DCYH Coaching Webpage
COACH REGISTRATION
The registration link above is required to head or assistant coach during the 2023- 2024 season. Only one registration is necessary if you are coaching multiple teams.
District 9 Scheduling Meetings
Please decide between coaches/team managers who will attend for your team.
Location: Eagles Club Rochester
Ice Changes/Additions
**Email gamechange@dcyh.org as soon as possible - This will notify the dibsmaster, concession stand, the arena, and referees.
2023-2024 DIBS Hours
Each Head Coach will be awarded up to the team maximum (i.e. 18 hours for Squirt).
- DIBS hours awarded to each assistant coaches should not exceed DIBS hours requirement for the player level being coached (i.e. Termites=7, Supermites=11, all others=18)
- Head Coach/Director of Hockey will allocate DIBS hours twice during the season. 1/2 at mid-season, 1/2 at the end of the season.
COACHING REQUIREMENTS (FOR ALL COACHES)
ALL COACHES MUST COMPLETE ITEMS 1-4 PRIOR TO BEING ON THE ICE:
1) Register with USA Hockey ($55 - annually). Give this number to Registrar at registrar@dcyh.org or enter on your registration.
https://www.usahockeyregistration.com/register_form_input.action
2) Age Specific Module (need to do once for the age group you are coaching)
http://usahcepmodules.flexxcoach.com/
3) Safe Sport Video (free)
http://www.usahockey.com/safesporttraining
4) USA Hockey Background Screening
https://www.usahockey.com/backgroundscreen
ALL COACHES MUST ALSO COMPLETE ITEMS 5-6 FOLLOWING BY DEC 15TH. AFTER DEC 31ST, IF NOT COMPLETE, COACHES ARE REMOVED FROM THE ROSTER.
5) CEP level training
This is coaching education which will be easiest if you schedule sooner than later
http://www.usahockey.com/coachingcertification
6) Concussion
https://www.cdc.gov/headsup/youthsports
Registrar only needs your USA Hockey #. Please send a copy of your Safe Sport and Concussion certificate to the Registrar. All others are linked to your USA Hockey #.
Questions? Contact Registrar at registrar@dcyh.org or Derrick Gordon (Safe Sport Coordinator) at dwestcoastcustoms1@hotmail.com
PUCKS
Each coach is to receive game pucks. These are for you to take with you to your away games or to use for home game pucks. They are located in the coaches' shed (shed #1) in bundles taped together or in a hockey bag. For practices, there is a bucket of pucks in the coaches' shed. Please have a couple kids from your team walk the rink after practice to make sure they are all picked up.
GAME SCHEDULING
The district game scheduling meetings will be on the DCYH calendar.
Coaches, team managers or a representative will need to attend this meeting to schedule your district games. The ice scheduler (Howie) will put place holders on the DCYH calender (i.e. Pewee A vs TBD, 11/8 @ 6:30pm). These are the days ice time is available for you to schedule your home games.
At the meeting you will find out how many teams are in your district. You are required to play each team twice (one home and one away). Sometimes if there are a large number of teams, they will divide the district into east/west.
You will only need to play the teams in the east district. You can schedule some games with the west district if you have availability.
It is recommended to bring a calendar so you are aware of team conflicts, holidays, band concerts, etc.
When you register, it states how many games your team is to play for your level. This number is what DCYH has budgeted for your team. Anything over this will need to be paid for by the team (out of pocket). DCYH tries to follow the USA Hockey ADM.
After your games are scheduled, please have your team manager adjust your calendar And email gamechange@dcyh.org This will notify the dibsmaster, concession stand, the arena, and referees.
It is very important to email with any changes or cancellations to your games. This is the only email that is to be submitted game changes.
**Email gamechange@dcyh.org as soon as possible
Game Rescheduling
If for some reason you must reschedule a league game, please complete the form below. Email a copy to ??????? You will also need to mail a copy along with the reschedule fee to the address provided in the form.
District 9 Rescheduling Form
League Game Rescheduling
Beginning November 15th, league rescheduling will be via the Policy and Procedures for District 9:
All league games will be played as per original schedule submitted to the District 9 Statistician.
· Games may be rescheduled prior to November 15th, in which league games may be played at no charge by filling out the District 9 Game Rescheduling Form, included below.
· Any game changes after November 15th, MUST be rescheduled using the District 9 Game Rescheduling Form and paying the required fee.
· Games can be rescheduled, with no fee, due inclement weather or severe team illness.
· District 9 League Coordinator’s and/ or Director's decision will be final. Rescheduling a league game will be $50, paid by the team that wants to reschedule.
RESCHEDULING GAMES. Games may be rescheduled prior to November 15th in which league games may be played at no charge by filling out the District 9 Game Rescheduling Form, included below. Any game changes after November 15th, MUST be rescheduled using the District 9 Game Rescheduling Form and paying the required fee. The Game Rescheduling Form is to be completed by the team requesting the change and returned to the District Director, along with a check payable to District 9 Hockey in the amount of $50.00. The rescheduled game must be mutually agreed upon by both teams.
*NOTE – if the rescheduled game date is prior to the original game date, the Game Rescheduling Form MUST BE RECEIVED 7 DAYS BEFORE THE RESCHEDULED DATE or there will be an additional fee of $25 fee. If the rescheduled game date is after the original game date, the Game Rescheduling Form MUST BE RECEIVED 7 DAYS BEFORE THE ORIGINAL GAME DATE or there will be an additional $25 fee.
If rescheduling a league game cannot be mutually agreed upon by both teams, the team requesting the change MUST play the originally scheduled game or forfeit the game. In good faith, both teams should do their best to reschedule if the request arises, though the requesting team is responsible for any related fees.
CANCELLING GAMES. Any team that commits a same-day cancellation or “no show” to a game will be fined $300.00 per cancelled game. The fine will be paid to District 9 within 7 days of the date of the cancelled game. District 9 will direct $200.00 of the cancellation fee to the other team/association involved in the cancelled game. The remaining $100.00 will be retained by District 9 as a fine for the cancelled game. In the case of a double forfeit, both teams/associations involved will be fined $100.00. A team that cancels a game or is a “no show” for a league game also becomes ineligible for District playoffs. Exceptions to this would be inclement weather or severe team illness.
* NOTE – No “fair play points” will be awarded to either team for cancelled games as no game was played. A fair play point may be awarded to a team if the other team forfeits a game, per the District Director’s approval.
Fair Play Point
For Fair Play Points (FPP)'s to be awarded, teams cannot EXCEED the following:
Squirt - 10 minutes
PeeWee - 12 minutes
Bantam - 14 minutes
Girl's 10U - 8 minutes
Girl's 12U - 10 minutes
Girl's 14U - 12 minutes
Minor (1:30 min penalties) count as 2:00 for FPP
Teams also lose their FPP if:
a. Spectator conduct results in referee stopping play and requesting a spectator to leave.
b. Coach is assessed a Game Misconduct or Match Penalty
c. Off-ice official is removed by the referee
Coaching Reimbursement
DCYH will reimburse coaches for their USA Hockey fees. Coaches must submit proof of payment and proof of completion of the appropriate level\course(s) to the DCYH Registrar and DCYH Treasurer before January 31 of the current season in order to be eligible for reimbursement.
Non-Vested Coaching Stipend
Bantam/U15: Head Coach 1st year $2500, 2nd year $3000
Assistant: 1st year $1250, 2nd year $1500
PW/U12: Head Coach 1st year $1750, 2nd year $2250
Assistant Coach: 1st year $1000, 2nd year $1250
SQ/U10: Head Coach 1st year $750, 2nd year $1000
Tournaments: standard hotel room cost at same hotel as team, meals $50 a day.
Coaching News
Some of the biggest myths in hockey involve our youngest players, those at the 8U level and the use of cross-ice hockey. Guy Gosselin grew up in the old-school mentality, but is an early adopter of the American Development Model and a believer in cross-ice hockey. Gosselin played at the University of Minnesota-Duluth in the 1980s before moving onto the professional ranks.
Gosselin helps debunk some of the biggest myths surrounding cross-ice games and its impact on the 8U level.
1. Kids don’t learn how to skate playing cross-ice hockey.
“We see bad habits forming in a full-ice situation,” said Gosselin, now an ADM regional manager at USA Hockey. “The tendency is to watch the puck and not necessarily working on their skating. These kids (8U) are going through their first speed window, (playing cross-ice) works on acceleration. They are also working on their edges by navigating through that smaller area.”
At this age, full-ice games are more linear; up and down the ice. While playing cross-ice, kids are naturally learning to change direction, use quick start and stops or sharp turns to stay involved in the play.
2. It is detrimental because kids aren’t used to playing on a full-size rink after playing cross-ice hockey.
“Hockey is a progression of skills. It’s about keeping them involved and excited to play. If they’re playing and they’re getting a lot of touches, we’re going to retain those kids.”
This is a simple misnomer. Kids have to learn with age-appropriate equipment and playing surfaces before advancing onto the next level. Plus, the idea that kids aren’t able to transfer their skills from cross-ice to full-ice is ill-founded. The reality is science has proven that games utilizing smaller areas actually improve skill development and retention.
3. Other sports don’t adjust to the size of the child, so hockey shouldn’t either.
“We’re late adapters compared to the other sports. Little kids aren’t capable of playing on that full sheet. Kids develop their motor skills, their mechanical skills and, again, it’s a progression. We don’t want kids playing on a full sheet because, at that age, they’ll pick up bad habits.”
Whether it’s the playing surface or the equipment, you name the sport, baseball, soccer, basketball, tennis, and pretty much universally they adjust to the size and age of the child. Hockey is catching on.
4. Cross-ice hockey isn’t as challenging as playing full ice.
“If you go to any rink across the country and watch how the kids are competing and watching how challenging it is – whether it’s a higher-skilled player or lesser-skilled player – they are in those small areas and learning how to compete. Full-ice hockey, we’re watching one team’s skilled player go all the way down the rink and score, while the others stand around and watch. That is not player development.”
Which brings us to the next myth…
5. The rink is small, so the better players suffer playing on a smaller surface.
“If the better players are going against lesser-skilled players, they’re not challenged enough in a full-ice game. If you get them into a smaller-area game, they have to work. It pushes our better players to become even better. It’s OK to score five or six goals, because that’s how you learn to become a goal scorer.”
By forcing the top players to learn how to play in traffic, cross-ice hockey helps them just as much, or maybe even more, than lesser-skilled players.
6. Kids need to learn the game on the same size rink as NHLers.
“If you practice playing on a full-size sheet and there’s no sense of urgency, you have a tendency of being lazy and not to get involved. Today’s game is all about puck possession and puck protection. If you look at an NHL game, in the D-zone, there are 10 players in one-third of the ice.”
To an 8-year-old, the full length of the ice is daunting. Here’s what it looks like when you put adults on a sheet made to the same ratio as a youth player on an NHL sheet.
7. Kids won’t develop playing cross-ice hockey at the same rate as those playing full ice.
“I would agree with that statement, but only because kids will develop at a quicker rate playing cross-ice hockey.”
With the ADM model and cross-ice games, children are developing their motor skills, making quicker decisions and are more involved in the play and develop at a higher rate. These are the core principals of childhood athletic development.
8. Cross-ice hockey isn’t as fun for the kids.
“From what we’ve seen it’s much more fun. The activity time, the touches, the reps, all involves the kids because they stay focused and having a lot more fun. Kids don’t want that slow boring, movement; they want to be in on the action and involved in the play. Cross-ice hockey is an excellent environment for kids to learn. They’re going to excel when they develop a passion and a love for the game.”
Bonus Myth: After four years of playing cross-ice or half-ice, kids get bored with it and are ready for something new.
Have you ever heard an adult that’s been playing hockey their whole life say, “Man, this rink is just too small. It’s boring. If we don’t get a bigger ice sheet soon, I’m going to hang them up.”
Yeah, we haven’t either.
If a kid says they’re bored of cross-ice hockey, it likely comes from one of three things:
- They miss getting 4-5 breakaways each game.
- He or she wants to be like Zach Parise and knows he skates on the “big” ice.
- There’s a little birdie telling him or her that they’re ready to play full-ice hockey.
These myths are simply misperceptions that get stuck in people’s heads. When it comes to doing the best things for kids, it’s important to check the facts as well. And the science is clear that a smaller playing surface is the right thing to do.
Goalies should not be shutout from coaching
Coach Steve Carroll working with goalies at MInnesota Hockey's Dave Peterson Reebok High Performance Goalie Camp.
It’s that time of year when youth hockey teams have been selected and games and practices have started.
It’s also the time of year when people begin to realize whether or not coaches are making an effort to improve the individual skills of the goalies on their teams. In a lot of cases, nothing is being done to help the goalies.
Throughout the year, I am invited to speak about goaltending at several USA Hockey coaching clinics.
My message to coaches is always crystal clear.
Coaches need to change the way they currently do business and work to make goalies first. They need to break out of their comfort zone, so goalie development becomes a priority and not an after thought.
I often wonder why is it that hockey goalies – arguably the most important players on a team – receive the least amount of coaching.
There are a variety of reasons for this. Many youth hockey coaches know very little about the goalie position or perhaps more importantly, take the time to get up to speed on what they can do to assist in the development of their goalies.
Common reasons (excuses) given for this are the coach never played the position, they don’t understand the latest goalie techniques, they have to worry about 15 other players, they don’t want to mess up a goalie who is working with a private goalie coach, or they assume their goalies get all the position-specific coaching they need at in-season goalie clinics or summer goalie schools they may or may not attend.
Therefore, adults often coach in their comfort zone, spending countless hours on Russian circles, breakouts, systems and power plays while basically ignoring the development of their goalies. They hope that somehow the goalies magically improve and become that much-needed difference-maker in big games. Unfortunately, it doesn’t usually work that way.
Some hockey associations turn to outside goalie development providers to work with their goalies. This is certainly a step in a right direction. However, this should not be a reason to ignore goalies during team practices because of the feeling that goalies will get their “individual skill work” during weekly goalie clinics.
Constructive use practice time, in addition to any goalie clinic an association may or may not offer, is a key part of goalie development.
Figuring out how to coach goalies can be a challenging and intimidating aspect of the job for many head coaches. However, it doesn’t have to be.
Here are some goalie coaching tips that can help:
- Assign some to be team’s goalie coach.
- Encourage designated goalie coach to learn as much as they can about goalie position so they can teach proper fundamental techniques.
- When developing practice plans, schedule 15-20 minutes per practice for goalie coach to work with goalies on individual skill development. Make sure to write this down so you don’t forget about it.
- Allow goalie coach time and space to work with goalies during practice.
- Spend time during each practice working on goalie specific skating/movement drills.
- Mix up location on the ice where goalie coach shoots pucks on the goalie. Most goalie coaches shoot multiple shots from slot area. In game, a goalie actually faces very few shots from this area.
- Incorporate movement into shooting drills goalie coach uses to simulate more game-like scenarios. For example, have goalie move from post to post and out to top of crease before attempting to make the save.
- Goalie coach should shoot the puck at appropriate speed/locations to properly challenge to the goalie.
- If you hold breakaway contests at the end of practice, control the pace of the skaters, so goalies have a chance to recover from previous shot and have time move into proper position to play next breakaway.
- Stick to the basics, most goalies need to improve fundamental skills.
- Successful goalie development includes quality repetitions; encourage your goalies to practice their movements over and over again; at first, they will have to think before reacting, eventually, they’ll react without thinking.
- Encourage goalies to be leaders and not followers; have them be at the front of the line during team skating drills like Russian circles, not at end of the line because they skate slower than others.
- Goalies should be among the best skaters on the team; having them participate in the team skating drills is fine, but also give them time to work on their goalie specific skating skills and movements.
- Teach goalies to treat every shot in practice like it means something, and to be accountable for their effort and performance.
- Set your goalie up for success. Control flow of practice drills so goalies have time to get set for the shot and into position to play rebounds.
- Encourage goalies to work on their individual skills while team is doing other drills. You want goalies to make the most each practice session, so they improve every time they are on the ice.
- Pay attention to your goalie; make them feel like an important member of the team.
- Goalies are not shooting targets for players or coaches. They should be treated with respect. Coaches need to stop reliving their glory days as a player by blasting shots past their goalies to show everyone who is watching that “they still have it."
- Talk to your players about not shooting pucks at your goalies’ head or when they are not looking. This rule should be enforced from the beginning of the year; nothing destroys a goalies’ confidence more than shots aimed at their head. This can also cause a serious injury.
- Do not allow your players to take slap shots from inside the top of the face-off circles; again, it’s about building up goalie’s confidence.
- Teach goalies the four “R’s” of goaltending – READ the play, READY for the shot, REACT to the shot, RESPOND to the puck.
- Encourage your goalies to work on their puckhandling and shooting skills.
- Incorporate goalies into team drills— for example have them stop puck behind net on breakouts and leave it for teammate to pick it up or have them shoot puck ahead to teammate.
- It’s possible to run effective team drills without having a goalie in the net while they are off working on their individual skills on different part of the ice.
- Teach your goalie to talk it up and give helpful tips to their teammates such as icing, screen, player in front, changing, clear it etc.
- Teach your goalie to understand various calls by the referees so they know when to head to bench on a delayed penalty.
- Coach should try not to criticize the play of their goalies in front of teammates. There are usually three to five other players on the ice at the same time who share the responsibility of preventing a goal. When choosing to discuss game performance issues, it’s best to do it on an individual basis and before the next ice time, when emotions are not part of the mix so goalies can give full attention to correcting mistakes.
- Think carefully about removing your goalie during a game for poor play, when possible make any change between periods.
- Coaches need to control their reactions/emotions on bench when goalie gives up a goal. Goalies typically feel bad enough when that happens and it doesn’t help the situation when they look at bench and see coach upset and/or screaming at them.
- Encourage your goalie to develop a post-goal routine so they can mentally analyze what happened on a goal in a short period of time and refocus on stopping the next shot by the time the puck is dropped at center ice.
- Make sure your goalie gets a good pre-game warm-up with plenty of quality, stoppable shots.
- Successful goaltenders compete, are consistent and play with confidence; build your goalies confidence, improve their play, improve their play, improve your team win-loss record.
- If your association holds goalie clinics, make every effort to have designated goalie coach attend – taking notes and/or helping out on the ice. Build on what’s being taught at the clinics during team practices.
- Be good to your goalies, and chances are, your goalies will be good to you and your team.
- For more goalie development information, visit www.usahockeygoaltending.com or the goalie page at www.minnesotahockey.org (located under the players tab).
