1
WEEK OF VIRTUAL PRESENTATIONS
5
MINOR HOCKEY EXPERTS
90
YEARS OF EXPERIENCE SHARED
A MASTERCLASS ON EVERYTHING MINOR HOCKEY
Being involved in minor hockey is incredibly rewarding, but it's not always a smooth ride. Whether you're a head coach, an association director or just lending a hand at practice, there are challenges felt at every age and skill level.
In our inaugural Minor Hockey Week, we've brought together 5 experts to dive into the key areas of leading a youth hockey team and share a suite of resources to help navigate your season.
This virtual event is exclusive to members of The Coaches Site. Join today alongside 10,000+ minor hockey coaches who rely on TCS for the most innovative and progressive coaching resources available.
OFFERING A COMPLETE GUIDE FOR YOUR YEAR
Presentations will cover the most important topics for navigating a minor hockey season.
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Seasonal Planning
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Player Evaluation
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Age Appropriate Skills
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Running Effective Practices
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Leadership & Communication
Your guide for building and implementing a full-season plan
In order to have a successful season, you need to be well prepared.
While good coaches create their plan before practice - great coaches have their whole season mapped out before they blow their first whistle.
During Minor Hockey Week, our presenters will share how they approach season planning and provide templates, tips and tricks on how you can think holistically about the season and deliver intentional practice sessions every week.
Your guide for tryouts and in-season evaluations
Tryouts are stressful. In just a few sessions, you need to test the player's skills, their compete level and select who has the potential to be a great addition to your team.
Add in the responsibility of cutting players, communicating your decisions with parents and keeping the players engaged - there's a lot to consider.
We'll uncover best practices for all of this and more, and share how you can track your player's progress throughout the season.
Your guide for teaching age appropriate skills
When it comes to player development, there's no one-size-fits-all solution.
As coaches, it's vital to know more than what drill to run, but how to build progressions and incrementally develop your team's skill.
In these lessons, we'll provide an overview of skills that players should learn by specific ages, how to modify drills to be more or less challenging and of course, include some practice planning tips along the way.
Your playbook for running effective practices
Building a practice plan that challenges players, keeps them engaged and ensures they're having fun is no easy feat.
Whether you have full-ice or split-ice practices, we'll share concepts that will help you craft your plan, engage your coaching staff and deliver a top shelf experience for your players.
Get ready for our best practices for running your best practices.
Your guide for leading a connected team
As the leaders behind the bench, coaches are in a position to make a foundational impact on the lives of their players.
It's our responsibility to ensure we're developing more than just the athlete, but people as well.
In these sessions, we'll share how you can build better relationships with your players, parents and fellow coaches to ensure you're leading by example.
MINOR HOCKEY WEEK PRESENTERS
We're proud to provide a platform for 5 respected leaders to share their experiences.
MICHAEL DUNDAS
ONTARIO / CANADA
Michael Dundas is the Manager of Hockey Development at the Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA), a role he has held for over five seasons. In this position he oversees ensuring certifications are met for bench staff (coaches, trainers, managers) and on-ice officials, as well as working with development leaders across the province in delivering clinics and resources.
His 15-plus years as a minor hockey coach saw Dundas working with players of all ages and skill levels. Dundas took pride in creating practice plans and developing life skills among his players all while ensuring they had a fun and memorable experience.
Fun fact: In 2019, Dundas was named the OMHA’s Director of Operations for the Ontario Hockey League’s annual U16 Gold Cup that was part of the Program of Excellence. He oversaw player evaluation, team selection and the naming of the bench staff with rosters that comprised over 35 OHL draft picks across two teams.
DAN AREL
CALIFORNIA / UNITED STATES
Dan Arel has been coaching with the San Diego Oilers for nearly a decade and runs the club’s coaching development program as the Director of Coaching Education and Development. Arel has led his teams to the California State Championship Finals, and competed on the international stage. In 2020, he was named The San Diego Gulls Foundation Coach of the Year.
Arel is a regular contributing writer to The Coaches Site, focusing on player development through small area games and good habits. His content has become so popular that Dan was asked to present during TCS Live 2023.
Fun fact: Arel is a huge Taylor Swift fan who took his daughter Lulu to Swift’s Eras Tour in Los Angeles this past summer.
BRIAN SLUGOCKI
ARIZONA / UNITED STATES
Brian Slugocki's enduring commitment to hockey spans nearly three decades, highlighting his unwavering dedication to the sport. In his current roles, he serves as a Skill Development Consultant for the NHL's Arizona Coyotes and their prospects. He’s the Head Coach of the 11u Jr. Coyotes and Skills Coach at Total Package Hockey (TPH).
Beyond this, Brian founded Slugocki Hockey, which offers tailored training for youth players up to the very best in the NHL. His exceptional talent lies in meticulously crafting practice plans to ensure that players, no matter their skill level, experience the best possible learning environment. His unwavering commitment to practice excellence underscores his influence in shaping talent at every level of the game.
Fun fact: Slugocki recently wrapped up his summer working with NHLers Auston Matthews, Clayton Keller, Brendan Perlini and more!
MATT KAKABEEKE
MICHIGAN / UNITED STATES
Matt Kakabeeke has over 25 years of experience coaching hockey at all levels. Matt is the Executive Director of the Kalamazoo Optimist hockey Association (KOHA) in Michigan; KOHA is one of the largest and oldest clubs in Michigan. Prior to his appointment as Executive Director, Matt was the Hockey Director for KOHA for five years.
In addition to his KOHA experience, he coached the Western Michigan University (WMU) Stallions Club Hockey team of the ACHA for two seasons and spent over a decade coaching local high school programs. Matt also spent 20 seasons coaching youth hockey from the learn-to-skate program to travel hockey for KOHA.
Fun fact: As the USA Hockey Coaching Education Program (CEP) Coach In Chief for Michigan, Kakabeeke possesses a Level 5 (Masters) Coaching Certification.
CANDACE KOUROUNIS
ONTARIO / CANADA
Coach Candace is an Assistant Coach with the York University Lions women’s hockey team and the Hamilton Hawks U15AA girl’s hockey team. She is a High Performance 1 Certified Coach and a Development 1 Clinic Evaluator.
As a former USport player of 5 years and assistant captain with the University of Windsor, Candace understands the nature of being a student-athlete, and the pressures that accompany athletes when juggling both academics and elite athletics.
Fun fact: Candace has worked in Youth and Amateur Hockey Development for the Pittsburgh Penguins, and this past April was selected as an Off-Ice official for the IIHF 2023 Women's World Championships.
EVENT AGENDA
Tune in for a week of presentations and leave with a full toolkit for your hockey season.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24 @ 10AM EDT
Creating a Plan For Your Season
Presented by: Michael Dundas
Manager, Hockey Development / OMHA
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25 @ 10AM EDT
How to Teach Age Specific Skills
Presented by: Dan Arel
Director of Player & Coach Development / San Diego Oilers
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26 @ 10AM EDT
Running an Effective Youth Hockey Practice
Presented by: Brian Slugocki
Founder / Slugocki Hockey
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27 @ 10AM EDT
Team Leadership & Communication
Presented by: Matt Kakabeeke
Executive Director / Kalamazoo Optimist Hockey Association
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28 @ 10AM EDT
Evaluating Players & Defining a Successful Season
Presented by: Candace Kourounis
Assistant Coach / York University
AN EXCLUSIVE EVENT FROM THE COACHES SITE
"We have worked with The Coaches Site for over five years to ensure our coaches have access to the best and brightest minds in the game today. A membership has proven to be an indispensable resources for our coaches toolboxes."
"The beauty of The Coaches Site is that I don’t have to worry about missing out on any of the great content because I can always go back and review it. The Coaches Site provides you the ultimate resources, delivered by a variety of coaches and experts."
“Our game is so detailed now, you have to stay current and innovative. Each presenter gives you different ideas to introduce into your program. Investing time into your own abilities as a coach is imperative if you want to stay competitive.”
BECOME A MEMBER TO ATTEND
Join The Coaches Site to get FREE access to Minor Hockey Week.
JOIN OUR GLOBAL COMMUNITY OF COACHES
Organizations at every level of the game trust The Coaches Site and we're proud that the list keeps growing.
ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS
What is The Coaches Site?
The Coaches Site is an online learning platform that makes it possible for any coach to learn from hockey's best coaches.
Whether its drills, practice plans, fundamental skills, team tactics or leadership advice, The Coaches Site delivers a world class online learning experience available anytime, anywhere on any device.
What do you get with a membership?
A membership includes over 500 hours of video presentations from professional coaches, 750+ drills across all ages and skill levels & over 1,500 articles featuring innovative tactics and techniques.
Members of The Coaches Site also get free access to all TCS virtual events, including the Global Skills Showcase and Minor Hockey Week.
How do I access the presentations?
Minor Hockey Week will be broadcast on The Coaches Site from October 23-27, 2023. Members can watch presentations at the time of airing, or on-demand after their airing.
How do I register if I'm already a member?
If you're already a member of The Coaches Site, you'll have access to the presentations as soon as the broadcast portal has opened. No need to re-register!