Making Plays vs. Playing It Safe
Safe hockey—a method of playing the game focused on giving youth teams better chances at winning—sounds like a good thing, right? Unfortunately, what safe hockey amounts to is simply playing it safe. In this “game of territory,” coaches discourage players from making hockey plays for fear of losing the puck and potentially getting scored against. Instead, players are encouraged to dump the puck in the offensive zone as opposed to trying to make a play on the initial rush. As a professional coach and player, I believe it is the biggest inhibitor of development that exists in youth hockey.
How to Prevent Tetanus & Bacterial Meningitis
Get cut by an ice skate blade and the first thing you'll hear is "When was your last tetanus shot?" No matter how careful you are, players, coaches, parents and siblings can be vulnerable to skate cuts -- particularly when you spend a lot of time in crowded locker rooms. While scheduling physicals for back-to-school and/or back-to-hockey, find out if you and your kids need tetanus shot boosters. Kids generally receive tetanus immunization with the DTaP vaccine at 4 to 6 years and 11 to 12 years. Tetanus shots require a booster every 10 years. For more information, visit the ...
Glossary: The Plus/Minus
In school, did you want to see a B+ or B– on your report card? You probably wanted a B+ and so did your parents—because everyone knows getting a “plus” is better than getting a “minus.” The same goes for hockey. Much like academic grades, the plus/minus system in hockey is a basic way to rate each individual player’s performance. When an even-strength or shorthanded goal is scored, every player on the ice for the scoring team is rewarded a “plus.” Every player on the ice for the team scored against is given a “minus.” A player’s overall total is ...
Breaking (Up) the Ice
Playing hockey on a cross-ice or half-size “rink” seems to make sense for the 8 and under crowd. All other youth sports—football, basketball, baseball, soccer—reduce the size of the playing area. But since this spring, when USA Hockey announced it as the official new norm for all 8 and under players, you can't go to a rink without overhearing plenty of chatter, questions and complaints on this topic. We asked a USA Hockey representative for help with parents’ biggest concerns.
Making Plays vs. Playing It Safe
Safe hockey—a method of playing the game focused on giving youth teams better chances at winning—sounds like a good thing, right? Unfortunately, what safe hockey amounts to is simply playing it safe. In this “game of territory,” coaches discourage players from making hockey plays for fear of losing the puck and potentially getting scored against. Instead, players are encouraged to dump the puck in the offensive zone as opposed to trying to make a play on the initial rush. As a professional coach and player, I believe it is the biggest inhibitor of development that exists in youth hockey.
How to Prevent Tetanus & Bacterial Meningitis
Get cut by an ice skate blade and the first thing you’ll hear is “When was your last tetanus shot?” No matter how careful you are, players, coaches, parents and siblings can be vulnerable to skate cuts — particularly when you spend a lot of time in crowded locker rooms. While scheduling physicals for back-to-school and/or back-to-hockey, find out if you and your kids need tetanus shot boosters. Kids generally receive tetanus immunization with the DTaP vaccine at 4 to 6 years and 11 to 12 years. Tetanus shots require a booster every 10 years. For more information, visit the Children’s Medical Center.
Glossary: The Plus/Minus
In school, did you want to see a B+ or B– on your report card? You probably wanted a B+ and so did your parents—because everyone knows getting a “plus” is better than getting a “minus.” The same goes for hockey. Much like academic grades, the plus/minus system in hockey is a basic way to rate each individual player’s performance. When an even-strength or shorthanded goal is scored, every player on the ice for the scoring team is rewarded a “plus.” Every player on the ice for the team scored against is given a “minus.” A player’s overall total is calculated by subtracting the minuses from the pluses. (Note that power play goals — during which one team is shorthanded — do not count toward either team’s plus/minus.)
Breaking (Up) the Ice
Playing hockey on a cross-ice or half-size “rink” seems to make sense for the 8 and under crowd. All other youth sports—football, basketball, baseball, soccer—reduce the size of the playing area. But since this spring, when USA Hockey announced it as the official new norm for all 8 and under players, you can’t go to a rink without overhearing plenty of chatter, questions and complaints on this topic. We asked a USA Hockey representative for help with parents’ biggest concerns.
How—and When—to Master the Slapshot
Having trouble with the slapshot? You’re not alone. In fact, it may be the most difficult shot to master because there’s so much to learn. It’s not just aim and shoot—you have to hold the stick at just the right spot and then properly wind up, position your feet, contact the ice (first) and connect with the puck. Clearly, the more there is to learn, the more things that can go wrong. To help, I’ve compiled the top 4 most common errors players make when learning the slapshot.
Parenting
Safe hockey—a method of playing the game focused on giving youth teams better chances at winning—sounds like a good thing,...
Get cut by an ice skate blade and the first thing you’ll hear is “When was your last tetanus shot?” No...
In school, did you want to see a B+ or B– on your report card? You probably wanted a B+ and so did your parents—because...
Team News
Skating is the foundation of playing hockey. If you do not have the proper skating mechanics, explosive speed, quickness,...
USA Hockey
To all USA Hockey Local Programs: This is to alert you of a security issue regarding locker room activity involving...
Hockey Weekend Across America will take place this coming weekend, Jan. 29-31, 2010. The effort is aimed at celebrating the...
One of the largest barriers to growing the game of hockey is making it cost-effective and convenient. To demonstrate how...
Youth Hockey Training
Today’s child athlete is pushed and pulled in many directions. While being involved in extra curricular activities helps...
Weight training for kids is often a controversial subject area. Many people believe that it is too taxing on a child’s...
Endurance training for young athletes is often a misunderstood topic. On one hand, there are strength coaches who tend to...
Youth Sports Character
While there are many players on a hockey team, sometimes it might feel as though there are only a few shining stars. This...
When your player faces uncertainty or a difficult season, it can be easy for them to just throw in the towel and quit playing....
Whether or not parents put pressure on their kids, kids will put pressure on themselves. This pressure can result in fears...
Nutrition and Health
Every coach in every sport has athletes at risk for concussions. A concussion is a brain injury caused by a blow to the head....
Sustaining energy during a regular game can be difficult. However, when an athlete is involved in an entire weekend of tournament...
The sheer number of energy drinks on the market today is staggering. There are so many options, it might seem as though they...
Coaching
From the dawn of youth sports, there has been debate over the qualifications an individual should have to coach a team. In...
Coaches can play many roles – including medic, psychologist, chauffeur and sometimes equipment manager to name a few....
One of the key factors to keeping kids in youth sports is the element of fun in the activity. In this article, Executive...
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Most Recent Articles
Making Plays vs. Playing It SafeSafe hockey—a method of playing the game focused on giving youth teams better chances at winning—sounds like a good thing,...
How to Prevent Tetanus & Bacterial MeningitisGet cut by an ice skate blade and the first thing you’ll hear is “When was your last tetanus shot?” No...
Glossary: The Plus/MinusIn school, did you want to see a B+ or B– on your report card? You probably wanted a B+ and so did your parents—because...
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