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Parents Women's Hockey Youth Hockey

How to Develop a Great Hockey Player

What does it take as a hockey parent to help your player become truly elite? So, the reality is I don’t really know from first-hand experience just yet how to develop a great hockey player. In addition, it also really depends on what your definition of “great” is. But I do feel that I have figured out a few things so far as a hockey parent who was watched not only his kids go make it halfway through U14 (aka Bantam) hockey.  This series of posts will discuss five different factors that in my opinion contribute to becoming an above average hockey player. While I haven’t gone through it just yet with my kids, from everything I can tell is that the major separation of the top 10% of players really comes at the midget age level and above. 

Hockey is a Late Development Sport

While I haven’t gone through it just yet with my kids, from everything I can tell is that the major separation of the top 10% of players really comes at the midget age level and above.  There are lots of books and podcasts which discuss hockey being a late development sport (unlike early development sports like gymnastics and figure skating).

The best current example I have seen so far is Brendan Brisson, an incoming freshman at University of Michigan, who was recently a first round draft pick by the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2020 NHL Draft.  While it is clear he was always an elite player, playing AAA youth hockey with the Los Angeles Jr Kings, when you look at his stats from when he was 13, 14, and 15 years old, he was not even in the top 3 or 4 on most of his teams in scoring, let alone the division he played in. He averaged less than 0.5 points per game in each of those years. It was only in his second year of Shattuck St. Mary’s and then continuing on when playing for the Chicago Steel in juniors did his point totals go exponential. This shows you how much a player can develop AFTER they turn 15.

Many Kids Peak Too Early

Recently former NHLer turned parent coach, Patrick O’Sullivan wrote a couple of tweets how size and speed early in a player’s youth hockey career can actually work against them, as it is too easy for them to score goals at 10U (Squirts/Atom) and 12U (Peewee) by just leveraging these assets.

However, as other kids catch up to them in both size and speed, these early bloomers didn’t develop the other attributes needed to maintain that dominance. I have seen this myself on both my kids teams and players on other teams they play. There is almost always a very high correlation to the leading scorers and how much bigger they are than the other team.  This is especially noticeable when watching the finals of the AAA Quebec Peewee tournament. Even from just watching video, it is pretty easy to see that the best teams have the most kids that have already gone through their growth spurts. Of course these kids also have skill, but what helps separate them is their size and/or speed at 12 years old.

The Long Road of Development

To use a cliché (well, this is a hockey-related post, so I’ll allow it), hockey development is “a marathon not a sprint.”  Recognizing that most important development happens at 15 and older, you still need a solid base to build from just to get the opportunity to accelerate when you get there.

For the Love of the Game

In the next post I will discuss what the first factor, which I also believe is the ante, for becoming a great hockey player: a love for the game. I will also try to dimensionlize what that love looks like.

This post is the first in a series on How to Develop a Great Hockey Player (Intro).

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Coaching hockey Parents Podcast Women's Hockey Youth Hockey

#1 – The Hockey Think Tank Podcast

Top 10 Podcasts for Girl Hockey Players (and their Parents)

When the The Minor Hockey podcast was cancelled by TSN Radio a couple of years ago I was very disappointed and was searching high and low for another youth hockey podcast. Almost immediately I stumbled upon The Hockey Think Tank’s fifth episode with Kendall Coyne Schofield (before she appeared in the 2019 All Star Game). Since then I have been one of their biggest fans and making sure my kids listen to their podcast in the car when we are driving to the rink. Topher Scott and Jeff Lovechio are former players who both now coach youth hockey. They are both positive, likeable, sincere & knowledgeable and their guests are spectacular. 

Girls Hockey Talk

When they do have a female hockey player on the show there is always a nugget or two I get from the episode specific to the girl’s game. Alyssa Gagliardi was a guest who provided good insight on her hockey journey starting with boys hockey all the way to the U.S. Olympic team.  This past summer, in collaboration with the PWHPA HTT had a series of shows and online programming specific go the women’s game. Interviews included Hockey Hall of Famer Jayna Hefford and University of Minnesota-Duluth women’s head coach Maura Crowell.

Must-Listen for Parents

One of the best parts of the Hockey Think Tank are the discussions about what a successful hockey journey looks like for most kids from youth all the way to the pros. It usually isn’t a straight line.  So many of the guests discuss the struggles they faced and the grit they had to have to make it.  Most parents can relate to not having an ‘early-bloomer’ player and how to navigate the bumpy road by focusing on player development versus wins.  Guests like Patrick O’Sullivan and Martin St Louis discuss being youth hockey coaches and what really matters in player development from 8-18 years of age – which is different from what most coaches practice and preach.

Recently, The Hockey Think Tank published their Parent Survival Guide. It is an excellent resource for hockey parents who want the straight goods about navigating the complex world to from youth to junior to college hockey. While it primarily focuses on the path that boys take, many of the principles apply to women’s hockey (without the extra step of junior hockey between high school and college).

If you are going to listen to only one podcast as a youth hockey player or parent, The Hockey Think Tank is the one we would recommend.

This post is part of a series of blogs on the Top 10 Podcasts for Girl Hockey Players (and their Parents). You can read the background on this list from the start of this series.

Previous Podcasts on the Top 10 List:

#10 – Hockey Training: Become a Better Hockey Player Podcast

#9 – From the Point Women’s Hockey Podcast

#8 – The Lyndsey Fry Hockey Audio Experience

#7 – Let’s Go! Hockey Podcast

#6 – Over the Goal Line: A CUWIH Podcast

#5 – The Curious Competitor with Connor Carrick

#4 – Glass and Out Podcast by The Coaches Site

#3 – Grassroots: The Minor Hockey Show

#2 – RUSH Hockey Talk

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Coaching hockey Parents Podcast Women's Hockey

#2 – RUSH Hockey Talk podcast

Top 10 Podcasts for Girl Hockey Players (and their Parents)

Kelly Katorji is one of, if not ‘the’ most networked and knowledgeable people in women’s hockey. He has literally watched thousands of young girls develop in to college, pro and Olympic hockey players over his many years. With his RUSH Hockey Talk podcast he speaks to coaches, players and on everything related to the women’s game and pursuing a college hockey path. Topics include navigating the NCAA recruiting rules, how coaches evaluate players and comparing Ivy League schools to scholarship schools. If Kelly would consistently release new episodes on a weekly basis, RUSH Hockey Talk would probably be number one on this list! (Hint, hint).

RUSH Hockey runs some of the biggest girls hockey showcases like the Beantown Classic and the RUSH College Showcase. You can also frequently listen to Kelly on SiriusXM’s NHL channel with Steve Kouleas as they discuss all things youth hockey.

This post is part of a series of blogs on the Top 10 Podcasts for Girl Hockey Players (and their Parents). You can read the background on this list from the start of this series.

Previous Podcasts on the Top 10 List:

#10 – Hockey Training: Become a Better Hockey Player Podcast

#9 – From the Point Women’s Hockey Podcast

#8 – The Lyndsey Fry Hockey Audio Experience

#7 – Let’s Go! Hockey Podcast

#6 – Over the Goal Line: A CUWIH Podcast

#5 – The Curious Competitor with Connor Carrick

#4 – Glass and Out Podcast by The Coaches Site

#3 – Grassroots: The Minor Hockey Show

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Coaching hockey Parents Podcast

#3 – Grassroots: The Minor Hockey Show podcast

Top 10 Podcasts for Girl Hockey Players (and their Parents)

Richard Bercuson has been a hockey coach and teacher for decades and really knows more than just about anyone about youth hockey development. This podcast is the reboot of the TSN 1200 show mentioned in my post introducing this Top 10 Podcast list.  Unlike other hockey-related podcasts whose guests are from pro or college teams, most of the Grassroots coaches are longtime Canadian youth hockey coaches. Gregg Kennedy, Richard’s co-host from their previous radio show, re-appears in several episodes to discuss the specifics about on-ice youth hockey development. Recently the show has had a greater focus on the women’s game with guests like University of Toronto women’s coach Vicky Sunohara and longtime female hockey leader, Fran Rider.

It’s all about development

What I love about the show is the continuous reinforcement of the message that youth hockey is entirely about player development and not winning except at the very highest levels.  Nearly every episode looks at different ways to change the mindset of these game-result oriented coaches and parents. Ideas like coach mentoring, equal ice time for players, positive & productive coach-player relationships and effective practice planning are themes that are repeatedly discussed. The show has really helped me provide a framework to assess how my kids are developing and the role their coaches play in enhancing or impeding their development.  

This post is part of a series of blogs on the Top 10 Podcasts for Girl Hockey Players (and their Parents). You can read the background on this list from the start of this series.

Previous Podcasts on the Top 10 List:

#10 – Hockey Training: Become a Better Hockey Player Podcast

#9 – From the Point Women’s Hockey Podcast

#8 – The Lyndsey Fry Hockey Audio Experience

#7 – Let’s Go! Hockey Podcast

#6 – Over the Goal Line: A CUWIH Podcast

#5 – The Curious Competitor with Connor Carrick

#4 – Glass and Out Podcast by The Coaches Site

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Coaching hockey Parents Podcast

#4 – Glass and Out Podcast by The Coaches Site

Top 10 Podcasts for Girl Hockey Players (and their Parents)

The Coaches Site is an incredible resource for hockey coaches, but can also be helpful to parents. In Aaron Wilbur‘s podcast series Glass and Out, he interviews many of the top NHL, college and junior coaches from North America and Europe. What makes this podcast so helpful is not specifically the women’s hockey content, but the general hockey development information. Specifically, how to help your hockey player become the best they can be, regardless of gender. In every episode there is a nugget on how coaches are trying to develop and motivate players at all levels of hockey.  Hearing the strategies and complexity involved in planning and executing on improving player performance is powerful. Understanding how coaches think from the other side of the bench can help a young player or parent appreciate their role even more.

An episode that stands out is the conversation with Hall of Famer Cammi Granato about her hockey journey and how much the women’s game has changed over the past 20+ years.

While separate from the podcast, The Coaches Site subscription website is chock full of information for hockey players at any level. As the parent of a defenseman, there are several TCS videos from which I have shown my daughter. Without the help of her team coaches she has been working to incorporate these teachings into her game.

This post is part of a series of blogs on the Top 10 Podcasts for Girl Hockey Players (and their Parents). You can read the background on this list from the start of this series.

Previous Podcasts on the Top 10 List:

#10 – Hockey Training: Become a Better Hockey Player Podcast

#9 – From the Point Women’s Hockey Podcast

#8 – The Lyndsey Fry Hockey Audio Experience

#7 – Let’s Go! Hockey Podcast

#6 – Over the Goal Line: A CUWIH Podcast

#5 – The Curious Competitor with Connor Carrick

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Coaching hockey Parents Podcast

#7 – Let’s Go! Hockey Podcast

Top 10 Podcasts for Girl Hockey Players and their Parents

Let's Go Hockey Podcast
Let’s Go Hockey Podcast

Coach Pete Kamman and Coach Danny Heath have some excellent guests from all over the hockey world. The show has a strong focus on hockey development and gleaning insights from each interview. At the end of each episode they share their 3 Stars – key takeaways from their guest. Let’s Go provides parents, players and coaches positive guidance and motivation for their hockey journey. Past female guests include Lyndsey Fry and Gold Medal goalie Maddie Roonie. Hopefully, they will continue to add more guests to talk about women’s hockey. My favorite episode so far (although not specific to girl’s/women’s) hockey was with Marty Pavelich, 4-time Stanley Cup winner from the late 40’ and early 50’s, telling some amazing stories. Worth subscribing to this podcast.  LET’S Gooooooo!

This post is part of a series of blogs on the Top 10 Podcasts for Girl Hockey Players (and their Parents). You can read the background on this list from the start of this series.

Previous Podcasts on the Top 10 List:

#10 – Hockey Training: Become a Better Hockey Player Podcast

#9 – From the Point Women’s Hockey Podcast

#8 – The Lyndsey Fry Hockey Audio Experience

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hockey Parents Podcast Women's Hockey

#8 – The Lyndsey Fry Hockey Audio Experience

Top 10 Podcasts for Girl Hockey Players and their Parents

Lyndsey Fry Hockey Audio Experience
Lyndsey Fry Hockey Audio Experience Podcast
 

As someone who has a daughter playing hockey in a non-traditional hockey market, it is great to hear about Lyndsey Fry’s journey from Arizona to Harvard to the U.S. Olympic team. In addition, she is now committed to developing the next generation of girl hockey players on the west coast by leading the Arizona Kachina’s hockey program as well as her travelling hockey camps to underserved girl hockey markets. Her conversations with former teammates and other coaches dedicated to developing women’s hockey in non-traditional markets is really great to listen for someone like me. 

The episodes of Lyndsey’s experience in travelling at a young age to Colorado to play youth hockey and  then process of making the 2014 Olympic team are great listens.  I don’t usually listen to the podcasts more than once, but there are a couple of her shows that are on that short list of repeat plays. Candidly, Lindsey’s podcast would be higher on this list if she just published more of them :). 

Give her a listen.

 

This post is part of a series of blogs on the Top 10 Podcasts for Parents of Girl Hockey Players. You can read the background on this list from the start of this series:

Previous Podcasts on the Top 10 List:

#10 Top 10 Podcasts for Girl Hockey Players (and their Parents) – Hockey Training: Become a Better Hockey Player Podcast

#9 Top 10 Podcasts for Girl Hockey Players (and their Parents) – From the Point Women’s Hockey Podcast

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hockey Parents Podcast Women's Hockey

#9 – From The Point: Women’s Hockey Podcast

Top 10 Podcasts for Girl Hockey Players and their Parents

From the Point Women's Hockey Podcast

From The Point is a relatively new podcast focused on all things women’s hockey. Hockey coach Bob Deraney and Hank Morse started the show in late 2019 and have continued new shows into the 2020-21 season. Bob’s previous experience as head coach of the Providence Friars women’s ice hockey team and parent of two daughters brings a unique combination of insights to the shows. What I have particularly enjoyed are the episodes dedicated to youth hockey and what it takes to make it to college hockey.  They also talk to prep hockey coaches and former players. Specifically, the Alyssa Gagliardi episodes provides some excellent insight on her path from North Carolina to prep school to Cornell University.  Both hosts are based in the Boston area, so their discussion and guests have a strong New England theme (prep, college & NWHL).

This post is part of a series of blogs on the Top 10 Podcasts for Parents of Girl Hockey Players. You can read the background on this list from the start of this series:

Previous Podcasts on the Top 10 List:

#10 Top 10 Podcasts for Girl Hockey Players and their Parents– Hockey Training: Become a Better Hockey Player Podcast

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hockey Parents Podcast Strength and Conditioning

#10 – Hockey Training: Become a Better Hockey Player Podcast

Top 10 Podcasts for Girl Hockey Players and their Parents

The Hockey Training podcast is one of the audio programs I have been listening to the longest. This podcast (plus their website, YouTube videos and training programs) provides hockey-specific training knowledge and exercises to help you “dominate on the ice”. While most of the content is not gender-specific, at the appropriate times Coach Dan Garner will make sure to point out differences based on a scientific and anatomical basis. In addition he will provide female-specific training guidance for relevant exercises. I know that one of the local NorCalAAA girls teams has used their program for off-ice training and they have been quite pleased with the results. Overall, Coach Garner consistently pumps out quality episodes. I would recommend searching past episodes for specific areas to work on (e.g. speed, strength and endurance).

This post is part of a series of blogs on the Top 10 Podcasts for Girl Hockey Players (and their Parents). You can read the background on this list from the start of this series.

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hockey Parents Podcast

Top 10 Podcasts for Girl Hockey Players and their Parents

Finding podcasts for youth hockey players isn’t very hard. But finding ones focused on girls hockey isn’t as easy. About 2 ½ years ago I went down the hockey podcast rabbit hole. Specifically seeking out the best podcasts for hockey parents of youth players. At that time, I was able to find the archive of a weekly radio show from Ottawa, Ontario called Grassroots: The Minor Hockey Show with Gregg Kennedy and Richard Bercuson. The archive went back almost three years and I binged every episode over a two week period. It was amazing how I could compare what I was seeing at the local clubs where my kids played and how it differed from what they were recommending on the show. 

Since then I have listened to hundreds of additional youth hockey podcast episodes from a variety of different sources in the hopes of finding an insight or pattern that might help my kids develop into better players. One of the biggest topics that has been consistently reinforced is the focus on Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) and taking a break from hockey during the offseason. As a result even now that my kids are teenagers, they continue to play additional sports beyond hockey (soccer, lacrosse, pickleball, baseball etc.) and have taken a minimum of 4 weeks off each year during the spring/summer time period.

Since I started listening, the number of hockey-related pods have exploded best exemplified by the popularity of the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast (Note: Not recommended for kids given the amount of R-Rated content).  However, most hockey podcasts are not very relevant for parents of a female youth hockey player. The following is a list of the most helpful podcasts I subscribe to that continue to educate and motivate me as the parent of a 14-year-old girl hockey player.

We will count down the Top 10 starting with the next post. But for now, let’s being with…

Honorable Mentions:

Mindset Moments

While not really specific to girls or women’s hockey, I find Gord MacFarlane’s guests quite insightful about the mental side of hockey development specifically with players and coaches who provide positive nuggets of information on what it takes to be a mentally tough hockey player. Gord has some excellent guests from both inside and outside hockey that provide excellent advice on overcoming adversity and other key topics on the mental aspects of sports.

Breakaway – The Minor Hockey Podcast

Breakaway: The Minor Hockey Podcast from the Ontario Minor Hockey Association hosted by Dan Pollard.  Dan sits down with the leaders of hockey to discuss everything from scoring goals to how to grow the game. While none of the episodes focus solely on girls hockey, there is a lot of great content for parents and coaches of hockey players of any gender. Hopefully they will add new episodes for the 2020-21 season shortly.

Our next posts will start counting down the best youth hockey podcast for parents of female hockey players starting with #10.