WHY THE NATIONAL PLAYER COMBINE?
In a time with main occasion overload and new occasions popping up all over, it could be laborious to find out what occasions to attend and what units every aside. Here’s what units aside the Nationwide Participant Mix and why we extremely encourage all athletes, from rising freshmen to dedicated seniors, to attend and return every year.
The Nationwide Participant Mix (NPC) is an occasion like no different. The main target is on athlete improvement coupled with goal and standardized assessments that measure for pace, energy, agility and talent execution in a high-level showcase camp atmosphere on a world-class water-based floor. On the NPC, there are not any “Membership Politics” and no “Coaches Favorites”. Every athlete is objectively assessed using digital pace gates, soar mats, radar weapons, the beep-test and quite a few standardized talent stations.
The NPC is a 3-day occasion, beginning at night time time of Day #1 with Physiology Assessments. Pace, energy, and health are such an essential a part of the sport of subject hockey, particularly on the subsequent degree. The NPC assessments are modeled round Division 1 school and USA Nationwide Staff packages to supply athletes with a benchmark (a “snap-shot”) of their physiology compared to their friends. The place do they at the moment stand, what areas do they excel in and what areas do they should work on. On the NPC, athletes are in a position to follow these assessments in a protected studying atmosphere and acquire confidence. Our aim is to vary the mindset of physiology assessments and coaching from being anxiousness driving and stomach-wrenching, right into a motivating problem and one thing athletes work laborious to enhance upon to grow to be higher athletes and subject hockey gamers. One of many highlights of yr 2 of the NPC was the athletes who returned from yr 1 pushed to beat their IFT rating (aka the beep check). That subsequent degree mentality is what we try to foster.
NPC Physiology Assessments (Be taught Extra)Most VelocityAgility/Change of DirectionVertical Energy ProductionLinear Energy ProductionAerobic Endurance/VO2 Max
Day #2 consists of three periods. The morning session is the Expertise Mix. Athletes rotate via stations that consider important stick and ball skills- dribbling, passing, hitting, aerials, the drag flick, and so on. Goal efficiency scores are recorded and lots of stations are timed to simulate sport stress. After the occasion, we offer class analytics that permit athletes to see the place they excel and the place they should enhance. Coaches additionally take notes on kind and approach to supply suggestions in these crucial talent areas.
The afternoon session is Small Recreation Play. On this session, athletes rotate via 3 stations led by excessive degree school coaches. Every station has a unique theme- it might be midfield transition, attacking or defending within the circle, and so on. Athletes are introduced with a drill in a brand new atmosphere, with new teammates, very similar to they are going to once they arrive to school or be part of a brand new high-level group. They’re challenged with decoding directions, adjusting to suggestions, and performing in a brand new state of affairs. Coaches take notes and particular person suggestions is supplied on these periods after the occasion.
The night time session and Day #3 are all 11v11 Video games on the Villanova College water-based turf. Athletes are damaged into groups and compete in a complete of three games- 1 on night time 2 and a couple of on Day #3. They’ve the chance to be coached by and be taught from 2 completely different units of coaches- 1 set on night time 2 and one other set on Day #3. They’re uncovered to completely different teaching types and methods and are given suggestions from 4 completely different coaches all through the video games. There are additionally NPC coaches on the sideline watching the video games and taking notes to supply beneficial suggestions for athletes. This suggestions is just like what school coaches recruiting would see when observing their play.
Following the occasion, every athlete receives a web based NPC Athlete Profile that they’ll select to share or preserve for their very own private use. Profiles embody all measurable physio and abilities mix information, in addition to subjective suggestions from coaches all through the periods. Moreover, athletes are supplied with some key takeaway numbers inside the score scale under within the following areas: General, Assault, Protection, Technical, and Tactical. These numbers present a present projected trajectory on the subsequent degree of the game primarily based upon the snapshot captured on the NPC. It’s meant to supply the athlete with significant details about how they’re perceived in every space evaluated and to direct subsequent steps of their improvement.
On the NPC, we compile a training employees of elite school coaches, former nationwide group and world class gamers who know what it takes to carry out on the highest degree. They’re world-record holders, Olympians, Nationwide Staff captains. They aren’t solely elite coaches trying to encourage the following technology of subject hockey gamers and discover the following members of their collegiate groups, they’ve been in your sneakers and wish to allow you to develop and obtain your objectives. They’re lecturers at their core and unimaginable position fashions. All through the 3-day occasion, athletes can have the chance to work with a majority of the teaching employees.
