Creativity: (noun)

• the state or quality of being creative.
• the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.; originality, progressiveness, or imagination:
• the process by which one utilizes creative ability

In the past couple of years, and even recent months, I have been engaged in discussions with other coaches about the need for young players of all ages to ‘be more creative’.  It’s an interesting thought process around how we can infuse more creativity into the game, or even if we can.

Our children’s lives are so structured these days, that the idea of creative play has become foreign many of them. There is structure in schedules at home, schools, and from participating in sports or other activities. From a hockey-lens, the amount of structure we put into the game at early ages is almost unfathomable. If parents or players from the 1970's & 80’s, and earlier, could travel through time to 2021, they would be stunned by the differences in structure and creativity. 

I think the American Development Model that USA Hockey has implemented at the 6U/8U levels is on the right track, but as one who has implemented this in local associations, even the fact that we have a structured development model for a 4-, 5-, & 6-year old’s is kind of strange in and of itself, don’t you think?  I think the issue at hand is that in many cases the focus ends up being a lot of teaching by coaches around fundamental physical skills, vs. allowing the kids’ minds to wander.  I can speak first hand to that, because I would be the first to admit that I focused a lot on physical skills when I oversaw the overall practice plan and when running a station.

Now, move into U10 and U12 age groups and suddenly, we hear about coaches talking about structured breakouts, defensive zone positioning. Believe it or not, I have even heard coaches talk to their squirts about neutral zone traps.  I mean, really? 

There must be some teaching about game fundamentals from a structural standpoint, but I believe that the over-coaching that seems to be taking place at the youth levels is creating a group of players who only know structure and end up not understanding or recognizing the flow of the game.

Before I give my answer to the question around teaching creativity, I want to add to the definition of creativity above from a team-game standpoint.  After each bullet point, I would simply add: “by involving others in the play.”  I believe that creativity is not all about applying a nifty move, a toe-drag, or scoring a ‘Michigan’ (lacrosse-style) goal. Rather, it is more about being creative in developing options and figuring out how to leverage a situation to a team’s advantage.  That occurs when you are with AND without the puck, which means of course that creativity needs to be learned and developed in relation to OTHER PLAYERS, not on one’s own.

In many cases, the practice plans that we put together as coaches are geared towards developing either individual physical skills or team structure so that the kids can ‘execute’ during a game at their current level and beyond. 

But what about unstructured creative play?  Where does that fit into the practice plan? The answer I hear from coaches and parents is, “well, they can go out to the local rink or pond and mess around to help with that!”  True.  But when we have over-scheduled our lives (and our children’s lives), when exactly will they do that?  I think we know when, and that is during our purchased ice time. 

To get back to the initial question, my answer is, “No, I don’t believe creativity can be taught.”  Creativity is VERY personal, and by its pure definition, cannot be someone else’s ideas. It must be original and can only be developed through experience.

What I do believe, however, is that creativity can be nurtured.  Different from physical skills training, ‘training’ for creativity means there must be less structure, less teaching, and less direction, and more encouragement, more positive reinforcement, and communication along with providing an atmosphere where players do not have a fear of making a mistake.  There cannot be judgement by coaches, parents, or other players, and there needs to be time allocated (yes, even with purchased ice) for our kids to experience creative play.  In fact, there needs to be celebrations given very publicly when something is tried by a player even if the result was not as expected.

So, what’s next?  To my fellow coaches, be comfortable with small-area games and don’t coach the kids through them. Make them a HUGE part of your practices, especially at the 10s and 12s, and let the kids find their creativity. Try not to allow yourselves to be pulled into old-school thinking or to get pressured from parents (or even other coaches) to put so much structure in your games at the younger levels.  If you don’t create the opportunity for creative play, I’m not sure who will.

Paul Antonenko
The View From Center Ice Blog