Ice Times Magazine October 2010

“Keep your kids out of hot water, put them on ice” OCTOBER 2010

The Official Hockey Magazine of the Texas Amateur Hockey Association

Zachary TaylorHow Do You Deal With A Negative Coach?The Power of Positive Thinking

Hockey is Expensive

This Magazine is FREE

8 IMPORTANTRULES FOR

PARENTS

DO YOU HAVE HOCKEY SENSE?

mouthpiece mayhem

What isNeutral

Positioning?

THE NEW SKATE

SHARPENING FAD

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Rampage Announce Partnership withSan Antonio Youth Hockey Association to form Jr. Rampage The San Antonio Rampage have partnered with the San Antonio Youth Hockey Association (SAYHA) to form the Jr. Rampage, which consists of seven youth teams for boys and girls. “We are excited to join the San Antonio Youth Hockey Association and the Ice Center at Northwoods to form the Jr. Rampage,” said Rampage (AHL) Director of Hockey Business Ryan Snider. “We are thrilled to develop this long term relationship to promote and grow the game of hockey in the San Antonio community.” The Rampage (AHL) made a financial commitment to the Jr. Rampage in order to purchase jerseys displaying the Rampage logo. “This is a great opportunity to form a lasting partnership with San Antonio’s only professional hockey team,” said SAYHA President David Jones. “We are proud to wear the Rampage jersey and are looking forward to working with the Rampage (AHL) to encourage kids in the community to give hockey a try.” ■

Go Wolves!! Grapevine Wolves Squirt Minor.

Ice Cats, D-League Champs, Summer 2010, Ice Training Center- Richardson.

www.playersbench.com

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Elite Defensemen Donates to Locks of Love Charity

Nicholas ‘Cruz’ Perna #96, defenseman with the ‘01 Squirt Minor Dallas Stars Elite Hockey Club has been easy to spot on the ice for the last 5 years with his long hair, but that all changed this week when he decided it was time to donate it to Locks of Love. Locks of Love is a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children in the United States and Canada suffering from long-term medical hair loss. The donation was dedicated to his friend Devon now faced with shaving her head in her on-going battle with Leukemia.

Bryson Andregg at the Northern Edge Hockey camp.

Brayden Hutchinson looking determined to stop the attacker.

ATTENTION HOCKEY PARENTS! Advertise your business for $100 a month in our Hockey Parents Business Directory.

Coming soon! For more information contact

[email protected].

www.dannyforce.com

www.stinehour.com

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This season I have come out of coaching “retirement.” I am proud

to be the coach of the Stars Selects Squirt B team out of the Dr Pepper StarCenter in Euless. To be honest with you I really wasn’t that excited about coaching again due to the time commitment. However, I didn’t have a coach for the team and I wanted to make sure the kids had fun and were given the opportunity to play at the select level. Now that we have been skating for a month, and have played a few games I can honestly say that it’s probably been as much fun for me as it has been for the players…well at least I hope they’re having fun. While we may not be the most “skilled” team in our division we make up for it in effort and positive attitude. Fortunately I am also blessed with a great group of parents. They understand that there is more to hockey than winning and losing and that the success of the team is something that can only be measured after the season is over. While the coach has a tremendous influence on the players, he/she is only with the team a few hours a week. How parents act, not only around the rink but in the car and at home, will have just as much influence on a player’s development. I believe the following eight rules for parents are something each parent should “buy-in” to. Most parents are extremely supportive of their child and their child’s team. However, I think these rules will help you, as parents, share the fun and passion of the game with your son or daughter.

In The Stands Parents can take the fun out of hockey by continually yelling or screaming from the stands. Parents should enjoy the game and applaud the efforts made by all participants. The stands are not a place from which parents should try to personally coach their kids or critique the activity on the ice. Kids often mirror the actions of their parents; if they see mom or dad losing their cool or shouting from the stands, they’ll almost certainly

Keith Andresen, Senior Director,

Hockey Programs

Dr Pepper StarCentersDallas Stars Hockey Club

For the Good of the GameBy Keith Andresen

Hockey Parentsdo the same from the ice.

Car and Home Some parents not only spoil the fun for their kids at the ice rink, but also in the car, believing this is the perfect place for instruction and critique. Parents should try to keep things in perspective. There’s more to life than hockey, and the car and home are not places to coach. Parents are responsible for supporting and respecting the coach’s decisions and abilities. It is unfair to put children in a position of having to decide who to listen to – their parents or the coach.

At Practice Parents should remember that if a child wants to improve, they have to practice – not just play games or scrimmages. Even if their child is not the “star” of the team, practice stresses the importance of teamwork, establishing goals, providing, discipline and teaching the kids to control their emotions. All are important lessons children can use both in and away from sports.

At the Rink Hockey parents can help create a fun and beneficial environment by making certain their children come ready to play with a positive attitude and all necessary equipment. Parents should stress that fair play and sportsmanship are more important than winning the game.

Support Your Child There are many benefits that are derived from playing youth hockey. Boys and girls learn good sportsmanship and self-discipline. They learn to work together, how to sacrifice for the good of the team, how to enjoy winning and how to handle defeat. In the process, they also learn important lessons about physical fitness and personal health. The degree to which your child benefits from his or her hockey experience is as much your responsibility as it is theirs. In order for your child to get the most out of a youth hockey program, it is important for you

to show support and offer encouragement while maintaining a genuine interest in the rest of the team.

Always Be PositiveParents serve as role models for their children, who often look to adults for advice, direction, and approval. Never lose sight of the fact that you are their role model, and strive to be a positive example of accepted behavior. As a parent, one of the most important things you can do is show good sportsmanship at all times to coaches, referees, program administrators, opponents, and teammates.

REMEMBER It is your children that are playing hockey, not you or your spouse. It is important to allow your children to establish their own goals and play the game for themselves. Be careful not to impose your own standards as being more important than the program objectives or team goals.

Let the Coaches Coach Avoid placing an exaggerated emphasis on winning. Winning is always the result of teamwork, positive attitudes, and proper emphasis on skill development. A recent survey indicated that 72% of children would rather play for a “losing” team than ride the bench for a winner. The most important aspect of your child’s youth hockey experience is for them to have fun while developing physical and emotional skills that will serve them in life. A healthy, risk-free environment that emphasizes the importance of fair play, sportsmanship, discipline, teamwork, and most importantly, fun will be invaluable for your child as he or she continues to develop a positive self image.

Positive Reinforcement The best way to help children achieve goals and reduce their natural fear of failure is through positive reinforcement.

After all, no one likes to make mistakes…even parents. When your child makes a mistake, that’s a certainty, so keep in mind that mistakes are an integral part of the overall learning process. Strive to be supportive and point out the things they do well. They will soon develop the confidence they need to succeed versus developing a fear of failure. Hockey is a sport where the entire family is involved. The cost and time commitments are substantial and most families prioritize hockey over other sports and activities. As coaches we must give back value to our families. We must teach kids both hockey skills and life skills and make sure it’s done in a fun and positive environment. If the parents understand and can offer their positive support it makes it makes it much easier for the coaches to be successful. ■

On the CoverOctober 2010Now In Our Fifth Season!On The Cover:Zachary Taylor of the Houston Wild Squirt B keeps his eye on the puck during the Texas Labor Day Shootout Tournament.Photo courtesy of ActionJunction.com

Want to be our next cover shot? Send in your high resolution picture [email protected]

Cover Shot Contest! PARENTS: Send in your picture and if it makes our Cover Shot of the Month you will win a gift certificate to

YOU SHOOT. YOU SCORE… THE KEG!

Monthly ColumnsFor The Good of The Game . . . . . . . . . . 5Life Lessons on Ice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Pro Shop. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Hockey From The Neck Up . . . . . . . . . 15Metroplex Hockey Officials Assn. . . . . . 16Grow The Game. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Strong Hockey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Behind the Bench. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20From The Stands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Ice Times Magazine is published monthly by Tink Ink Publications, LLC & distributed free of charge at ice rinks and pro-shops. Copy and Photographs are welcome and must be submitted by the 20th of the month prior to publication. ITM reserves the right to edit, reject or comment editorially on all material contributed. Reproduction in whole or part without express written consent of the Publisher is prohibited.

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Calgary Glatz, Midget Minor A, playing a determined defensive position.

Aaron Raymond, Midget Minor A, defenseman, pondering his

next move.

Jacob Jones of the Grapevine Wolves Squirt Team during the Texas Shootout Tournament.

Texas Shootout Champions, Midget Minor Silver, Dallas Stars Select - Euless

Kyle Waton (5) challenges the Texas Aces goalie.

www.icetrainingcenter.com

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Life Lessons On Ice by Kim Tinkham, Editor

Kim Tinkham is a hockey mom and wife, produces four magazines, a published author, marketing coach, guest on the Oprah Winfrey show, has been mentioned in Newsweek Magazine and is a cancer terminator. She is proudest of her ‘hockey mom’ title. Go figure.

Alliance U18 Tier I celebrating after a goal.

Sam Cote of the Texas Junior Stars from Austin, Texas scored the first hat trick

of the Pee Wee season in the Dallas Labor Day Tournament.

Blake Martin on a breakaway at 2010 Texas Labor Day tournament.

What makes athletes stay in a sport long after they have made the big

time and long after they have proven themselves? I had asked myself that very question when I watched Wayne Gretzky skate around the ice at his last NHL game as a player. There he was “the Great One” skating around the ice waving to the crowd with this sad smile on his face. I thought to myself, “he’s a legend, he’s the player every young hockey player dreams about being, he’s worth millions of dollars, why is he so sad?” I received my answer one night while I was sitting in the stands watching my son practice with his team. I had the good fortune of sitting beside a very successful NHL coach . We started talking about the most important thing about sports and the Life Lessons that players get out of it. I have to tell you that some of the

Think Team

“The best thing about sports is the sense of community and shared emotion it can create.”

— Bob Costas

best things I have learned in my life have come from coaches (famous and not-so-famous, someone else’s and my own). They have a different way of looking at things. They see the big picture a lot of the time. Maybe it’s because they have to focus on what is going on. I don’t know why some of them are so wise, they just are. In any case, this coach started telling me about the things he remembered while playing and coaching hockey. He didn’t remember the scores of the games that they had won or lost, what he remembered was the feeling he had when they won or when they lost. It’s the feelings you have when you see the rest of your team celebrating after a big win. And it’s the feelings you have when you see everyone on the team nearly in tears after an upset that ends the season. That was it! That’s why players love to play. Sure, it may look like they play

for the money and the fame and all the other great things that come with being a great athlete. But, really when it all boils down to it, they play the game for the same reasons they played it when they were 10 years old. They play because they love the feeling of being part of something bigger. It ’s about putting aside the individual’s needs and wants and doing what is best for the life of the team. They love the team mentality; the ‘all for one and one for all’ feeling that you get when you are on a team. Remember that being part of a team is important. There are times in your life when you will want to be alone. You will want to use those times to think about what you want to be, where you want to go and how you want to accomplish those things in your life. When you are finished being by yourself then you are going to want to have a team there with you to share those experiences. ■

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Matthew Naab, Mite level Alliance Player is ready for hockey.

Please mark Sat. Oct. 30th as Texas Hockey Day when kids ages 4-9 can come to a local participating rink to “Try Hockey for Free!” Go to www.

ComePlayYouthHockey.com for more information about this great

“fun, free” event. All hockey families are encouraged to visit USA Hockey’s new website at www.usahockey.com/

adm to learn more about the American Development Model.

2010 Planned EventsOct 30 Texas Hockey Day (Tx & Ok)Jan 29 TAHA Winter Meeting (Dallas)Feb 18-20 Hockey Weekend Across AmericaFeb 25-27 States: Tier I & II (Dallas)Mar 3-6 Districts: Tier 1 Youth (Dallas)Mar 4-6 Districts: Tier Girls (AZ)Mar 18-20 TAC Boys/Girls (Dallas)Mar 25-27 Texas Cup HS States (TBD)Mar 23-27 Nationals: High School (Chic.)Mar30-Apr3 Nationals: Tier II Girls (CA)Mar30-Apr3 Nationals: Tier I/II Youth (varies)Apr 1-3 Nationals: Women A/B/C (Varies)Apr 6-10 Nationals Tier I Girls (MI)Apr 13-17 Americas HS Showcase (PA)May 5-8 RMD Player Dev. Camp (SLC)

Meeting minutes and handouts of TAHA’s Annual Meeting held June 19th are posted on our website. 2010-11 TAHA Board members include:

• President - Ted Skinner• Vice Pres. - Jamie Appell• Treasurer - Mark Shepheard• Secretary - Christine Burns• Adult Sect. - Jeff Stone• Disabled Sect. - Taylor Lipsett• High School - Keith Andresen• House Sect. - Cesar Cepeda• Travel Sect. - Mark Servaes• Women’s Sect. - Tracy Servaes• ACE Director - Angie Vaught• Coach-in-Chief - Jouni Lehtola• Ref-in-Chief - Garry Pariseau• Registrars - Debra Lewis (DFW) Bettepat Graves (TX) Anne Hetrick (OK)

Dallas Players Selected To Represent North America On The Bauer Selects Team Go Undefeated

To Win The Bauer EURO Invite Ryan O’Reilly (2000) and Hank Crone (98) who played with their age specific Bauer Selects teams each went undefeated and won the Bauer EURO-Invite in Stockholm Sweden August 9–15th. Top teams from across Europe participated in the event, including the Russia Red Army, HC Sparta Prague Czech Republic, AIK, Stocksund, Taby, Lidingo, Huddinge, Trangsunds, and the Finland Selects. Ryan O’Reilly (00), Hank Crone (98), and Ryan Pouliot (98) from the Dallas Stars Elite Hockey Club were selected as one of seventeen players from various parts of the United States and Canada to play with the Bauer Selects teams which won other high level AAA tournaments in Chicago, Detroit, and Canada over the summer in preparation for the Bauer EURO Invite. Over the past year the Bauer Selects have had 10 players selected on the USA U-17 Team, and had a record 15 players drafted in the USHL which represented 27% of the first three draft rounds.

Ryan O’Reilly Hank Crone

Brad Heflin stops the puck.

www.tahahockey.org

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Joseph Otsuka has played hockey for twenty years, played Juniors and ACHA hockey. He has been working in the hockey retail industry for 8 years and is currently the manager of a Dr Pepper StarCenter Starstuff.

Pro ShopBy Joseph Otsuka

I love this time of year. The heat of the summer begins to wane and the days

become shorter, but best of all: hockey season starts! To help you have the best season yet, I have compiled some very important information to help you with your equipment needs. This month I will explain the new sharpening cut that is being offered all over the hockey world and introduce the concept of profiling your steel. The new sharpening fad which is sweeping the nation is a new “trapezoid cut.” This is different than the tried and true “hemispherical cut” that you are probably used to. The idea is simple: a new trapezoid structure is “honed” into the bottom of the blade giving new advantages over the more traditional style. The higher bite angle and lower depth of the steel creates an environment that allows for a 3/8” bite, but with a 5/8” glide. I have had many people on both sides of the aisle about this new FBV cut. Blackstone sharpening systems calls this

their “Flat Bottom V” cut or FBV for short. They believe it is the new frontier for sharpening. The official statement by the Blademaster Group is that this “new” technology was actually released in the early 70s. They believe it will die out in a couple of years. I’ve been talking to people at the rinks, and everyone I talked to over the past month who has tried the FBV it either loves it or did not notice any difference at all with their speed and grip. When talking to Curt Hinton, he explained that he secretly gave his daughter Lauren the new FBV without her knowledge. “I think she skates faster when I watch her play, but she doesn’t really know,” he explained. Longtime summer A league sniper Tony Marra said, “These new tires feel weird on my wheels.” I think the bottom line would be: if you are looking for something new, you should try it the next time you have your skates sharpened. However, if you are happy with what you have, you probably should just stay the course.

If you’ve spent all your time in the rinks in the DFW area, you may not know much about profiling skates. The concept of profiling skates really involves cross-grinding a new “profile” or radius into your steel. Like skate sharpening there are different “settings” one could apply to his or her skates. On one end we have the lower radii’s; 9ft and 10ft. These radii give the advantage of greater mobility and acceleration. The 11ft, 12ft radii are generally geared towards longer strides where the player is concerned with his/her top end speed. However, the longer steel does sacrifice some agility and side-to-side movement. Profiling is a touchy area, and right now there are only select hockey locations which even offer this service in our area. Always make sure that a well-trained professional is the only person you talk to about profiling your skates. I have heard too many horror stories where a novice has tried it unsuccessfully. Talk to your hockey shop sharpeners for more information. They can help you find someone who can confidently

provide this service. Next month, I plan to tackle (literally) the new helmets that are coming out this season. I’ll be reporting on protection and performance. Until then, make sure your equipment is all in good shape and have a great start to their season! ■

Grayson Walloga, Houston Hitmen “Team Houston” Pee Wee team, scoring at the recent Labor Day Tournament.

DID YOU KNOW?The average lifespan of an NHL hockey puck is 7 minutes. Those that don’t fly into the stands are removed because they warm up from friction and bounce on the ice. Game pucks - chilled to -10° Fahrenheit for maximum performance - are kept in a freezer in the penalty box.


Amburgey, Tyler 1991 US NTDP, USHL - Tri-City Aponte, Matt 1988 NAHL - Springfield NCAA -

Plymouth St. Berge, Josh 1990 USHL - Tri-City NCAA -

Minnesota State Brown, Chris 1991 NAHL - NTDP NCAA – Michigan,

Phoenix (2nd)Burns, Dru 1991 Shattuck Girls NCAA - Boston CollegeCiminelli, David 1988 NOJHL - North Bay NCAA -

Westfield St. Clark, Morgan 1990 WHL - Prince George Cougars,

Vancouver (7th) Coleman, Blake 1991 USHL - Tri-City NCAA - Miami

(OH) Daugherty, Ryan 1991 USHL - Omaha NCAA - N.

MichiganDescoteaux, Nolan 1989 EJHL - South Shore NCAA -

RIT Douglas, Graylyn 1988 WSHL - San Antonio NCAA -

Concordia WI Douglas, Gregory 1989 WSHL - San Antonio NCAA -

Concordia WI Grant, Chase 1989 USHL - Fargo NCAA - Minnesota

State Haas, Colin 1989 USHL - Des Moines Hamburg, Anthony 1991 USHL - Omaha NCAA –

Colgate, Minnesota (7th) Jillson, Locke 1988 USHL - Des Moines NCAA - Cornell Kraus, Adam 1988 NAHL - Alaska NCAA - Boston

University Ludwig, C.J. 1990 USHL - Omaha NCAA - N. Michigan Maley, J.P. 1989 USHL - Des Moines NCAA -

Northeastern Ross, Kier 1989 USHL - Omaha NCAA - CornellSmith, Austin 1988 BCHL - Penticton NCAA – Colgate,

Dallas (5th)Sperry, Cassie 1987 NCAA - Northeastern Tatum, P.J. 1988 USHL - Lincoln ACHA - Vanderbilt Tinkham, Garrett 1988 NAHL - Alaska NCAA -

Wisconsin-Superior

ALLIANCE NCAA ALUMNI LIST

Chris KostopoulosAlliance 18U Tier I

Head CoachAlliance Director of

Coaching and Development

Coached 2 seasons Division I College Hockey Robert Morris University

Co-founder of Alliance Youth Hockey Association

2 TAHA league championships4 Texas State Titles2 Rocky Mountain District Championships2 USA Hockey National Championship

appearances 1 National Bronze Medal

David FryAlliance 16U Tier I

Head Coach

9 years professional coaching experience

4 yrs minor pro

4 State Championships3 Regional Championships

3 National Appearances

2 HS State Titles, 1 HS RMD Championship, 1 HS National Appearance

2009 Dallas Morning News HS Coach of the Year2007 AT&T HS Coach of the Year

Dallas Morning News HS Coach of the Year

Ty HennesAlliance 16U Tier I

Coach

Division I College Hockey Player (Boston College)

2001 NCAA National ChampionTeam CaptainSigned Professional Contract

in the Detroit Red Wings Organization

Coaching:USA Hockey National Player

Evaluation Camp Coach & EvaluatorUSA Hockey Rocky Mountain District Coach

& Evaluator

Coaching Staff of 6 USA Hockey National Championship Appearances in 4 years

Steve LaMereAlliance 14U Tier I

Head CoachAlliance Director of

Recruiting

5 time Texas State Champion 2 time Rocky Mountain

Region Champion 2 USA Hockey National

Appearances Bantam A NTXHL league and playoff Champion North American Prospects Showcase (‘98 birthyear) Champion

Ian ClarkAlliance Goaltending

Coach

NHL Goaltending Coach 2001-2010 (Florida, Vancouver)

World Junior Championships – 2 Gold Medals

Memorial Cup Championship

NHL goalies coached include: Roberto Luongo, Cam Ward, Marc Andre Fleury

Has coached goaltenders playing for or that are property of 18 NHL teams

Author – The 10 Series of Goaltending Handbooks

In our first 9 seasons, Alliance has sent

10 teams to the USA Hockey National

Championships, won 8 Rocky Mountain

District Championships, won 17 State

Championships, and won 16 League

Championships.

58 players (87-92 birth year) have

advanced to Juniors. 2 NTDP,

21 NCAA, 4 NHL draft picks

It takes an “Alliance” of coaches, players and parents to compete at the highest level, maintain the integrity of the game and (more importantly) develop a hockey player for life.

www.AllianceBulldogs.org

“Developing Hockey Players For Life”

Tier 1 Coaching Staff

www.alliancebulldogs.org

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Send in your pictures to [email protected]

Houston Wild Squirt B celebrate a hard fought game.

Lucas Mendes skating in mid-air.

www.allenamericans.com

www.in-the-moment-photo.com

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Another one for the goalie.

Michael Piehler and Ian Hammond help Daniel Mignault get his Mouthpiece! Daniel Mignault “Hey guys help me get my mouthpiece” Michael Piehler “Daniel this better be the last time” Ian Hammond “ Daniel please keep the mouthpiece in your mouth.”

Josh Mehr, Alliance ‘97 Bantam AA.

Nick Nietybyc determined to put up a good defensive position.

Love Ice Times Magazine and want to help support it? You can donate to our cause of supporting the growth and success of amateur ice hockey in Texas & Oklahoma. Visit our website and donate what you can to help with the print costs. Thanks so much.

www.scotshockey.org

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The Texas Stars, in conjunction with the Youth Hockey Foundation

of Austin (YHFA), have partnered to form the Texas Junior Stars. “The Texas Stars strongly believe in community involvement and the deve lopment of youth hockey in Centra l Texas , ” said Texas Stars Pres ident Rick McLaughlin. “The Texas Junior Stars allows us to do both. It also ensures long-term strengthening and growth of youth hockey in the Greater Austin area.” The Youth Hockey Foundation of Austin is a nonprofit corporation that is operated and sustained by the community to develop, encourage and foster youth hockey players in the Austin metro area. The YHFA was established in 2008, taking over the Austin Youth Hockey Association (AYHA), which operated from 1997 to 2008. YHFA’s youth travel team will be renamed the Texas Junior Stars after playing under the name Austin Roadrunners from 1997-2010. The Texas Junior Stars will wear

jerseys designed to look like the elder Stars’ jerseys. In all, seven travel teams will sport the Texas Junior Stars logo. The YHFA and Chaparral Ice combine to form approximately 20 teams with over 250 boys and girls ranging

from ages four to 18. The YHFA’s goal is to provide kids with a form of exercise, teamwork and good sportsmanship. There are multiple sheets of ice in the Greater Austin region used by YHFA, including t w o C h a p a r r a l I c e l o c a t i o n s , North I-35 and

Northcross at West Anderson Lane. For more information about the YHFA please log on to the YHFA’s official website http www.austinicehockey.com. “This is a great opportunity to form a lasting partnership with Central Texas’ only professional hockey team,” said YHFA President Corky Brown. “We are proud to wear the Stars jersey and we are looking forward to working with the Texas Stars (AHL) to encourage kids in the community to give hockey a try.” ■

Texas Stars Announce Partnership with Youth Hockey Foundation of Austin to form Texas Junior Stars

Community Bond Expected to Strengthen Youth Hockey Program in Central Texas

DSS Bantams’ Sterling Cooper is dumped at mid-ice during first-period action against the Louisiana Ice Gators.

ALLEN AMERICANS

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OCTOBER 15 @ 7:30 PM vs TEXASOCTOBER 16 @ 7:00 PM vs TEXAS

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NOVEMBER 19 @ 7:30 PM vs WHICHITANOVEMBER 20 @ 7:00 PM vs ODESSA

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ATTENTION HOCKEY PARENTS! Advertise your business for $100 a month in our

Hockey Parents Business Directory. Coming soon! For more information contact [email protected].

For more information regarding the YHFA visit their official website

at www.austinicehockey.com.

www.allenamericans.com

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Hockey From the Neck UpBy Paul O’Donnell

Paul O'Donnell currently writes for the Hockey Stop Magazine. He has been coaching in the Chicagoland Area for the past 25 years. Paul grew up in The Greater Boston Area and played college hockey for Salem State College in Massachusetts.

To say that hockey training and coaching techniques have come

a long way since my high school and college playing days during the 1970s would be an understatement. From the legendary Summit Series between the Soviet Union and the National Hockey League in the fall of 1972, to the fall of the Berlin Wall in the late 1980s, until now, European theory and training have increasingly influenced our own methods of coaching here in North American. Unfortunately, while these radically new methods of training have greatly improved the overall skills of our players in the past few decades, the terminology and concepts, which every coach needs to accomplish their jobs to the best of their abilities, have not kept pace with the physical training aspect of the game as we know it today. Over the years, as a coach, to help get my point across to my players more effectively I’ve had to develop my own hockey training nomenclature and concepts to assist me in doing my job. One of my more successful incarnations that I have developed is something I call Neutral Positioning. It establishes guidelines for supporting forwards to follow during battles along the boards just inside their opponents zone, between the top of the face-off circle and the blueline. If you’re a coach I hope you find it useful.

What Is Neutral Positioning All too often, inexperienced forwards will establish supporting positions around individual battles along the high wall. When this happens during games it tends to put their team into a less than desirable situation when the puck finally emerges from the scrum along the boards. Most of the time, this poorly executed support manifests itself with one or more forwards positioning themselves deeper into their opponent’s offensive zone, in the hopes of a positive outcome when the battles along the boards concludes. When the plays go your way, those forwards are in a better position to continue their offensive attack; but when the plays go badly and transitions

Neutral Positioningthe other way, against your team, there may be one, two or even three forwards caught back anywhere from 10 to 40 feet behind the play. When positioned correctly, neutral positioning prevents this from happening. The purpose of neutral positioning is basically to place supporting forwards in a neutral position just inside their opponents blueline during battles along the boards, which will allow them the best opportunity and mobility to quickly establish either an offensive or defensive posture to accomplish the following:

Pursue the puck when the battle •concludes; Move further into the offensive zone •as a viable passing option, forecheck or screen, if necessary;Assist in the battle itself, if more •opponents enter the scrum;Retreat and regroup on offense;•Backcheck if a transition has occurred •or begin to establish a more defensive posture if an opponent’s offensive transition is imminent.

Positioning and Responsibilities While the first forward ( F1) is battling along the high wall, just inside the blueline, his teammates F2 and F3 are supporting the board battle from directly behind the puck, in a straight line, parallel to the blueline. The first supporting forward (F2) positions himself directly behind the puck, approximately 3 to 5 feet from the boards. The third supporting cast member (F3) assumes a weak side position directly behind the puck approximately 30 to 40 feet from the wall, depending upon where the opposition is setting up. As you can see in this diagram, stacking the three players behind one another at staggered intervals allows each of the two supporting players, behind F1, multiple options as soon as the puck becomes dislodged along the boards. During these battles, F2 may decide to help dislodge the puck if the opportunity presents itself; or he may enter the scrum if another opponent enters the battle. But then again he may wish to stand his ground 3 to 5 feet from

the boards and wait for the puck to pop out. More often than not, during every battle along the boards, the puck has only two directions it will usually go: up the boards or down the boards. As you can see in the diagram, F2 is perfectly positioned to intercept, no matter which way the puck goes. Even if the opposition does come out of a scrum with the puck, the stick handler’s close proximity to F2 will not allow enough time or space to establish an effective offensive play. But, while F2’s responsibilities are important to the overall success of these types of battles, the most important player on the ice at that time is the second supporting forward (F3). From his vantage point on the ice, with his head on a swivel, he has the best view of the battle and the play as it unfolds. If the battle begins to falter, he’s in the best position to anticipate the transition and begin moving into an effective backchecking position. His only job is to anticipate and deny any passing option to his opponent’s widest wing as their attack begins to unfold through the neutral zone. If the play goes the other way, he may find himself chasing after a loose puck or a lone defenseman who’s trying to gain control and regroup. Ultimately, the best scenario would be if his linemates happen to break out from the battle with the puck cleanly and began mounting

an attack. With his excellent position and view of the entire ice surface, he would have the opportunity to move effectively towards the opposition’s goal, possibly receiving a pass, setting up for a one-timer or positioning himself to screen the goaltender to bang home a rebound. In the overall scheme of things, this insignificant concept wouldn’t even warrant a ripple in the overall hockey training ocean. But if enough coaches begin presenting their own small insignificant hockey concepts - who knows? I look forward to your comments good, bad or ugly at [email protected]. ■

IceTimesMagazine


Metroplex Hockey Officials AssociationBy Ralph Hunter

Ralph is the father of four boys, all of whom have played and three of whom have also officiated hockey in North Texas during the past 11 years. An airline pilot by trade and a past president of the Allied Pilots Association, Ralph has also served in various capacities with the Metroplex Hockey Officials Association over the past several years. He is currently the President of MHOA.

Ken Hatley [email protected]

214.718.0263

Specializing in Team, Individual and Action photos.

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Like any organization, ours is all about the people. Nowhere is this

more evident within MHOA than in is nationally acclaimed Mentor Program. In this case, the people include the Director of MHOA’s Mentor Program, Bob Williams. Each fall and spring, Bob spends hundreds of hours preparing for and administering a new class of mentorees. He is assisted by carefully selected senior officials who have both the “heart of a teacher” and the desire to build the benefits of their officiating experience into another. Webster defines a mentor as “a trusted counselor or guide.” That means serving, not only as a teacher, but also a dependable resource for our mentorees throughout their early officiating experience. As it relates to MHOA, we have a very specific process for the identification of new officials. MHOA conducts orientation meetings for new officials twice a year. This fall’s meetings will be conducted at two Dr. Pepper Star Center locations, Euless and Plano, on the same night, Monday, October the 11th at 6:00 pm (Plano) and 6:30 pm (Euless). The orientation session will last for 3 hours including ice time. Late arrivals are not admitted. Although attendance is mandatory for consideration, it does NOT guarantee a place in the class. MHOA requires officials to be at least 14 years old for admittance to the program. The attendance of at least one parent is required for anyone younger than 17. This initial meeting is conducted for the purpose of candidly explaining both what officials can expect from

Mentors and Mouth Guardsthe program and—perhaps even more important—what is required of them should they be selected to participate. Candidates are evaluated for observation skills, skating skills and an interaction exploring why they are interested in officiating ice hockey. From those interested parties who attend an orientation meeting, no more than 20 candidates are selected and invited to join the mentor program. From there, each candidate must complete 12 hours of classroom training and 3 hours of on ice training conducted during four weekday evenings spanning four weeks. This is followed by 4 months of assignments with a cross section of our experienced mentor official. Each candidate must also fulfill USA Hockey requirements that are also explained in detail at the orientation session. Only after meeting the rigorous requirements of the program will the successful candidate “graduate” and be eligible to be assigned games by MHOA. In addition to notices routinely posted in the various rinks around the Metroplex, prospective candidates are invited to check www.mhoa.org for orientation meeting details.

Next subject? Mouth guards… USA Hockey strongly recommends that all players and goalkeepers in all age classifications properly wear an internal mouthpiece. The USA Hockey Rulebook mandates “all players, including goalkeepers, in the Pee Wee through Midget (including High School) and in the Girls/Women 12 & under through 19

& under age classifications are required to wear a colored (non-clear) internal mouthpiece that covers all the remaining teeth of one jaw, customarily the upper…”[USA Hockey Rule Book 304(c)]. So there’s no confusion, the Texas Amateur Hockey Association (TAHA) has wisely gone one step beyond the USA Hockey Rulebook and required mouthpieces for ALL youth hockey players, squirts and mites included. The long lasting effects of youth sports concussions are the subject of increasing concern amongst the experts. Those of you participating in local high school hockey are likely already aware that a test to establish a “baseline” for head trauma injuries is a mandatory part of your pre-season requirements. After considerable discussion with TAHA on this subject, here’s some of the finer points of how you should expect mouth guard violations to be uniformly addressed by our on-ice officials: First, as prescribed by the rulebook, each team will receive a warning for their first violation. Subsequent violations will each be assessed a misconduct…yes 10 whole minutes (approximately 25% of the game) in the penalty box for failing to properly wear a form-fitted piece of plastic. Players are required to have their mouthpieces in ANY time they’re on the ice, no exceptions. That means if there’s a mouthpiece on the ice surface, somebody’s going to the penalty box for 10 minutes. Remember, the mouthpiece must cover “all the remaining teeth of one jaw.” That

means that your child’s unrecognizable piece of chewed up plastic that used to be a mouthpiece isn’t a mouthpiece any more. I can assure you that the very last thing any MHOA official wants to do is sit your young athlete for 10 minutes for a missing mouthpiece. Please make sure you take the necessary steps to make sure we don’t have to. See you at the rink, Ralph [email protected]

www.hatleys.com

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Courtney Welch is the USA Hockey Program Services Manager for Texas. Courtney has worked as an administrator in hockey for 12 years.

GROW THE GAME By Courtney Welch

ATTENTION HOCKEY PARENTS! Advertise your business for $100 a month in our Hockey Parents Business Directory.

Coming soon! For more information contact [email protected].

Youth hockey season has started and that means the excitement of a new

coach, new teammates and new goals. It’s also a new opportunity to share your passion for the game that has given your child so much – like strength, confidence and friendships – and that has given your family a supportive community. Hockey Day in Texas is Saturday, October 30, 2010. It ’s the first-ever statewide celebration of the sport that is focused on giving your non-hockey playing friends an

opportunity to see what all this fun is truly about. Rinks throughout Texas will welcome boys and girls between the ages of 4 and 9 to come out, put on hockey gear, learn to skate and see what it feels like to score a goal. Participating rinks throughout the Lone Star State will host a one-hour Try Hockey for Free clinic. Locations will be updated continuously at www.HockeyDayinTexas.com. This is the perfect opportunity to round up your friends, family, classmates and neighbors and invite them to the rink. In most locations, kids will be able

to utilize hockey equipment through OneGoal at no charge to learn the basics of skating and stick handling,

as well as to participate in some fun drills and games.

In the past year, over 1,500 kids have been introduced to youth hockey through Hockey Days in Florida, California, the Carolinas and Massachusetts. Currently 14 rinks in Texas have signed up, including eight in the Dallas area (Euless, Farmers Branch, Grapevine, Frisco, McKinney, North Richland Hills and Plano), two in the Houston area, and one each in Amarillo, Austin, College Station and El Paso. Hockey Day in Texas is presented by the Texas Amateur Hockey Association, OneGoal, USA Hockey and the Dallas Stars. Registration is not required but strongly encouraged. V isit HockeyDayinTexas.com for more information. If you are looking for additional information or would like to volunteer at any of the Try Hockey for Free clinics, please contact: Courtney Welch at [email protected] or (719) 538-1118. ■

Hockey Day in Texas: Share Your Love of the Game

Ian Struck protects the puck.

Jett Otwell, playing defense. Holton Schwartz skating up the ice.

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Congratulations to the 2010-11 Dallas Penguin Pee Wee AA team for their Texas Shootout tournament win. The team was undefeated in their five team

bracket and defeated the Alliance 12U Tier II ’99 in the Championship game to complete the sweep with a perfect 5-0 record. The boys were fit from their summer conditioning program and it showed in their play. Hats off to Coaches O’Brien, Nutt, Hayden and Graves for their efforts in getting the boys prepared for the tournament with a minimal number of practices. The boys produced 198 shots on goal while only allowing 90 against, producing 31 goals and allowing 3. With out a doubt it’s a great start to a long season. The coaches have seen the team in a competitive environment now and I’m sure are working hard on their practice plans to get the team ready for their next competition. Once again boys, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR VICTORY! Hard work does pay off!!!! ■ Stars Elite U16 Tier I celebrating after a goal.

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I recently heard a story about a professional hockey player with a serious dilemma. His playing time was down, his

coach was always on his case and he was about to lose his spot on the team. Practice had become a nightmare and he was frustrated with his stats. In desperation, he confronted his coach about the problem. With a defeated look, the coach responded back, “Son- you have NO hockey sense.” I’ve heard many people say that in order to succeed in hockey you have to have 4 S’s: size, speed, strength and skill, but I think there’s an elusive 5th S that sometimes gets left out: sense… hockey sense. This player may have gotten to the top because of his size, speed, strength and skill but found out the hard way that what separates a good player from a great player is his or her game understanding and the ability to read and react to various situations. Hockey sense is a learned skill that any player can master. It is the responsibility of the coach and the player to develop hockey sense just like we work on developing our other hockey skills.

To develop hockey sense in your players, a coach should: Design practices and drills that allow players to think

freely, be creative and problem solve on their own. Drills should have limited time and space, limited start/stop whistles and cover different game situations. Vary your drills and systems to keep players from becoming robotic in their play. Small area games with fun rules or different colored pucks are other great ways to get players to react quicker and make better decisions. “It doesn’t matter if everyone thinks alike out there, what matters is that everyone thinks!”

To develop your own hockey sense, a player should: Ask questions. If you don’t understand something, pick an appropriate time to ask your coach for clarification. Try to watch at least one high level game per week paying extra attention to what the players do away from the puck. Playing other sports can also be a great way to improve your instincts and situational understanding. Remember, there’s no point in having all the tools to be a great player and having no toolbox to put them in. Work on the 4 S’s you can control: speed, strength, skill and sense and set yourself up for success in the end. ■


Kasie Strong is a hockey coach, hockey player and hockey enthusiast. A native of Groton, Massachusetts, Kasie currently resides in Trondheim, Norway where she is the Head Coach for the Astor Women’s Hockey Team.

Strong HockeyBy Kasie Strong

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Hockey Senseless – It Can Happen to Anyone


IceTimesMagazine


BEHIND THE BENCH By Mark Dyslin

Mark Dyslin has been coaching youth sports for over 15 years and coaching youth hockey since 1999. He is currently one of the coaches for St. Mark’s Junior Varsity Hockey Team.

ATTENTION HOCKEY PARENTS!

Advertise your business for $100 a month in our Hockey Parents Business

Directory. Coming soon! For more information contact [email protected].

I recently received an unsolicited email f rom a group sponsored, in part, by the local professional hockey team.

The subject line really caught my eye: “how do you deal with a negative coach?” So I clicked the link only to discover it was a survey. I searched the host site but could not find an accompanying article. I guess that means difficult coaches don’t exist. However, that email sparked a wee cogitation: could there truly be socially unmanageable coaches among our ranks? Perhaps in other sports, but not hockey. Right? But for grins, let’s say that, and I know this is impossible to fathom, let’s just IMAGINE that there might possibly could be a “difficult” coach somewhere. I know, right? Pure poppycock! (I have been waiting three years to use “poppycock”...wahoo!) But again, serving the greater good and seeking a few yucks along the way, let ’s pretend. Let ’s go to Imagination Island. There, on the left, just beyond the Stream of Silly Stories. We find the den of Coachus Ego Biggus – Narcissists of the highest order (in their minds). These self-adulating exsanguinates possess an extremely annoying trait: they are coach, thus the

living incarnation of Athena.* Thus even more, one does not presume to challenge their immortalness, nor question her/his possession of a higher awareness. We further learn coaches of this phylum rarely interact with parents. When they do it is to impart crumbs of enlightenment. Coach doesn’t want to encumber the parent ’s puny percipience and cause irreversible damage. But remember: coach’s word is hallowed law. Our mythical coach finds great revelry in arguing with officials and parents; but is is purely for sport as these lesser beings feebly attempt to match wits. Woe is you who offer ideas for the coach’s drills, game plans, or bench management. You’ll fall victim to the icy stare and the accompanying and excruciatingly painful telepathic chastisement: “Fool! You meddle in spheres in which you are unable to comprehend! Feel my wrath!” See? This whole “difficult” coach thing is crazy talk. Honestly, the notion of an overbearing, vainglorious coach is just plain silly. Isn't it? *History corner: Athena was known to the ancient Greeks as the goddess of wisdom. What? ■

Brent Johnson battles for control of the puck at the 7th annual Texas Shootout. Double team.

Two for one.

DSS Bantams’ Spencer Torres defends against the Louisiana Ice Gators’ Matthew Wyatt during first-period action.

Connor Moss looking for

the cross-ice pass.

A first year peewee learning to check and landing a good one during the Penguin PeeWee 99’s vs. the Aces - Mill’s game.

IceTimesMagazineIce Sports Directory



IceTimesMagazine


From the STANDS IceTimesMagazine hears from its readers.

Youth hockey players want to be successful, just like everybody

else wants success in their lives. The word “success,” of course, is open for interpretation – but it can apply to anything from raising your grades at school to improving your puck handling skills. This isn’t about success, though. It’s about the one true thing that helps you achieve success: Your attitude. Most of the time we are caught up in the final outcome or goal; the thing we are working on attaining and our primary focus is on the execution, the how of getting to the end result. But few have ever achieved a goal being solely focused on execution of skills and tactics without possessing the right attitude. As far as many coaches are concerned, the most important thing to achieving your goals in hockey – and life – is your attitude. You can read blogs and articles,

The power of positive thinkingWith the right attitude, no goal is out of reach

By Paul Taylor

magazines, websites and books that help you identify tactics of execution to reach your goal, but seriously … what is the point of all this effort if your bad attitude drags you down? Without a positive and resilient attitude, all the instruction in the world will make little difference to your development. The power of a great attitude can and will give you the best chance to succeed. As an example, two players just finished their season and met with their coaches to get an overview of their game. Both need to improve on their skating and stickhandling. Player A sees this as an opportunity to improve for next season. He creates a plan with his coach for what he’s going to work on and stays diligent in practicing and training during the off-season. Player B takes this criticism as an area he is just not that good at, does not

create a plan and does not practice and train during the off-season because he has a defeated attitude. Player A’s time, efforts and, most importantly, attitude will significantly improve his game for next season; whereas Player B will be exactly where he left off – or worse from not training. There is always a choice in how you look at things, and each of you has countless opportunities in your game and in your life to choose to have a positive attitude. Coaches and organizational managers understand the importance of having a positive attitude and willingness to learn. We have seen great outcomes stemming from having the right attitude. We see that our most successful players are upbeat and want to learn. They are the players who are more open to listen to criticism and instruction

and apply it; they want to learn and are willing to push through their personal challenges and weaknesses to improve. They are the players who have higher energy levels, communicate successfully with their coaches and peers, and have an infectious positive attitude that spreads across the team. Every single hockey player will achieve his goals and be successful with the right attitude. Coaches are there to help you to stay focused, help you to learn and improve, and to help you keep the right mindset. With the right attitude, no goal is out of reach. ■

Paul Taylor is head coach of the Ice Jets Academy U18 Tier I team and a contributor to the Ice Jets hockey blog at www.icejets.com.

The Austin Youth Hockey Foundation hosted a Labor Day tournament which featured a “Sidney Crosby Challenge.” Sidney Crosby began playing hockey on his own in his basement at two years old, where he badly damaged the family’s clothes dryer by constantly shooting pucks at it. The Austin challenge was who could put the most pucks in the white dryer in a row without missing. The winner with 14 shots in a row received a new hockey stick. Austin plans on hosting a President’s Day tournament and will be looking for a new dryer. : )

Kyle Watson celebrates the moment.

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Dustin Parman of the Willowbrook Knights at Texas Shoot-out Tournament.

Goalie Raymond Smith is lost in thought as the DSS Bantams prepare to take the ice against

the Texas Aces.

Labor day Tournament Aces AA Bantam Team wins in a shootout against the Alliance!

Ice Jets U-14 Prep Receiving Pre-Game Instructions from Coach Shakesby.

Miles Beall of the Jr Brahmas Mites breaking away from Alliance Bulldogs.

Connor Clay battling a much larger opponent, always keeping his eyes on the puck.

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Ice Times Magazine October 2010