IN THIS ISSUE
How 8-Year-Olds Learn Best
MinorHawks Learn to Play Program
The Case for Gymnastics at 8U
An NHL Scout's Advice for the Offseason
ADM Opens Doors in Taos
Community Comes First for Westland Hockey
Video: Study on Praise & Mindsets
Video: Habits not Systems
Just for Coaches: On- and Off-Ice Practice Plans
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Volume 3 Issue 4
April 22, 2016
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HOW 8-YEAR-OLDS LEARN BEST
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Whether it comes after a top-shelf goal, a pass on the tape, or a great save, it's no secret that young hockey players thrive on positive feedback.
But what happens when your child makes a mistake - like allowing an easy goal or turning the puck over? How do you react? More importantly, does your "advice" sink in?
Negative vs. Positive Feedback
In a study published in The Journal of Neuroscience, Leiden University researchers explored just that. They took a close look at the brains of 8- and 9-year-olds, and compared what they found to the brains of 11- and 12-year-old kids.
Results showed that the younger an athlete is, the less effective negative feedback is.
"Eight-year-old children have a radically different learning strategy from 12-year-olds," the study reports. "Eight-year-olds learn primarily from positive feedback ('Well done!'), whereas negative feedback ('Got it wrong this time!') scarcely causes any alarm bells to ring."
READ MORE>>
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MINORHAWKS LEARN TO PLAY
MinorHawks is a "Learn to Play" program for kids ages 4-8, sponsored by the Blackhawks, Amateur Hockey Association of Illinois (AHAI) and USA Hockey.
This program is geared primarily for boys and girls age four to eight, although hockey can be played by everyone. It is designed to not only teach your son and/or daughter how to skate and introduce them to the game of ice hockey but will also demonstrate to your young athlete the life lessons of teamwork, self-confidence and determination that many kids (even adult kids) never outgrow.
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THE CASE FOR GYMNASTICS
AT 8U
By Michael Rand -
Steve Penny is not unbiased, but he is also not wrong, when he says in regard to youth gymnastics clubs, "They are the absolute best places in the country to help children learn how to use their bodies and develop their motor skills."
Penny is the president of USA Gymnastics, and he was in the middle of a long explanation of the benefits of his sport - particularly for youth athletes.
READ MORE>>
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AN NHL SCOUT'S ADVICE FOR THE OFFSEASON
By Jamie MacDonald -
Few people see more hockey than Mike Doneghey. As a scout with the NHL's defending champion Chicago Blackhawks, the Massachusetts native will see more than 200 games by season's end - and that doesn't include the games his three kids played, one of whom is fresh off a Rhode Island prep school title. But when the season is over, for the most part, so is hockey.
READ MORE>>
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AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT MODEL OPENS DOORS IN TAOS
By Brian Hall -
David Taylor watched his 7-year-old daughter walk off the ice last year, her head hanging and tears flowing. She was crushed and discouraged following a disappointing performance by her team in the Coyote Classic, the Taos Hockey Association's annual tournament.
Taylor's daughter was an accomplished skater, having figure skated for four years with the organization's youth teams. But in his words, "she was almost done with the game at 7 years old." Taylor knew he needed to find a way to help his daughter enjoy the game again.
READ MORE>>
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COMMUNITY COMES FIRST FOR WESTLAND HOCKEY
By Mike Scandura -
The team concept is obviously important to any athletic organization, but for the Westland Hockey Association, that extends to being a part of the community.
When nearby Flint, Michigan, experienced a water contamination crisis, the Westland Mite Warriors coordinated collecting bottled water.
When the Westland Bantam Blazers held a Christmas party last year, whatever money the players received was donated to the Wayne Westland Goodfellows, an organization that helps underprivileged families.
READ MORE>>
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CAROL DWECK: A STUDY ON PRAISE & MINDSETS
Parents often tell their kids to work hard. This is sound advice to help them succeed in hockey and in life. Putting forth "effort" to learn and grow is an important prerequisite for future success. How we as parents, coaches and teachers praise that effort may be even more important than we realize. This short video illustrates the effect we can have on our kids with the proper reinforcement of their effort
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GUY GADOWSKY TALKS HABITS NOT SYSTEMS
Guy Gadowsky is the Head Coach of Penn State's mens ice hockey team and was a keynote speaker at our 2012 Hockey Coaches Conference. The Inside College Hockey National Coach of the Year in 2008 presented on Teaching Habits Not Systems. Gadowsky is set to lead Penn State into their first season in the Big Ten conference in 2013-14.
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PRACTICE PLANS FOR ON-ICE
8U Gunners Alley
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PRACTICE PLANS FOR DRYLAND
5 Tips to a Better Shot
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PURPOSE:
To create an environment in which players get lots of shooting reps while simultaneously encouraging them to hone the accuracy of their shot. VIEW PLAN>>
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Scott Bjugstad scored 43 goals in one NHL season for the North Stars, played in the 1984 Olympics for Team USA and now runs a successful hockey shooting school in Minnesota.
READ MORE>>
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Copyright © 2016. All Rights Reserved.
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