As the season comes to a close, it's a great opportunity to pause and reflect - not just on the wins and losses, but on what went well, what didn’t, and how you can improve next year. Growth comes from honest self reflection, in hockey and in life. By asking yourself thoughtful questions, you can uncover valuable insights that will help you improve as a coach.
Below are 10 questions to help guide the reflection process. We added some ideas below the questions to get you thinking, but please go off script and just write what comes to you. It can be as simple as a couple of words or bullet points, or as extensive as a paragraph or a page. Most importantly, take time to enjoy the process, you might be surprised what you uncover.
10 Post Season Questions to Reflect On
1) What are 3 things I did well this season?
- Ideas: Think beyond wins and losses—consider moments where your preparation, leadership, communication, encouragement, creativity, or adaptability made a difference.
2) What are 3 areas where I can improve as a coach?
- Ideas: Be honest and specific. Maybe it's how you structure your practices, manage the bench, or connect with individual players, or communicate with parents. What changes could help you unlock even more potential in your athletes and yourself next season? Is there anything coaches that you respect do that you would like to implement next year?
3) Did I create an environment where players enjoyed coming to the rink and wanted to improve?
- Ideas: Hockey should be fun and engaging. Did your players stay motivated and look forward to practice? Did you foster a culture of learning and development over just focusing on wins and losses?
4) What was the most rewarding moment of the season, and why?
- Ideas: Reflect on a specific moment that stood out as a success—whether it was a game, a practice, a personal breakthrough with a player, a tournament, or something else?
5) What was the hardest part of the season, and why?
- Ideas: What was it? Are there any proactive steps you can take to better handle similar situations next season?
6) What aspects of my coaching had the most positive impact on my players?
- Ideas: Think about what worked well in your approach—whether it was how you taught skills, motivated players, communicated with parents, built team culture, or something else.
7) How did my team progress from the start to the end of the season?
- Ideas: Reflect on individual player development, team chemistry, and overall team improvement. What specific drills, small area games, habits, or strategies contributed to this growth?
8) What did I learn from my players this season?
- Ideas: Coaching is a two-way street. What insights or lessons did my players teach me that will make me a better coach moving forward?
9) What will I do differently next season?
- Ideas: Identify specific actions—whether it’s improving practice planning, delegating tasks, communication with parents and players, game management, setting standards, leadership or anything else. What changes can you implement to have an even greater impact next season?
10) How will I continue to grow as a coach before next season?
- Ideas: What books, clinics, mentors, or resources can I tap into to keep improving? They do not have to be hockey specific. Below are some ideas.
- You can dive deep into IHS's Coach Education Section to learn new tactics and skills.
- You can go to the Brock University High Performance Hockey Seminar in St. Catharines, Ontario on May 31st.
- You can go to the NHLCA Global Coaches' Clinic in Toronto, Ontario on June 14th.
- You can listen to hockey specific podcasts, like The Hockey Think Tank. Or other leadership and coaching podcasts.
- You can meet with local coaches in your area for coffee and brainstorm ideas for the upcoming year.
- You can gain inspiration and insight from successfull teams and coaches in other sports.
Related Content: Post Game Reflection
TJ Manastersky, the Head Coach of Brock University explains his reflection process after a game. If you liked this clip from TJ, you can view our full 30 minute interview with him here: Game Preparation, Management & Reflection.
Related Content: Honest Self Reflection For Players
Dr. Ashwin Patel, A NHL Mental Performance Coach sits down with Topher Scott to discuss the power of Honest Self Reflection in Hockey and Life.
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