Sharpen your skills, not your skates.

This is a great time of year for coaches to focus on the individual skills and the technical part to what’s specific to each and every player

Coaches often struggle trying to teach everything within a short season. Individual and team skills, game strategy, and tactics are all part of a well-rounded learning experience in any sport. It can be a challenge getting all of this information across to the entire team when the opportunity to practice and play is limited. 

Sometimes coaches place too much emphasis on team and situational play. With the abilities that each player brings to the team, Set plays, passing, zone defenses are examples of this type of instruction. It’s easy for coaches to fall into this coaching pattern. 

Team-oriented coaching is essential to the success of any athlete playing team sports. But the foundation of excellent play begins with the individual skills of that player in his or her position. Shooting, receiving a pass, edge work, making the right save are all examples of key individual skills.

So with less than a month before your season start, put an emphasis on the individual skill of your players with the right practice plan to strengthen their talents. Save the system and team-oriented plans for the upcoming season.