Between the ages of 10 and 14, the human body undergoes tremendous physical changes. Players at these ages often struggle to regain coordination lost through growth spurts or to take advantage of new abilities arising from an increase in muscle, height and bone mass. During this time, it is vital that players seek a broad diversity of athletic experiences to fully develop their capabilities. As body changes slow past the age of 14, players can begin more specialization. Paul Hornung, Heisman Trophy winner and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, advises young athletes to delay specialization for the following reasons:

• Each sport develops different physical skills, coordination and conditioning—all of which will result in overall athletic growth.
• Each sport requires a different mental approach, yields a variety of experiences and breeds discipline that can be applied to other sports.
• A variety of coaches, in different sports, can provide a broader background of fundamentals, strategies and performance tips.
• Playing different sports can help youngsters avoid mental burnout, injuries and a sport becoming work, instead of fun.
• Playing different sports early on can give athletes an edge, because of their well-rounded experiences, when they are forced to specialize later on.
• Besides playing different organized sports, young athletes should have time to play plenty of pick-up games for fun and peer competition, with no adult supervision, because these promote creativity and freedom to improve, instead of the pressure to always successfully perform.

The sports learning process should be similar to the one that kids go through in school where class time is divided among many subjects. Parents should encourage their kids to seek this variety of sports education knowing that the more well-rounded they are with all skills, the better kids will play in any sport they choose.

Editor’s Note: This article is an excerpt from the booklet Sports and Your Child by Frank L. Smoll and Ronald E. Smith.

• Pucks with nicknames: If you’re under a time or money crunch, the easiest trophy is a puck emblazoned with a thoughtful nickname from the coach or coaches. If your association has pucks, spring for those. If not, you can print large mailing labels and trim them for the front of the puck. On the back, use a metallic Sharpie to write the player’s name, number and nickname: Little Big Man, Gentle Giant, The Bus, etc. Explain the nickname as you hand out the pucks.
• Logo hockey items: Work with your association’s embroidery person to get the players personalized skate towels, stick bags, garment bags for jerseys, backpacks or even full hockey bags. Include the logo; team name, level and year; and player name and number. These items are not only useful for hockey, but they help keep players keep track of their own stuff. Some of these things can get expensive, so check with the parents to see if they need them and if they can afford them.
• Logo clothing: Do teens ever have enough hoodies? No. A side benefit: Logo hockey items and clothing help market youth hockey in general and your association in particular.
• Picture gifts: You can slap a picture on just about anything these days. If you have a decent photographer on the team or pictures from a tournament, make sure you have one of each player and then order posters to frames, plaques, luggage tags or photo albums. For girls, try photo tote bags, key chains or charm bracelets (www.snapfish.com). A unique photo gift is a cut-out of the player on a photo wall decal, which can be stuck to a shower door, room door or any wall surface (www.jambellies.com or www.customsportsproducts.com).

Whatever type of “trophy” you choose, remember that encouraging words from the coaches about the player’s and team’s progress over the year mean more than anything.

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

Everything you need to know about hockey calls but are embarrassed to ask.

What you need to know about roughing: Officially called “Unnecessary Roughness” as in football, roughing is one of those penalties that a referee knows when he sees it. In leagues without checking—such as girls’ teams, some men’s leagues and Squirt and under—a body check will garner a roughing penalty as will shoving, elbowing and punching. (A body check is basically a body slam with a lot of rules attached that make it a “clean hit” or a “dirty hit.”) In leagues with checking, you still see plenty of roughing penalties due to shoving, elbowing and punching after—or instead of—a check. Surefire ways to get a roughing call include scrapping after the whistle is blown (i.e., right in front of the referee) and flagrant retaliation against an opponent.

The referee (the official with the orange arm bands) uses a punching motion out to the side to indicate a roughing call. Roughing can result in a minor, double minor or major penalty at the referee’s discretion—basically, a whole lot of time in the penalty box and/or out of the game. Why not just call it fighting if players are throwing punches? Generally, if the players don’t drop their gloves, it is not considered fighting.

What else is there to know? For example, what happens if you “accidentally” check a referee? You can find other details on pages 91-92 of the 2007–09 Official Rules of Ice Hockey booklet available at www.usahockey.com (pdf).

See it in action:

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

According to Ricci:

• Focus on Fun: When selecting what hockey camp to attend, please consider a camp that promises two things: fun and hockey skills. I think fun is the most important consideration and many parents forget this part. This is a “summer hockey camp,” so please remember that it is summer and it is a camp, so it should fun. If the player is not having fun, the learning part will not reach its maximum potential.
• Fundamentals are Key: This game is all about skating and puck control skills. I encourage you to look for a camp that will teach your player the fundamentals of all skills, offer repetition of puck and skating skills, and improve on their existing skills—plus correct anything that might be wrong with a player’s skills.
• Checking Camp is Crucial: At the PeeWee level, checking skills and body contact drills become very important. It is imperative that players are properly taught how to give and receive checks. It will help their confidence immensely when they transition from Squirts to PeeWees.

When reviewing camp information, compare the following:

• Instructors’ qualifications, experience and character as role models
• Instructor-to-player ratio (6 or 7 kids per coach is good; the important thing is that the coaches who are there interact with the kids)
• Availability of off-ice training
• Price (a general guideline is $25-$30 per hour of camp; costs vary by location)
• Schedule: Are there many choices to work around your busy schedule
• Camp choices: General or specific skill development
• Convenience: Can we get there easily, on time?
• Fun: Is it marketed as fun? Will my kid want to come back next summer?

Ricci concludes that the best way to find out which camps are beneficial to player development is by word of mouth from other hockey parents. If their kids attended the camp, ask them if they enjoyed it. Ricci also recommends a less structured three-on-three or four-on-four summer league: “It will allow players to develop their skills, be creative and not feel the pressure of negative feedback from a coach if a mistake is made.”

Editor’s Note: Thank you to Angelo Ricci for providing information for this article. Ricci is founder, head instructor and consultant for Ricci Hockey Consulting (www.riccihockey.com). With 20+ years experience as a skills and stickhandling coach, he conducts/oversees more than 40 programs year-round that develop over 1,000 players each year.

Friday, March 12

Noon  – 2 PM: Meet some of the USA Hockey coaching and development leadership group.  They can answer any questions you may have about the new ADM (American Development Model), CEP (Coaching Education Program),  and other coaching related topics.  Scheduled to appear include:

Mark Tabrum – Director, Coaching Education Program

Guy Gosselin – USA Hockey Regional Manager, American Development Model

Mike MacMillan – USA Hockey Coach-in-Chief, Minnesota District

Terry Evavold – Minnesota Hockey ACE Coordinator

Noon – 4 PM: Dennis Green, President of Minnesota Hockey.  Dennis is in the final year of his Presidency which began in 2002.  Dennis is available to talk about anything Minnesota Hockey related including District Reorganization, the new Participation Rule, or whatever puck related topics you want to discuss.

4 PM – 6 PM: Meet some of the Minnesota Hockey leadership group that is responsible for hockey education throughout Minnesota.  They can answer any questions you may have about HEP (Hockey Education Program), ACE(Association Coaching and Education) or just coaching philosophies in general.  Scheduled to appear include:

Barry Ford – Vice President, Hockey Operations

Hal Tearse – Minnesota Hockey Coach-in-Chief

Terry Evavold – Minnesota Hockey ACE Coordinator

Dave Margenau – Minnesota Hockey Vice President and HEP Director

Saturday, March 13

Noon – 2 PM: For young hockey players in Minnesota, the Reebok Minnesota Hockey High Performance Advanced Programs are the premier way to ensure that a player reaches his or her full potential. The Programs both develop and identify the best hockey players in Minnesota in the 15, 16, 17, and 18 year old age groups.   Representatives of the Programs will be available to answer questions about how to participate and what the Programs entail.

Noon – 4 PM: Dennis Green, President of Minnesota Hockey.  Dennis is in the final year of his Presidency which began in 2002.  Dennis is available to talk about anything Minnesota Hockey related including District Reorganization, the new Participation Rule, or whatever puck related topics you want to discuss.

2 PM – 5 PM: Toni Boelter, USA Disabled Hockey Director for the Minnesota District, along with some Disabled Hockey athletes will be on hand proving that hockey truly is for everyone!  Learn about sled hockey, special hockey, and stand-up amputee hockey, all played right here in Minnesota!

MSBN will bring live audio play-by-play of the quarterfinals, semifinals, third place games and championship games of two youth and two girls’ state tournaments: the Bantam A State Tournament in Richfield will have an added feature being live Video play by play, the Pee Wee A tournament in Faribault, the Girls 14 & Under A tournament in Cloquet, and the girls 12 & Under A tournament in Cottage Grove.  In all, 32 games will be broadcast under the agreement between MSBN and Minnesota Hockey.

This is the third year that MSBN has brought live coverage of Minnesota Hockey sanctioned events; MSBN originally broadcast the championship brackets of the Bantam A State Tournament in 2008 from Braemar Arena in Edina.

“MSBN is very excited to once again be able to bring extensive coverage of these four great Minnesota Hockey state tournaments this year,” said Sid Thompson, the Vice President Sales and Director of Partnerships for the Minnesota Sports Broadcast Network.  “Having grown up playing hockey we know the passion for the sport of hockey in Minnesota is unparalleled, from the college and professional hockey down to the youth and high school ranks.  To be able to bring these tournaments to fans interested in the next generation of hockey in Minnesota is a great opportunity for MSBN, Minnesota Hockey, and most importantly the fans of this great game.”

Mike Snee, the Executive Director of Minnesota Hockey, also was very excited about the broadcasts.  “The response we received from last year’s broadcast was strong and it made sense to renew our partnership this year.” said Snee.  “Many people interested in these games – family members, friends, community residents – that aren’t able to be at the rink can now experience these tournaments from anywhere.”

MSBN’s coverage of all four state tournaments will begin with the quarterfinal games at 12:00 pm on March 19 from all four sites, with the semifinals on March 20, and the third place games and championships on March 21.  A complete schedule is below, with all four state tournaments following the same scheduling format.

MSBN-MINNESOTA HOCKEY BROADCAST SCHEDULE, MARCH 19-21

The Minnesota Sports Broadcast Network, www.MnSportsNetwork.com , is a Minnesota based web broadcasting company started in September 2005 to broadcast and promote high school, college, and professional athletics. Since its inception, MSBN has broadcast more than 2,000 events in the state of Minnesota, including extensive coverage of Minnesota State High School League regular-season and post-season athletic events, University of St. Thomas and Concordia St. Paul athletics, American Legion Central Plains Regional, Minnesota Junior Hockey League, Minnesota Hockey youth tournaments, and Northwoods League Baseball. Check www.MnSportsNetwork.com for broadcast information including start times and game summaries, including broadcast information for all 2010 Minnesota high school state tournaments, including the 2010 Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournament March 10-13, Girls State Basketball Tournament March 17-20, and Boys Basketball Tournament March 24-27.

Minnesota Hockey, a USA Hockey affiliate, is the governing body of youth hockey in Minnesota and the largest in the United States.  For additional information on Minnesota Hockey and its programs go to www.MinnesotaHockey.org.

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• Don’t try to hide an injury. Report the injury to the coach or trainer.

• Don’t apply treatment other than simple first aid until a specific diagnosis has been made by the trainer or a doctor.

• Don’t apply heat to an injury without orders from the doctor. A common but mistaken belief is that heat helps a new injury. By increasing swelling, it can actually make things worse rather than better.

• Don’t use an injured part if it hurts. More pain means more injury.

• Don’t take any drugs unless they are prescribed by a physician.

• Don’t tape or splint an injured part without specific instructions from a doctor.

• Don’t go back to practice or competition until you have full range of motion, full strength (both sides are equally strong), and full function of the injured part.

The quickest and safest way to get back into active participation is to limit activity as long as there is any pain or swelling, then to follow rigidly a prescribed rehabilitation program, which will include a schedule of special exercises.

Editor’s Note: For more information please refer to the Minnesota Hockey Sports and Your Child booklet.

“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.

Goal! Everyone knows what a goal looks like, right? Well, maybe not. At a recent tournament, I saw the puck bounce off the back of the net and pop back out of the goal. The referee didn’t call a goal or no goal — in fact, he didn’t event seem to notice. This happened twice that weekend, leading me to believe that the puck had to eventually land on the ice to count. Later, I found out the real problem: The referee actually did not see it happen. And with the puck back in play, the scoring team had no proof they scored.

This got me thinking — what is actually considered a goal? And what isn’t?

What you need to know about goals vs. no goals: To count as a goal, the puck needs to entirely cross the red line in front of the net. Usually, the puck is hit in by a player’s stick, but it might also bounce off a player on offense or defense on the way to the net. (It cannot, however, bounce off an official.) Even if the puck goes in, the referee can call no goal if the offensive player kicks the puck with a skate, hits the puck with a hand, hits the puck with a high stick, or is in the crease. The referee (the official with the orange arm bands) makes the decision about goals, not the linesman. Pointing at the net indicates a goal while the “washout” symbol indicates no goal.

What else is there to know? For example, if the net is dislodged or the goaltender is interfered with, it’s no goal. You can find other details on pages 69–70 of the 2007–09 Official Rules of Ice Hockey booklet available at www.usahockey.com (pdf).

To see it in action, keep your eyes on the referee in this video:

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