Chicago Blackhawks 3v3 Champions, 5 Ways to Address Minor Hockey Flaws, How Invasion Sports Help Hockey Players, On and Off-Ice Plans for Coaches and More!

IN THIS ISSUE

5 Ways to Address Minor Hockey Flaws in North America

Blackhawks 3v3 Tourney a Huge Success

How Invasion Sports Help Hockey Players

How to Avoid the Race to Nowhere

The Big Picture in Your Child's Development

Video: NHL Performance Coaches Offer Guidance for Developing Players

Video: Starfish Effect

Just for Coaches: On- and Off-Ice Practice Plans

STAY CONNECTED

Volume 2 Issue 7

May 30, 2015

5 WAYS TO ADDRESS

MINOR HOCKEY FLAWS

IN NORTH AMERICA

By Jamie McKinven - From rising costs to heartbroken children, there are many flaws that currently plague the minor hockey system in North America. As we transition into a new era of holistic development, how can we help change the system for the better? Here are 5 ways we can address major flaws plaguing minor hockey today:

1. Change the Vision

Mission statements aside, the vision of today's minor hockey system is focused around selling the NHL Dream. There is nothing wrong with dreaming big, it's what kids do best, but, we need to remember or realize that the NHL dream is a 1 in 1,000 shot. It's a lottery dream. The problem with making this a focal point is all of the negativity that comes along with it. From an obsession with winning and statistics to status and fights over playing time, everything that is negative about minor hockey can all be linked to the pressures of chasing what is essentially a pipe dream. READ MORE>>

ILLINOIS ADM NEWS

BLACKHAWKS 3v3 TOURNEY A HUGE SUCCESS

By Jim Clare - This weekend at Arctic Ice Arena, the Chicago Blackhawks Youth Hockey staff hosted the 3rd Annual 3v3 Tournament. Forty teams comprised of Mites, Squirts, and PeeWees vied for the Championships in a great display of the American Development Model's cross-ice hockey component.

Over 300 kids had a chance to experience some of the most competitive hockey I have ever seen. The action was back and forth, the puck touches, amount of shots, and body contact created by the cross-ice game was on full display. Tommy Hawk stopped by, Steve Konroyd signed autographs, and players received 3v3 T-shirts and game jerseys among other giveaways.

Congratulations to the Hawks Youth Hockey Staff led by Spencer Montgomery, Blackhawks Youth Hockey Coordinator, and Stephanie Dubin for a great weekend of hockey that the kids and parents will not soon forget.

*Ship of Fools* Mite Kane Division	CHAMPIONS	*Little Puckers* Mite Toews Division
*Prospects* Squirt Toews Division	*KnightHawks* Squirt Kane Division	*Fast-n-Furious 1* PeeWee Division

VISIT AHAI'S FACEBOOK PAGE FOR MORE PHOTOS>>

USA HOCKEY ADM NEWS

HOW INVASION SPORTS HELP HOCKEY PLAYERS

By Michael Caples, Special to USA Hockey

Darren Eliot has experienced hockey in a variety of different ways. Not only is he a former NHL goaltender, he's also a TV analyst, a coach, a Sports Illustrated columnist, an instructor, an association director and a hockey parent. So whether he's reflecting on his own career, discussing others' or watching his own son rise through the hockey ranks, he has seen what works and what doesn't. That's why Eliot, currently a TV analyst for the Detroit Red Wings and director of minor hockey operations for Little Caesars Amateur Hockey, is a big proponent of young hockey players participating in other sports. READ MORE>>

ADM ACROSS AMERICA

HOW TO AVOID THE RACE TO NOWHERE	10U: THE BIG PICTURE IN YOUR CHILD'S DEVELOPMENT
By USA Hockey - The average NHL rookie debuts three months short of his 23rd birthday and doesn't peak until at least 26 years of age. What's that mean to you? It means the development of your youngster is a marathon, not a sprint. It means you should feel empowered to slow down and make the most of every stage in your child's development. READ MORE>>	By Jessi Pierce, USA Hockey - What comes to mind when you hear American Development Model? For most parents and coaches, the immediate picture is of young, beginner-level players on a segmented sheet of ice. While that image isn't entirely inaccurate, it's merely a small snapshot of a much larger vista. READ MORE>>

ADM MULTIMEDIA

NHL PERFORMANCE COACHES OFFER GUIDANCE FOR DEVELOPING PLAYERS	THE STARFISH EFFECT
The National Strength and Conditioning Association brought together 150 high-level performance coaches from around the United States for a two-day symposium aimed at advancing the science of maximizing hockey players' output. READ MORE>>	USA Lacrosse Assistant Coach and Lehigh University Head Coach Kevin Cassese discussess building a successful team/program. In this video clip he shares a story about a player and the effect he had on him and his team.

JUST FOR COACHES

PRACTICE PLANS FOR ON-ICE	PRACTICE PLANS FOR DRYLAND
ADM Snapshot will include a variety of new practices plans that cover both 8U and 10U practices. We encourage the coaches to use them, adjust them for their practices, or just use some of the concepts contained in the plans as each club has different limitations as to how much ice they have or how many teams are on the ice. Click HERE for Practice Plan.	Sweep the Porch is a great off-ice exercise!