Every coach brings his or her own philosophy and creativity to a team. That’s what makes coaching so dynamic and rewarding. We have a responsibility to put the needs of the athlete first. Very often those needs get lost in an paradigm not suitable for young children. It’s often a great challenge to view the sport through the eyes of the athlete, rather than through those of an adult coach, or a group of parents. What do 9 year old players want in a practice? They want to compete. They want to improve their individual skills. They want to see results and feel they can contribute to the team. Every player dreams of scoring a winning goal in overtime or making the big save to win a game. As Stickhandling Guru Sean Skinner told us at a coaching seminar in Boston a few years ago, “The more tricks a player has in his/her bag, the more options they will see on the ice under pressure.” We strongly believe that helping kids improve their individual skills, allowing them to experiment in fun competitive situations, and creating an environment for personal growth will lead to success on the ice and in their lives. It’s this paradigm that has led us to the creation of the Hockey Drills App.  Please check it out on iTunes or your App Store by searching for Hockey Drills.