DEVELOPMENT PLAN
The BMHA Hockey Development Plan's main objective is to provide the basis for consistent skills development and progress for BMHA players and coaches and to ensure that hockey is a fun activity. This program is based on best practices from Hockey Canada, Hockey USA as well as BMHA’s own Philosophy & Goals as outlined in our BMHA Policy Manual.
Player Development
Regardless of a player’s age, hockey skills or aspirations, BMHA is here to support their hockey development journey. BMHA’s Player Development Framework encompasses three levels of player development: Core, Performance and High Performance.
Core Development
Core development focuses on the foundational aspects of hockey skills. However, not a prerequisite, this builds on the skills attained through Jr. Bulldogs/Wildcats to U9 (H4) Development Plan programs. The focus on these camps is on the individual player’s mastery of basic skating, edge work, stickhandling passing and shooting skills.
Performance Development
Performance development focuses on the intermediate aspects of hockey skills. This builds on the Core foundational development and challenges the player’s skating, edge work, stickhandling, passing and shooting at an elevated pace and tempo. Team play concepts are introduced.
High Performance Development
High Performance development focuses on the advanced aspects of hockey skills. This builds on the Performance development with the expectation that a player has mastered at an advanced level of skating, edge work, stickhandling, passing and shooting consistently and at high pace and tempo. Advanced team play concepts are introduced at this level.
Coach Development
As a volunteer association, the coach position plays a pivotal role in a player’s minor hockey experience and engagement. Unfortunately, consistency in having experienced hockey coaches has always been a challenge. BMHA set out a vision not only to develop great hockey players, but also exceptional and competent volunteer coaching staff.
Throughout the season, BMHA’s Player and Coach Development Team will run various on ice coach clinics and workshops. These development clinic sessions are instrumental in the development of both our new and experienced C Division coaches. Clinics and workshops are components of BMHA’s Coach Development Framework designed to support our vision of providing consistency in coaching delivery and player experience.
In these on-ice clinics, coaches will learn how to run an effective practice in executing time management and age specific drills. Workshops are open forum discussions, Q&A’s on all things coaching.