Oct 24 Tip: Tracking Rebounds in The Dirty Area

• Rebounds account for roughly 25% of all goals scored in hockey
• By far the most likely way to score
• Tracking rebounds is a NEGLECTED SKILL
• But not neglected at The Battle Camp or any Pro Ambitions Camp
• From the youngest camper to the oldest AAA Elite camper we engrain tracking rebounds in every single player
• I cannot tell you how many times a youth player (even highly skilled AAA Elite players) take a beautiful shot and then STOP exactly when  they should be skating as fast as they can to the net
• I don’t even want them watching to see where their shot goes, let them listen, don’t take that extra half second to watch, get MOVING right to the net for THE REBOUND
• Goals matter
• That is how we win
• We teach players to go into the dirty area and track rebounds
• We teach the little campers to skate as fast as they can to the net after they take a shot and actually tap the net, this muscle memory of rushing the net becomes engrained in their way of playing hockey
• Forever
• Any coaches who are reading this…focus on tracking rebounds in every practice in the dirty areas
• The corners and the front of the net are the dirty areas
• Goals scored from there are not pretty but effective
• Goals in tight from deflections and rebounds win games
• The game has changed, not a lot of pretty goals are scored from the blueline anymore
• We train players to get their sticks right in the MIDDLE OF THE CHAOS in front of the net
• In closing, there was a youth coach once trying to justify cutting a kid from a Varsity Team, a sniper who scored the most goals during try outs. The kid and parents were  told “goals don’t matter.” That is one for the ages. That was when I knew I had heard it all .YES they do.
• Prove them wrong kids, whoever “them” is

• Fun Fact: my favorite costume as a kid: Hockey Player. Because I was always rushing to get out trick or treating coming straight from practice or a game. My neighbors would say ” Jeff come on not again!”