What Does a Well-Coached Team Look Like?

They say a team always plays like their coach. That statement isn’t always true. Teams often play like their coach wants or demands. We all know what a “skilled team” looks like, but that doesn’t always translate to a well-coached team.

What are the characteristics of a well-coached team? Obviously, everyone will throw around hockey cliché’s like “tough to play against” “disciplined” “fast” “good puck moving team” and “gritty”, but in all seriousness, it doesn’t take too long to tell you’re watching a well-coached team.

The first word that comes to mind when considering or seeing well-coached teams is organized. Organized and in control of all facets of the team’s game, that’s what a well-run team looks like. You should know within the first few sequences of the game if you’re watching a well-organized or well-oiled machine. A well-coached team communicates, it moves as one, everyone is all on the same page when it comes to the executional aspects of the game the plan, especially puck movement. In saying that, well-coached teams don’t have to be “hockey playing robots”, well-coached teams have an element of creativity engrained within every player top to bottom.

Well-coached teams have great body language, if that varies messages get sent to players almost instantly. Well-coached teams possess all the cliché’s mentioned previously, but they can play any style and continue to execute and impose their will on their opponents. Well-coached teams keep coming at their opponents, they find a way, they adapt in every area of the game in order to be successful. Well-coached teams don’t showboat, they don’t care about that shit, they play the game and respect the game.

Well-coached teams respect each other, it’s hard to explain or put into words, but you can see it almost instantly by the way they interact with each other.

Players are free to be themselves on well-coached teams, but every player is held accountable and to the exact same standards that are clearly laid out from the very start of the season. Players on well-coached teams have fun coming to the rink. Players on well-coached teams know exactly where they stand and know their role within the framework of the team. Players on well-coached teams feel valued and appreciated. Players on well-coached teams will go through the wall for each other and their coaching staff. There’s a trust factor on well-coached teams that are just not present in other situations. The relationships forged on well-coached teams are second to none.

Well-coached teams don’t always win games, but they continue to work on getting better each and every day. Well-coached teams have great practices that challenge players, that help each and every player grow.

Practices are fun and entertaining; you have to drag players off the ice by the end of practice because they’re having so much fun. Well-coached teams can have fun but understand the importance of practice and take it serious and execute.

Well-coached teams are a pleasure to watch. It’s amazing when two well-coached teams face off against each other, you know you’re going to see some great hockey!