Comments for HockeyShare Blog by Kevin Muller

Comment on Your Opinion: USA Hockey Age-Specific Coaching Modules by Jim

Jim — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 06:03:34 +0000

Very disappointed with new requirements. Seems like a great way to get coaches to stop volunteering. Definitely a way to generate money for USA hockey bureaucracy, a bunch of guys who never got real jobs after playing a game. I’ve coached for over 15 years at both hockey and baseball and your charging money to require that everyone tests out on common sense issues that apply to any sport.
Your modules take up more time than my paramedic continuing education modules. How’s that for perspective? Please just do background checks on the coaches and distribute some practice plans and drills and let the people who truly volunteer do what they do

Comment on Stickhandling 101 – Video by Brendan

Brendan — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:10:05 +0000

Thanks! Just what I’ve been looking for!

Comment on Your Opinion: USA Hockey Age-Specific Coaching Modules by Coach

Coach — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 19:21:54 +0000

I had to take CEP 2 this year to coach second year mites. In the CEP class, the instructor asked how many people took CEP 1 last year. About 90 of the 120 people raised their hand. Then, he went on to say: “You had to pay money to take this class, now I think we all understand why the new requirement was enacted.”

All USA Hockey needs to do is provide the material and give some suggestions on approach and age/skill targets. As somebody else mentioned, make the material optional but available. I have the desire to be a good coach. USA Hockey’s logic that forced training will produce better coaches is flawed. Excellence comes from within not through wasting my time. Nutrition + drug and alcohol modules for Mites, really guys?

In our hockey association we are required to volunteer 12 hours a year. Coaching fulfills all 12 hours, yet I spend 80-90, about 20 of those in CEP training at my own expense. It would take less time and cost me less money to volunteer to run the clock at games or be a caller at bar bingo (where there is 1:1 volunteer hour credit).

The folks at USA Hockey are a bunch of self-important prima donnas. In their quest to ‘improve the game’ they are actually destroying it. Rumor is that next year all parents will have to do a ‘Locker Room Policy’ module. Unbelievable.

Comment on Box Plus One – D-Zone Coverage by A fun question for all « BackCheck's Blog

A fun question for all « BackCheck's Blog — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 18:23:05 +0000

[...] attacker. The theory is that this creates a 2 on 2. In Coach Boudreau’s more traditional box plus one (Link highly recommended) approach, the defender is responsible for a zone or patch of ice. This [...]

Comment on Your Opinion: USA Hockey Age-Specific Coaching Modules by Byron

Byron — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 20:58:09 +0000

Good information but way to long. Most of the presentations could be done in significantly less time.

Since I coach multiple age groups I got to hear the same lessons multiple times. Many of the presentations covered multiple age groups instead of just the age specific module.

Would be much better to have a general module and then short age specific modules.

Most of what was covered is already covered in the CEP classes and review modules.

USA Hockey preaches maximizing productivity on ice but seems to be perfectly willing to waste off ice time for coaches.

Comment on Agility Ladder Drills for On-Ice Quickness by Rick

Rick — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 20:24:46 +0000

Thanks for this video my trainer just showed me how to use the speed ladder and I hope it will elevate my Mens Rec League Hockey game …

Comment on Your Opinion: USA Hockey Age-Specific Coaching Modules by derek

derek — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 00:45:49 +0000

these things are really stupid. USA hockey is taking a weird turn. To make these mandatory and unable to fast forward and all that…really sh*tty. It’s all common sense. If the Coaches meetings were run better this wouldn’t have to happen. 8 hours of trying not to fall asleep. GET US ON THE ICE SHOW US REAL STUFF!

And another thing!! In the first moments of the first video the dude says how thankful they are for all the VOLUNTEERS (ME) for taking the time…blah blah…

SO WHY DO I HAVE TO PAY FOR THESE INSANE MODULES..AND THEN!! THREATEN TO NOT LET ME COACH MY KIDS. SO THEN THEY HAVE NO SEASON!?!?

THIS MAKES NO SENSE WHATSOEVER USAHOCKEY…

No wonder why my high school league left and went to AAU…

Keep up the good work!

Comment on Your Opinion: USA Hockey Age-Specific Coaching Modules by Coach Trip

Coach Trip — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 17:20:02 +0000

I liked the modules but agree with the general assessment; they were way too long and time consuming at the beginning of a season. Thankfully USA Hockey extended the deadline for those that didn’t get in by the end of the year.

Making the girls module something extra is silly. All coaches will meet up against girls in hockey at some time and this extra module should just be integrated. Instead you just have coaches saying they only coach boys and skipping the extra module. This makes little sense.

On the whole though it is a step in the right direction.

I’d like USA hockey to present more age specific practice plans with videos.

For instance, you can download a ton of PDF material on ADM practice plans but last I looked there was only one video. When I was teaching ADM’s last year when ADM’s were relatively new I had little other guidance. I used this one video as parent reinforcement embedded on my team site but I would have liked more to help me educate the youth parents.

All in all I give it thumbs up.

Comment on Your Opinion: USA Hockey Age-Specific Coaching Modules by Coach Will

Coach Will — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 18:57:41 +0000

So, there are always positives to reinforcing the education and structure of coaches. Especially in an organization such as USAH.

However, timing of this was aweful. Time constraint rediculous. Do they not understand what being a volunteer is about? I wake up to coach at 5:00 a.m. I then rush home to prepare for work. After work I rush home to begin studying to advance myself in my career and complete my internship. I have a family, yet the people of USAH think I still need to devote even more time than the hours on ice, in a car, and in a rink to their needs?

I hate to say it, but this is something that should remain voluntary. In the instance of who I coach (U-19 Girls) our record and skill development says it all. In 6 seasons of existance 5 have placed both state and regional banners in our rink. The higher quantity of girls to play at a higher level as well as those to find a roster spot on a state or regional team is greater out of our program locally than any other of the 6 across our state.

Call it cocky, but I’d say our structure is pretty good all things considered. To add icing, we have been implementing an ADM system designed by a private company for several years now.

And lastly, could they not speak a little faster in these videos? They should only be half the lenght they are because half these guys talk and move their lips at a speed which a snail riding a molassis freeway would pass…

Comment on Your Opinion: USA Hockey Age-Specific Coaching Modules by Matty

Matty — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:11:29 +0000

I also think it is a money thing. With a so-so internet connection is has taken me over 9 hours to get only half way through my modules. I now have resorted to watching the videos at work and risking my employment to continue to coach. I am a non-parent coach and this may be my last year if I have to go through this again. Is it a requirement that all USA Certified hockey coaches must have high speed internet service?

Put me in a auditorium with a hundred(s) other coaches for a Saturday – much better environment and the chance to network with other coaches.

I agree USA hockey is way ahead of all other sports in coaching education. But there has to be a better way than making us all sit in front a computer for 8-20 hours to complete a module.