The 'components' system is a way to plan your season to ensure your kids are having fun while also keeping them engaged and improving their skills. The season is split into 4 components that overlap through the season to ensure progression as the season carries on. The section below (Your team) shows you the skills and tactics you'll need to reinforce for your particular team and suggests drills to help you achieve these.
In the first 4 sessions, you should ideally be focusing on the basics. The structure of your sessions (below) will allow you to spend some time doing drills and playing games that begin your player's progression.
In the next 4 sessions, it would pay to being introducing some of the newer/more complex skills. Try to combine these into the drills that really work on the basics to give your players a solid backbone for their hockey!
These next 3 sessions will see you really test the kids' understanding and ability. Keep reinforcing the newer skills above while introducing games and drills that allow them to progress their hockey understanding.
In the final couple of weeks you can really focus on bringing everything together. Their hockey mind and foundation of skills can see them trying harder, more complex drills and games.
Below you'll see the rough progression breakdowns for players in teams at different stages of their hockey journeys. Of the 5 stages, pick the one that best describes the team you're coaching and use the guides within to help plan your sessions - ensuring your players are learning and reinforcing the correct skills and tactics.
We understand if viewing things online isn't your thing, so if you'd prefer, you can find the full Westie Sticks document here for you to explore at your own time!
