I recently had a meeting with other coaches from my Minor Hockey Organization regarding player developement. The meeting was very useful and interesting. I noticed that very quickly the meeting would take-off in tangents regarding issues that coaches had. Later that evening, as I was reviewing the meeting and digesting all of the good information, I realized that all hockey coaches really want to do is discuss hockey coaching issues with other people that get it. Being a hockey coach at any level, whether it is a paid position or a volounteer position is a stressful thing and being able to talk to other coaches helps.
Developing Hockey Players is the #1 job off all minor hockey coaches, and it came to my attention that many of us need plenty of development ourselves. I began some online research to see what I could find with regards to coaching hockey and groups for hockey coaches and it became very apparent that there is little out there dedicated just to the hockey coach. http://www.thecoachesview.com/ was born. Coaching hockey is something that I love to do and can't imagine not doing. I have always believed that if we are not learning as much as the players are every season than we are failing as coaches. http://www.thecoachesview.com/ was born to help develop myself as a hockey coach as well as give hockey coaches a place to converse openly with, and learn from each other. My Goal to start is to update the page as often as possible and than the rest depends on my peers. Checkout the forum and leave a post ( http://thecoachesview.com/Forum.html ). Hoping to hear from you soon
Please visit my site and check it out. I am aware that there is still work to be done and I am very open to feedback, so be sure to leave some before you leave. Let me know what is missing, what you would like to see as well as any navagational issues that you have.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
The Head Check
The NHL and its GMs need to make changes to thier rule book. Head checks are becoming more and more common in todays game and it is only a matter of time before somebody pays the ultimate price. With all the recent controversy regarding the head check I think that it is important to discuss a few of the issues that are not being discussed. Don't get me wrong I am very much a hockey traditionalist, and I love to see a big hit, but what I do not like is the image of a young man laying motionless on the ice. The game has changed and the players have changed. The NFL has made rule changes to adapt to the new game and the new players, it is time the NHL follows suit.
Players in the NHL today are bigger, stronger, faster and more talented than NHL Players of the past. The equipment is better for protecting but also less forgiving. All in all the game has changed and it is a direct result of the players in the game improving at a rate that is faster than the rules can keep up. The NFL has implemented a penalty for DBs targeting the heads of unsuspecting wide recievers. I am all for this rule. (sidenote I am not for the QB is a Princess Rule Change). The NHL should follow suit. I think that it is an easy fix. Implement a head check penalty. The minor hockey association that I am familar with has a 2min minor penalty for head checking that comes with an automatic 10min misconduct. Anything deemed with an intent to injure by the on ice official is an automatic match penalty. Now the I understand that this is a flawed system with the official being the judge and jury but the NHL has an advantage. Make the head check an automatic 4min penalty that is subject to review. It is a small penalty but it will make a big difference. For all you Traditionalists out there I know that the officials will miss calls and make the wrong calls on occassion and it may even cost a team a game or the coveted Lord Stanley, but it will make the game a safer game and allow all of our young stars excel and continue to make the game exciting.
The Game is fast and I understand that but we are talking about highly skilled, highly intelligent, extremely fit athletes that are capable of making proper decisions when there are consequences involved. The Obstruction rules changed the game for the better and I believe that the head check rule will change the game for the better. Don't worry the boys won't stop hitting because of it I mean they didn't stop hitting when they implemented the elbowing penalty.
Players in the NHL today are bigger, stronger, faster and more talented than NHL Players of the past. The equipment is better for protecting but also less forgiving. All in all the game has changed and it is a direct result of the players in the game improving at a rate that is faster than the rules can keep up. The NFL has implemented a penalty for DBs targeting the heads of unsuspecting wide recievers. I am all for this rule. (sidenote I am not for the QB is a Princess Rule Change). The NHL should follow suit. I think that it is an easy fix. Implement a head check penalty. The minor hockey association that I am familar with has a 2min minor penalty for head checking that comes with an automatic 10min misconduct. Anything deemed with an intent to injure by the on ice official is an automatic match penalty. Now the I understand that this is a flawed system with the official being the judge and jury but the NHL has an advantage. Make the head check an automatic 4min penalty that is subject to review. It is a small penalty but it will make a big difference. For all you Traditionalists out there I know that the officials will miss calls and make the wrong calls on occassion and it may even cost a team a game or the coveted Lord Stanley, but it will make the game a safer game and allow all of our young stars excel and continue to make the game exciting.
The Game is fast and I understand that but we are talking about highly skilled, highly intelligent, extremely fit athletes that are capable of making proper decisions when there are consequences involved. The Obstruction rules changed the game for the better and I believe that the head check rule will change the game for the better. Don't worry the boys won't stop hitting because of it I mean they didn't stop hitting when they implemented the elbowing penalty.
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