There's more room than ever for creativity in hockey, and that goes for coaches as well as players. We all want our players to be as creative as possible, right? It makes them:

• difficult for the opponent to predict
• collect new skills faster and more efficiently
• more fun for teammates to play with

Creativity was the name of the game for David Manning's presentation at St. Andrew's College in the fall of 2024. 

"Build that environment in practice and encourage them to solve problems."

For Manning, building environments in practice starts with deliberate play. As coaches we're guilty of defining the parameters of practices down to the inch, the minute. That's our job, it makes sense, but there isn't a lot of outdoor rink hockey these days, and whether we're looking at the ice budget or not, the truth is that young people get massive gains from playing on their terms. It promotes autonomy, they own the situation according to Manning. 

We put a lot of pressure on ourselves to design perfect practices, but we're adults, we at least possess some knowledge of dealing with pressure. Many of our players are dealing pressure for the first time. 

• Pressure in school
• Pressure from parents to perform on and off the ice
• Peer pressure - the pressure to fit in or stand out
• Pressure to make it to the next level (often before they're ready)

Imagine stepping on the ice for practice every day, a safe, enjoyable place, and instantly worrying about impressing the coach. Your relationship with the players is paramount to their success, because tight, reserved players are a lot more hesitant to try new things and get out of their comfort zone. Time to direct their own development, under the umbrella of your team, is vital to confidence, composure, and ultimately, improvement. 

For Manning, diversifying sports and becoming well-rounded athletes directly pays off on the ice. It makes them better people as well! They learn more about confronting challenges and ultimately solving problems when they're faced with a wider range of roadblocks than hockey on its own can provide. 

Noteworthy Timestamps:

• 1:20 The 5 W’s
• 4:00 Coaches responsibility
• 6:10 The 6 D’s
• 6:55 Deliberate play
• 9:45 Diversification
• 11:55 Deliberate practice
• 13:50 One-dimensional games
• 15:00 Deliberate coaching
• 17:30 Deliberate motivation
• 19:40 Bank Robber 4v4
• 23:00 3v2 to Hi 2v1
• 25:10 Level Up 2x 2v1