In Game Over-Coaching

Brian GIllam
Feb 2
3 min read

Updated: Mar 27

In any discussion on in game over-coaching two key topics take center stage:

Joystick Coaching
Constant Correction

Hot Take - Neither one works.

Joystick Coaching...we have all seen it and at times may have all tried it. The art of standing on the bench, yelling instructions to your players on what to do and when to do it. "Pass the puck", "Get it deep", "Skate", "Shoot it". Do we really need to tell hockey players to pass the puck? Skate? Shoot? Do they not know this already?

When you stand on the bench directing players in their actions you are sending a loud message to players. I do not trust you to think for yourself. To solve your own problems, to be creative. You are not willing to let them make mistakes and learn from those mistakes.

It also sends another message...practice may not be developing players effectively. If you have to stand on the bench and direct players in what to do and when, then perhaps you have failed them in practice.

There is so much benefit to putting trust in your players. Allowing them to play the game with freedom, knowing it will be OK to make some mistakes. It generates creativity and skillfulness while also increasing their enjoyment of playing the game.

Lets get down off the bench and put away the game controllers. Trust them, trust the work you have done in practice and let them play. You will be rewarded and so they will they.

Constant Correction...every time players come off the ice you take out the iPad, or the whiteboard, or you have something to say to one or more players. And often, its all over the map. One shift its about poor puck protection and some turnover. Next shift its about their compete. Then their defensive zone coverage is not good. How do you expect players to digest all that information and place any value on it? Its simply to much. This over coaching is creating information overload and as a result none of it sticks.

You can counter this over coaching with some simple approaches:

Let them play. Be patient and willing to allow some mistakes. Taker notes on the mistakes you are seeing to address in practice. Highlight a recurring mistake and focus only on that one...but not constantly.
Set a learning focus prior to the game. "Today's game we are going to play with puck confidence and make good pass decisions". The players now have a focus, and you have something to base any periodic corrections and feedback on. No more overload.
Provide simple reminders to players on the bench during the play. As the game is being played you can provide simple reminders rather than waiting for mistakes to occur. Its not directed at any player or group of players. You are just sharing a simple reminder.
Focus on positive reinforcement of the good things they are doing rather then always raising the mistakes.

However, there is another consideration here. Does in game correction even work or can it work? We must understand learning and the role of correction and feedback to answer this. If corrective feedback is to have an impact, it must be (1) immediate and (2) the player must be able to use that feedback immediately to make the correction. Both are out of our control during games, therefore the value of corrective feedback is greatly diminished.

Example - Tommy goes on the ice for his shift. 15 seconds in he takes a shot and misses the net. He stays on for 40 more seconds and then comes off the ice. You meet him with "Tommy you have to start hitting the net. Your eyes are down all the time. You must get your eyes up when shooting".

Is this correction immediate? No, its almost 1 minute after the fact. Can Tommy take that feedback and go back on the ice right away and take a shot on net, trying to raise his eyes? No. He has to sit and wait for his next shift (maybe 2 minutes) and there is no guarantee he will even get a shot on net again. This fact about role of feedback now raises questions on the effectiveness of in game correction.

Coaches want to coach and help their players. That's what we do. But the next time you are on the bench think about over coaching. Are you creating information overload? Is your feedback all over the map? Are players able to effectively use your feedback? You may realize that in this case less may be better.

In Game Over-Coaching

In any discussion on in game over-coaching two key topics take center stage:

Joystick Coaching

Constant Correction

Hot Take - Neither one works.

When you stand on the bench directing players in their actions you are sending a loud message to players. I do not trust you to think for yourself. To solve your own problems, to be creative. You are not willing to let them make mistakes and learn from those mistakes.

It also sends another message...practice may not be developing players effectively. If you have to stand on the bench and direct players in what to do and when, then perhaps you have failed them in practice.

There is so much benefit to putting trust in your players. Allowing them to play the game with freedom, knowing it will be OK to make some mistakes. It generates creativity and skillfulness while also increasing their enjoyment of playing the game.

Lets get down off the bench and put away the game controllers. Trust them, trust the work you have done in practice and let them play. You will be rewarded and so they will they.

You can counter this over coaching with some simple approaches:

Let them play. Be patient and willing to allow some mistakes. Taker notes on the mistakes you are seeing to address in practice. Highlight a recurring mistake and focus only on that one...but not constantly.

Set a learning focus prior to the game. "Today's game we are going to play with puck confidence and make good pass decisions". The players now have a focus, and you have something to base any periodic corrections and feedback on. No more overload.

Provide simple reminders to players on the bench during the play. As the game is being played you can provide simple reminders rather than waiting for mistakes to occur. Its not directed at any player or group of players. You are just sharing a simple reminder.

Focus on positive reinforcement of the good things they are doing rather then always raising the mistakes.

Example - Tommy goes on the ice for his shift. 15 seconds in he takes a shot and misses the net. He stays on for 40 more seconds and then comes off the ice. You meet him with "Tommy you have to start hitting the net. Your eyes are down all the time. You must get your eyes up when shooting".

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In any discussion on in game over-coaching two key topics take center stage:

Joystick Coaching

Constant Correction

Hot Take - Neither one works.

​

When you stand on the bench directing players in their actions you are sending a loud message to players. I do not trust you to think for yourself. To solve your own problems, to be creative. You are not willing to let them make mistakes and learn from those mistakes.

It also sends another message...practice may not be developing players effectively. If you have to stand on the bench and direct players in what to do and when, then perhaps you have failed them in practice.

There is so much benefit to putting trust in your players. Allowing them to play the game with freedom, knowing it will be OK to make some mistakes. It generates creativity and skillfulness while also increasing their enjoyment of playing the game.

Lets get down off the bench and put away the game controllers. Trust them, trust the work you have done in practice and let them play. You will be rewarded and so they will they.

​

​

You can counter this over coaching with some simple approaches:

Let them play. Be patient and willing to allow some mistakes. Taker notes on the mistakes you are seeing to address in practice. Highlight a recurring mistake and focus only on that one...but not constantly.

Set a learning focus prior to the game. "Today's game we are going to play with puck confidence and make good pass decisions". The players now have a focus, and you have something to base any periodic corrections and feedback on. No more overload.

Provide simple reminders to players on the bench during the play. As the game is being played you can provide simple reminders rather than waiting for mistakes to occur. Its not directed at any player or group of players. You are just sharing a simple reminder.

Focus on positive reinforcement of the good things they are doing rather then always raising the mistakes.

Example - Tommy goes on the ice for his shift. 15 seconds in he takes a shot and misses the net. He stays on for 40 more seconds and then comes off the ice. You meet him with "Tommy you have to start hitting the net. Your eyes are down all the time. You must get your eyes up when shooting".

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