One of the things that is important in any hockey coaching is that the half-time period in a match is not just about refuelling and physical recovery. It’s also an absolutely crucial time for the coach and team to gather their thoughts and prepare mentally for the challenges of the second half.
The half-time period in a game tends to create an emotional experience amongst the players and the coach. At half-time the outcome of the game is yet to be decided. The interval is only around 5 minutes in duration, and is the only direct opportunity the coach will have to speak to all the players and to influence the second-half performance and result.
The half-time team talk will, of course, depend on the score and the coach’s perspective of the match progress, e.g., is the team winning but not performing well? The following represents tips that a hockey coach should take into account in planning and implementing the half time talk.
- Stick to key points. By limiting how much information you throw at your team, you make your words more likely to sink in. The last thing you want to do is send your team back on the field overwhelmed.
- Keep a straight face. Even if you’re frustrated or upset, never let the team know it. Losing a grip on your emotions detracts from your ability to coach and interact effectively with your players. Regardless of whether your team is way ahead or way behind, maintain a positive attitude and demeanour.
- Highlight the positives as team plays. Stick to highlighting the great play of specific units rather than individual players. For example, point out the great way the secondary played right before the half in knocking down passes while going against the opponent’s no-huddle offense. Or mention how your offensive line really did an outstanding job blocking on that fourth-and-goal touchdown run in the first quarter.
- Make necessary adjustments. One of your biggest challenges is making halftime adjustments based on what went right — and not-so-right — during the opening two quarters. Keep the focus on finding solutions and fixing problems rather than making speeches.
- Focus on your team. Try to play to your team’s strengths. For example, if you’re a great running team but find yourself down by a couple touchdowns at halftime, start the third quarter running the ball. Sticking to your style of play maintains a certain comfort level among the players.
- Get player feedback. Because of all your responsibilities during the game, you can’t possibly monitor everything that takes place on the field. That’s where your players can help. Asking your senior players whether they have any suggestions for the second half reinforces your respect for them and their knowledge of the game; furthermore, you may gain some valuable feedback that benefits the team. However using this approach should be when coaching experienced and older teams.
- Choosing Tones. When giving a team talk you will need to first select the tone of voice you wish to use. Your chosen tone should be appropriate for the effect you want your talk to have. For example, you can use a calm tone if you want to relax players, a passionate tone if you want to increase morale or inspire players, an assertive tone if you want to demand a good performance or that your players sustain their performance level, and an aggressive tone if you want to convey your anger at a poor performance and fire your players up.
- Planning a half time structure. You will need to plan your time effectively, especially when coaching senior teams. The following is a suggested structure to consider;
- Half time Whistle – 2 mins: Players are asked to jog to huddle to maximise time, rehydrate, seek medical attention, coaches use this time for team management, 1 on 1 instruction or positional changes etc.
- 2 mins – 4 mins: Small group discussions with line coaches (or senior players), this may also include players seeking medical attention as the group can move to that player. Player reflection and review of structure would form a large part of this discussion.
- 4 mins – 5 mins: Coach addresses players with full attention. May include brief reflection through individual questioning of players before providing specific instruction that all players can easily retain.
The above points are but a few amongst many other considerations. It is suggested that coaches should analyse their current practices in terms of the above points to determine ‘how they fair’.
