Getting the Edge in Tryouts

   House evaluations and travel team tryouts are on tap at rinks across Central New York.  After you've done the equipment check and you've got all the right sized pads, here's a mental checklist for your kids before they hit the ice!

by Frank Colabufo,

West Genesee Wildcats Head Hockey Coach

HOW TO MAKE A TEAM

Player selection, or "tryouts" is a necessary experience that can certainly be stressful for players, parents and coaches alike. I have been part of the player evaluation and selection process for the past 22 seasons and it never gets any easier. Here are some thoughts for players and parents to consider when preparing for tryouts.

LEAVE NO DOUBT
As a player, you need to have the mindset that it is your job to make the team, not the coach's job to pick you. You need to separate yourself from the rest of the group. If you don't, you risk being "on the bubble" and it may end up bursting at the end of the tryout. Here are a few ways to give yourself the best shot at making a team.

FLY
Play fast! Keep your feet moving and play with energy. Be strong in traffic and along the wall.

WIN THE LITTLE BATTLES
Win every 1 vs 1 battle all over the ice. Have a constant work ethic in every drill and on every shift. Get loose pucks first and play with an edge. Be hard to play against. Take it personally and never give up.

PLAY OFF THE PUCKResearch shows the best players in the world only possess the puck for about one minute in a 60 minute game. What are you doing when you don't have the puck? Support the play on offense and defense. Stay engaged and make a difference, especially when you don't have the puck.
CHARACTER MATTERS
Be a positive team player. Make your teammates better. Be willing to accept a role. The third line center that won't be happy unless he is on the first power play unit, probably gets cut. Carry your own bag and sticks even if your mom offers to carry them for you. Say "please" and "thank you" when you get a drink from the snack bar after practice. Do the right thing, even when you think nobody is looking. We have won championships with teams that were less talented, but we've never won a championship with teams that lacked character.

KEEPING YOUR EDGEIf you do make the team, congratulations! But, your work is just beginning. You now have the responsibility to get better every single practice. Do not take your selection for granted, because chances are, the players who were cut are making plans to get better. If you're not picked for the team, try to understand that players develop at different rates and times. As long as you are still being challenged, you will continue to improve. Keep playing and keep having fun! Hockey is a great game.

Conditioning Clinics

Sticks, but no pucks! Sunday's conditioning clinic for youth hockey players at the Greater Baldwinsville Ice Arena
The Lowdown on the Clinics
by Tammie Vivlamore
Through the months of July and August, youth hockey players have been hitting the rink for goalie and skating clinics to stay in shape and have some fun. The children are taught how to strengthen their stride, muscles and speed while working on their form, transitions and edge control.

Elbow Pads for Youth Hockey

Click on the video above for advice on picking the right pads for Mite, Squirt or Pee Wee hockey players. Below for your high school hockey player.

McKie Sports Shop

1005 State Fair Blvd.

Syracuse, New York 13209

(315) 487-2010

Perfecting that Practice

I don't think anyone would question how important practices can be, but maybe you're questioning whether your kids are getting the most out of their practices. Here's some inspiring advice, that just may help get your youth hockey player jacked up for stops, passes, drills and naturally a few spills. The advice comes from Kim McCullough, a former Division I captain at Dartmouth. Kim played in the National Women’s Hockey League for six years and is considered a top expert in the development of aspiring female hockey players. She's the founder/Director of Total Female Hockey and the Girls Hockey Director at the PEAC School for Elite Athletes in Toronto.


Kim's Keys to a Successful Practice

By Kim McCullough, MSc, YCS

We’ve all been at those practices where no one can make a pass, the goalies can’t stop a beach ball, no one looks like they’re trying and the coach is ready to pull all their hair out. While every team knows that every practice is an opportunity to take your game to the next level, all too often players are guilty of just showing up and going through the motions. There is nothing more frustrating to a coach, parent or player when no one can seem to do a single thing right out on the practice ice.
That’s why I created a 5 Point Practice Performance Plan that will help to keep players focused, coaches sane and teams on track as we start into the busiest part of the season.

1. Finish Every Drill To The End: This is a huge pet peeve of most coaches. There is nothing more frustrating than watching you work hard for 95 percent of the drill and then slowing down or giving up right at the end. Why? Because it’s that last 5 percent that you don’t think matters that really counts. Most players will let up right before the end – and that’s the most important part. Be different. If your coach tells you that the drill finishes at the goal line or on the whistle, go hard until the end. This tells your coaches and your teammates that you are willing to go the extra mile.

2. Play Every 1-on-1 Battle Like It’s Your Last: In games, you will do anything to win a race to the puck or win a battle along the boards. Why don’t you do the same in practice? Coaches like to say that you have to “practice like you play.” Think of it this way – if you don’t go hard on every 1v1 battle in practice, how are you making your teammates better? When they have to face a “real” 1v1 battle in a game, they won’t be prepared because you took it easy on them in practice. You have to want to win every battle – whether it’s a game, tryout or practice. This tells your entire team that you are determined to make yourself and your teammates better.

3. Talk: This is by far the simplest thing you can do in practice to make yourself and your teammates better. It drives me crazy to watch practices and games where players aren’t calling for the puck. I have a rule with my team that if you don’t call for the puck, I won’t pass it to you. It might make players look foolish when they skate past me without a return pass, but they get the message very quickly. When I watch games as a scout and coach, I guarantee you that I will always notice the players that are talking out on the ice. If your goal is to get noticed, this is a no-brainer. This says that you are confident in your positioning and abilities.

4. Follow Your Shots: This might seem like a really small detail – but it’s a huge deal, especially in girls’ hockey. Far too many players take their shots and then practically skate themselves into the corner on the follow through. GO TO THE NET! I am not telling you to run the goalie over, but you would be shocked at how many more opportunities and goals you will get by following your shots. Start programming yourself to do this automatically by stopping in front of the net after every shot you take in practice. Once you get into the habit, you’ll see a huge increase in your opportunities to score.

5. Stay Positive & Help Your Teammates Do The Same:
We all have days out on the ice when we feel like we can’t do anything right. The easy choice is to put yourself down, slam your stick against the boards when you make a mistake and apologize to your teammates for being “so bad.” Don’t make the easy choice – make the hard one. Choose to stay positive even when things aren’t going your way. Don’t apologize for making a bad pass - decide to make the next one better.

These 5 points may seem small but they will make a big difference in how you practice and play.

Get complete access to articles, videos, interviews and advice on how to take your game to the next level at http://www.totalfemalehockeyclub.com/.

Download Your Free Copy of The “7 Point Practice Performance Plan” by clicking on the link below:
http://www.totalfemalehockey.com/practice_performance_plan.shtml