Welcome To Our Latest Newsletter

 

For most of the players who we work with, the season is starting to really heat up, as playoffs begin to get closer…. and also as Spring Camps and Prep School considerations begin to get formulated….

Colleges are now getting out and looking at players, and plenty of All-Star and Showcase tournaments are underway….

We are keeping our eyes on preliminary central scouting draft lists, and where our clients are beginning to appear. Of course, these lists will change considerably over the next 4-5 months. Although an indication, those lists are only one of many, and the opinion of a few who never get to make any selections at the Draft.

These lists are meant as a guide, and often we will see names that are on December’s list disappear by Spring, and vice versa. Sometimes, not appearing on a list is a good thing, as a player positions himself to be able to control his own destiny.

As we head towards the Spring, I caution those who truly want to keep all their options open to be careful about the use of an agent, or those who are unpaid family advisors (who are agents in the eyes of the NCAA). Only by keeping all options open for as long as they can, do players truly have any negotiating power.

The moment that a player begins to use the services of an agent, or an unpaid family advisor, the future ability to play college hockey in the US is finished. Beware, of falling into this situation, unless that is truly your intent.

All the very best as we move forward into the rest of the season, and prepare for those important decisions necessary for the preparation for next season, and beyond.

Sincerely,

David MacDonald, SPAD
Hockey Family Advisor

 

 

 

Hockey Fuel

By Mike Potenza

Today’s athlete needs to be educated in nutrition, specifically how it relates to training and the competition schedule. A poorly-designed nutrition program and poor eating habits will hinder muscular recovery from training and cause the body to have limited energy for games. A Ferrari won’t run on “bad fuel” or no fuel at all. Understanding when to put food into your body and what qualifies as “good food choices” are the two main guidelines of any good nutrition program.

On any day other than game day, your meal schedule should consist of four to five small meals which will give your body a balanced and consistent energy supply. Four to five smaller meals will provide you the proper amount of calories, as opposed to two or three big meals which can take more time for your body to digest. More time for digestion means the muscles will have to wait to receive energy from the food you just ate.

Your game day meal should have a source of lean protein such as chicken, carbohydrates from pasta or rice and steamed veggies or a dark greens salad. A game day meal should be eaten within four to five hours before a game. Two hours before a game, you can have a snack to cure any hunger.

One key point about meals that you must take from this article is: you cannot skip breakfast! If you don’t have breakfast, you starve your muscles because you don’t take in any calories during sleep. If you miss breakfast, you’re basically running your “tank” on empty.

During meals later in the day, you need to get the following: a lean protein source such as chicken, red meats or fish.  Be sure to trim the fat off any chicken and steak.  While these parts may taste good, the fat and skin found on the meat will hinder your muscular output.  Breakfast is a great time for protein sources from dairy and legumes because they are easier for your digestive system to breakdown.  Eggs, seeds and nuts mixed with yogurts or pancakes, and lowfat milk are great choices for breakfast meals. Carbohydrates are good in moderation. Choose carbohydrates such as baked potatoes, sweet potatoes, wild rice, dark wheat breads and pasta cooked to the point of being firm to the bite.  Carbohydrates such as these will release energy over time. They will not spike energy levels and drop them off quickly like candy bars or chips. Vegetable selections are simple — the more colorful the better for you!  One-third of your lunch and dinner plate should consistent of vegetables. They’re high in vitamins and nutrients that boost your immune system.

The key to understanding nutrition is to first appreciate your body as a high-performance machine.  If you put low-quality fuel into your machine, your performance and your machines parts will be compromised. Be sure to feed your body regularly and choose high-quality foods as fuel to ensure you have energy for extended periods of time.

 

The Goalie Guru: On equal playing time and riding the pine

By Brion O’Connor

Aside from team placement, there’s probably no thornier topic in youth hockey than playing time. And, like most issues regarding hockey, sports and life in general, it’s typically easy to identify — “My kid’s not getting enough ice time!” — but more difficult to address. That’s because it can be a complex issue.
Bruins goalies Tuukka Rask and Tim Thomas. (Getty)

This is especially true for goaltenders, for one reason. There’s only one goal to protect and goalies, traditionally, don’t come off the ice. If a youngster is the only goalie on a team, he/she plays the entire game, every game (which isn’t always a good thing either, as some shellshocked ’keepers have discovered). If you have two or three goalies, the situation becomes exponentially more complicated.

Here are some thoughts on how to handle it, as a coach and as a parent:

There are “age-appropriate” guidelines for distributing playing time. Assume a team has two goaltenders. For Atoms and Mites, I recommend that each play half the game, alternating starters. Younger goalies can get tired or bored. When their minds start to wander, pucks get behind them. Asking them to play only half the game (with the natural break between periods) gives them a chance to stay mentally fresh.

Things start to change at the Squirt level, and accelerate at Pee Wees. The youngsters are older, stronger and better prepared to focus from start to finish. That ability to concentrate — keeping your head in the game — is just as important as good technique but must be developed. Many Pee Wee teams with two goalies continue to have the goalies play half of each game. I’m not a proponent of this approach, especially as kids enter middle school.

Older goalies play the entire game for a number of well-grounded reasons. Foremost, goalies are at their best when they’re in a rhythm. That’s their comfort zone. Plus, substituting a second goalie halfway through the game puts that child, and the team, at a distinct disadvantage, because they’re coming off the bench cold (the worst-case scenario is the second-half goalie gives up a soft goal or two, and suddenly feels the weight of the team on his shoulders).

Again, the only time I vary from this stance is if a team is playing only one game on a weekend; then it’s only fair to give both kids a chance to play. Ideally, if you have two goalies, your team will play two games each weekend, and they can each play a full game. The other goalie — and I’ve found this to be surprisingly controversial — ought to suit up as a backup.

Why? Because at this critical age, young netminders should learn all the responsibilities of the position, not just the fun stuff (i.e. making saves). This speaks to the “team” element of hockey. Taking a turn on the bench is the goaltender’s lot. I realize it’s another trip for the parents, but as goalies move up the ladder, it becomes more commonplace for one child to play the entire game.

However, the “backup” goalie is still a vital part of the team. Having two goalies also gives the coach options if the starting goalie gets hurt, or the team is getting pummeled that day, and the starter needs a break. This stuff happens.

Here’s another example. In one program I know, there are three goalies for two Pee Wee teams. When the coach put out a note suggesting that one child play a full game, and another child dress as a backup, he got three distinctly different replies. One family said, “Absolutely,” adding that their son was a part of the team whether he was playing that day or not. Another family didn’t respond at all and haven’t made their son available for any backup duty. The third responded but disagreed with the coach’s thinking.

Essentially, Dad No. 3 said if the kid shows up, he/she should play. He added that watching from the bench in a cold rink wasn’t “going to endear the game to an 11-year-old.” While I understand the sentiment, Dad No. 3 should rethink his priorities. First, the game doesn’t need to “endear” itself to anyone. If watching from the bench discourages a child from playing, then he’s in the wrong sport to begin with. Or the wrong position.

Plus, parents should understand that other kids notice the commitment a backup makes by showing up, even if he/she isn’t playing. That endears the child to his/her teammates. Further, the backup goalie can learn a lot about the position by observing from the bench, listening to the coaches and cheering on teammates.

At the Pee Wee level, kids are transitioning into a different realm of sports, where the better kids play more. There’s competition between teams and within teams. Allowing a child to sit home and not make an effort because they don’t expect to play makes a mockery of what sports, and teamwork, are supposed to be about.

Finally, in Bantam, middle school and high school, the rules change again. Now, it can be pretty cutthroat. While sports are about building character and teaching life lessons, there’s a lot more emphasis on winning. Coaches at this level will put the players on the ice that they feel give their team the best chance to do that.

Sports have now become a meritocracy. I’ve listened to many parents complain that their child is buried on the bench because the coach is playing favorites, or doesn’t like their child. That doesn’t pass the giggle test. Ninety percent of the coaches I’ve met aren’t looking to win popularity contests. They want to win games.

Now, what makes things dicey in this day and age of high school user fees is this question: “Why am I paying if my kid isn’t playing?” Remember, all a user fee does is promise a child the “opportunity” to make the team, to earn a spot in the playing rotation. There are no other guarantees. Period. Sports aren’t like band or chorus. There are a finite number of spots on the ice. If you’re a goaltender, there’s only one. That’s a harsh reality. But better goalies rise to the challenge of competing for that spot.

Do coaches screw up sometimes, and neglect to find playing time for the loyal foot soldier (say, when playing a weaker team, or when the score is lopsided)? Sadly, yes. But they’re not so much blind to the kids on the bench as they’re myopic with regards to the kids on the field. They develop tunnel vision.

So do some parents. The worst thing a parent can do in this instance is enable a child when he/she starts making excuses (or, as often happens in youth hockey these days, find another program). There’s much to be said for sticking with a tough situation, and bringing your best effort — your “A” game — every time you suit up. Trust me, those kids always manage to get enough ice time.

 

Prep School Journal: Belmont Hill shines at Fenway

 

By Justin Churchill

The Independent School League prep hockey day at Fenway Park was a memorable experience for all involved.

Six ISL boys teams were involved in play on the day, with Milton vs. Noble and Greenough, Lawrence Academy vs. Thayer and Belmont Hill vs. St. Sebastian’s.

Nobles showed why it is the top team in New England, dispatching Milton, 6-2. The contest between Lawrence and Thayer perhaps stood out as the most uneven. The senior-laden Lawrence team easily pushed aside an undersized Thayer squad, 6-0.

The game between St. Sebastian’s and Belmont Hill provided a very evenly-matched and well-played hockey game. It was a pleasure for fans to watch despite the late start time of 8 p.m. Both teams kept the game close into the final minutes, and Belmont Hill came away with the 3-1 victory.

Goaltender David Cunningham led the way for Belmont by pushing aside 31 of 32 shots. Cunningham’s positioning was spectacular and he constantly frustrated the strong offense of St. Sebastian’s.

Cunningham said he felt his team was not overwhelmed by the enormity of playing a game on such a big stage,

“I felt really good the whole way through,” he said. “The guys were bringing it and I knew we were prepared in the locker room. We had the chance to come here two years ago, but I was the backup so I didn’t get a chance to play. So this meant a lot to me and my whole family was here, so it meant a lot for them to.”

The Hillies were led offensively by Mike Najjar, who picked up two goals on the night. After the game Najjar became swamped with reporters and summed up the entire day for all the players involved,

“It was unbelievable.” said Najjar.

St. Sebastian’s forward and BU commit Danny O’Regan was not happy with the result of the game, but felt a similar sentiment to Najjar,

“We lost so I am a little disappointed by that, but the whole atmosphere around us was great. It was an unbelievable experience.” said O’Regan. “Overall, the game was the best way to cap off a wonderful event. Both sets of players, coaches and fans were treated to a fantastic game of outdoor hockey.”

O’Regan looked fantastic for St Sebastian’s, as he had an assist on Corey Ronan’s goal. The forward is currently leading the team in points with 21. He is committed to play at Boston University and stands out as one of the best forwards in prep hockey.

Devin Tringale had a three-point night at Fenway (two goals, assist). He will be playing for Harvard next year or the year after.

New England prep school power rankings

1. Noble and Greenough (11-1-0)

2. Phillips Exeter (11-1-1)

3. Lawrence Academy (9-1-1)

4. Kimball Union (11-2-1)

5. Salisbury School (9-2-0)

6. Albany Academy (12-1-0)

7. Avon Old Farms (9-2-1)

8. Holderness (11-2-0)

9. Cushing (9-3-2)

10. Gunnery (11-2-1)

11. Belmont Hill (8-3-1)

12. St. Paul’s (7-3-0)

13. Westminster (8-3-0)

14. St. Sebastian’s (7-3-0)

15. Choate (8-3-0)

16. South Kent (8-3-0)

17. St. Mark’s (9-4-1)

18. Berkshire (8-4-2)

19. Brooks (7-3-0)

 

145 CHL Players Listed in 2012 NHL Central Scouting Midterm Rankings

January 11, 2012

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that 145 CHL players appear in NHL Central Scouting’s Midterm Rankings for the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

The domestic rankings list a total of 210 North American skaters including 120 from the CHL, also listing an additional 36 North American goaltenders which includes 25 that currently compete in the CHL.

Nine of the top 10 ranked skaters are from the CHL including top ranked Nail Yakupov of the Sarnia Sting, followed by Mikhail Grigorenko of the Quebec Remparts who is ranked second, and Ryan Murray of the Everett Silvertips ranked third.  Radek Faksa of the Kitchener Rangers, and Morgan Rielly of the Moose Jaw Warriors round out the top five skaters, with Olli Maatta of the London Knights, Mathew Dumba of the Red Deer Rebels, and Griffin Reinhart of the Edmonton Oil Kings listed six through eight respectively.  Derrick Pouliot of the Portland Winterhawks is ranked tenth.  Both Yakupov and Grigorenko earned silver medals with Russia at the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship with Murray winning bronze with Canada.  Faksa also competed in the tournament with the Czech Republic, while Maatta played for Finland.  Team Canada’s Tanner Pearson of the Barrie Colts is also listed among the top-30 North American Skaters ranked at number 22.

Eight of the top 10 ranked goalies are also from the CHL including the top three beginning with Malcolm Subban of the Belleville Bulls and followed by Matthew Murray of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, and Brandon Whitney of the Victoriaville Tigres.

The Ontario Hockey League leads the way with 65 players appearing in the rankings including 53 skaters and 12 goaltenders, followed by 44 from the Western Hockey League (39 skaters and five goaltenders), and 36 players from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (28 skaters and eight goaltenders).

All 40 CHL players selected to compete in the 2012 Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game February 1 at Prospera Place in Kelowna, BC,  appear in the midterm rankings including 20 of the top 25 skaters.

CHL Players Ranked by NHL Central Scouting (players underlined to compete in 2012 Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game):

1 YAKUPOV, NAIL SARNIA OHL 06-Oct-1993 5′ 10.5″ 189 lbs * RW L

2 GRIGORENKO, MIKHAIL QUEBEC QMJHL 16-May-1994 6′ 3.25″ 200 lbs * C L

3 MURRAY, RYAN EVERETT WHL 27-Sep-1993 6′ 0.5″ 201 lbs * D L

4 FAKSA, RADEK KITCHENER OHL 09-Jan-1994 6′ 3.0″ 202 lbs * C L

5 RIELLY, MORGAN MOOSE JAW WHL 09-Mar-1994 5′ 11.5″ 190 lbs * D L

6 MAATTA, OLLI LONDON OHL 22-Aug-1994 6′ 1.5″ 202 lbs * D L

7 DUMBA, MATHEW RED DEER WHL 25-Jul-1994 5′ 11.75″ 183 lbs * D R

8 REINHART, GRIFFIN EDMONTON WHL 24-Jan-1994 6′ 3.75″ 207 lbs * D L

10 POULIOT, DERRICK PORTLAND WHL 16-Jan-1994 5′ 11.25″ 186 lbs * D L

11 GAUNCE, BRENDAN BELLEVILLE OHL 25-Mar-1994 6′ 2.0″ 215 lbs * C L

14 SISSONS, COLTON KELOWNA WHL 05-Nov-1993 6′ 1.0″ 189 lbs * C R

15 FINN, MATTHEW GUELPH OHL 24-Feb-1994 6′ 0.25″ 195 lbs * D L

16 CECI, CODY OTTAWA OHL 21-Dec-1993 6′ 2.5″ 207 lbs * D R

17 KOEKKOEK, SLATER PETERBOROUGH OHL 18-Feb-1994 6′ 2.0″ 184 lbs * D L

19 ZHARKOV, DANIIL BELLEVILLE OHL 06-Feb-1994 6′ 3.0″ 197 lbs * LW L

20 SMITH, GEMEL OWEN SOUND OHL 16-Apr-1994 5′ 10.0″ 160 lbs * C L

21 MAIDENS, JARROD OWEN SOUND OHL 04-Mar-1994 6′ 0.5″ 178 lbs * C/LW L

22 PEARSON, TANNER BARRIE OHL 10-Aug-1992 6′ 0.0″ 198 lbs * LW L

23 KOSMACHUK, SCOTT GUELPH OHL 24-Jan-1994 5′ 11.5″ 185 lbs * RW R

24 ATHANASIOU, ANDREAS LONDON OHL 06-Aug-1994 6′ 0.0″ 179 lbs * C/LW L

25 FRK, MARTIN HALIFAX QMJHL 05-Oct-1993 5′ 11.5″ 204 lbs * RW R

26 WINTHER, MIKE PRINCE ALBERT WHL 09-Jan-1994 5′ 11.0″ 175 lbs * C L

30 THROWER, DALTON SASKATOON WHL 20-Dec-1993 5′ 11.25″ 189 lbs * D R

32 VAIL, BRADY WINDSOR OHL 11-Mar-1994 6′ 0.25″ 195 lbs * C L

33 WILSON, THOMAS PLYMOUTH OHL 29-Mar-1994 6′ 3.5″ 203 lbs * RW R

36 STEPHENSON, CHANDLER REGINA WHL 22-Apr-1994 5′ 10.5″ 192 lbs * C/LW L

38 GORDON, CODA SWIFT CURRENT WHL 04-Aug-1994 6′ 0.5″ 175 lbs * LW L

39 BOZON, TIM KAMLOOPS WHL 24-Mar-1994 6′ 0.25″ 183 lbs * LW L

40 LAUGHTON, SCOTT OSHAWA OHL 30-May-1994 6′ 0.0″ 177 lbs * C L

42 MARCANTUONI, MATIA KITCHENER OHL 22-Feb-1994 5′ 11.75″ 194 lbs * C/RW R

45 CARRICK, TREVOR MISSISSAUGA ST. MICHAEL’S OHL 04-Jul-1994 6′ 1.5″ 172 lbs * D L

46 SEVERSON, DAMON KELOWNA WHL 07-Aug-1994 6′ 1.5″ 200 lbs * D R

48 FOX, DANE ERIE OHL 13-Oct-1993 6′ 0.0″ 185 lbs * C L

49 JOHNSON, BEN WINDSOR OHL 07-Jun-1994 5′ 11.5″ 186 lbs * C/LW L

50 SEAMAN, TYREL BRANDON WHL 06-Jan-1994 6′ 2.0″ 196 lbs * C L

52 BLUJUS, DYLAN BRAMPTON OHL 22-Jan-1994 6′ 2.75″ 193 lbs * D R

53 BLACK, GRAHAM SWIFT CURRENT WHL 13-Jan-1993 5′ 11.0″ 173 lbs * C L

54 PELECH, ADAM ERIE OHL 16-Aug-1994 6′ 2.0″ 210 lbs * D L

55 HODGES, STEVEN VICTORIA WHL 05-May-1994 5′ 11.0″ 178 lbs * C L

56 GAVRUS, ARTUR OWEN SOUND OHL 03-Jan-1994 5′ 10.0″ 168 lbs * LW/RW L

57 BUSSIERES, RAPHAEL BAIE-COMEAU QMJHL 05-Nov-1993 6′ 1.0″ 195 lbs * LW L

58 RICHARD, TANNER GUELPH OHL 06-Apr-1993 5′ 11.75″ 182 lbs * C L

59 BERAN, MATEJ PEI QMJHL 11-Nov-1993 6′ 4.5″ 211 lbs * C

61 HOOEY, GARRETT BELLEVILLE OHL 02-Jun-1994 6′ 0.5″ 183 lbs * C/LW L

62 BEAUVILLIER, FRANCIS RIMOUSKI QMJHL 22-Oct-1993 6′ 1.0″ 180 lbs * C/LW L

63 TIERNEY, CHRIS LONDON OHL 01-Jul-1994 6′ 0.25″ 181 lbs * C L

64 RYAN, ANDREW HALIFAX QMJHL 15-Jan-1994 6′ 2.0″ 203 lbs * LW L

65 HYKA, TOMAS GATINEAU QMJHL 23-Mar-1993 5′ 11.0″ 160 lbs * RW R

66 CLARKE, MICHAEL WINDSOR OHL 29-Apr-1994 5′ 11.25″ 184 lbs * C L

67 KULAK, BRETT VANCOUVER WHL 06-Jan-1994 6′ 0.25″ 174 lbs * D L

68 WALTERS, NICHOLAS EVERETT WHL 11-Apr-1994 6′ 2.25″ 187 lbs * D L

70 EBERT, NICK WINDSOR OHL 11-May-1994 5′ 11.25″ 205 lbs * D R

78 IAFRATE, MAX KITCHENER OHL 28-Mar-1994 6′ 0.75″ 198 lbs * D R

79 BROWN, TRAVIS MOOSE JAW WHL 15-Mar-1994 6′ 1.5″ 179 lbs * D L

84 PLUTNAR, MICHAL TRI-CITY WHL 21-Feb-1994 6′ 2.25″ 166 lbs * D R

85 BROWN, CONNOR ERIE OHL 14-Jan-1994 5′ 10.5″ 160 lbs * RW R

86 SUTTER, LUKAS SASKATOON WHL 04-Oct-1993 6′ 0.25″ 207 lbs * C L

87 SHALIMOV, VLADISLAV VAL-D’OR QMJHL 23-Sep-1993 6′ 2.5″ 186 lbs * RW R

88 DOTCHIN, JAKE OWEN SOUND OHL 24-Mar-1994 6′ 2.0″ 207 lbs * D R

89 CULKIN, RYAN QUEBEC QMJHL 15-Dec-1993 6′ 1.0″ 174 lbs * D L

90 TROOCK, BRANDEN SEATTLE WHL 20-Mar-1994 6′ 2.0″ 174 lbs RW R

91 SAUTNER, ASHTON EDMONTON WHL 27-May-1994 6′ 0.0″ 184 lbs * D L

92 CORBETT, CODY EDMONTON WHL 14-Dec-1993 6′ 0.0″ 210 lbs D R

93 MELINDY, JAMES MONCTON QMJHL 11-Dec-1993 6′ 2.5″ 191 lbs * D R

95 VOLEK, DOMINIK REGINA WHL 12-Jan-1994 6′ 0.25″ 173 lbs * C/RW L

96 HUDON, CHARLES CHICOUTIMI QMJHL 23-Jun-1994 5′ 10.0″ 170 lbs * LW L

97 MARCHESE, CHRIS WINDSOR OHL 23-Feb-1994 6′ 0.25″ 208 lbs * LW L

99 KONTOS, KRISTOFF MISSISSAUGA ST. MICHAEL’S OHL 06-Dec-1993 6′ 1.0″ 199 lbs * C L

102 O’BRIEN, LIAM ROUYN-NORANDA QMJHL 29-Jul-1994 6′ 0.0″ 201 lbs * LW L

105 KAMAEV, DENIS ROUYN-NORANDA QMJHL 06-Mar-1994 5′ 11.0″ 172 lbs RW L

107 BOURKE, TROY PRINCE GEORGE WHL 30-Mar-1994 5′ 10.0″ 156 lbs * LW L

108 NELSON, LOGAN VICTORIA WHL 09-Sep-1993 6′ 0.75″ 180 lbs * C R

110 HUBIC, JEFF KOOTENAY WHL 28-Mar-1994 6′ 2.0″ 182 lbs * D R

113 MCIVOR, MARCUS BRAMPTON OHL 20-May-1994 6′ 1.0″ 203 lbs * D R

115 DONNAY, TROY ERIE OHL 18-Feb-1994 6′ 6.75″ 180 lbs * D R

116 HACHE, JUSTIN SHAWINIGAN QMJHL 10-Jan-1994 6′ 1.0″ 188 lbs * D L

117 LEIER, TAYLOR PORTLAND WHL 15-Feb-1994 5′ 10.25″ 174 lbs * LW L

119 GRAHAM, JESSE NIAGARA OHL 13-May-1994 5′ 11.25″ 170 lbs * D R

120 CAMPAGNA, MATHEW SUDBURY OHL 09-Mar-1994 5′ 10.0″ 178 lbs * C L

121 WATLING, PATRICK GUELPH OHL 26-Sep-1993 5′ 11.25″ 180 lbs * C L

122 BERTAGGIA, ALESSIO BRANDON WHL 30-Jul-1993 5′ 7.5″ 160 lbs * LW L

124 LALANCETTE, CHRISTOPHE ACADIE-BATHURST QMJHL 06-May-1994 6′ 0.25″ 168 lbs * RW R

125 HATCHER, CHASE PETERBOROUGH OHL 22-Feb-1994 6′ 2.25″ 184 lbs * LW L

126 PAVELKA, TOMAS PEI QMJHL 29-May-1993 6′ 1.0″ 178 lbs * D L

128 ZLOBIN, ANTON SHAWINIGAN QMJHL 22-Feb-1993 5′ 11.0″ 195 lbs * RW R

130 BURKE, TAYLOR GATINEAU QMJHL 22-Jun-1994 6′ 1.0″ 197 lbs * C R

134 MAASKANT, LIAM ERIE OHL 10-Mar-1994 6′ 3.25″ 204 lbs * D R

135 MCGINN, BROCK GUELPH OHL 02-Feb-1994 5′ 11.0″ 174 lbs * LW L

138 FOURNIER, DILLON ROUYN-NORANDA QMJHL 15-Jun-1994 6′ 2.0″ 180 lbs * D L

142 WEDMAN, COLE SPOKANE WHL 18-Mar-1994 6′ 2.75″ 165 lbs * D R

146 MARTIN, COLTEN KELOWNA WHL 15-Mar-1994 5′ 10.5″ 160 lbs * D L

147 MACHAC, PATRIK BRAMPTON OHL 23-Apr-1994 5′ 9.0″ 168 lbs * C L

148 CURCURUTO, GIANLUCA SAULT STE. MARIE OHL 25-Feb-1994 6′ 0.25″ 195 lbs * D L

149 HANSON, JOSHUA PORTLAND WHL 14-Jan-1994 6′ 2.5″ 199 lbs * D R

152 DODERO, CHARLIE SUDBURY OHL 01-Oct-1992 6′ 1.5″ 190 lbs * D R

156 CLAPPERTON, CHRISTOPHER BLAINVILLE-BOISBRIAND QMJHL 22-Feb-1994 5′ 9.0″ 162 lbs * LW L

158 GWINNER, SHAYNE MOOSE JAW WHL 20-May-1994 6′ 0.0″ 183 lbs * D L

161 ANDERSON, JOSH LONDON OHL 07-May-1994 6′ 1.0″ 183 lbs * LW R

165 RISSLING, JAYNEN CALGARY WHL 21-Sep-1993 6′ 4.0″ 223 lbs * D L

167 GUDBRANSON, ALEX KINGSTON OHL 03-Sep-1994 6′ 2.0″ 206 lbs * D R

168 LEDUC, LOIC CAPE BRETON QMJHL 14-Jun-1994 6′ 5.75″ 194 lbs * D R

169 BILCKE, TY WINDSOR OHL 23-Apr-1994 6′ 2.75″ 217 lbs * RW R

171 MOROZ, MITCHELL EDMONTON WHL 03-May-1994 6′ 1.75″ 209 lbs * LW L

173 FILIPPI, TOMAS BAIE-COMEAU QMJHL 04-May-1992 6′ 1.0″ 180 lbs * LW L

176 BROWN, JOSHUA OSHAWA OHL 21-Jan-1994 6′ 4.25″ 206 lbs * D R

177 CORRIVEAU, RAPHAEL CAPE BRETON QMJHL 12-May-1994 6′ 3.75″ 180 lbs * RW R

179 AUGER, JUSTIN GUELPH OHL 14-May-1994 6′ 6.25″ 216 lbs * RW R

182 WIGLE, JOEL NIAGARA OHL 14-Feb-1994 6′ 2.5″ 196 lbs * RW R

183 DEVLIN, BRANDON WINDSOR OHL 27-Apr-1994 6′ 1.0″ 198 lbs * D R

185 GOW, REID SPOKANE WHL 04-Apr-1994 5′ 10.25″ 177 lbs * D L

186 ANDRIGHETTO, SVEN ROUYN-NORANDA QMJHL 21-Mar-1993 5′ 9.0″ 188 lbs * RW L

188 SWARD, DALTON VANCOUVER WHL 10-Jan-1994 6′ 0.25″ 179 lbs * RW R

190 LECLERC, ALEXANDRE ROUYN-NORANDA QMJHL 23-Feb-1994 6′ 3.5″ 210 lbs * D L

191 HEFFLEY, COLTON KELOWNA WHL 27-May-1994 6′ 2.75″ 202 lbs * C R

193 FRASER, JEREMIE ACADIE-BATHURST QMJHL 04-Sep-1994 6′ 0.75″ 216 lbs * D R

195 BLANDISI, JOSEPH OWEN SOUND OHL 14-Jul-1994 5′ 10.5″ 182 lbs * C/RW L

196 CIAMPINI, LUCA HALIFAX QMJHL 08-Mar-1994 6′ 0.25″ 190 lbs * LW L

200 PAYNE, CODY PLYMOUTH OHL 14-Jan-1994 6′ 2.0″ 201 lbs * RW R

207 POULIN, DOMINIC CHICOUTIMI QMJHL 31-Jan-1994 6′ 1.5″ 192 lbs * D R

208 RODEWALD, JACK REGINA WHL 14-Feb-1994 6′ 0.25″ 169 lbs * LW R

CHL Goaltenders:

1 SUBBAN, MALCOLM BELLEVILLE OHL 21-Dec-1993 6′ 1.0″ 188 lbs * L

2 MURRAY, MATTHEW SAULT STE. MARIE OHL 25-May-1994 6′ 4.0″ 162 lbs * L

3 WHITNEY, BRANDON VICTORIAVILLE QMJHL 11-May-1994 6′ 5.0″ 193 lbs * L

5 PATERSON, JAKE SAGINAW OHL 03-May-1994 6′ 1.5″ 183 lbs * L

6 TREMBLAY, FRANCOIS VAL-D’OR QMJHL 29-Aug-1994 6′ 2.0″ 200 lbs * L

7 ALTSHULLER, DANIEL OSHAWA OHL 24-Jul-1994 6′ 2.75″ 191 lbs * L

8 MAKAROV, ANDREY SASKATOON WHL 20-Apr-1993 6′ 0.5″ 180 lbs * L

10 BARTOSAK, PATRIK RED DEER WHL 29-Mar-1993 6′ 0.25″ 181 lbs * L

11 PALAZZESE, FRANK KITCHENER OHL 28-May-1993 6′ 0.5″ 160 lbs * L

12 DRIEDGER, CHRIS CALGARY WHL 18-May-1994 6′ 2.75″ 190 lbs * L

13 MARCOUX, ETIENNE BLAINVILLE-BOISBRIAND QMJHL 29-Sep-1993 6′ 0.0″ 155 lbs * L

14 SKAPSKI, MACKENZIE KOOTENAY WHL 15-Jun-1994 6′ 2.0″ 186 lbs * L

16 BRASSARD, FRANCOIS QUEBEC QMJHL 31-Jan-1994 6′ 1.0″ 154 lbs * L

17 MACHOVSKY, MATEJ BRAMPTON OHL 25-Jul-1993 6′ 1.75″ 191 lbs L

18 LAGACE, MAXIME PEI QMJHL 12-Jan-1993 6′ 2.25″ 170 lbs * L

20 WINDSOR, CLINT SAGINAW OHL 02-Nov-1993 6′ 4.0″ 215 lbs * L

22 HOUSER, MICHAEL LONDON OHL 13-Sep-1992 6′ 1.25″ 190 lbs * L

25 BRENNAN, JACOB ACADIE-BATHURST QMJHL 22-Jun-1994 6′ 0.5″ 178 lbs * L

26 HOLOWENKO, COLE PRINCE ALBERT WHL 05-Jan-1993 6′ 1.25″ 194 lbs * L

27 PAVELKA, JAROSLAV WINDSOR OHL 12-Sep-1993 6′ 1.5″ 178 lbs * L

29 D’AGOSTINI, ANDREW PETERBOROUGH OHL 26-Mar-1993 5′ 10.5″ 174 lbs * L

30 WILL, ROMAN MONCTON QMJHL 22-May-1992 6′ 1.0″ 191 lbs * R

32 MORRISON, MIKE PETERBOROUGH OHL 07-Nov-1992 6′ 0.5″ 175 lbs * L

33 TRUDEAU, PHILIPPE CAPE BRETON QMJHL 28-Sep-1993 6′ 4.5″ 198 lbs L

35 WILSON, KEEGAN BRAMPTON OHL 03-Mar-1992 6′ 0.25″ 209 lbs * L

 

Producing elite U.S. players starts at bottom

By John Buccigross, ESPN.com Archive

The United States has 24 NHL teams and more than 307 million people within its borders. With those numbers, the U.S. should be producing a healthy number of highly skilled, physically tough hockey players… more than it is today.

The 2000s have had some positive signs for hockey in the U.S. In the past 11 NHL drafts, six of the overall No. 1 picks were Canadian, two were Russian and three were American (Rick DiPietro, Erik Johnson and Patrick Kane). Team USA’s excellent play at the Olympics last February was not a fluke. It was reinforcement that they should not have been such big underdogs. The NHL pool of players born in the U.S. is deeper in quality than Russia, Sweden and every other country but mighty Canada. While lacking elite NHL players, the U.S. has produced plenty of really good players. But, it should be producing more. And it should have more elite-level players.

Among the 711 players on the NHL’s 2010-11 opening night rosters, 146 of them (20.5 percent) were born in the United States, according to the NHL. This number represents the highest U.S.-born percentage ever on the NHL’s early season rosters. In the 1983-84 season, the percentage of American-born players in the NHL was 13 percent. The year before the 2004-05 lockout, the percentage was 15.5 percent.

Twenty-five of the 50 states were represented on opening night, including non-traditional states such as California, Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina and Texas. In addition, more players from the state of New York (23) appeared on rosters than from Russia (22), and the New York state total matched that of Finland.

The number of U.S. born players is growing and should continue to grow. This is why I have been an advocate of hockey in some non-traditional places and am against contraction. I think NHL teams produce more NHL fans, more youth hockey participants and, ultimately, more U.S. born NHL players.

That being said, if the NHL continues to analyze its data and finds that markets like Phoenix, Miami and Tampa are not increasing interest in hockey, especially among youths, the league is wasting its time and forgoing more revenue in another Canadian market or a better U.S. market. (I would also be in favor of expanding the NHL to another Canadian market and another U.S. market and having eight divisions of four teams like the NFL.)

The 20 percent total of U.S. born NHL players is strong but should be higher and include more elite players. Patrick Kane is the highest skilled player of the lot, and he is tied for 18th in points. (Kane finished ninth in points last year.)

Bobby Ryan is probably next with his all-around speed, skill and great size. He could grow into an elite winger over the next five years. Ryan will be right there among the U.S. born goal-scoring leaders at season’s end and might develop into a top 10 NHL scoring leader, but right now he is tied for 25th. Phil Kessel has mad skill but needs help. Zach Parise is probably the best two-way American-born player right now — when healthy. Parise was tied for 15th in points last year and fifth the year before.

The U.S. does have a strong goaltending crew. Ryan Miller, Tim Thomas, Jimmy Howard and Jonathan Quick are legitimate No. 1 starters. Before his injury, Colorado’s Craig Anderson was certainly an upper tier goalie. Brent Johnson is having an outstanding year in Pittsburgh. Jack Campbell, born in Michigan, was the first goalie (11th overall by Dallas) taken in the 2010 NHL draft. This is one position where the U.S. is even with Canada.
Youth Hockey Participation

About 20 percent of the NHL is U.S. born, but the United States is second to only Canada in registered youth players.
Federation             Jr./Youth
Canada                       325,432
United States            293,691
Russia                         58,257
Sweden                       41,104
Finland                       36,411
Czech Republic        32,623
Germany                   17,817
Switzerland             13,709
Slovakia                     6,497
Norway                     3,934

So, what needs to be done to keep the U.S. hockey numbers growing, retention levels high and production of elite players increasing? One way is to peruse “My 13 simple rules for hockey parents everywhere,” which I introduced last year. This year, I added two new rules to the list:

• Play with your kid. Your kid gets better at practice, not when playing games. They are better off missing a game than missing a practice. A lot of kids don’t get one shot on goal or handle the puck for more than 60 seconds during a game. Keep this mentality when your kids are young. Don’t worry how many games are on the schedule. Ask them if they want to go to public skate and just let them go skate with their friends. Play street hockey or knee hockey with your kid. They will love it and they will develop better hands. It is the same as the baseball parent who signs his kid up for baseball and never plays catch with them for even just five to 10 minutes a day. It’s simple. I do a drill with our goalies where I grab a bucket of pucks and throw them like baseballs to their glove side one after the other. Relax and catch it. We had a goalie that snatched at the puck instead of catching it. By telling him to relax and catch the puck instead of grabbing it, his glove hand improved within five minutes and he is making glove saves in games now that he wasn’t making a month ago.

• Do not practice at 5 a.m. This cliché went out with Trivial Pursuit and Charo. Practice might still be early for learn to skate and some in-house programs, but it continually gets better as your kid ages and it’s really awesome when he turns 16 and can drive himself to practice. If you want to go to one of the elite travel programs and pay out the nose and travel all over the place, fine. But in 99 percent of the cases, you are probably nuts until they are at least a teenager. The cost? I believe no sport values and depends on good teammates more than hockey. Hockey is a difficult game. Nothing comes cheap. Obstacles are everywhere. It requires stamina, toughness, creativity and strength. The lazy have no chance for success. The selfish are a poison. But when teammates work together, success can be had. And because it is so difficult and rare to succeed, to score and to really love, the exhilaration is like few things in life. Tell your kid to dream and live for those moments. They are priceless.

Next, hunt down someone who thinks about this for a living and ask him some questions. That’s what I did.

On Sunday night, I had dinner with Kenny Rausch of USA Hockey and his wife, Melissa, to talk about this American hockey dream. This dinner with Rausch was good timing for me, as my 11-year-old son, Jackson, had just completed an emotional Thanksgiving weekend hockey tournament in Newington, Conn., with his South Windsor Knights. They lost a chippy championship game filled with head shots, late shots, tripping, hooking and holding. The final score was 5-2. Emotions and tensions ran high.

I help coach Jack’s Pee Wee team and am always looking for ways to help the players on the team and Jack improve their work ethic, creativity, skill and love of the game, while managing the emotions of game day. We advocate taking reasonable chances and constantly praise smart and competitive hockey.

Rausch joined the USA Hockey staff full time in July 2009 as manager of youth hockey. In this position, Rausch supports the organization’s youth programs and initiatives to further develop hockey in the United States using, among other things, the American Development Model. The ADM provides age-appropriate guidelines and curricula to hockey associations across America to help more kids play, love and excel in hockey.

As a player, Rausch was a four-year member of Boston University’s team from 1991 to 1995. He was a part of the 1995 team that won the NCAA national championship in Providence, R.I. (I covered that game working for a local Providence TV station), the Hockey East regular-season title and the Hockey East tournament, as well as the Beanpot, where Rausch was named the Beanpot Most Valuable Player. Rausch was a four-year member of the Hockey East All-Academic Team and was a Hockey East Distinguished Scholar Award winner. He has a pet dog, yes a Terrier, named Deke. Great dog name, Deke.

Cue the Q-and-A with USA Hockey’s Kenny Rausch

Bucci: Why don’t you think there are more highly skilled American players in the NHL?

Rausch: I would say that the adult model has been superimposed on youth sports way too often in America. What I mean by that is winning is becoming more important at the young ages (10-14). It makes my skin crawl to hear coaches say to kids at that age, “Get it out!” or “Get it in!” We need to be teaching kids stick skills, how to make plays, how to be decisive and how to be aggressive on the puck.

Bucci: What are other countries doing differently to produce highly skilled hockey players?

Rausch: Even Canada is trying to make changes like USA Hockey is. Other countries foster the skill environment more and better. Brendan Morrison tells the story of him playing in Sweden during the lockout. The first time he turned the puck over and returned to the bench he was waiting to hear it from the coach. Nothing. Then another turnover later in the game. Still nothing from the coach. Their coaches, even at the young ages, are not only more tolerant; they are typically their better coaches. Their better coaches coach at the younger ages and want to develop skill and foster that environment where kids enjoy the game and want to come back and play more. As a result, their retention is better and they keep their better players longer.

Bucci: What do other countries specifically do to enhance and develop skill that you feel grassroots USA Hockey should be doing?

Rausch: The big thing is small area games. Most people refer to them as cross ice hockey that we are trying to refer to as “Red, White and Blue” hockey. We are trying to institute it until the age of 8. Over in Europe and most places, they do it until age 10 or 12. If you took the average adult player and asked him to skate the length of the ice, it would be 15 or 16 strides. If you took a Mite and asked him or her to skate crossboard to crossboard it would be about 15 to 16 strides. It’s ludicrous that that little kid is playing full ice hockey.

We should be playing more stuff in small areas, teaching our kids to make decisions quicker, faster, protect more pucks and make more plays in traffic. If they can do it at age 8, 9 or 10, then they will be able to do it at 16, 17 and 18. We refer to Mite (8 and under) and Squirt (9 and 10) hockey as “breakaway hockey.” The best player gets the puck at the blue line and skates 180 feet straight down the ice with no pressure on him and takes a shot on net. That’s not real hockey.

Bucci: What is USA Hockey’s philosophy on checking and how it develops skilled hockey players?

Rausch: I’ve just been a part of a subcommittee that is heavily involved in the checking issue. And my observation talking to medical people and hockey people is that more hockey contact should be introduced younger whereas full-out body checking should be delayed until Bantams (ages 13 and 14). When I say body contact, I mean, watch a women’s Olympic hockey game — it’s pretty physical and there’s a lot of contact involved. But, there is never that check that is intended to intimidate, blow a kid up, knock him off his skates or in football terms “de-cleat” someone. That is, unfortunately, what most kids and coaches start to associate checking with. And that’s not checking. Checking is an art and science to separate a puck carrier from the puck. And if you start playing Red, White and Blue small area hockey at a younger age, people are going to bump into each other by accident because there is less room out there. The more they do that the more used to body contact they are going to get and as they get older, they will be fine when full body checking is introduced later. We don’t want less contact. We want more contact but less violent contact.

Our biggest reason why we want to delay full checking is not just because of the medical issue, although safety is our No. 1 concern, but it’s also the skill issue. What we have learned through long-term athletic development is that there are certain windows of trainability. At ages 10 to 12, the biggest window of trainability is skill acquisition and if a kid is either concerned only with hitting or avoiding being hit are we developing skill? Doctors have told us that an 11-year-old brain cannot fully comprehend how to avoid a check and make a play at the same time. So if they can’t do that at 11, why are we having full checking?

Bucci: What advice would you give youth hockey coaches on running practices to develop skill?

Rausch: The more stuff you can do in a small area the better. Watch how the NHL is played today. Watch college. Watch how an NHL team practices. They don’t do much full ice stuff, and they have way more players on the ice than a Squirt A or Pee Wee B team. Pee Wee teams that think they need full ice to practice with 14 kids is ludicrous. You are wasting half the ice if not more and kids are standing around for 75 percent of the practice. Kids who practice half ice or station based practices get way more activity compared to full ice practices. Station based practices result in close to 60 percent more touches, skating time, passes and shots. Do that over the course of a season and you are almost cramming two seasons into one as development goes.

Bucci: What is your forecast for USA Hockey over the next five to 10 years from grassroots to international to NHL?

Rausch: What we are seeing right now is that our retention rates are poor. Close to 60 percent of kids drop out of hockey by the time they are 14. The adult model superimposed on kids is putting too much pressure to win. I oversee a whole Pee Wee division, and I notice our house kids smile a whole lot more than our travel kids. They have more fun playing because there is less pressure. They don’t get screamed at by the parents and they have more fun playing. So I think with the ADM being implemented across the country with Red, White and Blue hockey up until 8 years old and with small area practices, I think more kids will stay in the game longer. We preach “More, Better, Longer.” I think that is going to happen, which in turn will be a great impact on our international success. The ADM is designed and backed monetarily by the NHL to develop elite players for the NHL. Twenty percent of the NHL is U.S. born. That’s a sin when you look at the population of hockey players in the United States. We are second only to Canada and blow everyone else out of the water. For us to have only 20 percent is ludicrous. We should have 30-40 percent U.S. born players in the NHL. And hopefully, 10 years from now that will be the case.

 

Ten Ways to Play Big

No Matter How Big You Are…

1. Develop Your Quickness
- All great players possess incredible quickness
- Develop quick hands, quick feet, and a quick mind
- Develop the ability to anticipate and read and react with quickness

2. Be an Amazing Puck Handler
- Always have a puck on your stick in practice while waiting in line for drills
- Work on the standard moves (toe drags, figure 8′s, side to side)
- Work on “non-standard” moves; create, innovate!

3. Develop Great Balance
- Skate with a low center of gravity and strong base
- Develop your agility through skating drills
- Use your size to your advantage, stay low and compact, skate like a sports car; not an S.U.V.

4. Disappear and Reappear in the Scoring Area
- Go to areas in the offensive zone where defensemen don’t like to be
- Make quick cuts into the scoring area, ready to shoot
- Creating passing lanes by deceptively supporting the puck

5. Work on Receiving Passes
- Soft hands, anticipation, and balance are the keys to catching a pass
- Practice receiving hard passes, passes that are late (behind you), off-target, and passes in the air
- Develop the ability to catch any pass, forehand and backhand

6. Be a Creative Passer

- Draw a crowd then hit the open man
- Use the boards, other players skates, bounce it of the goalie, be creative
- Develop vision to anticipate openings
- Try new moves to set up your passes (behind the back, between the legs, etc.)
- Practice and use all types of passes; backhand, forehand, drop, back passes, flip passes, etc.

7. Develop a Quick Shot
- Develop a “sniper mentality”
- Develop a quick, accurate release
- Look for mesh, not goalie, and pick your spot
- Fire the puck early and often; SHOOT THE PUCK!

8. Develop a Winning Attitude
- Mental toughness has NOTHING to do with size
- Ignore the non-believers; the people trying to put limits on what they think you can accomplish
- Believe in yourself, confidence makes you play better
- Set lofty goals; work hard to achieve them

9. Learn the Game
- You don’t have to be big to be smart
- Know the game inside and out, be a student of the game
- Watch the top players, watch what they do
- Listen to your coaches

10. Work Harder than Everyone Else
- The one thing you can completely control is how hard you work at being great!

 

Flip, Flop, Fly

Life Can Be A Balancing Act As Arizona Goalie Pursues Ice And Gym Goals

By: Jeff Hoodzow

Flexibility for a hockey player can be the difference between making that great save and giving up a game-winning goal.

For Alex Sprague, those extra few inches of reach and additional spring in his step don’t come from a new goaltending style or piece of high tech equipment. He owes his success on the ice to a secret weapon of a different variety – gymnastics.

The 12-year-old from Glendale, Ariz., has a packed schedule that would make a busy corporate executive look like a slacker. The sixth grader brings a new definition to the balance beam, juggling two sports, a full prep school course load that includes an advanced Latin class and other after-school activities such as singing in the school chorus and participating in the chess club.

Juggling so many activities during the course of the week, it should come as no surprise that Alex is also a member of the juggling club.

“It’s a ton of work, but I love it,” Alex says. “I know that school comes first. As long as I do well in school, I like having all of the extra activities.”

Playing multiple sports is a trend that his hockey coach Stuart Judge encourages, even if it means missing time on the ice. Judge, who has worked in the front office of the Nashville Predators and Phoenix Coyotes, grew up in Canada, and playing multiple sports was a function of climate, not choice.

“You develop all kinds of athleticism out of playing these different sports,” Judge says. “Hand-eye coordination, flexibility and strength are all developed, and that’s what summers were for in Canada.”

That’s why Judge emphasizes that his players develop core strength and flexibility that will not only make them better hockey players, but could help to ward off injuries during the season.

The lessons seemed to have paid off for both Alex and his Arizona Runners Peewee teammates as they swept their way through the Sonoran Youth Hockey League playoffs and took home the state title.

Alex’s mentally toughness comes partially from growing up in a military family and the nomadic lifestyle that goes with it. Sports provided a means to smooth out the transition from city to city and country to country and helped him make new friends along the way.

It was a move from Germany to Maryland when he was only 4 years old that helped get his athletic career off to a flying start, so to speak. A local recreational center was offering gymnastics for kids, and Alex never looked back.

As he has slowly moved up the ranks, Alex has turned the hard work into hardware. He enjoyed his best gymnastics finish at the Southwest Junior Cups. Featuring local gymnastics schools from around Arizona, Alex finished first overall in his age group and won individual honors in the floor exercise, rings and parallel bars and is one of the top performers for Arizona Prestige, his local gym.

According to his gymnastics coach, Tim Olson, Alex’s biggest improvement in the past few years hasn’t been on a specific gymnastic discipline, but what he has done for his other teammates.

“This kid is just a pure leader,” Olson says. “He takes all the little ones under his wing and shows the younger guys the ropes.”

Oddly enough, Alex’s hockey career started because of a lack of hockey. During the 2004 NHL lockout, ice time was cheap and plentiful, which allowed Alex to take skating lessons on the Washington Capitals practice facility at a discounted rate.

A move to Arizona, with its blossoming hockey community, allowed Alex to not only pursue his on-ice passion but to give goaltending a try.

While hockey is the ultimate team sport, Alex was drawn to the pressures placed on a goaltender as his team’s last line of defense.

“That’s why I switched to goalie,” Alex says. “I like to have all that weight on my shoulders and no one else to blame.”

Gymnastics share many of the same aspects of teamwork. While gymnasts compete in individual events, such as the rings, pommel horse or floor exercise, they represent their home gym or local team in competitions, and their individual performances have a direct bearing on a team’s overall score.

Gymnastics also gives him a chance to spend more time with his older sister, Sabrina. Born a year apart, they compete at the same level, but Alex admits that he takes his role a little more seriously.

“She just like to go out there and have fun,” Alex says. “I like to win.”

While he enjoys both sports, Alex knows the day will come is when he will have to decide which path to follow if he wants to reach the next level. For now he is having too much fun to worry about making a decision.

“I really like hockey because you get to be a little rough out there and you get to hit people,” he admits. “But it seems like the girls like me being in gymnastics more, so I REALLY like gymnastics.”

 

How to Stand Out at Tryouts

For many players, tryouts are just around the corner. Some players find tryouts to be a nerve-wracking time, but if you take the time to prepare yourself there’s no reason you won’t hear your name called when it comes time to pick the team.

You don’t need to be the best player on the ice to get noticed.

Here are some simple tips you can use to stand out in the eyes of the coaches and give yourself the best chance to make the team.

1. Go to the front of the line. This seems simple enough, but it can also be really scary for players. Coaches notice little details like this. Show some initiative and confidence in yourself and your ability to do the drill right and set the example.

2. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Sometimes coaches don’t always do a great job of explaining the drills perfectly. If you have a question as the coach is explaining the drill on the board, don’t be afraid to ask. Odds are you’re not the only one who doesn’t understand.

3. Out-hustle everybody. Every coach is looking for players who are willing to compete hard in every drill and will push themselves and their teammates to be the best. Be first to the puck, be the first player back on the backcheck, be first in everything. Remember that hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.

4.  Be ready when you hit the ice. You want to be in shape when you show up at tryouts. Don’t let tryouts be the first time you’ve stepped on the ice since last season. Get on the ice a few times before tryouts so you can regain the feel of the puck and condition the muscles needed for skating. It’s also a great chance to make sure your equipment is in good condition and still fits.

5.  Play your game. Do what you do well and don’t be distracted by who’s evaluating or what other players are doing on the ice. Be assertive, be hungry and be at the front of the line for every drill. Pay attention and listen to the coaches’ instructions. Show them that you’re excited to be there and you’re ready to do whatever it takes to make the team.

It’s up to you to earn a spot on the team. Don’t look to blame anyone else if you don’t succeed. Hopefully you’ll make the team you’re trying out for. If things don’t work out, it’s important to learn from the experience and continue to work hard on all aspects of your game.

Survival to Getting Cut

By: Dave Nettleman

The game of hockey has a raw edge that sometimes extends beyond the confines of the rink. This is especially apparent when a player is cut from a team.

As a player’s skill level advances during the teenage years, expectations (on all sides) rise as well. Players must make many sacrifices along the way if they hope to reach the Junior or college level. The player’s family also makes a large investment of time, money and effort. The stakes can be high indeed.

The sad truth is that desire, dedication, determination and even talent aren’t always enough to prevent a player from being let go. There are larger forces at play, and there may be factors over which the player has little or no control. The team may have a surplus of players at a particular position, or the coach may want to take the team in a different direction, perhaps emphasizing speed, skill, physicality, youth or experience.

When the coach informs you that you’ve been cut, you may be given specific reasons for being let go, or you may be told nothing at all. The way in which you’re given the news is less important than the news itself.

When faced with disappointing news, there are two options. You can withdraw into yourself (“turtling,” in hockey lingo), or you can open up to a friend or family member. Turtling doesn’t work very well because it leaves the wounds to fester.

When you open up to a friend or family member, the wounds don’t go away, but they do stop getting worse. Good friends and family are strong medicine for tough times.

One of the worst things about getting cut is that it can deal a blow to your ego. What can you do to get back on track? Here’s some advice:

Talk it over.

Call your best friend and tell him or her what you’re going through. Among other things, this can help restore your perspective, because your friend will be able to think more clearly than you can. If possible, make plans to meet at a ballgame, restaurant or elsewhere so you can talk face to face.

Write it down.

Write down what you’re thinking and feeling. Keep a journal. This is a surprisingly effective way to help you deal with the stress of the situation. It will also provide a record that you can refer to after the crisis passes, reminding you of the lessons you learned from the experience.

Work it out.

Continuing your usual skating and workout regimen (preferably with a partner) can bolster your self-esteem and help maintain a sense of normalcy during this turbulent time.  It also helps you keep in shape in case another opportunity arises on short notice.

Keep it real.

Don’t dwell on thoughts of  “What if…” or “If only…” Focus your energies on the present instead.

When the dust settles, you and your family will have decisions to make about what comes next. Will you work on developing your skills? Try out for another team? Find some other way to be a part of the game? Or move on to some other endeavor? Regardless, the physical toughness, mental discipline and work ethic you’ve developed by playing hockey are valuable assets that you’ll carry with you throughout your life.