Study Those Systems

Great game today gentlemen! Once again you all worked hard and executed your roles very well.

Coverage in front of our net was better than ever. We really have to keep an eye on this. They’re first goal happened because we left a guy open. We REALLY don’t want opposition players getting lonely in front of our net. Keep the company! Cover them, relentlessly, always touching them.

What you did for your mom’s today was very nice guys, and very admirable. The pink tape was a great idea.

Please study the five systems sheets that we handed out today. Study them and learn them. Memorize them. Be ready to execute them next game.

Your coaches worked to select and map out those systems. I hope you can see that your coaches are working hard to help you all achieve. Also, your fellow players will be doing their best to study and memorize our systems. Please don’t be the only player that doesn’t do so. Please don’t be the weak link. Let’s use these systems! They work!

We talked about back checking today. Back checking is not simply about running back to our zone to set up our zone defence. Back checking also focuses on tracking down the ball carrier and stripping the ball.

The closest Hawk forward has to track down that ball carrier and strip the ball! Run full out! Catch him! Surprise him! Lift his stick and head back down the floor, to their zone, with the ball!

Lastly, I really want to emphasize the three-deep and four-deep zone defence systems. Our coverage in our zone has been a little sporadic. We’ve been caught running around quite a bit. That means we’re not playing our positions. Study the three-deep and four-deep systems, and stick to your role. We can’t simply chase the ball around our zone.

We have a great team Hawks! And a great opportunity to go all the way this season. We’ve come a long way in a short time, and I know we can keep learning and improving.

Go Hawks!

Coach Steve