3 Options When Facing Adversity – Choose One
When your player faces uncertainty or a difficult season, it can be easy for them to just throw in the towel and quit playing. The following article provides some encouraging advice about persevering in the midst of trials.Almost everyone knows the story of Michael Jordan, the all-star basketball player who led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships. But, his path to the championships wasn’t so certain during his sophomore year in high school. That was the year Michael Jordan failed to make his high school team.
When something doesn’t work out as planned, there are always three courses of action any player can take. The first course is to do nothing and just hope that things will be different the next time. The second course is to quit and find other things to spend time on. The third course, and the one that Michael Jordan took, is to use the situation as a challenge and work harder.
Each challenge a player faces can only be answered from within. Coaches and parents can give advice, but only the player can determine the course taken. Not everyone who is challenged grows up to be Michael Jordan. And, not all challenges a player faces are in sports. However, every time a player quits when faced with a challenge, there is little hope of future success.
Editor’s Note: Thank you to Sports Esteem for this article.
Quick Shot Release with Warrior Dolomite DD Stick
The Warrior Dolomite DD is said to offer a low kickpoint and quick shot release. The following is a review from TotalHockey.net on the Warrior Dolomite DD Stick. Be sure to check out the video from Warrior detailing the finer points of the Dolomite DD features.Details: The Dolomite DD is Warrior’s latest high-end one piece composite stick. The non-grip version has a slight texture to the clear, smooth coating throughout the stick. The shaft features double concave walls with rounded corners offering the player a comfortable feel. The DD also tapers slightly, which gives the stick a low kickpoint, creating a responsive and quick shot release for wrist and snap shots. The most notable change from the 2008 Dolomite HD is the new DD blade. The DD fuses two types of foam together within the blade. The back end is made of more durable materials, while the front end is composed of lighter foam, providing a true feel for puck handling and passing.
Video: The following video, from Warrior, details the state-of-the-art features of the Dolomite DD stick.
Competition: The Dolomite DD is very light and well-balanced. The blade is not too heavy, offering a competitive edge over similar sticks.
Conclusion: The Dolomite DD provides players with a light-weight, well-balanced stick and features an upgraded version of the HD blade. The DD creates better feel, performance and durability.
Total Hockey Note: Do you have a product you would like us to review? If so, please feel free to email us by clicking here.
Editor’s Note: Total Hockey is your source for all hockey equipment, including the Dolomite DD stick. With a huge selection of equipment from the world’s leading manufacturers, Total Hockey has it all. Visit TotalHockey.net today. Total Hockey. We Don’t Do Anything Else. Receive 10% off your purchases from TotalHockey.net when you use the code “GTGCBJC” (Some Restrictions May Apply).
How to Excel in a Face-Off
The whistle blows and the puck is dropped. The fastest and most skilled player is about to win the hockey face-off. The following article provides great tips and advice to beat your opponent in the face-off so that your team gains control of the puck.The face-off can be intimidating for beginning players. However, learning to properly execute this move is crucial to obtaining control of the puck in a game situation. Helping beginning players gain confidence when they are face-to-face with an opponent is critical in mastering the face-off skill.
Video: Here is a helpful video form Sportskool.com that will help your player learn the finer points of the face-off and ultimately excel in mastering it.
Editor’s Note: Thank you to Sportskool.com for this informative face-off tip.
Master Puck Handling Skills with the MoveMaster Training Puck System
The MoveMaster training puck system is designed to provide varying degrees of puck handling mastery. The three puck system helps players develop their stickhandling skills at a variety of levels. So is it worth it? Here is our review of the MoveMaster Training Puck System:Background: The specially designed pucks have very little resistance, simulating a traditional puck’s drag across the ice. They are weighted and balanced allowing them to move smoothly across any flat surface. This makes them usable for both on and off-ice training sessions.
Overview: The MoveMaster three puck training system helps players improve their stickhandling technique. With repeated use, this system is designed to improve muscle memory and reaction time and ultimately allow skill mastery.
Video: The following video details the different puck uses:
Price: $39.95 (includes all 3 pucks)
Top Features:
- Three Puck Sizes and Weights:
- Muscle Puck (large) - Movements are done at a slower speed to reinforce technique while allowing the player to develop stickhandling patterns.
- Skillz Puck (medium) - Designed for multiple repetitions to develop proper hand position, technique, and muscle memory.
- Speed Puck (small) - Enables players to increase hand speed/quickness and perform at game speed and intensity.
Final Period: The MoveMaster Training Puck system features three hockey pucks. It is designed to help players master stickhandling skills off the ice. Developed to encourage improved stickhandling skills, the MoveMaster is a good tool for dryland training. For more information on MoveMaster, please visit HockeyShot.com.
Editor's Note: When you use the code “teamcares″ at HockeyShot.com, you will receive 10% off any purchase.
Increased Power with the Reebok 8.0.8 Stick
The Reebok 8.0.8 Stick is a redesigned version of the O-tech Power Port Zone. It offers a more responsive feel and increased power. Here is a review from TotalHockey.net of the 8.0.8 stick as well as a video review from Hockeyus.com.Overview: The 8.0.8 Stick encompasses new technology and improved power. With a complete redesign of the O-tech Power Port Zone, Reebok takes the 8.0.8 to the next level. The new design is more aerodynamic than ever before. This increases stick speed for harder shots and creates improved shot accuracy and added strength. The 8.0.8 is created using Reebok’s Pure Fiber Technology, which maximizes energy transfer, improves the responsive feel, decreases the weight, and ultimately creates a more well-balanced stick.
Details: The 8.0.8 is created using Reebok’s Pure Fiber Technology, which maximizes energy transfer, improves the responsive feel, decreases the weight, and ultimately creates a more well-balanced stick.
Video: Below is a video review from hockeyus.com on the Reebok 8.0.8 stick.
Skill Level: The 8.0.8 is perfect for any player who want to take their game to the next level.
Conclusion: The 8.0.8 is a high performance composite stick, perfect for the high performance player. Reebok utilizes its Pure Fiber Technology and Power Ports to create a lightweight, well-balanced, high-power stick.
Total Hockey Note: Do you have a product you would like us to review? If so, please feel free to email us by clicking here.
Editor’s Note: Total Hockey is your source for all hockey equipment, including the 8.0.8 stick. With a huge selection of equipment from the world’s leading manufacturers, Total Hockey has it all. Visit TotalHockey.net today. Total Hockey. We Don’t Do Anything Else. Receive 10% off your purchases from TotalHockey.net when you use the code “GTGCBJC” (Some Restrictions May Apply).
Who Oversees USA Hockey’s ADM Program?
The following article outlines the team that has been put into place to spread the message about USA Hockey’s American Development model. Led by Ken Martel, the team will blanket the United States, and help hockey programs grow strong players in a healthy manner while building excitement for the game of hockey. A two-time Olympian. An NHL coach who helped create the National Team Development Program. A pair of highly respected Division I college coaches. A decorated Air Force officer with hockey experience at the highest levels. If Ken Martel has proven anything during his years as the recruiting coordinator for the National Team Development Program, it is that he knows talent when he sees it.
Martel, the director of the American Development Model, has put together a staff that will carry the word of USA Hockey’s revolutionary program, designed to improve the quality and quantity of American players involved in the game from Mites to Midgets.
“You win with the quality of people you have, and we have tremendous people with great backgrounds in hockey,” said Martel, who was one of the main architects of the program. “By the time we’re done, we’ll have 150 years of hockey experience working for the ADM.”
To date, Martel has hired five of the six regional managers who will serve as mentors for associations around the country. He is hoping to bring in the final member of his team in the coming weeks. Each member of the team not only brings an impressive resume to the position but also the passion to usher this groundbreaking program into this season and beyond.
- Roger Grillo, who spent the last 12 seasons as the head coach at Brown University, will serve as the ADM regional manager for New England and Massachusetts.
- Scott Paluch, who coached his Alma Mater at Bowling Green State University for the past seven seasons, will work the Mid-Am and Southeast Districts. “It was a difficult decision only because I spent the last 20 years as a college coach,” said Paluch. “It was an easy decision because of the merits of the ADM and the ability to make an impact on youth hockey.”
- Joe Doyle, a 20-year veteran of the United States Air Force with more than 35 years of experience with USA Hockey as a player, coach, evaluator and volunteer, will oversee the Rocky Mountain and Pacific Districts.
- Bob Mancini, who spent the past two seasons as a development coach for the Edmonton Oilers and has extensive coaching experience in the collegiate ranks and with USA Hockey, will oversee Michigan and parts of the Central and Mid-Am Districts. “I’m thrilled to be back,” said Mancini, one of the original coaches with the NTDP. “As much as I love the NHL and the Edmonton Oilers, this was too good an opportunity to be involved with. “I believe in USA Hockey, and the ADM. I believe in making kids better and improving their environment. I really believe that this is a position where we can really make a difference.”
- Guy Gosselin, a member of the 1988 and 1992 U.S. Olympic Teams, will lend his considerable expertise to coaches in Minnesota, the Dakotas and Wisconsin. He has extensive experience working at both the youth hockey and collegiate levels, and has worked in the rink industry in suburban Milwaukee.
The final regional manager is slated to work with the New York and Atlantic Districts. While no timetable has been set, Martel is working hard to narrow down a list of candidates in hopes of filling the position as quickly as possible.
“There’s still so much that needs to be done,” said Martel. “We could’ve used this program in place 10 years ago. Think of how far we’d be as a hockey-playing nation if this were put in place 10 years ago. We feel like we’re taking baby steps, but getting things done takes time.”
Editor’s note: For more information on USA Hockey’s American Development Model, Please click here.
The Importance of Regular Team Meetings
Youth coaches sometimes joke that the ideal youth team is a team of orphans. Though this approach is one solution to problem parents, there are other more practical solutions that can work equally well. The following article reminds us why it is crucial to have team meetings on a regular basis.One of the best ways to alleviate problems and misunderstandings is through regular communication with parents. In the absence of coaching guidance, parents will form and communicate their own opinions of the status of the team and the steps necessary for improvement. Some parents may be objective and knowledgeable about the sport, but if they don’t speak up, then the overall team opinion may be shaped by others.
For coaches, parent-to-parent and parent-to-player communications can become distracting to their efforts to make team improvements. Coaches should consider short and regular meetings with all parents to help shape these opinions and give parents better insight into what to watch for in games and practices. In these meetings coaches might cover:
- Recent team performance giving parents insight into the progress the team is or is not making in various areas.
- Approaches taken in practices that are attempting to shape game performance.
- Re-emphasis of team goals and objectives.
- Realistic guidance concerning upcoming game and practice performance.
- Positive comments concerning every player. Mentioning only a few players may raise more parent concerns.
Parents often help judge the success of coaches, teams and seasons. In the absence of information, the judgments they give will vary greatly based on their own experiences. With information, parents gain better appreciation for the challenges coaches face.
Editor’s Note: Thank you to Sports Esteem for this article.
The Fear of Failure is Often Worse than Failure Itself
Whether or not parents put pressure on their kids, kids will put pressure on themselves. This pressure can result in fears that, if not handled properly, will lead to poor performances and potentially a greater fear of failure. Helping young players understand and deal with fear and anxiety assists kids in not only sports, but in all areas of life.Failure and fear do not have to go together. Failure is result of trying something and not succeeding. Fear comes from dreading the consequences of failure. Helping kids separate these two concepts allows them to keep fear in perspective. Some ways that parents can help kids deal with fear include:
- Guarantee Love - Make sure that your player knows that parental pride comes from the attempt and not from the outcome. If they know they will have parental support regardless of the outcome, a child is more likely to take chances and risk failure.
- Explain that Failure is a Result of Trying - When kids do not try, they do not fail. If parents are going to encourage their children to try new things, they are also must encourage them to accept failure. Not all new things will result in first time success.
- Remind that Failure and Success are not Permanent - Failing or being successful today does not guarantee like outcomes in the future. In fact, many future successes start with today’s failures.
Kids are often fearful because they lack experience and dread the unknown of failure. When parents help their kids think through these unknowns, they are equipping them with the understanding to overcome this lack of experience.
Editor’s Note: Thank you to Sports Esteem for this article.
Impeccable Accuracy with the Easton S19 Composite Stick
The Easton S19 Composite hockey stick offers players: power, quick shot release and state of the art blade technology. Here is Total Hockey's review of the Easton S19 Composite hockey stick (Be sure to watch the video that details the design process behind the S19):Overview: The S19 is the latest composite stick from Easton, promising the player that his or her shot will never be the same. The S19 incorporates three key components: lightning power, quick release and improved blade technology.
Details: The S19 shaft is composed of thinner layers than ever before, which creates impeccable responsiveness. The TORX Elliptical Technology is made to store and release torque and flex simultaneously, allowing shots to leave the blade at a faster speed. At the same time, the blade is designed to control the torque and flex when shooting, resulting in not only a great feel, but also impeccable accuracy.
Video: Below is a video highlighting the design process behind the S19:
Skill Level: The S19 is ideal for serious hockey players who want to focus more on their game and not their equipment.
Competition: Easton believes that no other stick on the market compares to the construction and composition of the S19. The S19 is a product of Easton ’s world renowned technology, providing the player with a high performance tool on the ice..
Conclusion: The S19 is Easton ’s most powerful stick, designed to improve the power, release and accuracy of the player’s shot. Its quick release empowers players with improved strength and shot accuracy, allowing the player to focus on the target, not the blade..
Total Hockey Note: Do you have a product you would like us to review? If so, please feel free to email us by clicking here.
Editor’s Note: Total Hockey is your source for all hockey equipment, including the X:60 stick. With a huge selection of equipment from the world’s leading manufacturers, Total Hockey has it all. Visit TotalHockey.net today. Total Hockey. We Don’t Do Anything Else. Receive 10% off your purchases from TotalHockey.net when you use the code "GTGCBJC" (Some Restrictions May Apply).
The American Development Model – Teaching Kids Lessons for Life
The following article from USA Hockey’s American Development Model discusses why hockey is so important for our players. In addition to being a great way to keep your child active, it offers so many important life lessons. These lessons define the mission and goals of American Development Model.
How can the sport of hockey be so important – instrumental even – in the future success of a young man or woman? After all, it’s just a game. But it can be so much more than that. It’s a beacon of hope for wayward kids. A fitness program to fight the epidemic of childhood obesity. A meeting ground for lifelong friends. But at its heart hockey is, and should be, fun. A chance for kids to pour out their passion and creativity on the ice. For them to learn and grow with every practice. To just be a kid and enjoy the game. That’s what the ADM is all about.
So while we honor our past accomplishments, we need to look ahead and create a brighter future for all. With your guidance, the ADM will provide those great moments for our kids. That is, if we’re forward-thinking enough to see it through.
Put yourself in the shoes of an 8-year-old and ask yourself some questions. What’s important to you? What kinds of things do you want to be doing? (And, maybe most important, what’s for dinner?) Now list the things that would be appealing to the 8-year-old you - Family, Playing with friends, Goofing off. Because this is what kids do. They act like kids.
There isn’t a parent, teacher or coach who wouldn’t agree that today’s kids are brimming with potential. There’s that word: potential. It’s the great “what could be” in a kid – if given the proper push. A push from an encouraging parent, great friend or dedicated coach. Wherever that potential forms, it takes time to develop and it’s different for each kid - The potential to be a doctor, a Hollywood star or even an NHL center. The mission of the ADM is to pull out that vast potential in every kid.
Editor’s note: For more information on USA Hockey’s American Development Model, please click here.
