What UK hockey needs is direction and collaboration

Watching the Olympics got me thinking about hockey in the UK and how great it would be to see team GB compete at the highest level. It does feel like a pipe dream considering that UK is a small hockey nation but there are others who have made it, just look at Norway, Korea or Denmark (http://www.iihf.com/iihf-home/the-iihf/survey-of-players/).

That makes the lower volume of players or ice pads seem like a bit of an excuse. There is no denying that the limited access to rinks and ice time is a disadvantage but there are other things within the UK hockey that could be improved easily with little or no extra cost.

The one thing that always surprises me about the UK hockey is just how bureaucratic and siloed everything is. There are a number of governing bodies that appear to be doing similar things, the clubs try to find their own way with relatively little support from the associations and there seems to be limited dialogue to support one another.

In business being small means being agile and adaptable. Take start-ups for example; they can gain a significant competitive advantage by being nimble and disrupt whole business areas in the processes. It is no different in hockey. In order for the smaller hockey nations to succeed, they have to find and develop areas where they can outsmart the big boys.

My impression of the UK hockey is that it is small in size but somehow manages to act all big and slow when it comes to development and decision making. Of course there are parts that work better (Junior League Management Committee being a good example) but on the whole this is where improvements could be made without breaking the bank. 

So let's consider some actual ideas:

1.      Develop an identity and a common way of playing

Lock up a set of coaches who know their stuff and who understand modern hockey and the current state of player development together in a room for a couple of days. Their job is to agree the DNA of the UK hockey for the next five years and the outcome will be a blueprint of how hockey is played and taught in this country across the junior clubs and the national sides. No governing body dinosaurs allowed.

2.      A newly formed and unified ice hockey association turns the identity into a player pathway

This is the big ask. We need a bit of dynamite to blow up the old structures. They have served their purpose in the past but to move forward we should have just one governing body responsible for working with the coaches to turn the blueprint into a player pathway and then come up with a practical strategy on how they support local clubs in implementation. 

3.      Ice hockey association promotes the identity and player pathway to all clubs

One of the ice hockey association's key function will be to support all junior clubs, any interested senior clubs, conference teams and national sides in implementing the new identity and DNA into everyday training and games. The coaching education programme will also be aligned.

4.      Clubs adopt and follow the plan

All junior clubs should look to adopt and follow the plan even if it means that they won’t win the league this year. It doesn’t matter. Nobody will remember in two years time who won the U13s league title but everyone will remember the players that clubs develop to play at the elite league, national team, and who knows maybe even in the NHL. If you develop good players, the team results will ultimately follow.

5.      Eat, Sleep, Repeat

Stick with the plan, review and update if required, and remember it takes awhile to start working but as long as everybody pulls in the same direction, conference and national sides should start to see the difference quite quickly. 

The rest of us can put our feet up and start looking forward to Beijing 2022. I for one can’t wait.