Coaching Theatre
How we ensure 'bad' hockey players never 'catch up'
Incoming goodness from Brice Crider:
The good news is your kids can learn and error correct independently.
The bad news is most coaches steal their ability to do this from them, making them reliant on a coach. They have ‘feel’ and then through Force coaching, they lose it:
Example: Pulling Them Out of the Group and Giving Them Remedial Work… More Coaching Theatre
Yesterday at a 14u skate, two girls were pulled out of a stickhandling activity because they were ‘bad’ at it, by an overbearing, overinvolved adult who also happens to be labeled a ‘youth coach’ in this organization… But I’m digressing…
He took them to the other end, and made them stickhandle in place for (not exaggerating here)… The rest of practice… Which was about 30 minutes.
Imagine your feet planted in one spot for 30 minutes getting overly technical instruction from an adult while the group is doing something else that you ‘can’t’ do in an adult’s judgement.
Talk about building a love for the game that will endure for a lifetime…
We say coaching is ‘not about us’ and then proceed to make it completely about us.
The great ones don’t make this mistake. They don’t perform ‘coaching theatre’.
And to double down on this… You know what ensures our bad players never get good?
Treating them like they are bad.
Dumbing the game down to stationary stickhandling.
Teaching fundamentals to groups that aren’t listening while you’re talking.
Putting kids in lines when they just want to play the sport.
Keeping them bored so they don’t enjoy being out on the ice.
Making what should be the best part of their day exactly like the worst part of their day that we all tried to escape as kids… School.
Coaches, do less.
Let the kids do more.
The scary part for your ego is that they’ll get better without you, let them play.
And they won’t quit.
And you won’t waste time, which is their parents’ money…
