Thinking And Playing "From The Net Out" ...

Will Facilitate The Building Of A More Effective Transition Game For Your Team


By Paul Lubanski


Undeniably, the very best teams at all levels both approach and play the game of hockey "form the net out" or F-T-N-O for short.

In other words, they fully internalize the F-T-N-O notion and furthermore, realize that applying the techniques necessary to execute the concept leads to a more potentially successful TRANSITION game.

And transitioning from defense to offense is one of THE most critical--and unquestionably difficult components of the game of hockey for any team to master.

So today's blog will offer several  defensive-accented coaching axioms to aid all of us in preparing to attack the initial part of the 2011-2012 season with the proper "defending" mindset paramount.

A mindset, that if applied on the ice, WILL definitively help both protect in our end and aid in creating and supporting an effective TRANSITION game.

So competing "From The Net Out" (F-T-N-O) actually translates into the following:

• Players spread throughout the surface, but especially in our end, should always be attempting to play from a "POS" (position of strength). "POS" refers to a "heels-to-the-net" or "rear-end-to-the-net" body alignment.
• The front of our net must NEVER be left unoccupied--even in five or six-on-three situations. In fact, on the PK is obviously when it becomes mandatory that one defender attempts to cover as much territory as humanly possible. So note that if a teammate is beaten cleanly out-of-the-corner and you are the defender left-out-front, the rule-of-thumb becomes: make yourself as BIG as possible and literally force the opponent to go-through-you to attack the net.
• A "no-peace-around-the-crease" mentality should be foremost and dominate all defensive-players thinking whether even-strength, on PK or PP. Hard, clean but punishing around our cage is the terminology that I would recommend using
• Bodies need to clog shooting lanes and active-sticks need to be taking away passing options as much as possible.
• Players must be taught and consistently reminded of when it is most appropriate to select an aggressive, all-out attack mode on an oppositions players time or take a more conservative "eliminating space" approach. The decision is predicated upon the opponents "possession-level" and proximity to our cage. Expert coaches teach this thinking/reading/reacting aspect of the defending game, you must as well.
• This next point-of-emphasis is incredibly important if any team expects to defend successfully on a consistent basis and it is thus: NEVER leave the puck behind or off to the side of our net when the opposition is breathing down our numbers. As the most prolific skating defenseman and quite possibly the greatest player off all time, the amazing Bobby Orr used to ask: "why would you ever want to start a puck-board battle 10 feet from your netminder? MOVE the puck NOW! " Of course, goalies can help in those situations so you need to make certain that they are taught to bark out the proper warning(s). "On your numbers--MOVE the puck!
• There most definitely can be occasions when the front of our cage is a safe option for beginning the second stage of the breakout process.Or, clearing the biscuit full-length during the PK or a pinned-in situation. Teach it/practice it--it will work.
• Protecting or defending "our house" is also a direct and easily understandable point of defensive-zone emphasis. The house is defined as thus: Straight (albeit angled) lines drawn from our goal posts to the face-off dots--and from the dots we draw another line 10-15 feet straight-up towards the blue-line. Then, we adjoin those lines with another east-to-west straight line. Now, if an opposing player "dares" to enter the house--he/she should be checked so closely that they are left with no room to place the blade of their stick on the ice.
• One last piece of advice...if a board-battle is ensuing in one of our deep corners, it makes no sense to institute blanket-type coverage on the opposing team's point-men. You should completely outnumber the down-low opponent's, win the puck outright  and attempt to begin the transition/break-out from there-on.

BONUST TIP

The willingness play strong, fundamental defense in our end is typically is displayed by those with what I refer to as having  a true "hockey heart"  and  a "team-first" mentality. The neat thing about those attributes it is that both highly skilled and much less talented individuals can show this sort of fortitude. Strive to build club and organization with those sorts of players because you will not have to be pressured to win--it will happen automatically.


PLEASE NOTE:

Paul Lubanski has authored a hockey-accented children's book entitled: "BONKY, a Moose and the Magic Hockey Stick."


It has been reviewed as "a fun, inspirational, must-read bed-time story for young children and all families that love hockey." 

Bonky: Perfect holiday gift for grandparents/parents/aunts/uncles/babysitters and big brothers and sisters...it is a "read" to 3-7 year-olds ideally type book that is very short 23 pages--at less than 4,000 entertaining words...animal and "magic" theme...a young 6 year-old Alaskan boy is befriended by a wild moose that lends hi a magic hockey stick made out of the moose's first set of moose antlers...tremendous reviews thus far...inspirational--life-lesson short story...for a hockey-family.

Again, as a short read--less than 4,000 words, the book represents an excellent, inexpensive holiday/Christmas gift idea.


For information on acquiring "BONKY, a Moose and the Magic Hockey Stick," please visit the following Facebook page url http://tinyurl.com/Author-Paul-Lubanski.






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