Does your team communicate with the same language? In his presentation on the Language of Hockey at the 2012 Hockey Coaches Conference, Troy Ward made a case for why all coaches should consider their team's language and ensure that coaches and players a like are using the terminology. 

Consistent terminology and phrasing in hockey is crucial for several important reasons:

First, it helps players develop trust in their coaches and builds confidence, which leads to more responsibility and ice time. When everyone on the team uses the same language and understands the same concepts, execution becomes more efficient.

For example, when coaches introduce tactical concepts like offensive zone play, having common terminology ensures players understand their roles and can communicate effectively. This allows teams to practice specific situations rather than just practicing for the sake of practicing.

This consistency is particularly valuable because:

• It makes team coordination more efficient - when players and coaches share the same language, less time needs to be spent explaining basic systems and tactics
• It enables better communication during high-pressure situations - players need to constantly communicate threats and opportunities, especially during specialized situations like penalty kills
• It allows coaches to spend more time on skill development and competitive drills rather than repeatedly explaining basic concepts

When teams establish consistent terminology, they can focus on innovation and development rather than getting stuck on basic communication issues.