How to Play Hockey: An Online Course for hockey coaches.
This week I have been meeting with some of our groups teaching hockey tactics without spending a dime on ice rental. So much of what we can teach as coaches, can be done off ice. Today I want to give you a simple but very effective hockey tactics lesson plan I have been using. Just yesterday at a high school in Vancouver, grade 9 through 11 Hockey Canada Skills Academy students but their own knowledge to the test in this fun and engaging lesson. By first brainstorming ideas in small groups, then sharing those ideas with the larger class, the players (goalies and skaters) essentially reviewed the principles of positional responsibilities in hockey. I facilitated the small group discussions, then offered my own set of leading follow up questions and options they’d face as a team in various scenarios. By putting a time limit on each group discussion and follow up, the more engaged players felt pressure to come up with good ideas quickly and we were able to keep the lesson moving.
Did everyone buy in? Heck no, there are always outliers in any high school classroom, but overall it was a great success, and the players most engaged seemed proud to be able to share their own knowledge and be a leader in their small groups. Enjoy, and let me know how it goes for you! If you want a better grasp on these hockey tactics yourself, take our hockey tactics online course for coaches.
[button link=”www.howtoplayhockey.ca” size=”medium” variation=”orange” bgColor=”#ff8000″ textColor=”#ffffff” align=”center” target=”blank”]Take the How to Play Hockey Course today![/button]Lesson 1: How to Play Hockey:
Defining Positional Responsibilities:
- Divide into 4 groups. Imagine you are thrown into each position. This will happen in your life! What would you do? To play well, you need to have already visualized responsibilities of that position in a number of scenarios.
- Each group brainstorms and writes down positional responsibilities in the following scenarios.
- 1 Scribe, 1 Presenter each round. Groups have 5 minutes, then presenter shares with class your opinions.
Section 1: General Positional Responsibilities:
(Let’s get your brain thinking like a student of the game. Write down the first 3 things that come to mind for each position in any zone of the ice)
Goalie:
Defense:
Center:
Wingers:
Section 2: Specific Scenario:
When puck is in YOUR OWN ZONE and THE OTHER TEAM has possession:
Goalie:
Strong side defenseman (puck in your corner):
Weak Side defenseman:
Center:
Strongside winger:
Weak side winger:
Section 3: Specific Scenario:
When puck is in YOUR OWN ZONE and YOUR DEFENSEMAN in the corner has possession:
Goalie:
Strong side defenseman (puck in your corner):
Weak Side defenseman:
Center:
Strongside winger:
Weak side winger:
Section 4: Specific Scenario:
When puck is in YOUR OWN ZONE and YOUR DEFENSEMAN in the corner has possession:
Goalie:
Strong side defenseman (puck in your corner):
Weak Side defenseman:
Center:
Strongside winger:
Weak side winger:
Section 5: Specific Scenario:
When puck is in THE OTHER TEAM ZONE and YOUR DEFENSEMAN has the puck ON THE BLUE LINE:
Goalie:
Strong side defenseman (puck in your corner):
Weak Side defenseman:
Center:
Strongside winger:
Weak side winger:
