Angling drills take on a whole new level of competition when you can win points for your team in practice.

I can remember sitting in the office one morning in Swift Current with Brandin Cote, our other assistant coach, trying to figure out what we were going to plan for practice that day. We had a busy road schedule the week prior and were now moving into a “college week,” where we would have practice Monday through Friday before playing on the weekend.

It was the second half of the season and we were in the middle of the grind. Practices typically run shorter then as the players start to get run down. Being in a rebuilding situation, our group struggled every night to capture those elusive two points. We needed to mix it up and find a way to get some jump out of our group on a Monday.

I thought back to my time at the University of Saskatchewan. The school has a hockey class through the College of Kinesiology and our head coach asked if I’d be interested in teaching some classes. I taught some on-ice classes about skill development covering skating and puck control. In addition, I lectured in the classroom about Gamification. (Disclaimer: my education background is in digital design.)

Merriam Webster defines ‘gamification’ as “the process of adding games or game-like elements to something (such as a task) to encourage participation.” This process was first perfected in the video game industry and now is used in every facet of our world. With the ever-changing technology in the world, businesses are creating new and improved ways to get you to not only purchase their products, but also participate in their product as well. (I know at certain times of the year, a coffee chain entices me to purchase for points towards free coffee.) Gamification can use points-based, rewards-based, badges, stature, and various other ways to entice users to promote participation. I tasked students to create a drill by using gamification, and also explain the mechanics of the drill and the skill development that we were accomplishing.

When I learned about gamification, I realized I had always used it when it came to skill development with players, especially younger ones. Teaching stride mechanics to young players can be like watching paint dry for them, making it stressful to keep them engaged as a coach. I would make little competitions or races that would accomplish the same skill development, but make it fun for the players where they didn’t even realize they were working on a skill. Longer reps, better engagement, increased development – it covered all the bases. You see this now in hockey, especially in the last few years with the push for more small area games. We accomplish the same goals in terms of player development and do it in a way that the player learns more organically. Having something ‘on the line’ to compete for, no matter how mundane the task, makes practice more enjoyable.

Getting back to Swift Current, Brandin and I put together a points-based ‘Olympics’ format game day that would accomplish what we needed to work on our Monday practice. We split our group in half and took our forecheck drills in the offensive zone and neutral zone and created a points system. Additionally, the defensive team received points for good plays as well. A goalie on each team could help their team accumulate points by smothering pucks or placing rebounds. Angling drills took on a whole new level of competition when you could win points for your team.

We finished practice off with two highly competitive small area games. We had accomplished our goals for the practice, but more importantly, one team was going for ice cream and had bragging rights in the dressing room. It was a great way to break up the monotony of another Monday practice and ended up being one of the better practices of the season.

I challenge you to create a ‘games day’ once or twice throughout a season during those times where you have a lull in your schedule. Some examples are below; please share any ideas/games that you have in the comments!

Sample Gamification Practice

• Make sure to have a coach or trainer keeping score.
• Get a quick warmup in so the goalies can feel the puck.

Forecheck Dump-In Game

• Playing out a live 3v2, the offensive team dumps the puck into the zone and forechecks, while the defenders try to exit the puck as quickly as possible.
• Defenders get a point for successful walk outs and goalie covers. Offense gets a point every time they score. Top team also earns an additional 2 points.

Neutral Zone Scramble

• Players line up 5v5 in neutral zone.
• Coach spots puck in neutral zone and one team regroups, while the other team forechecks.
• Teams play 5v5 until the whistle, then teams line up again and repeat.
• Players line up a third time and coach spots puck anywhere on the ice and they play live until the whistle.
• (1 pt per entry/defend, 1 point for goal, 2 points for the total win)

Neutral Zone Angling Drill

• Players line up on either side of the red line. On the whistle, puck carrier takes puck to top of circles on their side of the ice then attacks up ice. Opponent touches up on their blueline and gets up ice to take away time and space and angle to complete check. Look for proper angle, stick placement and speed closing gap. Exaggerate checking side then force to opposite wall. Checker must skate forwards the whole time – no backwards pivoting.
• (1 pt per goal/defend, 2 points for the total win)

D Activate Neutral Zone SAG

• On possession, players must pass puck to their D who pass D-D and activate to make 4v3.
• Change of possession, D returns and the opposite D need to be activated.
• (1 pt per goal, 2 points for the win)

3v3 Ditch-a-Puck NZ SAG

• Two teams play 3v3 in the neutral zone. If players do not have a good attack option they can ditch a puck past their own blue line and receive another puck from the coach on the same half of the ice.
• (1 pt per goal, 2 points for the win)