The term itself has become quite the buzzword in the youth sports community in recent years. It’s a word that most parents want their athletes to embody at a young age. What does this word mean in the world of hockey? Instead of simply throwing the word around, I’d like to break it down into important components and explain ways for kids and young adults to take ownership in one’s own coachability in order to put actions and intent to the buzzword.
RESPONSIVE: Be open to the message a coach is trying to relay. The biggest hindrance in some athletes is their ego. They may not see their own shortcomings even after feedback from coaches. Caring coaches will offer constructive criticism to the athletes they see as capable to receive and implement it. Take that as a compliment. If a coach is actively taking time out of his or her day to offer feedback, they see something inside an athlete and want to bring it out. For the most part, coaches won’t spend a lot of excess time on players they feel won’t absorb the information or put it to work.
Real Life Example: The first few drills in practice are sloppy and the player is not sharp and ready. The coach may tell the player that they should take some passes prior to practice so that time and drills are not wasted. Instead of viewing this as “more work”, see this as beneficial not only to the player, but the team as a whole. More good reps = better habits = a better player.
SELF-COACHING: Top athletes are always seeking out new ways to improve their game. There are endless resources for drills and exercises online for players to incorporate in their off-ice training or during dead times at practice. Don’t wait for coaches to tell you what to do. Being self-reliant is a way to show a coach the important qualities of commitment and preparation.
Real Life Example: Summer months for hockey players are great for camps, lessons, and extra work. It’s a perfect time to spot areas where attention is needed. By doing this, players are able to use practice time more efficiently, and it also shows a coach the characteristics of responsibility and autonomy. Players who possess these qualities are easy to coach and develop into great athletes.
COMMITTED: There are three things to commit to as a youth hockey player: SELF, TEAM, and COACH.
-By committing to oneSELF, the development of the player is in the forefront. As stated under self-coaching, constantly seeking out new ways to improve and hone in on working hard mentally and physically are ways to show commitment to one’s self. Not only is this positive for the sport, the value of these qualities later in life is unmatched.
-Committing to a TEAM means that a player and his or her teammates see a common goal and work toward it. Ways to show commitment to a team is: identifying and accepting one’s role, celebrating the successes of others, and elevating teammates both on and off the ice.
-Showing commitment to a COACH is not only trusting their passion, expertise, and vision, but believing in their mission for the team and convincing others to buy into it. Naturally, some coaches make this aspect difficult, but staying consistent in what coachability means to oneself is the important thing and helps to engrain leadership and resilience.
Real Life Example: A team has lost a string of games, and players are starting to doubt themselves and the system their coach has in place. Moral and energy is low. A committed player recognizes this and knows how to combat it by selflessly working hard on one’s own deficiencies, elevating others by maintaining positivity, and convincing his or her team to stay on track with the coach’s vision.
Coachability is not something I can claim expertise in. Looking back, I was not the most coachable teen by a mile. As the saying goes,” Hindsight is 20/20”. There is no better way to learn and grow than by seeing one’s own shortcomings and mindfully correcting them. Though I come from a non-hockey background, my life has completely revolved around the sport for over 10 years. My husband plays professionally, and my son has started on youth teams with my daughter not far behind. In the summer months, we conduct business as JPL Goaltending, in which we host clinics, lessons, and developmental mentoring for youth to pro goalies. My learning curve for hockey was short and steep. I was thrown in abruptly, but I feel fortunate to understand the inner workings and the mental side of the sport, because it teaches so many lessons that we can all use.
For me, these lessons transpired into a series of children’s books. At the Rink: The Series is a collection of hockey-themed books for kids ranging from birth to new readers. With colorful graphics, big words, and a fun rhyming tone, they have proven to be a wonderful addition to a hockey-loving child’s library while playfully highlighting the topic of coachability as described above.
Kellie Lamoureux
Links:
Book Series: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08Q6DKTDZ?ref_=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_tpbk&binding=paperback
JPL Goaltending: www.jplgoaltending.com
