The Nature of Our Game - Part 1

You know, every sport has a certain "nature", or some things that make it different from any other. Sumo wrestling is quite obviously different from hockey, and so is downhill skiing, basketball, figure skating, and so forth. (Yes, it's always possible that there are some similarities between sports. But, no two are ever exactly alike.)

What spells the difference in the nature of each game? Mainly, the rules.

In the case of ice hockey, its rules dictate that contests be played on an ice surface, that that surface be of certain dimensions, that it be surrounded by boards, and that it be divided by lines that have further rule applications. Rules also govern the tools to be used (like sticks and a puck), the time allotted to play, the number of active players permissible per team, how substitutions may be made, and especially how a winner should be determined.
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As a first aside here, I believe that coaches also have -- and continue to -- greatly influence the nature of our game. I mean, ever since the first puck was dropped, tacticians have been seeking ways to give their teams an edge within the rules. So, we can only thank some pretty bright coaches for ultimately refining things like the length of a typical shift, the way players actually achieve changes on-the-fly, and what most now considered smart playing principles. Come to think of it, have you ever wondered who initiated strategies that are now known as forechecking, breakouts, cycling, powerplays, penalty-killing and the likes?
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So, what's the big deal about this nature of our game? Well, I'm going to suggest that a close study of our game helps us define the true demands placed on our players. And, it further determines the physical and mental attributes required to play the game well.
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As yet another aside, I always have some fun asking a group of hockey school kids what their game would be like if it was played under some extreme new conditions... For example, what kind of players would they recruit -- and what attributes would they seek in those players, if the game was played in a 10' x 15' room? Amid the giggles, someone would likely recommend sumo-types or football linemen, and players with more brawn than skill. (Hey, how well do you have to skate or puckhandle under those kinds of conditions?)... At the other extreme, I ask the kids to then build their team to play on a rink the size of a football field. Ah, now we're talking about there hardly ever being a body-check -- so size won't matter, and we're also probably going to recruit players who can absolutely fly, puckhandle and pass really well. Would there be a difference in the way we'd want to condition the two different types of athletes? You bet!
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So, why did I choose to make this the subject of my first real post? It's because nearly everything else we'll ever want to discuss here needs to be evaluated according to the nature of our game. What it's like to really play the game will often immediately tell us if a given drill or conditioning method will help or hinder our players. So can we usually measure the real effectiveness of a new training gadget.
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Finally, you should know that I do, from time to time, slightly temper this approach... First, there are occasions when a player (or a group of players) needs a change of pace, or a slightly different approach to training. Especially if the next season is far-off, it might not be a bad idea to briefly take one step backwards in order to eventually gain two or more steps ahead... Secondly, believe it or not, each level of our game has it's own slightly different nature... But, those topics are best saved for another day.

Coming To You With High Hopes

Hockey... That's what I do... Pretty close to 24/7, as the saying goes.

A typical day finds me writing a lot -- either for a video script, an audio lecture series, or for one of my advice columns (in "Pure Hockey Magazine" or "Hockey/USA").

There's also a lot of lesson (or practice) planning to do...

I run a small but unbelievably effective off-ice training facility dubbed "The MOTION Lab". (It looks nothing like your typical gym, instead loaded with gear that most of you wouldn't even recognize.) I'm usually found there in the Lab on weeknights, helping some dedicated athletes become better skilled, and leaner and meaner than they could have ever become from traditional on-ice training.

I also coach two teams under my New England Hockey Institute banner... One is a teen group I spend 7-months with, prepping them for the high school hockey season that usually begins right after Thanksgiving. The other squad is composed of junior high school aged players who'll be with me from May through the end of next April. The beauty of both programs is that I'm able to take a fairly patient, methodical, long-range approach to training, with our relatively long time together making it possible for me to really change the kids' athleticism, skills and knowledge of the game.

So, what are my hopes for this current undertaking?

Number One, I look forward to sharing my experiences from the above endeavors, especially as I work with and troubleshoot the needs of my players and Lab students. I use methods that are unheard of in most hockey circles, so I suspect parents and coaches are going to enjoy gaining some fresh ideas. (There's also a good bet that I'll be teaching a Learn-to-skate/Learn-to-play clinic this winter, as well as working with some adult men and women.)

Secondly, while my work and studies keep me current with the sciences, I know that most players, parents and coaches -- rightly so -- prefer a simplified, common sense and plain talk presentation. Then, like you, I get around the rinks plenty, and I hear the same nonsense you likely hear -- about this or that form of training being the best thing since the advent of sliced bread. And, nearly every week someone comes-up with a new training aid that promises to turn Little Johnny (or Janie) into the next Ovechkin. Of course, some of the new training ideas and gadgets are really good, while some just aren't. So, a major aim here will be to help you sort through the good, the bad and the oh-so ugly.

Number Three -- and you can file this under "Little Known Facts"... Believe it or not, hockey gear -- like skates, pads, sticks, gloves and even tape -- can have a HUGE impact on a player's skill development, speed, agility and so much more. And, although the game appears to be the same from one tier to the next, I'm going to suggest that the things required to be successful at one level can be drastically different from what it takes to do well at another. Really, these are just samples of some need-to-know things, they're things that cause some kids to become discouraged and quit, and they're things that I promise to share as time goes along.

Fourth, as I intimated earlier, I'm into video -- big time. As a matter of fact, I'm into the use of all sorts of media. So, I plan on sharing some tips in this area. And, if Google and I become a little friendlier, I might ultimately be adding some video, audio and other media to this project.

Number Five, you'll likely discover over time that I'm a free thinker and somewhat (or even more than somewhat) opinionated... One reason for this is that I ultimately tired of traditional methods not working to my satisfaction, so I set out to devise ones that would. (Honest to God, some of the drill methods I was forced to invent years ago are now used by pro and National Team coaches, and by so-called powerskating instructors around the world.) Even today, hardly a month goes by that I don't concoct some new training aid to suit a special purpose, and hardly a week goes by that I don't create a new drill or strategy to help my players. So, needless to say, I'm going to share some ideas in those areas, and perhaps even give you the confidence to think for yourself when others can't (or won't) help you.

Finally, I'll start the ball rolling tomorrow with my first real installment. Thereafter, I won't mind if others dictate the path.