‘Hockey is a great metaphor for personal improvement’
My 16-year-old son, Ben, started playing hockey at age 9. This past year, he played on his high school’s JV hockey team, as well as…
The Hockey Dad
Making the cut: The harsh realities of tryouts
The end of the hockey season also means the beginning of the next one, as club team tryouts are held the week after the final…Read More
A sports childhood worth reflecting on
My 18 year-old son, Robert, caught the "sports bug" in 2004, when he was 5 years old. Since then, he has played sports non-stop —…
Backyard rink pointers: Know before you build
I built my first backyard rink in 2010 when my kids were 11, 8, 6, 4 and 3, and today they would tell you that…
Winning’s the goal, but it isn’t the point
Of the 50 to 60 youth sports teams I have coached over the years, a handful made it to the championship game and won it…
Three rules to coach by
Looking back over 27 years of coaching young athletes, the most valuable piece of wisdom I’ve gained is the necessity of setting team rules at…
Cheering at youth hockey games: A primer
As hockey parents, we all know that there are as many different styles of cheering at youth hockey games as there are brands of hockey…
