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Parent-Coaching: A harmful or harmonious relationship?
Parent-coaches are a common presence in youth sports. While their involvement often stems from good intentions—supporting their children and contributing to the team—this dual role can blur boundaries and create unique challenges. Drawing on research from Brown (1998), Barber et al. (1999), and Weiss & Fretwell (2005), this post explores the benefits, drawbacks, and psychological…
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Don’t Let Tryouts Get You Down
Youth hockey can feel like a race to be the best 9-year-old on the ice, and it’s an unfortunate trap. Making a certain team at a particular age has little bearing on long-term development. What matters most is helping your child grow into a confident young adult with friends, mentors, direction, and a passion that…
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The Power of Focus
The Power of Focus: A Game-Changer for Young Athletes In youth hockey, skills and ability steal the spotlight. Some players are “naturals” at a young age while others take longer to find their game. But at some point, the kids who find a way to learn and develop begin to outpace their peers. What separates…
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Building Confidence in Young Players: a parent coach guide
While parents and coaches often focus on the technical side of hockey — faster skating, a stronger shot, and precise passing — the key to a child’s success on the ice between ages 6 and 12 is not mastering these “hard” skills. In fact, confidence, resilience, and genuine passion for the game play a larger…
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How to Improve Game Day Performance
Game Day Mistakes That Hurt Performance If you coach minor hockey players, you know their game-day performance can be unpredictable. One day they’re sharp, focused, and full of energy. The next, they’re distracted, sluggish, and dragging on the ice. Many factors influence a child’s ability to perform well. Ignoring what might physically and mentally hinder…
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5 Ways to Help Hockey Kids Thrive
Five Ways to Help Hockey Kids Thrive! Parents and coaches often make the critical error of believing skills and drills make strong hockey players. While the technical side of hockey certainly matters, without the proper mindset, minor players will never reach their true potential. 1- If you want your young player to do the hard…
GRIT Hockey 