Calling someone a bad hockey coach after one questionable decision is easy. Evaluating coaching properly is harder. A coach may shorten the bench once. A… Read More »COACH LEADERSHIP – Is Your Hockey Coach Chasing Wins? Red Flags Parents Should Watch
Parents hear two competing messages throughout youth hockey. Winning matters. And: Development matters more than winning. Both statements can be true. Competitive hockey should teach… Read More »COACH LEADERSHIP – Should Youth Hockey Coaches Prioritize Development or Winning?
COACH – The First Responsibility After Selecting the Hockey Team Before holding a parent meeting, the head coach should confirm who possesses authority over each… Read More »COACH LEADERSHIP – The First Responsibility After Selecting the Hockey Team
What must hockey families know before tryouts? Before a player steps onto the ice, the family should understand who controls selection, how evaluations work, what… Read More »TRYOUTS – What Families Need to Know Before Tryouts?
Best hockey path for ages 15-18 is not automatically AAA, Junior, prep, academy, AA or high school hockey. Those are environments. The best path depends… Read More »PLAYER POSITIVE – What Is the Best Hockey Path for a 15 to 18-Year-Old Who Still Wants to Play?
Playing hockey for fun can sound almost rebellious in an environment where players are constantly told to reach the next team, tournament, league, ranking or… Read More »PLAYER POSITIVE – Is It Okay to Stop Chasing Elite Hockey and Just Play for Fun?
When chasing elite hockey stops making sense is one of the hardest questions a hockey family can ask. There is no tryout score that answers… Read More »PLAYER POSITIVE – When Does Chasing Elite Hockey Stop Making Sense?
Hockey development funnel getting younger is a concern increasingly voiced by parents watching recruitment, Junior movement and elite team decisions. The fear is understandable. If… Read More »PLAYER POSITIVE – Is the Hockey Development Funnel Getting Younger?
NCAA five-year eligibility rule is the phrase many hockey families are using for the NCAA’s new age-based eligibility model. However, there is an important correction… Read More »PLAYER POSITIVE – What Does the New NCAA Five-Year Eligibility Rule Mean for Hockey Players?
CHL and NCAA hockey changes have altered one of the most important development decisions North American hockey families traditionally faced. For decades, CHL hockey and… Read More »PLAYER POSITIVE – How Have the CHL and NCAA Changes Altered the Hockey Development Pathway?