How to Be More Coachable—and Learn More From Every Hockey Shift

Hockey players hear one word all the time:

Coachable.

Coaches love coachable players.

Parents want their kids to be coachable.

Players are often told they need to become more coachable.

But what does that actually mean?

Being coachable is not about nodding your head at everything a coach says.

It is not about never asking questions.

And it is definitely not about believing that every correction means you did something terrible.

Being coachable means being willing to learn.

In this episode of The Ride to the Rink, Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli speak directly to young players about what coaches notice on the bench and how players can get more out of the feedback they receive during games.

The Game Is a Hard Place to Learn

One important thing to understand is that learning during a hockey game is difficult.

You are tired.

The game is moving fast.

You may be thinking about your last shift.

You may be excited about your next shift.

You may be trying to drink water, catch your breath, find your line, and figure out what is happening on the ice.

Then your coach starts talking.

That is a lot.

So the goal is not to remember every single word.

The goal is to be ready to receive something useful.

Start by Being Present

One of the first things coaches notice is whether a player is actually engaged in the game.

When you come off the ice, are you sitting with your linemates?

Are you watching what is happening?

Are you communicating with your teammates?

Are you mentally still in the game?

Or have you already started talking about what you are doing later?

Younger players may drift occasionally. That is normal.

But as players get older, being mentally somewhere else on the bench becomes a bigger problem.

Hockey moves too quickly.

You may be up again in 30 seconds.

If you are not paying attention, you may miss something important.

Being present is part of becoming a better hockey player.

Coaches Notice Positive Teammates

Mike gives young players a simple habit that can make a big difference:

Say something positive to a teammate.

Maybe your linemate made a great pass and you missed it.

You can say:

“That was a perfect pass. I should have had that.”

Maybe your defense partner made a smart play.

Tell them.

Maybe your teammate worked hard to recover a puck.

Recognize it.

Those comments matter.

They show that you are paying attention.

They show that you are thinking about the game.

And they show that you care about the people beside you.

Coaches notice that.

More importantly, teammates notice it too.

Look at Your Coach

This may sound incredibly simple.

If your coach is talking to you, look at them.

You do not need to stare dramatically.

You do not need to pretend every sentence is the greatest piece of hockey wisdom ever spoken.

Just show that you are listening.

If you keep staring at the ice while a coach is trying to speak to you, it becomes difficult for the coach to know whether you heard anything at all.

Sometimes a simple:

“Got it.”

“I understand.”

“Okay, Coach.”

is enough.

Again, that does not mean you have to agree with everything.

Listening and agreeing are different things.

You can listen first.

Then think.

Then decide how to apply what you heard.

You Do Not Have to Blindly Agree

This is an important distinction.

Being coachable does not mean shutting off your own brain.

Coaches have different styles.

Some communicate better than others.

Sometimes you may not fully agree with what a coach says.

That is okay.

But the coach is still telling you what they want.

Understanding that matters.

Think of it this way:

You cannot evaluate information you refused to hear.

Listen first.

Understand what is being asked.

Then use your judgment.

As players get older, learning how to process information becomes a huge part of development.

Try to Find One Useful Thing

Coaches sometimes talk too much.

Even good coaches.

They may see several things from your last shift and want to tell you all of them at once.

That can become overwhelming.

Maybe you hear:

“You need to move your feet, find more open ice, support the puck lower, keep your stick down, communicate earlier, and make sure you're scanning before you get possession.”

That is a lot to remember before your next shift.

So find one thing.

Maybe the takeaway becomes:

Find open ice.

That is something you can use.

Next shift, focus on that.

Then build from there.

Players improve through small adjustments.

You do not need to solve your entire hockey game in 30 seconds.

Coaching Is Not Judging

This might be the most important part of the conversation.

When a coach corrects you, it can feel personal.

Maybe the coach says:

“You went here, but I needed you over there.”

Your brain may translate that into:

“I messed up.”

“Coach is mad at me.”

“I ruined the play.”

“I am playing badly.”

But that may not be what the coach means at all.

Most coaches are trying to communicate:

“Here is something that can help you next time.”

That is different.

A correction is not always criticism.

Feedback is not always blame.

And making a mistake does not make you a bad player.

It makes you a player who has something to learn.

Which is everyone.

Mistakes Are Information

Mistakes feel bad sometimes.

No player enjoys turning the puck over.

Nobody enjoys missing an assignment.

Nobody wants to miss an open net or make the wrong decision.

But mistakes are incredibly useful.

A mistake tells you something.

Maybe you need to scan earlier.

Maybe you need to keep your feet moving.

Maybe you need to protect the puck differently.

Maybe you need to communicate.

Maybe you simply need another repetition.

That information can help you.

Instead of thinking:

“I messed up.”

Try thinking:

“What did that teach me?”

That is a much more useful question.

Great Players Want to Learn

Lee makes a bigger point in this episode that goes far beyond hockey.

Some of the best people in almost any field are constantly searching for ways to learn.

Great athletes want feedback.

Great musicians want feedback.

Great writers want feedback.

Great students ask questions.

The better someone becomes, the more they often realize there is still more to learn.

That mindset can separate players.

If someone has a piece of information that might help your game, become curious.

Listen.

Ask.

Experiment.

You never know when one small comment will unlock something for you.

Help Your Teammates Learn Too

Being coachable is not only about your relationship with your coach.

It is also about your relationship with your teammates.

You can help make the bench a place where people learn.

Talk about what you are seeing.

Use the whiteboard if your coach allows it.

Help a linemate understand where you want the puck.

Ask your defensive partner what they saw.

Encourage someone after a mistake.

Players can teach each other too.

A great bench is not just a row of individuals waiting for another shift.

It is a group of players helping each other solve the game.

Staying Focused Builds Trust

Coaches are constantly making decisions.

Who is ready?

Who understands the situation?

Who can I put out there late in the game?

Who will stay composed?

Who is paying attention?

Who can I trust?

The little habits on the bench help answer those questions.

If a player is watching the game, talking positively, listening to instruction, and thinking about how to improve, the coach learns something about that player.

They are engaged.

They care.

They want to learn.

That builds trust.

And trust matters.

You Can Disagree Without Becoming Disconnected

There may be moments when you think the coach is wrong.

That is part of sports.

You may see something differently.

You may have received different advice from another coach.

Your parent may have taught you something else.

Do not let that automatically disconnect you from the conversation.

Listen.

Stay respectful.

Try to understand.

There may be something useful in the message even if you do not agree with every part of it.

Maturity in hockey means learning how to handle feedback without immediately becoming defensive.

That skill will help you far beyond the rink.

Get a Little Better Every Shift

You do not need to become a completely different player between one shift and the next.

That is unrealistic.

Instead, ask yourself:

What is one thing I can do better?

Maybe you can skate harder.

Maybe you can communicate sooner.

Maybe you can find open space.

Maybe you can make a better support play.

Maybe you can encourage a teammate.

Then go do that.

One adjustment.

One shift.

Then another.

That is how players develop.

What Being Coachable Really Means

At the end of the episode, Mike gives a simple definition.

Be somebody who wants to learn.

Be somebody who wants to get better.

Be somebody who wants to help your teammates.

Be somebody who wants to help your team.

That is coachability.

It is not about being perfect.

It is not about never disagreeing.

It is not about never making mistakes.

It is about staying open to growth.

The Message for the Ride Home

Young players, when you come back to the bench, stay in the game.

Sit with your teammates.

Encourage them.

Watch what is happening.

When your coach talks, listen.

Look for one thing you can use.

Do not hear every correction as blame.

Hear it as information.

Then take that information back onto the ice and experiment.

Every shift is another chance to learn.

Every mistake is another clue.

Every conversation can contain something useful.

Stay curious.

Stay engaged.

Be a great teammate.

And above all, keep enjoying the game.

Wherever you are in your hockey journey, everyone at *The Ride to the Rink* believes in you.

Make sure you believe in yourself too.