Innovations in Coaching: A Chat with Patrick Braglia

Patrick Braglia has been a lifelong devotee of hockey, and his journey through the sport is a testament to his passion. His love for the game has only deepened over the years. But it wasn’t just playing; it was coaching that truly ignited his passion.

Braglia has been around the rink forever. His older brother is who fueled his interest for the game. He’s always played roller and ice hockey, but his involvement in travel hockey didn’t kick in until around age 12 or 13. Braglia went on to play travel hockey through midgets and had the opportunity to play ACHA club hockey at Towson University.

 

                             Coach Braglia behind his 16U Tier 1 Long Island Arrows team!

 

After college, a friend reached out to him and asked for his assistance in coaching, and that’s where his love for coaching was born. Braglia has coached players from mite through midget levels as well as varsity high school. Beyond coaching, he’s also specialized in providing skating and skills training to players. As Braglia’s coaching journey continued to evolve, so did his need for effective tools to enhance his practice planning and game preparation. He’s been using CoachThem since 2022, and we decided to ask him some questions about his experience!

 

Q: Can you describe the process of integrating CoachThem into your practice and game planning routines? In what ways has CoachThem been a game changer for your practice planning?
 

Braglia: Aside from discovering new ways to teach skills and concepts, having the ability to put my own drills and save them to a platform like CoachThem has helped cut down time used searching and rewriting drills and plans. With coaching 16U, players are able to read the plan ahead of time, so they’re prepared for all the transitions. It’s cut down on time at the whiteboard and has saved valuable ice time. As a skills coach, I’m able to share my plan with the coaches I’m working with ahead of time in an organized and in an easy-to-read manner, so they can help me organize and transition their players.

The integration of CoachThem streamlined Braglia’s coaching process, allowing him to focus more on improving his players’ skills and team dynamics.

 

Q: What are some of your favourite features on CoachThem, and why do you find them valuable?
 

Braglia: I use most of the features, from planning to drill drawing. Probably discovering new drills that get loaded in and seeing them on social media. I get a lot of those “ah ha” moments because I like what I see and how I can use it for my team and skills.

Braglia’s enthusiastic about our platform’s versatility and continuous implementation of innovative drills.

 

"This is me putting a pre-game quote. Sometimes I throw a quote and leave it in the locker room for players to walk into and think before we get ready." -Braglia

 

Q: Have you noticed any tangible improvements in the performance of your team since starting to use our platform in 2022?
 

Braglia: I get a lot of compliments on how well my team looks prepared at practice and how seamlessly they move and transition. I credit them a lot knowing what practice will entail before stepping on the ice.

The results speak for themselves, with Braglia’s team displaying a noticeable improvement in preparedness and on-ice performance.

 

Q: Looking ahead, do you have any future plans or goals for utilizing CoachThem even more effectively?
 

Braglia: I see this tool continuing to help make my practice planning and organization better.

Braglia is committed to harnessing our platform’s potential to continually enhance his coaching techniques.

 

Q: What advice would you give to other hockey enthusiasts or professionals who might be considering using our platform for practice planning and game preparation?
 

Braglia: CoachThem has so many hockey drills and games categorized that makes them easy to find. Putting your own drills in and saving them to a personal file makes it easy to find your “go-to” drills. The practice planning piece and being able to distribute electronically to other coaches and players keeps everyone in the loop on how practice will go.

Braglia’s advice highlights our platform’s user-friendly nature, empowering coaches to elevate their game.

 

Braglia’s journey through hockey, from player to coach and skill developer, showcases the transformative power of our platform that not only improves practice planning but also enhances the overall hockey experience for players and coaches alike. His story is a testament to CoachThem’s effectiveness and its potential to revolutionize the way hockey is taught and played! 

 

 

 

Written by Kelsey Dold 

September 21, 2023

 

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