Volume 1 Issue 1 | July 2020

Welcome to the first edition of the new Coaches' Newsletter from AHAI. The intent of this publication is to share ideas, relay pertinent information, and help keep our coaches up to date on all things coaching. As we move closer to the season, it is imperative that our coaches be prepared for the ever-changing landscape around us and this is particularly true in today’s world. This newsletter will feature articles, stories, drills, etc. from AHAI, USA Hockey and around the world.

We are fortunate to have access to some of the best coaching minds both here and abroad. Contributing to this newsletter will be articles from the USA Hockey staff including our own ADM Regional Manager, Dan Jablonic and the Girls ADM Regional Manager, Heather Mannix. Each month we will feature thoughts and ideas for our goalies, CEP Staff updates, both on- and off-ice drills as well as the mental aspect of the game. I welcome any comments or suggestions from our coaches along the way to make this publication worthwhile. Thank you for all you do for our players; your efforts do not go unnoticed and are so valuable to our young skaters.

Sincerely,

Jim Clare

AHAI Coach-In-Chief

As has been mentioned many times, we are dealing with some new and challenging scenarios in our lives and in the hockey world. To help our coaches navigate the CEP process, USA Hockey has restructured their coaching certification requirements for the 2020-2021 season.

As of today, USA Hockey will not allow us to post onsite clinics, all clinics are being held virtually. For Illinois, this does not pose a huge issue as we typically start our CEP clinic season in early September. We have secured dates for those clinics. Depending on the Restore Illinois Plan, as it stands right now, we should be able to conduct some clinics in-person. However, this should not stop any coach from achieving their next level of certification by attending a virtual clinic. Districts are running most of these clinics with the help of USA Hockey. Please click here to register. You can attend any clinic across the country that has space.

In regards to the temporary coaching cards, which will extend your current certification for the 2020-21 season without having to attend a clinic, we are pleased to announce that USA Hockey is extending the deadline until July 31, 2020.

A good practice design can take many shapes and forms, but in the end it comes down to these 5 elements below. Do your practices contain these essential basics? Is development happening in your practices? How do you know?

FUN: This should go without saying at any age, the element of fun is critical. Fun comes in many forms, it does not mean “goofing off”. Fun can exist in hard work, sense of accomplishment, battle drills, etc. Fun takes on many forms, just ask your players.

Constant Decision Making: How many times do we see a coach describe a drill to a player; go to that cone, turn left, stop here, turn right, shoot from here, etc, etc. How much decision making goes into a drill with 4 lines and players skating up and down the ice…the answer, none. Hockey is a series of decisions that players must make in a split second, but if we never allow them to make those decisions in practice how can we expect them to make them in a game. Allow for creativity, encourage mistakes, this is how development happens.

As young children progress in their hockey development, there’s one critical and often overlooked component that can unlock their full potential, both on and off the ice.

Physical literacy: the gateway to lifelong physical activity and the key to developing healthy, resilient, active children.

“Physical literacy is about developing people who can move competently and confidently in many different settings,” Dr. Kriellaars said. “It’s growing young movers who are confident. So many people have looked at physical literacy and said, ‘Hey, it is a way to help people be active for life.’

“Physical literacy is a precursor to physical activity, but that’s not why we do it. Our goal with physical literacy is not simply to make people active – it’s much bigger than that.”

Dr. Kriellaars and USA Hockey ADM Manager of Female Hockey Heather Mannix recently hosted a two-part presentation for the USA Hockey Webinar Series, sponsored by Pure Hockey and BioSteel (see videos below).

In the video below, USA Hockey ADM Regional Manager, Joe Bonnett demonstrates an at-home competitive body contact and checking drill to help build contact confidence.