66 days of continuous practice to cement a habit

I’m a pretty disciplined person.

I exercise a few times a week.

Spend less than I earn

And I work from home without ending up on the couch all day.

But for months I’d been trying to add yoga and creative writing to my routine, and it just wasn’t happening. 

I’d have a good run then put it off, forget, or find something “more important” to do.

Days would go by, so I’d start it up again then, sure enough, let it slide.

I was getting more and more annoyed that I wasn’t doing the things I really wanted to do.

I’d think, I’m not lazy, but for some reason I wasn’t able to make those things a habit.


Click here to read more of this article!

NHL Should Be Dream Not Goal For Youth Minor Hockey Talk

Click below to Lisen to Rich Winters Interview On the 'Dream'!

http://soundcloud.com/minor_hockey_talk/minor-hockey-talk-nhl-should

Nutrition - Review on P90X Recovery Drink

Article by Fit Asylum

One of the most heavily marketed supplements by Beachbody is the Results and Recovery Formula.  A lot of people ask, is it worth it?  If you want to maximize your results with any workout program, your post-workout meal is one of the most important things to consider. To the best of my knowledge, and taking into consideration latest trends in sports nutrition, Beachbody has really done their homework with the Recovery formula, and price-wise it is comparable to most other products on the market.

This is not a protein shake!

First off, this product is not to be confused with a whey protein shake.  The truth is, the importance of any recovery formula is in its carbohydrate composition, and secondarily its protein composition.  Therefore, it is especially important to note that this product is not supposed to be consumed throughout the day like a protein shake or meal replacement shake, but ONLY immediately after a workout.

Simple Carbohydrate Blend

The Recovery Formula is made up mostly of dextrose and maltodextrin.  Dextrose is chemically the same as a glucose (blood sugar), and maltodextrin is a corn-derivative polysaccharide (multi-molecule sugar).  Both have a high glycemic index number, which means they will be absorbed by the body very quickly.  The fact that these ingredients are in liquid (powdered) form lead to even faster absorption.  This is key in post workout nutrition as your body is ready to take simple carbs and convert them into glycogen (stored carbs) to replace the stores in your muscles which are depleted after a workout.  If these stores are left depleted, you will eventually replenish them throughout the day, but if they are left "empty" then you will most likely drag through the rest of your day, or worse get urges to eat a ton later on in the day.  Anybody who has ever worked out mid-day and then crashes by mid-afternoon knows this feeling!  High-glycemic foods are bad for you almost every time of day EXCEPT right after a workout; the release of insulin, an anabolic hormone, is actually desired after working out anaerobically (i.e. P90X, Insanity, etc.) to replenish glycogen and promote muscle repair and rebuild.

Compared to other recovery drinks that use fructose or sucrose (table sugar) or worse, High Fructose Corn Syrup as their sugar sources, the Beachbody drink's use of dextrose and maltodextrin is preferred.  Did you know that until this past year Gatorade used a "fructose-glucose syrup" (read: High Fructose Corn Syrup) as its sugar derivative? Powerade still uses HFCS as it's sugar source.

4:1 Carb to Protein ratio

While clearly the carbs play the most important role in recovery, most sports nutrition experts have come to a consensus that having a 4:1 carb to protein ratio in a recovery event is ideal.  Using Whey Protein Concentrate in the Beachbody formula, this ratio is achieved, providing about 40g of simple carbs and 10g of whey protein.  Whey protein is one of the most easily absorbable proteins and has an amino acid spectrum conducive to muscle growth.  The only thing that is not ideal about this formulation is that it comes from "concentrate" instead of "whey protein isolate" which is a denser source of whey protein.  Protein in the diet throughout the day is important to provide the body with amino acids, which are the building blocks of muscle, and controlling blood sugar.  Protein in the recovery event may be absorbed for immediate use in muscle repair, and may even help replace the glycogen stores as well.

Vitamin C and l-Glutamine

These two ingredients are known to help reduce cortisol levels post-workout.  Cortisol is the "stress" hormone, that is released by the adrenal glands when the body is physically or emotionally undergoing stress.  While cortisol is an important chemical response in the body, an excess of cortisol post-workout can lead to a catabolic effect (breaking down) of muscle tissue and increase in storage of fat.  I do not know of another recovery drink that includes this much vitamin C (750% daily value) and l-glutamine.  Vitamin C may also help combat soreness (truth be told though, expect to be sore your first week of p90x no matter what!). L-glutamine is also considered a "universal" amino acid which can have multiple uses in the body, as it can act like other essential amino acids.

Creatine

There is a trace amount of creatine in the formula as well, which many people choose to use as a supplement on its own to help with energy during a workout, and recovery.  An over simplified description of creatine is that it helps create and utilize ATP as an energy source more efficiently during strenuous activity.  When taken before a workout, this can give an energy boost and may help you get more reps, and therefore cause more stress on the muscles.  More reps means you increase the build during muscle repair and recovery.  When taken after a workout, it can also aid in protein synthesis in the muscles.  Creatine may add weight to your body, as your muscles will retain more water (this will also give you a more bulked up look), but the amount in the recovery drink is probably not enough to really affect you in this way. Truth be told, creatine in the recovery event isn't really necessary, but some of the Beachbody trainers encourage you to have a scoop of recovery drink DURING your workout and in that case, having the creatine might be somewhat valuable.

Price

When you check out prices in comparison to other products (here I choose Accelerade), Beachbody's drink is fairly priced, when you take into consideration the serving size.  The Beachbody drink is about $49.95 and has 25 servings (60g per serving, or 2 scoops, or 220 Calories). Accelerade by comparison has 60 servings (31g per serving, or 1 scoop, or 120 Calories) and is $52, a reasonable comparison. Endurox is similarly formulated to the Beachbody drink (l-glutamine, dextrose, and Vitamin C included, but no creatine and also contains fructose) and is $59.99 for 28 servings (75g, or 2 scoops, or 270 calories).  Beachbody recently changed the formulation of the Recovery drink, which is why it is a little more expensive than it was about a year ago.  To learn more about the old vs. new recovery drink, read my blog article.

Taste

If taste is a deal breaker for you - you are in luck!  Beachbody's drink tastes great, it is a sort of orange smoothie flavor.  Many people I have met on the p90x discussion boards like it.  The newer formulation does taste a little different than the original formulation, but to my taste buds it isn't worse, just different.

Summary

Beachbody's Results and Recovery Formula contains the correct carbohydrate blend, a desirable 4:1 carb to protein ratio, vitamins and supplements to help curb cortisol levels and aid with soreness, and a little bit of creatine to aid in protein synthesis.  It is about as well-formulated as, or better formulated than any other product on the market and is comparable in price.  Smart post-workout nutrition is essential to see results, and to not crash later in the day, so if you are using a Beachbody product or working out regularly, it is highly recommended to use this drink, or a comparable formula. Click Here to order or see Nutritional aspects of the this product!

What Makes A Great Youth Sports Volunteer?

 Jodi Murphy of Out Side the Lines

Volunteers are what make a youth sports program go round. They are your administrators, concession staff, coaches and officials who are responsible for teaching a dozen young athletes how to play baseball, football, soccer, hockey or any other youth sport. They are also the ones that shape the overall experience for your youth athletes, shaping their opinions towards the sport in general. The most successful youth sports programs are supported by great volunteers.

Here are 3 characteristics that make someone a great volunteer for your youth sports organizations:

Knowledgeable of the sport
Enthusiasm goes a long way with youth sports volunteers, but enthusiasm plus knowledge is even better! Obviously you don’t need every volunteer to be a pro athlete or official to do a good job, but knowing the basic rules of the game is critical. Your volunteers are responsible for teaching young athletes the fundamentals of the sport and if they don’t have that knowledge, don’t expect their teams to learn much. If they don’t have any experience playing football, how will they be able to teach the proper way to throw a lateral pass? If they’ve never set foot on a baseball diamond, will they be able to show your players how to turn a double play?
If your youth sports organization is lucky enough to have an influx on volunteers, make sure every team gets at least one volunteer who is familiar with the sport. They can take charge of the other volunteers and make sure everyone (players and volunteers alike) learns something!

Loves to coach
If your volunteers are knowledgeable but don’t like to coach/teach, then their expertise won’t do much for your sports programs. Not everyone is good with kids, no matter how good they are with a hockey puck. It’s not enough to just know; they also have to know how to share their knowledge in a way that young athletes can understand. The best youth sports volunteers enjoy working with young athletes and understand how to break the game down and teach fundamentals step by step.

Believes youth sports are valuable
A common problem that can arise with youth sports programs is that the coaches and volunteers forget they are working with youths.  Youth sports teams are not the place to be worrying about “looking like the pros.” It’s more important that volunteers focus on teaching the fundamentals and making sure all their players are getting the attention and training they need to contribute to the overall success of the team. Youth sports are valuable in their own right.  Every sports great started playing on a youth sports team where a volunteer taught them the right way to throw, catch, skate or pass. Great youth sports volunteers remember that and take pride in it.

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Protein Intake Simplified

Many times today we are so concerned with results we buy into the hype of do this not that with our diets and nutrition. The biggest thing that I can share on this journey and the most important thing you can learn in our world of fad diets is that balance is key.

What do I mean by “balance??” If you eat clean and you eat healthy amounts of carbs, protein and fat then you will find success in your journey. Too much of any one of these 3 is not good for any of us and may lead to immediate results. But over time those results will stop and you will be left with the consequences of unhealthy eating.

Today I want to talk about something that I feel people are almost… dare I say… obsessed with! Protein. We will also discuss what is the right amount of protein for each of us according the experts.
According to NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine),for the general population, the amount we should be getting is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. This number goes up to 1.0 gram per kilogram of body weight for a recreational athlete. The max amount of protein is 1.4 grams/kg of body weight. Other sources are inline with these recommendations with ACE (American Council on Exercise) recommending 1.2 grams/kg of body weight for athletes.  The ACE recommends no more than 1.7 grams/kg of body weight.

What does all of that mean for you?? In addition to knowing how many calories you should be consuming it is important to know how much protein you need but even more importantly, how much protein is too much!
How do you calculate these numbers?? Easy!!

1. Convert your weight to kg: Multiple your weight by .453592
2. Use either your Beachbody training protein meal plan or the above recommendations to find your grams per kg. I am going to use 1.0 grams/ kg for our example. Multiply your weight in kilograms by 1. This will give you your recommended grams of protein per day.

For someone that weighs 200 pounds:

200 * .453592= 90.17 kg (This is your weight in kilograms. )
90.17 * 1 = 90 grams of protein per day.

Once you have an idea of how much protein you should be getting, you will want to divide this number between your meals throughout the day so your body can digest and utilize the protein.


What if I get too much protein??
A lot of people take in a huge abundance of protein. Your body can handle high protein intake for a short period of time, preparing for a competition or photoshoot, but anything longer than a few weeks is extremely hard on your body. The excess protein will cause:

• Fat to be stored in the body.
• Excess calcium to be excreted through our urine causing kidney stones and osteoporosis.
• High cholesterol depending on the source of protein.

According to Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition diets that are carb restrictive and high in protein put people at “risk for … potential cardiac, renal, bone, and liver abnormalities overall” as well. http://www.jissn.com/content/1/1/45#B4

Sources of protein:
I am a plant based girl. I get most of my protein from live plants. Contrary to popular belief this is totally possible and will actually lead to a diet lower in saturated fat and cholesterol. With a bit of planning I have even seen people compete in figure competitions on a totally vegan nutrition plan.

Lean meats are also a great source of protein. Lean meats would include chicken, fish, and low fat beef.

Shakes are also a great source of protein. Unless your shakes are adding more than just protein like Shakeology,  then I would prefer to see people try to get their protein intake and caloric needs from real food versus supplements. Unless your needs are crazy high then by all means… Shake it up between meals!!
Protein intake is a bit controversial in the fitness world so I know you may not agree with everything I have said when it comes to your goals. These guidelines are just that—guidelines but be careful when choosing the foods to accomplish your goals. Balance is key! Healthy carbs and fat are just as important to your body’s functions and your results as protein!!

Coach Christina
http://www.findtheburn.com

Christina is a Certified Personal trainer, virtual fitness coach and business coach. She is also a mother of 3 beautiful children. She has used her background to grow a healthy 6 figure income and is helping others do the same! Her greatest desire is to be a great mother, wife and to help others fulfill their goals and dreams! With depression knocking on her door she found a way to pull her own health together and decided it was time to help others live a better life! With the threat of returning to work full time and putting her new baby in day care she began her fitness business with nothing more than a dream. With great business success she now finds helping others from home with their fitness, health and business goals from home!

How to Improve Your Focus

 

By Daniel Coyle

Focus is the holy grail of modern life. It’s rare. It’s powerful. And it’s tough to find.
Not for lack of trying. To improve focus, most of us use a common-sense method: we actively remind ourselves to do it. Coaches yell it from the sidelines — Come on, focus! Parents instruct their homework-doing kids — Stop texting and just focus! We talk to ourselves — Focus now! 

The problem is, that method usually doesn’t work. Urging focus is sort of like kicking the tires of a car that won’t start. It feels satisfying, but it doesn’t fix the underlying problem, which is that our brains crave the steady-state of comfort, not the effort of focus.
So the real question is, how do you nudge people out of their default setting? How do you design learning environments that tilt people toward focus?

I was thinking about this last weekend when we went to Chicago and rode bikes along the lakefront, that wide, paved stretch that fronts Lake Michigan. It was a beautiful day, so the lakefront was packed with hundreds of bikers, skateboarders, rollerbladers, joggers, and kids, everybody zipping in and out at high speed. Then we noticed something strange: no guardrails.

To finish reading this article, Click Here!

Why the NHL Lockout Is Good For the NCAA

 

by Keith Hoehne 
 
Although many of us are disappointed with the NHL lockout and are awaiting the time everybody gets back to work with hopefully no loss of games, the NCAA should be licking their lips at this potential opportunity!

With the prospect of no hockey to be had in the NHL, the NCAA has to be thinking of ways to capitalize on the opportunity to promote college hockey, a sport that has been largely passed over by the mainstream public in the United States. The reason for this is the incredible lack of television coverage on major sports networks. Sure, states like Minnesota, Michigan, and Massachusetts will have regional coverage of some games, but where is the legitimate attempt to get a national audience?

To read the rest of the article, Click Here!

NCAA Hockey In Canada?

 Please visit The Junior Hockey News for more Hockey related Articles!

While nearly every hockey fan in Canada is talking about the NHL lockout, something different may be brewing in the back rooms of several major Canadian Universities.

A few weeks ago, a little noticed announcement was made in Vancouver. It was announced that Burnaby's Simon Fraser University was approved as the first international school in the NCAA.
While SFU currently does not have a varsity hockey team - it has a sports club which competes in the British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League, a 6- year-old organization which boasts seven members including, one American team from Eastern Washington University - that hasn't stopped school officials from openly pondering the possibility of the school competing in NCAA Division I hockey sometime in the near future.

SFU's 17 NCAA varsity sports teams compete in NCAA Division II, meaning they would have to petition to be allowed to play in Division I hockey. There is no Division II hockey available and, as per NCAA regulations, they would not be permitted to play in the lower-tier Division III hockey.
NCAA hockeywould almost certainly explode in a market like Vancouver which is not only unwavering in its support of the NHL's Canucks, but also has embraced major junior hockey in the form of the WHL's Giants and Junior "A" hockey with a handful of BCHL teams.

After reading this release, we made several calls to other Canadian Universities, and the thought of joining the NCAA was something everyone was talking about. Many people within organizations voiced that they would like to be able to do this and keep Canadian born players playing in Canada rather than loosing them to the United States. Canadian pride, and having the ability to continue to develop their own players was at the heart of most of these conversations.

While many people cited the challenges they may face in attempting to join the NCAA, many also said they would be willing to take those challenges on. If SFU attempts to take its BCIHL to the NCAA level, they will first need to find a suitable facility. But once that hurdle is overcome, they could be the first of many programs in Canada to change over to the NCAA model.

TJHN will update this story as it develops.
By Joseph Kolodziej

“A Change is Gonna Come”

How to Begin a New Skill

Of all the key moments in talent development, the most important and mysterious is the first ten seconds. The first few swings, the first notes, the first stumbly tries. It’s a tenuous time, because it’s a psychological fork in the road. Either you get the Good Feeling (“Hey, this is kinda fun!”), or the Bad Feeling (“Awww, I’ll never be any good”). In short, it’s either an on-ramp or a stop sign.

The deeper question here has to do with design. Namely, how do you create an environment that creates more on-ramps and avoids stop signs?



To read the rest of this awesome article - Click Here!

This is what success looks like!

Nine foods to avoid before a game or practice

Athletes work hard to prepare for games. Practice, condition, rest. But all that can be for naught if they are not putting the right foods into their bodies.
If an athlete is truly serious about his sport, then he needs to avoid foods that will hinder his performance.

Avoid these foods when competing:

1. Energy drinks. They contain caffeine and other stimulants that put stress on the heart, in addition to the stress an athlete puts on his heart during competition. In fact, it is a good idea to avoid caffeine altogether when in season.

2. Fried and fatty foods. The body takes a long time to digest the fats, which could leave an athlete feeling drowsy and feeling stomach-heavy. Avoid fatty meats and foods like creamy sauces, dressings and mayonnaise. They also take a long time to digest.
Nutritionist Kelly Aronica (kellyaronicanutritionist.com) adds that athletes should stay away from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil.
“These primarily man-made oils have been shown to raise risk of heart disease,” Aronica says. “They’re found in many commercially baked goods, fried foods and some margarines. Look for it in the ingredient list.”

To Read about the other 7 foods - Click Here!

CCM U+ Crazy Light Hockey Gloves Review

 More great hockey equipment reviews at Hockey Gear Review!

If you are looking for a new pair gloves, you, may want to consider the new CCM U+ Crazy Light Gloves.  The U+ CL fit in the anatomical fit for gloves, meaning that they dont have that traditional 4-roll look. The design is certainly different but not as radical a design as the Easton RS Stealth Gloves. It still has nice clean lines and a fairly simple look but different than traditional gloves.

 Once you slide your hands into the gloves, you will feel how nice they are. The palm is made of Clarino and that makes for a nice comfortable feel against your palm and will also allow you to feel the stick pretty good. There is a decent lock thumb. Not the best one I’ve seen but it will do the trick. As for the rest of the glove, it is kitted out with plastic inserts everywhere meaning that you will have that added protection on top of the double-decker U Foam construction. The tapered fingers flex well for easy and comfortable mobility and the cuff offers a wide open area for a lot of wrist movement.

Pros:
- Light weight
- Lots of plastic inserts for added layer of protection
- Mesh gussets for increased breathability
- Decent lock thumb
- Open cuff for greater mobility

Cons:
- Nylon outer construction reduces weight but also reduces the durability
- Open cuff leaves wrist quite exposed to a slash

Overall the CCM U+ Crazy Light glove is well thought out. It features light weight yet a very protective construction. There is quite a bit of flexibility and mobility in the glove without sacrificing fit and comfort. If you are in the market for high end gloves and not wanting to spend north of $200, then at $139.99, the CCM U+ Cl gloves might be the right one for you.

Hockey Gear Review recommends the CCM U+ Crazy Light Hockey Gloves to intermediate level players and above players.

What NOT to Yell During Hockey Games

To read more great hockey related articles from Grow The Game, Click Here!

“Foul!”
“Number 10 you have to pass!”
“Cram it down their throats!”
“Ref, you’re an idiot!”


What do all these “cheers” have in common? They’re clueless.

My best friend yells “foul!” because she knows no hockey lingo, which is fairly harmless. But another parent gives super-specific advice that is kind of insulting. A player’s uncle doesn’t understand the sportsmanship we try to teach when he advises the team to rack up the score. Many spectators, parents included, forget to respect the officials.


Fortunately for hockey players, they’re wearing helmets and often behind glass. No matter what you yell, they probably can’t hear you. And it’s probably good that they can’t hear you because you might not being saying the same thing as the coaches.

The crowd around you, however, can hear you — and they may be offended by what you and your friends and family have to say. (I’m still holding a grudge against a guy who yelled, “You have to pass in that situation,” to my son, who plays the puck like a hot potato, when he actually worked up the nerve to skate the puck up the ice once. And that was four years ago.) You’re around these people a lot, during the season and over the years, so you’ll want to keep the peace.

Safe to Say

It’s safe to yell anything positive, without swearing or sarcasm.

• Go! (Your go-to cheer if you know nothing about hockey.)
• Stop him!
• Great try!
• Great pass!
• Good save, goalie!
• Nice shot!

Taboo

The fastest way to make enemies is to criticize or laugh at other kids. You can bemoan your own kid’s play to your heart’s content, but you’ll be sorry if you start harping on others. Parents I’ve talked to admit to being embarrassed about saying — or irritated by hearing — the following:

• Pass it to [insert number of your kid]!
• You have to pass!
• Terrible pass!
• Not in front of the net!
• Number [X] you need to…
• Why didn’t you…?
• What was that?
• Hit him!
• Terrible shot!
• Puck hog!
• You suck! (To a player or the other team.)
• Coach, put in [insert name of you kid]!
• Ref, you [anything]
• &$?@ or *+!# or any other four letter word

Go negative enough and you may earn more than a dirty look or snide comment. Officials can toss offensive spectators and hockey associations can take action. If it takes some practice to bite your tongue, hang out by the glass rather than in the stands. In a later article, we’ll talk about ways to encourage positive behavior in your relatives, your friends and other fans.

Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Kelly Kordes Anton for this article.

What Kind of Hockey Parent are You?

Over the past twenty years I have traveled through hockey arenas and met a number of different people and been a part of a number of different parent groups and coaching staffs. I have noticed that faces change, but the behaviours seem to remain the same. The actual stories are all unique, but the characteristics behind the actors are eerily similar. The Pride/Protection spectrum seems to be the source of a lot of these characteristics. Obviously, if your child is being mistreated then any normal and attentive parent will help protect their child and make sure that the mistreatment stops. However, as you slide along the spectrum to where true and noble protection stops, you will begin to enter the realm of parental pride. Many of us will even justify our actions as protection, but really it is our pride kicking in. The ego is a powerful motivator and it is one of the biggest driving forces behind the different archetypes that I have discovered. These are Angels, Snakes, Skunks, Agents and Grumblers. Many of us will remain constant in our archetypes, whereas others of us will change through different behaviours. As you read through these archetypes, you may recognize traits you or others share in common with one, two or all of the groups. It is possible that you or people you know are a purebred archetype or possibly a hybrid of two or more archetypes.

To Find out what type of Hockey Parent you are, Click Here!

Raising Successful Children

PHRASES like “tiger mom” and “helicopter parent” have made their way into everyday language. But does overparenting hurt, or help?

While parents who are clearly and embarrassingly inappropriate come in for ridicule, many of us find ourselves drawn to the idea that with just a bit more parental elbow grease, we might turn out children with great talents and assured futures. Is there really anything wrong with a kind of “overparenting lite”? 

Parental involvement has a long and rich history of being studied. Decades of studies, many of them by Diana Baumrind, a clinical and developmental psychologist at the University of California, Berkeley, have found that the optimal parent is one who is involved and responsive, who sets high expectations but respects her child’s autonomy. These “authoritative parents” appear to hit the sweet spot of parental involvement and generally raise children who do better academically, psychologically and socially than children whose parents are either permissive and less involved, or controlling and more involved. Why is this particular parenting style so successful, and what does it tell us about overparenting? 

Read Rest of Article Here!

So, You Didn't Get Drafted

Here is some GREAT advice by Ross Mclean. I met Ross in Finland! Great hockey mind and straight shooter. Every player should read this!! Click Here!

Troy Bourke - 3rd Round to Colorado

Here is the audio conversation with Troy Bourke of the Prince George Cougars talking about being drafted!  Click Here!

Coaches - Coach loses body control - Don't be this guy!

Check this video out! Coaches - grow up!

Bring out the clown music!

Hockey Canada should look in the mirror regarding goalie woes

Interesting article with small snippets of information about junior hockey and the business side.

Here is the link!

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"Your attitude is either the lock on, or the key to the door of success." - Denis Waitley

College Hockey Conn Smythe Hat Trick

Six former college players helped lead the Los Angeles Kings to the Stanley Cup championship, with goaltender Jonathan Quick becoming the third straight collegian to capture the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

Quick, who played two seasons at UMass and is the first Minuteman to get his name on the Cup, follows in the footsteps of Tim Thomas (Vermont) and Jonathan Toews (North Dakota) in winning the Conn Smythe. He is the fifth former college player to win it, joining those two plus Brian Leetch (Boston College) and Joe Nieuwendyk (Cornell).

Quick - who could also follow Thomas as the Vezina Trophy winner (he is a finalist) - compiled one of the best playoff runs by an NHL goaltender in history. He posted a 16-4 record, a 1.41 goals-against average, a .946 save percentage and allowed only seven goals in the six games of the Stanley Cup Final series. He posted three shutouts along the way.
Teammates marvel at his efforts.

"It's kind of strange for us because we see him in practice every day," defenseman Rob Scuderi, a Boston College graduate, told NHL.com. "Just like with any great player I've been fortunate to play with, they do more great things in practice than you'd ever see in a game. It's not really a shock to any of us. It's great to see him playing so fantastic and at such a high level every night, but it's not a shock to any of us who are in the room."

More Collegians
Scuderi and Matt Greene, a North Dakota product, tied for second among Kings defensemen at +9 for the playoffs. The Los Angeles defense had a heavy college influence, with Alec Martinez (Miami) and Willie Mitchell (Clarkson) also among the top six.
Up front, former Maine star Dustin Penner finished the playoffs with 11 points in 20 games, including the overtime goal that sent the Kings to the final round.
The Cup is a third championship in 12 years for Scuderi, who won the NCAA title as a senior at BC, then claimed the 2009 Stanley Cup as a Pittsburgh Penguin.

From the Top
Several former college players contributed to the Kings' efforts in the front office, led by Dean Lombardi. The team president and general manager played at Elmira College and the University of New Haven.

Lombardi's front office staff includes Jack Ferreira (Boston University) and Nelson Emerson (Bowling Green). The team's co-director of amateur scouting, Mark Yannetti, played at both Brown and Williams, while the scouting staff includes Mark Mullen (Boston University), Mike Donnelly (Michigan State), Tony Gasparini (Minnesota Duluth) and Bob Crocker (Boston University).

Troy Bourke - 2012 Draft Prospect

Here is fantastic article on Troy Bourke. He is the smartest player I have coached! He is highly intelligent with a great skill set! Good luck Troy in the draft!

Here is the article!

Playing Consistent Hockey

From Website Grow The Game!

I remember watching the movie The Boys On The Bus over and over again when I was a kid—almost as if it was a Disney movie. The movie is about the Edmonton Oilers in the early and mid-1980s. I still remember one clip in which Mark Messier explains how he plays every game like it’s his last. It’s a great and—I argue—the only attitude to have when approaching each game.

For a little perspective on “the Moose,” he played 1,752 NHL games. If you do anything close to 2,000 times it can be repetitive and boring. Plus the travel, little nagging injuries, up and downs of a marathon season and non-hockey life can make for big distractions. For the most part, elite players have a passion for the game. If not, they would have been weeded out a long time ago. But the greatest players take that passion and have a laser-like focus that allows them to play great consistently. Good players, meanwhile, play great every three games or so—a big difference over a season and career. Here are two simplistic ways to approach the game: Average vs. Greatness.

Average Approach
If you go into a game thinking “it’s just another game” or “we beat this team 8–0 last time” or look past this game to a “bigger” game coming up, then you’re not giving your best. There was a game yesterday and there will be a game tomorrow. So you take the present game and basically go through the motions. The problem with this, as Seth Godin points out in a recent blog post on business, is that there is competition. As you take the skills you have worked so hard to achieve and average them out to just get through the game, the competition is giving it their all with a take-no-prisoners attitude. At least the good teams are. Who’s going to win?

Greatness Approach
If you think this might be the last time you enjoy the great privilege of strapping on skates as Messier did, then most likely it won’t be. Plus you get the added benefit of playing great hockey. Get hungry out there on the ice. It’s the difference today of two points in the standings. It’s a difference tomorrow of making the most out of the skills you have and achieving consistent greatness.
Good luck this weekend.

Editor’s Note: Thank you to Brett Henning of Score100Goals.com for this story. Henning is the author of 7 Pre-Game Habits of Pro Hockey Players, and was a member of the Inaugural National Team Development Program and 2000 World Junior Team with USA Hockey. He played Junior Hockey in Canada and at the collegiate level for the University of Notre Dame. He was drafted by the New York Islanders before a back injury ended his on-ice career.

Core Hockey Gear and Summer Camps

Some new Core Hockey Gear!

Core Hockey still has spots open for our 'position specific camp' for Bantam Forwards,  Bantam Defencemen and Midget Defencemen. We also have availability for our Peewee, Bantam and Midget conditioning camps at the beginning of August!

Check out Core Hockey Camps Here!

strength and flexibility movements

The following workout will help improve your quality of life through strength and flexibility movements.

Click Here to view the workout!

Derek Boogaard’s Dad does the legwork, finds appalling amount of pills prescribed to his son

 

Posted by Justin Bourne under News, Opinion on Jun 04, 2012

I’ve written about the abuse of prescription pills in pro hockey in the past, specifically about how their distribution needs to be better monitored. Right now if players want them, they can get them, and with the pain of the game and the rigors of travel, plenty of guys do. Never have I been more sure that something has to be done then after reading what Derek Boogaard’s father discovered about what had been prescribed to his son over the years.

Before I list the numbers, a simple point: it’s not solely the doctor’s responsibility to monitor the amount of pills players are swallowing - players have to be accountable for themselves as well. Though some guys are (as Boogaard seemed to be), not everyone is a victim of the system.

There’s just no way it should be possible for one person to acquire this many drugs from this many sources:

From the New York Times excellent feature on Boogaard, and his Dad’s work:

Derek Boogaard received more than 100 prescriptions for thousands of pills from more than a dozen team doctors for the Minnesota Wild and the Rangers.

Continuing:

* In a six-month stretch from October 2008 to April 2009, while playing 51 games, Boogaard received at least 25 prescriptions for the painkillers hydrocodone or oxycodone, a total of 622 pills, from 10 doctors — eight team doctors of the Wild, an oral surgeon in Minneapolis and a doctor for another N.H.L. team.
* In the fall of 2010, an official for the Rangers, Boogaard’s new team, was notified of Boogaard’s recurring abuse of narcotic pain pills. Nonetheless, a Rangers team dentist soon wrote the first of five prescriptions for hydrocodone for Boogaard after he sustained an injury.
* Another Rangers doctor, although aware that Boogaard also had been addicted to sleeping pills in the past, wrote nearly 10 prescriptions for Ambien during Boogaard’s lone season with the team.

What blows me away more than anything about those numbers is the ”10 doctors in six months” part. I’ve played on teams with a team doctor. I’ve seen 2-3 in certain training rooms. I know there are some specialists you deal with over the course of a career. But 10 and these people don’t communicate at all about what’s being prescribed to their patient, a guy who’s supposed to be a pro athlete, a finely tuned machine? It’s an absolute sin. (None of that addresses the blatant disregard for a guy with a problem, but I’m not looking at Boogaard’s situation as a stand-alone event here.)

Shady doctors aren’t everywhere in pro hockey, but they exist. I’ve heard of guys texting their team doctor, who would in turn call in a prescription and have pills ready to go for them at CVS in an hour. “What do you need, sleeping pills, pain pills, muscle relaxers….would you like fries with that?” As in all lines of work, some folks are just ethically questionable, and they always will be – being smart enough to become a doctor has little bearing on that. That fact is precisely why there needs to be some sort of official system in place so those people don’t go messing everything up for the rest of us.
For one, necessary prescribed pills could be doled out to players out on a daily basis at the rink. The doctors write the scripts, fill them, bring them to your dressing room, and say “Here’s your three for the day.” For another, if you’re going to have 1000 doctors, each player should have medical files on hand that doctors need to update every time they prescribe anything so they could see “Hey look, Dr. Percy prescribed him 30 pills yesterday, he doesn’t need any more.”

I realize these ideas aren’t flawless (as I said, guys may get them regardless, but let’s at least make it more difficult), but they’re ideas. We need to get moving in the right direction.

Boogaard’s story is terrible and sad, but if it could be the catalyst for some positive change that exposes less players to ridiculous amounts of pills that they don’t need, then at least it could have been for something. Though that may be small consolation for the Boogaard family, maybe it could save another family from feeling the same pain.

If we do nothing, the problem isn’t going to go away on it’s own, it’s only going to get worse. R.I.P., Boogeyman.

What Makes A Nightmare Sports Parent -- And What Makes A Great One

Wednesday, February 15, 2012 8:20 pm

Written by: Steve Henson

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Hundreds of college athletes were asked to think back: "What is your worst memory from playing youth and high school sports?"

Their overwhelming response: "The ride home from games with my parents."
The informal survey lasted three decades, initiated by two former longtime coaches who over time became staunch advocates for the player, for the adolescent, for the child. Bruce E. Brown and Rob Miller of Proactive Coaching LLC are devoted to helping adults avoid becoming a nightmare sports parent, speaking at colleges, high schools and youth leagues to more than a million athletes, coaches and parents in the last 12 years.

Those same college athletes were asked what their parents said that made them feel great, that amplified their joy during and after a ballgame.

Their overwhelming response: "I love to watch you play."

There it is, from the mouths of babes who grew up to become college and professional athletes. Whether your child is just beginning T-ball or is a travel-team soccer all-star or survived the cuts for the high school varsity, parents take heed.

To Read the rest of this article, Click Here!

John Wooden on true success

With profound simplicity, Coach John Wooden redefines success and urges us all to pursue the best in ourselves. In this inspiring talk he shares the advice he gave his players at UCLA, quotes poetry and remembers his father's wisdom. 

John Wooden, affectionately known as Coach, led UCLA to record wins that are still unmatched in the world of basketball. Throughout his long life, he shared the values and life lessons he passed to his players, emphasizing success that’s about much more than winning.

Watch the video Here!

Inspiring elementary schooler with cerebral palsy runs amazing 400-meter race

Watch the Video Here! A must see!

The young man who refuses to be beaten by his own limitations in the video above is Matt W. (last name unknown), who attends Worthington (Ohio) Colonial Hills Elementary School. Like most elementary schools in America, Colonial Hills has a once-a-year track and field day, and like most kids, Matt was clearly eager to take part.

However, unlike most of his peers, Matt suffers from spastic cerebral palsy, a debilitating condition that limits his ability to undergo rigorous physical exercise of any kind. Incredibly, despite knowing those limitations, Matt decided to run the 400-meter event (roughly quarter of a mile) on the school's 200-meter track.

The result was absolutely inspiring. While all the other students in the event finished far in front of Matt, the student athlete simply refused to stop running, chugging his way around the track on his own, even as it appeared he might collapse.

Naturally, the inspirational Colonial Hills student needed plenty of encouragement, and he first got that from the school's gym teacher, John Blaine, who trotted up alongside his pupil and walked and then ran alongside him for the remainder of the race.


Then, after all the other fifth- and sixth-graders in the race had finished, they joined in, running over to follow Matt around the track and chanting, "Let's go Matt, let's go!" until he finished, spun around, hugged his gym teacher and then accepted a series of high fives from fellow students, all while his mother watched on, sobbing with emotion from the kindness shown to her son.

It's an inspiring video that shows the power of positive thinking and what children can do with a little encouragement. No matter what Matt's athletic future holds, he, his family and his classmates will always have his gritty, inspiring and joyous 400-meter jaunt during an elementary school field day to look back upon and smile.

Food Labels Decoded

More Info at Coach.ca!

Understanding nutrition information on packaged food labels can help athletes choose the best foods to meet their nutritional needs. Knowing how to make sense of the “Nutrition Facts” in particular, helps you compare products easily and select the optimal diet for your unique training regiments and sport of choice.

Knowing how to read the nutrition information on food labels will enable you to:

• Compare products more easily, and identify high quality, high energy foods that will fuel your workouts and keep you healthy
• Find the nutritional value of foods
• Better manage your sport diet
• Increase or decrease your intake of a particular nutrient of interest

Follow these 6 easy steps to read the Nutrition Facts label

1. Start with the Serving Size. At the top of the label, you will see the serving size. Serving sizes differ even on similar types of foods. More important, the Serving Size on the label may not equal the serving size you normally eat. If you eat twice the serving listed on the label, you will need to double all the numbers in the nutritional facts section. Keep this in mind when you are looking at the label, as it may not be a healthy alternative if you are going to eat more than the suggested serving.
    
2.  Percent Daily Value. Use the % daily value to see if a food has a little (less than 5%) or a lot (more than 15%) of a nutrient in the serving size. The “% Daily Values” for fat, carbohydrates and protein are based on a 2,000-calorie reference diet. However, this may be less than athletes require on a daily basis, so athletes should consider their individual nutritional needs for calories and nutrients when choosing foods.
    
3. Review the Calories. This section on the label tells you the total number of calories in each serving of the food. For example, one serving of Campbell’s® Chunky® Vegetable Beef soup provides 140 calories. Carbohydrates, protein, and fat are three nutrients that provide our bodies with energy.
    
4. Add up the “Total Fat”. Fat is an important nutrient for health and plays an essential role in the body, but it is important to remember that it is also very calorically dense. There are many different kinds of fats found in foods. The Total Fat value found on the Nutrition Facts includes monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (from plant sources, such as canola oil) as well as saturated and trans fats (from animal or vegetable sources). The type and amount of fat you eat are important. Some types of fat like saturated and trans fats, may increase your risk of developing heart disease and should be limited. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats should count for most of the total fat in your diet.
    
5. Look at the Sodium Content. Sodium is a mineral naturally found in many foods and can also be added by using table salt. Canadian adults need about 1500 mg of sodium per day and should not consume more than 2300 mg/day (or about 1 tsp). However, most Canadians are getting more than is recommended. Some athletes who typically lose large amounts of sweat and are at risk of hyponatremia should be aware of their individual needs. These athletes may need to consume sodium-rich foods before, during, and after their sustained activities.
    
6. Check out the Carbohydrates. Carbohydrates include fibre, starch and sugar. Except for fibre, they provide energy to fuel your muscles and your brain during activity. Fibre, a non-digestible carbohydrate, is found in many foods and is important for daily and long-term health. Your diet should include carbohydrates as the foundation for each meal and when possible choose whole grains more often.
    
7. Look at the Vitamins and Minerals. This section of the label helps you choose nutrient dense foods. The Nutrition Facts table is required to include information on calories and 13 ‘core’ nutrients including Vitamins A and C and minerals calcium and iron. There may be other vitamins and minerals nutrients in foods that may not be highlighted on the Nutritional Facts table.

Note: There are also Nutrition Claims that appear on some food labels, for example, ‘low sodium’, ‘low fat’, ‘source of fibre’, etc. For more information about these claims check out http://bit.ly/IaHRD2

Finally, don’t forget to look at the ingredient list on the label. 

The list of ingredients is mandatory. All of the ingredients for a food are listed in descending order by weight. The list of ingredients is also a source of information for people who want to avoid certain ingredients like allergens or verify the presence of an ingredient in a food.

NCAA - Scholorship Experiences

"I was given great advice when I went on a BU visit. I was told, 'You'll know what school's for you when you get there.' I picked Maine because it felt like home. It really did. - Jimmy Howard (Detroit Red Wings)

 

"It gives you an opportunity to develop," he said. "A lot of times even good players get lost in those big-name programs, because they have so many kids on scholarships and only so many can play. If you're serious about playing this game for a living, a smaller school gives you the chance to develop your skills. Scouts aren't always right on a player, especially at a young age." Kevin Bieksa Vancouver Canucks

Dumba primed for Draft Combine

 
I coached Matt both at the U16 Challenge Cup and Team Pacific. He is a natural leader. As the picture above states, wearing the "C" for your country is not small feat! Matt has 'Pro' written all over him. He reminds me of a Scott Stevens type of player. Good luck Matt!!

It’s one of the last events Mathew Dumba will experience in his draft year, and it could be one of the most exhausting.
Before Dumba will hear his name called on the first day of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, he’ll be poked, prodded and pinched by 30 potential suitors at the Draft Combine next week.

Though it goes without saying the Calgary, AB. product hasn’t experienced anything like what he’ll face from May 28th to June 2nd, that doesn’t mean the Red Deer Rebels defenseman hasn’t done his homework on what to expect.

“I talked to Pets (Alex Petrovic) about it,” Dumba said. “He’s a strong guy and trains hard so he gave me the low-down about it and said I’d be fine with my training and everything I do.”

But bench presses, vertical jumps, long jumps, bench presses, VO2 Max (aerobic) and Wingate (anaerobic) tests are just one component to the process. While teams are pushing prospects to their physical limit, the combine – now in its 19^th year – will leave this year’s draft class mentally exhausted as well.

Want the skinny on the 2012 NHL Entry Draft Class? Order FC’s 2012 Draft Guide – Available now!

Teams will be given the opportunity to sit down with the 17 and 18-year-olds comprising the draft class, giving them the chance to evaluate the personality of what could become the latest additions to their prospect pools.

That process, which can have players scheduled for upwards of 15 face-to-face consultations in a day, can leave a player weary. The nature of some of the questions posed by NHL clubs will keep Dumba sharp, though.

“(Petrovic) has told me some weird ones,” he said. “A couple teams threw some curveballs at him. I’m not too worried about it.”

Canada’s captain from both the 2011 Ivan Hlinka Memorial and 2012 World Under-18 Championship is ready to tackle anything thrown at him.

For instance, would Dumba rather have a long, prosperous career as a sixth defender or instead prefer to be an elite blueliner for a quarter of that time?

“I think you ought to be the sixth defenseman,” Dumba said. “I think 10, 12 years in the show, that’s the dream – to play and have a long career in the NHL. A lot of guys, sixth defensemen, you can make a living making that first pass and staying at home, or be the guy on the power play. Guys make careers out of that. I think I’d have to take that.”

Dumba can expect even more difficult questions in what will be an exhausting experience – both mentally and physically – as he enters the final stages as a draft eligible prospect.

Come Back Story - Road to London: Brittany Rogers

Positive Mind Set, Facing Adversity, Believing, Over Coming - Great Story!

Sarah Robinson, CTVOlympics.ca Staff

Miracles in sports have become so clichéd, the word usually attracts more eye-rolls than believers.

But Canadian gymnast Brittany Rogers doesn’t shy away from the term when describing her improbable return to gymnastics.

Rogers broke her inner ankle bone at the 2010 Pacific Rim Championships in Australia on a faulty double pike dismount from the balance beam.

The 18-year-old from Coquitlam, B.C. thought her gymnastics career was over.

“Not being able to do gymnastics is something I can’t explain, it was like losing someone I love,” said Rogers. “But it was a good lesson I learned. When it was taken away from me, I realized how much I really love the sport.”

Rogers saw two different surgeons, who both advised a cast on her ankle to allow it to heal over a two-month period.

But the bone did not heal.

Rogers sought a third opinion from Dr. Dory Boyer, an orthopedic surgeon based in New Westminster, B.C., who was also the medical services manager for the Vancouver Organizing Committee during the 2010 Winter Games.

Dr. Boyer got Rogers into surgery and put a pin in her ankle bone to keep it together. He also removed bone chips that had been floating around her ankle and preventing her from moving it.

That Christmas, eight months after sustaining the injury that had threatened to end her career, Rogers started to walk again.

“It was my Christmas miracle,” she said. “[My ankle] was sore and a little weak, but I could deal with that, because I knew I was on my way back to gymnastics.”

Rogers credits Dr. Boyer for her recovery, who she says has become a good friend. The two still keep regular appointments to monitor her ankle, but Rogers says she also visits Dr. Boyer for mental support.

“He’s the only one who knows what it’s really like, because he’s actually been inside my ankle,” said Rogers. “I honestly wouldn’t be here without him and his surgery.”

Rogers returned to competition at the 2011 Canadian Gymnastics Championships in Charlottetown, P.E.I.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been so nervous,” said Rogers. “I felt like I was a novice again.”

She ended up placing fourth in the all-around competition.

“I didn’t have any expectations for myself,” she added. “It was nice to just go out there and do it for myself and come back from such a big injury.”

Rogers has come a long way since making her big comeback. She helped the Canadian team to an Olympic berth at the Test Event in January, and now has her sights set on making the women’s artistic gymnastics Olympic team.

She has reached the podium in almost every event in which she has competed this year; most notably with three apparatus gold medals: two for uneven bars, one on floor. She is currently ranked eighth in the world on vault by gymnastics’ international governing body, FIG.

Most recently, Rogers added to an impressive season by taking home a silver medal on vault and finishing sixth all-around at the 2012 Canadian Gymnastics Championships in Regina last week.

The results of the competition make up 40 per cent of the Olympic selection committee’s decision when selecting members of the national team. The remaining 60 per cent is based on the Olympic selection camp in Gatineau, Que. at the end of June, with results from other meets throughout the year also taken into account.

“Even if I don’t make the team, I did help qualify the team for the Olympics. Whatever happens, I’m just happy that I’ve contributed this much, this far,” said Rogers. “I’m in love with gymnastics, and it’s kind of hard to explain love, whether it’s in relationships or sports.

“It’s been such a struggle, I think it’s kind of made me who I am today. I wouldn’t trade that for the world.”

Anyways!

Fantastic Read!!

The Paradoxical Commandments were written in 1968 by Kent Keith and are contained in a book called AnyWay
 
People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you have anyway.

I truly believe this is what keeps me teaching/coaching. Be true to yourself and always do the right thing. Keep your integrity!

What You Should Know About Asthma

According to WebMD, nearly 6.5 million children suffer from asthma.  The incidents of the disorder, which is characterized by difficulty breathing, shortness of breath and wheezing, has nearly doubled since 1980 in individuals under the age of 18.  While scientists race to discover the reasons for the sharp increase, many child athletes suffer with the condition.  The following article offers tips for helping child athletes live and play with asthma.
 

1. Be aware of asthma
Coaches of any sport requiring substantial lung capacity should be aware of asthma as a potential problem for their athletes. In addition to watching our known asthmatic athletes closely, we need to stay alert for undiagnosed asthma. In particular, look for well-conditioned athletes who occasionally appear slower, mentally sluggish, or out of wind. They might actually be having an asthmatic episode without being aware of it. Suggest a doctor visit for these athletes.

2. Get educated – and be prepared
Asthma can be managed effectively with a team approach. Poll your athletes and/or parents to determine whether any of your athletes have asthma. Then work with the athlete and parent to create an asthma management plan. This plan should cover what medicines the athlete should take if under duress and when help should be called. In addition, coaches should be aware of conditions that can trigger asthma attacks so that steps can be taken to help the athlete avoid problems.

3. Be supportive
It is vitally important for coaches to support their asthmatic athletes. Many athletes will try to cover up their asthma for fear of losing their position or being viewed as a ‘health liability.’

If the Jackie Joyner Kersey’s of the world hide their asthma, what about the average athlete who wants to make a good impression? He or she is likely to hide or ignore symptoms to avoid looking weak or out of shape. An athlete hiding asthma can end up with a serious attack leading to hospitalization or even death. This is always tragic because it is so unnecessary.

It is imperative that coaches work with their athletes to help them manage their asthma. When we become partners with our asthmatic athletes, we not only keep them safe, we help them perform to the best of their ability. There are countless highly successful athletes playing at all levels of sport today. Most of them are achieving their best with the help of a caring and supportive coach.

Editors Note: A special thanks to Elevating Athletes for this article.

It’s a Small World

The world of hockey is a small one given that, in Squirt through Midget, you play in age groups consisting of two birth years. You are always either a first-year or second-year—kind of like always being either a freshman or a senior in high school. But you only have to endure one freshman year in high school. And you only get to be a senior in high school once (one hopes). In hockey, however, you go through this cycle four or five times. And people remember from year to year, and team to team, how you handle it. 
 
Second-year players, and even second-year parents, can be cocky. They’re sure they’re going to make the team they want, and they’re not sure those first-year players belong. Or, they’re not happy with the team they did make and don’t want to play with those lowly first years. 

Last year, at Squirt tryouts, the first-year players and parents (who had never been through tryouts) were shocked at this dynamic. The second-year players seemed to have no idea that the first-year players could make their team now—and every-other year into the future. As parents of both age groups stood by the glass, commenting on players, they, too, seemed to have no idea that the people surrounding them would be coming and going from their lives over the better part of the next decade.

The reality is, if your child continues to play hockey, you will be spending a lot of time with players and parents either one year older or one year younger. Eventually, most families look forward to rejoining certain players, coaches and parents from year to year, and the two-year age groups become one of the best things about hockey. 

Editor’s Note: Thank you to Kelly Anton, executive editor of Grow the Game, for this story.

Are Elite Athletes Ready to Fail?

What if failure and winning go hand in hand similar to peanut butter and chocolate? At first glance it appears to be an odd match. So many highly talented athletes needed to experience failure in order to become great. Whether it is in sports, business or life, failure is necessary for the really BIG goals.

Failure has a purpose:

• Deepens commitment
• Offers invaluable lessons
• Leads to course corrections
• Builds resiliency
• Learns how to cope with adversity

No one likes a sore loser. The ability for athletes to fail gracefully is admirable. It lights your fire to deeply commit to excellence.

Lance Arnstrong was unexpectedly diagnosed with cancer in the prime of his career. To discover his testicular cancer had spread to his lungs and brains was shocking. This would have been the end for many of us. Then he had to battle cancer not once but twice.

Because of his experience Armstrong quickly reset his priorities. Mindset. Armstrong was forced to release old beliefs which would free him up for greater achievements. His health failure led to innovation. Suddenly his world, as he knew it, didn’t exist anymore. The old beliefs transitioned into stepping stones for a new higher level of commitment. His entire approach to cycling, racing and life transformed.

Lance Armstrong states, ”I can now say that my life is better because of my cancer experience.

Though I wouldn’t wish it for anyone, I believe I appreciate my life in a completely new and better way because I faced cancer and was lucky enough to survive.”

Athletes and coaches have it all wrong. You don’t want to view failure as the end result. A stopping point. Viewing it from a black and white perspective of good or bad is limiting.

When coaches, parents and teams judge success solely from their wins, they are missing the bigger picture. This narrow view boxes you in. When the focus is only about winning you are robbed from taking risks.

Why take risks? Because it influences change. Experimentation, along with risk-taking, lead to innovation. Combining what you know along with the unknown expands your belief of what is possible. Successful athletes refuse to settle for mediocrity. It is the excitement of pushing the envelope, exploring the limits of your capabilities, which redefine you.
Risk taking, being innovative, frees up your energy.

• Embrace change
• Act despite fear
• Trust in others, and in yourself.
• Honesty about limiting beliefs
• Shedding excuses

Take a new perspective. Become innovative. Just like a scientist search for the solution to your biggest challenge. The field. The court. The rink is your laboratory. Be receptive to testing new approaches during practice. Next develop the right combination of mindset, skill set and action to build toward breakthrough performance. How would that change things for you?

Even at NASA, after the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, their researchers adopted a new mindset. They are now excited about failure. Playing it safe led to mistakes which slowed down progress. The new protocol encourages failure. While testing experimental spacecraft they actually cheer when a multi million dollar test rocket explodes. It is seen as being innovative.

Pushing the envelope to set new world records requires risk. Risk requires innovation. So I challenge you to crush your old meaning of failure. It will set you apart from the rest of the competition. Why wait for someone else to set the standard when you can claim it first?

Take a bold stance to discover your ideal approach. Be creative. Make it fun. Access your intuition and listen to your gut. Liberate yourself from the standard, the usual and customary to become a high performing athlete.

Become an innovative athlete; it’s okay to be scared. Although many athletes don’t recognize it they are highly creative. Conforming to the rules just goes against the nature of creative personalities. What is exciting is experiencing ongoing transformation, the game of innovation. When you can wrap your head around this mindset, you will blow the competition away.

Challenge: Make the decision to be innovative. What would that look like in your sport? How would that free up your creative energy to try something new? List all the fearful thoughts preventing you from taking risks, possibly failing. How does it feel to do something if you’re unsure of the outcome? Close your eyes and see yourself taking action despite the fear. How was that? Now close your eyes again and see yourself taking that same action with no fear. How was that different? My challenge for you is seeing yourself taking action with no fear over and over again in your mind’s eye until you believe it is possible.

Would you like to push the envelope and be more creative but the thought of being judged by your teammates, your coach or your friends is stopping you? Deep down you know there have been opportunities for you which you would have liked to take but didn’t because you avoid conflict. So when you see other athletes, who are not as talented as you, gaining momentum you wonder why that is occurring.

The Expert Sports Performance System is an easy step-by-step process helping you to focus your energy on high performance, building your confidence to give you a winning edge. Winners act with speed. If you are reading this and it feels true for you, then get in touch with Loren for a FREE Discovery Session at info@expertsportsperformance.com  

To watch the video click the link: http://expertsportsperformance.com/are-elite-athletes-ready-to-fail/#ixzz1viwQUM2w

Parentectomy

Recently I was fortunate enough to spend some time at the College Hockey Coaches convention in Naples, Florida. It was great to spend some time away from a rink with coaches and get an insight into some of their thinking.

While talking with one of the very well known coaches from a major division one school about a possible recruit for their program, I heard him describe the player in a very unique way.   He said to me, "yes we really like him a lot as a player but we are going to pass.....he needs a major Parentectomy....." It took me a very short time to realize that they were not going to offer him a scholarship because of the actions of his parents.....
It got me thinking quite a bit about the recruiting and scouting process of young players and how many different factors can affect the situation. I thought I would share this with everyone.

One of the most important factors that schools and junior programs do consider is what is the players' family like? Specifically what are the parents like?

I discussed it with our staff we decided to come up with five simple points of advice for parents. Specifically parents who have young players that are getting to that 14-15 year old age when the recruitment and scouting process starts to pick up and the game seems to change from just a game to a business opportunity for some. 
This is only our opinion and advice we are offering. We are parents too and have made many mistakes just like everyone else so take from it what you will. We have seen many players get recruited successfully and there are some common traits. Hopefully it helps prevent any more Parentectomies....

If you want more input please feel free to contact us anytime.

The five suggestions for Parents are:

1. Take a step back.
Be suggestive and be supportive but allow your young athlete to research things and make their own decisions concerning where to play and which route to travel. Trust their instincts. You've done an amazing job getting them to this point. Let it go a bit now, step back and watch the results of your good parenting. Enjoy the product of all the countless hours you spent driving all over the country drinking bad coffee and sitting in cold arenas spending time with your child. Let them begin to make their own decisions. It will then be their responsibility to make it work and usually they do.

2. The coach/gm is always right.
Always, always, always, always......Even when you don't agree with them and know they are wrong. I know how hard this can be for some parents to hear or agree with but trust me. A coach who has had his feathers ruffled by a parent can do more harm to a player in a thirty second conversation with a scout than any bad game or tournament can do. Scouts and recruiters are going to talk to these people and listen to what the coach has to say over anyone else 98% of the time.  They rarely will ever listen to what a parent has to say so stay away from them. The best thing you can ever do at this point is keep a great relationship with the coach.

3. Remember, there are more important things in life than hockey.
I know this is where we might lose some people, but it is very important. We try to encourage parents to remember, this is about what your student athlete is going to be like at age 19 and 20 not at 14. Their journey is not complete. It hss only just begun......help them become well rounded. Encourage other interests and challenges. Take good breaks from the game that will keep them hungry to play. Young players can burn and fizzle out from too much pressing and pushing. Also be aware that no matter how good they are, and I mean even if they are hall of fame caliber players, they will not be playing when they are forty years old. 

4. Encourage them to work as hard away from the rink as they do at it.
Too much time, money and resources are wasted on showcases, tryouts and many things that rarely pay off. Invest in a good marketing plan for the player. Build a resume and bio that stand out from the rest. Make sure you have the right schooling and class requirements.  Get powerful letters of reference from people that are not involved in hockey as well. Tell them to think of it like they are a lawyer. Tell them to build their case. They are going to trial and better be prepared. Remember these numbers. There are roughly 28,000 high school senior age boys registered to play hockey with USA Hockey. There are 59 Division I teams and 77 Division III teams. Each of those bring on average 6 new players a season to their rosters and about half of those are from the US… that means only 408 of the 28,000 registered players will get their chance to play in college. That represents roughly 1.5% of registered players. I'd say it's pretty competitive.

5. Enjoy the Process.
It should not be stressful. It goes very fast.....These are the last few seasons you will spend at the rink with your child. Be positive. It will be one of the last lessons you pass on to them. Positive, fun people get recruited way more!!!!! Think about it, who would you rather spend four years with......?

WHL - NCAA Camp Checklist

While playing in a Canadian Hockey League game will cost a prospect his NCAA eligibility, there is still the opportunity to attend a camp to learn more about a CHL team while retaining amateur status.

What comes in to play is often called the "48-hour rule," and can be easy to misinterpret. The full language in the NCAA Manual is pasted at the bottom of this article and, as you'll see, can be a bit unwieldy.

In plain English, any player who wants to consider the U.S. college hockey option and the opportunity to get your education paid for while pursuing an NHL career needs to remember a few things before attending:

1.            You may have a team cover the cost of one tryout for up to 48 hours

A CHL team may cover necessary expenses for you to attend a tryout for up to 48 hours (including transportation, lodging, meals, etc.). The 48-hour period begins when you arrive at the tryout location. This is a one-time allowance per team and can be used for a training camp or rookie camp.

2.            You may attend for more than 48 hours, but need to cover costs

Should you wish to extend your stay at a CHL training camp beyond 48 hours, you need to be prepared to cover costs from that point on (including transportation home).

3.             Do not compete in scrimmages or games against other teams.

While attending CHL camps prospects may participate in practices and intrasquad scrimmages, but may not face off against players or prospects representing another CHL team, even in an exhibition game.

4.            Don't rush into any decisions

If you were drafted in the CHL in the spring and are attending camp as a 15- or 16-year-old, your chances of earning a regular spot in the CHL are likely slim. Maintaining your NCAA eligibility for another year will give you more time to evaluate your options and make a well informed decision for your future ? while likely not affecting your plans for this season at all.

5.            Do not sign a contract with a CHL team.

A contract with a CHL team is considered a professional contract by the NCAA and therefore jeopardizes a prospect's eligibility. It's best not to sign any agreement with a CHL team; an exception is filling out a simple tryout form with basic information.

6.            Do not interpret a lack of calls from colleges as a lack of interest.

Colleges, by NCAA rule, cannot contact student-athletes prior to June 15 of their grade 10 year of high school. Unless you have visited a coach on campus or reached out to them on your own, you may be drafted into the CHL without ever talking to a college coach ? but that doesn?t mean they won?t be interested. College coaches want to attract the best players from both the U.S. and Canada, typically many of the same players that OHL, WHL and QMJHL teams select in their drafts.

7.            Do not violate NCAA rules by accepting gifts from CHL teams.

If a CHL team gives you a jersey or other gifts you should be prepared to either return those items or compensate the team appropriately.

Being invited to a CHL training camp can be a great validation of your skills as a hockey player and a good sign of things to come in your hockey career. That career will include a number of choices along the way - we would encourage you to keep your options open so that you have the opportunity to make the best choices for you.

If you have any questions about attending a CHL camp and maintaining your NCAA eligibility, feel free to contact College Hockey, Inc.

From the NCAA Manual

12.2.1.1 Tryout Before Enrollment-Men's Ice Hockey and Skiing. In men's ice hockey and skiing, a student-athlete remains eligible in a sport even though, prior to enrollment in a collegiate institution, the student-athlete may have tried out with a professional athletics team in a sport or received not more than one expense-paid visit from each professional team (or a combine including that team), provided such a visit did not exceed 48 hours and any payment or compensation in connection with the visit was not in excess of actual and necessary expenses. The 48-hour tryout period begins at the time the individual arrives at the tryout location. At the completion of the 48-hour period, the individual must depart the location of the tryout immediately in order to receive return transportation expenses. A tryout may extend beyond 48 hours if the individual self finances additional expenses, including return transportation. A self-financed tryout may be for any length of time.