Best Hockey Coaching Books of 2025

Wilson Cook Avatar
Wilson Cook
Last Updated: Apr 24, 2023

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Hockey coaching books are an essential resource for coaches at all levels of the game. These books cover a wide range of topics, from basic skills and strategies to advanced tactics and game management. They provide valuable insights and advice on everything from player development to team building and can help coaches improve their own coaching skills and knowledge. Whether you are a beginner coach or an experienced professional, there is a hockey coaching book out there that can help you take your coaching game to the next level.

At a Glance: Our Top Picks

Deep Learning (Adaptive Computation and Machine Learning series) Cover #TOP 1
Deep Learning (Adaptive Computation and Machine Learning series)
ftb score rating icon 9.9
Stretching: 40th Anniversary Edition Cover #TOP 2
Stretching: 40th Anniversary Edition
ftb score rating icon 9.8
You Are The Team: 6 Simple Ways Teammates Can Go From Good To Great Cover #TOP 3
You Are The Team: 6 Simple Ways Teammates Can Go From Good To Great
ftb score rating icon 9.6

Top 10 Hockey Coaching Books

Deep Learning (Adaptive Computation and Machine Learning series)

Goodfellow, Ian
Bengio, Yoshua
Courville, Aaron
The MIT Press
Nov 18, 2016
Deep Learning (Adaptive Computation and Machine Learning series) Cover
Deep Learning (Adaptive Computation and Machine Learning series)

The book "Deep Learning" is a comprehensive guide to the mathematical and conceptual background of deep learning, including techniques used in industry and research perspectives. It covers a broad range of topics such as linear algebra, probability theory, numerical computation, machine learning, and more. The book also offers research perspectives, covering theoretical topics such as autoencoders, Monte Carlo methods, and deep generative models. This book is a valuable resource for both undergraduate and graduate students planning careers in industry or research, as well as software engineers who want to begin using deep learning in their products or platforms.

Anderson, Bob
Anderson, Jean
Shelter Publications
Oct 6, 2020
Stretching: 40th Anniversary Edition Cover
Stretching: 40th Anniversary Edition

The 40th-anniversary edition of "Stretching" is the ultimate guide to improve posture and prevent injuries. With over 3¾ million copies sold worldwide, this book offers stretching routines specific to various groups, including sports enthusiasts, travelers, children, gardeners, and people in wheelchairs. The new section titled "Stretches for the Digital World" is a must-read for those using cell phones and computers. It provides tips for better posture and stretches to do in an office environment. Bob Anderson, the author, has taught millions of people his simple approach to stretching, making this book the most user-friendly on the subject. The book is a bible of the stretching gospel, and it's a must-have for anyone looking to stay fit and healthy.

You Are The Team: 6 Simple Ways Teammates Can Go From Good To Great

Rogers, Michael G.
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Jun 15, 2017
You Are The Team: 6 Simple Ways Teammates Can Go From Good To Great Cover
You Are The Team: 6 Simple Ways Teammates Can Go From Good To Great

You Are The Team by Michael Rogers is a practical book that aims to improve teamwork by focusing on each individual team member. The author uses real-life stories to highlight the six simple ways that teammates can go from good to great, including being more selfless, accountable, and respectful. The book also includes introspective questions to help readers reflect on their own application of each team concept. The end of the book provides an assessment to gauge the effectiveness of each team member. Overall, this book is a must-read for anyone serious about upping the level of teamwork in their organization.

Every Moment Matters: How the World's Best Coaches Inspire Their Athletes and Build Championship Teams

O'Sullivan, John
Changing the Game Project
Dec 8, 2019
Every Moment Matters: How the World's Best Coaches Inspire Their Athletes and Build Championship Teams Cover
Every Moment Matters: How the World's Best Coaches Inspire Their Athletes and Build Championship Teams

Every Moment Matters is a must-read book for coaches at any level who are looking to improve their leadership skills and build high-performing teams. Author John O'Sullivan has compiled insights from top coaches, sport scientists, psychologists, and athletes to create a blueprint for success. The book emphasizes the importance of being intentional in every moment, from designing practices to inspiring players. Whether you're coaching a youth team or competing for an NCAA championship, this book provides practical tools and strategies to become the coach your athletes need. Overall, it's an inspiring and insightful read that will help coaches bring out the best in their teams.

#TOP 5

Confident, Calm, & Clutch: How to Build Confidence and Mental Toughness

Alston, Valerie R
Feb 24, 2023
Confident, Calm, & Clutch: How to Build Confidence and Mental Toughness Cover
Confident, Calm, & Clutch: How to Build Confidence and Mental Toughness for Young Athletes Using Sports Psychology

This book is a must-read for young athletes looking to develop their mental toughness and confidence. The author, a Certified Mental Performance Consultant, provides practical strategies to help athletes become more resilient and adaptable, able to turn setbacks into breakthroughs. The book covers topics such as regulating emotions, being a coachable athlete, building a support team, and stopping self-criticism. With its emphasis on mental strength and the champion's mindset, this book is an essential guide for any young athlete looking to take their game to the next level.

#TOP 6

We're Not Here for the Hockey

Zukosky, L.
Apr 2, 2023
We're Not Here for the Hockey Cover
We're Not Here for the Hockey: A Guide to Raising a Competitive Athlete Without Going Nucking Futs

The book "We're Not Here for the Hockey" is a humorous yet heartfelt guide for parents navigating the competitive world of youth hockey. Written by L. Zukosky, it covers everything from how not to be "that parent" to surviving the drama and politics of the sport. The author believes in the power of sports to teach kids essential lessons and provides practical advice for managing the demands of sports with a busy family life. This book is a must-read for any hockey parent or anyone involved in youth sports.

#TOP 7

Play Better Hockey: The Essential Skills

Davidson, Ron
Hitchcock, Ken
Firefly Books
Dec 22, 2017
Play Better Hockey: The Essential Skills Cover
Play Better Hockey: The Essential Skills for Player Development

Play Better Hockey: The Essential Skills for Player Development is a must-read for anyone looking to improve their hockey skills. The book provides a comprehensive guide to individual skill advancement, from the fundamentals of skating and stick work to advanced moves in dekeing and deception. The author, Ron Davidson, uses a progressive-learning approach that caters to players of all levels, making it an ideal resource for beginners, intermediate-level players, and elite players alike. The second edition of the book has been retooled to include even more skills that players can learn to become the next superstars of the NHL. Overall, Play Better Hockey is an excellent coaching book that is well-written, easy to follow, and packed with valuable information.

#TOP 8

Eat Like a Champion: Performance Nutrition

Castle, Jill
AMACOM
Jul 8, 2015
Eat Like a Champion: Performance Nutrition Cover
Eat Like a Champion: Performance Nutrition for Your Young Athlete

Eat Like a Champion by Jill Castle is a must-read resource for parents of young athletes aged eight through eighteen. The book offers tailored diets for training, competition, and off-season, providing practical meal and snack ideas that can help athletic youngsters eat to win. It also addresses unhealthy patterns and counterproductive supplements, sports drinks, and performance-enhancing substances. The book is an excellent guide for parents and coaches to help young athletes increase their energy, bolster their motivation, gain muscle mass, overcome fatigue, and improve their performance.

#TOP 9

Hockey Tough

Miller, Saul L.
Human Kinetics
Jun 16, 2016

Hockey Tough is a book that emphasizes the importance of mental skills in hockey. Written by performance consultant Saul Miller, the book provides training techniques that he has taught to hockey players and teams for over 40 years. The book includes insights, anecdotes, and advice from elite players like Sidney Crosby and Daniel Sedin. Coaches and players will learn how to control their emotions, maintain composure, and stay focused in clutch situations. Hockey Tough is a must-read for anyone looking to become a complete player on and off the ice.

#TOP 10

Ice Hockey Biographies for Kids

Gupta, Shantanu
Mar 8, 2023
Ice Hockey Biographies for Kids Cover
Ice Hockey Biographies for Kids: 30 Greatest Ice Hockey Players of all-time (Ice Hockey G.O.A.Ts)

Ice Hockey Biographies for Kids: 30 Greatest Ice Hockey Players of all-time (Ice Hockey G.O.A.Ts) is an inspiring collection of mini biographies for young ice hockey enthusiasts. The book offers an inside look into the careers of some of the greatest players to ever step onto the rink, including Wayne Gretzky, Sidney Crosby, and Alexander Ovechkin. Each chapter includes beautiful illustrations, career statistics, accomplishments, career highlights, and interesting facts. This book is a must-read for any young hockey fan looking to learn more about the greatest ice hockey players of all-time.

Buying Guide Image

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How do you coach hockey for dummies?

Unlike other coaching books, which only cover what happens on the ice, Coaching Hockey For Dummies covers every aspect of hockey coaching, from what equipment a coach needs, to holding player-parent meetings, to the perfect drills to develop individual and team skills.

Editor's Notes

During our hockey coaching book research, we found 1,200+ hockey coaching book products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 12,311 customer reviews through our big data system to write the hockey coaching books list. We found that most customers choose hockey coaching books with an average price of $17.05.

Written by
Wilson Cook Avatar

Wilson Cook is a talented writer who has an MFA in creative writing from Williams College and has published more than 50 books acquired by hundreds of thousands of people from various countries by now. He is an inveterate reading lover as he has read a vast amount of books since childhood.