Chalk Talk:


Skill development should always trump game strategy


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here’s a constant conflict between coaches, players and parents regarding how much practice time should be spent towards skill development versus positional play or game strategy. Typically, I’ve found that parents want to see more practice time devoted to positional play and that’s where the tug-of-war begins. This isn’t just a Mite, Squirt or Pee Wee coaching issue; it also applies to Bantams, Midgets and even the junior level. The comments I often hear are, “The players don’t know their positions; they don’t know where to go, so how does the coach expect them to be successful?” Or, “Our power play stinks because we don’t spend enough time at practice working on special-teams play.”


While there may be some validity to both of those statements, the fact of the matter is that positional play comes after skill development in terms of importance and, with a limited amount of practice ice time, a good coach will opt for spending more time working on the players’ skating, puck handling, shooting, etc., than drawing up a power play scheme.


Keep in mind, though: You can know where to go and have the best systems in your league, but if you don’t have the skating skills to get there or puck-handling skills when you need them, all of the positional play and/or game strategy isn’t worth a hill of beans to a team’s development. A good strategy for most hockey coaches is to begin the season with almost all of your time and energy devoted to skill development, but, with that,


Anaheim Jr. Ducks


Mite B team armed with plenty of enthusiasm


By Chris Bayee O Larry Bruyere


there’s a balance that’s necessary, too.


In order to keep your players engaged, you have to dangle that carrot of a scrimmage or fun time. By finishing every practice with some type of competition, you accomplish several things: a) The players enjoy being challenged; b) They’re still developing their skills, but now it’s in a more- intense environment, so they’re anxious to push themselves harder and consequently improve; c) It’s a fun way to end your practices and you leave the players wanting to return for the next one.


As the players’ skills improve, the ratio of time devoted strictly to skill development versus positional play should change accordingly. As a Pee Wee coach, I particularly enjoy how a breakout pass missed repeatedly in September becomes an easy, second-nature play in January and how a player who was hesitant to go into a corner early in the season is there digging the puck out vigorously down the stretch. Of course every player doesn’t improve at the same rate, but there’s a generally agreed-upon credo called the 10,000-hours rule, which simply states that to master any skill, one must put in 10,000 hours working on that skill. And while 10,000 hours sounds like a long time, it certainly varies from person to person; it simply refers to practice, practice, practice as a necessity to becoming good, good, good.


The next time you observe a Mite or Squirt team practicing the “Hale Mary” stretch pass, recognize that its coach is likely putting winning a game before winning at hockey.


Larry Bruyere is the coach-in-chief of USA Hockey’s Pacific District and also operates Channel Islands Ice Center.


Win Hockey Prizes! facebook.com/californiarubber 10


ne of Scott Yath’s tallest tasks has been coaching some of the Anaheim Jr. Ducks’ shortest players. But Yath, who played Midget for the Jr. Ducks before starting coaching in the program in 2000, relishes his experiences with the club’s Mite B team.


“Mites are probably the most challenging level to coach,” Yath said. “The challenge is communication, to see if they actually understand what we’re telling them. You can have a lot more fun with Mites, but you have to keep them moving, keep their attention.


“Our team chemistry is really good. We play a lot of games on the ice to work on their skills.”


The squad is larger than a typical Mite team, boasting 15 skaters and a goalie. Yath said he’s fortunate to have as much help as he does - five assistants, including former NHL Ducks Scott Niedermayer and Jason Marshall.


“We have a great staff,” Yath said. “All of the guys coach other teams so they help when they can. We regularly have Jason and Scott - they’re big contributors. Both have a kid on the team, and it’s nice having them and their families involved.


“I have a lot of respect for their understanding of the game, and they show a lot of respect for me being head coach. They’ve given me a lot of encouragement and feedback.” In addition to playing a SCAHA schedule, the team is slated to play in a Thanksgiving tournament in Lakewood before participating in The Rinks’ Christmas tournament. The Mites also will make a longer road trip in February to Phoenix.


“They see the NHL players around (at The Rinks-Anaheim) and they always have wide eyes. They want to do everything the pros do,” Yath said. “(The Phoenix trip is) just far enough to make them feel like the big boys.”


Follow Chris Bayee on Twitter @chrisbayee JrDucks.com


Local teams show well at PHL event in San Jose


By Brian McDonough T


he North American Prospects Hockey League (PHL) - widely considered one of the most competitive and highly scouted Tier I Midget and Bantam circuits in North America - last month made its way to Sharks Ice- San Jose, where a couple of local clubs delivered outstanding performances. As it did in the PHL’s season-


opening event in Minnesota in September, the San Jose Jr. Sharks’ 16U team forged an impressive 3-1 mark on home ice to improve its division-leading record to 8-1 overall.


“We’re getting strong play from everyone,” said Jr. Sharks coach Tony Zasowski. “It’s nice as a coach to be able to roll four lines, six defensemen and both goalies.”


Matt Woodley is already in midseason form. The forward put home two goals in four assists at the San Jose showcase and leads the 16U division in scoring with 16 points.


“As long as Matt keeps working hard, on and off the ice, he’ll be able to go as far as he wants,” said Zasowski. At the other end of the ice, the goaltending tandem of Geoff Grimm and Sean Tannenbaum has been nothing short of stellar. Both keepers hold save percentages well north of .900. “It’s great knowing we have two goalies who can make the big save when we need it,” said Zasowski.


San Jose Jr. Sharks’ 16U forward Matt Woodley has proved to be an offensive force in the early goings.


The California Titans’ 18U team also came up big in San Jose, going a perfect 4-0 to improve its record to 7-1-1 overall. “I’m most proud of how we played together as a team; we’re responding to adversity as a group instead of 20 individuals,” said Titans coach Scott Yorkison.


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