I Built the Tool that I Needed Most
There came a point in my coaching career where I realized I was spending more time trying to organize information than actually teaching the game.
Every practice note, scouting report, player tendency, lineup adjustment, and game reflection lived in a different place. Some were on office pads. Many were in notebooks with a plethora of other important hockey notes. Some were screenshots on my phone. Some were buried in documents on my laptop that I was guaranteed to forget about and never look at again.
And the truth is โ coaching field hockey moves too fast. We have the shortest season, and it always feels like a sprint.
The best coaches Iโve been around are constantly observing, learning, and preparing. But preparation only matters if you can actually access what youโve learned when you need it most. I honestly remember a former national team coach sharing that he used to gather all this information on opponents – but found it difficult to relay it all in a digestible manner and format for players. And that defeated the purpose of the gathering. Why did HE, a person on the sideline, need all of that information? That comment sent me on a side quest to find a better way to do all of this.
Thatโs how this scouting notebook came to life.
Not because there werenโt notebooks already out there. But because I couldnโt find one that truly reflected the way coaches actually work day-to-day. I really wanted something practical, with space for notes that organized my thoughts without being restrictive. Something that also allowed coaches to think deeply, reflect honestly, and prepare intentionally.
Because at the end of the day, scouting is more than statistics and play calls. Itโs seeing patterns. Understanding people. Recognizing momentum shifts. Remembering details that matter when pressure rises. Over time, I also realized that writing things down slows the game down mentally. It creates clarity, reflection, and accountability. It forces you to coach with purpose instead of simply reacting to whatโs happening in front of you.
And honestly, I built this notebook from necessity. I built it because I wanted one place for everything:
- opponent tendencies
- notes for the different phases of the game
- things I liked and want to add to my program
- player development thoughts
- postgame reflections
- mistakes I never wanted to repeat twice
Scouting can become overwhelming when you donโt have one spot for everything you need. This notebook was my attempt to simplify the process and create structure around preparation.
But more than anything, I built it because I care deeply about helping others do things within this profession well.
I believe players deserve prepared coaches. I believe that details matter. I believe organization creates confidence. And I believe coaching should be intentional, not reactive.
This notebook became an extension of that philosophy.
Not perfect. Not flashy. Just built from real experience, real mistakes, and real years spent trying to grow within the game.
And if it helps another coach feel more prepared, more organized, or more thoughtful in their process โ then it is serving its purpose.
The Womenโs Side of Sport โ Scouting Notebook for Field Hockey Coaches
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