Raoul Ehren needs little introduction if you follow women’s hockey. From coaching HC Den Bosch, the strongest club team in the world of women’s hockey. To coaching the Belgian women’s national team from a 12th to a 3rd spot in the global ranking in just 4 years. Following the Paris Games he took on the head coach position of the Dutch women’s team, who has been and still is the absolute powerhouse in the game of hockey.
We had coaches join in and asking questions from Argentina, USA, Engeland, Ireland, Belgium, India, Singapore, etc…
In this engaging Ask Me Anything session, Raoul Ehren, shares his invaluable insights on coaching at the highest level. From transitioning from club coaching to national team dynamics, Ehren provides expert advice tailored for experienced coaches eager to elevate their game.
By the way, Raoul Ehren is also available for 1-on-1 mentoring sessions and game review sessions through our partners of gotyourback.app 🙂
Core Principles of Raoul Ehren's Coaching Philosophy
Fast and Direct Attack: Ehren prioritizes winning the ball and transitioning quickly into attack, aiming for vertical passes whenever possible to create fast goal-scoring opportunities.
Mastery of Basic Skills: He believes a strong foundation in fundamental skills like the push pass is crucial at all levels and should be continuously reinforced and challenged in training .
High-Intensity and Game-Like Training: Ehren advocates for training sessions with high intensity and incorporating small, competitive games that replicate real match scenarios to develop tactical understanding and physical preparedness.
Leveraging "Superpowers": He focuses on identifying and empowering individual player strengths ("superpowers"), building team strategy around utilizing these abilities.
Continuous Analysis and Adaptation: Ehren stresses the importance of analyzing games regardless of the outcome, seeking continuous improvement and adapting strategies based on observations of his own team and other teams, including men's hockey.
Scenario-Based Preparation: Particularly with the national team, Ehren emphasizes discussing and preparing for various game scenarios (e.g., being down a goal, a player down) to enhance the team's ability to cope with difficult situations.
Compact Defense with Pressure: In defensive transitions, his first principle is for the closest player to immediately put pressure on the ball, followed by the team getting compact and organized.
Impact on Team Strategy
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