Greater Lansing Amateur Hockey Association

Now that the games are about to begin, it is a  good time to do some
teaching/coaching during the games (in addition to the  practices), so here are some tips on teaching methods that  have been found to be effective over the years.

1) Let them play.  Resist the urge to yell directions from the bench to the players  on the ice.  If you are constantly yelling directions, they will never have the opportunity to read the play on the ice and make the correct
decision.   Sometimes they will make the correct play; sometimes they will make the wrong  play.  The best way to coach them is to talk to them when they get back to  the bench about what they did, and what they could have done.

2) Be selective.  Resist the urge to correct players every time that the come  off of the ice. After every shift, you literally could tell every player 3-4  things that they could have/should have done differently on the ice.  If  players are constantly being corrected when they come to the bench, they will very soon tune you out completely.  Make sure you address something with  each player a couple of times each game.

3) Be positive.  You get quicker results by using positive examples than you do  with negative.  When someone makes a good play, make sure that you let him  or her know what he or she did so that everybody hears it and understands what  was good about it.

4) Make it age-appropriate.  Don't expect mite players to be able to break out of  their own zone like the Red Wings.  It's not happening.  Keep it  simple and take it one step at a time. 

5) Be wary of information  overload.  Don't try to tell them too  many things at one time.  Keep it simple.  Focus on 2-3 messages each  day and repeat them over and over, and then remind them about it at the next  game/practice, and introduce something else.

6) Be consistent.  Make sure that you don't have 4 different coaches telling a player  4 different ways of doing something. 

7) When a player gets the puck, depending on  where they are on the ice, they should do one of three things, (1) skate with it  (2) pass it, (3)
shoot it.  In most  instances they should get their head up and get moving, and if confronted, look  for a teammate to pass to.  They will need to figure it out on the ice, on  their own, without anyone yelling directions to them.

8)  There are only three different scenarios  during a game:  1) The other team has  the puck, which means working hard and working as
a team to get it back  2) Our team has the puck, which means keeping it
either by carrying it or  looking to pass to a teammate, or if a teammate
has it looking to get open for a  pass.  Tell your players never to just
fire the puck and chase it down, but  to try to make a play to maintain
possession for their team.  3) The  puck is up for grabs, which means we need to win the race to get to it first, or  win the battle for it if we
get their at the same time.

9) Positions are important, but not that  important.  Avoid being too structured  when it comes to positions and where players can go and what they can do.   Try to teach them a basic structure of where they should be and when they should  be there, but don't stress it to the point where the wingers do nothing but go  up and down their side of the ice and the defense never go into the offensive  zone.  Let them have some freedom to be creative and explore.

10) Make it fun.  Smile.  It is a game.  Let them enjoy it.  Don't  take their fun out of it by you taking it too seriously.

Remember:  "It's Just A Game"!

Good Luck and Have  Fun during the upcoming  season.

Documents needed to roster you as a coach will be available at each division checkin.  Those completed documents are to be submitted to your respective team manager.

Additional documents required:

USA hockey on-line registration confirmation form.  Keep a copy and submit a copy to your team manager.  All Coaches' USA Hockey registration fee ($35) will be reimbursed by GLAHA once your team is rostered.

MAHA On-Line Background Check Confirmation.  Keep a copy and submit a copy to your team manager.  Only on-line background check confirmations will be accepted this year. No coach will be rostered without this document.

Coaching Ethics Agreement.  This is done on-line at the maha district 6 website.  You will receive an e-mailed confirmation.  Only this on-line coaching ethics agreement will be accepted this year.  No coach will be rostered without this document.

Current Coaching Education Card.  Keep the original, submit a copy to your team manager.  All coaches, including assistant coaches, must be current with their education level for the respective team/division that they are coaching by December 31st of the current year.  Coaching clinics vailable are listed on the USA Hockey website.  All coaching clinic fees are reimbursed by GLAHA upon submission of the receipt showing payment to USA Hockey.  Submit your proof of payment to the Treasurer via e-mail or in the Treasurer's mailbox at Suburban Ice East Lansing at the service desk.