Game-Changers?

Growing the game of hockey has turned into a hot-button issue as participation in the sport has dropped in recent years. In an effort to grow hockey, coaches have plenty of ideas on ways to make the game more safe and enjoyable.

Latest News

Junior Gold turns 20

Details: Last Updated on Wednesday, 21 November 2012 17:45

By Aaron Paitich
Touchpoint Media

What was once considered a “hack” league and an eyesore for Minnesota Hockey is now prospering as a fun, safe and competitive hockey alternative for high school boys around the state.

Happy 20th birthday, Metro Hockey League. And many more.

Created by Minnesota Hockey’s District Directors two decades ago, the Metro Hockey League – the largest Junior Gold league in the state – has housed between 55-70 teams comprised of players aged 15-18 who were either cut or declined to play high school hockey. The league contains three divisions – Junior Gold A, Junior Gold B and Junior Gold 16 for a narrower age group. Each team is sponsored by a youth hockey association, whether local or combined with a regional co-op.

The Hockey Doc: Hip pointers

Details: Last Updated on Wednesday, 21 November 2012 17:44

By Dr. Rob LaPrade
http://drrobertlaprademd.com

Question: I was checked hard into the boards and have a big bruise on the outside of my hip. It’s very painful and I have difficulty in extending my stride. How can I get back to skating normally?

Answer: The injury you have described is consistent with a “hip pointer.” Hip pointers are very painful and can make it extremely difficult to skate and even walk. Hip pointers are caused by damage to the muscles which allow you to lift your leg away from your body (hip abductors). Injuries to these muscles can make it difficult to cross over your leg when skating, to perform on-ice transitions, and for your trailing leg to have a long stride.

Dynamite delivery

Details: Last Updated on Wednesday, 21 November 2012 17:44

By Dan Bauer

“Dynamite comes in small packages.” Five little words that made a world of difference in my life.

That fragment was delivered to me inscribed on a small medallion by my middle school basketball coach, Steve Christman. His words remain as clear as the water of Lake Superior and their impact on me as great as the majesty of that aptly named Great Lake. Decades have passed and with them the tight shorts we wore and the salt tablets we consumed, but the power of his words on a young athlete remain as strong as ever.

You might be a hockey fan in Minnesota if ...

Details: Last Updated on Thursday, 29 November 2012 17:18

There are plenty of ways to tell if you are a hockey fan from the great state of Minnesota

By Kevin Kurtt
Let’s Play Hockey Editor

We’ve all seen the ‘You know you’re a Minnesotan’ lists that give us such truisms as ‘You thought Grumpy Old Men was a documentary,’ ‘Your local Dairy Queen is closed from December through February, ‘You know how to say Wayzata, Mahtomedi and Shakopee,’ and ‘You know all four seasons: Almost Winter, Winter, Still Winter and Construction.’ We get these in our inbox, actually “get” the jokes and immediately forward them to our Minnesota friends and coworkers.

Now it’s time to dive deeper into one of the aspects of what it’s like to be Minnesotan – hockey. Whether you played the game, cheered from the stands or learned the sport from your kids, there are a multitude of ways you can tell if you’re a hockey fan from the great state of Minnesota.

You can’t teach this

Details: Last Updated on Wednesday, 21 November 2012 17:46

By Kim McCullough, M.Sc, YCS

As a coach who works with players both on and off the ice, I spend a lot of time teaching different skills and helping players develop the athleticism necessary to take their game to the highest level possible. But there is one thing that a player absolutely must have if they want to realize their hockey dreams – and it’s the one thing that I, and every other coach out there, can’t teach.

We can teach you all the skills, systems and strategies you need to play at the elite level. But we can’t teach you passion. We can’t teach you how to be committed or dedicated. That has to come from inside you.

The dreaded rides to and from hockey

Details: Last Updated on Wednesday, 21 November 2012 17:02

By Brent Bradford & Vic LeMire
www.GoaliesAreNotTargets.com
www.BradfordsGoalAcademy.com

Brent Bradford and Vic LeMire, authors of a new hockey resource book, “Goaltenders are not Targets,” have joined forces to deliver a series of articles that relate directly to parents in the game of hockey. Throughout the hockey season, it is hoped that all parents will gather some pertinent information so that every player is provided with the unconditional support that is necessary for enhanced levels of self-confidence, self-efficacy and enjoyment in the game of hockey.

With 85-plus combined years of experience playing, mentoring, coaching and scouting in hockey arenas across the globe, we have observed a plethora of inspiring relationships that exist between parents and their hockey players! A parent who supports his/her hockey player unconditionally after each and every practice and game is one who understands that unconditional support plays a crucial role in player development.