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"How to Conquer Your Competition - And Win More Games"

… secrets for turning your hockey team into a winner in just 10 days
by Hockey Canada Award winner and Author John Shorey 

9 facts you must know to become a winning Youth Hockey Coach, Player or Team.  

Why do some Minor Hockey Teams win over 80% of their games while others try everything possible and are lucky to win 25% of theirs? What if there was an easy way you could improve your Team’s winning percentage by 15%, 25% -- even 40% or more, how much higher would that improve your position in the League standings?

Consider the following questions to see if any of these hockey problems apply to you, or your Team, and whether you should continue reading this hockey article or not.

Does it frustrate you as a coach that your players are playing at only a fraction of their full potential and your losses are starting
to pile up?

Is your Team allowing too many goals against by giving up numerous odd man rushes, or allowing opposing forwards to stand uncovered in front of your net?

Does your Power Play (PP) struggle, or your Penalty Killing (PK) suck? 

Do you blow a fuse when your players take bad or undisciplined penalties in the offensive zone and it results in a power play goal against you?

Do your forwards miss quality-scoring opportunities because they lack finishing skills?

Do your defencemen usually get beaten on 1 on 1, or 2 on 1 situations leading to quality scoring chances for the opposition?

Do you see red when your Team blows a 1- goal lead late in the game?

Does your goaltender give up soft or bad goals at inopportune times?

Does it infuriate you that you could be making five times as much, or more, improvement with your young Hockey Team if you only had more practice time?

If this sounds a little or a lot like you, your players, or your Team, and you truly want to correct these problems, develop more skills to turn your season around and compete with, then conquer the top teams in your League, you just might want to continue reading because the solutions to these problems are contained within this article!

If you could read just one article about how to turn a young inexperienced Team, or an underachieving talented Team playing under .500 hockey, into a fine tuned winning machine, this is it.

I dare you to read this entire article and not change the way you play, practice, or coach youth hockey.

I will even promise, that if you use the suggestions contained throughout this article, you will win more games, lose fewer games, …perhaps even winning a playoff Champions
 

Who these solutions will help?

If you are…

(a) a Minor/Youth Hockey Coach working with Beginners, Initiation, Novice/Mite, Atom/Squirt or Peewee players, playing in House League or on the
     “AAA” Travel Team

(b) a young Male or Female Youth Hockey Player between 5 and 15 years of age wanting to improve your hockey skills and knowledge

(c) a parent or grand parent wanting to help your young (grand) son or daughter play better hockey

…you are about to find out the most often overlooked secret to start turning your young hockey Team into a winner.

What are the two most important elements for a winning hockey team?

Have you ever wondered what the two most important elements are for a Hockey Team, that when initiated would single-handedly account for more wins than any other skill?

I would tell you, without a doubt – it’s the ability for coaches (or parents) to teach individual and team hockey skills. That’s because the most important factors for any hockey team to get on the winning track are…individual skill development and specific Team systems. These are only learned and improved upon by practicing them.

Practice Makes Perfect

Listen closely. If you do not practice, you will not win many hockey games. You will not improve as a player and your Team will be destined to be in the bottom half of the standings. Remember the saying “Practice Makes Perfect” this is especially true for young hockey Teams and young hockey players. Teams must practice at least once a week. Twice is even better, as it will speed up the improvement process for both teams and players.

N.B. Playing hockey games does not improve your skills; practices do, and winning or losing a game is based on what you learned and perfected at your practices.

In the next few minutes, I’ll tell you how to easily master the challenge of finding extra practice time, turning loses into victories, turning non-goal scorers into scorers, turn error prone defencemen into rock solid defenders and change shaky goaltending into a steady puck stopping art. All of this can be accomplished by running specific Skill Development practices.

I’ll show you how to progressively train your team from Tryout camp to the end of your Playoffs simply by reading on.

Here’s what’s possible for your Team:

(a) Imagine what it would be like if your team could score 5 goals every game. Would that inspire your players?

(b) How would you like your Team’s forechecking and backchecking systems improved to such a degree that your goals against were cut in half.
    Would that help make your team more competitive?

(c) What if there was a way you could improve your Power Play and Penalty Killing success rate by just 10%, 15% or 20%, would that cut your loses
     and add a few more wins in the standings?

(d) Imagine what you could accomplish with 2- 3 hours of additional prime time practices every week. Would you have more time to teach skills,
     correct errors that led to eventual loses and teach your players how to protect a 1-goal lead late in the game?

(e) Think for a moment how extra practices would give you and your assistant coaches the time you need to teach young male or female House
     League or “AAA” Travel Hockey Players the basic skills, systems and strategies required to turn some loses into victories and move your Team
     into the top half of the standings. Practices and Team meetings would also help you prepare your Team both mentally and physically for the
     exciting but pressure-packed year-end Playoffs.

But where do you get this extra Practice Time?

… I’ll tell you in a moment.

The Secret for Success … Off-Ice Practices

Depending on your definition of success, i.e. players having fun, players improving their skills and knowledge, your team moving into the top half of the League standings, or the ultimate success, your team winning the League Playoff Championship. The following information will help solve many of these challenges.   …but how you ask?

Well, there’s a specialized can’t miss program available I’ll tell you about shortly for running successful skill development off-ice practices.
When this program is followed, anyone can achieve hockey success.

The very first thing coaches must do if you truly want to turn your season around, become more competitive, or win more games is to book/rent a large hall or school gymnasium for 2-3 hours every week for a minimum of 4-6 weeks. The more weeks you practice, the more your players will learn, the more your team will improve and the more games you will win. Off-Ice Practices will also act as a catalyst for bonding your players into a cohesive hockey Team. I know of many winning coaches who book 20 weeks in a gymnasium at the start of every season.

The hall or gymnasium’s rental cost will be only a fraction of prime-time practice ice and with any luck you can book it in prime time from around 5.30 to 8:30 pm. possibly the same day each week. Parents, team sponsors, 50/50 draws or other fund raising events will help pay for any rental cost.

At Off-ice Practices, Head and Assistant Coaches can conduct small group teaching sessions, then demonstrate specific skills, followed by practice opportunities for every player on the hall or school gymnasium floor.

Players can rotate from station-to-station after a specific period of time but I will leave that to the coaches running the off-ice practice. Conclude your practice with a controlled ball hockey scrimmage at the end of the evening to provide some fun for your players and they will be eager to return next week.

In a gymnasium or large hall you will have lots of time, and lots of space, to do conditioning drills at the start of the session, then, when your players are tired out and ready to listen, you start to explain, demonstrate and practice basic shooting skills for accuracy and velocity, creative passing plays, quality scoring plays, effective clearing and breakout plays, aggressive forechecking and backchecking systems, power play and penalty killing strategy etc. Everything that is necessary to play winning hockey and perhaps even challenge for the Playoff Championship.

Here’s a valuable tip. If your players get board with too much theory and not enough action, have some extra shooting drills or a competitive shoot-out competition between lines, forwards vs defencemen etc. All players get primed up trying to score on a goalie, and this skill will have a positive carry over effect for your League games.

You will be astounded with the individual and team skill development you will accomplish with every single player in a very short period of time by using this time-tested progressive off-ice method.

The prime reason off-ice practices are so successful is because you and your coaches have the time to show your players how to execute the skill correctly. There is no rush, like on the ice, where time is of the essence. You can take your time and explain it slowly, demonstrate the skill step-by-step, practice it again and again, then give your players positive feedback or make any corrective suggestions or adjustments to improve the skill.

Are off-ice practices really the secret strategy to cut down hockey loses, develop individual skills and jump-start your Team’s overall improved play? Can this really be possible? You want to believe it!
 

 

About the Author

I’m John Shorey and the Author of 4 Hockey Instruction Manuals. I started my hockey career many years ago in the Minor Hockey system in Canada. I played on numerous House League and Travel Teams before moving to Junior “A” hockey as a 16 year old. I won the League’s Rookie of the Year award and was invited to play Major Jr. “A” Hockey for the Toronto Marlboros, the top Junior farm team of the NHL Toronto Maple Leafs. A very serious broken leg prevented my participation, and it took over 7 months to heal. The following winter I returned to Jr. “A” Hockey signing with the Brockville Braves, the Junior “A” farm Team of the NHL’s Chicago Black Hawks.

I finished second, then first, in team scoring in my final 2 years of Junior. I averaged almost 2 points per game playing 3 seasons of Junior “A” Hockey in Canada.

Upon my graduation from Junior “A” hockey, I went to Europe and played 2 seasons of professional hockey.
When I returned to Canada I started coaching Junior “B” Hockey and coached for 13 seasons as well as
becoming GM and owner of the franchise.

Following my coaching career I was elected President of the Rideau-St. Lawrence Junior “B” Hockey League, a position I have held for 27 consecutive seasons.

Other highlights of my hockey career include winning a Junior “B” Championship as Head Coach, a Coach of the Year Award, a Hockey Canada Junior Hockey Recognition Award, an Ottawa District Hockey Association Recognition Award and being inducted into the Brockville and Area Sports Hall of Fame.

9 facts you need to know to turn your Team from being a pretender into a contender


1. Tryout Camp – the winning formula for picking the right players for your Hockey Team

Coaches and Assistant Coaches must evaluate each player’s hockey talent at tryout camp by using specific game like drills, scrimmages and exhibition games, then select a combination of Team oriented and skilled players with a winning attitude, good character and who possess the following hockey skills:

Selecting Your Forwards

(a) Select some Forwards with – Quality Shooting and Scoring Skills
(b) Pick some with – Creative Playmaking and Passing ability
(c) Choose others with – Physical Checking/Grinding skills i.e. their ability to create turnovers & recover loose pucks in the corners and along the
     boards
(d) Teams need at least 2 balanced scoring lines to succeed, 1 line will not do it against the top teams.
(e) Top lines are usually composed of a gifted goal scorer, a creative playmaker and a tenacious checker.
(f)  Remember, if you choose all goal scorers, who is going to pass them the puck and who is going to go into the corners to dig out loose pucks or
     create a turnover?

Picking Your Defencemen

(a) Pick some “D” with offensive puck carrying, stickhandling, shooting & scoring skills
(b) Choose others with good defensive skills; i.e. preventing goals by playing 1 on 1’s, and 2 on 1’s correctly, aggressive corner work, competent
     blanket like coverage in front of your net and shot blocking skills.
(c) Pair an offensive “rushing” defenceman with a “stay home” defensive defenceman to ensure one is always back to defend against any rush
(d) Defencemen must have lots of courage. Make sure you take this into consideration when selecting them
(e) Remember, if you pick all offensive defencemen who is going to be back to defend against the rush?

Choosing Your Goaltenders

(a) Your goaltender is the backbone of your team and most coaches believe your most important player. You must take your time selecting a
    goaltender and once you do s/he will need exclusive instruction from you or one of your Assistant Coaches at all practices and games.
(b) Choose goalies with good puck stopping skills and who can almost always stop the first shot. They must understand the theory of cutting the
     angle and setting themselves square/90 degrees to the shooter and puck in order to stop initial shots and control rebounds.
(c) Good goalies have quick hands and feet and can keep the game close, always giving your team a chance to win.
(d) Big and tall goaltenders cover more area of the net than smaller goaltenders and if both are equal in puck stopping ability, I suggest you pick
     the bigger one.

2. Run Organized On-Ice and Off-Ice Practices

The purpose of a practice is to teach basic hockey skills, systems and strategies by using specific non-complicated drills to prepare for an upcoming game, or to correct errors made in previous games.

Head and Assistant Coaches must run organized, up-tempo, on-ice and off-ice practices teaching specific skills, systems and strategies to turn an underachieving or losing Team into a winning one.

Try to keep your players constantly moving, not standing around too long waiting for their turn in a drill. Divide the ice or floor into sections, then break the team into small groups of 5 and rotate players from station-to-station through out your practice time period. End every practice with a controlled scrimmage to provide some fun.


3. Objectives of Offensive, Defensive and Transitional Hockey

During the early weeks of the season, coaches must review with their players either at a Team meeting or at a practice the objectives of:

“Offensive Hockey” - skills used trying to score a goal when your team controls the puck. This includes carrying the puck, passing and head manning the puck, or shooting it in deep if over the Red Line then either forechecking to regain possession of the puck, or if you have possession in the corner, possibly cycling the puck behind the net trying to create a 2 on 1 situation and a high percentage Goal scoring opportunity.

“Defensive Hockey” - skills used trying to create and recover loose pucks by winning the 1 on 1 battles in the offensive zone. Eliminating odd man rushes by covering the wide winger and preventing goals against when the opposition controls the puck in the Neutral and Defensive zone. Never leave an opponent uncovered in front of your net; as this is the prime shooting area where most goals are scored.

“Transitional Hockey”- all players young and old need to understand and play a lightning fast transitional game of going from Offensive Hockey to Defensive Hockey quickly with every change of possession of the puck. And visa versa, going from Defensive Hockey to Offensive Hockey by counter attacking as soon as your Team regains possession of the puck and starts an offensive rush up the ice.

Players must also understand at a young age that preventing goals is just as important as scoring goals and will be a major contributor to winning hockey games.

4. Specific Playing Rules

Many young hockey players do not understand the basic rules of hockey and they are much too shy to ask the coaches for an explanation. They just nod their head signifying they understand when really they don’t.

Coaches must realize this and should explain to their players in very simple terms or by drawing diagrams on a portable rink board (a picture is worth a thousand words) so their players understand what causes and what the consequences are of the following rules:

(a) Off-sides, Delayed Off-sides and Intentional Off-sides
(b) Icing and Non Icing of the puck
(c) Penalties, explain and demonstrate what you can do and cannot do to avoid taking a 2 minute Minor, a 5 minute Major, a Game ejection Match
     Penalty or a 10-minute Misconduct Penalty.
(d) The new interpretation of the rules by a Referee states, “the hockey stick must only be used for playing the puck, it is not to be used to impede
     the progress of the puck carrier” or you’ll get a penalty
(e) Also, you cannot bodycheck a player without the puck, if you do and get caught by the Referee you will also receive a penalty.

5. Teaching Basic Hockey Skills

When coaching young players how to play winning hockey, they’ll need to be taught by explaining, demonstrating, then practicing the following specific skills from the 5 basic skill groups:

(a) Skating- including forward, backward, stops, starts, turns, crossovers and 180 degree pivots
(b) Puckhandling, Stickhandling and Deking
(c) Passing and Receiving on your forehand and backhand. It is imperative to teach the 8 basic types of Passes. These should be explained when
     they are used, then demonstrated and finally practiced.
(d) Shooting and Scoring Skills –explain the 8 basic shots for scoring goals and the 5 prime scoring locations on the goalie. Demonstrate several;
     scoring plays by way of shooting, passing etc. If Players are taught correctly they will go from single digit goal scorers to double-digit scorers.
(e) Checking/Grinding Skills - used to create turnovers and recover loose pucks. Demonstrate and practice Stick Checking Skills, then Body
     Checking Skills if allowed, by using your hip or shoulder to check (physically knock) the puck carrier off the puck creating a turnover or a loose
     puck.

6. Systems and Strategies used to Win Hockey Games

Coaches must explain then practice the following Hockey Systems & Strategies and when to use them

(a) Clearing/Breakout Plays – without them it will be hard to get out of your end zone with the puck.
(b) Puck Control or Dump and Chase system, which will you use to enter the offensive zone and why.
(c) Forechecking Systems – aggressive 2-1-2-puck pursuit system or the more defensive 1-2-2 Neutral Zone Trap system - which one will you use
     and why.
(d) Backchecking Systems – the 2-1-2 prevent odd man rush system or the 2-2-1 cover both Wings system.
(e) How to protect a 1- goal lead late in the game without icing the puck and still win the game.

7. Special Teams – Power Play and Penalty Killing

If you could improve the success of your Power Play (PP) or Penalty Killing (PK) by just 10%, 15% or 25% it would go a long way towards winning a hockey game.

Players need to practice their Power Play by getting into specific scoring positions by carrying or passing the puck into a high-percentage shooting lane in the slot area, on the point, or off to the side of the net.

Penalty Killers need to practice keeping the puck carrier to the outside of the ice by using either an aggressive or passive, flexible box or rotating triangle formation. They must be prepared to expand or collapse the box or triangle depending on the pucks location. They also need to block shots, and to use an active stick to intercept or deflect pucks in the passing lanes and clear any rebounds out of the zone.

8. Coaches – coaching Youth Hockey takes special skills

Head Coaches must surround themselves with knowledgeable Assistant Coaches. One person can no longer coach a winning hockey team all by himself/herself. The coaching staff must be on the same page philosophically with non-conflicting ideas. They must be good teachers of hockey skills, positive motivators and must provide leadership and training for every hockey player under their direction.

The Head Coach must be organized and provide structure, establish Team rules and discipline. S/he must develop a sound game plan so your team can be competitive and win their fair share of games.

You must also prepare written photocopied practice plans for yourself and your assistant coaches identifying what skills need to be taught. Use a practice agenda with both start and finish times for drills.

And last, but not least, remember the first goal of Minor Hockey is to ensure your players are having fun.
Equal ice time is high on the agenda of most parents and is the norm until the last 2 minutes of a game.

9. Playoff Hockey – it’s as serious as the coaches and players want to make it

Coaches must mentally and physically prepare their players for the pressure, and emotional stress of
Playoff hockey. Players must crank up their intensity level for the entire game if they want to win.

The playoffs are much different than the regular season. There is more forechecking, more hitting, more turnovers, less quality scoring chances and less goals scored. Players must score on their limited scoring chances or possibly lose the game and be eliminated from further playoff games.

In playoff games quickly getting the puck outside your Blue Line will reduce your chances of getting scored upon and the more the puck is shot deep inside the opponent’s end the greater your chance for victory.

I suggest coaches hold a pre-playoff Team meeting to discuss your strategy and identify the opposing Team’s strengths, weaknesses and how you intend to shut down or control their best players.

These 9 facts, if utilized, will help a struggling team improve and win a higher percentage of games.

These and many other tips are explained in greater detail in the 4 Hockey Made Easy Manuals     

Clearly, owning your own copy of the complete 225 Page, 8th Edition, “ Hockey Made Easy Instruction Manual ” in pdf format will provide you with in-depth detail showing you how to teach your players the skills, systems and strategy to play winning hockey.

If you follow the Manual, it will:

- make your Team more competitive in a very short period of time
- make you a better player or a better coach
- will turn many loses into victories

The Hockey Made Easy Instruction Manual contains 225 pages of comprehensive hockey content. It also has over 2000 informative hockey tips and 200 descriptive diagrams so you can visualize the plays. What this means is you will have access to everything you need to know so you can teach, coach or play competitive winning hockey.

Unlike most other Hockey Manuals, “Hockey Made Easy” is written in such a way that it is easy-to-read, easy-to-understand, easy-to-follow and easy-to-transfer the information to your young players. And within days, the most novice of Youth Hockey coaches, parents or players with little or no hockey experience will understand the rules and the skills required to play winning hockey.

It will also teach young players in House League or on “AAA” Travel Teams the importance of attending practices where the development of individual and team skills is critical so you can make a valuable contribution to your Team.

As you know, hockey is a team game and every player must work together for the betterment of the entire Team. It must be fun, but each player must understand they have to play disciplined and not run all over the ice because they have specific responsibilities to fulfill both offensively and defensively in order to put a "W" in the win column.

Here’s an overview of other hockey facts revealed in the 225 page Hockey Made Easy Instruction Manual

• The Manual walks you, step-by-step, through the process of teaching young players how to improve their fundamental skills in order to play
   winning hockey.

• It’s like having your own personal coaching mentor showing you what to do and how to get the most offensive and defensive effort out of your
  players to give you the competitive edge.

• It includes a comprehensive glossary of over 250 hockey terms and expressions explaining everything you ever wanted to know about playing
  hockey.

• The Manual provides effective aerobic and anaerobic conditioning drills to get your players into top physical shape to increase their speed,
   strength and endurance.

• It describes how to assemble productive forward lines and defence pairing to give you both offensive and defensive on-ice balance by utilizing
   inter-changeable positions.

• It tells you how to develop double-digit goal scorers using the easy-to-use how, when and where to shoot to score goals section. It also
  describes a variety of innovative scoring methods that will turn loses into victories.

• The Manual includes an in depth section on preventing goals against by using a variety of time-tested shut down backchecking skills and
   systems.

• There are multiple pages and diagrams describing how to legally stick check and bodycheck the puckcarrier to create loose pucks, leading
   to increased puck possessions by your team.

• There’s a section about how to forecheck effectively in the offensive zone using a variety of proven systems to create a turnover then
   regaining possession of the puck, resulting in more goal scoring opportunities.

• There’s a complete Goaltending chapter, 20 pages in total, describing how to teach your young goaltenders how to play this difficult position
   using different skills and drills to stop the puck.

• Also included is an overview of the current up-to-date Minor/Youth Hockey playing rules and penalties to help you reduce your offsides, icings
   and penalties.

Other Tips explained in the Manuals to help you become more competitive.

• How to run organized up-tempo, station-to-station practices

• How to prevent odd man rushes thereby eliminating quality scoring chances

 

No-Risk Money Back Guarantee

You can own this comprehensive 225 page Hockey Made Easy Instruction Manual for just $19.75 Cdn.
about the same in US dollars.

You’ll win more games, have fewer loses, compete in most games and your players will improve
their hockey skills beyond belief.

The Manuals come with a Risk-Free Money Back Guarantee.

In the unlikely event that you don’t like the Instruction Manuals - I will issue a no hassle refund of your purchase price if notified within 30 days of purchase. – You have my personal Guarantee.

Or if it doesn’t improve your coaching or hockey playing skills, make you a more competitive team, increase your knowledge and understanding of this great game, or for any reason, if you’re not completely satisfied with it, just let me know within 30 days of purchase and I will issue a no hassle refund.

As a Bonus Offer

When you place your order for the complete 225 page Instruction Manual, you will also get
Free of Charge the 30 page bonus book “ The Parents and Coaches Teaching Guide.”
This will give you the step-by-step procedures for teaching your son, daughter, or players,
the skills required to play winning hockey correctly and safely. These can be taught either
at home, or at your on ice or off ice practices.

Additional Bonus Free e-Mail Hockey Tips

Name
e-Mail
Age of Player(s)

      

How to order your copy

I’ve shown you how the “Hockey Made Easy Instruction Manual” can actually turn your hockey loses into victories and turn your youngsters into competent and complete 2 way players. If you want success, now is the time for you to act .

Order Today. (click through to the e-Book order form to get Canada's Best Hockey Instruction Manual)

Well, the good news is you can have your own copy of the newly revised 8th Edition Hockey Made Easy Instruction Manual in e-book format for
only $19.75 Canadian about the same in American Dollars. But this is a time limited offer, as prices will be going up in the near future.

To give you even better value on your investment, you’ll also get Free of Charge the 30 page “Parents and Coaches Teaching Guide” when you order right now.

Get started using the Hockey Made Easy Instruction Manual today because it will make your Team a  winner starting tomorrow.

You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Within minutes the e-book Manual can be downloaded to your computer, and you can start reaping the benefits of the latest 8th Edition. Give it a try risk-free

Imagine …in as little as a few days, you could be on your way to becoming an extremely good coach, or a top notch player on a transformed competitive winning hockey team ….. all because you decided to say “Yes” today.

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