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RSS Feed The Ride to the Rink: How to Be More Coachable on the Bench
Want to earn more trust from your coach? Learn the bench habits that help young hockey players become more coachable, focused, and confident.
Key Takeaways
- Being coachable on the bench is about being present, making eye contact with your coach, and actively listening when you receive instruction.
- Coaching is designed to help players improve rather than judge them or assign blame for a mistake.
- Simple habits like sitting with your linemates, encouraging teammates, and staying mentally connected to the game show coaches you are ready to learn.
- Players should look for one useful takeaway from every coaching interaction to apply during their next shift.
- Every mistake on the ice represents a valuable learning opportunity rather than a reason to get discouraged.
š What does being ācoachableā actually look like during a hockey game?
In this episode of The Ride to the Rink, Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli speak directly to young players about how to listen, learn, and stay engaged when coaches are talking to them on the bench.
Being coachable is not about blindly agreeing with everything you hear. Itās about being present, being willing to receive information, and looking for something useful that can help you on your next shift.
Mike shares a few simple habits coaches notice right away: sitting with your linemates, encouraging teammates, making eye contact with your coach, listening when someone is trying to teach you, and staying mentally connected to the game instead of drifting into unrelated conversations.
Lee adds an important reminder: coaching is not judging.
When a coach tells you what they want to see differently, that does not automatically mean they think you are a bad player or that you ruined the game. Most of the time, they are simply trying to help you improve.
š§ In this episode, young players will learn:
š What coaches notice when players come back to the bench
š¤ Why positive communication with teammates matters
š Why eye contact and attention show coaches you are ready to learn
š§ How to pull one useful takeaway from coaching instructions
šÆ Why staying present matters in a fast-moving game
š How every mistake can become a learning opportunity
š¬ Why coaching feedback is meant to helpānot blame
ā How being coachable builds trust with coaches and teammates
The goal is simple: every shift, try to learn something.
Maybe itās finding more open ice.
Maybe itās making a better pass.
Maybe itās supporting a teammate.
Maybe itās just being more aware.
You do not have to become a perfect player in one shift. Just try to become a little better each time you step onto the ice.
Stay engaged. Stay curious. Help your teammates. Listen for the lesson.
š Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: How to Be More Coachableāand Learn More From Every Hockey Shift
And remember: we believe in youābut you should believe in yourself too.
#TheRideToTheRink #YouthHockey #HockeyKids #BeCoachable #HockeyDevelopment #HockeyMindset #YouthHockeyPlayers #HockeyCoaching #HockeyTeammates #PlayerDevelopment
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to be coachable in youth hockey?
Being coachable means staying mentally engaged on the bench, making eye contact with your coach, listening to instructions, and actively looking for ways to improve your game.
How can young hockey players show coaches they are listening?
Players can demonstrate they are ready to learn by making eye contact, sitting with their linemates, staying off unrelated topics, and absorbing feedback without taking constructive criticism personally.
Why do hockey coaches give feedback on the bench?
Coaching feedback is meant to help players improve and succeed on their next shift, not to judge them or make them feel like bad players.