Our Development System

When GMHA was preparing for the 2009 - 2010 season, we knew we wanted to create a system of development for players and for coaches. At the start of the season we purchased and implemented the Mitron nexGen Coach/Player Development SystemTM. We believe that this program will provide the fastest kick start to the process, with expert technical assistance and materials for coaches.

The purpose of launching our GMHA Coach/Player Development System, was first to implement a graduated development system for players in our organization and secondly to provide the tools and support to help coaches employ the system we are asking them to follow. The Mitron system is a curriculum based hockey program, founded on our educational system, which graduates players in their hockey skills from year to year, and supports our coaches by providing regular coaching clinics through the season. This way, our coaches can interact from year to year, and from coach to coach knowing exactly where the players should be from a technical, tactical, physical and mental standpoint at any given time.

The system does not tell our coaches how to coach their teams, but rather what to coach at the age they have and a proven method to effectively and efficiently teach the skills and systems they want to use for their own team.

We understand that full implementation will not happen instantaneously; in fact this is a long-term transition in the coaching and development of GMHA registrants. As an organization we will also have a learning curve, and perhaps our communications in the first could have been better, however we strongly believe that we have the foundations for a great development system for both our players and our coaches. Our next step is to determine how to make it better and we would like to ask for help from the coaches and parents to provide suggestions to our Development Committee to make this program stronger. This is our program.

Today, Mitron has the following clinics available. We have had the first 4 modules this year and will be bringing in more in the future. (Though perhaps not all of them.) If you click on the highlighted link, you can review material that was discussed in the clinics that we've held so far.

• Module 1 - The Mitron Premise - Curriculum based hockey development
• Module 2 - Practice Planning and Design - The Mitron Practice Template
• Module 3 - Technical Preparation - Passing and Receiving
• Module 4 - Technical Preparation - Skating and Cornering
• Module 5 - Developing Scoring Strategies
• Module 6 - Teaching Tactical Strategies with High Tempo/Flow Drills
• Module 7 - Goaltender Development
• Module 8 - How to design Drills
• Module 9 - How to develop a Seasonal Plan
• Module 10 - Physical Prep: Energy Currency (How the body processes fuel)
• Module 11 - Physical Prep: Energy Systems (How the body powers the muscles)
• Module 12 - Physical Prep: Nutrition (Glycemic Index and fuel storage for competition)
• Module 13 - Physical Prep: The purpose and benefits of Lapping
• Module 14 - Teaching Break-out Systems
• Module 15 - Teaching Forecheck and Defensive Systems
• Module 16 - Teaching Power Play
• Module 17 - Teaching Penalty Kill
• Module 18 - Dryland: Off-season Strength and Conditioning
• Module 19 - Dryland: In-season Plyometric Speed, Acceleration and Maintenance
• Module 20 - Mental Prep: The Ideal Performance State - D.A.R.E. (Diet; Attitude; Rest and Exercise)

Another aspect of coaching development has been a partnership with the Guelph Storm, in a Coach Mentorship program. The coaches of the Guelph Storm team have shared practice plans and tips with coaches on specific issues, or challenges the coach might have. This is an ongoing program that will evolve with time, but provides GMHA coaches with a great resource from very knowledgable coaches.

There are still opportunities to do more! Would it be possible to have an open forum coaches meeting