Shortening the bench

[Guest]

Do good coaches shorten the bench? What level is right to do so?
Do good coaches preach their going to shorten the bench, but never really do so (as a scare tactic).

I was always under the impression (as a parent) if you say something you do it?

[Guest]

I have experienced a wide sampling of bench shortening. One coach played line 1 every other shift while line 3 would see 2 very short shifts per period. Line 2 saw about 80% of the shifts of line 1. Coach would punish line 3 for perceived bad plays while lines 1-2 played unstructured, sloppy hockey. End result was Line 1-2 were gassed in the playoffs and line 3 actually played very well. Another experience was shortening in situations to check best players from the other team, especially at the end of games.

[Guest]

Define "good coaches"? So called "good coaches" at PHC, LF, JrF, and other AAA rinks shorten benches at 9U and above. PHC is notorious for playing 2 forward lines and 2 D pairs when playing top teams. Parent get to spend $1500 on travel and hotels for their kids to play 2 shifts a game. Parents need to wake up and realize no bench should be shortened until the kids reach 15U. The one exception is in the last 4-5 minutes of close game and you are either trying to hang on or come back. Other than that all kids should get regular shifts. Remember the worst kid on a AAA team at 10U may be the best kid on the team by 15U. Development should be 100% priority, not winning. Only way to develop is to put kids in all situations. Top level teams care about winning only and will drop your kid for a better player at a moments notice. If your kid gets cut from AAA, stop joing the AA program at that rink. Your kid has no shot at getting back to AAA at that rink because they want new $ coming through the door. You are already a captive customer. How many parents whose kids are cut from AAA are offered AA with the promise you kid will still get to practice with AAA and have a shot at rejoining team next season? Now, for those of you who have been promised this scenario, how many actually make it back to AAA? My bet would be less that 1%. Parents need to wake the F*ck up and learn what the rinks do to get you to stay. I will also bet that 99% of the kids on so called "top AAA teams" will not play college, let alone go pro. I will also bet that a larger % of kids on AA teams make it further than those kids on AAA since 9U.

[Guest]

Coaches should be rolling lines evenly until maybe 5 minutes left in a close game.  0.0001% of these kids are going to the next level.  We are abdicating our responsibility to be developing skills for young men (mostly) that will serve them in life, not just hockey.  If you get to bantams and are on an uber competitive team and that's the understanding from the get-go, so be it.  Those kids may have a chance to get to juniors or NCAA.  But everyone else is bound for beer league and the greater work force.  Stop living and dying by how your kid's hockey team does and teach them skills for life.

[Guest]

Sorry that should be .00001% AREN'T going to the next level

[Guest]

What about shortening the bench 15uAA & 16uAA? Should it be done?

[Guest]

shortening the bench after bantam is fine. Only time a kid should miss shifts at bantam and younger is if they are not working hard, not listening to coaches, staying on ice too long, not passing, or taking dumb penalties.

[Guest]

I coach 16AA and I will shorten the bench in certain game situations and who's getting shorted depends on the need. Sometimes I need my goal scorers out more and sometimes I need my shut down guys out more. I try to limit shortening as much as I can because in reality, all of these players belong on the team, they all payed the same money and they all work equally as hard in most cases. If I'm doing my job as a coach and developing my players, I should have 3 lines that I can put out in almost any situation. It doesn't always work out that way but it's definitely a coaching goal each season.

In non-league games or games that are lopsided, I make sure to give everyone a shot at all game situations. This is a great way to see all of your players abilities and possibly find line combinations you didn't think of.

Communication is key. I let all my players and families know the deal during tryouts. Equal ice time is not guaranteed, but we try hard to get everyone out there in every situation during the season. I also speak with my players often and honestly. If a player wants to know why they aren't on the ice in certain situations, I tell them the truth and give them achievable goals to get them there.

I'm coaching a higher skill level so winning games is important but so is developing these players skills. My goal is to develop all of my players so they can be equal contributors to the team's success.

[Guest]

A good coach will find a nice balance. Hockey strategy is a coaches responsibility. Rolling lines is a copout.

[Guest]

Let’s be real ‘coach’ nobody is truly developing during practice. Rolling lines is ignoring the fact that some kids work harder than others and rewarding laziness. Coaching = parenting and by doing that you’re not teaching the value of hard work. For the top (and the bottom).