Player Development with Tommy Cross

The High Performance Hockey Podcast

If you want to develop your players to the high performance level, we’ve got your guy. Today’s guest is the Development Coach for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Tommy Cross. Tommy played 12 seasons of professional hockey before retiring following the ‘22-’23 season, and now works with drafted prospects through the transition from college to pro. We’ll speak about development at the National Hockey League level, and his philosophies and coachings that help his athletes reach the ultimate goal of the NHL. We’ve got an educational hour in store for you as we dive into key metrics + non-negotiables for developing and growing young players both on and off the ice. Tommy also shares the challenges of current day player development as well as the future of development coaching as a whole. Everything you need to know about player development, all in one place.

HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 Meet the Development Coach for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Tommy Cross.

02:10 The importance of mentorship + leadership skills.

06:30 Perspective as a player versus as a coach.

08:00 What are your tasks as a development coach?

14:50 What is your coaching philosophy?

20:30 The principles + patterns for success.

26:35 Key metrics for developing young players.

31:10 Shared terminology + closing the gap with communication.

36:30 Coaching player transition periods + on and off ice.

41:10 Challenges for player development today.

44:20 What is the future of development coaching?

48:10 How do you want to be remembered?

RESOURCES + LINKS

Loose Pucks and Ice Bags by Dave King

The Coach’s Guide to Teaching by Doug Lemov

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The High Performance Hockey Masterclass

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Check out Anthony’s Books

Physical Preparations for Ice Hockey: Biological Principles and Practical Solutions

The Gain, Go, and Grow Manual: Programming for High Performance Hockey Players