Knowing and Accepting Team Roles – Part 3 of 3

Understanding and accepting roles is one of the biggest areas for developing a successful team. This is Part 3 of the article “Knowing and Accepting Team Roles.” In this article we discuss getting your players to appreciate their role on the team.

Role Appreciation

Perhaps the biggest key leading to your players’ accepting their roles is role appreciation. What you are trying to do is to create a sense of pride in playing a role. You want each player to understand the contribution that they make to the team and to take pride in it, regardless of whether it is valued by the fans or the media. Phil Jackson acknowledged the importance of role playing in his book Sacred Hoops. “I knew that the only way to win consistently was to give everybody - from the stars to the number 12 player on the bench - a vital role on the team.”

Nails and Glue Awards

Getting people to accept roles requires that you appreciate them. By appreciating them for playing roles, your players begin to understand that their role is valued and ultimately important to the team’s reaching its common goal. As Rick Pitino says, “Recognize the people who get less attention in the group because they’re not in the glamorous positions. Thank them publicly for their unselfishness and do it in front of their peers.” While the fans and media may overlook some vital roles, you can appreciate them in a more effective way through team awards.

One such award that I have developed with teams is called the “Nails” award and the “Glue” award. We created the Nails award to acknowledge and appreciate the mental toughness of the player(s) who is “mentally tough as nails.” The award is given on a weekly basis and is voted on by the team. The players are not allowed to vote for themselves. The Glue award focuses on team aspects and is symbolized by the “glue that binds the team together.” The players vote for the teammate who had the best team attitude demonstrated by encouraging his/her teammates and/or making individual sacrifices.

You can create various awards for whatever roles you deem important to your team’s success - like recognizing the player with the most rebounds, assists, charges taken, or screens. Let your players come up with the names for the award. You can either determine your award based on objective stats or have your team vote for the player they felt did the best job. Announce the award at practice, put up a sheet on the player’s locker, and add his/her name to the main award list in the locker room.

Summary

Your team’s success relies on your ability to get your players to understand and accept their roles. Use the previous suggestions to help you define and appreciate each player’s role, and soon your team will be on a roll!

Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Jeff Janssen and Steve Horan of PositiveSports.net for the above article.

Fundraising Efforts: Motivating Your Participants

The key to fundraising success is encouraging and motivating your participants. This entails getting both parents and athletes on board!  Below are tips for motivating parents and athletes for your next fundraiser. Here are some great tips for motivation:

Start Off on the Right Foot

A great way to get things started is with a fundraising kick-off. A kick-off is a gathering of your group to officially launch the start of your fundraiser. Make this a memorable event by arriving with a positive and energetic attitude. You can even make it into a small party to get things going.

The key to starting off right is all about attitude and energy. Your kick-off will set the tone for your entire fundraiser, so show your team spirit!

Incentives and Prize Programs

Some programs come with free prize programs. These are great motivators to help you succeed, and if you use your imagination, you can organize your own prize and incentive programs as well

– Individual Success: Award prizes for individual achievements.

– Top Sellers: Award prizes to the person, team or classroom that raises the most money, or sells the most items.

– Prize Drawings: Participants can be entered into the prize drawing for selling a pre-determined amount. For example, 10 sales = 1 entry.

– Special Rewards: These are often the most effective motivators. You can offer a party if the group goal is met, have your coaches agree to coach a game in a silly costume, have a pizza lunch for the top selling classroom, or a week of no homework.

Editor’s Note: A special thanks to eFundraising.com for the above article.

Hockey Equipment 101– More Than a Pair of Skates

For those just starting out in a youth hockey program, the endless supply of equipment needs might seem overwhelming.  However, even seasoned players can become confused about the essential and non-essential equipment.  Here is a break down from HockeyX.com of the must-have equipment to include on your shopping list.  Use this handy checklist the next time you hit your local sporting goods store.

The biggest issue we encounter with new players or parents is the task of purchasing the right equipment. There are many different pieces and we now that it can feel overwhelming. For this reason we have designed this checklist to make it easy, fun and informative. There are many misconceptions about what is needed and not needed. This checklist will help you ensure that you or your child is adequately protected for the greatest game on earth. The two most important pieces of equipment is your helmet and skates. We always suggest that if you are going to spend an extra few dollars spend it in these areas.

Helmets

If you play in an organized league you will be required to have a HECC and CSA approved helmet. These certification standards mean that the helmet has been tested and meets the minimum standards. We only carry approved helmets because we believe that no matter what age you are, your head is the most important part of your body. All players under the age of 18 are required to wear a cage or full shield. We have a hard time understanding why anyone would stop using a cage or full shield once they are no longer required too. We suggest using a half shield at the least, to protect your eyes, at any age. 

Skates

Skates are the second most important piece of equipment. The biggest mistake we see is parents trying to buy a skate that is two sizes to big so their child can grow into them. Unfortunately this will hinder their skating ability and put them at a disadvantage.

Shin Pads

Shin pads are designed to protect the knee and shin from collisions, sticks and pucks. You can wear shin pads two different ways; a slightly longer shin pad that cover the outside of the top of the skate or slightly shorter that slide in behind the tongue. There is no right or wrong way; it is all at the preference of the player.

Elbow Pads

Elbow pads protect you in two ways. The fist is to protect your elbow from hard falls and impacts with the boards and other players. The second is to protect your forearms from sticks and pucks.

Shoulder Pads

Many people do not like shoulder pads as they used to be bulky and restrict movement. That is changing with some innovative designs. Shoulder pads are required for ice hockey except for adult non checking leagues. They are not required for roller hockey. Shoulder pads protect more than just your shoulders. Traditional shoulder pads will offer full body protection from your shoulders, to chest to the top of your arms. Newer styles are more like a shirt that fits snug and protects the chest and stomach only. These are designed for roller hockey.

Gloves

Gloves protect your hands, fingers and wrists. Some gloves will fit tighter to the hand and others will fit fairly loose. Again, this is a personal choice. 

Ice Hockey Pants

Ice hockey pants protect your thighs, hips and tailbone. More expensive pants will protect your lower back and kidneys also. Pants should fit comfortable around the waist and come down to the top of your shin pads.

Ice Hockey Socks

Socks are part of the uniform and cover the players shin guards. They are held in place with a garter belt or a jock short that have Velcro tabs for the socks to hook to.

Sticks, Shafts and Blades

Sticks range from an inexpensive wood stick to get started, to technological pieces of wonder. The options are more than plentiful. You can get a wood stick, composite stick or a composite shaft with a blade.

Jocks

There are 2 different styles of jocks. The first is the old school jock strap with cup. The second is a loose or compression short with a cup built in with Velcro tabs on the thighs to hold up ice socks if needed.

Mouth Pieces

Mouth pieces are becoming required in more leagues for players under 18. There are many different designs. Some styles are designed to protect from players from concussions or for players who wear braces to being gel moldable for the best in comfort.

Editor’s Note: Special thanks to HockeyX.com for this informative article.

How to Successfully Deal with Losses

Everyone wants to play on winning teams. Yet on any given day, half of all teams will lose or, at best, play to a tie. For parents of young athletes, dealing successfully with losses is a key factor that determines whether kids will continue playing sports past the current season. Before thinking about how to deal with losses, parents should consider the following questions to determine the differences between winning and losing teams.

1. A team wins a game and afterward a coach stands up and congratulates players on their hard work and accomplishments. When a team loses, what should a coach do?


2. A team wins a game and afterward parents congratulate their children on their efforts. When a team loses, what should parents do?


3. A team wins a game and afterward parents brag to family members about the play of their child. When a team loses, what should parents do?


4. A team wins a game and afterward parents thank the coach for his or her hard work and time. When a team loses, what should parents say?


5. A team wins a game and afterward parents encourage their children to try to better their performance. When a team loses, what should parents encourage?


6. A team wins a game and everyone goes out afterward and celebrates player accomplishments. When a team loses, what should everyone do?


7. A team wins and the next practice is devoted to improving player skills. When a team loses, what should practices focus on?


8. A team has a winning season and afterward the entire team gets together to remember memorable moments. When a team has a losing season, what should the team do?


9. A team has a winning season and afterward players sign up to play again next year. When a team has a losing season, what should players do?

The correct answer to all of the above is “the same thing.” Every game has a “scoring” outcome that is often determined by one player, one moment, or one mistake. Every game also has a “fun” outcome. As parents on winning teams often know, these two things are not related. The coaches and players may control the “scoring” outcome, but parents control the “fun” outcome. If games and the events that surround them are fun, players will want to play again. If these events are not fun, players will quit whether their team is winning or losing. Youth sports are not professional sports. Youth coaches seldom get fired mid-season for poor records, and players are rarely traded. This lets everyone focus on building better kids both during the game and in life. Though wins are important for statisticians, they become critical to young athletes only if parents forget why it is important for kids to play sports.

Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Sports Esteem for the above article.

Is Your Stomach Ready for The Big Game?

Even if you’ve had the exceptional training, what you put in your mouth prior to practice or a game can make or break your performance. Proper eating habits on game day are simply key to your success.

If, during a game, players find themselves:

• Feeling sluggish


• Experiencing muscle cramps


• Getting nauseous


• Feeling lightheaded


• Running out of energy


• Playing at a lower level than previous games

Then, eating the right types of foods and at the right times may be factors. It takes time for the human body to convert food into energy, so a quick snack just before a game will have little impact. However, a healthy meal, eaten several hours before, may have a large impact on performance. Players should:

• Eat a healthy meal 3-6 hours before a game.


• Eat a light snack 1-2 hours before a game.


• Drink plenty of water.

Players should avoid:

• Foods or drinks with high sugar or caffeine content to avoid the energy highs and lows that follow.


• Greasy or starchy foods (most fast food).


• Foods or drinks that can make you nauseous such as citrus drinks or milk.

A little “stomach planning” before a game can have a big impact at the game. When a player is in the car on the way to a competition, it is just too late to prepare the body with the energy it will require.

Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Sports Esteem for the above article.

Are You Correctly Disciplining Your Players?

Taking on the role of a coach is very similar to that of a parent. Responsibilities as a mentor and guide extend far beyond drills and scrimmages. Sometimes a coach is required to undertake the role of a disciplinarian. Just like in parenting, discipline is needed to teach players valuable lessons. Here are ten tips to incorporate positive punishments into practice time.

1. Punish only those who are able but unwilling to perform. Punishing an athlete for not doing something they are unable to do will only erode their confidence and hinder their development. Before imposing punishment, ask yourself: 1) Does the athlete have the ability to do what you are asking? and 2) Is the athlete giving their best effort? If the athlete lacks ability, and if the athlete is doing his or her best, the solution is more practice and instruction rather than punishment.

2. Control your temper and hold no grudges. Don’t let personal feelings interfere. Whether you like someone has nothing to do with good order and discipline.

3. Listen. With an open mind and without prejudging, listen to the athlete’s side of the story.

4. Make sure the athlete understands the reason for the punishment.Punishment is not productive unless the athlete learns something. Silent punishment is unproductive punishment.

5. Avoid threatening an athlete with punishment. Making threats puts you in the position of having to deliver on that threat. In such a situation you may end up punishing because you said you would rather than because the behavior merits punishment. This undermines your standing as a leader.

6. Avoid mass punishment. Correctly identify the problem, determine if an individual or individuals are responsible, and use an appropriate form of correction.

7. Focus on behavior. Let the athlete know that it’s the behavior - not the individual - that is the problem. “You let the team down” works; “You’re a loser” sends the wrong message.

8. Let them know you believe in them. Since people tend to live up to their leader’s expectations, tell them, “I know you can do better than that. I expect you to do better than that.”

9. Avoid humiliation. Never humiliate an athlete.

10. Be judicious. Make sure punishment isn’t excessive or unreasonable. It’s not only the severity of the punishment that keeps athletes in line, it’s also the certainty that they can’t get away with the undesirable behavior.

Editor’s Note: A special thanks to PositiveSports.net for these tips.

How Should Parents Prepare For Hockey Tryouts?

Getting your child  prepared for next year’s tryouts does not begin at summer camp or during pre-season workouts. Jeff Serowik, Former NHL player and Owner of Pro Ambitions Hockey suggests the recipe for a successful season is to do some homework now.  The following 12 tips will help you determine the best program fit for you and your child.

1.  Coaching, Coaching, Coaching! Obviously the most important factor, since you’re entrusting your son/daughter in this person’s care for an entire season. Make sure you know who the coach is and what his/her credentials are. Have they coached before? Have they worked with kids before? Do they have a son daughter on the team? What is their history with winning/losing and with allocating playing time for each kid? [As you know, many coaches’ kids get the benefit of the doubt]. How do they communicate with the kids/parents/other coaches? Is he a positive or negative person, a screamer? Will he instill confidence in your athlete? These are very important years in your kid’s life, and I strongly believe that confidence and feeling good about yourself are most important. Do the kids have fun in practice? Do they respect the coach?

2. Do your homework: This will require both checking out a practice this year [before tryouts] to see what your are getting yourself into, and using the contacts you have to learn what kind of person this coach is. Ask questions of current teammates, and other hockey families.

3. Don’t be afraid to call a coach. Ask as many questions as necessary to get a good feel for his style and coaching techniques. A coach who is a caring, legitimate person will take time to talk with you and share perspectives.

4.  Selecting a league: Will it be too challenging or not challenging enough? What is the general consensus of how the league is run? Is it well organized? Is ice available on a routine basis? Do games get canceled because of scheduling snafus? Can we afford it? How far will we have to travel?

5.  Development: Absolutely a necessity with the kids. How many practices and skill sessions will the kids receive? Are they full ice, half ice, or shared practices?

6.  Skill sessions: This is a great time for the kids to work on individual areas to improve their game. Whether it be the skating stride, quickness, passing, shooting, or conditioning. Does the program offer this? I believe kids should have 3 practices to every 2 games.

7.  Practices: If run properly, practices are the most important tool to get your player to the next level. In a game kids touch the puck maybe 2 minutes total.

8.  Does the organization offer a curriculum for the coaches to follow? Is it overseen by anyone? Are the officers listed and available? Do coaches have to answer to anyone? It’s nice to have an independent person to give perspective once in a while.

9.  Cost: What is the cost and what am I getting for my money? Many organizations have hidden costs. How many games, practices, skill sessions, accessories (bags, sweats, jerseys), tournaments, and summer camps are included in the season fee? Will there be additional charges for tournaments or playoffs? Are you expected or required to participate in fund raising events? What will be the cost of travel?

10.  Location: Where does your player want to play for the next 6-7 months. Have a thorough conversation with your player to see if he/she wants to make the hour commute 3 days/week, or if he/she wants to play on a friend’s team or with school buddies. Let them express their feelings, because if they’re not committed or happy, it’s a waste of time, money, and precious opportunity.

11.  Do you have to sign a contract? Many organizations make you sign a commitment letter. This is fine - but make sure you have an ‘out clause’ in case things that are promised do not become reality. Often, if you sign a contract and then don’t adhere to it, you jeopardize your child’s future eligibility with that league. You can ask your director these questions.

12.  Set your player up for success! Last but not least, what is it about a particular program which will have your hockey player smiling every day as they tug off their skates. This is most important. They need to have fun and feel good about themselves. Be careful not to subconsciously push your player too hard. A few parents don’t get it. They live through their kids, sadly putting them into more demanding situations than they can handle.

Editor’s Note: A special thank you to Pro Ambitions Hockey for this article.

Specialized Speed Training – Start at What Age?

Speed on the ice is a tremendous asset for any team, but it can be difficult to develop. Lee Taft, founder of the Lee Taft Speed Academy, spoke with Executive Editor TK Stohlman to discuss speed training fundamentals for young hockey athletes. Read on for an excerpt from that interview.

Stohlman: You say everybody is born with the “speed” ability.  At what age should parents start to consider that specialty/speed training?

Taft: I would not start any specific hard-core training until they’ve gone through puberty and they have a pretty solid foundation of their muscular system. So we’re talking maybe 15 or 16 years old.  Then we can start to be a little more specific as to their training protocol.  But, having said that I think that early pre-adolescence you’ve got to start them understanding their gross motor learning of techniques of movement.  I certainly don’t mean hard-core instruction.  I just mean let’s go play, let’s just go out and play and while they’re playing may be we suggest something different to them. We don’t want to do anything too specific too young.

Stohlman: Are there guidelines? Is there an optimal amount of speed training versus general training?  Do you have any guidelines for parents?

Taft: Yes. I suggest no more than a couple of times a week because unless you understand the recovery requirements of that, not only that particular day but the days after, you don’t want to a over stimulate the nervous system because it won’t recover properly enough.

Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Lee Taft for the interview.

Improve Speed and Strength with the PowerSkater

Skating is the foundation to hockey and quite often overlooked by many parents and coaches. The expense related to renting ice time to practice forces many coaches to spend the majority of their ice time on team plays and not on the #1 fundamental of the game - skating. For parents looking to to improve their child’s skating, you may want to look at a training device that is used in the comfort of your own home, called the PowerSkater.

Overview: This product has been around for almost 9 years now but is still unknown in many hockey circles. The PowerSkater has been adopted by many NHL teams, the Russian Hockey Federation, the AHL, professional players, colleges, junior teams, training centers, and many parents for their kids. According to the manufacturer, there are almost 4,000 units around the world. The PowerSkater has also been adopted in many other sports for lower body development, balance, stability, explosive power, and training “first step” which is required by all athletes in most sports.

How it works: The PowerSkater mimics the bio-mechanical movement in skating. This training tool will help teach proper skating technique as well as strengthen and condition the muscles used in skating. The PowerSkater will help improve the following:

1. Skating posture


2. Stride power and length


3. Forty-five degree pushes


4. Weight transfer, balance, and stability


5. Full leg returns


6. Strength and endurance


7. Knee Bends


8. Quickness and speed

There are many attributes to proper skating. Proper knee bends in the skating stride is probably the most important. Using the correct posture in skating is next most important. This is done by staying in an athletic stance, keeping your back straight, leaning the body forward, keeping the head and chest up, and bending your knees 2″ to 3″ in front of your toes. All of these points are taught in every power-skating clinic throughout North America.

Video: Below is a video that shows the PowerSkater in action.



Top Features: The PowerSkater simulates weight push using specially designed resistance bands. The user stands on gliding platforms called trucks, with 8 wheels on each truck. Each truck travels down a rail or track that is 6′ long. A mounting plate at the front of the 90 degree configuration holds the tracks in place and allows each truck to lock and unlock with each stride. As the user pushes a truck back, he or she experiences resistance with the push off and, more importantly, the return. It is this concentric and eccentric muscle movement that develops strength, endurance, explosiveness, flexibility, and elasticity in the muscles. Keeping the foot on the truck throughout the concentric and eccentric phase is a big benefit the machine provides and helps train the player to keep his or her feet low to the ice during their returns.

Controlling each push off and return not only develops muscle strength and speed but it also forces the player to transfer his or her weight correctly with each return, which improves center of gravity. It has been stated that during a 60-minute hockey game, a player changes his or her center of gravity 5,000 times. Skating is a one-legged movement - hockey is a one-legged game played in a very unstable environment challenging the player to transfer weight; either their weight or the opposing player’s weight. Learning balance and stability during all facets of the game is critical. Core strength is vital and players with poor core strength are immediately challenged by the PowerSkater.



Using the PowerSkater will help you develop a low center of gravity, deep knee bends, and sufficient hip openings (30 to 45°), which are primary elements in skating. In reviewing the device, it is clear that the PowerSkater gives the player mind memory and also muscle memory which are key attributes of skating. After using the PowerSkater the player quickly transfers the key elements of skating to the ice.

Price: The unit starts at $850.00, which at first glance may seem pricey; however, when you spread this cost over a couple of hockey clinics or private lessons, it quickly pays for itself. Also, with the exception of the resistance bands, the unit used by an 8-year-old is the same unit that is by the NHL.

Other Details: The basic unit comes with standard cords, and there is a progression of resistance bands offered for all ages or skills. The unit is well made and lasts the entire youth hockey career and beyond, making the payback a small price per year.

The optional Crossunder attachment allows users to learn the push-pull movement used in cross-under movement for forward and backward skating. There are many other strength and conditioning exercises to supplement the athlete’s off-ice conditioning program.

Final Period: Powering Athletics manufactures the PowerSkater as well as another hockey training devices. If you want to invest in a product that your player can use at any age and one that will definitely help them improve their skating, the PowerSkater is worth the investment. The PowerSkater website also provides a wealth of additional information on skating. We highly recommend you checkout this product at www.PowerSkater.com.

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