| Ice hockey coaching is a tough job. There is a lot to | | | | potential, and a coach's job is to help him reach that |
| teach and a lot to keep track of. If your players are | | | | potential. |
| older or more advanced, you've got to continually be | | | | If you're a coach, ask yourself if you're doing |
| challenging them with something new. If your players | | | | everything you can to help your players reach their |
| are young or beginners, you've got to teach them how | | | | maximum skill and fitness levels. Are you challenging |
| to perform actions completely unnatural to any human | | | | them off the ice, and when you're on the ice, are you |
| being. One area that is far too oft forgotten though is | | | | teaching them only skills, or are you working their |
| hockey fitness. On-ice and off-ice training that is | | | | fitness levels too? Are you helping them increase their |
| necessary to take players to the next level. | | | | power and speed, or just skating them for the sake of |
| Skills are important. A player who can't pass, shoot or | | | | it? If you aren't implementing specific plans and goals to |
| skate isn't worth much to a hockey team. That being | | | | help your players reach their maximum potential, then |
| said, a player who can do all of those things, but isn't fit | | | | you should seriously look into doing so. Until you do, |
| enough to get through an entire game at full effort also | | | | your team and your players aren't living up to the level |
| isn't worth much. Any player who isn't thinking about his | | | | they could be. |
| conditioning and fitness isn't playing at even close to his | | | | |