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Did You Improve This Season?

By Todd Smith, 03/04/14, 12:30PM CST

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At the end of every season, players often ask themselves a simple question: Did I get better? Finding the answer, though, isn’t always so easy. Properly assessing the development of both a hockey player’s physical skills and mental make-up requires the use of a thorough, consistent approach. So, how can a coach, parent and player correctly evaluate an athlete’s overall progress? Here are a few tips:

It’s Not All About Stats

In the increasingly competitive world of youth hockey, stats can all too often dominate the evaluation process. Wins, losses, goals and points continue to be the traditional measuring sticks for evaluations. But they measure only a fraction of a player’s total development.

“Although wins and personal stats are nice, perhaps the most important measures at the end of the season are did the players improve their skills and did they have fun,” says Matt Cunningham, coordinator of USA Hockey’s Coaching Education Program (CEP). “If they answer is yes to both of these, they will want to play next year which is one of the ultimate goals.”

A stat-driven youth sports culture can be detrimental to the long-term development of a young hockey player.

Laying the Foundation

According to USA Hockey’s Skill Progressions for Player and Coach Development, the mental aspect of the game is the foundation for a hockey player’s success and one of the most crucial aspects of the evaluation process. This is because a player’s overall coachability is as equally important as their on-ice performance.

A player’s attitudes, discipline, how they handle instruction and criticism, as well as his or her ability to concentrate are the building blocks to being a good player and quality teammate. USA Hockey suggests developing a list of leadership qualities for the team and evaluating players based on these criteria.

A Season-Long Effort

The evaluation of a player’s physical hockey skills (skating, shooting, passing and stickhandling) should not be judged at a single point in the season but instead examined across the whole year.

USA Hockey suggests that for a player to receive a complete evaluation, the process should consist of preseason, in-season, and post-season observations that look at a player’s strengths, weaknesses and development opportunities. This way, the player can measure their progress as the season moves forward.

Throughout the course of the season, there should also be an open dialogue between the parents, player, and coaching staff on the player’s development to keep progression on track.

Setting Goals

It is important to remember that every hockey player has a different skill set. Some players are natural goal scorers while others excel at less splashy aspects of the game.

Set realistic goals and tailor exercises to fit the needs of each individual player. Then go from there.

Stay Positive

The end-of-season evaluation is a culmination of a player’s game play, practice, attitude and coachability for the season and should be viewed as a springboard for future development. Player evaluations should be upbeat and positive with ideas on what to work on to be prepared for next season.

“Improvement can be looked at in a number of ways,” says Cunningham. “Hopefully every player has improved his or her fundamental skills while developing intangibles such as work ethic, accountability and the qualities of a good teammate.

“And we can’t forget the value of competing with your friends and having fun!”

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