Let’s Play Hockey Parent Jeopardy!
December 22nd, 2009 | 
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The Art of Timing and Spacing
- The ability of a player to be, exactly in the right place on the ice, at precisely the right moment in time to support or defend against an offense of attack.
A Closer Look into the Read and React Process
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Hockey from the Neck up Article
By Paul O’Donnell
Of all the cognitive skills that the motivated player will need to climb ever-higher in hockey’s food chain, none will be more important than the ability to effectively read and react to the play after the puck is dropped. Whether you are an elite player with aspirations of a D1 scholarship, or just an average player, struggling to make your high school’s varsity team, nothing will derail your dreams faster than a poor understanding of the read and react process by the time you reach the high school or midget levels.
Many genetically gifted hockey players born with the right amount of white, fast twitch muscle, exceptional hand-eye coordination and above average peripheral vision find it easy to make the jump to the next level, while relying primarily on their superior physical skills. Unfortunately, unless their name is Sydney Crosby, Wayne Gretzky, or Bobby Orr, there will always come a time during a player’s hockey development when almost every other player whom they compete against will be just as fast, just as strong, and just as accurate as themselves. For the player who has been unwilling to hone their read and reaction skills to this point, the wake-up call may be just as short and abrupt as their hopes for future hockey stardom.
Choosing a Learn to Skate Program for Your Player
Hockey Parent 101 article.
By Paul O’Donnell
The sport of ice hockey has evolved considerably over the past few decades. Through trial and error, the most well-known hockey authorities from around the world have come to understand the benefits that come from putting considerable time and resources into training their youngest and least experienced players. Knowledgeable hockey administrators understand that it is crucial that a young player establish proper skating techniques and mechanics as early as possible during their introduction period to hockey.
Even though USA Hockey the nationally recognized governing body in our country has established training practices for all hockey levels, including the earliest levels of training, there is still very little consistency from program to program in how these training practices are carried out especially at the lowest level. The vast majority of training that is offered through most skating arenas is largely left in the capable hands of the hockey directors running the programs. Unfortunately, finding out how capable those hands are, can sometimes turn into a frustrating task without a proper knowledge base to make an informed decision.