerskating Phase 2: Dynamic Edge Control & Balance

6:15-6:18pm Free Time & Warmup
6:18-6:20pm Introductions & Welcome
6:20-6:30pm Group Warmup
          * Forward 5 Circle C-Cuts/ Backward 5 Circle C-Cuts
          * Entire Group on Goalline (advanced Drill)
               - Puck Balance 1- legged C-Cuts (Goalline to Goalline)
6:30-7pm  Splits (Forwards/ Defense with Coach Trimble & Goalies with Coach Donald)
6:30-6:31pm Group Athleticisim puck control drill at center ice/ 2 sets
6:32pm Edge Control
          * Corner Start> partner C-Cuts with 1-leg> use all both legs/ both partners
          * Line Drills
               - Snowplow drill
               - Knee Propulsions
               - Partner Cross over pushes
               - Start/ Stops and high Knee series
6:45pm Balance
          * Half- Moon Drill ( use 3 circles in our section of ice & go both sides so they get all variations)
7-7:10pm  Balance Stickhandling/ Athleticism Warmup (Center Ice)
          * 1-legged bounces with whistle jumps
          * 1, 2, 3 1-Legged puckhandling series
          * partner pendulum stick swings
WATER BREAK
7:11-7:20pm Obstacle Course  (use whole ice and finish with shots on goalie)
7:20-7:25pm Figure 8 tight turns around gloves for 30 seconds at a time/ inbetween instead of rest do 5 high jumps (group activity) 3 sets
7:25-7:40pm Small Ice Games divided in zones based upon size and ability
7:40pm- End  Competition Relay Race (make it competitive... losing team picks up pucks)
7:45pm Dismissal

Our Next Clinic is Friday Night from 6:15-7:45pm at the Rock Ice Center in Dunellen, NJ!  Clinic runs each and every Friday this summer till September 2nd.

       

Facility Review- Hawk Sports Performance

On Friday morning Kevin Hawke, the founder/ owner/ head trainer, of Hawk Sports Performance spent over 90 minutes with me, giving me a tour of his facility, explaining to me what sets him apart from his competition, and sharing his philosophy on athletic development.  Never mind that it was great to catch up with an elite athlete that I knew since Little League, but for the owner of any business to take time out of his day and demonstrate such passion about his program speaks volumes about the type of business Kevin is running.

For those who have never heard of Hawk Sports Performance here is what it is-
Hawk Sports Performance is an elite 8600 square foot facility with a 2,000 square foot gym, a full tennis court, and 34 yards of training turf located right off of the Garden State Parkway. Hawk Sports Performance employs the top speed trainers and strength coaches in the area and defines itself by being the absolute best at training and conditioning an athlete for peak performance.Hawk Sports Performance originated as Hawk Speed School in 2006 at The Bill Clark Tennis Academy in Florida. Four years later the Hawk Sports Performance facility was created at the shore and home town of its founder Kevin Hawke. Besides specializing in Sports Performance training we also offer an amenity of services to the public including personal training and tennis instruction.

Kevin, a former professional tennis player, previously was a private tennis instructor, training a near baker's dozen US Amateur Tennis Champions.  In a brief period of time, he became one of the best in his trade, but came to the realization that the concepts of Sports Performance or Speed Training lacked some of the modern methods, principles and theories that he was using with his own elite athletes.  His methods, he realized, could be seemlessly introduced to athletes in other sports besides tennis, namely football, basketball, baseball, and potentially hockey, and dramatically improve not only their speed and fast-twitch muscle fibers, but also their overall strength and power.  It was this realization that became the genesis for Hawk Sports Performance.

Not only is Kevin's gym an outstanding facility with plenty of room, all the latest equipment and necessary amenities, but Kevin's philosophy and ability to tinker and adapt his craft that sets him apart.  We briefly spoke about beach training and the use of sledge hammers and tires to develop outstanding core muscles, and he laughed... took me around the back of his facility and showed me giant "Monster Truck" tires that he has been using with his students.  In all due respect, Kevin looks like a "magician" to the untrained eye, as he takes a fundamental approach to teaching students proper technique, surrounding that honed technique with dramatically increased strength, and then drilling down passionately to push that athlete to the limit.  In a brief time these methods consistently produce dramatic results-

* An 11 year old went up in their squat 85lbs from 115 to 200 in just one month.
* A students Vertical jump went from 18" to 27". Thats a 9 inch vert gain in just 6 weeks.
* Check out these scores for the 60 yard run's of the St. Rose Baseball Team after a season of training-
C. Reynolds dropped from a 7.4 to a 6.75
Z. Vuono from a 7.8 to a 7.25
K. Case from a 7.8 to a 7.3
R. Kurtz from a 7.75 to a 7.37
F. Biase from a 7.6 to a 7.3
W. King from a 7.8 to a 7.4
C. Napolitano from a 8.05 to a 7.7
P. Grodeska from a 7.35 to a 7.0
T. Howell from a 8.9 to a 7.9
M. Kellert from a 7.8 to a 7.55
T. Petillo from a 7.45 to a 7.1
C. Pilot from a 7.9 to a 7.55


Simply put... Amazing, trackable results, and accomplished in a short period of time!

In summation, if you are looking to take your game to an elite level you can no longer afford to dust off the bench press in your parents garage, especially when you are competing against athletes who are being trained at Hawk Sports Performance.  At Hawk, you will get an elite gym full of cutting edge technology, individual instruction, and personal programs tailored to your specific needs.  With an eye for evolving and improvement, Kevin's passion continually puts him ahead of the competition, and I'd HIGHLY recommend him to any and every aspiring athlete!

Check out their website- http://www.hawksportsperformance.com/
Or contact them at-

Address:
Hawk Sports Performance
3535 Route 66 Building 2
Neptune, NJ 07753

Phone Number:
732.922.0090

 

Some information reprinted from Hawk Sports Performance website and Facebook page.

Goal Setting for Improvement

Here's a simple mnemonic-

• S - Specific (or Significant).
• M - Measurable (or Meaningful).
• A - Attainable (or Action-Oriented).
• R - Relevant (or Rewarding).
• T - Time-bound (or Trackable).

Goal setting is a key, and often overlooked method to personal improvement.  Players of all ages should not just think about what they want to accomplish with each season or off-season, but rather write down and keep track of very specific goals that they wish to accomplish.

For example, instead of having "To score a lot of goals" as a goal, it's more powerful to say "To double my goal production from my sophmore year total of 10 to 20." Obviously, this will only be attainable if a lot of preparation has been completed beforehand, and the player can drill down into ways to accomplish this by setting practice hour goals, game shot totals, and conditioning standards.

If you want to improve between now and next year, in hockey, life, academics, or business, set goals for yourself that are measurable and attainable.  Then devote all your energy to fulfilling them... but never stop pushing to go further.

Anthony Robbins is one of the most recognizable motivational speakers in the world.  Here is a terrific clip of his on "Goal Setting".

Each season or off-season devote 10 minutes of your life to setting specific goals for your chosen trade, and make an activation plan to achieve those goals.  The results can be amazing!

Partner Skill Drills

Partner Skill Drills are a great way for coaches to keep all their athletes involved, greatly increase skill and athleticism, and dramatically improve your overall conditioning level in a creative, competitive environment, without looking like punishment.
Here is a list of some of my Favorites...
1) Mirror Drills w/ wo pucks
Have 2 players facing one another.  One plays the leader and the other has to reacte to the movements of the other partner like he is looking into a mirror.  Blow a whistle everything 30 seconds to switch the roles.  This will enhance athleticism in a creative way, and develop body and edge control. 
2) Tag Chase
Have both players place their sticks together to create a long divider, and have players face each other on each side of the sticks.  Basic game of tag, except players can't go over the sticks only around, and players must stay within 5 feet of the sticks at all times.
3) Attack the Tri-Pod
One player has the puck, and the other is set with his legs wide and stick out in front, making a tri-pod.  Player with the puck attacks the non-puck player, creatively stickhandling in and around his body.  Works on not only stick skills, but also edge control, balance and thinking skills.  Switch after 30 seconds.
4) Pendulum Puck protection
One player is positioned in front of the other.  Player in front controls the puck, and the player behind is on his knees with his stick out in front.  The player positioned behind will steadily swing his stick on the ice in s half- circle pattern.  The player in front will need to control the puck and leap over the swinging stick.  Works balance, athleticism, coordination, and puck control skills.  Switch after 30 seconds.
5) Puck Protection Battles
Laconia Leafs Gm/ Coach Will Fay told me had a friend who went to a practice of squirt-aged players in Finland, and saw them practice puck protection battles for almost 40 minutes of an hour long practice.  Make the only rule being that players can't escape out of a 5 foot imaginary circle that encapsulates the battle.  Players need to learn how to think quickly, use their bodies to protect the puck, keep their head up, and also the defensive skills necessary win puck battles.  These skills need to be learned by DOING.
6) 3 Pass Figure 8 Drill
Have 1 player drop their gloves 5-8 feet apart.  The player without the puck will explode up through the middle of the gloves, and then backskate outside the right of the gloves.  Then explode up through the middle of the gloves again, before backskating outside the left of the gloves, completing a figure 8 pattern.  Repeat this for 30 seconds.  The player with pucks will make 3 passes to this player (middle, right of glove, and left of glove) in a rapid fashion, one-timing it back each time.  Switch after 30 seconds.
7) Flat stick stickhandling
Have one partner lie his stick on the ice, and the other, for 30 seconds at a time, dangle up, around, and over the flat stick.  To ramp up the conditioning element, have the other player who is not participating do either pushups, sit ups or jumps.  Switch after 30 seconds.
8) Pushes or Pulls
Have players pattern up and take them through a series of resistance powerskating.  First try a player in front going forward pulling the player in kneeling in back.  Then try this with the player in front going backwards.  Then try it with the player in front performing powerskating drills such as the "hourglass drill", "Right or left T- pushes", or "Right, left or alternating C-Cuts".
Try also Pushes with the players facing one another.  This alters the center of gravity and pressure point of each player, forcing them to use slightly different muscles to sustain themselves.  Use the same sequences as mentioned with the pull drills.


These drills are a great way to start or end any practice.  If done for 5-10 minutes, it will greatly improve the overall skills of all the members involved, and can be done with any age from mite to pro.

Overlooked Essentials to an OUTSTANDING Off-season Workout Program

1) FLEXIBILITY

Flexibility is important in any exercise program. It is essentially important in hockey where players use many different muscles to help them speed up, slow down, skate backwards, and change directions rapidly. A hockey player should get a warm up before a game, practice or workout. This warm up should include stretches which are hockey specific (focus on hamstrings, calf muscles, lower back, and hips). A well-planned stretching routing helps a player prepare his muscles for action, hence preventing injury. Flexibility allows a player to react more quickly. So do take the time and STRETCH!

2) Long Distance Cardiovascular Conditioning-

For a hockey player to get up and down the ice effectively during their shifts, an entire game and season, they must build up their aerobic and anaerobic systems. The aerobic system is used for long stretches on the ice while the anaerobic system is used for quick bursts of speed. Each important for its own reasons. Building an aerobic base gives players greater energy to play longer and helps them recover faster from lactic acid build up. An anaerobic base gives players the ability to perform quick energy surges. Start first in the early months of your off-season by building a core base of cardiovascular health (running of 2 miles, cycling of 5 miles, or the eliptical machine for 30-45 minutes).  As your system adjusts you will build, and be able to perform these activities with greater speed or resistance.  Within the last 6 weeks of off-season conditioning start to incorporate anaerobic activities to develop quick bursts of speed.  Yet, remember, you need the foundation before you can build the house!

3) Nutrition-

Nutrition is perhaps the one element that we as hockey players are most forgetful of. We must remember it is the fuel that makes our bodies go! Many of you will feel that your summer is you “down time,” a time to have a few pops and eat cheeseburgers while watching women’s beach volleyball on the couch. Wrong! You are entering adulthood. It is now time that your body must be worked harder and more often if it wishes to maintain shape. Think before you eat and make sure you are always drinking plenty of water. The best way to build muscle is to focus on eating large amounts of protein heavy food in the off-season.  During the regular season, you will need to replenish lost energy so carbohydrates will come more into the picture... but a carbohydrate heavy diet in the off-season can result in unnecessary weight gain.  An 8oz. glass of water before your meal is always the best start.

4) Supplements-

I am in no way endorsing steroids or performance enhancing drugs, but a well balanced regiment of essential and safe vitamins and minerals will improve your overall health.  These can be purchased right over the counter at your local CVS or GNC.  Here are 3 essentials-

1. Multi-vitamin- Taking a multivitamin/multimineral supplement like Centrum daily can help ensure you get recommended amounts of vitamins and minerals important for overall health and well-being.

2. Glutamine- Athletes take glutamine supplements in order to prevent muscle breakdown and to improve immune system functioning.

3. Fish oil capsules (Omega- 3 Fatty Acids)- Essential fats, Fish Oils are promoted to help support a healthy heart. This dietary supplement is used to add to a healthy diet.  Recent studies have shown that these may even help the prevention of concussions.