In our Coaching Insights posts we highlight and comment on useful and relevant coaching stories in the media. Scroll to the bottom of the post for a link to the original article.   This is an interesting article about building confidence in young players. One thing they mention is the importance of skillful repetitions:    "Precise, constructive, and encouraging individual feedback is essential... as well as dividing each skill into a progression of smaller..

How do you, as a coach, help your players become stronger skaters? It's a question all coaches (and parents) wrestle with because it's such an important skill.   When performed well, skating is an efficicent blend of power and technique. If there is a weakness in either of those two areas there's room for improvement. Issues like inconsistent work ethic or limited practice time can be a problem but let's assume your players are hard workers and have ample ice ..

In our Coaching Inisghts posts we highlight and comment on useful and relevant coaching stories in the media. Scroll to the bottom of the post for a link to the original article. This is a great read about the importance of focusing on the details. It is about the coach of the British Cycling team but the lessons are applicable to coaches in any sport—hockey coaches as well. Here are some of my favorite quotes from the article. “When Sir Dave Brailsford became head of Bri..

Our Rebound And In series of posts highlight interesting and relevent stories that have been previously posted (but are just too good not to read again). Bronko Hockey founder Dion Del Monte took part in a discussion regarding youth player development in this article in the October/November 2011 issue of Chill Magazine. Del Monte was one of six experts asked to discuss a range of issues that youth players and their parents face as they progress through their minor hockey ..

In our Coaching Inisghts posts we highlight and comment on useful and relevant coaching stories in the media. Scroll to the bottom of the post for a link to the original article. An interesting article about Leafs GM Lou Lamoriello. He discusses the importance of day to day preparation! He has some great insights for anyone looking to build a winning environment. This quote sums up the article best: "You should come to work each day with the maximum commitment and maximum drive. ..

The Bronko Hockey logo makes a surprise cameo appearance on CBC's police drama series, Cracked. The distinctive logo appears briefly in the background of an early scene during the first season's eight episode, The Thump Parade. Filmed in part at the MasterCard Center for Hockey Excellence in Toronto, the episode centers on an ex-hockey player's efforts to help the police unit featured in the show to apprehend "a cold, manipulative criminal." Turns out the logo was questioned by police but..

Bronko Hockey's head instructors-- brothers Dion, Dan and David Del Monte together with father, Sam-- were featured in an article in the October/November 2013 issue of Chill Magazine. The article, by long-time Globe and Mail hockey columnist Dave Shoalts, looks back at the history of the family from Sam's arrival in Canada as a young boy to his sons' careers in minor hockey, Major Junior, the NCAA and eventually professional hockey in Europe.  The four share their experiences li..

Bronko Hockey founder, Dion Del Monte, returned to Latvia this June as a guest instructor at the Skrastins and Bartulis Hockey Camp. Over 100 players aged 7-17 participated in the camp this year, with players from Finland, Sweden, Russia and Belarus joining Latvian players at the two week camp.  Players trained both on- and off-ice daily under the direction of professional instructors from Canada, US, Sweden with Latvia. A rotating crew of Latvian national team players and KHL..

The Oakville Rangers Minor Midget AA team capped a strong season with a run to the 2012/13 Finals of the OMHA playoffs. Although the team had typically performed well during the regular season, the Rangers had suffered disappointing early exits from the playoffs in recent years. New Head Coach Brian Stamegna was charged with building a team that could compete come playoff time. “We had talent but I knew we needed to play better as a team to be successful in the playoffs,” said Stamegna.”..

Bronko Hockey head instructors Dan Del Monte and Dion Del Monte organized a successful week-long camp for youth players near Hannover, Germany in April, 2010. Together with German pro coach Craig Streu and a handful of pro German players, the Bronko instructors led two groups, totalling over 50 players aged 6-12, through a challenging progression of skating and puck skills empasizing correct technique and building proper movement patterns. "Skating is such an important pa..