➡️ Listen, if you play AAA at the U16 or U18 level and you aim to play Junior and College hockey in the future…
You need to be more ‘Role Conscious’ if you want to get scouted or move up the lineup…
But what does that mean?
Being ‘Role Conscious’ is a Mental Game Concept that I teach my Pro, NCAA, Junior and AAA players
It means you need to understand:
– What kind of player you are NOW? What’s your current playing style? What kind of results do you generate in games? What does your coach want from you?
You see in this clip MacKinnon knows he’s a two-way forward who likes to pass first, is able to score and is therefore valuable on the powerplay.
But where some players go wrong… is instead of understanding the player they are and the role they fit NOW… they focus only on the player THEY WANT TO BECOME
This looks like 3rd line or 4th line energy players and grinders SAYING that they are shooters and playmakers.
That’s a ‘Mental Trap’ because now instead of understanding your role as a grinder on the 3rd or 4th line… and trying to DOMINATE THAT ROLE FIRST
You try and stretch your game too far too quickly!
Because in your mind, you see guys go coast to coast, score goals and getting ice time… so you try the same and wonder why your coach is unhappy.
Therefore, the key for those players is to actually play a SIMPLE BUT HARD game first, master that… then try and slowly add other pieces to their game
That’s the beginning of being Role Conscious.
So when you’re at practice or training, you’re not ONLY working on general skills like skating, shooting and stickhandling
But you’re spending time perfecting those ROLE SPECIFIC SKILLS.
If you’re a grinder, master winning puck battles first.
If you’re a defensive defenceman, master your breakouts and angling first.
If you’re a power forward, master tip-ins and deflections.
Because you got to be GOOD in the role you’re in now BEFORE you can move up the lineup and play bigger roles… such as being a sniper, playmaker or 2-way D.
Again, you can BECOME that big impact player… but you can’t skip being good at the player you are expected to be now.
❗️Follow for tips on Roles and the Mental Game ( #📷 @identity_shift_hockey )
