3/2008 Should He Get a Scholarship?
It is already tough enough to get a precious scholarship. Should this guy get one?
3/2008 The Pros and Cons of Juniors
Some thoughts for you to consider along the route to college.
3/2008 What is the Rush to the OHL?
These facts may help you with your decision process.
2/2008 Tim Thomas of the Bruins Defines Determination
You kind of have to love the game.
2/2008 Are Soccer Parents Crazier Than Us Hockey Parents?
Would you send your child overseas before they are 10?
4/2007 Dave Smith NCAA Presentation
This presentation is useful for aspiring college players. Lots of statistics and resources to help you prepare better.
Thanks Coach Smith.
12/2006 State of Decline
This article lists some of the problems that hockey people say that the Boston area is experiencing. Many of the
issues highlighted here plague Western New York as well. (12/26/2006)
12/2006 Creating Child Athletes
Here is an interesting article about what it takes (or is perceived to take) to build a special high school and college
athlete. (12/15/2006)
10/2006 Follow Up to "What is Fun"
Our newest essay is a follow-up from a guest author to his previous essay ("What is Fun" 6/2006 - see below) who
discusses parental choices regarding when to push a kid and when to just let a kid be a kid & fall into the best place
for them. (10/2006)
6/2006 Poster: Martin St. Louis
Here are some motivational words from a real battler! Poster created by our artistic director Luke Hannon! (6/2006)
6/2006 Essay: What is Fun?
Before an event, parents encourage their kids to "have fun" and after the event they ask them "Did you have fun?" A
submitted essay asks, "What is Fun?" (6/2006)
5/2006 Essay: Why are the 98s 1-2 years behind the Canadians already?
Have you heard these before? "But we can skate with them." "But best guys are as good as their best guys." "But,
but, but." Would the top Canadian teams even change out one of their players for an American? (5/2006)
5/2006 Article: Are Stars Born (or Made)?
According to this article, based on a great deal of academic research, talent is overrated. It is practice and hard work
that makes a star. In other words, nurture matters more than nature. Practically speaking, this means we should
encourage everyone to work hard and reward & invest our teaching in those who do. (5/2006)
5/2006 Article: Stupidity in the Locker Room
Locker Boxing is a phenomenon that has surfaced in the last 10 years. As a coach, I have come down very hard on
this and have cut it off before it ever started. It is foolish and pointless. As the article states, it is also dangerous.
Most everyone has kept their head in the sand on this and according to what I have been told some have even
condoned it. The writer of this article is to be commended. We have zero tolerance for this. If anything even
resembling this occurs, please bring it to our attention immediately and it will be dealt with harshly. (5/2006)
4/2006 Essay: Should We Have Chosen Chess Instead?
Are we all crazy to pour so much of our lives into youth sports? (4/2006)
2004 Essay: The Ladder (original)
Do we have to hold others down to get ahead ourselves? (2004)
2004 Essay: Fun versus Satisfaction (original)
Instead of saying, "Did you have fun out there today?" should we be saying "Did you derive a sense of satisfaction
from your effort today?" (2004)
2006 You Might Be a Desperate Hockeydad If:
This is a brutally frank list of real life behaviors taken from the youth hockey community in North America. It is a compilation from a
variety of sources, and it certainly doesn't reflect any particular person here or elsewhere.
Thankfully, there is only a small minority of people who behave like this, but, regrettably, they sometimes exert great power in the
hockey community.
Most importantly, as all of you well know, these behaviors are virtually unheard of from the players and parents who are part of the
Prospects.
One reader was hoping for all upbeat articles in this section and was surprised by how frank it was. I am glad they provided this
feedback. The intention of all of our articles is to promote thought and dialogue. It is also to try to make things better: The behaviors
listed here should be exposed and discouraged.
Having been involved in hockey at the NHL, NCAA, Prep, Junior A, and youth levels, I can safely say that if your child travels down the
elite hockey road he or she will eventually encounter people behaving like this. The choice is yours, you can either be ambushed --- or
somewhat prepared.
Be forewarned, unlike what we stand for and advocate, you may not find this to be a positive or encouraging article.
In fact, it may generate kind of an overload. Although we poke fun at a few things, it is not a funny article. Although we'd all like to say
we're innocent of these things, it may be convicting (and I'd be the first to admit I've made occasional mistakes in a few of the areas
listed).
If you don't want to learn about or think about these things, I would take a pass on reading it. There will be another new article next week.