🏒 What separates a practice that simply fills an hour from one that actually makes players better?
Great practices don’t happen by accident. They’re intentional, connected to the game, and designed around what players truly need to improve.
On this episode of Our Girls Play Hockey, Lee Elias, Mike Bonelli, and Olympic gold medalist Hayley Scamurra are joined by Chris Howard of Ice Hockey Systems for a deep dive into what makes hockey practices effective—from youth hockey all the way to the professional level.
Chris shares how coaches can move beyond simply collecting drills and instead build practices around clear objectives, meaningful competition, player development, and connection to real game situations.
And this conversation isn’t just for coaches.
Players will learn how to become more intentional with every repetition. Parents will hear what they should actually be watching for from the stands. And coaches will walk away with practical ideas for maximizing every precious minute of ice time.
🔥 In this episode, we discuss:
🏒 Why every practice should begin with a clear objective
🎯 Why two or three teaching points may be more effective than trying to fix everything at once
🔄 How great coaches build progressions instead of constantly chasing new drills
⚡ Why starting practice with competition can immediately increase engagement
🧠 How drills should connect skills and decisions to real game situations
🎮 The role of small-area games, constraints, repetition, and “controlled chaos”
📋 Why coaches should arrive prepared—but still be willing to change the plan
👥 How assistant coaches can help maximize teaching and player connection
💪 How players can make every repetition different and practice with greater intention
🙌 Why creating an environment where players are comfortable failing can accelerate development
👀 What parents should actually look for when evaluating a practice
❤️ Why a player’s excitement to go to the rink may tell you more than anything you see from the stands
🖥️ How Ice Hockey Systems helps coaches organize practices, share drills, use video, and continue their own coaching education
One of the biggest takeaways?
A drill isn’t valuable simply because it looks good. It’s valuable when it connects to what players need in the game.
Whether you’re coaching a girls hockey team, supporting your daughter from the stands, or trying to become a more intentional player yourself, this episode will change the way you think about practice.
📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: How to Build Better Hockey Practices: Chris Howard of Ice Hockey Systems on Player Development
🎧 Listen now, share it with the coaches and hockey families in your community, and ask yourself: Are we simply running drills—or are we developing hockey players?
Have a question or want to continue the conversation? Reach the Our Kids Play Hockey team at team@ourkidsplayhockey.com.
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