Failure

There are days where things just don't go according to plan...there are games where the puck just won't bounce your way. One thing to remember on days when things go "wrong" is that you've only failed if you fail to learn. This simple saying is a great way to remember that hockey isn't a life or death thing....for anyone! If you make a mistake, that's fine....learn from it and move on with some new knowledge. Coaches also need to be supportive and make sure players learn from their mistakes - tell them HOW they can avoid making the same mistake next time.

See you around the rinks!

Hot Shot Puck Put to the Test

As some of you may have noticed, we've added the Demon Hot Shot Puck to our webstore. At HockeyShare, we test all the products we stock to make sure they're high quality. Yesterday at Puckmasters in Lake Bluff, IL, we had the opportunity to put the Hot Shot to the test! We compared the speed readings from the puck to that of our $30,000 shooting simulator (yes, like the one at the Hockey Hall of Fame) and the results were almost identical! The puck came back with a reading every time we shot. The Demon Hot Shot is really the easiest, most convenient way to keep track of your shot speeds!....oh, and did we mention they make great stocking stuffers?

White Tape Special

Every player needs hockey tape - and there's no point to buy it a roll at a time for $3 or $4 per roll. Our new special lets you get your rolls for just $1.99 including shipping! For a limited time, 40 rolls of white cloth tape (Howies Hockey Tape) is just $79.60 including shipping within the US ($93.60 for Canadian Orders).

Inspiration

"Many people today agree that we need to reduce violence in our society. If we are truly serious about this, we must deal with the roots of violence, particularly those that exist within each of us. We need to embrace 'inner disarmament,' reducing our own emotions of suspicion, hatred and hostility toward our brothers and sisters." --Dalai Lama

This quote was sent out today by HelpOthers.org

Giving Thanks

As people across the US celebrated Thanksgiving today, many hockey families headed into the rink for holiday tournaments. Thanksgiving is a good time to take a step back and realize how much we all have to be thankful for. There are people in the hockey community who are less fortunate than ourselves, and it's important that we don't forget them. From now until the end of Dec., HockeyShare's Webstore will be donating 2% of all sales to Hockey Fights Cancer. HFC is the NHL's program to raise money and increase awareness in the battle against cancer - hockey's most important fight. The entire HockeyShare staff would like to wish everyone a safe and enjoyable hockey-holiday season.

See you around the rinks!

Breaking the Rink Rut

It's been a month and you just spent the last 29 days of it at the rink. How can we keep this from turning into "another day at the rink?" I call these days being in a "rink rut." Every coach (and even parent) gets these days/weeks. When you're faced with these days, I believe the first step is to consciously recognize the fact that you're in the rut. Once you've realized this, the next step is to pause for a second and remember why you're there. Forget about the nagging parent(s)....the "brutal" official from last night's game....the 25 emails you need to send out to the team when you get home...the 300 miles you've got to drive tomorrow for your next game. All these things aren't important - the only thing that really matters is the kids (assuming you're coaching youth hockey for the right reasons)! I've had days where just seeing one kid's smiling face was enough to break the rut. It really puts things into perspective. So I encourage you - when you step foot on the ice, put everything else in the background...focus on the 15 kids you have on the ice...nothing more....nothing less. Let the ice time be your zen time...clear your mind and clear the way for the kids (and you) to enjoy yourself and learn a little bit about this great game of hockey!

see you around the rinks....
-Kevin

Hockey Stocking Stuffers

It's almost that time of year again! We just added some great new stocking stuffers to our webstore - take a look....the hockey picture frames are a creative way to display your superstar's photos!

What's that smell?

There's nothing quite like opening the door to your car and getting a whiff of that ripe hockey bag sitting in the trunk. It's right up there with the smell of your hands after a practice. We've got some stuff that can help with both of these unpleasant bi-products of hockey....see how to beat the hockey smell.

Clarke the Canadian Hockey Goalie

Some more classic hockey humor for you all!...

Reality...

This is a quote from the Daily Guru. If you're not a subscriber, you can visit www.DailyGuru.com and get inspirational/motivational quotes every day. I thought this one was really good and worth sharing!

REALITY IS SOMETHING YOU CAN RISE

You're bigger than anything that can happen to you.

The obstacles you face are only mental barriers which can be overcome by adopting a more positive approach.

Have the courage to confront what you can imagine.

You don't have to be a puppet manipulated by outside powerful forces, you can become the powerful force yourself.

Courage is resistance to fear and mastery of fear, not absence of fear.

This is where you'll win the battle, in the playhouse of your mind.

Visualize what you want.

See it, feel it, believe in it.

Make your mental blueprint,

and then begin to build.

See things as you would have them be instead of as they are.

Lighthearted Look at Goalie Drills

Normally the videos we post on HockeyShare.com have something to do with the serious training....every now and then, it's fun to take a lighthearted look at

Blackhawks Home Games

Those of us in the Chicago area were undoubtedly please to be able to watch the Hawks on TV for last night's home game. So did the long-time thinking that broadcasting would hurt attendance hold true? Nope, 19K+ fans in attendance....and front-page coverage in some of the local media...beating out the NFL! With the talent and visibility the Hawks are getting, NHL hockey may not be dead in Chicago.

Positive Coaching

I came across this resource for positive coaching. The Positive Coaching Alliance boasts the simple yet powerful motto "Transforming youth sports...so sports can transform youth." This site gives tips and tools for coaches and parents. There's some great resources at this site - give it a look and see if there are pieces you can apply to your own coaching philosophy.

I'd love to know what you think about this one....leave some comments.

See you around the rinks.

Practice, Practice, Practice

I came across this quote on our locker room wall before one of our road games...looks like one of the other coaches posted it and never took it off the wall. I'm glad he/she didn't, because I thought it was a great one....

"Amateurs practice until they get it right....Professionals practice until they can't get it wrong."

Practice...practice....practice.

See you around the rinks!

Thought of the Day

"If you want to conquer fear, don't sit at home and think about it. Go out and get busy."
-Dale Carnegie

Teamwork Quote

"Coming together is the beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success."
-Henry Ford

Coaching In A Nutshell

I thought this quote summed up coaching pretty well....

"The greatest good you can do for another is not just to share your riches, but to reveal to him his own."
-Benjamin Disraeli

Don Lucia Speech

Here's a great speech by Don Lucia about the importance of skill development in youth hockey:

http://www.hockeyshare.com/articles/don_lucia_speech.php

Another quote

"Life loves to be taken by the lapel and told: I'm with you kid. Let's go!"
-Maya Angelou

Great quote I thought I'd share with you all!

Backyard Rink Time!

The air is getting colder and the leaves are falling off the trees. It's a sure sign that hockey season is upon us. Perhaps one of the most fun (and often times forgotten) aspects of hockey is skating on the pond (or in your backyard). Lot's of people ask me why they should put a rink up in their backyard, and I tell them all the same thing. That's the place where your child will learn the most. Wait, what? You may be asking why you spend thousands of dollars on hockey camps and training. Don't worry, those are extremely important aspects of training, but the backyard ice rink will let your player learn in their own creative way. It's completely their own environment where there's no pressure to be perfect...they can try things they'd never think of trying in a practice or game. It's also fun. Ever seen the smile on a kid's face (rosy red from the cold) after they play a pickup game with their friends on their rink? If not, the picture is worth a thousand words. Here's a photo from my own backyard ice rink last year. These kids are on the team I coach - we invited everyone out for an afternoon of skating....what a blast!

If you want to make your own backyard ice rink, NiceRink is the best company (in my own experience) to check out. They've got everything you'll need to make your own rink....liner, thermoformed plastic boards, brackets, resurfacers and tons more. You can visit them at www.nicerink.com - or we've got all their Starter Kits and Rink-in-a-Box Package in our webstore. The Starter Kit & Rink-in-a-Box Package are the easiest way to get started with your own rink.

Happy backyard skating!

Remembering Why We Coach Youth Hockey

I have the distinct privilege of being able to work with hundreds of kids from many different organizations in this great game of hockey. Often times the conversations with parents proves to be very interesting. Recently I was talking to a parent who told me about their child's coach and his "coaching style." You know the one...yelling and screaming. This conversation lasted about 30 minutes, and I explained why I tended to disagree with that methodology. Now don't get me wrong, there's a time and a place to get upset and you do have to establish that "line" the kids can't cross, BUT the majority of the time I've found that yelling and screaming aren't necessary...especially if you're coaching younger kids and/or non-elite levels. The conversation led me to write a brief article for HockeyShare.

http://www.hockeyshare.com/why-we-coach-youth-hockey.php

I'd love to know your thoughts on this piece.

See you around the rinks....

2007 Canada Camp Pictures

I just found a couple cool photos from this summer's Puckmasters Hockey Camp in Dryden, ON. Thought I'd share them with you all!

Start with a quote

Anyone who knows me personally knows I'm a huge fan of positive/inspirational quotes. I came across this one today from Winston Churchill:

Continuous effort, not strength or intelligence, is the key to unlocking your potential.

I thought that was an excellent quote worth sharing. Keep working hard in everything you do!

Welcome to the HockeyShare Blog

Welcome everyone to the new HockeyShare Blog. I'm the owner & founder of www.hockeyshare.com. I'm going to use this blog to post my thoughts and ideas about hockey in hopes that parts may be useful to other coaches and spark some interesting conversations.

Thanks again for visiting...

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