Just like we do from our athletes, we expect ourselves to be better than we were yesterday. That is why we put so much emphasis on planning, and enhancing our skills sessions, so our associations and players get the absolute most they can from them. We take this development responsibility very seriously, with how much trust our clients have put in us. At the end of the day, improving individual skill sets is how your team gets better. Systems can not compensate for lack of skill.

Some important considerations we take into account for a successful team development session- 

• Have we connected with team staff in advance, and preferably, also watched the team play to determine what we base our time together around? What skills need to be addressed? Perhaps it’s position-specific? Tailoring sessions is vital. 
• How are we going to involve as many players as we can at the start of the session, so everybody is engaged early? 
• Are we maximizing the ice surface, and ice time? Rep counts matter! 
• Are we prepared well enough to regress or progress a drill based on success levels?
• What additional skill components are we building into sequences? 
• How are we going to implement a game transfer after skill acquirement/building time? Team concept work, relatable small area game?
• Is our coach to player ratio the best it can be?
• Are we utilizing Edge Boss training aids?
• Are we implementing live video analysis at a station?
• Do players know the purpose of each drill and how it transfers to their game? We do, but do they? We find engagement elevates big time when players know the ‘why’ and how it affects them. Communicating the message in a way they understand, is crucial! 
• How are we developing and utilizing our goaltenders?
• Player/coach feedback during and after the session. Did we create a high energy, learning environment? And how can we be better next time?
• Did we provide players with resources or ways to continue improving skills on their own time? 

We are continually searching for ways to maximize the value of our sessions, and achieve our 3 core values. Transfer skill to  game environments, prepare players to play at the next level, and build leadership skills by keeping practices energetic, detailed, and fun.