---
title: "Building a Practice Plan, Step by Step"
description: "Build a practice plan from start to finish: plan details, templates, adding drills, timing, notes and RPE."
category: "Plans"
published: "2026-10-10 15:45:39"
updated: "2026-10-10 19:45:39"
url: "https://www.hockeyshare.com/support/kb/practice-planner/building-a-practice-plan"
---

# Building a Practice Plan, Step by Step

Here's how to build a practice plan from start to finish. Most plans take just a few minutes.

## Step 1 — Start a New Plan

Go to **Plans → New Plan**.

![Plans menu with New Plan highlighted](https://img.hockeyshare.com/01a12755-6645-7e16-a367-191ea02bf80e/-/format/webp/)

## Step 2 — Fill in the Plan Details

Only **Title**, **Date**, **Time** and **Length** are required. Everything else is optional.

![Create Practice Plan page with title, date, time, length, focus, group and level filled in](https://img.hockeyshare.com/01a12755-7055-7bbd-817e-3d7818dbf326/-/format/webp/)

Fields will be pre-filled if you've set up **Plan Defaults**. Set them once and every new plan starts with your usual group, level, template and logo.

## Step 3 — Pick a Template

The template controls how your plan looks when you print it or save it as a PDF. Click a template to select it, then click it again to see a full preview. You can switch templates at any time.

![Template preview gallery with Template #3 selected](https://img.hockeyshare.com/01a12755-797a-7cb5-82fb-1e117c83a23b/-/format/webp/)

## Step 4 — Folders, Tags, Notes & Logo (Optional)

![Folders, tags and plan notes section of the plan details form](https://img.hockeyshare.com/01a12755-825d-7007-a3a3-cd924299088d/-/format/webp/)

Click **Continue to Plan Builder** when you're ready. **Save Draft** saves your plan so you can come back to it later.

![Logo selection and the Save Draft, Add Sharing and Continue to Plan Builder buttons](https://img.hockeyshare.com/01a12755-8bc0-747e-b719-f911a38a8ce1/-/format/webp/)

## Step 5 — Add Drills

Click any drill in the left sidebar to add it to your plan. You can also drag drills into the drop zone.

![Practice Plan Builder with drill library sidebar and five drills added](https://img.hockeyshare.com/01a12755-94c2-7a1c-bb1a-4c8b6654c619/-/format/webp/)

The summary bar at the top shows **Total Time** and **Avg RPE** as you build. Use Total Time to check you're filling the practice length you set.

## Step 6 — Set Time, Category & Order

For each drill:

**Include descriptions** prints each drill's description from your library. Turn it off for a shorter plan.

## Step 7 — Add Notes & RPE to a Drill

Click the **+** in the Note column to add coaching points for that drill. You can also set a **Difficulty / RPE** (1–10). RPE only applies to this plan. It doesn't change the drill's saved rating.

![Edit Drill Notes and RPE window with a coaching note and RPE set to 7](https://img.hockeyshare.com/01a12755-9d46-7672-82d0-6427692a1215/-/format/webp/)

## Step 8 — Quick Add a Drill

Need something that isn't in your library? Think scrimmage, conditioning or a water break. Use **Quick Add Drill** at the bottom. Enter a name, minutes and an optional category, then click **+**.

![Quick Add Drill row and the Finish and View Plan button](https://img.hockeyshare.com/01a12755-a65a-76d2-9a89-45cce395d419/-/format/webp/)

## Step 9 — Finish

Your changes save automatically as you work ("All changes saved" in the top right). When you're done, click **Finish & View Plan**.

From the plan page you can **Edit**, **Email**, **Print**, **PDF**, **Send to User** or **Share** your plan.

![Finished practice plan with Edit, Email, Print, PDF, Send to User and Share buttons](https://img.hockeyshare.com/01a12755-af84-7827-a747-70a6188a86e5/-/format/webp/)

## Tips

 Set up **Plan Defaults** (Plans → Plan Defaults) first. It saves time on every plan.

- Go back to any plan from **Plans → My Plans** and click **Edit** to make changes.
- Lines & Games and Sharing are covered in separate articles.