All posts tagged hockey
Willie O’Ree Weekend for HEROS
Four of our very own HEROS recently had the great opportunity of attending the Willie O’Ree Weekend in Philadelphia. This was the 17th consecutive year that HEROS boys and girls […]
Helping Kids Reach Goals
This article is originally published here. What gets lost with many goals, is that teamwork made them happen. With the encouragement of Constable Sue Crawford from the bench, 11-year-old Myrina took […]
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 […]
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 […]
5 Things You Should Know About Nutrition For Hockey
One of the most common questions I get asked from parents is if I can talk to their child about nutrition. Every team and player I work with gets educated […]
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 […]
Off-Season hockey training guidelines
Summer is here and as much as young athletes are excited for family vacations they can’t forget about getting into game shape for the fall. Strength, power and speed are […]
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. […]
It’s Fine! They Won’t Hurt Themselves…
This whole non-sense of resistance training (or weight training) is dangerous for kid’s growth plates are absolutely absurd. There is no scientific evidence to support this claim and it’s based on nothing but an assumption. Whether a young athlete performs a squat using only their own body weight or added weight, it’s no more dangerous than doing simple push ups with a ten pound plate on their back, and both are resistance training.
You’ve Got To Hit The Net
I was recently re-reading an article by Earl McRae of Sun Media about a friend of mine, Mike Bossy. Mike and I played against each other in the National Hockey League (NHL) during the years that the New York Islanders won four Stanley Cups. In his interview, Earl McRae asked Mike why players in today’s game miss the net so much.
Video: The Crossover
Smooth and efficient crossovers allow a player to change direction while maintaining speed. Here are the keys: Keep your blades flat on the ice as long as possible. Keep your […]
Great Skating Makes a Difference
I sometimes wonder if skating experts, or “Power Skating” coaches don’t try to invent their own list of skating tip priorities as a marketing angle. If you search out some of the leading teachers online they all have certain points they emphasize, and a surprising number of them contradict each other.
A Victory For All Of Us!
During my 15 year NHL career I had the privilege of participating in two Stanley Cup finals, winning one in 1986, and losing to Calgary in 1989. The feeling on the ice with the Cup was surreal…
Fröhliche Weihnachten!
In 1980 the Cornwall Royals won the Memorial Cup, Canada’s National Junior Championship.
As a result of this victory, the team got to represent Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championship in Fussen, Germany, the following Christmas.
Fröhliche Weihnachten!
In 1980 the Cornwall Royals won the Memorial Cup, Canada’s National Junior Championship. As a result of this victory, the team got to represent Canada at the World Junior Hockey […]
Hockey Brings the Family Together
In October 2002, I experienced a family hockey moment very unique and precious to my family. It was the last year of the British Superleague, in a game between the […]
A Christmas Tradition Unlike Any Other
As a hockey player I embrace the Christmas season just as much as I do hockey. It brings many memories and good times at home and in the rink. A […]
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 […]
Music City Miracle
October 23, 2008 in Nashville, Tennessee I fell in love with the game of hockey all over again. As someone who has spent the last 15 years working in the […]
Get Outside
If you are human, the hockey season can feel long. One week blends into the next, and one rink parking lot starts to look like every other one. As days grow dark more quickly, a 6 a.m. practice can feel like it must be a 10 p.m. practice. You are not alone.
Ouch, That Hurts! Stop Preventable Injuries
We all know that accidents happen and some players get injured during the season from collisions, but what about when a player pulls or strains a muscle without knowing how it happened. Those kinds of injuries are completely preventable and must be addressed.
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.
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.
Strength Training Tips for Hockey Moms
The life of a hockey mom can be busy taking care of the needs of a son or daughter during the season. With all the driving to games and practices, […]
How to Make the Perfect Saucer Pass
A saucer pass spins like a UFO through the air, hence the name. The key in making a successful saucer pass is to start the puck at the heel of the blade, and slice the blade as you follow through. I like to compare the motion to a cut serve in table tennis.
Are You A Winning Coach? 10 Signs You May Have Lost Your Way
Just like you and me, no coach is perfect. And let’s face it, no matter how great a job a coach is doing, he or she will never be able […]
Want To Become A Champion? Then Lose The Perfectionism!
Who would ever think that the one biggest obstacle to achieving success on the ice and reaching your hockey dreams would be your own frustration and self-directed anger whenever 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 […]
New to Hockey? A quick rundown of the different minor hockey levels
Every hockey player — from the professional to the recreation-league player skating at the local rink — had to get a start on the ice somewhere. And for many players, […]
40 Fun Hockey Facts
When a sport has been around as long as hockey, there are bound to be plenty of interesting facts, legends and stories surrounding it. And from 10-point games to lost Stanley […]
The Scholarship of a Lifetime
“Everyone deserves an equal opportunity to succeed in life,” Hockey Education Reaching Out Society (HEROS) Participant Nick McCurdy wrote to begin his Thurgood Marshall Scholarship winning essay. “Based on my […]
Gearing Down
Hockey season seems like it’s nonstop sometimes. However, Ryan Walter says that it’s important to take a break every once in awhile.
Under Pressure!
As the season begins to slowly come to a close, the focus level of my team has become increasingly better. My team understands that topnotch performance is essential in every […]
Under Pressure!
The last week of the season, leading into the state championships can throw many different unexpected occurrences that unprepared teams may have a struggle bypassing. Having the feeling of preparedness and productivity in my team I feel like whatever stresses or curves slid our way will not affect us to the point of failure.
When the World is Watching
Individual athletes often make or break their careers based on how they perform in “big games.” Some athletes surprise us with their calm, consistent play, while others, even on the same team, underperform. I would like to present two ideas for you to be mindful of, as you watch, with an emphasis, naturally, on hockey. I encourage you to observe how they factor into the performance of each participating athlete.
Lessons Learned
The scene at the Nagano train station when Team Canada arrived was one I will never forget.
It was exciting with thousands of people turning out to greet the team and catch a glimpse of Wayne Gretzky. It was frightening to witness thousands of star crazed hockey fans rush towards the players.
Dream the Olympic Dream!
Steve Yzerman and his extremely experienced group of leaders picked twenty-five players to represent Canada. Literally that means thousands of the world’s greatest hockey players were left of this roster. Imagine that! For most youth hockey players their dream is to play in the NHL. It’s a wonderful dream, but it is shared by millions of kids in Canada, and even more around the world.
Passion Fuelled by Patriotism
Our men’s hockey team this year is stacked once again with many new additions. Although this year I won’t be sitting in a pub with my buddies watching team Canada games, I’ll be getting up super early in the morning, or staying up super late at night to watch games being playing from all the way over in Sochi.
A Nation’s Pride
For hockey fans, I truly believe we are spoiled. If we want information on our favorite team or player the internet provides mountains of it in a second. If we […]
CANADA’S NATIONAL SLEDGE TEAM TO FACE UNITED STATES IN THREE-GAME SERIES IN ROCKLAND, ONT.
CALGARY, Alta. – Canada’s National Sledge Team will be in Rockland, Ont., just outside Ottawa, for a three-game series against the United States from Feb. 14-16 at the Canadian International Hockey […]
Sledge Hockey Sets Him Free
While most teens his age are still snug in their beds, fast asleep, Nic Klassen rises bright and early every morning before school to start his daily routine. After getting […]