"Penalties Drawn" Should Be Rewarded

 By Paul Lubanski


The singular focus of today's post is to implore coaching staff's at all levels to add a line-item to their respective statistical reporting documents that is entitled "penalties drawn" or PD's for short.

So what exactly constitutes a PD and why is is so critical to track?

Anytime one of our player's is hacked, whacked, impeded, hooked or otherwise abused in a fashion that ends up constituting an infraction being levied against a member of the opposition--we have a PD situation created.

And it should be obvious that an individual effort from one of our guy's that results in a PP for us is a good thing--agree?


This is mainly so because as we have so often discussed, the general improvement in both goaltender play and team-defensive schemes over the past several years has made it very difficult to score at even-strength.

Hence, the need to exploit the open-surface and the o-zone entry and access possibilities that all PP opportunities facilitate. Of course, with the ultimate goal of lighting-the-lamp two or three times a contest while enjoying the man-advantage.

All of the above now brings me to the point that I can once again clearly emphasize the core-message of today's discussion. That being, players that consistently outwork their assigned checks' and wind-up drawing penalties that allow our team to go on the PP are indeed-- a very,very valuable commodity. As such, they MUST be signaled out and ultimately rewarded.

And when I say "rewarded," I am not necessarily referring to PP ice-time...because as we all know--most often it is the third/fourth-line  (less skilled overall)  grinder that does the "dirty-work" required to cause the penalty-against to be called.

But what I mean is this--make 100% certain that you are championing these unsung "team-first" heroes post all period and game-play completion. You may even consider  implementing an official award or designated trophy that you can give to the players in-front of teammates/parents.

In closing, at minimum--I would be charting and tracking these monumentally important team-minded efforts and encouraging all of my players to strive to become a PD award winner. If you do so, you will be laying the foundation that can and will lead to their individual success at the next level and beyond. And beyond that-- quite frankly, it is simply the correct way to approach the game from a psychological perspective regardless of the level.

Best of luck.

BONUS TIP

For all the reasons we have discussed thus far, it is crucial that we are consistent in our efforts to remind our players that the hard work that results in penalties called against our opponents is vital to our overall team-success. However, any encouragement of said players to embellish a trip/hold/hook etc. with the ultimate goal of tricking a referee into making a call is strictly bush-league. That sort of chicanery undermines the integrity of the game and must not be tolerated.


paul.lubanski@yahoo.com