Games are like tests; they reveal talent. Studying is like practice; it develops talent.
Therefore, practice is the most valuable time for any player or team. More repetitions, puck touches, and learning opportunities than any single game will ever provide.
Visual learners
Most players in the modern era are visual learners first and everything else second. And if you’ve been around teenagers recently, you’ll know that audible listening is pretty low on the retention totem pole.
As such, video is the most valuable teaching tool. YouTube is the 2nd most used website on the planet for a reason (Google is #1). Just think back to when most of us started practicing speeches in the mirror to grasp our delivery, pace, body language, etc. People no longer use the bathroom mirror.
People use a video camera. They can watch the tape over and over to pick out the smallest of details to perfect performances.
Maximizing team practice
The key to achieving better practices is to videotape and break down the film.
(1) Games reveal things that could be caught beforehand in practice
(2) Coaches can see their practices from another perspective. If you’re a coach, you’ll be surprised breaking down your own film and asking yourself, “did I really just do that?”
You can go back and grade your own performance and see what needs to change.
(3) Players can see themselves in a bunch of situations and getting many puck touches. It’s perfect film to breakdown. It’s just as good, if not better than game film.
Personally, I prefer practice film over game film. I can see work habits and how they respond in given situations before they ever come up in a competitive game. There is a lot less guesswork when you’ve seen a player handle a situation many times over.
Or maybe a player wonders why they aren’t getting playing time and we can go back and pull the tape. The tape doesn’t lie and tells a way more powerful story than a coach ever could. Instead of the ‘coach doesn’t like me’ narrative you’ll get more ‘I didn’t know I did that’ engagement.
My favorite practices are ones that I can simply observe and pull out my iPad so I’m able to record what is happening and then pulling aside a player to go through the play and actually coach rather than being preoccupied with running the drill.
There are plenty of teachable moments from this video. I was able to pull 2 players aside and have conversations before their turn was up again. It was time well spent and allowed me as a coach to meet the players where they learn best, with video.
Maximizing personal practice
Over the summer my University of Akron team scatters over the country. Coordinating team workouts and improving the player can be difficult.
What we can easily do is work on technique.
I have players video themselves either skating, stickhandling, or shooting. They send me that video to be analyzed. From there we go over the teaching points I have for them and they then go practice some more. Rinse and repeat.
The gains some of the players have made are remarkable. When they arrive back in Akron I already know they will be better players. Camp starts this weekend. Let go!
Personal technical analysis is something we offer at Hockey’s Arsenal.
Practical Applications
Getting the video
Have someone record the practices from up high in the stands
Create drills that run themselves and pull out a phone or iPad
Sharing the video
Immediate on-ice feedback and coaching
After practice meetings
Email clips to players to review
Further Reading - Exploring whether the 1v1 or 2v2 is more important to practice
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