Recently, I got two separate emails from girls hockey coaches who wanted to know what they should do in their last few practices leading up to the big playoff games. Before I could even get a word out, one of the “details” of the practices left me speechless….

Does it make any sense at all for a girls hockey team to have a 3 hour practice at this point in the season? Especially when it is two nights before the biggest game of the season? What about a 1.5 hour practice for a team that is used to 50 minute sessions and has two playoff games in the next two nights?

Something about this just shouldn’t sit right with you as someone involved not only in female hockey, but in youth sports in general.

I don’t think I have ever had a 3 hour practice in my entire life – let alone as a bantam aged player. And when I was 11 years old, a 1.5 hour practice would have seemed like an eternity.

The truth is that girls hockey practices right before the playoffs need to be short and sweet.

There should be some time spent on team systems and strategies, lots of time spent on flow drills and timing, a minimal amount of skill instruction and very little (if any) conditioning.

The whole point of getting ready for the playoffs is not to tire players out with 3 hours of practice or bore them to tears with 90 minutes of systems. Boost players confidence by using drills they are familiar with, make sure they understand any changes you might make to your strategies to adjust to your opponents and keep it light and fun.

Instead of stressing them out and tiring them out, keep it short and to the point.

You will succeed in the playoffs based on all the hard work and effort you have put in over the last 6 months of the season, not in the last practice before the big game.

For a team-specific program to take your performance to the next level, check out the Best Hockey Season Ever System.

Work Hard. Dream BIG.

~ Coach Kim