IN THIS ISSUE
"I Hope They Didn't Bring Apple Juice"
How to Prevent the Spread of Influenza
Try Hockey For Free
Eddie Olczyk Award
Be a Rockford IceHogs 'Dream Team'!
Increased Development Focus Lifting Montana Hockey
Hasek's Legacy in Buffalo Goes Beyond Time as "The Dominator"
8U Q&A: Managing a Wide Variety of Skill Levels
The FUNdamentals of Learning to Shoot
VIDEO: 10 Things Parents Can Ask to Help Kids Learn Life Lessons from Sports
VIDEO: Competition in Sports is the Best Way to Learn Life Lessons
Just for Coaches: On- & Off-Ice Drills
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Volume 5 Issue 1
January 26, 2018
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"I Hope They Didn't Bring Apple Juice"
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By Steve Simmons, USA Hockey Magazine ~ There was about two minutes to play in the playoff game and I was anxiously pacing behind the bench, barking out whatever instructions seemed important at that very moment. You watch the game and you watch the clock in those final seconds, sometimes precisely at the very same time.
We were up by a goal, poised to advance to the next round of the playoffs, when I felt a tug on my jacket.
"Ah coach," one of my players said on the bench.
"Yea," I answered, concentrating more on the game and the clock than on him at that instant.
"Are there snacks today?"
"Whaaaat?" I barked exasperated.
"Did anyone bring snacks today?"
"Huh?" I said as I looked away.
"I hope they didn't bring apple juice," the young boy said. "I don't like apple juice."
FULL ARTICLE>>
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IMPORTANT HEALTH MESSAGE FROM USA HOCKEY
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USA Hockey's Chief Medical Officer Recommends Steps to Help Prevent Influenza
With recent cases of influenza, especially from the H3N2 virus, including in and around hockey, Dr. Michael Stuart, chief medical officer of USA Hockey, has issued recommendations to help prevent the spread of the virus. "Influenza is not specific to hockey and is by no means an epidemic. However, we have had cases in hockey and as a responsible amateur sports association, it's important we share tips to help prevent the spread of influenza and also raise awareness in the hockey community," said Stuart. Click
HERE to view Dr. Stuart's tips on how to prevent and stop the spread of influenza.
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Try Hockey For Free on March 3rd!
On Saturday, March 3rd, USA Hockey and 400 local association across the country will host Try Hockey For Free Day! Participating locations encourage kids, ages 4 to 9, to come try youth hockey as part of Hockey Weekend Across America celebration. All locations will have limited equipment available for use.
Find the closest Try Hockey event to you in the list below or click
HERE
to search by your zip code. Try Hockey events are indicated with a red pin on the map. Click the pin most convenient to you to register your child.
Center Ice of DuPage * All Seasons Ice Rinks * Carol Stream Ice Rink * Crystal Ice House * Decatur Civic Center * Fox Valley Ice Arena * Franklin Park Ice Arena * Leafs Ice Centre * Owens Center * Robert Crown Center * Rolling Meadows Sports Complex * Southwest Ice Arena * Triphahn Center * Glacier Ice Arena * Ice Valley Ice Arena
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The Chicago Blackhawks and Chicago Blackhawks Foundation are proud to present an award named after U.S. Hockey Hall of Famer Eddie Olczyk to support young hockey players and teams in Illinois who may not have the means to play at a competitive level. Since its inception in 2011, the Eddie Olczyk Award has distributed over $255,000 in grants, raised through Blackhawks Youth Hockey Summer Camps, to 114 individuals and seven organizations. As the head instructor at the Blackhawks Hockey Camps, Olczyk is dedicated to the development and growth of youth hockey in Illinois.
The Eddie Olczyk Award assists:
Individuals/families in need of assistance for participation in an Illinois sanctioned team or organization, s
anctioned teams in need of assistance for tournament expenses, and
Amateur Hockey Association of Illinois (AHAI) organizations in need of assistance to run programs which increase the participation in and quality of youth hockey.
Applications are now open. |
Letters of Inquiry are due on February 15, 2018.
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Be a Rockford IceHogs "Dream Team"!
Looking for your team to have an experience they will never forget? Want your team to stand on the blue line with future Chicago Blackhawks players? Sign up to be the Rockford IceHogs "Dream Team!"
As part of the "Dream Team" experience, players will have the opportunity to: b
e recognized individually at an IceHogs game, s
kate out onto the BMO Harris Bank Center's ice with the Rockford IceHogs players during the National Anthem, and s
it on the IceHogs bench during warm-ups!
Contact McKenna at
815-847-6386
or
ryanm@icehogs.com
to sign up your team today!
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Increased Development Focus Lifting Montana Hockey
By Jayson Hron, USA Hockey ~ Many-splendored Montana, with its big skies, tall peaks and mad grizzlies, ranked among the faster-growing American states by population in 2017. Hockey participation in the Treasure State is also on the rise, with strong gains in every category. But it's not merely a surge in transplants driving the growth, and that's great news for the game's future in Big Sky Country.
READ MORE>>
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Hasek's Legacy in Buffalo Goes Beyond Time as "The Dominator"
By Greg Bates, USA Hockey ~ When Scott McManigle took over as executive director of Hasek's Heroes, the youth hockey organization had close to 200 participants.
Fast forward two years and that number has skyrocketed to 1,000. There is even a waiting list of kids who want to get on the ice.
"The more successful that you get, the more individuals want to be part of your organization," McManigle said.
Hasek's Heroes was started by legendary NHL goalie Dominik Hasek in 2001 to give economically underprivileged youth in Buffalo, New York, an opportunity to try hockey. Now, the organization is booming. READ MORE>>
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8U Q&A: Managing a Wide Variety of Skill Levels
QUESTION: I coach at the 8U level. We share our ice and have about 35 players at each practice. Within that 35, there is a wide variety of skill levels. If we divide the players into six groups of like ability, do I need six different practice plans to cover each group?
ANSWER: Before I answer your question, I would like to commend you for having that many young players on the ice for practice and for segmenting them into groups by similar ability skill-wise. It's always great to see coaches putting young athletes into great development environments!
READ MORE>>
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The FUNdamentals of Learning to Shoot
By Michael Rand, USA Hockey ~ "You miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take," The Great One once said.
Chances are, though, a beginning hockey player is going to miss almost 100 percent of the shots he or she actually takes. Learning to shoot well takes practice.
For an 8U hockey player, though, there are efficient ways to get better and tips for doing it. Ken Martel, technical director for USA Hockey's American Development Model, offers a few of them gleaned from experience. READ MORE>>
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10 Things Parents Can Ask to Help Kids Learn Life Lessons from Sports
In this video, Alexi Lalas, defender on the US Men's World Cup team in 1994, shares that his role as a parent is to give his kids the tools to succeed and move through life so that when he's not around, his kids can still make the right decisions. In order to help give them those tools, he asks guiding questions on a daily basis, depending on the situation his kids are experiencing.
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Competition in Sports is the Best Way to Teach Life Lessons
Anne Walker, one of the top college golf coaches in the country, talks about how important it is for young athletes to learn by playing in competition. Parents are sometimes hesitant because they do not want to see their children fail, but that is a great lesson they should learn. Sometimes you try and you fail in life. What is important is that you get back up and keep improving until you succeed.
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On-Ice Drill: 10U Divider Box Tag
Purpose:
Divider box tag allows players to continue working on skating in a fun, competitive environment. Specifically, the game emphasizes short-burst acceleration, edge control, change of direction, dodging and high knees. There is also a decision-making component tied to this game for the tagger and evaders. VIEW DRILL>>
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Off-Ice "Training" for Mites & Squirts
By John Russo, Let's Play Hockey Columnist~ A couple of years ago, Jack Blatherwick wrote a column entitled "Start fun strength training with first-year Mites."
I have been working with my Mite/Squirt grandkids (boys and girls) for the last few years. Jack's article spurred me to take a very close look at this area. READ MORE>>
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