Every player who comes to Erie completes a CoreFive Assessment that forms the basis for their initial Coaching Report. The Coaching Report helps the player understand the how and why of their actions as well as how specific aspects of their character compare against criteria used by NHL teams for selection and development.
We assess the players annually which allows us to track their growth on a year over year basis. This information provides our Coaching Staff with information to better understand the player as a person, their developmental needs and increases our ability to build the coach-player relationships needed for effective coaching.
We know that players who commit themselves to the process and put in the required work will see big improvements in their personal growth which translates to greater success on the ice. We see improvements in their desire to do things the right way, to make the changes necessary to get better. Their level of engagement in their character development increases. They ask questions, they listen, they try new things, they take pride in their preparation, they take responsibility for their actions. As these changes occur, their level of maturity increases, their level of comfort with who they are as a person increases and they become big assets to our organization both on and off the ice.”