ADM Snapshot: My Son is Not 'Just" a House Hockey Player

IN THIS ISSUE

My Son is Not 'Just' a House Hockey Player

ADM Canada

Going Cross-Ice in Canada

Charleston Sees Surge in Kids Trying Hockey

Central Florida Girls Double Their Hockey Fun

Why No Child Should Be Sitting

Former Pros Post-Career Calling Coaching Kids

Just for Coaches:

On- and Off-Ice Drills

Volume 4 Issue 3

April 21, 2017

MY SON IS NOT 'JUST' A

HOUSE HOCKEY PLAYER

If I had one wish for my hockey player, it would be that he continues to always love the game.

By Caurie Putnam ~ It happened again last night. My family was out to dinner and the waitress noticed my son's Bauer hockey jacket with his youth hockey program patch on it. "What level hockey do you play?" she asked. "Bantam house," he said.

And then she said the words we have become so accustomed to hearing in this hockey-loving city we call home: "Oh, just house? My son played travel." Yes, my son plays "just house." FULL ARTICLE>>

ADM CANADA

HOCKEY CANADA PUTS AGE-APPROPRIATE PROGRAMMING AT FOREFRONT FOR 2017-18 SEASON

Hockey Canada's new policy mandates cross-ice and half-ice hockey for initiation-aged players. Hockey Canada wants all of Canada on the same page when it comes to the delivery of its Initiation Program - traditionally a player's first brush with organized hockey at the ages of five and six.

Although the Initiation Program - originally developed more than 35 years ago - always recommended cross-ice or half-ice small-area games, its delivery has varied from community to community. Beginning in the upcoming 2017-18 season, a new Hockey Canada policy now mandates that Initiation-aged players receive age-appropriate programming on cross-ice or half-ice surface.

GOING CROSS-ICE IN CANADA

When USA Hockey implemented its American Development Model in 2009, one element of the nationwide age-appropriate training blueprint sparked more debate than any other: cross-ice hockey for 8U players. In the years since, an abundance of evidence, both data-driven and anecdotal, has proven the developmental advantages of cross-ice hockey.

"Re-sizing the playing surface to cross-ice or half-ice means more puck touches, which result in more chances to practice puck control and shooting, as well as overall more movement and motor skill-development - twisting, turning, balance, coordination, agility," said Paul Carson, vice-president of membership development for Hockey Canada, in a release today. "Their field-of-play matches their size, and these players hone in on their skill-development in a way that larger ice surfaces just aren't conducive to." FULL ARTICLE>>

ADM ACROSS AMERICA

CHARLESTON ASSOCIATION SEES SURGE IN KIDS TRYING HOCKEY

By Mike Scandura ~ When the Charleston (South Carolina) Youth Hockey Association held its first try-hockey-for-free-day in 2014, a mere 19 youngsters participated in the event.

Fast-forward to February 25 of this year, and a total of 75 youngsters participated. That's an increase of more than 300 percent. FULL ARTICLE>>

CENTRAL FLORIDA GIRLS DOUBLE THEIR HOCKEY FUN

By Mike Scandura ~ When Statewide Amateur Hockey of Florida Girls and Women District Director Jane Solverson did some research, she discovered a most interesting fact about girls hockey in Florida. "Jane learned that, at no point, has any rink in the history of Florida had two all-girls rec teams play out of the same venue at the same time," said Doug Wemple, RDV Sportsplex Ice Den hockey manager. "In Florida, girls hockey is in its infancy stage compared with some other states." FULL ARTICLE>>

USA HOCKEY ADM NEWS

WHY NO CHILD SHOULD BE SITTING

By Jamie MacDonald ~ Imagine this scene: Time is running out in a tied game, in a youth hockey season where wins have been rare. As the chances of winning shrink with each tick off the clock, should the bench shrink with it? Should a team send out only its best players in an effort to win while any perceived "weak links" remain on the bench?

The answer? No. And in the eyes of Massachusetts native and USA Hockey Assistant Executive Director of Membership Development Pat Kelleher, it should never be an option, nor ever be considered. "It seems so crazy to me that the importance of winning a single hockey game is more important than kids experiencing youth hockey," he says. "Honestly, I can't grasp that." FULL ARTICLE>>

FORMER PROS LIKE MARTIN ST. LOUIS, MARIO LEMIEUX FOUND A POST-CAREER CALLING COACHNG KIDS

By Joe McDonald ~ Mario Lemieux's hockey resume speaks for itself. So imagine his surprise when a fellow dad questioned his credentials. When Lemieux was coaching his son Austin's peewee youth hockey team in 2010, a father of one of the players had a suggestion. Pittsburgh Penguins team president David Morehouse was there to witness it.

"We were at a game when [Mario] showed me [the email]," Morehouse said. "It was when BlackBerries were still popular. He showed me an email on his BlackBerry from a parent, and it said, 'I'm really concerned about the power play, and I have some suggestions on how to fix the power play.' Mario showed it to me, and we both just started laughing." FULL ARTICLE>>

JUST FOR COACHES

ON-ICE DRILLS

14U+: Live Action 3v1 D Activate

OFF-ICE DRILLS

In/Out Ladder for Agility

Purpose: To create a live-action situation for your team that teaches your defensemen to defend a rush, shut down the opponent and kick-start an offensive attack from the defensive zone. For the forwards, this drill teaches back-side pressure, funneling into the defensive zone and launching an offensive rush off a live break-out. VIEW PLAN>>

Hockey Off-Ice Training Drill #8: In/Out Ladder for Agility. To be an all-round hockey player, you must be agile. The In/Out Ladder drill is a good first step.

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