Train this Summer with the Ultimate Dryland Training Kit!

Everything you need to start agility and fitness training with your hockey team or at home. Speed hurdles for agility, reaction balls for reaction and eye-and-hand coordination, agility ladder for quick feet drills, saucer cones for shuttle runs and slaloms, and skipping ropes for cardio. The kit includes a bonus DVD of training and agility exercises for all of the above and stability balls as well.

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Tartan Thank Woodbury Player’s Dad for Military Service

Dear Tom Slaird: I noticed that you have a coaches appreciation dinner planned in the near future. My son played for the Woodbury 16U team this last season. I would like for you to send out a special thanks to the Tartan 16U coaching staff for all that they have done this season for the youth who play at this level.

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How to Prevent Heat Illness and Dehydration

You hear it all the time: Drink more water! Stay hydrated! But how do you know when kids are becoming dehydrated? Just how much water do they need? And is water the best thing? Hydration is key to performance  in the hot summer sun both in off-season sports as well as hockey. Read on for details. Read more

Total Hockey: Vapor X:60 Protective

Overview: The Vapor X:60 shoulder, shin and elbow pads allow the quick, agile player to reach their peak performance. This line is designed to fit the needs of the quick, light-footed player. The focus of the Vapor line is mobility, which means comfort and weight are very important features of the line. Additionally, this series was designed to be breathable both during and after use. Read more

Glossary: The Slot

When you put a coin in a slot, you expect something good to happen—you get to make a phone call (remember payphones?), choose a piece of candy, buy a soda. It’s the same in the hockey: good things happen from the slot. That’s why hockey play-by-play, coaching and general chatter is chockfull of excited references to the “slot.” If you don’t know what the slot is, it’s hard to tell what they’re talking about much less why they’re so excited about it. And coaches, players and fans have good reason to be excited about the slot as it’s the area from which most goals are scored.

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How—and When—to Master the Slapshot

Having trouble with the slapshot? You’re not alone. In fact, it may be the most difficult shot to master because there’s so much to learn. It’s not just aim and shoot—you have to hold the stick at just the right spot and then properly wind up, position your feet, contact the ice (first) and connect with the puck. Clearly, the more there is to learn, the more things that can go wrong. To help, I’ve compiled the top 4 most common errors players make when learning the slapshot.

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