Volume 7 Issue 3 | November 2019
There Is No One Way to Be a Great Teammate
By Greg Bates, Special to AHAI – Even at a young age, it can be easy to pick out which players on the ice are great teammates.

They are the ones working hard, motivating their teammates, showing respect, communicating in all phases of the game and leading by example. Being a great teammate is a key attribute as a player continues to climb to higher levels of the game.

“I know when we’re dealing with our national teams and looking at teams, the value of being a good teammate is paramount,” USA Hockey ADM Regional Manager Dan Jablonic said. “What separates that level of skilled players is, do you make your teammates better?”
ILLINOIS ADM NEWS
Goalie Nation Comes Together for First-Ever Goaltending Summit & Seminar in Illinois
By Jim Clare, Illinois Coach-in-Chief – Recently Steve Thompson, ADM National Goaltending Manager for USA Hockey joined 20 goalie coaches in Illinois for a Bronze Level Goalie Coach Seminar.

Bronze Level is the first step in the goaltending coach development program. The idea behind the clinics is to begin to educate more goaltending coaches across the state, develop their practice planning skills, and eventually have them progress through the Silver and Gold levels. Coaches can then take their knowledge and use it in two ways; help the state find more new goalies and better develop the ones we have.
Spread the Word - Try Hockey For Free Day Is Tomorrow!
Tomorrow USA Hockey and 15 local associations/rinks across Illinois will host Try Hockey For Free Day events! Participating locations encourage kids, ages 4 to 9, to come try youth hockey as part of Come Play Hockey Month. All locations will have limited equipment available for use. Click button below to find the Try Hockey event nearest to you. Questions? Contact USA Hockey at comeplayyouthhockey@usahockey.org.
USA HOCKEY ADM NEWS
Unleashing Athleticism with Dynamic Dryland Training
By Mike Doyle - A common misconception is that to be a good hockey player, you need to specialize your workload and focus it all towards on-ice hockey training. However, long-term athlete development science shows that players need a well-rounded athletic upbringing to reach their potential as hockey players. 
Transforming the Body Contact Culture
By Michael Rand - At a time when player safety and sportsmanship are hot-button issues in youth sports, USA Hockey took a proactive step this summer toward reiterating how seriously it takes such matters.
MULTI-MEDIA
Try Goalie For Free
A Try Goalie For Free Day held on a glacier in Alaska took advantage of their unique surroundings to make it fun and enjoyable for the goalies. Think about how can you utilize the uniqueness of your area to attract new goaltenders to your organization.
8U Quick Change Goalie Gear
Try Goalie For Free Day with the help of the quick change goalie gear allows for more kids to try goalie with gear appropriately sized for them. Lightweight and easy to change from one skater to another, the quick change gear is a must for associations to help attract new goalies.
COACHING NEWS & INFORMATION
Off-Ice Drill for Stick Handling:
The Wide Dribble
The Wide Dribble drill focuses on the expansion of reach and hand quickness while keeping hands and arms away from the body for proper technique.
Disguising Skill Development In Fun Games An Effective Tool For Mites
By Guy Gosselin - When I was growing up in Rochester, Minn., we had six outdoor community rinks within two miles of my house. Depending on the weather conditions, we would play various types of games. Even as a little guy, I was always honored if the big kids let me play, but that usually meant I was the goalie. We seem to have lost some of that freewheeling fun with today's overly-structured environment.
 
That's why the American Development Model is so important. Too often, kids show up at the rink and are immediately told what to do and how to do it. Such a structured environment is like throwing a wet blanket over the creativity of our players. Kids are already overly stimulated enough with all the things going on in their lives away from the rink. Once they step onto the ice, that is their time to have fun. Here are a few games that will help kids develop their skills while having a lot of fun.
Copyright © 2019. All Rights Reserved.