COACHES: Time To Assess Both Individual And Team Performances

COACHES: New Year Reminds Us That It Is Time To Assess Both Individual And Team Performances To-Date


By Paul Lubanski


Below, please see my suggested guidelines and template for executing both immediately...


I bet  you'll agree with me that it is hard to believe, but by the time this column goes to press most local and Travel and House teams will have gone well beyond the halfway-point of their respective regular season schedules.

And that's truly incredible because it was just August last week, wasn't it? Something must askew with the world's time continuum because what used to be 24 hours now feels like a mere 12.

What does this seemingly too-fast evaporation of time mean to the average hockey coach?


Simply this: It is a harsh reminder that every millisecond you have in front of your players counts big-time whether it be on the surface or off.

With all that being said, please allow me to offer a few suggestions as to how you may best both utilize and maximize your precious coaching/teaching time at this juncture on the just post half-season calendar.

So to begin with, what not construct a detailed assessment of not only each player's individual progress, but of the team's performance as a whole?

I hope that you recognize the above question as being rhetorical in-nature.

Why?

Because without hesitation, you should have already been planning to do so.

So assuming that you are on board, I would advise the following:

As it relates to individual play, I would focus on whether I have observed improvement in the areas of overall skating, puck-control/stick-handling (moves, fakes & dekes), passing, shooting (notably accuracy), on-ice strength (battle wins), if position-specific assignments are being executed, face-off wins/loss percentage and general "hockey sense" development.

Per team play, I would break-down my analysis by specific zone. Regarding our defensive-zone effort, I would hone-in on basic coverage and break-out/counter-attack while 5 on 5 and on the PK. In the neutral zone area, you need to assess play from both an offensive and defensive perspective. In the "o" zone, are we getting enough pucks to the net-again, at both even strength and while a man or two up?

And please do not forget to scrutinize possession-time garnered via "team" face-off wins and the team's shift-length efficiency, both critical factors in determining where a club at any level finds itself in the league standings.

In closing, I hope that I have provided not only a template for you to carry out a rational and sensible mid-season review but also have given you the incentive to actually COMPLETE THE TASK! You see, in my opinion, you most certainly owe it to your players, and organization to make the effort. Besides, doing so will absolutely guarantee a few more wins in the second-half of competition and foster a happier, healthier environment for your youngsters and their families.

Best of luck.

Paul

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