“The more they can get touches after or before practice is huge.”
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In episode #233 of the Glass and Out Podcast, we're joined by Dwayne Blais, who is a Player Development Consultant with the Detroit Red Wings, and for our money, one of the top development coaches in the world.
Blais has over 20 years of experience in the game, specifically focused on how players improve on the mechanics and habits that exist within their individual game, so that they can bring more value to their respective teams.
Check out his on-ice TCS Live presentation on Implementing Skills to Play with Pace and his Global Skills Showcase talk on Breaking Down the Skill of Deception.
Listen as he shares why kids should be carrying their own hockey bags, why playing fast is about more than just skating fast, and why the key to skill development is simply more touches.
VIDEO TIMESTAMPS:
- 0:10 Early success of Red Wings
- 2:00 Day to day job as skills coach
- 3:20 Key skills for making jump to pro hockey
- 8:15 Do we do enough to support young players?
- 12:10 Tips for improving hockey sense
- 17:00 Helping young players improve scanning
- 20:20 Playing slow is okay
- 24:30 Tips on improving passing and receiving
- 28:20 How he learned to break down skills
- 36:00 How his background in physiology helped his coaching
- 39:20 Keeping players skills in rhythm during season
- 43:00 Being in sync with players and improving skills
- 48:40 Coaches praising smaller parts of player's game
- 52:40 Explaining hockey language to players
- 57:10 Designing a skills power play practice
- 1:04:20 Playing for Steve Spott
- 1:11:30 Development tips for parents and young players
