Ice Exposure

5 Things that grind a coach’s gears

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  1. Bucking the system: Nothing makes a coach more frustrated than seeing that one of his players isn’t buying into his system. Whether it’s not dumping the puck in or not following the special teams’ setup, one player’s disobedience to a system can wreck an entire shift. Whether you agree with your coach’s system or not, it is not a good idea to go rogue. You’re pretty much asking your coach to cut or trade you.                                                                                                                                              
  2. Poor defensive play: Although skating ability and hockey sense plays into it, defensive play often comes down to work ethic and a player’s heart. If you’re flying around the offensive zone but seem to be coasting or losing puck battles in your own zone, you just told your coach that you’re more worried about padding your stats sheet than winning. Furthermore, scouts will think you’re a one-dimensional player, which won’t bode well for a player looking to advance to the next level.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
  3. Last player on the ice, first player off the ice at practice: You just told your entire team – coaching staff included – that you don’t want to be there if you’re frequently the last one on the ice and first one off it.  In addition, if you were in consideration for a letter, this bad habit should automatically disqualify you. Leaders and veterans should be the first players on the ice and the last players to leave.  Character, or lack thereof, is usually evident when it comes to a player’s practice routines.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
  4. Bad body language:  It is not a good idea to sulk when sitting on the bench, shake your head at linemates’ mistakes or slam your stick after your own mistakes. Nothing good comes out of it and it usually stems from character issues. It is important for players to have a “put your head down and go to work” attitude. Do what you can do with what you have been given. Don’t whine about it.                                                                                                                                                                                      
  5. No eye contact, one-word answers in private conversations: When speaking privately with your coach, it is important to make sure he knows how badly you want to succeed in his program. It is essential to have good eye contact and to ensure the coach knows that you are focused on improving your game and doing whatever it takes to help the team win. No eye contact and one-word answers could lead the coach to believe you are not taking his program seriously.

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