What do young coaches need to know about working with high performing athletes in the private versus college sectors? In today’s episode, I sit down with Rob Dombrowski, the Director of Hockey Performance at Sacred Heart University. Prior to working in the college sector, Rob served at Prentiss Hockey Performance as a Director of Performance for nine years. Our conversation covers his unique experiences in both the private sector developing pro athletes & in the collegiate sector with the men’s and women’s ice hockey teams. We also unpack his programming philosophy, the main life lessons that shaped his coaching skills, and the go-to methods he uses to drive performance forward.

HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 How do you program jump training for hockey players?

02:45 Introducing Rob Dombrowski, the Director of Hockey Performance at Sacred Heart University.

04:55 What were your duties and responsibilities while working in the private sector?

08:55 How did you form your programming philosophy?

12:20 Unpacking Rob’s programming for hip health & hip injury prevention.

18:35 The main life lessons from working in the private sector.

26:10 How are you currently developing your performance-based model?

29:15 How to cultivate an ideal environment for growth right off the bat.

33:25 What values do you look for in technology and in testing?

40:50 The biggest ‘a-ha’ moments while using Catapult.

44:20 Programming differences for upperclassmen versus underclassmen.

47:05 What are your tried and true methods that haven’t changed?

50:50 How have you changed your methods to drive performance?

58:15 What are we doing well, and what needs to change?

RESOURCES + LINKS

Check out Anthony’s Masterclass -

The High Performance Hockey Masterclass

Follow Anthony on Instagram | @anthonydonskov

Follow Anthony on Twitter | Anthony Donskov, PhD

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel | The HPH Podcast with Anthony Donskov

Follow HPH Podcast on Instagram | @hph_podcast

Follow HPH Podcast on Twitter | @TheHPH_Podcast

Learn more on our Website | https://www.donskovsc.com/

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

Want a deeper understanding of a coach's approach to training high performing, professional athletes in the private sector? We've got the right guy. In today’s episode, I speak with Curt Truhe, the Director of Performance for Excel Sports Management. Curt has over 13 years of experience training athletes across multiple professional sports leagues – including NHL, NFL, MLB, PGA, and more. We dig into everything you need to know about developing and working with elite athletes at the highest level. Curt shares his advice for young coaches, the skills & qualities that separate a good coach from a great coach, and foundational measurements he looks out for. Tune in to discover how to ignore the noise and move the needle forward for your athletes.

HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 My top recommended books & their biggest takeaways.

04:10 What did your path as a young coach in the private sector look like?

08:40 How do you develop elite athletes at Excel Sports Management?

16:50 Which metrics & measurements did you value the most?

22:40 How to test health and performance in athletes.

28:50 The right and the wrong way to use data.

34:05 Where is the pendulum swinging in the performance landscape?

39:15 Advice for young coaches who want to work with professional athletes.

46:05 What qualities do you admire for a coach on your staff?

RESOURCES + LINKS

Get your copy of Force by Dan Cleather on Amazon HERE

Check out Anthony’s Masterclass -

The High Performance Hockey Masterclass

Follow Curt on Instagram | @curt_truhe

Follow Anthony on Instagram | @anthonydonskov

Follow Anthony on Twitter | Anthony Donskov, PhD

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel | The HPH Podcast with Anthony Donskov

Follow HPH Podcast on Instagram | @hph_podcast

Follow HPH Podcast on Twitter | @TheHPH_Podcast

Learn more on our Website | https://www.donskovsc.com/

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

What were the biggest lessons I learned over the past year? Today’s episode is a reflection and contemplation of 2024. It’s now the second year of the HPH podcast, so let’s take the opportunity to look back on what has been a year full of growth – both personally and professionally. I share my favorite nuggets of wisdom from previous guests of the podcast, including some of the most impactful quotes that have stuck with me. I also highlight practical advice for coaches, young or seasoned, who are looking to grow the game in 2025 and beyond.

HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 2024: A year of reflection and contemplation.

01:40 My biggest teaching lessons from coaching a U10 team.

08:10 How to find what you’re looking for & fix what you need to fix.

11:30 Where do measurement errors come from?

15:50 A cooperative approach to communication with advanced players.

17:25 How do you become a good coach?

20:50 My 2024 must-read books.

RESOURCES + LINKS

Check out my 2024 recommended books -

The Coach’s Guide to Teaching by Doug Lemov

Force by Dan Cleather

The Little Black Book of Training Wisdom by Dan Cleather

Strength Training for Hockey by NCSA, edited by Kevin Neeld and Brijesh Patel

Check out Anthony’s Masterclass -

The High Performance Hockey Masterclass

Follow Anthony on Instagram | @anthonydonskov

Follow Anthony on Twitter | Anthony Donskov, PhD

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel | The HPH Podcast with Anthony Donskov

Follow HPH Podcast on Instagram | @hph_podcast

Follow HPH Podcast on Twitter | @TheHPH_Podcast

Learn more on our Website | https://www.donskovsc.com/

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