Team Goals

Now that you have your system in place, its time to set up some team goals with your players. Team goals are basically minimum standards that you set as the coach in order to challenge your players to play and compete at a high level at all times. Team goals could be the number of shots you have on goal or the number of shots you give up on your own goal. It could be the number of penalties, the number of yards gained per run or given up or even the percentage of power play opportunities that you capitalize on in your games. It could be the percentage of points scored from the foul line or even the number of wins you need to make the play-offs or to secure first place overall.

Whatever it is, they are set by you as the coach and set the bar as far as how you want your team to compete each and every game.

For the most part, if you meet your team goals every game, chances are that you have had a good day. As well, team goals can be motivation for your players and a great coaching tool. It can keep them focused and motivated to play within the system and not take plays "off" which can happen frequently at the youth level.

It builds a sense of pride within the team to meet the challenge of the team goals. The main thing is not to set the standards too high or unrealistic, otherwise it can back-fire on you.

In other words don't ask your players to do something that their not capable of doing.

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Groom Your Role Players

Within your system you will have players that are naturally stronger or more talented than the others. They seem to play the game with ease, have good athletic ability, and contribute offensively without missing a beat. The game is easy for them to play. This group would be identified as your core players and you will rely on them to carry a lot of the load during the games. Most teams have their core players and the more core players you have the more depth you have on your bench. Usually the larger programs have more core players as a result of the higher numbers.

Does this mean that the smaller programs will not be able to compete?

Not at all! Every team will have their core group. What's important for the smaller programs with less depth is to surround your core players with solid role players and give them assignments that they must do within the system. For example, the less offensively talented players will be assigned a defensive role whereby each and every time they are engaged in play their role is to play tough defensively, be physical and pressure the opposing team into creating turn-overs and make mistakes that could possibly generate a score. They would have a primarily defensive role and when they get their time on the floor, field, or ice surface, they know their role which is to be defensive first, be tough in their own end and not give up any points. This would be just as important to the team as scoring and if they fulfill their assignment each and every time, they will limit the scoring of the opposing teams core players.

These role players are important to have on any team and usually play against the top core players. For the most part if your role players are stronger than the opposing team, than chances are you will have a good day. My experience with the role players is that once you explain to them their specific assignment within the system that they thrive within it, and become confident and key contributors. Remember, in the tightest of games it's usually the role players that determine the outcome.


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Implement Your System

A big part of your practice plan in the coming weeks will be system implementation and doing it without sacrificing working on fundamentals. The best tool to begin introducing your system is to use your chalkboard or dry-eraser board in the locker-room or classroom. Start off with your defensive system. If you're good in your own end defensively, chances are that everything else will fall in place. Draw it out on the board for them and explain each and every assignment position wise to each player. Reinforce it over and over in practice time. Don't be afraid to blow the whistle, stop the play, and explain the do's and don'ts of your system, and start again. Repetition is the key. Drill it in them and ask them to buy into your system, make a commitment to it, and make good decisions within it. In the coming games, go over and over it again. Challenge the players who veer out of it, and go over the importance of team play. You'll soon see the results and for the most part the majority will get it. Be patient with the slow learners; again, reinforce it until they get it. A good team has good systems and your better players will thrive in a team orientated system as they will get more support compared to a run and gun system. Your average players will gain confidence within the system and become better players that in the end will make your top players perform better. Praise their efforts at all times and when you get your wins, praise the team system!

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Put your mark on the Team

Well its time. The try-outs and training camp are over and you've selected the team. Now the work comes to shape and mould the team . Remember you picked the team and it will be a reflection of you and ultimately you will be the face of the team, accepting all the good praise as well as criticism that comes with the job of being coach.
As coaches, we all have our favourite systems and philosophies in how we want our team to play.
However, all things aside your player selections will dictate what kind of team you will have. The worst thing you can do at this point is to implement a system that your team doesn't have the tools to execute. You need to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of your team and develop a system based on these traits.
For instance, maybe you have good size and fundamentals but lack team speed or maybe your undersized but have good speed and skill. Ideally, you would like to have a combination of both types of players; however, the reality is that this is not always going to be the case. The other point to consider is that you might be strong defensively in your own end but lack the scoring in the offensive zone or vice versa. The whole point of this is to evaluate your team and come up with the system that reflects their abilities and for the most part keep it simple, but do it well.

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