Q&A: How Do I Motivate Players to Give 100% Against Lesser Opponents?
Keeping players motivated when they are playing a “not as skilled” team can be difficult. Hockey expert and author, John Shorey, provides an answer to this reader submitted question:
How to Excel in a Face-Off
The whistle blows and the puck is dropped. The fastest and most skilled player is about to win the hockey face-off. The following article provides great tips and advice to beat your opponent in the face-off so that your team gains control of the puck.
Video: Learn the Important Art of Checking
Checking is a key defensive technique, that if done correctly can mean the difference between time in the penalty box and gaining control of the puck.
Learn Proper Wrist Shot Technique
The wrist shot is probably the most effective shot in hockey. It is a very accurate shot and it can be released fairly quickly. This is the shot that a player should learn first. While not as fast as the slap shot, with practice, proper technique and upper body strength, the wrist shot can be very powerful.
8 Practical Tips to Help Your Player Overcome a Loss
Any athlete who plays a sport long enough is going to lose their share of games – and sometimes lose badly. Handling these losses is actually a more important lesson than learning to handle wins. A player’s reaction to a loss has a huge impact on their long term success. Here are eight great tips to help your player when the game just doesn’t go their way: Read more
The Secret to Becoming a Better Hockey Player
Players don’t just get better. They improve at many small things that add up to an overall better player. For example, passing requires improving at things like vision, timing, balance, speed and decision making. If players improve in all of these areas, then they become better passers.
8 Practical Tips to Help Your Player Overcome a Loss
Any athlete who plays a sport long enough is going to lose their share of games, and sometimes lose badly. Handling these losses is actually a more important lesson than learning to handle wins. A player’s reaction to a loss has a huge impact on their long term success. Here are eight great tips to help your player when the game just doesn’t go their way:
What to do When Your Child Doesn’t Hustle
Sooner or later, every parent will have to face the perceived shame and humiliation caused by a child who didn’t “hustle” during a game. Most of the other parents will be polite and say things like “Is your child feeling okay?” or “Hope everything is okay at home.” Some parents will suggest private lessons or maybe even other teams to play on, but most will be quiet and avoid direct eye contact. When this happens, parents can either put on a brave face and laugh off the comments, or just pretend to be on their cell phone while quickly walking their child to the car. When confronted with too much shame and humiliation, parents quit youth sports and never return.
Rethinking the Idea that “Losing Only Teaches You How to Lose”
America prides itself on all forms of competition and tracking wins and losses is an ingrained part of the nation’s character. This winning attitude should be carried over into youth sports. However, without understanding what it is we are trying to win, we run the risk of losing and losing big.
The Importance of Teaching Your Player to Deal with Competition
Though competition for adults is often about more substantive matters, competition is most intense and pronounced in kids. Every day, kids compete to:
