If you are a reader of this site, you know by now that I like the
look of equipment to be simple and somewhat understated. Flashy has
never been my look or style. One look at Easton’s new RS Stealth and you
will be able to tell that it is right in my wheelhouse style wise. The
RS Stealth has a nice matte black finish to it with simple grey and
yellow finishes. It has clean lines and looks like an instant classic. I
wonder if you will be able to customize the yellow on the stick to
match your teams colours, much like how Bauer allowed customers to
choose the colour on the back of the One95 shaft. I hope that they do,
it will add to the great look of the stick!
Get the RS Stealth into your hands and you will feel the weight or
lack there of! It is one of the lightest one piece sticks that I have
ever felt. It is quite amazing that the stick can be as light as it is
and still have the performance. It also has a slight textured feel to it
where your hands go on the stick. It is nothing major and I am not 100%
sure you can feel it while you play but it’s not a bad idea to have a
little extra texture to add to the feel of the stick.
The RS Stealth is the newest in the performance series from Easton.
It follows very close to its predecessors the S19 and S17. The S17 was
the first to feature the ‘Elliptical Profile’ in the taper. Easton
claims that it helps to reduce the torsional twist and loss of energy,
which leads to a quicker shot. I also have it on good authority that
the kick point is a little higher on the stick. What does that mean for
you? It means that you will be able to get your shot off faster without
having to move your hands.
I found the stick to have some real good pop. I liken it to a set of
golf clubs that have a large sweet spot. This stick will make you a
better shooter. It seemed like my shot was quicker and heavier. I was
able to put the puck where I wanted to more than usual. This is
definitely a performance stick and once you play with it, you will
notice the difference. My main stick was the ST and it is made to last
longer but it also is also a less responsive and explosive stick. After
playing around with the RS Stealth, I could feel the difference between
the two. The RS can turn a marginal shooter into a very good one!
The other big improvement I noticed was that the blade has more feel
to it. I was able to take hard passes without the puck jumping off the
blade. It almost had a wood feel to it. It absorbed the speed of the
puck and it sat quite nicely for me most of the time.
I certainly think that this stick is a very good one, maybe best in
class, but it also carries a price tag to reflect it. It comes in at
$299.99, although I have seen it at $249.99 as well, and the price will
surely make you think twice about purchasing the Easton RS Stealth. If
you are looking for a one piece stick that will last you a long time,
then you are looking at the wrong stick. You are better off looking at
picking up a ST or another stick of that mold. If you want a performance
stick, then this is the right one for you. It has the looks and the
goods to back up the price. Hockey Gear Review recommends the
Easton Stealth RS for the serious hockey enthusiast who is an
intermediate player or above.
Step into an arena and everyone knows who the goalie’s parents are. The
ones pacing behind the net, biting their nails or standing in the lobby
as the game goes to overtime.
“Yes, my mom especially,” said Olympic gold medal winning goalie
Shannon Szabados. “My mom is worse than my dad, especially at the
Olympics, she said she felt like throwing up.”
Szabados fell in love with the position around the age of seven, at the
level where everyone tries every position, and in an instant, her fate
was chosen.
“I think my parents were excited when they saw how much I enjoyed it
and I think for them that was the main thing—having fun was the most
important aspect,” said Szabados.
But, it’s not easy for parents to hear, “I want to be a goalie” come
out of their child’s mouth. With it comes a different set of
(potentially expensive) gear, attitude towards the game and learning
curve.
“Goaltending can be an expensive position, without a doubt. That said,
especially in younger age groups, the cost of gear has come down
substantially from what it once was and the quality has gone up...there
is plenty of bang for your dollar these days and most budgets can be
met,” said Rod LaForme, manager at a goalie equipment store.
“Used options are there via avenues such as eBay, Craigslist and
Kijiji, so if you are slightly knowledgeable and know what you are
looking at, there is potential to save some money going that route.
Buyers have to be careful when buying used, though...if you don’t know
exactly what you are looking at, you may overpay for something that
isn’t worth anywhere near what people are selling it for,” warned
LaForme.
The other benefit of buying new, besides having your child properly
sized, is that used gear can be quite nasty. LaForme said pieces like
gloves and masks can be the worst culprits with the evolution of staph
infections and skin conditions.
Szabados said many minor hockey organizations now have a loaner set of
gear for kids to try the position out, or there are places that will
rent equipment if parents aren’t ready to fork over the money on gear.
“Once the season starts, the pressure is going to be on the goalie,
that is why I suggest playing goalie in the summer and go out and have
fun with it. Parents can enroll their kids in goalie school in the
summer to get some basic instruction. That is exactly what I did and the
same summer goalie camp in Sylvan Lake that I learned, I now teach at. I
think having that experience when I was younger helped me,
tremendously,” said Szabados.
She has had a string of success between the pipes from the AJHL to
playing with the Tri-City Americans in the Western Hockey League. Her
first game was against the Vancouver Giants with Carey Price of the
Montreal Canadians as her backup. In 2010, she joined Team Canada and
helped them to a gold medal, shutting-out the Americans, 2-0.
“I think it’s the most unique position. It’s a pressure position and
some kids like being that last line of defence and being the difference
maker in a game. I also feel its also the most athletic position,” said
Szabados.
With the support she received as a goaltender from her family and
instructors, Szabados returns that to the young goaltenders today. In
fact, she encourages young goalies and parents to visit her website
www.shannonszabados.com and to contact her if they have any questions
about goaltending, either as a player or a parent of a goalie.
Even today, there are still many aspects of diet, exercise, and weight that remain controversial. Some health professionals believe that it is all about what is put on your plate that determines the number on the scale whereas others are more prone to rely on physical activity to keep the pounds at bay. The reality is that whether you are looking to manage weight or maximize athletic performance, the key is in balancing both diet and exercise, especially when fueling with food before a workout.
Among others, Bill Phillips, a former competitive bodybuilder and author of “Body for Life” has argued that performing cardiovascular exercise on an empty stomach will force the body to use stored fat rather than burning available carbohydrates. The reasoning may sound convincing, but in fact, recent research has found that the opposite is true.
I coached Troy in both the U-16 Western Challenge Cup and the U-17 World Championships with Team Pacific. This is one of the best write ups I have read about Troy. He will be a pro player one day his drive, commitment to being better, his coach-ability and his fantastic game awareness will be to much to ignore! Well done Troy and good luck this year!
There aren't too many players that can realistically be compared to Zach
Parise of the New Jersey Devils, but Troy Bourke is one of them.
The Prince George winger stands at 5'10 and weighs only 170 pounds, but he plays much bigger.
Bourke (pronounced BURKE) is an excellent skater with a good first step
and solid explosiveness. His low center of gravity allows him to have
solid edgework and good agility all over the ice.
He's got an excellent wrist shot that features a very quick and hard
release. He's not afraid to fire the puck from all areas of the ice,
often resulting in a goal. In fact, he scored 19 as a 16 year old
rookie last season in for the Cougars.
Away from the puck, Bourke is also a kid that makes things happen. He
competes hard in all three zones, backchecks and even lets his physical
play do the talking. In a game I watched on October 4th, Bourke
flattened Jesse Knowler of the Prince Albert Raiders along the boards.
Tyler Vanscourt stepped in to defend Knowler and Bourke landed the first
few punches in the scrap and earned the take down. It's that type of
showing that makes scouts really open their eyes to the drive and desire
a player like Bourke might just have.
The only true concern I have with Bourke as an NHL prospect is in
regards to his size or lack there of. And even with that being said,
he's not exactly overly tiny. Plenty of teams aren't afraid to draft
forwards who are under 5'11 and I have a feeling that many NHL teams
will be paying close attention to this Cougar who hails from Onoway,
Alberta.
Accountability is about high performance and not fear or stress.
It’s about being willing to hold yourself to a standard
that improves the performance of your TEAM and also having a
willingness to be held accountable by others.
Before we go into the 3 tips to skate faster, there are two things you need to know. Firstly, you need to have a decent skating stride.
If you don’t, get out there and find some coaching or practice on your
own as often as possible. Technique is key, so focus on that before you
start focusing on speed.
Secondly, to skate fast you need to have powerful legs. You can work on your leg power and explosion by downloading our e-book here.
It’s packed with all the best hockey-specific exercises to help you
develop a strong set of legs to take your skating to the next level.
Now that that’s out of the way, here are 3 tips that you can practice to skate faster:
1 – Bend your knees. This is the easiest tip, yet so
many players remain erect when they skate. You have to understand that
by bending your knees, you elongate your stride enormously. Bending your
knees allows you to reach out and push much farther during your stride
than standing up does. The rule here is to bend down just enough so that
you’re comfortable. Many hockey schools and coaches teach what they
call the chair position. This isn’t right. You don’t want to be bending
your knees so much that you’re sitting at the 90 degree level. A little
less bend is where you want to be.
Next time you go out for a skate, just keep this in mind. You’ll see
how much farther you can push out. More push means more speed. Plain and
simple.
2 – Bring your feet back to the middle. A lot of
players think that the faster they move their feet and pump their legs,
the faster they will go. This might be true for your explosive starts (
the first 3-4 steps from a standstill), but not during the rest of your
skating. After your explosive start, you want to start taking long,
powerful strides. By bringing your feet back to the middle after every
time you push out, you make sure to not lose out on any power.
When we teach this, we make the players practice their stride in slow
motion. We make them exagerate by always bring their skates back to the
middle, and even go as far as hitting their other skate. This way, they
get used to bringing their feet all the way back so as to not lose out
on any power.
Think about it. If you’re moving your feet quick but you’re not
taking full strides, you’ll get tired quickly without gaining any
ground. By relaxing, pushing out hard and bringing your skates back to
the middle, you get to push out a full powerful stride while consuming
less energy. Think of long, strong, and powerful rather than short,
weak, and quick.
3- Your arm movements are key. You need to know how
to carry your upper body when skating. If you’re swinging your arms left
right and center, you not only waste energy but it slows you down too.
It’s like anything to do with speed; you want to be as aerodynamic as
possible. This means getting low, having a controlled stride, and also a
controlled arm movement. When you run, your arms aren’t flying around
everywhere; they’re always in sync with your legs. When your left leg is
forward, your right arm is forward and vice versa. The same thing goes
when you skate on ice.
Your arms go forward and back, not side to side. It should just feel
natural, not forced. If you can picture this in your mind, you want to
be giving someone a handshake. Your arms go slightly across your body,
and then come back to your side.
Your arms are there to propel you and move you forward, not slow you
down. Make sure you work on this aspect of your skating, as it can
really make a difference on your speed.
That’s it for our 3 easy tips to skate faster. We’ll
be putting videos up soon, so if any of you have questions, comments,
or want us to cover something you need help with, leave us a comment! We
still have a few T-shirts to give away to those who spread the word
about BuiltForHockey, so keep it coming!
Whether you’re playing hockey for fun
or competitively, you’ll want to have the most ice-time you can get. For
some reason or another, your coach might not feel you deserve more
ice-time. Maybe he doesn’t trust you defensively or he doesn’t believe
in your offensive capabilities. It might even be a personality conflict
for that matter.
If you’re playing beer league with the
boys after work, this can still apply to you. If you’re up or down a
goal with a few minutes in the third and you’re not on the ice, there’s a
reason. Your buddies don’t believe that you’ll get the job done.
Here are the top 10 ways that you can get more ice-time.
10. Be Positive – There’s
nothing more motivating than hearing a guy who hasn’t played much all
game stand up on the bench and let his teammates know they made a good
play. A good coach will notice this. He knows that you haven’t played
much and that still you keep a positive attitude.
On the flip side, there’s nothing worse
than a player who complains and bitches about his ice-time and makes it
noticeable to the others. This is distracting for the others and
disrespectful towards the coach. You want the coach on your side, not
against you.
If you stay positive, the coach will reward you.
9. Play Your Game – This
one is really important. Don’t try and play like someone you’re not. If
you’re a grinder, grind. If you’re a scorer, score some goals. If
you’re a physical player, flatten some people. Play in your strengths
and don’t try to be a hero by doing other people’s jobs.
I’m not saying to dump the puck into
the corner on a breakaway if you’re a grinder, but I think you get the
picture. I had a slow start in Junior because when I showed up to camp I
decided to try and be a finesse player. One day, coach calls me into
his office and says ” Why did you get drafted?” I told him because I was
a physical player who was always first on the puck, played great
defensively and wasn’t scared to play physical. All he said was “I want
to see THAT player on the ice.” I finally started having success,
playing on the top lines as a shutdown player against the other team’s
best players.
I’m not saying to limit yourself, but
be realistic. If you’re not known for your hands, don’t start
toe-dragging everyone left right and center. This will only get you
benched after you create a few turnovers. Put everything on your side by
doing what you’re good at over and over again.
8. Finish Your Checks - I
can’t stress this enough. Even if you’re 5’4 and weigh 140lbs, finish
your checks! You have no idea how annoying it can be for the other team
when you have a guy finishing all his checks. It wears them down. When
they’re worn down they make mistakes, they get tired faster and they
create turnovers. Coaches love guys that finish their checks. It shows
you have grit and aren’t afraid to sacrifice your body for the team.
Some players are playing pro because
they finish all their checks night after night. It’s not easy to do, let
me tell you. These are guys that have complete respect from their
coaches and teammates.
If you’re not scared and like to play physical, start finishing all your checks to increase your time on ice.
7. Back-check Harder and With a Purpose – Everybody
back-checks. Some at full speed, some not so much. Coaches really rely
on players who give it their all on back-checks. If you want your coach
to trust you on the ice, back-checking harder is a great place to start.
Even if you’re tired, back-check full speed. Put your head down and
give it your all to get back in time. If you have to dive to stop
someone from taking a shot, do it.
More importantly, back-check with a
purpose. Back-check in a straight line down the middle towards your net
and look for an open man on the other team and neutralize his stick.
Stay close and make sure he can’t get a pass. If he does, poke the puck
away or lift his stick. And always stop in front of the net. Curling in
the corner or doing huge turns just creates room for opposing players
resulting in scoring chances against.
6. Keep The Shifts Short – Coach’s
don’t like payers who stay on for a whole minute, just to not have
enough energy to back-check. This is just bad. Your coach won’t like you
and your teammates won’t either. If you’re in beer league, your
teammates want to play too. If they see you staying on forever and
making errors because you’re tired, they won’t like you. Soon enough
they’ll be staying on longer too, and it’s just downhill from there.
Furthermore,
if you keep your shifts short you’re less prone to get tired. It’s the
long shifts that kill you. They start to add up, and by the middle of
the second period you will start to feel it in your legs and your lungs.
5. Stand Up For Your Teammates - If
you’re a big guy, make sure no one is picking on the little guys on
your team. And if you’re a little guy, still protect the big guys! A
coach loves to see players protecting each other. I’m not saying go out
and sucker punch a guy because he slashed your teammate after the play;
be smart about it. Make sure he knows he won’t be doing that all night.
If you get a chance, line him up and make him feel it. Keeping opposing
players in check is very important; you don’t want them doing whatever
they want against you guys. Don’t be a pushover.
Sometimes,
you will have to take a two-minute to get your point across. But oddly
enough, these penalties almost always get killed off because your
teammates see that you were doing it for the good of the team, and they
give it their all on the PK.
Your coach will notice.
4. Learn the PK or PP – Learning
the power-play or penalty-kill will drastically improve your time on
ice. If you’re not the power-play type, you can do really well on the PK
and vice versa. Each and every player, no matter what style, can bring
something to either the PP or PK. Ask your coach if he can try you out
on either one.
Make sure you listen to what he wants
during practice, and make sure you know the plays inside and out. If
you’re a go-to guy on the PP or PK, this means you’re getting
significantly more ice-time than other players. And if you’re lucky
enough to have the skills for both the PP and PK, then you better bring
your asthma pump.
3. Block Shots – Blocking shots is an art. Some players are great at it and othersjust
can’t seem to block a shot even when they’re being aimed at. The good
thing is, blocking shots can be taught. Anyone can do it. It just takes a
little bit of grit and balls. Even the skilled guys need to be able to
block shots from time to time.
Speaking of grit and balls, take a look at this amazing video. This is exactly what I’m talking about.
You need to do whatever you can to get
in front of that shot. If it means going one knee down, sliding, or
even diving in front of the puck to stop it from getting to the net, do
it. Players that are exceptionally good at this are rare. Coaches love
them and reward them with more ice-time than they can handle.
Just a tip: When you’re going to block a
shot, position yourself infront of the opposing player’s STICK, not his
body. This is a common misconception and it seperates the great shot
blockers from the bad ones. What’s worse, when you miss blocking shots
regularly, it just looks like you’re scared. Don’t be scared. You’re
geared from head to toe.
And chicks love scars.
2. Improve Your Face-Off Skills – Having
a face-off percentage of 55% and over is really valuable to a team. If
you’re in the 55%-60% range you’re probably the go-to guy on your team
for face-offs. This means you’re on the ice for any big moments in a
game. If you’re up or down a goal, on the PK, the PP, and whenever
there’s a few seconds left in a period you’re probably going to be on
the ice. Coaches love having a dependable center who can win face-offs
on demand. It can be the difference between winning and losing.
Think
about it. If I told you you have a 60% chance to start with the puck, do
you like your odds? I think so. And so will the coach. Face-offs are a
big part of the game and they have a lot to do with which team controls
the game.
Practice your face-offs whenever you
can, and get better against lefties and righties. If you’re not a
center, it doesn’t mean you can’t take important draws for the team.
A wise coach once told me, “Championships are always won and lost by face-offs and line-changes.” Just some food for thought.
1. Be A Master In Your D-Zone – Lastly, but most importantly, be a master in
your own zone. If you’re a winger, you need to be able to get the puck
out more often than not. If you’re a defense man, you need to control
the front of the net and be first on loose pucks in the corners. If
you’re a center, you need to support your wingers and defense and help
break the puck out of the zone, picking up a man in front whenever you
need to.
Block
shots, finish checks in the corners, and take away sticks in the slot.
These key tips will help you become a go-to defensive player for your
team. Coaches need to be able to really on certain players when they are
up by one in the third with a few minutes left. Yes, goals are pretty.
But preventing goals can be just as pretty, if not more pretty.
If you can become a go-to defensive player, you will see a lot more ice.
And if
you can put together just a few of these tips, your time on ice will
drastically improve. You won’t get better at these things overnight, but
with a little practice and some focus, they are attainable.
So take
matters into your own hands. Don’t blame the coach. Give him no other
choice but to reward you.
And when he does, make it happen.
Put these tips to work and share your success below!
The dynamic Warm Up, or DWU as it will be referred to here, it an
extremely vital and important part of any well designed strength and
conditioning program. It is important, however, to understand that this
is not designed to greatly increase an athlete’s ROM (range of motion),
but rather workout them through the functional degrees of movement that
will be experienced during the activity to follow. Because excessive
stretch can lead to a reduction of force potential, it is important not
to hold the stretches.
A DWU should begin with a simple movement,
such as running, done for 5-10min. Begin the movement cycle by doing
simple exercises such as marches, high knees and butt kickers,
progressing into less dynamic, more controlled movements. Below is a
simple example of what a basic DWU can look like:
1. jog 5-10min @ 30-50% intensity
2. carioca -10m/both directions
3. high knees - 10m
4. butt kickers – 10m
5. lateral shuffle – 10m/both directions
6. walking lunge – 10m
7. 45° walking lunge – 10m 8. crossover lunge – 10m
9. sumo squats with side shuffle – 10m
10. toe touches – 10m 11. prone walk out – 10m
After a DWU has been completed, it is still important no to directly
jump into the next given exercise at 100%; be sure that a few sets of a
lower intensity are first completes to avoid injury and insure proper
mechanics. Lastly, remember that too much volume during the DWU will
lead to athlete fatigue and will ultimately lower performance. Finding
the perfect balance for your athlete is key.
For more information on this warm-up or other strength and conditioning related questions, you can contact Jim Diehl directly at jim.diehl@hotmail.com
Jim
Diehl is the owner of Compound Conditioning and the Head Strength and
Conditioning Coach for the University of British Columbia. Personally,
Jim oversees the development of hundreds of athletes, youth to
professional/national, in numerous sports ranging from hockey and
football, to soccer and volleyball. For more information check out www.compoundconditioning.ca
This four-point strategy for achieving the objectives of the Pursuing
Victory With Honor campaign is captured in the acronym T.E.A.M.: Teach, Enforce, Advocate, and Model.
These four elements should guide the design of all elements of programs
to promote sportsmanship and foster good character as well as guide
interactions with athletes, parents, coaches, officials, and spectators.
Teach
In order to enhance the character-building and sportsmanship
aspects of your sports program it is essential that administrators and
coaches consciously and consistently seek to teach how to think and act
in ways that develop and demonstrate the Six Pillars of Character:
trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and
citizenship. This is best accomplished by following a coherent plan. Commit.
Assure that the Pursuing Victory With Honor
character-building and sportsmanship objectives are a clearly stated
central purpose of your athletic program.
Review existing mission and purpose statements.
Rewrite to include language from Pursuing Victory With Honor.
Ask governing bodies to adopt or recommit to statements stressing character-building and sportsmanship objectives.
Put mission statement prominently on all literature.
Assure that all coaches, parents, athletes, and officials understand the mission.
Specify. Adopt or incorporate in existing codes
the Pursuing Victory With Honor codes of conduct for teacher-coaches,
student-athletes, parents/guardians, and other constituencies that
specify desired attitudes and conduct and consciously use the T.E.A.M.
process and the Six Pillars. Publicize. Develop a plan to demonstrate
pervasive commitment to the principles and goals of the Pursuing Victory
With Honor campaign including posters, banners, awards, and written
reinforcements on schedules, rosters, descriptive materials, websites,
etc. Integrate. Instruct administrators and coaches to integrate the principles of Pursuing Victory With Honor in:
Team selection and recruiting
Parent and athlete orientation meetings
Game strategies
Game recap
Continual verbal reinforcement
Team rules and discipline actions
Enforce
Mere teaching and preaching about the ideals of sportsmanship
and good character represented by the Six Pillars will not be enough. It
is essential that you demonstrate courage and firmness in consistently
holding coaches, athletes, parents, and others to those expectations. Expectations. Establish clear conduct expectations for athletes, coaches, parents, officials, spectators, and others. Consequences.
Reward good conduct and personal development
by positive recognition. Firmly discourage bad behavior by immediate
correction and prompt discipline.
Verbally praise model behavior and correct misbehavior as often as possible with both athletes and coaches.
Recognize athletes and coaches who demonstrate exceptional sportsmanship and character after games and in postseason awards.
Make demonstrations of good character and sportsmanship a job
requirement for coaches and a factor in playing time (e.g., bench
players who violate conduct expectations regardless of the competitive
situation).
Correct parents and spectators who fail to meet expectations
through private meetings, letters, announcements, warnings, and ejection
from games or practices.
Advocate
Be a vigorous advocate of character and sportsmanship in
everything you say and do. Be clear and uncompromising that you want and
expect your athletes to demonstrate the Six Pillars in everything they
do. Make it a matter of pride in the team and in oneself. Team captains. Give team captains special responsibility to promote and encourage teammates to develop a sense of pride. Comment. Comment on the personal development of athletes and the sportsmanship aspects of every competition regardless of the outcome.
Model
Your lessons about sportsmanship and character will be
undermined if you engage in or allow athletes, coaches, parents,
officials, or spectators to engage in contradictory conduct. Role modeling. Assure that everyone
representing your athletic program understands the responsibility to be
careful and self-conscious about setting a good example by honoring the
Six Pillars on and off the field. Send only positive messages. Everything you
say and do – in organizing your team, conducting practices, during the
competition, and in post-event commentary – sends messages about your
values and character. Be sure these messages are positive and reinforce
the mission of your sports program.
Pursuing Victory With Honor
The title of this campaign – "Pursuing Victory With Honor" –
makes clear our philosophy that sports best achieves its positive impact
on participants and society when everyone plays to win. In fact,
without the passionate pursuit of victory much of the enjoyment, as well
as the educational and spiritual value, of sports will be lost. Winning
is important and trying to win is essential.
Winning is important, but honor is more important. Quality
sports programs should not trivialize or demonize either the desire to
win or the importance of actually winning. It is disrespectful to
athletes and coaches who devote huge portions of their lives to being
the best they can in the pursuit of individual victories, records,
championships, and medals to dismiss the importance of victory by
saying, "It's only a game." The greatest value of sports is its ability
to enhance the character and uplift the ethics of participants and
spectators.
Ethics is essential to true winning. The best
strategy to improve sports is not to de-emphasize winning but to more
vigorously emphasize that adherence to ethical standards and
sportsmanship in the honorable pursuit of victory is essential to
winning in its true sense. It is one thing to be declared the winner, it
is quite another to really win.
There is no true victory without honor. Cheating
and bad sportsmanship are simply not options because they rob victories
of meaning and value and replace the inspirational high ideals of true
sport with the degrading and petty values of a dog-eat-dog marketplace.
Victories attained in dishonorable ways are hollow and degrade the
concept of sport.
Ethics and sportsmanship are ground rules. Programs
that adopt Pursuing Victory With Honor are expected to take whatever
steps are necessary to assure that coaches and athletes are committed to
principles of ethics and sportsmanship as ground rules
governing the pursuit of victory. Their responsibilities to demonstrate
and develop good character must never be subordinated to the desire to
win. It is never proper to act unethically to win.
Benefits of sports come from the competition, not the outcome.
Quality amateur sports programs are based on the belief that the vital
lessons and great value of sports are learned from the honorable pursuit
of victory, from the competition itself rather than the outcome. They
do not permit coaches or others to send the message that the most
important benefits derived from athletic competition can only be
achieved when an athlete or a team wins.
Honoring the mission
The Pursuing Victory With Honor project helps interscholastic,
intercollegiate, and other youth sports programs better achieve their
established missions to promote the physical, mental, social, and moral
development of participants. The following are excerpts from various
proclamations, mission statements, and codes of conduct. (See a
compilation of sports codes of conduct organized by the Six Pillars of Character.)
Pursuing Victory With Honor: The Arizona Sports Summit Accord Coaches must play a central role in
assuring that educational and character-development missions of the
institutions they work for are not compromised to achieve sports
performance goals and that the academic, emotional, physical, and moral
well-being of athletes is always placed above desires and pressures to
win. (Arizona Sports Summit Accord ¶9)
National Federation of State High School Associations [Our mission is] to provide leadership and
national coordination for the administration of interscholastic
activities which will enhance the educational experiences of high school
students and reduce risks of their participation in interscholastic
activities in a manner that promotes athletic participation and
sportsmanship, develops good citizens by maximizing the achievement of
educational goals, and promotes equitable opportunities, positive
recognition, and learning experiences.
California Interscholastic Federation High school students, through participation
in athletic-centered interscholastic activities, will develop values,
attitudes, and skills for personal growth and the benefit of our
multicultural society. In addition, all athletes should have the
opportunity "to acquire lifelong skills and to experience the excitement
and camaraderie" of athletic competition. NCAA To initiate, stimulate, and improve
intercollegiate athletic programs for student-athletes and to promote
and develop educational leadership, physical fitness, athletics
excellence, and athletic participation as a recreational pursuit.
National Association of Inter-Collegiate Athletics The purpose of the NAIA is to promote the
education and development of students through intercollegiate athletic
participation [so that] participation in athletics serves as an integral
part of the total educational process.
American Football Coaches Association Code of Ethics The function of the coach is to educate students through participation in the game of football.
Amateur Athletic Union To offer a lifelong progression of amateur
sports programs of all ages, races, and creeds; to enhance the physical,
mental, and moral development of amateur athletes; and to promote good
sportsmanship and good citizenship.
The coach as teacher
The profession of coaching is a profession of teaching. In
addition to teaching the mental and physical dimensions of their sport,
coaches through words and example must also strive to build the
character of their athletes by teaching them to be trustworthy,
respectful, responsible, fair, caring, and good citizens. (Arizona Sports Summit Accord ¶16)
Sports as a setting for learning. Sports
provides an extraordinary setting for learning. Coaches who identify
themselves as teachers ("teacher-coaches") place heavy emphasis on
assuring that the athletic experience supplements and enriches the
academic education of student-athletes.
According to a national survey of high school
student-athletes by Josephson Institute, the values of young athletes
are dramatically impacted by their sports experience.
The report, “What Are Your Children Learning? The Impact of High
School Sports on the Values and Ethics of High School Athletes,” a
biennial national survey conducted by Josephson Institute, contains
both good and bad news for parents and school administrators.
“The good news is, the majority of high school athletes trust and
admire their coaches and are learning positive life skills and good
values from them,” said Michael Josephson, founder and president of the
Institute. “The bad news is, many coaches – particularly in the
high-profile sports of boys’ basketball, baseball, and football – are
teaching kids how to cheat and cut corners without regard for the rules
or traditional notions of fair play and sportsmanship."
Among the highlights:
Major gender differences. There are
dramatic differences in the attitudes and behaviors of male and
female athletes. On virtually every question, girls expressed a
deeper commitment to honesty and fair play than boys and were much
less likely to endorse cheating or other questionable practices
in the pursuit of victory.
Hazing is widespread. Nearly one-third of
the boys and 21 percent of the girls say that degrading hazing or
initiation rituals are common at their school.
Some sports are worse than others. Boys
engaged in baseball, football, and basketball are considerably
more likely to cheat on the field and in school and to
deliberately injure, intimidate, or break rules than boys involved
in other sports. Likewise, girls involved in basketball and
softball are more likely to engage in illegal or unsportsmanlike
conduct than girls involved in other sports.
Athletes steal less. Twenty-seven percent of the
male athletes admit stealing from a store in the past 12 months
compared with 32 percent of the boys not involved in sports.
Female athletes measured the same: twenty percent of them engaged
in theft compared to twenty-three percent for all high school girls.
Athletes cheat more. Nearly two-thirds of the
boys and girls participating in sports say they cheated on an exam
in the past year compared with 60 percent of the total high
school population.
Athletes respect coaches. The vast
majority of high school athletes say their coaches “consistently set
a good example of ethics and character” (90%) and that their current
coach “wants them to do the ethically right thing, no matter what
the cost” (91%).
Coaches teach negative lessons.
Despite athletes’ positive views of the character and intentions
of their coaches, they’re often taught negative lessons about
cheating and bad sportsmanship.
Two-fifths of the boys and one-fourth of the girls see nothing
wrong with using a stolen playbook sent by an anonymous supporter
before a big game.
Thirty percent of all boys and 20 percent of girl softball
players think it’s okay for a softball pitcher to deliberately throw at
a batter who homered the last time up.
Fifty-four percent of male football players, 49 percent of
male basketball players, and 18 percent of females in all sports
approve of trash-talking.
Thirty-four percent of all the boys and 12 percent of all the
girls approve of a coach trying to pump up the team by swearing at
officials to get himself or herself thrown out of a game.
The report is based on written surveys administered by randomly
selected high schools throughout the country in 2006. It includes
responses from 5,275 high school students. The margin of error is +/- 3
percent.
This is a video reply to a question about recovering from a
hamstring strain. The goalie who asked the question has already done
the basic stretching and has seen a sport physiotherapist so they are
looking for the next step. These are some intermediate exercises and if
you do these religiously for three weeks, let me know and I will give
you the next installment. Aim for two sets of 10-15 reps for each.
Before you watch – the video quality is a little on the crappy side –
had to shoot it on my webcam. Oh well, you will get the idea.
By Howard Shapiro
You're all set for your 3:00 workout. Pre-workout snack? Check.
Exercise clothes? Check. But just when you thought it was safe to Push
Play on your P90X® DVD, you realize there's one important thing missing: your water bottle!
That little 12-ounce bottle is truly a fitness enthusiast's best
friend. After all, adequate fluid intake during a workout is essential
for comfort, performance, and safety. And the longer and more intensely
you exercise, the more important it is to drink the right kind of
fluids.
Here are 5 important things to know about hydration and exercise:
Drink water before, during, and after your workout.
Many people tend to forget about drinking before exercise,
which can be another major reason for dehydration. None of the water you
drink when you start working out makes it into your system quickly
enough to help your body. This is why you need to drink about 15 to 20
ounces 2 to 3 hours before you work out in order to hydrate properly.
(Sorry, this doesn't include alcoholic beverages.)
It's also vital to stay hydrated while you exercise. Remember to drink 8
to 10 ounces of water approximately every 10 to 15 minutes while you
work out, not just when you're thirsty. And once you finish working out?
Since your body needs to replenish the electrolytes it lost during
exercise, a good sports drink will do the trick quite nicely.
Water works wonders. Did you know that in 1 hour of exercise, your body can lose a quart or more of water?
(If you did, give yourself a big pat on the back.) It's a fact: Water
helps replenish your body because of the amount you sweat during a
typical workout.
Drinking water throughout your workout has a variety of other
benefits too. Your muscles can start to cramp if you don't drink enough.
This is because water aids in the removal of lactic acid, which is the
primary cause of muscle soreness.
It also helps prevent the dreaded "D" word: dehydration.
Becoming dehydrated can severely hamper your athletic performance,
slowing you down and making you feel sluggish. But in extreme cases, it
can also cause dizziness, heatstroke, or even death. Last time I
checked, none of these seemed like appealing options.
Want to make a preemptive strike against dehydration? Don't wait until
you begin your workout to get water into your system. So when should you
start, you ask? Great question.
The skinny on sports drinks.
Sports drinks are perfect for athletes, or those exercising at a
high intensity for 60 minutes or more. These drinks contain fluids that
supply the needed calories required for continuous performance.
Be careful though, as most of these drinks add extra calories from
sugar, which can wind up hurting your diet if you drink too much. How's
that for a catch-22?
The bottom line is there's nothing wrong with sipping on a sports drink
throughout your workout, and afterwards to replace essential
electrolytes.
Know the signs of dehydration.
The first sign is thirst. I know this sounds painfully obvious,
but it's true. When the body is dehydrated, it sends a message to the
brain that fluids are needed.
The next sign is the ever-annoying muscle cramp. When you
sweat, you lose sodium, which causes cramping of large muscle groups.
People sweat at different rates, and those who sweat more are at greater
risk for cramping.
Next, it's time for a little bathroom break. No, not now—during your workout.
Basically, if your urine is the color of lemonade, you're doing well. If
by chance it's leaning toward the color of apple juice, you need to
reach for another glass of fluid. Other symptoms of dehydration include
headache, poor concentration, fatigue, constipation, disorientation, and
light-headedness.
Tips for "wetting" your appetite. Here are a few helpful reminders to ensure that you don't find yourself on the verge of dehydration:
Carry a bottle. Many people find it useful to fill up
a big plastic drinking bottle. If you carry it with you all day, you
won't find yourself without water when it's time to work out. Plus
everyone else is doing it, so you'll look really trendy!
Set a reminder. Set your watch to beep at the top of each hour, or set a periodic computer reminder so you don't forget to drink.
Track your progress. Keep a log of how much you drink. This will help increase awareness and help ensure you're staying on track.
Little by little. Whatever you drink during your
workout, take it in frequent small amounts. This proven strategy
guarantees that your body will absorb fluids more rapidly and
effectively—leaving you energized and well hydrated.
In truth, the dangers of dehydration are real and often overlooked.
However, staying hydrated before, during, and after exercise will keep
your body's engine running smoothly. You'll be protecting your internal
organs and preventing your muscles from getting damaged. I'll drink to
that!
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 purpose of youth sports is to offer children of all skill
levels the opportunity to compete and learn how to handle game time
situations. This can be difficult to accomplish if your child’s coach
has a play to win philosophy. Motivational speaker and youth sports
expert Bob Bigelow offers the following advice to deal with this type of
situation. Tracy asks: My kid is a good hockey player but not
the best on the team. We are on a second year Peewee team and have been
with the same coach for two years. Our coach is one who plays to win
to the detriment of the players who are not on the A list. The coach
will bench our son and the other kids who are not at the top of the list
in order to “win, win, win.” He will even bench the kids when we are
losing in hopes of turning the game around. My son is extremely smart
and knows exactly what is going on. We want him to have respect for his
coach and have never said anything negative about his coaching style
but as a parent, it is very hard to defend something you adamantly
disagree with. We have tried talking to his coach but that did not
change things. He is focused on the scoreboard ~ not the kids. What do
you suggest we do to handle this situation in an adult manner, while
still getting the point across that at this point a child’s development
the game should not be all about winning, but more about skill
development?
Answer: Tracy thank you for your question. I run
into this situation often and work tirelessly to address the problem in
my talks with youth sporting associations across the country. Here is
my best advice:
First, it is important to make sure you understand the policy of the
program in which your son is playing. Sometimes you will find the
playing time policy posted on the league’s website or in other official
documentation. If you are certain that equal playing time is in fact a
policy with the program your son is playing in, I suggest you move on to
the advice in the next paragraph. However, if you cannot find written
documentation that speaks to equal playing time, you will probably need
to stick out the rest of your season and reevaluate the appropriate
program for your child in the summer or fall.
Assuming equal playing time is a league policy, I would recommend the
following. Since coaches are so busy, when you have an opportunity to
meet with them face to face (before or after practice or at games), I
believe sending a well-crafted, and non-argumentative email or letter to
the coach. Voice your concerns over what you have witnessed and ask
the coach if there is a good time to talk about the situation. One
thing to make sure you ask (tactfully) in the email is how your player
is going to develop the necessary skills if they are not given the
opportunity to play during the games.
It is also important to give the coach the benefit of the doubt.
Sometimes coaches are unaware of the lack of playing time given to one
player. They have a whole team to substitute in and out of the game,
while your focus is solely on your son. However if it has in fact been
going on for the last two years, it is important to address the
situation as stated above
.
Additionally, you might have some contacts in the management of the
league who can help you address your concerns and discuss them with the
coach on your behalf.
Thank you for your question Julie and best of luck!
Editor’s Note: Thank you to Bob Bigelow for this helpful advice.
Bauer just released its new Vapor APX stick and they have just released a
new video featuring some of their players talking about the stick.
Watch the video to see what Alexander Ovechkin, Eric, Marc and Jordan
Staal and Patrick Kane have to say about the new stick.
READ THIS FIRST THEN
CLICK THE LINK AT THE BOTTOM AND WATCHBoth Part 1 and
Part 2 (at the very bottom)!
This is a story about a guy, a guy like most of us, common, questioning
his existences, measuring himself to others, never believing in his
abilities or his worth.
Then one day, his passion outgrew his fears
as he stepped onto a stage, a stage that took him to a place beyond his self
imposed prison.
Watch the faces of the judges as this guy walks out on
the stage. You can almost see what they're thinking as they pre-judge this
guy based on his looks and the fact that he's a cell phone salesman.
Why
do athletes get in their own way? Under pressure, the challenge to play
with freedom is even greater. Often times, athletes want so badly to
perform well or win that they think if they try harder, be more serious,
and focus on technique they will execute better. Ironically, it’s the
exact opposite.
When athletes can’t get out of their own way,
the mind interferes with what athletes have trained their bodies to do.
Most of the time, athletes who can't "get out of their own way" try way
too hard, force their game, think too much, or overanalyze. I have spent a lot of time researching the
best athletes in the world and how it is that they are able to perform
at their peak. These athletes report having the ability to enter the
zone by trusting their skills and avoiding excess thinking that
interferes with their performance.
Trust in your skills is the ability to let go
of controlling thoughts during execution and rely on what you have
already trained in practice. Trust is not the same mental skill as
confidence. Trust happens during execution, whereas confidence precedes
execution. The more confidence you have in your ability to hit the jump
shot in basketball, for example, the greater likelihood of you trusting
your shot.
Professional athletes described an almost out
of body experience in which they felt like observers (of their own
performance) allowing their performance to just happen. As if they were
performing on autopilot. When you allow yourself to flow, you trust that
your body will execute successfully without over-thinking the movement.
Professional golfer, Stewart Cink spent over
40 weeks in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Rankings and
understands the concept of getting out of your own way well. Cink
believes that in order to be successful you must shut off your mind and
let muscle memory (actually motor memory) take over.
Cink knows that when athletes feel pressure to
perform well, they tend to over think. “The pressure, it can get to
you, it can get to everyone, and it does, and you have to be just
prepared, muscle memory will take over. I think it’s important to let
your body swing the club because the muscles don’t forget how to do it.
It’s when your mind gets in the way, and it starts trying to control
things, that’s when you have trouble. So the best way to approach
pressure situations to me is to have as much of a switched off mind as
you can, just blank mind and just let the body do everything, and let it
happen naturally,” Cink says.
When you over think or over analyze your game,
try to force it on every play or shot, and don't trust your performance,
you are guilty of getting in your own way.
When you get out of your own way, you allow
yourself to play freely and use your motor memory—just like you trained
yourself to do in practice.
Your goal when you compete is to suspend the
trying or cognitive mindset so you can let it flow when it counts. This
means committing to a less analytical, less judgmental, and less
conscious mindset. You shut down the conscious, trying mind and let your
vision and feel take over.
Four Tips to Get Out of Your Own Way:
1. Simplify Your Performance.
Don't over think your performance. Avoid filling your mind with too
much information at once. Your mind can only process one thought at a
time. Don't over coach yourself, or try to do everything your coach or
instructor told you in competition. Use only a few thoughts to help you
perform. 2. Trust what you practice.
The purpose of practice is to learn the skills and strategies to perform
in competition. The purpose of competition is to let yourself play. Let
go of the "how to’s" (your technique or mechanics) and allow yourself
to let it happen. 3. Go with the flow and don't overanalyze your performance. Over
analyzing your performance only makes matters worse. Be flexible with
the situations that might happen during a game. Accept the fact that you
will make mistakes. Mistakes are not ok, but you have to make them ok
in your mind and move onto the next play. 4. Adopt an "I don't care attitude" Stop caring so much about results.
A focus on results does not let you play in the moment. Poor results
are not the end of the world. You have to care less and don't attach
significance to the outcome. This is what causes pressure for most
athletes. Think more about what you can do in the present moment and the
results will come. This article was based on The Fearless Athlete CD program. Learn more about how to be proactive with your confidence.
Sports Specific Mental Training Tip
When you train the correct way, you don't have to
think about how to perform in competition. Your performance should come
naturally, which allows you to get into the zone...
"People ask me... What was going through your mind in the race? And I don't know. I try and let my body do what it knows."
"Success is almost totally dependent upon drive and
persistence. The extra energy required to make another effort or try another
approach is the secret of winning."
So you don’t have a NCAA Division 1 scholarship yet….Please do NOT panic!
I know its hard not to get stressed out while waiting around for the
prize you’ve been working so hard to achieve all these years, the
coveted college scholarship! Especially, when it seems everyone else is
getting signed and you might be left out in the cold.Here’s my best
advice (listen closely because it’s the best pearl of wisdom I have to
offer);
Take a deep breath and relax!
There is plenty of time to sort things out and I’m not just being
optimistic, I have some interesting statistics to prove I’m right!
After seven years of recruiting from and placing players in the NCAA
from Tier II leagues like the BCHL it was becoming clear that teams
were going after elite players seemingly younger each year. Of course,
this was a direct result of the WHL policy to conduct their bantam draft
at 14 years of age and the need for teams to make ‘commitments’ early
to compete. However, the NCAA system is limited in when they are allowed to contact players and also how early
they can ‘sign’ them to letters of intent. In fact, Division I college
hockey coaches are not allowed to initiate contact with prospective
student athletes until June 15th of their sophomore year (End of grade
10) in high school. That means they cannot reply to emails, text
messages, or return phone calls prior to that date. This can be
circumvented through the use of agents/family advisors, you can contact
them directly yourself or in some cases, contact is made through other
nefarious practices by the teams themselves. Long story short, a trend
emerged of numerous players committing very early (Kyle Turris
unofficially signed and committed to Wisconsin at age 14, or so the
rumour went….).
Thus, the perception became if you were any good, and
hoped to play for an elite team, you had to sign as soon as possible.
I decided to test that theory and the results were very surprising. I
did an analysis of two seasons in the BCHL, using the data on their own
website from the 2007-08 & 2008-09 seasons which listed which of
their players had committed to the NCAA and at what age they had done
so. Without boring you on the methodology used (I will post a complete
methodology as a PDF attached to Part 2), my many years as a legal
social scientist came in handy as I had to sort out truth from fiction
and come up with reliable statistics to provide some clarity on the
subject.
I wanted to
know at what age players were signing NCAA scholarships in the BCHL and
what significance if any, the results of this data has for the NCAA
bound athlete and their parents?
Here are the BCHL results which show the amount of Players Signed,
the overall percentage from that age group signed of the total and at
what age Players were listed when they signed their NCAA Scholarship
letters of intent:
1) 16 Years of Age – 4 Players – 2.89%
2) 17 years of Age – 1 Player – 0.72%
3) 18 Years of Age – 17 Players – 12.3%
4) 19 Years of Age – 29 Players – 21%
5) 20 Years of Age – 48 Players – 34.8%
6) 21 Years of Age – 39 Players – 28.3%
A quick look at the results shows us three outstanding facts.
Firstly, that ONLY 15.9% of the total scholarships given out over those 2 seasons were given to players 18 Years old or younger. In fact, for 16-17 year olds, ONLY an average of 2.5 Players per Season actually secured scholarships.
Secondly, 63% of ALL BCHL scholarships are awarded to players when they are in their final two years of junior eligibility (20-21 years of age).
Lastly, over 84% of ALL scholarships are awarded to players over 18
years of age, which means, the overwhelming majority of players secure
their academic future, AFTER their NHL draft year has passed.
Well this seems like a good place to take a break. Let those stats
sink in and we will discuss what the potential repercussions of these
results are in Part 2 of our analysis later this week.
Below are tips that will help a coach run a successful and productive hockey practice.
There are 10 key ingredients a coach should mix into each practice.
Collectively these lead to enjoyment and learning for both players and
coaches
Coaches should have a minimum of 50 pucks in their puck bag.
Players must be on time, all the time. Coaches set the standard and lead by example. Parents must be encouraged to buy in.
Don’t waste ice time stretching. Stretching should be performed in the dressing room prior to the ice time.
The use of stations in practices leads to a dynamic practice.
Stations keep participants active enabling them to achieve high levels
of repetitions. Have players spend 3 – 8 minutes per station before
switching. 2 – 3 stations are recommended. ( Must be a coach at each
station )
Basic Skill Development (skating, puck control, passing, shooting)
should comprise 90% of your practice time. Remember you can work skills
in game-like drills. Skill Development should not be considered boring.
Positive and Specific Feedback are imperative. Consider the Head
Coach who always stands at center ice and runs drills. How often during
the practice is this coach able to effectively teach??? Teaching is done
in the trenches (corners, lines).
Routines in practice are dangerous. Players will pace themselves and
become bored very quickly. Routine practices develop great practice
players. Strive to change things up, create an element of surprise,
utilize variety, and generate enthusiasm. Players also enjoy time on
their own. 2 – 5 minutes per practice should be sufficient. This enables
players to be creative and try new things.
“Tell me and I’ll forget, show me and I might remember, involve me and I’ll understand.”
Practice Execution by coaches is of principle importance. Great
drills that aren’t executed properly by coaches are useless. Execution
involves using all staff on the ice, having pucks spotted in the proper
areas, informing players of the whistle sequence (1st whistle begin, 2nd
whistle stop, 3rd whistle begins next group) and providing appropriate
feedback. To assist in practice execution, name your drills ie. “Killer
Bees”.
Relate what you do in practices to games and vice versa. “Players,
we are doing this drill because in our last game we were unable to
finish around the net.” or “This drill will assist you in keeping your
stick and body away from the checker and in an effective scoring
position.”
These hockey tips are provided to How to Hockey by Hometown Hockey
Right when I pulled it out of the box I liked it, the graphics are
cool and stay true to the “stealth” theme. The black on black graphics
are low-key which is how I like my sticks, but there is still the splash
of yellow so the design isn’t too boring.
Feel
When I picked the stick up I immediately noticed how light is was I weighed it and it came out at 455 grams which is a full 40 grams lighter than the Winnell GX8 that we reviewed last year.
The shaft had the matte finish which I like much better than the
sticky grip that some sticks have. The shape of the shaft feels great in
the hand Technologies worth mentioning
The big one here is the elliptical shape of the lower part of the
shaft. The shaft near the blade is tapered which was designed to give
shots more “pop”. The elliptical profile should increase the release of
snapshots and wristshots and ensure that less energy is lost while
shooting.
Easton Stealth RS Specs
Construction:
Kevlar® wrapped – For added durability
Compression molded – Using thinner layers of material Easton is able
to use more layers, giving Easton shafts an unmatched responsiveness
and allowing them to stay lively longer
High-end carbon fiber construction for an extremely light feel
Shaft:
TORX™ technology with Elliptical Profile™ – Improved torsional strength for better puck feel and shot accuracy
Tuned taper section built with Easton’s Elite Stiffness Profile to
pro specs – Offers quick shot release and controlled puck reaction
Geometry: Pro inspired shaft dimensions
Straight side walls, and rounded corners
Shaft dimensions used by most Easton Pro players
Grip: Smooth matte finish stick coating
Blade:
Multi-Core design provides dampening
Upper core – Structural honeycomb like material for excellent dampening
Lower core – Solid core for improved feel
Solid dense lower core keeps the blade in contact with the puck longer resulting great puck control and feel
So I was watching my favorite pro sports franchise lose a must-win game
on television last night. They’re out…they’re history…the season is
over. “How in the world can that happen,” I ask myself, “with all the
talent we have?” Then, the coach answers my question in a post-game
interview: “We’re loaded with superstars, but today, we just didn’t work
together…as a team.” What a loss – what a lesson.
Life, like many of the games in athletics, is a team “sport.” You have a
collection of individuals who must work together to accomplish a common
goal. While the players contribute in varying degrees, no one person
can produce a victory on his or her own. Each member of the team has a
role – a position. And each position has a variety of responsibilities:
sometimes you shoot, sometimes you assist, sometimes you block…sometimes
you’re in the spotlight, sometimes you’re in the trenches. And two
things are for sure: 1) Everyone on the team ends up being an equal
winner or an equal loser, and 2) Limelight-grabbing puck hogs don’t last
very long.
Are you a team player at work? Do you give your best effort regardless
of the role you play? Are you willing to do the things that are needed
to help the group succeed? Do you work at being cooperative and
communicating well with your team mates? Are you considerate of others?
Do you climb the mountain, rather then taking short cuts? Do you accept
and value others’ ideas – especially when those ideas are different from
yours? Can you be counted on to carry your share of the load?
If your answers to the above questions are all “yes,” success is
definitely in your future. More interested in only being the star? Just
remember that even they get traded when teams lose!
I don't agree with everything with some of the tips. It is still very good info and you can always adjust the tips to your philosophy!
Hey guys, we are pumped for the new hockey season and will be trying
our best to get videos and articles up as quickly as possible. In this
video we are on the ice again and sharing tips on how to safely block a
shot in hockey. Remeber that blocking a shot is always dangerous, but you can help greatly reduce your chance of injury by following the tips in the video (and the text below)
How to block a shot in Hockey – Video
In this video Ken shows the WRONG way and the right way to block a shot
More shot blocking tips from Tim Thomas hockey school
Here are some more tips that I thought were very helpful
Quick tips for blocking a shot
DONT’S
Never expose – and always protect – vulnerable areas of the body (head, face, crotch, any areas with little padding)
Never turn your back, remember most of the padding is at the front of your body
Never turn sideways, open your legs, throw your stick out, or lift
your leg. Remember, you are trying to block the shot, not screen your
goalie
Never lead with your stick, the puck can deflect off the blade and hit you right in the kisser
DO’S
Try to ensure that your entire body is covered with some type of
protection. Know your vulnerable areas and remember to cover them with
padding (the back of the gloves are great for covering those special
areas)
The closer you get to the shooter the better. The closer you get the
more of the net you will block, and the puck will not be able to build
much speed
Try to remain standing as you block the shot, if you are standing and block a shot it could lead to a breakaway!
If you get hurt try not to squirm around on the ice for everyone to
see, suck it up and get to the bench, then squirm all you want.
Doubters always there for Jackets' Dorsett
Scrappy winger willed his way to hockey success
Saturday, March 7, 2009 3:09 AM
By Tom Reed
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
NEAL C. LAURON | DISPATCH
Derek Dorsett, 22, is one of four rookies to see regular time with the Blue Jackets this season.
The scrapes were multiplying and the welts on his back were turning an
angry shade of red, but 12-year-old Derek Dorsett would not submit.
Another ball hockey game had gone wrong -- sticks dropped, punches
thrown and Derek's mouth running as usual. He was giving up 10 to 15
pounds to his older brothers, Michael and Chad.
But he was not giving in an inch.
In an effort to silence Derek, they did what older siblings sometimes
do: They rammed his back against the inside of the garage door, slamming
him into the jagged screws and metal ridges.
"I kept (talking back) and they kept throwing me into the door," said
Dorsett, now a winger for the Blue Jackets. "They probably threw me into
the door 15 times. I was always the smallest kid, but I never backed
down."
Blue Jackets fans get to see Dorsett channeling his inner 12-year-old
almost every game. He is 5 feet 11, 185 pounds of attitude. He agitates,
he disrupts, he fights opponents he has no business fighting.
Dorsett, 22, is one of four rookies to see regular time with the Jackets
this season, and his rise to the NHL is the most unlikely. Goaltender
Steve Mason and forwards Jake Voracek and Derick Brassard had the
amateur pedigree. Dorsett, of Kindersley, Saskatchewan, was the 189th
player selected in the 2006 draft, in the seventh round.
At age 14, he was cut in tryouts from eight Midget AAA teams. The reason
became a weary refrain for the 5-4, 90-pound Dorsett: too small, not
strong enough.
Seven years later, the energetic Dorsett is in the NHL, a veteran of 42 games, drawing a regular shift.
"All of their life, players like Derek have been told they won't make it
and they have used that motivation to prove people wrong," Jackets
development coach Tyler Wright said.
'Couldn't sit still'
Dorsett is a product of his environment, a town of 4,400 residents in
western Saskatchewan fighting to become a city, but lacking the
population to earn the title. Kindersley and neighboring Brock are known
for oil and hockey.
Small in stature, they boast three current NHL players, Dorsett, Steve
MacIntyre (Edmonton) and former Jacket Curtis Glencross (Calgary).
Donna Dorsett is probably the only mother in Kindersley wishing her son had spent more time in front of a television.
"I was the first person he lipped off," said Donna, who ran a restaurant
with her husband. "He would come to me and say, 'Mom, I'm bored.' He
couldn't sit still. He never played video games; he still doesn't."
Dorsett rode dirt bikes, got in schoolyard scraps and played hockey.
He dreamed of being a goaltender until the day the Brothers Dorsett got
hold of a tennis ball machine and cranked it to Al MacInnis speed.
"They pelted me with tennis balls," Dorsett said. "At the time, it was
tough having older brothers, but looking back, it was the best thing for
me."
The low point was being cut from Midget teams. He had broken a bone in
his right hand from numerous brawls in tryouts and thought about giving
up, but his father, a former coach, encouraged him to keep plugging.
Dorsett grew slowly, and his skill began catching up to his desire. When
he was 17, Dorsett led the Swift Current Legionnaires (Midget AAA) in
goals and penalty minutes. Over the next few years, he combined with
Blue Jackets defenseman Kris Russell to help make the Medicine Hat
Tigers a junior-league power.
The season after the Jackets drafted Dorsett, the Tigers reached the
Memorial Cup final. He scored eight goals in 17 playoff games.
"He has the heart of a lion," Jackets defenseman Mike Commodore said.
"But you know what? He's also a good player and he's only going to get
better."
'It's the only way'
Dorsett spent last season with minor-league Syracuse, which served as a
finishing school for agitators. Under the tutelage of teammates Jon
Mirasty and Zenon Konopka, Dorsett thrived in the chaos.
He scored 10 goals and racked up 289 penalty minutes in 64 games, sometimes fighting tough guys nearly a foot taller.
"Konopka was always trying to get me to test my limits," Dorsett said. "Mirasty taught me how to fight bigger players."
He credits Wright, a fellow native of Saskatchewan, for prodding him to
develop his skating and skills. Dorsett has 12 fights this season,
including a memorable Oct. 30 drubbing of Colorado's Darcy Tucker, but
he plays well enough to earn consistent ice time.
Lately, Dorsett and left winger Andrew Murray have teamed up to form an effective energy line.
For a grinder who lives by the motto, "Every game is a Game 7 for guys
like me," Dorsett knows his back is always against a garage door of some
kind.
"I'm going to have to prove myself," he said. "It's the only way I'll stay here."
Starting your child in hockey is a big decision. First, you have to
figure out how much it will cost for equipment, transportation and
registration, and then you have to fit games and practices into your
busy schedule. Then, just when you think everything is running smoothly,
your child tells you he wants to play goalie—the most expensive
position in youth sports. What should you do?
Take a deep breath.
Many parents try to talk their child out of playing goalie. Maybe it
would just be easier if she plays out (of the net, that is). Maybe it
will be less stressful (for you) if he’s not the goaltender. It will
definitely be cheaper—now you have to fit your child for goalie
equipment! Maybe you just don’t want to help buckle those pads! The fact
is that if your child wants to be a goaltender, there may be nothing
you can do to change her mind. It may be a tough pill to swallow, but
here are a few tips to help you through.
Let him try it out first. Don’t go out and buy
all new goalie equipment right away. Talk to the local hockey
arena, the team or another goalie and see if you can borrow a set
of goalie equipment for a day. You could even get some roller
hockey goalie equipment and let your child play in the driveway to
make sure they she really likes being the keeper of the net.
Look for used equipment. Kids grow out of
equipment fast, and it will be easier on your wallet if you get
most of the equipment pre-owned. If there are no used sports stores
in your area, ask around at your local rink or check online (just
make sure you get the right sizes).
Try all positions. A lot of children
enjoy playing goalie—and playing out. It is not a bad thing to
start playing as a forward or defenseman because it allows your child to
gain confidence on the ice and develop her skating. Most children
decide what position they want to play at 7 to 9 years old.
Consider your child’s personality: Goalies
may feel little stress in games with no scorekeeping—but that will end
at Squirt or sooner. When the time comes, can she bear criticism?
Is he confident in the face of blame? What if she doesn’t get to
play in every game? Can he be a good, supportive backup? Some
children do not have the temperament for goalie.
Talk to your child. Make sure that your child really wants
to play goalie. I had to make this same decision myself as a
child. For awhile, I had the best of both worlds: I played in the
net some games, and right wing for the rest. I loved playing
goalie, but I also loved to score goals. At 7 years old I had to pick
what I loved more, and I chose to play out.
I remember my parents telling me that I had to pick a position. I
knew it was coming, and I was happy that they let me try both positions.
If my parents never let me try both, I couldn’t have made a
well-informed decision. If your child wants to be a goaltender, the best
way to handle the situation is to embrace the decision and let him try
it. Who knows, your child could be the next Patrick Roy, Martin Brodeur
or Molly Schaus. Editor’s Note: Thank you to Jeremy Rupke of HowToHockey.com for this story. If your child is starting hockey, check out how to ice skate on Jeremy’s hockey tips blog.
Water works wonders. 
