KNOW YOUR ROLE. DELIVER.™ A Junior Player can make her contribution clearer by understanding what the staff needs in specific situations. Role execution is observable, not a guarantee of ice time.
Audience: Girls Hockey, Junior. Match the task to experience as well as age; a new Player can use a simpler version. These are teaching bands, not league eligibility rules.
Coach Jane™: Earn Trust Through Role Execution
Presenter script: “Coach Jane here. KNOW YOUR ROLE. DELIVER. Try it with control. Ask your Coach for help, and enjoy getting better.”
The Junior Lesson
Ask the Coach for the responsibilities that matter in your current role. Identify behaviors you can demonstrate in practice and games.
The aim is a repeatable action the Player understands. Before the first attempt, ask her to describe what she is trying to do. Then demonstrate at a pace she can follow and let her try it. One clear cue gives the Coach something specific to observe.
Try This in Practice
Choose one role situation, such as supporting a retrieval or protecting a lane. Review several repetitions with the Coach and agree on one adjustment.
Begin with the easier version until the Player can repeat it comfortably. Next, change one element—space, movement, or appropriate pressure—and notice whether the action remains controlled. Return to the simpler version if the added demand hides the lesson. The Coach decides when the group is ready to progress.
A Common Problem and the Coaching Adjustment
Guessing what earns trust can create frustration. Seek clear expectations and feedback without assuming effort alone promises more minutes.
How to Notice Progress
After a few attempts, ask “What became easier?” Look for improvement in the action described above, rather than measuring the lesson only by a goal, a win, or another Player’s result. Finish with one example the Player can recognize and one next step she can practice.
For Parents and Coaches
Parents can be a sounding board while the Player takes responsibility for communication with staff. Discuss the decision calmly and keep the Coach’s expectations separate from assumptions about selection or advancement.
Use a clear, supervised practice area, appropriate equipment, and the Team’s applicable rules. Keep waiting time short and arrange the activity so each Player gets useful attempts. For House League, the primary objective is to have fun.
What Did You Learn?
What helps you understand your Team role?
Keep Learning With Coach Jane
Connect this lesson with Bend Your Knees and Stay Balanced and Look Before You Pass. For a broader overview, explore the Coach Jane™ collection.
Coaches choosing age-appropriate practice activities can also consult USA Hockey’s Practice Planner Guides. This THR lesson is original coaching guidance, not a reproduced federation drill.
KNOW YOUR ROLE. DELIVER.™
ONE LESSON. ONE INSTRUCTION. ONE TAKEAWAY.™
Presented by The Hockey Resource™.
