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Why It's Time for Coaches to Ditch the Pen and Paper You've got 50 minutes of ice time. Every minute matters. Yet before the first whis- tle, you've already burned five explaining drills at the board. Players are fidgeting. Parents are watching. You're rushing. Sound familiar? Across hockey, from youth rinks to NHL arenas, coaches are realizing that better preparation doesn't just save time—it transforms practices. The pros have already embraced it, using digital platforms, video, and analytics to plan with precision and make faster in-game decisions. So why are so many grassroots coaches still clinging to binders, scrap paper, and the "old drills we did back in the day"? WHY GO DIGITAL? Once coaches get past the initial resis- tance, the benefits of a digital coach- ing platform are clear, impactful and time-saving: • Enhances preparation – Create, cus- tomize, and store practice plans digi- tally, then share them with staff and players in advance. • Saves time – Build plans before the season and reuse drills without redrawing, leaving more time to focus on player development and culture. • Boosts efficiency – Players arrive prepared, reducing stoppages and time spent explaining at the whiteboard. • Builds confidence – An organized and transparent coach earns the trust of both players and parents. • Improves communication – Keep staff, players, and parents aligned with shared practice plans. INTRODUCING THE MODERN COACH Aric Day, Travel Player Development Director at Eden Prairie Hockey Association, began integrating technology into his coaching rou- tine a few seasons ago. Today, it's an essential part of his approach. "As a youth hockey Development Director, technology has helped standardize and simplify the coordina- tion with our coaches and players. The availability of online sharing platforms improved our ability to create, annotate and share key concepts and details that would have often been overlooked. We can now use online coaching tools for tagging notes with key concepts attached to reusable drills and add embedded videos showcasing execution. This digital capability allowed us to standardize key concepts, habits and skills. Distribution of these assets has improved and accel- erated knowledge sharing for all of our coaches, players and directors, saving time, energy and money." —Aric Day, Eden Prairie Hockey Association Technology isn't here to replace the art of coaching; it's here to enhance it. Whether it's your first season behind the bench or your 30th, going digital helps you prepare smarter, run more efficient practices, and give players the best chance to succeed. Goals & Assists Goals & Assists Going Digital X'S AND O'S | By Steve Mann Photos / James Butler, CoachThem 08 M H J ON L I N E . C O M | O C T O B E R 2 0 2 5