Academy
Nordic Hockey Academy educational philosophy and pedagogical approach is fairly unique and therefore differs from the other existing programs today.
Education & Philosophy
An international high school academy “Nordic Hockey Academy” (NHA) was established in August 2017.Nordic Hockey Academy educational philosophy and development concept is unique and represents amodern pedagogical approach towards educating future ice hockey players.
The first NHA Alumni students who started the program in August 2017 created following sloguns to describethe true values of the program. #start unknown-finish unforgettable» #familyfirst #makethedifference
Nordic Hockey Academy philosophy in a nutshell stands for following values and visions:
Nordic "Scandinavian"
Modern and well structured educational philosophy and pedagogical approach to educate people. More focus and resources on developing and investing into the individual “as a person” not just as a“hockey product” and that way increase the ultimate potential in each individual. Importance in correctself image and patience for long-term development plan and correct daily habits to achieve good results.
Hockey
Highly educated coaching staff with international hockey experience and knowledge. Pedagogical competence and experience to educate and guide future athletes. Modern and professional development planthat includes all major areas in prime hockey development:
- Off ice training (Strength and conditioning)
- On ice training (Team)
- On ice training (Individual Skills)
- Mental and Mindfulness Training
- Performance and competition
- Private Life Management
Vision to educate and develop our athletes to reach international top hockey level as well as motivate them tocontinue their academic career.
Academy
Exclusive program, which is targeted for players who understand and respect the importance of academic educationand combining that with professional sports. Supporting and encouraging our athletes to graduatefrom high school. Ice hockey, like any sport, is a lifestyle rather than just a hobby or spare time activity and thereforeour goal is to educate ice hockey as a profession with a comprehensive “life school” philosophy that our athletes maybenefit for the rest of their lives.
All in all, one major focus of our program is to develop players towards professional hockey leagues but also encourageand support our players to achieve good results in school in order to be able to combine hockey and studying also afterhigh school.
With these words we encourage you to challenge yourself in life and take the next step together with us.
Game performance & bench coaching
Training
In Nordic Hockey Academy we strongly believe into a more comprehensive and hollistic approach in educating our athletes as individuals and as human-beings to increase the ultimate potential in each individual, instead of just as a “hockey product”.
On Ice Team Training
Academy teams practice on the ice as a full team from 4-5 times a week depending on our game rhythm. In order to maintainthe best possible intensity, focus and quality in our team training – sessions are maximum 60-75 minutes long. Additional icesessions are implemented into the program according to need (for example: pre game skate- special unit sessions- specificskills sessions).
Pre and post training meetings are held in the locker-rooms to add the value and quality of the learning and development process.NHA philosophy and educational development concept includes 11 on ice habits that each individual masters and shallindependently perform in each ice session in each drill.
These habits are designed to increase the personal performance level in each training and together with the “20 C” concept playersare able to enjoy and challenge themselves better in daily training.
Specific position coaching and skills training for goalies, defencemen and forwards are done on weekly basis.
On Ice Skills Training
Morning sessions give our players a fantastic benefit and platform to focus on individual skills and develop the personal needs they have.Depending on the academic schedule, our players can have up to 3-4 morning sessions per week with the Academy coaches.Videoing and video analyses are often used in the morning sessions to increase the value of individual skills development.
Main focus area during morning/ skills sessions:
- develop individual on ice skills (skating, puck handling, shooting)
- develop individual tactical skills (positional awareness)
- large number of repetitions and focus on the correct techniques
- pleasant environment ”pressure free” platform to work out
- educate and instruct hockey IQ by breaking the game into parts
- focus on small important details of the game
- increase creativity and independency within our players
NHA on ice skills test and evaluations are done during morning/skills sessions.
Physical Training
Strength and conditioning training and physical development is one of the major focus areas through out the Academy education but especially important for the first two years in the NHA U18 program in order to proceed towards the U20 program and finally to senior ice hockey.Strength and conditioning program is carefully designed to develop the abilities modern hockey players need to perform.
Full team is attached into a video coaching software (app) where performances can be easily evaluated, commented and shared within the group and individuals. Academy players are educated to understand and follow their heart rate, threshold levels and abilities to recover as well as the importance and value of proper muscle/ body activation (warm up) and rehabilitation and recovery process to avoid injuries (cool down). Players work in pairs and follow a “20 C” development concept also during the off ice training.
NHA philosophy and educational development concept also includes 10 different off ice habits that each individual shall learn and master during his NHA education.
Physical testing and ability evaluation are done annually in Autumn- Winter- Spring and Summer.
Mental Training
NHA is one of the few if only hockey academy programs that offers mental and mindfulness training on a regular basis.Mental and Mindfulness training is dealt into four different concepts that are taught through individual development talks,small group exercises and full team lessons.
In NHA we believe that correct mental abilities and healthy self image and resilience are one of the most important factorsin general well being and achieving success both on and off the ice. To understand how body and mind shall functiontogether- we implement these four concepts into all Academy training sessions.
Mental and mindfulness training is one of the main principals in Nordic Hockey Academy concept and educational philosophywhich also makes the program unique and different from many.
Academy also provides educational sessions and /or lectures to player´s parents to increase the overall quality and efficiency in development.
Academic development and schooling
We motivate and support the academy players to respect and understand the importance of academic educationcombined with top sports and its demands.
Our academic goal for our students is high school graduation with good marks and results. The official coaching languagein NHA program is English and therefore, prepares our players to gain a language competence which after high school studies,help them to step into international hockey world and even combine it with a University degree.
There are several academic alternatives to complete high school studies within the Academy depending on the personal academic needs and desires each individual has.Schools have their own application procedure and conditions.
NHA staff is in constant contact with all co-operation schools to make sure academy students are following the academicrequirements.
NHA Philosophy motivates and inspires our athletes to become efficient and professional ”student-athletes”.
Accommodation & nutrion
Top athletes in all sports must have a proper balance between active training, rest and nutrition. Too many hockey programs lack in providing good enough nutrition and accommodation facilities for their players which has a direct impact on their comprehensive development. Players do not have the time, energy nor competence to maintain quality nutrition only on their own.
Therefore, Nordic Hockey Academy’s one priority is to secure the development triangle with proper accommodation facilities, correct healthy and nutritious athletes diet and sufficient rest and recovery. In the start of the season all NHA players are instructed and coached the main principals of correct and healthy nutrition, proper living habits and rhythm in sleeping and rest.
NHA players are accommodated in two person housing to learn valuable life and social skills and increasing the team dynamics.
All NHA players are taught the important daily living habits ”life skills” in order to maintain and increase the overall living comfort as well as structure in their lives.
Task, time and space management are major priorities to teach to our athletes in order to become a 24/7 professional athlete, where accommodation, proper nutrition and rest are key factors of functional private life management.
Private life management
NHA has extreme focus on developing and teaching our students as individuals and as humans to master valuable lifelongskills to succeed in the modern, competitive world. Private life management is one of the large topics and areas we evaluateour players as part of the individual evaluation assessment.
Here are few examples that NHA players are taught to follow and are evaluated upon:
- Time, space and task management
- Discipline to follow the correct nutrition plan and liquid balance
- Managing time schedule (hockey, school and private time)
- Planning and organizing day/week/month schedules with training, rest, private life and school work
- Investing and organizing extra time to additional school work
- Structure and order in private life
- General understanding and appreciation of private life wellbeing having an impact in sport performance
- Mastering life skills and soft skills to live as a professional and well behaving young gentleman with proper values and resepct
In Nordic Hockey Academy we are big believers in life balance and in order to perform on a optimal level on the ice, private lifemanagement is a vital part of comprehensive development.
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