Kim McCullough
You can’t teach this
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- Last Updated on Wednesday, 21 November 2012 17:46
By Kim McCullough, M.Sc, YCS
As a coach who works with players both on and off the ice, I spend a lot of time teaching different skills and helping players develop the athleticism necessary to take their game to the highest level possible. But there is one thing that a player absolutely must have if they want to realize their hockey dreams – and it’s the one thing that I, and every other coach out there, can’t teach.
We can teach you all the skills, systems and strategies you need to play at the elite level. But we can’t teach you passion. We can’t teach you how to be committed or dedicated. That has to come from inside you.
The three “A’s” of hockey scholarships
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- Last Updated on Thursday, 15 November 2012 17:49
By Kim McCullough, M.Sc, YCS
One of the most common questions I get from players, parents and coaches about the whole college hockey recruiting process is “What are the scouts looking for?”
There is really no easy answer to this since a college hockey coach needs to fill their roster with players who fill a position and role, which changes year-by-year based on their team’s particular needs.
To keep it simple for you, I’ve broken it down into what I call the three “A’s.”
No. 1 hockey pet peeve
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- Last Updated on Thursday, 01 November 2012 16:57
By Kim McCullough, M.Sc, YCS
Anyone who has ever seen the movie “Miracle” remembers the “again” skating scene. After a lackluster game, Coach Herb Brooks lines his team up on the goal line and has them skate lengths of the ice until the players can barely move. I have to admit – I love the movie, but I hate that scene. That memorable moment glorifies my biggest hockey pet peeve – “bag skating.”
The truth is that skating players into the ground isn’t going to cut it if you want to ensure that your players are as energetic and explosive in the second overtime period as they were in the second period. Players are definitely working “hard” when they have to drag themselves off the ice after a skating session, but they should be working “smart” instead.
In Gretzky’s office
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- Last Updated on Thursday, 08 November 2012 17:18
By Kim McCullough, M.Sc, YCS
For those of you who weren’t rabid hockey fans during the 1980s and 90s, “Gretzky’s office” refers to the area behind the net where Wayne used to set up a lot of his goals and assists. The area behind the net is a critical offensive tool that isn’t used nearly enough in girls’ hockey.
Let’s look at the breakout first – after all, you’ve got to take care of the defensive end before you can worry about creating offense. Defensemen must learn to use the area behind the net as a safe haven. For example, if you are being chased by a forechecker, and you carry the puck behind the net while staying as close to the net as possible, the odds are that forechecker is going to get stuck behind you with nowhere to fit in between you and the net or, even better, they are going to get caught reaching with their stick to try to stop you, and will get called for a stick penalty (holding, slashing etc).
Eight secrets to scoring goals
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- Last Updated on Monday, 29 October 2012 14:48
By Kim McCullough, MSc, YCS
Goal scoring is something that is lacking across all levels of girls’ hockey. Quite often, girls are more concerned with making one more pass or picking the perfect spot to shoot instead of just getting the puck to the net. Here are some basic tips for goal scoring that I share with my teams and hopefully help you and your players to put more pucks in the net this season.
1. Finish every puck – In practice, finish all your rebounds in the back of the net or at least get a follow up shot. It might make the goalies a little mad – but it will definitely help you score more goals in games.
