IN THIS ISSUE

How Auston Matthews Became Hockey's Hottest Prospect

NIHL Mite Announcement

Innovative Goalie Gear Makes Debut

5 Ways to Create Confident Players

Capitals Build a Respectful Winner in New Hampshire

Cross-Ice Tournament Caps Season in Michigan

Video: Skahan's Off-Season Priorities for Teenagers

Video: Kids Tell us the Truth about Sports Parents

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

Volume 3 Issue 6
June 27, 2016
HOW AUSTON MATTHEWS BECAME HOCKEY'S HOTTEST PROSPECT
It's an origin story that makes little sense. An 18-year-old kid from Scottsdale, Ariz. - a place known for its cacti, golf courses and desert nightlife - is the best prospect in hockey and the projected saviour of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

But to fully understand how Auston Matthews got to where he is, you need to know that when he was a boy, he spent thousands of hours on tiny rinks - not much larger than an end zone - fighting off two or three other kids, stickhandling in and around masses of skates and sticks to score a half-dozen goals every game.

You need to learn about his skating coach, an eccentric Ukrainian named Boris who made players leap, pirouette and balance on their heels for so long they sometimes couldn't walk the next day.

You have to recognize Matthews as one-of-a-kind.

READ FULL ARTICLE>>
ILLINOIS ADM NEWS
NIHL MITE ANNOUNCEMENT
NIHL has announced plans to host mite travel hockey this upcoming season. NIHL will put together a tiering round consisting of 6 half-ice games. The subsequent regular season will consist of 6 more half-ice games interspersed among 12 full-ice games. NIHL will host a playoff for mites along with a State Championship. A formal unveiling of what the season will look like is forthcoming so stay tuned. We are excited to have our NIHL Clubs be a part of this mite season and look forward to sharing more details in the coming weeks.
USA HOCKEY ADM NEWS
INNOVATIVE GOALIE GEAR
MAKES DEBUT
By USA Hockey
The allure of goaltending has long included the opportunity to wear equipment unique to the position. But that same equipment also lurks as an obstacle. It's a commitment, both financial and positional, that most 8U players and their parents are reluctant to make. As a result, comparatively few get introduced to goaltending, which thins the talent pool and robs would-be puck-stoppers of an exciting hockey experience. USA Hockey sought a solution, and with help from Total Hockey, the QuickChange goalie gear system was born. Beginning this fall, it will revolutionize the game at 8U. READ MORE>>
5 WAYS TO CREATE
CONFIDENT HOCKEY PLAYERS
By Dave Pond
According to National Alliance for Youth Sports research,  almost 70% of young athletes quit competitive sports by the time they hit their teenage years.

Although the reasons range from the overall cost of athletics to a desire to try new things, parents and coaches can't overlook the fact that, as teams become more and more competitive, success - or failure - has the opportunity to make or break each kid.   READ MORE>>
ADM ACROSS AMERICA
CROSS-ICE TOURNAMENT CAPS SEASON IN MICHIGAN
By Scott Powers
The Ann Arbor Amateur Hockey Association can't get enough of 8U cross-ice jamborees. Judging from the participation numbers, its players can't either.

The association takes part in one of these nearly every month, in which players get the chance to play games on smaller ice, with increased touches of the puck and more skill development repetitions. Participation has continued to grow. The AAAHA has 64 8U players registered this year, which is an increase of 24 players from last year. READ MORE>>
CAPITALS BUILD A RESPECTFUL WINNER IN NEW HAMPSHIRE
By Mike Scandura
Championships are fun to celebrate, and the Concord Capitals 16U girls did plenty of that following their New England regional title. But Concord Women's Hockey Director Scot Joscelyn is quick to remind people about the keys to maintaining that success.

"The younger teams are the ones that make the program here in Concord [New Hampshire]," Joscelyn said, referring to the 10U, 12U and 14U teams that each play at Tier II, while the 16U team is a high-level team comprised of prep school girls. "If we struggle at the 10U level, it's really difficult to field teams at the other levels.   READ MORE>>
ADM MULTIMEDIA
SKAHAN'S OFF-SEASON PRIORITIES  FOR TEENAGERS
Sean Skahan is in his second decade as an NHL strength and conditioning coach, sandwiched around a season working in the same capacity at Boston University. The Massachusetts native was in Colorado Springs recently for the National Strength and Conditioning Association's 2016 Training for Hockey Clinic, which brings together experts from throughout North America for two days focused on the specific training needs of hockey athletes.
KIDS TELL US THE TRUTH
ABOUT SPORTS PARENTS
Great video that tells us just what our kids think of how their parents watch their sporting events.

JUST FOR COACHES

PRACTICE PLANS FOR ON-ICE
Join, Read and React Small-Area Game

PRACTICE PLANS FOR DRYLAND
Agility & Balance: Hop Catch
PURPOSE:  To create an environment where players are forced to join an active live play while thinking and reading the play. This drill develops instincts and hockey sense. It also allows the coach to see which players quickly read the action and assume the correct supporting role (either offense or defense). VIEW PLAN>>

Dryland Plan for Agility and Balance - Hop Catch  VIEW PLAN>>