Preparing Your Team For A Game

IHS sits down with TJ Manastersky, the head coach of Men's Hockey Team at Brock University. We ask Coach Manastersky about his process for preparing for games, managing his team during games, and reflecting on the game. To view more of the interview, you can select one of the individual questions below, or click to watch the full 30 minute interview.

TJ and Brock University just announced the 2nd Annual Brock Badgers High Performance Hockey Seminar June 8th, 2024.

Game Preparation

1. How do you prepare your team for a game?
2. What is your process to pre-scout your opponent?
3. Pre-game speeches: what works and what doesn't?

Bench Management

1. Do you give your team time to themselves before a game?
2. What are the most important components of bench management?
3. How much of an emphasis do you put on matching lines?
4. What do you keep with you on the bench?
5. What makes a good dynamic between a head coach and their assistant coaches?
6. How do you keep your team focused during a game?
7. What are some of the things you do to try to spark a team or individual?
8. How often do you address individual players during a game vs the team as a whole?
9. How do you handle talking to refs?

Post Game Reflection

1. How do you reflect after a game?
2. How often does your play in the game dictate practice the following week?