February 10, 2012
Posted in BC Edition, Alberta Edition, Ontario Edition, Development
BY HAYLEY WICKENHEISER, hayleywickenheiser.com /
I have had the opportunity to work with some amazing coaches over my 20-year hockey career but there have also been some trying experiences with coaches who I didn’t see eye to eye with.
In retrospect I have learned a lot from both the great coaches AND the not-so-great coaches; about the game, how to play it, and how to be adaptable.
Here are some of the lessons I have taken away from various coaches (most of whom will remain nameless), over the years.
Define yourself
Figure out what you are good at, where you excel and really shine and then be the best at it.
If you are a fast-skating, playmaking forward, then key-in on those skills, practice them and carve out that role on your team.
If you are a defensive defenseman then defend, defend, defend.
Don’t be something you are not and a coach will help you zero-in on your strengths.
Ask them.
You might be surprised by what they say.
If you don’t know, ask
Not sure why you are playing that line? Not sure what she meant by that drill? Wondering about your off-ice regime? Ask. I think that this is somewhat of a moot point with female players – who are much more likely to question…well, everything—it’s our nature.
Women want to know the ‘why,’ whereas usually men just want to know the ‘what’ and ‘how.’ At least, that has been my experience playing on teams with both men and women.
But the point remains the same. I have found that coaches are remarkably more approachable than you might think. If you are a pro-active player and are straight-up and honest with your questions, a coach is likely to give you a response. They might not provide the answer you are searching for and they may have reasons they don’t wish to share, but at least they can direct you.
Yes, sometimes even when we ask, we don’t need to know our coach’s reasoning and it’s best to just let it go and play. Which brings me to yet another important lesson…
Coaches coach, players play
Hopefully you have a good coach, but ultimately, even if you don’t, they are the leader of the team so sometimes you just have to let go of it all and just play.
I have played for coaches with wacky ideas but we all bought into it.
I have played on teams that have won gold medals when coaching conditions were less than ideal.
I’ve also won gold medals when coaching conditions were ideal.
As long as we were all moving in the same ‘wacky’ direction, it can work. I am not saying you shouldn’t ask questions, though.
Be coachable
Coaches love players who are easy to coach.
Learn to take constructive criticism and put it to good use.
Approach direction from your coach with an open mind even if you don’t see what she or he sees.
They have a different perspective on your game that is impossible for you to have. Let them coach you.
There have been coaches I didn’t always get along with or agree with but I would take what they would say and adapt it to what I know. I gave it my own personal context.
Don’t automatically resist change
I am always interested in figuring out what makes great athletes great. So when I met up with Mike Babcock, head coach of the Detroit Red Wings and the 2010 Team Canada Men’s Hockey Team, I asked him what made Nicklas Lidström such a successful player.
Here is a guy who is in his 40s and still a powerhouse in the NHL.
Babcock said he’s in unbelievable shape, sure, but what sets him apart is he is always open to new ideas.
He doesn’t think he knows everything, and he never resists change.
There will always be a learning opportunity from every coach if you approach that relationship with an open mind and heart.
While you may encounter coaches you don’t want to play for, don’t be so quick to put your coach in a box, you never know what gems they are waiting to share with a player who is ready to receive.
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