How Can I Help #5
With training camp season upon us, I received this question from a coach in our community:
What is the one thing you’d want to get accomplished on Day1 of practice/camp?
I used to be a coach that would have this plan and a “great” answer for that coach. Instead, I replied with this:
I’d have as much fun as possible. Too often coaches are looking to check things off and get things accomplished, I used to be one. But I don’t think that helps anyone.
2 days later, a mentor of mine confirmed my new personal bias.
Why do we do this as a coach? When I think back to my first day of college hockey practice, it was always a mixed feeling… And it didn’t have to be.
We were excited to get going and be around the boys but at the same time, we were dreading the height, weight, fitness testing and whatever other bullshit we had to do on Day 1.
I no longer feel we have to have “our way” as a coach on Day 1. The user experience will be better if you drop the puck or ball, and let them play.
And some of you may be saying, “well, how will we know if they are in shape if we don’t test?” And my response matches Todd Beane again:
Let them play and you’ll find out who is in hockey shape. If you can’t tell without some official test, you’re losing your “feel” as a coach. Regardless of what the experts think, is important.
Maybe you rethink your Day 1, maybe you don’t and you unsubscribe because “I’m out of touch” or “it’s a bad take.”
My goal is to get you to think, not for you to follow me.