What Does Development Mean?

What is development?

The answer to that question consists of multiple layers.

From a pure developmental standpoint does an organization take pride in the numbers, tradition, culture, the wins/championships or the amount of players they have produced and help get to the next level?

What’s the track record like with the organization?

Do players fundamentally improve, like I mean really improve and get better during their tenure with the organization?

It really doesn’t matter the level whether it be U13, U15, U18 or even Major Junior, do players actually get better under the guidance of the coaching staff during their time with that organization and would that be considered “development”?

Do those organizations that promise or pride themselves as a “developmental leader” follow through or deliver on those lofty expectations or do the players that come in to the organization already have all the tools they need to excel so all they need are reps and are told when to go over the boards and just how long to stay out there.

Do these organizations have a track record for producing players?

I mean a legitimate track record like do they have a history of developing goaltenders or D-men or wingers or centers?

“Oh where did so and so play their U15 AAA? Oh they played there so they must be a solid two way player because that’s the expectation with that organization.”

Again it all goes back to what development is or what it’s believed to be.

Teams can be successful and win a shit ton of games and still not truly development or get players for the next level.

If you to watch a team play in let’s say September at the start of the season and then go watch them in let’s say early December, would they be the same? “They” in this instance doesn’t mean the team, it means the individual players, have they improved over that time frame or are they the same player you saw on your first viewing?

You see the definition of development drastically changes depending what lens you choose to look through.

Is the individual player directly responsible for their own development in any or every atmosphere or setting?

Could you imagine a Major Junior team having a track record for not producing goaltenders?

Could you imagine a Major Junior team having a track record for not producing defencemen?

“Oh that highly touted player/prospect got drafted there, that might be a tough situation for them based on how things operate with that coach and team.”

You might think that’s all bull shit, but those conversations happen more than you think.

Questions like this get asked all of the type;

What type of style do they play there?

Do they allow players to be creative?

What type of feedback is provided “in game” ?

What’s practice like there?

What do they do as far as player development is concerned?

Is there any video reinforcement?

Is there one on one video sessions offered?

How do the coaches communicate with players?

You see there’s buzz around every team or organization, some of it based solely on perception,but some of the buzz you hear is fact.

What does development really mean?

Perhaps in its most basic and stripped down form, development would involve players getting better and improving. The parameters or how people can measure “development” varies. It’s safe to say both the coach and player are responsible for their role within that framework, but that doesn’t always mean that partnership or initiative is equal or shared collectively within that endeavour.

The “developmental” debate rages on. What’s more important winning or producing players?

That’s another one of those questions that get asked a lot around the rinks.