Develop a Quicker Shot with the Power Builder!

The Power Builder is a new product designed to help players increase their shot power. It’s also designed to help players develop a quicker shot release. So is it worth it? Here’s our review of the Power Builder.



Overview: The HockeyShot Power Builder is a new hockey training aid that helps increase shot power. The Power Builder is available in 4 resistance levels. The Power Builder uses a resistance cord that targets and conditions the same muscles used in shooting. Players simulate a shooting motion while getting a hockey-specific workout.

How It Works:  The player completes a shot motion with the resistance force applied by the stretched resistance cord. The shot motion is done following a straight line. Players can simulate different types of hockey shots: wrist shots, snap shots, backhand shots, and slap shots. The Power Builder requires the installation of a small screw in the bottom portion of a wall.

Price: $34.95 for the Power Builder

Product Features: Here are some of the other features that HockeyShot lists on their website about the Power Builder:

• Improves shot power, quicker shot release and upper body strength.


• Helps develop a quicker acceleration on starts and explosion.


• Develops shooting muscles while simulating slap, snap, backhand, and wrist shot.


• Produces improved results in 10-15 minutes/day.


• Fits on all stick blades (less than a minute to install or remove).


• Durable quality product (made to last several years).


• Little space required. Ideal for use in garage, basement, backyard deck, or training room.

The Power Builder is available in 4 different resistance levels:

Level 1 -  (ages 6-9)
Level 2 -  (ages 10-12)
Level 3 -  (ages 13-15)
Level 4 -  (ages 16 and up)

Product Testimonials: HockeyShot lists many testimonials on its website about the Power Builder. These testimonials are from some respected names in the hockey training industry.

Final Period: The HockeyShot Power Builder is a helpful product that targets and conditions the muscles used in hockey. The Power Builder will help hockey players develop a quick shot while also developing their shooting muscles.

Editor’s Note: For a limited-time, when you use the code “teamcares″ at HockeyShot.com, parents will receive 10% off any purchase.

Sports Heroes: Not Always the Best Role Models

It is easy for kids to admire professional athletes who stand out in their sport. This admiration often takes the form of “hero worship” and gives kids someone to mimic in their path to adulthood. Just like their heroes, most kids can easily see themselves making the winning score or receiving the praise and lifestyle that comes with success. Many parents encourage this behavior through buying jerseys and seeking autographs.

Professional sports are a form of entertainment just as television programs are. Like actors and actresses, professional athletes become celebrities and gain additional exposure for the things they do away from the game - blurring the line between performance and lifestyle. Parents can’t always control what kids know about their favorite players. As personal celebrity becomes intermixed with professional accomplishment, kids can begin to mimic an athlete’s personal actions and mannerisms as well as an athlete’s professional skill. Kids can become confused about what it is they are trying to imitate.

However, as recent news accounts only reconfirm, professional athletes do not always make the best role models. A professional player’s conduct away from the game is often unknown. Most fans do not really know a player’s morals, ethics, work habits, and respect for teammates or for fans. Thus, most parents do not really know if they want their child to grow up mimicking the life choices of a specific professional athlete.

For kids who want heroes and parents who want role models, there can be conflict. One way around this conflict is for parents to begin distinguishing between admiration for a player’s abilities and admiration for a player. For example, saying that a professional player is a great athlete is different than saying a professional player is a great person.

Parents can help focus their children’s attention on players whose community actions are admirable even if the player’s game actions are not at the superstar level. Helping kids understand the difference between a player as a person and a player as an athlete is the key to providing the right role models for children.

How Do I Get Noticed?

How do I get noticed? This is one of the most frequently asked questions in hockey. There is no simple answer. You must come to the realization that there are several alternatives and routes a hockey player can take in achieving his or her goal.

The informed student athlete has a better chance of reaching the optimum hockey opportunity. Consider that there are well over 6,100 midget, junior, and high school teams in North America. Coaches, scouts, and recruiters cannot possibly cover all the teams and leagues. The NCAA restricts the number of annual contacts a college coach can have with a player. Prior to your senior year, a college coach cannot initiate contact with you, but he can observe or evaluate you seven (7) times. During your senior year, you can have personal contacts with a coach plus four (4) additional evaluations.

There are certain parts of the country where college and junior teams find most of their players. If you are not in a geographic “hockey hot bed,” your chances of exposure diminish. Your current coach can have significant impact on your future opportunities. To improve your chances:

• Make yourself academically attractive. Programs are looking for the student athlete.


• Select and play for a coach who has a history of moving players to the next level.


• Contact programs you are interested in - your coach should be your strongest advocate.


• Contact alumni of programs; ask them to speak on your behalf.


• Look for teams/leagues that have a history of moving players to the next level.


• Participate in USA Hockey district and national camps.


• Participate in USA Hockey district and national tournaments.


• Investigate Chicago Showcase, Hockey Night in Boston, Top Prospect camps.


• Try out for affiliate or district teams that play in elite tournaments.


• Attend summer camps that offer the best exposure and training.

Good Luck!

Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Al Bloomer for the above article.

Prepare Your Child with Nutrition and Rest

One of the most important aspects of youth sports is having the young ones prepared with proper rest and nutrition. To make sure your child is ready to have fun and compete to the best of his or her ability, follow some of the following tips.

Before starting a game or practice, kids need to have their bodies ready with fuel and adequate rest. Unfortunately, trying to fix these issues just before game time won’t work. Food takes time to digest before it can be used as fuel.

With too little rest or poor nutrition, a child’s performance can vary considerably from past efforts. During a game, a player needs lots of energy. To produce this energy, the body needs the right kinds of food.

Foods high in complex carbohydrates contain energy that is easier for the body to use. Foods containing protein are essential for proper growth and development but are harder for the body to quickly convert to energy. Foods high in complex carbohydrates include:

• Pasta


• Breads


• Rice


• Oatmeal


• Beans


• Potatoes


• Bananas

Although these foods are all good for producing energy, too much of a good thing can cause a player to feel sluggish during a game. Players should avoid eating big meals too close to game time. To be effective and to allow time for digestion, larger meals should be eaten at least three to five hours before a game. Within two hours of a game, players should have just a light snack that is high in energy (carbohydrates) and easy to digest.

After a game, players should eat a snack to restore lost energy and wait approximately one hour before eating a full meal. Excessive fatigue after a game may be a sign of improper nutrition before a game.

Water and Sports Drinks

Water is an important part of the energy process. Players should drink as much water as they can before, during, and after a game without causing stomach discomfort.

Sports drinks have a limited amount of value when players are not sweating a large amount. However, if players are sweating enough to lose body weight, then a sports drink may provide some benefit.

Nutritional Supplements

The use of caffeine, nutrition bars, and other items that promise quick energy usually indicate insufficient attention to other areas such as rest, nutrition, and exercise. A rested player in good physical condition should not require these energy shortcuts. Other supplements that promise muscle development or extra strength typically have side effects and should be used only after consulting a doctor.

Like so many other things about sports, there are no shortcuts when it comes to nutrition. A consistent diet of good foods in balanced meals, combined with exercise, is the best way to have sufficient energy during a game or practice.

Nutrition Timelines

Proper nutrition and rest need to be monitored prior to a sports event. The following timelines can help plan eating and resting before any heavy physical activity.

Afternoon or Evening Event

• Good night’s rest (day before)


• Healthy meal (3-5 hours before)


• Lots of water


• Light snack (1-2 hours before)


• Game or practice

Morning Event

• Healthy dinner and good night’s rest (day before)


• Lots of water


• Moderate snack (1-2 hours before)


• Game or practice

Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Sports Esteem for the above article.

Choosing a Fundraising Program

One of the most important steps you’ll take is choosing your fundraising program. To do this, you’ll need to review your group’s needs, goals, and resources, as well as the different programs available to you. Here are fundraising tips for choosing a program:

Assessing Your Needs and Resources

• List everything you hope your fundraiser will achieve, such as new sports equipment, travel costs, maintenance and repair, etc.


• Assign a dollar amount to each item, and add it all up to arrive at your fundraising goal.


• Determine when you need the money.


• Make a list of your resources: total budget for fundraising products, number of volunteers, number of participants, available selling location, etc.

Reviewing Programs

• List all the programs that meet your needs: have the right profit potential, can be handled by your volunteer staff, and are within your budget.


• At this point, it’s a good idea to speak with a fundraising consultant about programs with no upfront costs, financing options, and cost-free programs.

Making a Decision

• Be sure to take into account shipping times when you’re ready to place your order.


• Review your needs and resources with your fundraising consultant before making the final decision.

Editor’s Note: Special thanks to eFundraising for the above article.

Helping Athletes Handle Pressure and Competition

Having an open mind and being aware of what your athlete is saying (both vocally and through body language) can help in the handling of the pressure that comes with playing youth sports.

Most people play a sport for the thrill of having fun with others who share the same interest, right? But it’s not always fun and games. Most student athletes who play competitive sports have had thoughts that go like this at one time or another: “Man, I can’t believe I let the ball in the goal, and I know from the look in coach’s eyes he wasn’t happy.”

There can be a ton of pressure in high school sports. A lot of the time it comes from the feeling that a parent or coach expects you to always win. But sometimes it comes from inside, too: some players are just really hard on themselves. And individual situations can add to the stress: maybe there’s a recruiter from your number one college scouting you on the sidelines. Whatever the cause, the pressure to win can sometimes stress you to the point where you just don’t know how to have fun anymore. Perhaps it could even be the reason why you haven’t been playing as well lately.

How Can Stress Affect Sports Performance?

Stress is a feeling that’s created when we react to particular events. It’s the body’s way of rising to a challenge and preparing to meet a tough situation with focus, strength, stamina, and heightened alertness. A little stress or the right kind of positive stress can help keep you on your toes, ready to rise to a challenge.

The events that provoke stress are called stressors, and they cover a whole range of situations - everything from outright danger to stepping up to take the foul shot that could win the game. Stress can also be a response to change or anticipation of something that’s about to happen - good or bad. People can feel stress over positive challenges, like making the varsity team, as well as negative ones.

Distress is a bad type of stress that arises when you must adapt to too many negative demands. Suppose you had a fight with a close friend last night, you forgot your homework this morning, and you’re playing in a tennis match this afternoon. You try to get psyched for the game but can’t. You’ve hit stress overload! Continuous struggling with too much stress can exhaust your energy and drive.

Eustress is the good type of stress that stems from the challenge of taking part in something that you enjoy but have to work hard for. Eustress pumps you up, providing a healthy spark for any task you undertake.

What Can I Do to Ease Pressure?

When the demands of competition start to get to you, try these relaxation techniques:

• Deep breathing: Find a quiet place to sit down. Inhale slowly through your nose, drawing air deep into your lungs. Hold your breath for about 5 seconds, then release it slowly. Repeat the exercise five times.


• Muscle relaxation: Contract (flex) a group of muscles tightly. Keep them tensed for about 5 seconds, then release. Repeat the exercise five times, selecting different muscle groups.


• Visualization:Close your eyes and picture a peaceful place or an event from your past. Recall the beautiful sights and the happy sounds. Imagine stress flowing away from your body. You can also visualize success. People who advise competitive players often recommend that they imagine themselves completing a pass, making a shot, or scoring a goal over and over. Then on game day, you can recall your stored images to help calm nerves and boost self-confidence.


• Mindfulness: Watch out for negative thoughts. Whether you’re preparing for a competition or coping with a defeat, repeat to yourself: “I learn from my mistakes!” “I’m in control of my feelings!” “I can make this goal!”

When sports become too stressful, get away from the pressure. Go to a movie or hang out with friends. Put your mind on something completely different.

How Can I Keep Stress in Check?

If sports make you so nervous that you get headaches, become nauseated, or can’t concentrate on other things, you’re experiencing symptoms of unhealthy, potentially chronic (which means long-lasting and continuous) stress. Don’t keep such stress bottled up inside you; suppressing your emotions might mean bigger health troubles for you later on.

Talk about your concerns with a friend. Simply sharing your feelings can ease your anxiety. Sometimes it may help to get an adult’s perspective - someone who has dealt with stress over and over, like your coach or fitness instructor. Here are some other things you can do to cope with stress:

• Treat your body right. Eat well and get a good night’s sleep, especially before games where the pressure’s on.


• Learn and practice relaxation techniques, like those described in the previous section.


• Get some type of physical activity other than the sport you’re involved in. Take a walk, ride your bike, and get completely away from the sport that’s stressing you out.


• Don’t try to be perfect - everyone flubs a shot or messes up from time to time (so don’t expect your teammates to be perfect either!). Forgive yourself, remind yourself of all your great shots, and move on.

It’s possible that some anxiety stems only from uncertainty. Meet privately with your coach or instructor. Ask for clarification if his or her expectations seem vague or inconsistent. Although most instructors do a good job of fostering athletes’ physical and mental development, you may need to be the one who opens the lines of communication. You may also want to talk with your parents or another adult family member.

If you’re feeling completely over-scheduled and out of control, review your options on what you can let go. It’s a last resort, but if you’re no longer enjoying your sport, it may be time to find one that’s less stressful. Chronic stress isn’t fun - and fun is what sports are all about.

Recognizing when you need guidance to steer yourself out of a stressful situation doesn’t represent weakness; it’s a sign of courage and wisdom. Don’t stop looking for support until you’ve found it.

Enjoy the Game

Winning is exhilarating! But losing and some amount of stress are part of almost any sports program - as they are in life. Sports are about enhancing self-esteem, building social skills, and developing a sense of community. And above all, sports are about having fun.

Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Kids Health for the above article.

How to Tape Your Hockey Stick

A player’s stick is often his most personal piece of equipment. Adding tape to your stick makes it uniquely yours. Taping a stick should be done with cloth hockey tape.



Taping a stick can help:

• Control the puck while stick handling


• Keep hands from slipping off the end of the stick


• Provide a better grip when shooting, stick handling, stick checking or picking the stick up off the ice.

The blade is taped to help cushion the puck and keep it on the blade while carrying the puck down the ice. Some players prefer white tape on the blade to help them see the puck better. Other players prefer black tape to try to hide the puck from their opponents. Players should stay with either white or black tape for their blade.

The handle is taped to provide a better grip and a knob is created that keeps the hand from slipping off the end of the shaft. It also makes it easier to pick up the stick when dropped on the ice. The use of color here is strictly a personal preference. Some players like to tape down the shaft where they place their lower hand. Tape on the middle of the shaft can interfere with sliding the down hand up and down and should be used only if gripping is a problem.

Key Points:

• Pick colors that you like or mix them to make it more personal. If your stick is in a big pile of sticks, your taping choice can help you quickly identify your stick.


• Take care of your stick and it will take care of you.

Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Sports Esteem for the above article.

Teaching the Basics of Movement – The Key to Youth Fitness

In this article, youth training expert Brian Grasso discusses how teaching the basics of movement are the key to youth fitness.

In the initial phases of training with a young athlete (technically referred to as General Preparatory or GPP), the undeniable key and focus (outside of fun!) should be aptitude development. This aptitude should transcend to both movement-based skills in their basic elements (balance, jumping, throwing, linear and lateral motion progressions, etc.) as well as strength-based exercises. I have always firmly believed that basic squatting techniques, for example (along with squatting variations and unilateral efforts), should be introduced into the training sessions of young athletes.

That being said, how does one begin the process of teaching movement habits?

When working with truly young athletes (6 - 7 years old), you need to adopt a progression template within which to work. No template can ever be applied to 100% of your athletes 100% of the time - that is the beauty of coaching; understanding what to apply, when, and for how long (i.e., knowing when to progress or regress on an individual basis). Trust me when I say that no system is foolproof and that any strength coach or trainer who claims to “have all the answers” is completely full of crap.

After 10 years of working with young athletes, I have reached one undeniable conclusion: the more I learn, the more I realize I don’t know and the more I want to change my methodologies.

Having said that, these are the first three progressions I use in teaching a movement habit:

Skill: Lateral Deceleration

First, break key points down into skill sets that are easy to remember so that kids can recite them both to you and to themselves (this makes teaching and cuing much simpler).  I have four points I want my athletes to learn/know/commit to memory with respect to lateral deceleration:

1. Bend your knees and drop your hips


2. Be on a flat foot or slightly on the ball of the foot


3. The toe/foot of the decelerating leg should be square to the angle of the body (i.e., not out)


4. The foot placement should be outside the box (the “box” is a reference to an invisible line drawn from the shoulder to the floor. Any placement outside of that line is good; within or too close to the line will result in a poor deceleration and potential injury).

Have the kids understand each of these items individually and then in conjunction with each other.

Progressions

These represent the first three of my progressive steps:

1. Repeat Statically - have the athletes assume an athletic position or stance. From here, they will “hit” the decelerating position upon command. Be patient with this step and make sure all your athletes are comfortable and competent with the motion. Add fun to this by calling out different legs unpredictably.


2. Repeat Dynamically - when you feel your athletes are ready, have them perform one or two moderately paced side shuffles prior to “hitting” the decelerating position. The side shuffles should be slow and easy. At this point, you will begin to ascertain if further teaching is necessary (it likely will be). With the additional movement prior to the deceleration, a common mistake you will see is athletes not planting their foot outside of the box far enough. This results in a poor alignment and a less than satisfactory deceleration (even at these slow speeds). My colleague, Lee Taft, calls this a shoulder sway (because the shoulders lean toward the decelerating leg rather than sitting back in a “braking” position). I love this term and it reflects what the actual concern looks like.


3. Repeat Randomly - Now that the athletes are comfortable with the motion, create games and situations within which they react to a particular signal and move (unpredictably) different directions. On your “point” for example, the athlete will take one or two moderately paced side shuffles and then “hit” a deceleration. Have them hold the position so that both you and them can ascertain what is right and wrong with their posture.

Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Brian Grasso for the above article.

5 Things You Should Never Ask of Your Child

In the age of instant celebrity and multimillion dollar dreams, youth sports have lost some of its innocence. Too many parents expect their children to be the next Sidney Crosby, Tom Brady, or Lebron James. It’s time to step back and let your kids be kids. Here are five things you should never ask of your child.

It’s well understood that youth sports is a team effort. But teams aren’t limited to just the players and coach. Parents have a lot to offer their young athletes no matter how much experience they have. A team works best when it has reasonable expectations and can work together to solve problems. One way to help the team work together is to avoid the following five questions that parents sometimes ask of their child:

1. Don’t ask your child to play on a team without friends. Being around friends is an important part of youth sports. Kids routinely make their sports decisions based on where their friends are playing. The more friends a child has on a team, the more likely they will give their all. Alternatively, if a child has little to no friends on a team, the parent can help by hosting or sponsoring a team party to enable their child to get to know the other players better.

2. Don’t ask your child to play the same sport year round. Just as kids need to play different positions to develop their mental understanding of the game, they also need to play multiple sports to develop their overall physical capabilities. Encouraging a variety of sports over different seasons keeps things interesting for your child and helps them develop physically to their fullest potential.

3. Don’t ask your child to feel grateful for taking them to practice. Youth sports works best when it’s a family effort rather than just a child effort. Practice and game times are opportunities to share as well as opportunities for play. Watching and supporting practice is just as valuable to a child as watching and supporting a game. It should be mutually rewarding for parents and children, without guilt trips.

4. Don’t ask your child to exercise if you won’t. A healthy lifestyle involves regular physical exercise, no matter what your age. Kids in sports (especially older kids) often need to exercise away from practice to develop stamina, quickness, and strength. If parents want to encourage exercise, the best way is to set an example and do it yourself.

5. Don’t ask your child to understand the game if you don’t. Young athletes just getting started in a sport often get discouraged early because they don’t have a clear understanding of their role. Parents can do wonders by helping their children understand the basics of the game and working with them on drills. There are numerous books in every sport designed to educate new players and spectators. Parents should utilize these resources to improve the chances for success in youth sports.

Just like adults, kids desire time with their friends, seek a variety of experiences, appreciate the interest of others, like sharing difficult tasks and want someone to share conversation. Parents and kids have more in common than they think, but have different ways of expressing it. By coming together as a team, parents and children can improve the experience for everyone.

Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Sports Esteem for the above article.

5 Ways Your Player Can Be The Team Leader

Many athletes fail to develop as leaders not because they lack leadership ability, but because they lack a fundamental understanding of what leadership is. To become an effective leader, the athlete first needs to understand the job of a team leader. Once this is made clear, the athlete can go to work developing the skills he or she needs to assert a positive leadership influence on the team. If you do not already have a clear job description of a positive team leader, here is one to consider.





Your job as positive team leader is to elevate the team in ways that build trust.  We want you to focus on five winning practices:

1. Model the Way.  Set a positive example for your teammates in what you do and say in competition, in practice, in the locker room, in the classroom, and in the community.

2. Assure Execution.  First make sure you know and execute all of your team assignments.  Then, reach out and assist your teammates who need help with executing their assignments.

3. Spark the Energy.  Sense when the team is losing positive energy.  Use your voice and example to spark the energy - especially when the going gets tough in practice and competition.

4. Promote Unity.  Help everyone feel included, valued, and respected.  Don’t tolerate cliques or divisive conflicts on the team.  Ask for help from your coaches if you see serious conflicts arising.

5. Elevate Your Teammates.  Everyone struggles now and then.  Reach out to help a teammate who is struggling - including younger athletes and role players who don’t see much playing time.  It is not your job to solve their problems.  But it is your job to provide encouragement and friendship.

This kind of leadership can be practiced by anyone, from the team captain to the star player to the last person on the end of the bench.  This same kind of leadership is valuable not only in athletics, but in all kinds of settings beyond sports.  If you can learn how to lead in this fashion, you will increase your chances of success in athletics and beyond for the rest of your life.

Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Steve Horan of PositiveSports.net for the above article.

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