|
|
| Planning
Out Player Improvement |
| |
Every player wants to improve.
Figuring out what to improve is not the difficult task, but
figuring out how to improve is the tough part.
A well thought-out plan will help a player arrive at the desired
destination. Like many other situations, preparation will
determine success or failure and hard work performed aimlessly
will not yield great results. We will examine the factors
involved in planning improvement for the young hockey player.
There are a number of factors that can and will affect success:
family dynamic, travel limitations, financial considerations,
employment schedules, team commitments, etc. Let’s assume for a
moment that the playing field is level and we can form a perfect
outline.
We want to periodize each program – that is, conceive a plan
with knowledge of all contributing factors and then develop an
inverse relationship between volume and intensity. The harder we
ask a young athlete to work, the less we will ask him/her to do.
The more we ask an athlete to work, the less intense the work
will be. Understanding this delicate relationship is the key to
success athletically and in keeping the athlete happy in the
given sport.
This relationship also will dictate the health of the athlete.
Too much work can lead to overuse injuries and not enough
preparation will lead to performance injuries. Keeping someone
healthy and happy is the key to life and also the key to success
in youth sports.
The calendar year for an athlete usually starts with the first
day of school and continues through the last day of summer.
Hockey season typically begins about two weeks before
Thanksgiving and runs until early to mid-March. We can then plot
out the preseason, in-season, offseason and summer to allow for
preparation and recovery. Each block of time will have its own
equation of other factors, but all have an important role and
must link the year of the athlete together fluidly.
The offseason is where the decision is made to improve upon the
previous year’s production and success. The levels of skill,
competitiveness, strength, power, conditioning, etc. are still
fresh in the minds of each person involved in helping the young
athlete advance. Once the athlete decides to proceed with a plan
of improvement, and a consensus has been reached on what needs
work, the calendar should be consulted.
Most athletes should enjoy some time off after the conclusion of
the season. Rest, body recovery, schoolwork and socializing
should be encouraged. At some point, when the athlete is
rejuvenated, an offseason workout plan should be developed. At
Boston University, we give the athletes 10 to 14 days to recover
before we begin our recovery and regeneration program. For
younger athletes, the break should be longer.
Physical improvement is part of the evolution of hockey. All
aspects of performance enhancement (flexibility, coordination,
strength and power training, nutrition, etc) should be developed
in an organized program with professional instruction. Avoid
having a parent or hockey coach teach out of their field of
specialization. The field of Strength and Conditioning
continually improves and new concepts and methods of training
are always being introduced. The offseason should be about three
months until the onset of summer except for a multi-sport
athlete.
We want to encourage as much cross-training as possible. We have
trained over 1,000 professional athletes since we founded Mike
Boyle Strength and Conditioning and over 90 percent of them were
multi-sport athletes as high school and youth athletes. In most
cases the more concepts you ask your body to learn, the more
often it will learn and the better the body will be at learning
new skills. If an athlete plays sports in back-to-back seasons,
in-season care becomes crucial. The athlete will always have to
budget his/her time and take great care of his/her body. The
length of time of in- season participation can last six to eight
months with overlapping sports. It becomes crucial that a high
school athlete continues to maintain and improve his/her body by
working out twice a week. Without this foresight, the athlete’s
physical abilities will not reach full potential.
The summer and preseason will have some similarities and flow
together. Without the time constraints of school, there should
be a premium on physical development, skill acquisition and
enjoyment. Participating in 80 games a year should be left to
professionals. Most grown men and women struggle with this
length of season, so the young athlete has no business trying to
match that pace. I have always favored a European-styled program
of improvement. Fun, skill oriented practices, a commitment to
physical improvement, fewer games and cross-training (the NHL
has become a European dominated league because this recipe
works). The young athlete should love to play, not dread each
car trip to the arena.
Camps, skill practice, street hockey, and individual practice
are great options over the summer. As the preseason begins,
skating should be re-introduced and gradually increased. Skills
should begin to shift from individual to team in concentration.
Many collegiate and professional hockey players will not skate
for three months after their seasons conclude – or even just
skate as little as once a week. The athlete should choose when
skating again without pressure from coaches or parents. Once on
the ice, others can encourage the athlete to work on skills that
need to improve.
This is where good coaching becomes imperative. A good coach who
motivates athletes to do the things they would not on their own
is a coach who develops better players. Don’t measure your coach
in wins and losses, but on how the mentor’s players improve and
enjoy the game.
As you plan out the year for the athlete, factor in vacations
and free play. I see many young men and women each year stuck on
a busy schedule crowded with activities. It is a fine line
between too much and too little. Always remember volume and
intensity and the balance involved. Parents should plan for fun
and improvement, don’t just hope it happens. If you do, you’ll
have an improved athlete and a happy child. |
| |
| |
|
|
