The summer is here, and many players are now enjoying the “off-season.” This is the time of year where good players become great. This time of year separates the players who are serious about the game, and those who are not. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve been asked “what should my player do this summer” – and I’m sure many other coaches out there hear it all the time. I wanted to share some quick thoughts on how to approach the off-season…
It’s no secret that training during the off-season can make you a better hockey player. The issue most players/coaches have is they don’t know WHAT to do. Friend and fellow hockey training professional Jeremy Weiss has put together a program called S3, and has released FREE videos to explain what he’s got.
We put together a new video featuring three of our favorite off-ice agility ladder drills to help players develop their quickness and foot speed.
Sometimes some of the best content on the web is hard to dig up. While looking for some off-ice stickhandling drills, I came across a 20-part video series offered free online by USA Hockey. This series is part of their National Team Development Program training.
Often when the season wraps up, I’ll get asked the question: “Coach, what do I need to work on in the off-season?” I usually respond to this by reversing the question and asking them what they think they need to work on. When they look at me with a blank stare, I usually try to guide them through a series of questions to help evaluate their play and identify “holes” in their game – and of course share my feedback with them after they’ve started to identify things for themselves. The off-season provides a great opportunity for committed players to develop and improve their fundamental skills. I believe players need to approach off-season training in the following sequence…
Dot drill mats are great ways to develop quick feet in hockey players and other athletes.