All posts tagged featured
3 Things You Need To Know About First Step Quickness
The hardest part of my job is educating parents and coaches by having them understand the facts and myths about off-ice development. Most of all understanding that it’s a long-term […]
HEROS Launches Surrey Program!
It is hard to find the right words to describe the feeling inside of the Sport Chek this past Monday in Surrey, BC. HEROS (Hockey Education Reaching Out Society) expanded […]
Aviva Community Fund: Vote For HEROS
HEROS has the great opportunity of being one of the organizations in the running in the Aviva Community Fundraising competition. Our hockey program for marginalized youth across the country needs YOUR […]
Exclusive Q&A With Renowned Skating Coach Barb Aidelbaum
Barb Aidelbaum is a devoted member of the HEROS family, as a co-founder and part of the HEROS Board of Directors. Her dedication to not only coaching but to every student she’s […]
It’s Fine! They Won’t Hurt Themselves…
Is resistance training safe for young athletes, specifically minor hockey players? Yes, it is absolutely safe as long as the trainer is qualified and experience to instruct such a program […]
Why a Hockey Player Needs Summer Camp: The Math
Let’s look at some numbers. A typical recreation player during a season gets 1 practice per week. A season runs September to end of February with a short break in December. […]
Aeroplan Member Donation Program supporting our HEROS
Hockey Education Reaching Out Society (HEROS) has teamed up with the Aeroplan Member Donation Program as a great way for our supporters to contribute to the HEROS program. The Aeroplan member […]
Experimental Resolutions
I have nothing against goals and resolutions but I’ve stopped making them… well sort of. I grew up with a fabulous father who is super goal oriented and who helped […]
The Power Of Sport Can Change The World
In May 2013 I had the privilege of hearing Clara Hughes, one of the greatest Canadian Olympians, speak at the Canadian Olympic Committee’s Olympic Excellence Series. Hughes is one of […]
HEROS in Ireland
Martina Byrne is a Youth Development Officer with Finglas Youth Service, in the Republic of Ireland. Finglas is one of the most marginalized and socially deprived areas of Dublin. Her […]
Becoming A Leader of Tomorrow
November can easily be the most stressful and physically draining months of the season requiring a brotherhood amongst the team that motivates players to play at their fullest potential. Having a group of players that are motivated and ready to make the necessary steps to achieve the next level is essential in a team’s development.
Giving the Gift of Hockey
Well, the holiday season is upon us once again. At One Million Skates we are happy to be a part of a hockey family that includes our fantastic contributors, our […]
Become Your Own Slump-Buster!
All of us get into a slump once in awhile. Follow these strategies to help get yourself out of it.
Enjoy the Ride
When I was a young hockey player, back in Belleville Ontario I use to love this time of year. I loved the feeling of the crisp autumn air. The smell […]
What Fuels YOU?
What do all of these situations have in common? They all require energy to be performed, and just like a car gas fuel to perform; your body needs fuel to […]
Scoop the Puck
You may have seen players attempt this trick many times. Here is a quick tutorial of how it’s done. Now try it in overtime from behind the net and score […]
Teach Courage
Welcome back to the Ten Rules series where we examine Lloyd Percival’s list of How to Establish Rapport with Your Athletic Child. In the first post, we looked at the background of Percival and […]
Who Sets the Goals?
Everyone has goals for a team. From the organization down, there are a number of goals that are important, but in terms of setting expectations and the all important parent-coach […]
Meet the Parents
Meeting the parents is sometimes a daunting task, and as the season approaches, I felt would be appropriate to share tips for coaches to run effective parent-coach meetings. A good […]
Keep Your Cool
Welcome back to the Ten Rules series where we examine Lloyd Percival’s list of How to Establish Rapport with Your Athletic Child. In the first post, we looked at the background of Percival and […]
Coaches vs. Parents
The parent treads on dangerous ground when they criticize a popular coach. The fact that children today are more likely to question the actions of the coach than they were when Percival was coaching makes the second part of his warning more important. The parent is there to support the young player in their endeavours, balance their different reactions to the coach and promote a healthy relationship with the game of hockey. Questioning the coach’s actions in front of your child is not helpful.
Let Them Dream
Rule #5 Don’t live through your hockey player.
Try not to re-live your athletic life through your child. You fumbled too. You lost as well as won. You were frightened, you backed off at times and you were not always heroic. Don’t pressure your child because of your pride.
The Happy Warrior
Rule # 4 Teach them to enjoy the thrill of competition and sharpen their skills.
Don’t say “winning doesn’t count” because it does. Instead, help develop the feel for competing, for trying hard and having fun. Explain that the “Happy Warrior” who loves all aspects of play is usually the best athlete in the long term, certainly the happiest and most well-adjusted one.
HEROS Across Canada
Hockey Education Reaching Out Society (HEROS) celebrates ice hockey while giving an opportunity for young people to grow while learning life and hockey skills. Personal growth and success off of […]
Tennis Makes the Heart Grow Fonder
Tennis in Canada has been bolstered recently by a terrific upsurge in Canadian talent. July 2012 saw both Eugenie Bouchard and Filip Peliwo win Wimbledon Junior singles titles. Marking the first […]
Who’s in charge?
If you enjoy a healthy involvement in the athletic life of your children you will naturally want to discuss their games and events and they will want to discuss them with you. The challenge is to always keep your comments supportive and to inspire your children to want to be better and more successful, not to be telling them how they can improve and succeed more often.
It’s All About Balance
Some kids will thrive on the challenge of advancing in hockey. For others, warming the bench on a higher division could shatter their confidence. How does a hockey parent build their young player’s confidence and support their ambitions, all the while making sure they aren’t crushed from the pressure of unrealistic expectations? Keep it fun and keep it in perspective, no matter what level they play.
Love and Accept Your Young Athletes (Regardless of Performance)
This is Percival’s first rule because it underpins all of the rest. If we cannot assure our children that they are loved, that we support them in all of their endeavors and will not judge them based on their success or failure, then what is the point of their engaging in sport at all? It is a precept, which seems obvious and simple; however, in our highly pressurized world of sport, it can become complex and is too often overlooked, even when we are dealing with children under the age of ten.
Are you really supporting your hockey player?
Don’t say “winning doesn’t count” because it does. Instead, help develop the feel for com-peting, for trying hard, for having fun. Explain that the “Happy Warrior” who loves all as-pects of play is usually in the long term the best athlete.
A Heroic Teacher
Justin Borsato is committed to teaching. He is a Grade 7 teacher in one of the toughest elementary schools in Vancouver, British Columbia, yet Justin remains passionate about his students. […]
Ten Rules for the Parents of Young Hockey Players
We’ve all seen them at the rink, or heard about them from other parents; we might even be one or have been one of them in the past. They yell at the players from the stands, besmirch the good name of the referee and loudly question the decisions of the coach. Some of them are less conspicuous, sitting off by themselves, intently making mental notes in preparation for the post-game conversation with their son or daughter. They might seem like the hockey parent from hell or they might pass for any other hockey parent, but they are one in the same.
2015 Hockey Coaches Conference
OneMillionSkates and Hockey Education Reaching Out Society (HEROS) are pleased to be partnered with the 2015 Hockey Coaches Conference. To celebrate, we are offering OneMillionSkates readers an exclusive opportunity to win tickets […]
Life and your mind: Take a three minute break everyday
Whether you’re a parent or player involved in sports, we often find ourselves bouncing from one event to the next at mock speed. In each situation we are asked to […]
The Pros and Cons of Spring Hockey
Spring hockey can be the best of times and the worst of times! It can be amazing or disappointing. It can enhance your player’s skill development or exacerbate your player’s […]
So, what do hockey scouts really look for?
So, what do hockey scouts really look for? It’s a question every serious hockey player will ask as he or she approaches Bantam and beyond. Scouts rate players in five […]
Establishing Nutrition Goals For The Off-Season
If you’re like most athletes, once off-season starts, you’re ready for a well-deserved break. During the season, you’re constantly working to develop your skills, improve your eating habits and are […]
A Fresh View of Success
Everyone knows how great it feels to accomplish something that we really value and have worked hard at to achieve. The feeling of success is an important component in building […]
Beat The February Blahs With These 12 Great Hockey Reads
Come February, many of us are counting down the days until Daylight Savings Time. If you are feeling the February blahs and need a little something to get you through […]
Labour of Love
It has been smooth skating for the Shelburne Minor Hockey Association with Mike Fazackerley in the rink. Since taking on the role of president — an unpaid position — the […]
The MacGyver Way: Using What You Have
A few weeks back, I asked a group of 17-year-old boys I was doing a career workshop with if they knew who MacGyver was. Thankfully, most of them did, which […]
November: Topping Up The Energy Tank
Everything good this season will result from the energy of your players! When it comes to playing your best game, understanding how to re-energize is every bit as important as […]
Baseline Concussion Testing
If you have a child that plays contact sports, you may have already heard about “baseline concussion testing” — a cognitive evaluation tool designed to assess an athlete’s normal state […]
Mike Johnston on Building A Winning Team And How Parents Can Help
When the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks’ owner, Bill Gallacher, wanted to revamp the Hawks’ hockey operations in 2008, he turned to Mike Johnston — a sought-after coach who knows there’s a […]
Behind The Bench — 5 guidelines every winning coach should follow to take the team to the next level
If you really want to be successful as a coach, if you really want to motivate and inspire your players to take their game to the next level, if you […]
Three Ingredients For A Great Team Culture
My wife, Jenn, and I really enjoyed the 19 seasons of minor hockey that our three boys played. Our oldest son, Ben, who now plays professional hockey, was a Novice […]
Orderly Chaos — The best scheduling apps, organizers and tips for busy hockey families
Without an organized schedule, the hockey season can pass like a hurricane and leave your family feeling chaotic, stressed and unable to relish the experience of participating in one of […]
Show Me The Money! 5 ways to save on hockey equipment
With the hockey season underway, parents across the country are feeling the strain on their wallets. Let’s face it — minor hockey is an expensive game. You’ve got your enrolment […]
9 Ways Parents Can Help Alleviate Hockey Tryout Stress
For many minor hockey players — and their parents, too — the hockey tryout process can be both exciting and unnerving. When players are working hard to make a top […]
Game Ready — Understanding motivation and the relationship between player mindset and ability
Another hockey season is upon us, and I’m sure parents and players have entered it with feelings of both excitement and anxiousness. As a strength and conditioning coach who is […]
Losing the Bubble-Wrap: What I learned from failure
Are young athletes today too over-protected? Sometimes failing, making mistakes and playing on a second-string team can be the best thing for them.