Practice Approach

Let’s Compare Practice Model

Our approach is simply better. The standard youth hockey practice model looks something like this:

• Practice Hours

  • 2 hours per week

  • 1 hour per session

• Practice Focus

  • Likely minimal focus

  • Different teams on the ice with different coaches and different philosophical approaches to the game

• Area of Practice Emphasis

  • Positions

  • Breakouts

  • Scrimmages

The outcomes of this process are well known. Minimal skill development and a focus on preparing for the next game.

Our approach is very different.

Our development model looks like this

• Practice Hours

  • 6 to 7 hours per week

  • Minimum practice session 2 hours

    • We do this because it allows for coaches to have the time to spend on skills so that players can get it right and actually learn what they are practicing.

• Practice Focus

  • Consistently defined for both kids and parents

  • Extended work times on skills to drive skill acquisition

  • A set philosophical approach which guides all players on the ice

• Areas of Practice Emphasis

  • Baseline skill assessments

  • Puck control is a key theme (everything with a puck)

  • Skating with an emphasis on power turns and acceleration out of turns

  • Shooting

  • Passing

• Competition

  • Competition is a major part of our model in that every week there is a competition day where players must compete. Skaters square off against equal competition regardless of age, gender or size. Performance in competition days can impact which group a player competes in the following week.

• Game Concepts

  • Are addressed but not emphasized. Key areas that would be addressed, include:

    • Lane filling

    • Puck support

    • Spacing

    • Communication

We are building on the Swedish Modo and Red Army model but our focus is on developing great hockey players that are better people.