State TeamCoach Handbook

Table of Content

03

03

04

05

06

08

09

10

10

13

14

14

15

Pre-Tournament

Selections

What to Look For in Each Player

State Squad Development Camp Weekend

Training Sessions

Communication

Officials Expectations and Organisation

During Tournament

Start of Nationals

During Games

Post Tournament

Evaluations and Reports

Our Partners

3

Pre-Tournament

Selections will take place in two stages. Firstly, at the junior age State Championships then final selection at the NSW Squad Training Weekend/s. Squad numbers to be selected from the State Championships will be determined by Hockey NSW Selection Policy and communicated in the lead up to the event. During the selection process it is important that you adhere to confidentiality requirements until the selections have been released.

At the beginning of the State Championships you will start off with a list of every player participating in the State Championship with information regarding their association/team and DOB. The selection panel is made up of the State Head Coach, State Assistant Coach, Blues Head Coach, Blues Assistant Coach and an Independent Selector. The selection panel have the duty of watching as many games as possible from every

division to ensure that every athlete has a fair chance of gaining selection. It is important that you are seen to be attentive when watching the games. Using a draw in this process can be helpful to create a schedule for viewing games so selectors can be seen at every game where possible.

The selection panel will need to schedule meetings to compare notes and identify players at certain intervals during the day. Keep in mind that discussions around identified players need to be in line with the playing principles for that age group. At the duration of the event you will need to sign off on the squad that has been selected from the State Championship and await approval from Hockey NSW. Once approved the squad will then be released on social media and the Hockey NSW website.

1. SELECTIONS

4

The selection panel should use the following areas to identify players for selection into the State Squad/NSW Team.

01

2. WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN EACH PLAYER

Skills

When you are assessing players skill level you should stick to the HNSW Playing Principles. This will ensure that selections are transparent and can be discussed with selectors on a professional level. The playing principles have been divided into age specific levels to show a progression from U13’s to U21’s and can be viewed on the attached Powerpoint:Playing Principles for Selection (Powerpoint)

02 Citizenship

Athletes that represent Hockey NSW are expected to display high levels of citizenship both on and off the pitch. Examples of citizenship can include:

• Respecting the officials, opposition and your team• Assisting coaches and managers when they need

help• Participating training and games with a good

attitude, team first mentality• Respecting the playing environment, keep it clean

03 Coachability

Coachable athletes are able to listen to instructions and apply it to a training sessions or match to improve an area of their game. The player is also able to listen to their coach and take feedback on board.

04 Game Awareness

Players that have a good level of game awareness are able to recognise the situation they are in both on and off the ball. On the ball they are able to make good decisions with what they are faced with and have the ability to use their team-mates at the appropriate times. Off the ball they are able to hold space in their position to assist the team in building up the ball/create an option.

05 Positional

Keep in mind that players at State Championships may be playing out of position to fulfil a role in their team. Take note of their versatility but have in mind that their strengths can be suited to a different position when selecting a squad.

5

3. STATE SQUAD DEVELOPMENT CAMP WEEKEND

After the State Squad has been announced all members will attend a Development Camp Weekend for the final selection into a State Team. The camp focus can be split into three categories:

• Playing Principles and Skill Development

• Receiving Skills

• Distribution Skills

• Offensive Skills

• Defensive Skills

• Game Play Development - With Ball and Without Ball

• Goal Keeping

• Athlete Identification

• Match Play and Playing Patterns

A speed endurance test (Yo-Yo) will be conducted to test the athletes current physical condition. Athletes should be encouraged to produce their best score on the day. Goalkeepers will be assessed with a specialised GK Speed Endurance Test.

The speed endurance test guidelines have been attached:

Speed Endurance Guidelines

GK Speed Endurance Test

Camp Schedule Example

6

01

4. TRAINING SESSIONS

Goal Setting

Goal setting is a good way to get the team on the same page and keep everyone on track during the whole process. Players and coaches need to have individual goals to assist in achieving team goals. Goals need to be concise and kept to a reasonable number to ensure everyone has a clear understanding of what you are trying to achieve. The goals that you set should involve on and off field goals to assist with building the team culture.

All team members should be involved in creating the team goals. This will give them a sense of ownership and they will be more likely to work hard to achieve the goals they have set. Coaches may choose to guide the players in a certain direction but the information you gather from the players can be useful in gaining an understanding of where the playing group is at. Keep in mind that goals need to be process-driven. The long term goal is a Gold Medal at Nationals but what do you need to execute to achieve this goal? Goals can be fluid and changed as needed as you progress through the training weekends. When you get to Nationals your goals should be set based off what is needed for your team to be successful.

02 Playing Style

Understand the playing style you would like the team to play and how you will be able to communicate this to the team in a way they can understand and implement. The playing style will take some time to develop into its full potential. Keep in mind that the playing principles can be used to assist you in developing the playing style. Make sure the playing style is kept simple so that the players can have this in mind when they are playing and find themselves in a tricky situation.

03 Key Understandings – Outletting & Pressing

Consider the following points when communicating the teams playing style:

As a coach you need to understand what KPI’s will contribute to your playing style being successful and communicate these to the team. Use positive reinforcement when it is demonstrated successfully and encouragement when it is close to being successful.

3.1 Outletting

• What structure will you outlet with (Eg: 3:2:2:3, 4:1:2:3 etc)

• What are the positional requirements to facilitate the outlet

• How will you use this outlet to build up/keep possession.

• Why outlet in this structure and in what situation would you change

3.2 Press

• What structure will you press with (Eg: Full press, slant, half-court)

• What are the positional requirements to facilitate the press.

• How will you recover if the press gets broken/ breaks down

• Why press in this structure and in what situation would you change.

• •Make sure each player/position understands their role

7

04 Team Building/Bonding Activities

It is really important to build a sense of unity in the group, when things go wrong on the field the tighter your team the more they’ll work for each other to get through it.

Selecting activities to do can be hard but you need to have a goal in mind. Does the team know each other already, is it a new group that haven’t really played together yet? It’s important to make the activities challenging and as fun as possible so the group stays engaged.

It is your job to get a group of individuals that can not only win on the field but enjoy working with each other. A lot of successful coaches will tell you a group of outstanding players doesn’t always make a great team, so building team spirit goes a long way to bringing victory at championships.

05 Set Plays

In crucial situations, set-plays can be the difference between winning or losing a match. Without having a lot of preparation time it is important that you keep it simple and focus on the development of the required specialist skills and understanding of how to execute a set-play effectively. Attached is a Powerpoint with a database of Penalty Corner Attack and Defence Options and Long Corner Attack and Defence Principles:

Set-Plays Ideas (Powerpoint)

06 Drill ideas

When planning your drills for a training weekend keep in mind the drills that you did on the selection weekend. You may choose to use a drill from the weekend or a progression of each drill to add layers to the athletes learning and development. The “team playing principles” can be introduced on these weekends and they can be used to assist you in developing the teams playing style. Remember to make time to practice your set plays and “Plan B” scenarios:

Drill Ideas (Powerpoint)

4. TRAINING SESSIONS (cont.)

8

01 Pre-Session Communications

Be prepared early and take the initiative to open communication channels with your team and other support staff. Make contact with your support staff at the earliest possible date to make sure that you are presenting a united front when communicating on behalf of the staff to the team. Creating a weekly/fortnightly newsletter can keep everyone connected and allow you to get organised before each training session and leading into the tournament.

03 Hudl

Hudl is an important tool that can be used to communicate with your athletes, view clips and videos of past games or recent training sessions. If used in the correct way it can be very beneficial in preparation for Nationals. Hudl can be used on an Ipad at training to film a drill and review straight away so improvements can be made.

04 Email

An email will need to be sent out prior to each training weekend outlining expectations and information for the weekend. Athletes will need to be reminded to bring uniform, food for breaks, hydration, notebook, PCD equipment etc.

5. COMMUNICATION

02WhatsApp/Viber (Parents only, no children)

Using communication Apps can be useful for staying connected and delivering quick messages to keep everyone up to date. Long messages should be sent via email, quick reminders and messages are appropriate for this form of communication.

Pre-Nationals chats to stay connected leading into Champions

9

01Room Allocations (Discussion with Team Manager)

Room Allocations should be done in consultation with the team manager to find a good combination for each room. Get to know your players personalities and possible friendships that have started to take place. You will need to make sure that everyone will feel comfortable with their room-mates.

03 Manager Expectations

Form a relationship early with your manager as it will be important that you are able to work well together and present a united front for the group. Work together when constructing the daily schedule to make sure athletes are looked after both on and off the pitch. Athletes can often feel more comfortable talking to the manager with any problems or concerns that they may have. If the information can be useful to the coach they can communicate this in a confidential way.

Leading into a training weekend you will need work with the manager to finalise any information that is needed to be communicated to players and parents. You will also need to communicate with the manager for any equipment that you will need for a training weekend or Nationals.

04 Physio Expectations

Communicate with the physio early to make sure they understand what they will be responsible for during training sessions and at Nationals. Delegate tasks that the physio is qualified to run to allow yourself time to focus on training or the game.

A physio should be responsible for the team walk and stretch, recovery sessions, physical warm up and cool down for trainings and games. Make sure that the physical warm up for training and games are hockey appropriate and fit into the time constraints pre-game.

6. OFFICIALS EXPECTATIONS & ORGANISATION

02Ideal Meals – U18s should buy and cook their own meals with assistance

Nutrition during a National Championships is very important to ensure that an athlete has enough energy to back up performances each day and execute to their potential each game. Encourage athletes to fuel their bodies appropriately for competition. U18s age groups should be able to buy and cook their own meals, however it is a good idea to get athletes to create shopping list to ensure nutritional requirements are being met and all meals have been covered.

The following link is provided by NSWIS to give you some helpful tips around performance and nutrition:

NSWIS Nutrition Booklet

10

During Tournament

7. START OF NATIONALS

10

01 Team Meetings

Team Meetings need to have an agenda and be age appropriate for the team that you have. Make sure you have planned what information you need to present to the team in each meeting leading into the tournament so athletes are not bombarded with too much information all at once. Meetings need to have a time limit so players can stay engaged and the topic of the meeting is not lost. As a general rule, meetings should get shorter as you go through the tournament. Athletes will all learn differently so it is important that you can cater to all athletes learning needs. Making the meetings interactive will keep athletes engaged and assist them in thinking about different scenarios in a game.

02 Team Rules/Expectations

3.2

Teams Rules and Expectations need to be set for the whole team, staff included. This will make sure everyone is on the same page and accountable for how the team will operate together. Rules should be focused on day-to-day operations, citizenship and how you want to be seen in public representing NSW. Make sure the teams rules/expectation line up with your teams culture.

A good time to set out Team rules and expectations is at the 1st Training Weekend.

11

03 Daily Routines

Daily Schedules should be kept consistent during the tournament so that athletes can get into a routine to assist with preparations. Make sure you set the schedule the day before so players have time to review and plan the next day.

Items to consider in a daily schedule:Wake up time, team walk, shopping run, bus leaving times, pre-game meeting, warm-up time, post-game meeting, physio treatment time, down time, meal times and lights out.

One important item to include in your schedule is “down time” for both athletes and staff. National Championships can be a busy and stressful time for both athletes and staff so make sure you are able to switch off in these “down times”.

• Daily Schedule Template (Word)• Daily Schedule Game Day Example (Word)

04 Social Media Guidelines (refer to policy if possible)

Introduce the HNSW Guidelines to staff and players at the start of the campaign.

05 Individual Meetings

Individual meetings can be used to catch up with players in the lead up to Nationals as a way of pumping up the athlete and gauging how they are feeling heading into first game. The purpose of this meeting should be to outline the strengths the player brings to the team and the role they can play to help the team succeed. Find out if they have any questions regarding playing style and structure to clear up any uncertainties they may have. Use this time to ask how they are feeling heading into the tournament and reassure them of any concerns and emphasis the team culture that has been developed and how it will support them though the tournament. Remember to keep it short, 5-10minutes.

Make the guidelines clear and relevant to the team rules/culture. It can be helpful to give examples of these guidelines that can be applied to your team rules.

Hockey NSW Social Media Policy

• Respect for one another• Everyone has a voice that should be heard• Inclusive• Team first mentality• Mentality of learning together and helping up

your team-mates• Self accountability/responsibility• Encourage players to form connections with

other players and staff

Examples of team expectations that you may choose to incorporate:

06 Line Meetings

Line meetings can be helpful in connecting the players with a common positional goal that they can all work towards. Players may also feel more comfortable to put forward their thoughts and feelings in a smaller group environment with their peers. Goals that are discussed should be in line with the teams playing style and outcomes need from that playing group to assist with the success of the team. U13’s and U15’s age groups may need a coach to sit in a line meeting to facilitate the start of the conversation. Outcomes from the line meetings can be used in pre-game meetings as a goal for the match.

12

07 Video Reviews

Video reviews can be useful for players to see different opportunities in a game that they wouldn’t be able to see otherwise. Video can be used in a meeting to show examples of structure, opposition play, set plays and a break-down of a technique in a skill. Video used in a team meeting should complement the information that you are presenting at that stage. Avoid showing too many clips as the information can become muddled, instead show clips that best demonstrate what you are trying to get across. Remember to have a balance of clips in a meeting, areas that need to be improved (learnings) and positive reinforcement.

As a coach, keep in mind that you don’t need to be watching hours on end of video footage. Most games are now coded/tagged which can help you find what you are looking for much faster.

08 Rotation Matrix

Rotations during a game need to be organised in a simple and flexible manner. Ensure players in younger age groups have equal opportunity on the pitch using your rotations. Playing time can vary as you move up towards the U21s level on beyond. To ensure rotations run smoothly have either the manager or assistant coach run the substitutions:

Player Rotations (Excel)

Post game reviews can be conducted in two different ways. Firstly, informal meetings can happen straight after a game where players can convey their initial thoughts on the game. Take these thoughts and feelings into account when planning your formal post-game review. Link your post-game review back to your pre-game goals and playing style. Stick to the process and try not to get caught up in your emotions when reviewing a game.

09 Post-Game Review

A coaches post game view can change from straight after a game to a few hours later so remember not to jump to conclusions but take in all information to gain a broader understanding of the game.

13

8. DURING GAMES

01 Communication with Players During Games

Get to know your players and how they re-act to different types of communication during a game. Some players like getting constant feedback during each substitution, other players re-act well to positive reinforcement. Be aware when you are delivering feedback to a player that could be seen as negative to keep your communication instructional and link it back to the game plan or the team playing style.

Remember to keep you sideline demeanour and communication in check. How you conduct yourself can affect players during the game. Keep your body language and communication constructive and positive to benefit the team.

3.2

Plan early for situations that could happen in a game. Keep in mind that you will need to talk through different situations and practice/walk through what will happen in each situation so everyone has an understanding of what will happen. Some situations you need to consider having a plan for include:

02 Managing Subs and Rotations

Communicate the importance of sticking to the rotation and not going back on early and acknowledging when someone calls your sub. Have the conversation early that in crunch games the substitutions could change but it will only be done for the good of the team and the role that everyone plays is important. This conversation should only be needed in the top age groups, in the younger age groups you need to think about the development of all players evenly.

To ensure that the rotations run smoothly have either the assistant coach or manager oversee the process.

03 Have a ’Plan B’ for Different Situations

• 1 player gets a Green/Yellow card. • Structure for playing with 10 players/9 players

etc• Playing without a GK, how does an extra field

player change your structure?• Player/s gets injured/becomes ill. How does

this effect your rotations?• PCD with 3 players• Long delay in a game for weather etc.• How you will outlet against different types of

press and vise versa• How will you play when you are chasing down

a game• How will you play when closing down a game

that is a must win• Head coach sent from the bench. How do roles

change?

Download Plan B Situations

1414

Post Tournament

9. REPORTS AND EVALUATIONS

14

There are some required evaluations to be completed post-tournament, they are listed below:

They will both be sent to you by the Hockey NSW State Teams Manager once the Nationals has completed.

The Hockey NSW Report/Evalution will require you to answer questions around how satisfied you were with your experiences in Car Hire, Accommodation, Service and Information provided by Hockey NSW. This will also require you to name your best performing athletes in order from 3-2-1.

The Tournament Report/Review will be a more in-depth review of the championships from a ‘Playing Principles’ point of view. You will rate your team’s performances in the ‘Hockey NSW Playing Principles’. This allows Hockey NSW to identify areas that require improvements for their future programs.

• Hockey NSW Report/Evaluation • Tournament Report/Evaluation

15

OUR PARTNERSIt’s all thanks to

HOCKEY NSW CELEBRATES THE SUPPORT OF OUR VALUED PARTNERS

Level 3

Sydney Olympic Park Hockey Centre

Shirley Strickland Ave, Sydney Olympic Park 2127

(02) 9764 1911

hockey@hockeynsw.com.au

www.hockeynsw.com.au

Contact