Northern Rancher said:
A good one hour practice is lots-but I could use a couple more of them a week. We run pretty high tempo practices-not much standing around. There are ways to bag skate a hockey team without them knowing it. Our problem is minor hockey is huge in our town we have more kids registered than the city of Swift Current but only one rink. If you get a chance go watch our Atom team in the North East Alberta lLeague-there two or three kids on there will play in the 'Dub when they're older.
I coached triple AAA midget hockey for years.....best thing you can do if no ice,is dry land training(highschool gym works best).....not just for work outs but to teach designed plays.......work on face off's,break-out postion....your forcheck,be it 1-2-2,or 2-1-2 or maybe your running the trap...LOL.....Football uses walk throughs so why not hockey...that way in practice you can work on the skill and skating part of the game on the ice and be able to practice the dry land plays without wasting time to explain them......I also worked my goalies seperate while i skated the team after warm up......a really good way to get your goalie a work out is to turn the net around so it faces the boards.have a pail of tennis balls and then have your assitant coach stand behind the net (moving from side to side) while thowing the balls off the boards so that they come back at the net.....tires them out and is great for building up reflex time.....as they dont see the ball till its bouncing off the wall at them full speed...
Sounds like its a hockey town there....I hope that means good parents, cause the only draw back to coaching minor hockey is the parents that meddle.....I find a good manager is one that can handle the parents on every level...I have all levels for coaching in BC and if you need to vent you can IM me.lol..but sounds to me like you have been at this a long time,so i suspect you have got it covered for the most part....one more thing ....thanks for your time and effort,many young lives,if for only a few hours a week,are made better by your volinteering and guidence....you will make impacts on many young lives......and those once young lives,will revisit you with college degrees,tales of life travels or have young families of thier own,years after the game is over....That to me is the true success of a coach...."It is better to build a boy,then to mend a man"...