Are you passionate about your hockey and have a philosophy of always wanting to play your best and keep improving so that your personal goals are achieved? Then it is important to self-evaluate your performance in terms of what you or others have identified as performance important. Having a process by which you can self-evaluate is critical. Otherwise self-evaluations can become ‘hit or miss’ in terms of results.
Self-evaluations are the stimulus for improvement as your identified results are then used to establish future playing goals. And so the cycle continues. The best time to do a formal self-evaluation is at the end of the season. From these findings you can determine goals for off season training and preparation for a new season. For example in your self-evaluation you identified you need to improve your hitting power. A strength test further identifies there is a need to improve arm, shoulder and wrist muscle strength. As well as concentrating on hitting technique. The result might be as simple as daily finger tip push ups and hitting practice against a wall. It might also include taking protein shakes to help muscle building.
THE SELF-EVALUATION PROCESS
In order to do a self –evaluation you first must develop an inventory of criteria in which you can evaluate against. You can establish these yourself or with the help of your hockey coach, fitness trainer, even mum and dad. Or you can Google performance appraisals for assistance. The broad categories we have identified that may assist include;
- Fitness levels
- Nutrition requirements
- Motivation, focus, self control, attitude components
- Team development
- Relationships with coach, players, supporters, others
- Playing skills
- Playing roles
- Playing instructions
Once you have determined your categories then determine within each category what is performance important, socially important, and character important. Bullet point what you have identified under each category. If you have difficulty
For example;
CATEGORY: TEAM DEVELOPMENT
- Are my game thoughts team orientated or individual orientated?
- Did I contribute to team morale?
- Did I encourage fellow players and not be critical?
The following is a season self-evaluation profile that you can adapt or complete. From the results determine;
Areas of Improvement
Those areas that you have identified as “weaknesses” need to be decisively addressed in your training. While there are more immediate rewards for focusing on strengths in training, both intrinsically and extrinsically, gratification will come down the road by addressing the areas of improvement today.
By addressing these areas it will give purpose and direction to your training by working to improve your weakest attributes. Set daily goals that focus on addressing these areas that need improvement.
Areas of Strength
The areas that are your “strengths” need to be continually cultivated, don’t assume they are always going to be there and they don’t need to be trained. You may be flexible today, but neglecting flexibility training for a period of time could have a negative impact in the future.
Then determine some goals for the off season and planning for the new season.
AN EXAMPLE SELF-EVALUATION END OF SEASON PROFILE
SELF-EVALUATION
5 – Excellent 4 – Very Good 3 – Satisfactory 2- Fairly Poor 1 – Very Poor
Mindset qualities:
- _______Visual Awareness – notice environmental information, pick up on cues, placement of team members and opponents when competing
- _______Confidence – trust in yourself and your skills
- _______Drive – motivated to consistently do your best
- _______Execution – follow through to completion
- _______Focus – Ability to maintain presence on the task at hand
- _______Position – knowledge about your role and responsibilities
- _______Team player – Putting the team first
- _______Instinct – ability to predict an action and trust gut feelings
- _______Strategy – seeing the big picture
- _______Risk – taking calculated chances
- _______Commitment – readiness to do whatever’s necessary to excel
- _______Resilience – shift tactics as necessary
- _______Initiative. Self starter. Do things before others.
- _______Coach-able. Receptive to feedback.
Improvement questions:
1. What’s your reason for playing hockey?
2. Name 3 physical strengths that help you hockey?
3. Name 3 psychological strengths that help you in hockey?
4. Name 3 areas for physical improvement.
5. How can you strengthen these skills?
6. Identify 3 areas of your mental game that you’d like to improve.
7. How can you strengthen these mental game skills?
8. What was your biggest accomplishment last season?
Training:
There’s always more to learn.
Place a check next to the activities you do:
Ongoing training and coaching
_______Watch video of yourself
_______Watch video of games and other players
_______Read hockey specific magazines and articles
_______Attend hockey clinics and workshops
Goals:
1. What are your goals for the next season?
2. What are your long term goals?
3. What events do you plan to compete at this next season?
We trust this article has left you with a conclusion, i.e., that self-evaluation is an important process in hockey performance and self fulfilment for reasons for being passionate about your chosen sport.
Source: Various
