GUSTO Hockey

List of 4 items.

• Guiding Principles

  Mission
  Gusto Hockey Development supports players, coaches and clients by providing unparalleled instruction and services. We focus on youth development and coaching education. In a fun, competitive atmosphere, Gusto breaks the game down to its fundamental components creating a solid foundation for the serious hockey player and|or coach.
  
  Philosophy
  Each Gusto camp is designed using a progression format. We feel this format is critical in the development of all hockey players. The first half of every ice session is devoted to fundamental skill development (technical skills and individual tactics). By isolating specific movements, we break down these fundamentals creating a solid foundation for any hockey player. During the second half of every ice session the more tactical aspects of the game are covered. Initially, the focus is on more complex individual tactics, but as the camp progresses, more in–depth team tactics and concepts are discussed. By incorporating small area games, team competitions, and high intensity scrimmages, we are able to provide our participants the total hockey experience.The progression, complexity and speed of our practice plans are dependent on the age and skill level of our participants.
  
  Expectations
  

  • Hard Work: Listen with your eyes and ears to execute to the very best of your abilities
  • Learning: Take something valuable from every session
  • Application: Apply the concepts learned at the next session
  • Have Fun: An integral part of the hockey and learning experience
  • Be Your BEST: Better. Every. Single. Time.

• Core Competencies & Objectives

  Core Competencies
  
  Knowledge - Built on quality instruction... All staff members have enjoyed successful hockey careers, more importantly, are superb instructors
  
  Passion - Our instructors love the game of hockey. It is this passion that fuels us and helps us to understand and to motivate hockey players.
  
  Dedication - Outstanding qualifications, a strong work ethic and a genuine enthusiasm for teaching hockey skills are all characteristics of the Gusto team.
  
  Experience - Our staff has a combined 40 years of teaching, coaching, instructing and playing experience.
  
  Fun - The most important component of any hockey program. All our camps provide students with a curriculum based on structure, competition and fun.
  
  Results - Our Total Skills Development Training will make each participant a more knowledgeable, confident and skilled hockey player.
  
  Objectives - To Teach and to Develop
  
  Technical Skills
  

  • Hockey Fundamentals
  • Skating
  • Puck-Handling
  • Passing & Shooting

  Individual Tactics
  

  • More Skilled & Adept Hockey Players
  • Building on Fundamental Technical Skills

  Team Tactics
  

  • Small Area Games & Team Competitions
  • Read & React... Developing On-Ice Awareness

  Each Gusto practice plan is carefully designed and created for the specific age and skill level of our participants. It is our goal to create drills that challenge our students, effectively utilize the ice surface, build off a progression and are fun!

• Instructional Model

  Our staff follows a 6-step teaching process designed to ensure that each participant receives the very best individual and team instruction.
  

  1. Discussion: We introduce the hockey skills concept to our students clearly describing all the individual parts.
  2. Demonstration: All of our instructors posses the necessary skills to correctly and effectively demonstrate the proper techniques critical to students success.
  3. Execution: Our staff members observe and evaluate as students execute the techniques and skills discussed and demonstrated.
  4. Discussion: Our team will provide students positive and constructive feedback on an individual and team level.
  5. Repetition: We believe that perfect practice makes permanent and repetition is the mother of mastery.
  6. Application: We show our students how the skills and concepts we just discussed, demonstrated, and executed are applied to and used in game situations.

  
  
  
  

• What the experts say

  Experts from Hockey Canada compiled the following data with regard to a youth hockey (60-minute) practice and game.

   

  Game Numbers
  

  • Players will have the puck on their stick for an average of 8 seconds a game
  • Players will average 1 to 2 shots per game
  • Players will take an average of 18 shifts per game

  Practice Numbers
  

  • 1 efficient practice will give a player more skill development than 11 games collectively
  • In a 60 min practice, a player will have the puck on his/her stick for approx. 8-12 minutes
  • Each player will take a minimum of 30 shots on net

  These numbers clearly indicate that practice is where development takes place. If we extrapolate the above statistics, during a 20–game 20–practice season (1:1 game/practice ratio) the best player on the team only controls the puck for 2.67 minutes during the entire season. Conversely, during practice (entire year), every player on the team would have the puck on his or her stick for 4 hours during the year.

   

  Our instructors are constantly on top of the changing trends in hockey. Through many years of experience, hard work, attention to detail and a passion for the game, we have put together a curriculum specific to your age and skill level. The first half of every ice session is devoted to fundamental skill development (technical skills and individual tactics). By isolating specific movements, we break down these fundamentals creating a solid foundation for any hockey player, mite through junior level players. During the second half of every ice session the more tactical aspects of the game are covered. Initially, the focus is on more complex individual tactics, but as the camp progresses, more in–depth team tactics and concepts are discussed.