In a time with main occasion overload and new occasions popping up everywhere, it might be onerous 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 annually.
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 velocity, energy, agility and ability 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 velocity gates, leap mats, radar weapons, the beep-test and quite a few standardized ability stations.
The NPC is a 3-day occasion, beginning at night time time of Day #1 with Physiology Assessments. Velocity, energy, and health are such an vital a part of the sport of area hockey, particularly on the subsequent degree. The NPC assessments are modeled round Division 1 school and USA Nationwide Group applications 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 observe these assessments in a protected studying atmosphere and achieve confidence. Our purpose is to vary the mindset of physiology assessments and coaching from being nervousness driving and stomach-wrenching, right into a motivating problem and one thing athletes work onerous to enhance upon to turn out to be higher athletes and area hockey gamers. One of many highlights of 12 months 2 of the NPC was the athletes who returned from 12 months 1 pushed to beat their IFT rating (aka the beep check). That subsequent degree mentality is what we are attempting to foster.
NPC Physiology Assessments (Study Extra)
Most Velocity
Agility/Change of Route
Vertical Energy Manufacturing
Linear Energy Manufacturing
Cardio Endurance/VO2 Max
Day #2 consists of three classes. The morning session is the Expertise Mix. Athletes rotate by 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 recreation strain. After the occasion, we offer class analytics that enable athletes to see the place they excel and the place they should enhance. Coaches additionally take notes on type and method to supply suggestions in these vital ability areas.
The afternoon session is Small Sport Play. On this session, athletes rotate by 3 stations led by excessive degree school coaches. Every station has a distinct 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’ll once they arrive to school or be part of a brand new high-level staff. They’re challenged with deciphering directions, adjusting to suggestions, and performing in a brand new scenario. Coaches take notes and particular person suggestions is offered on these classes 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 pair 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 kinds and strategies 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 invaluable 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 maintain for their very own private use. Profiles embody all measurable physio and abilities mix knowledge, in addition to subjective suggestions from coaches all through the classes. Moreover, athletes are supplied with some key takeaway numbers inside the ranking scale beneath within the following areas: General, Assault, Protection, Technical, and Tactical. These numbers present a present projected trajectory on the subsequent degree of the game based mostly 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 workers of elite school coaches, former nationwide staff and world class gamers who know what it takes to carry out on the highest degree. They’re world-record holders, Olympians, Nationwide Group captains. They don’t seem to be solely elite coaches trying to encourage the following technology of area hockey gamers and discover the following members of their collegiate groups, they’ve been in your sneakers and need to aid you develop and obtain your targets. They’re academics at their core and unbelievable function fashions. All through the 3-day occasion, athletes may have the chance to work with a majority of the teaching workers.