Let’s Play Hockey Expo 2009 – Easton Hockey

This article is part of the ongoing Let’s Play Hockey Expo 2009 series presented by DailyHockeyDeal.com. The Let’s Play Hockey Expo is the largest consumer hockey expo in the U.S.  In this segment, Executive Editor TK Stohlman interviews Chris Norqual, Mike Mountain and Terry Serpa of Easton Hockey.



In the following video the Easton team introduces us to some of their newest skates, gloves, helmets and sticks in their product line. For more information on Easton visit their website at www.EastonHockey.com.

Tips for Building Motivation and Drive

Keeping a child athlete motivated works best using a dual pronged approach with encouragement from both parents and coaches. The following article is an excerpt from an interview between Executive Editor, TK Stohlman and Jim Johnson, founder and director of flexxCoach. The two discuss how to help  players find this drive and motivation and grow as athletes and individuals.





Stohlman: What are some key ways parents and coaches can instill a drive and motivation in their players?

Johnson: This is a good question and something that is very much a passion of mine. I think it is really vital that parents and coaches communicate. This is especially important at the youth level because there are a lot of things parents know about their player that can help the coach understand and develop skills. To foster communication, first, encourage your son or daughter to be on time and mentally and physically prepared for every practice and game. This is one area that parents can really give their son or daughter more attention. Another important aspect is to have a great attitude, be excited, and have passion. This means encouraging the child to go out and be the best that he or she can be for that day. I tell my players the most important thing is to come with a passion, enthusiasm and excitement and try to make themselves a better player today than they were yesterday. If a player comes with work ethic and determination at practice, I guarantee you by the end of the year, end of the month or even end of the week, they are going to be a better player than they were in the beginning. To me that is what it is all about - showing kids what hard work and determination can accomplish.

Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Jim Johnson for this valuable advice.

What is the Best Way to Improve Youth Hockey?

Last week we asked you to provide input regarding the best way to improve youth hockey. The individual who provided the best answer would win a $50 gift certificate to HockeyShot.com. We received many excellent responses and ideas. Congratulations to Luis Vargas for providing the following winning response:



Luis said: To "grow the game", we need to take a few steps to insure the sport is "popularized" and is available for the masses. We often miss excellent athletes simply because they cannot afford the game. Also, at the higher levels, opportunities to expand beyond youth years are typically limited to those willing to invest greatly in the game - Jr. Hockey fees of $6000 plus are not easy for everyone to pay. The system is, in some ways, broken and we need to work hard to fix it. Here are a few things we can do to start:

• Partner with private rinks to promote hockey in a way that will enhance their business model - youth hockey needs to be a viable business opportunity for the rinks to invest time and resources.


• Promote and showcase alternative technologies such as synthetic ice to lower overall cost of playing the game.


• Resuscitate roller hockey programs to promote a more inexpensive way play and provide additional opportunities to experience the game.


• Establish programs geared toward the retention and recruitment of players (including financial assistance) at all levels.

Editor's Note: Congratulations to Luis Vargas for winning this week's contest. As a thank you for his answer, HockeyShot.com is giving Luis a $50 gift certificate to HockeyShot.com. Want to win this week's prize? Be sure to click here for the latest Grow the Game contest.

Important Tips to Keep Players Safe From Concussions

Every coach in every sport has athletes at risk for concussions. A concussion is a brain injury caused by a blow to the head. Concussions are certainly more prevalent in high impact sports like football and hockey. But concussions can happen in any sport where athletes are at risk for uncontrolled collisions or falls.





Preventing Concussions -We can help prevent concussions by being vigilant about creating a safe environment for our athletes. Be aware of the surroundings in terms of walls, equipment, slippery courts or fields, or other environmental factors which could increase the risk of injury. Make sure all equipment is worn properly. Make sure all rules are followed in practice and competition. Keep an eye open for ‘out of control’ games where play is getting dangerously physical in violation of the rules. And, respond immediately to any head injury.

Detecting Concussions - As we supervise our athletes it is important to remember that concussions do not always involve a devastating blow. Depending on the athlete and the circumstances, even a light blow to the head can result in a concussion. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that we look for these signs and symptoms in our athletes:

• Dazed or stunned


• Confused about assignment or position


• Forgets sports plays


• Unsure of game, score, or opponent


• Moves clumsily


• Answers questions slowly


• Loses consciousness (even briefly)


• Shows behavior or personality changes


• Can’t recall events prior to hit or fall


• Can’t recall events after hit or fall


• Headache or “pressure” in head


• Nausea or vomiting


• Balance problems or dizziness


• Double or blurry vision


• Sensitivity to light


• Sensitivity to noise


• Feeling sluggish, hazy, foggy, or groggy


• Concentration or memory problems


• Confusion


• Does not “feel right”

Responding to Concussions -If  our athletes display any of the above signs and symptoms we need to respond immediately. The CDC recommends that coaches take the following steps to respond to an athlete with a concussion:

• Remove the athlete from play.


• Ensure that the athlete is evaluated right away by an appropriate health care professional. Do not try to judge the severity of the injury yourself.


• Inform the athlete’s parents or guardians about the possible concussion.


• Allow the athlete to return to play only with permission from a health care professional with experience in evaluating for concussions.

Second Impact Syndrome - The first concussion is bad enough. But one often overlooked aspect of concussions is second impact syndrome. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), “A repeat concussion that occurs before the brain recovers from the first—usually within a short period of time (hours, days, or weeks)—can slow recovery or increase the likelihood of having long-term problems. In rare cases, repeat concussions can result in brain swelling, permanent brain damage, and even death. This more serious condition is called second impact syndrome.”

Second impact syndrome is a special concern for highly committed athletes who want to play very soon after sustaining a concussion. This is where the coach has to step up and do the right thing. The CDC advises, “Keep athletes with known or suspected concussions from play until they have been evaluated and given permission to return to play by a health care professional with experience in evaluating concussions. Remind your athletes: ‘It’s better to miss one game than the whole season.’”

Getting Educated - We can help protect our athletes by getting educated about concussions. We can never completely eliminate the possibility of this injury, but we can reduce the risk by knowing how to prevent it, detect it, respond to it, and protect athletes with a history of concussions.

Editor’s Note: Thank you to Elevating Athletes for this article.

Three Prizes to Motivate Fundraising Participants

Prize programs are the perfect way to motivate fundraiser participants to meet their goals. Some fundraising companies provide their own prize programs, but many do not. You can easily create a successful prize program of your own. Read on for some of the most popular fundraising prize ideas:





Parties – Promise to throw a party like a pizza lunch, or team outing day when the fundraising goal is achieved. You can also set individual goals and each participant who reaches their goal will get an invite to the party.

Individual Achievement Rewards – These are often best for children and youth. Small prizes can be awarded based on each participant’s successes. It can be anything from small toys or candy to gift cards and other items as progress increases.

Raffle – If you can get a large prize donated by a local business or sponsor, raffle it off as an incentive. Participants receive raffle tickets based on their achievements. For example, one ticket for every items sold. The more each person sells, the more chances they get to win the big prize.

Editor’s Note: Thank you to efundraising.com for these ideas.

Let’s Play Hockey Expo 2009 – Warrior Hockey

This article is part of the ongoing Let’s Play Hockey Expo 2009 series presented by DailySportsDeal.com. The Let’s Play Hockey Expo is the largest consumer hockey expo in the U.S.  In this segment, Executive Editor TK Stohlman interviews Neil Wensley of Warrior Hockey.



Neil also offers some great advice on how to keep kids involved in hockey for a lifetime. For more information on Warrior visit their website at www.warriorhockey.com.

Exploring the Advantages of Body Weight Training

Weight training for kids is often a controversial subject area. Many people believe that it is too taxing on a child’s growing body. In this article, Executive Editor TK Stohlman and sports trainer Ryan Lee discuss the benefit of body weight training as an effective alternative to using machines or other weights.





Stohlman: Ryan, what advantages are there to body weight training?

Lee: There are a lot of advantages. I’m a huge fan of body weight training. When you don’t have any equipment you get to be creative using just your body weight. One advantage, obviously, is you can work out anywhere. If you are a coach and you are training a soccer team with thirty kids in the middle of the field, you can do a workout without having to drag out dumbbells or benches or bring the team to the weight room. You can work out anywhere, anytime with any amount of space. The other thing is that body weight gives you just enough resistance. It doesn’t make sense to have a kid use weights if they can’t even do something with their own body weight. I always say start with body weight first then progress to resistance.

One favorite weight exercise is the bench press. However, I wouldn’t put an athlete on the bench press until they can at least do push ups. Begin with a basic push up and after they start getting good with that, change it around. You can do a push up with your feet elevated, your hands elevated or even with just one leg elevated. There are literally over a hundred ways to do a push up.

There are a lot of ways to get creative with just body weight and you don’t need resistance. For example, you can do partner exercises. Imagine you have two kids, one is on all fours and the other person is doing a push up with their feet resting on the other person’s back. That is an elevated push up. Or they do push ups with their hands on their partner’s back. That is a hands elevated push up. There are a lot of really fun and creative body weight exercises you can do. This is why I highly recommend starting with body weight training and then progressing to the resistance training.

Editor’s Note: Thank you to Ryan Lee for providing his expert advice.

Increase Shot Power with the Complete Shot Stick Weight

Shot accuracy and impeccable puckhandling are important skills to develop if you want to excel in hockey. The Complete Shot Stick Weight is designed to help improve these crucial skills. So is it worth it? Here's our our review of the Complete Shot Stick Weight:



Overview: The Complete Shot Stick Weight is an easy and innovative way to improve your shot and puckhandling ability. By incorporating added resistance to the natural and actual shooting and puckhandling technique and mechanics, the Complete Shot improves muscle and hand quickness. This creates a stronger more powerful shot as well as quicker hands.

Purpose: The Complete Shot Stick Weight training system is set up to improve your strength, hand quickness and power. It comes with an adjustable weight up to 16 ounces.

Price: $24.95

Stick Weight Features:

* Helps create hand quickness.
* Improved shot power and velocity.
* Improve your shot and stickhandling skills.
* Great results in only minutes of use per day.
* Attaches easily to all hockey stick shafts.
* Adjustable weight up to 16 ounces



Parent and Player Perspective: The Complete Shot Stick Weight claims to improve a player’s shot and stickhandling by increasing hand and arm strength. The amount of weight is easily adjustable, so players can customize it to their age, size, and even mood for different levels of training. All the players who practiced with this, from Mite to Bantam, were impressed by how much stronger they felt after. (Take a couple shots in the driveway with the weights on, remove them and shoot again—and you’re likely to notice the increase in shot power right away.)

The Complete Shot Stick Weight targets the muscles you actually use while playing hockey, making it perfect for practicing slap shots, wrist shots and stickhandling. The kids, however warned against using this on the ice as the Stick Weight can fall off and trip another skater. (On powerful shots, the Velcro gave way.) In addition, this can tire out your arms, so it’s best not to use it before a game.

User Testimonials:

Below are some testimonials from experts who have used the shot stick weight.

“This device has been amazing in improving my shot. It has made it much, much harder and faster. Whether it is in the garage shooting pucks or during practice, it has really improved the velocity of my shot.”
Kurtis Foster
Chicago Wolves AHL All-Star
AHL All Star game, winner of the hardest shot competition

"On or off the ice, when you have a little extra time, slip on the The Complete Shot. With a puck or ball you will be able to gain quicker hand speed. This will help you become a better stickhandler."
Billy Gardner
Chicago Blackhawks (NHL)
Chicago Wolves (AHL)

"I have seen top NHL players tape puck after puck on the ends of their blades for years, so they can stickhandle in the locker room before games. When I saw the Complete Shot for the 1st time, I knew this would be perfect for all players, and not just in the locker room. We have had our entire Bantam AA team use them on the ice in practice and have seen immediate results with their shooting, passing and strength on the puck.”
Darren Pang
ESPN/ABC Hockey Analyst

Final period: The Complete Shot Stick Weight is an easy way to help improve your shot power and can be used on or off the ice. For more information on the Complete Shot Stick Weight, please visit HockeyShot.com.

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

Three Ways to Improve Confidence After a Playing Slump

Has your confidence been dipping lately? Have you been in a funk in which you can’t find your way out? Are you beginning to expect the bounces and calls to always go against you? Do you look at an opponent and wonder “how am I going to keep up today?” The following article provides some excellent advice to get out of this rut and move towards positive thinking.

Are you seeing the glass as half empty? If so, you may be suffering from what we call a self-fulfilling prophecy - you are getting what you expect to happen – bad things. Maybe you have had a bad run lately and you are not as confident as usual. But why limit your chances of performing well and winning?

Daniel Alfredsson is an all-star and captain of the Ottawa Senators. After going to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2007 Alfredsson’s team won 13 of its first 14 games in 2008. Since, then, however, they have slumped severely and have been playing under .500 hockey. Alfredsson admitted that the team expected things to go wrong, even when they were ahead! This is definitely “glass half-empty” thinking or a pessimistic attitude.

When it comes to international soccer, Spain was similar to Ottawa with a lot of great athletes, but an underachiever in the biggest matches. Heading into the 2008 European Cup competition most analysts regarded Spain as dangerous but expected them to falter. Their history has been “large on talent, small on results.” If any team had a reason to think glass half-empty it was Spain. Why would their string of disappointments end now? However, watching Spain compete in the Euro Cup was like watching the ending of a long curse. They played with the belief and dominance that is rarely seen at an international competition, winning all five matches. The player’s body language was confident.

Had Spain succumb to the negatives of the past (“we always fall apart in big games”, “we never win the big tournaments”), they would not have won. However, the team had a transformation and played up to their ability. What can you learn from Spain’s 2008 European Cup Team and the NHL’s Ottawa Senators?

Start with the Glass Half-Full

How do you begin to feel more confident in your performances? Start thinking positive and be optimistic that you will come out and play well in the next game. Tell yourself, “Every day is a different day and every game is a totally new game! The glass is half full, not half empty!” Then fill that glass to the top throughout the day with confidence-building statements such as “I’m ready” and “Go for it!”



Focus on Yourself

Prior to the competition avoid the tendency to compare your team or yourself to your opponent and determine you will not win or play well. Instead, focus on feeling strong, fast, powerful, quick, ready, pumped and so forth. Use visualization that incorporates “feeling” words to set yourself up for success.

Bounce Back

After a mistake or a bad play, become resilient by refocusing on the task at hand and do not allow the recent past to affect the present. Stay focused on the ball and on the action. Little mental reminders such as ‘play the ball,’ ‘quick feet,’ and ‘be aggressive’ can help you get your mind back on the positive and productive which will help you get out of your funk.

Editor’s Note: Thank you to Elevating Athletes for this encouraging article.

Let’s Play Hockey Expo 2009 – Reebok Hockey

This article is part of the ongoing Let’s Play Hockey Expo 2009 series presented by DailySportsDeal.com. The Let’s Play Hockey Expo is the largest consumer hockey expo in the U.S.  In this segment, Executive Editor TK Stohlman interviews Marc-Andre Charron, Ryan Crelinsten and J.C. Bergeron of Reebok Hockey.



The following video features some of new equipment designed and manufactured by Reebok Hockey, including helmets, gloves and protection pieces.  For more information on  Reebok Hockey visit their website at www.reebokhockey.com.

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