USA Hockey Coaching Philosophy for 10U

[Guest]

This is for 10U Full Travel Hockey.
I know USA Hockey has various coaching documents for the different age groups. Practice plans, skills progression, etc.     
 Is their philosophy on how each age group should be taught/coached, based on any level of Hockey?
  It almost appears most of their material is geared to in house, or limited travel players. Seems a lot of focus is on Individual Skill Development.
I could see at the Full Travel level, they can use some individual skill development, but I would like to think by the time of playing Full Travel, players are skilled enough and capable of learning more Hockey sense and Systems training.
Any thoughts about this.
 

[Guest]

Every coach is different but everybody I know is following the ADM and station instruction ADM Kids

[tree408]

but I would like to think by the time of playing Full Travel, players are skilled enough

Ironically enough my son is playing travel and HS hockey and I'm paying for skating and skills on the side.  At 10U I'd think you'd want to make sure there is plenty of skates on the ice, running through drills.

[Youth Hockey Info]

Regarding the extra curricular training.

Does he enjoy it and do you see a devotion and drive from him to get better? I don't mean exclusively at the clinics for skills and skating. Our boys did the same, we spent hundreds per private session with a former pro for a year. They wanted to go to the clinics but like anything that includes training and learning the coach stressed continued effort at home. We bought thousands of dollars worth of training hardware, devices and materials. All it did was collect dust, now we're saddled with trying to sell all of it. This past end of season we asked them, do you have a plan, is this something you want to pursue into college and possibly beyond? Do you enjoy going to the clinics? Both had the same...."meh, we like playing but don't see a future". So then came the bigger picture question. Is travel hockey something you want to continue and both answered no. They still wanted to play but not travel. We stuck with school where both are playing varsity. They're also playing inline for the first time competitively and they absolutely love it. End result, they both got burned out and tired of the hustle and bustle. They're both happier today than they have been the past couple years playing. And we're no longer spending tens of thousands for travel hockey and clinics they no longer cared about.

[Guest]

USA hockey is a money grab. moving checking to bantams a while back so all the kids stay another 2 years because they don’t want contact. Now unfortunately it is most likely moving to midget. Sorry a 15 year old at 185 going against a 15 year old 110 makes ZERO sense.

Keep it 8 at 50 vs 8 at 55

High level 8U should be on full ice for games. At the very least do a mix schedule with cross ice and full ice.

[Guest]

you just lost all your credibility with 8 year olds playing full ice comment. 

[Guest]

X-ice isn't a hockey game; it's practice. There's nothing wrong with full ice for those that are ready for it. Some actually are, even at 8U. The problem is the FOMO crowd. They can't stand the fact their kid isn't ready for it. So nobody should do it.

The same goes for travel hockey in general.  Travel hockey at the B level should be eliminated. Those are house league players. Nothing wrong with that. But if that's where your skill is there is no need to travel for 'competition'.  You need more practice. 

[Guest]

ADM is a joke just like USAH. Skills development is important, particularly for younger players, but I don’t waste much practice time on it.  Don’t need full ice and a team for skills. I generally expect my players to get their skills training separately from team practices. Team practices are devoted to developing team play.  At least half of my practice time is devoted to stop-whistle scrimmages where I actively coach players on ice about positioning and game play - things that actually require full ice.

[Guest]

ADM is a joke just like USAH. Skills development is important, particularly for younger players, but I don’t waste much practice time on it.  Don’t need full ice and a team for skills. I generally expect my players to get their skills training separately from team practices. Team practices are devoted to developing team play.  At least half of my practice time is devoted to stop-whistle scrimmages where I actively coach players on ice about positioning and game play - things that actually require full ice.

You sound like my kid's coach. The uncommunicated expectation is that everyone gets their skills training somewhere else. We didn't make the playoffs last year and after a couple games it's already clear we will be out of them again in AA this year.

[Guest]

ADM is a joke just like USAH. Skills development is important, particularly for younger players, but I don’t waste much practice time on it.  Don’t need full ice and a team for skills. I generally expect my players to get their skills training separately from team practices. Team practices are devoted to developing team play.  At least half of my practice time is devoted to stop-whistle scrimmages where I actively coach players on ice about positioning and game play - things that actually require full ice.

You sound like my kid's coach. The uncommunicated expectation is that everyone gets their skills training somewhere else. We didn't make the playoffs last year and after a couple games it's already clear we will be out of them again in AA this year.

thats a shame if you ask me the number one focus on the ice should be skating edge work etc.. to many skating flaws go hidden during scrimmage and tryouts , eery year kids grow there feet get bigger balance changes but all people seem to care about is working on breakouts , well breakouts dont work very well if you cant get to the puck , it should be development even the ahl is considered a development league