By Steffany Hanlen, founder of Quantum Speed High Performance Power Skating, Olympic Level Performance Specialist and NHL level skating coach /
Everyone loves the playoffs.
And with good reason.
Playoffs are the time when your skills, team play, fitness level, and motivation are challenged at a deeper level. Intensity increases. Competitive spirits soar. Quality of play skyrockets as the stakes get higher and higher with each passing game.
The season might have dragged on, but the playoffs are a fresh start. Whether your team is in 1st place or 8th place, it's really anybody's game -- and everybody knows it.
That's why there's almost nothing more exciting than that opening face-off in the first playoff game of the season. What's in the past stays there...and the bright new optimism that comes with competing for a championship takes hold of everyone: players, coaches, parents, and fans.
Of course, with every new beginning comes new challenges...new roadblocks...and new temptations.
Chief among them?
The temptation to OVERTHINK your strategy -- and forget the steps that brought you success in the past.
You see, sometimes teams tend to change their plan when they get to the playoffs. They start messing with the playbook...over-analyzing their approach...making dramatic alterations based on the «type» of series or team they meet in each round. It's an easy thing to do, but remember: This is a reactive pattern, NOT a winning pattern.
Knowing your opponent is important; however, sticking to YOUR plan and playing YOUR game is what ultimately links successful regular seasons to successful playoff runs.
Look, if you made it to the playoffs, chances are there was a good plan in place to do so. One of the hallmarks of great teams is being able to execute a winning game plan, period after period, game after game...and hold to it, ESPECIALLY during the playoffs!
Changing strategies, team philosophies, or shortening the bench isn't always a good idea going into the playoffs. That's because during the regular season, players become reliant on a plan that works. They gain insights into each other and build a culture that can support them through making errors and putting in corrections.
If, all of a sudden, a brand new plan or strategy gets tossed into the mix, there's a loss of continuity and learning curves spike. You don't need NEW lessons during playoffs. You need more of the lessons that worked during the regular season -- only executed better and more effectively!
In my next article, I'll provide specific tips to help coaches, players, and parents function as effectively and cohesively as possible during the playoffs. You'll discover powerful ways to keep yourself mentally tough, physically strong, and ultimately supportive and useful to your entire team.
But until then, remember: success doesn't always mean winning every game...even in the playoffs. Success can take the form of personal growth, of being better each shift, of being coachable and exercising leadership and class both on and off the ice.
That's because real champions are made regardless of what the scoreboard says.
Steffany Hanlen worked with the Edmonton Oilers from 1991-2000 and the St Louis Blues 2000-2005. In 2006 she was at the Winter Olympic Games as a fully accredited coach with 2-time World Silver Medalists/5 time Canadian Champion Ice Dancers, Dubreuil/Lauzon. Hanlen is the creator of Quantum Speed High Performance Skating Systems and presents Performance Excellence Seminars across North America for Quantum Speed and also to Champion Athletes, successful business owners and entrepreneurs as well as parents, players and coaches in many sports.
For more information on Quantum Speed please visit www.quantumspeed.ca or call 780-489-4159 |