Youth Hockey Podcast: Recent Episodes
Randy Gifford Lance Alexander
Trying to navigate the youth hockey landscape? We have seen it all and done it all. Our experiences include the top prep school in the nation down to the dirtiest rink in Southern California. One thing has become clear. It's better to have a bit of a roadmap and a shoulder to cry on when everything heads south. We are optimistic, ebullient, and sharp as a rusty old skate that's seen too many ponds. We want to help you glide along the path to hockey stardom, and have a few chuckles along the way.
Email: youthhockeypodcast@gmail.com Sponsor: https://gabegiffordhockey.thinkific.com
Corwin has tips for your kids over the summer. How do you get them advantages going into the next season.
Lance gets his kids on the ice in Las Vegas. Family fun that ends in hitting the tables.
Randy remembers how Lance got his kids on a Canadian team, thus bringing everyone together in their love of hockey, Canada and Vegas.
Randall talks to short dad about why his kid is not on the first line.
Lance talks about the years of cutthroat competition and where it got the kids who participated.
Corwin knows how to balance lines. He talks about how it looks on the bench.
We have a Canadian. We have reached the point where Canada itself has come to the aid of the podcast. We are so proud. Corwin Nicolochat is a bona fide coach and player of the game with insights that Lance and I are in awe of.
Randall talks about tryout frenzy. It's the glorious time of the year when rumors are more important that truth. Relationships are strained between neighbor, brother, sister and dog-walker alike. Nobody can breathe until the list of who made the team is posted.
Lance talks a bit about how his kids were recruited over the years. It's pretty cool when the coach is reaching out and making you feel special. That's what I've heard at least. Lance says it's great. We really don't like Lance.
Corwin introduces class to the podcast. We're not sure if we like it or not. We definitely like him.
What is the worst thing that someone on your own team has said to you? I can tell you that the nastiest comments come from your "friends" in the stands.
Rolly has some history with parents who have tried to get him banned from a rink. Rolly! The nicest guy around.
Lance is pretty well known all over the country for the skirmishes with parents on his own team
Lance has a great topic. How do you deal with the outcast on the team. Is there a way to draw them in? Is it better to leave it alone or rally to a cause.
Rolly talks about how friendships are not formed under duress. Sometimes kids need be left alone in dealing with roster issues.
Randall talks about parental friction. Hint. There is lots.
Rolly knows stuff. He shows it in this episode. He takes on the profiling of skates and how that effects a skater and what they can do on the ice. He mainly sticks to two of the systems for profiling skates, but he gives great advice for those in the market to do some aftermarket upgrading of the blade.
Randall talks about how he always trusts any skate shop that employs a guy named Doug. Doug knows how to sharpen skates.
Lance asks questions about when skate profiling should be on the agenda for a young skater. He also manages to make us all laugh twice.
Randall has a story from his kids playing league hockey. One kid was getting a beat down and the other came to the rescue. It's not fun to get in a fight, but a brother can sometimes be good at having your back.
Rolly has insights on teams that have multiple returning players and those that are fresh starts for everyone. The chemistry is different. The culture is sometimes different.
Lance loves the ducks. He credits them for the formation of ice in So. Cal. A duck could crap in his path and he would shine his shoes with the droppings.
Rolly talks about some of the meager options to watch your kid play hockey at tournaments and local rinks. New Youtube options are especially interesting to the crew.
Randall talks about hockey for girls. His daughter is currently playing. The landscape is interesting and the rules are different (just like in the game). But in the end, the sport is a great one for the maidens of mayhem (a real team in Iowa).
Lance is so checked out that when I listened to this, I took a shot every time he talked. Stone cold sober at the end.
Lance does not like the new numbers for youth sport participation. He remembers some things that pushed his kids away.
Rolly thinks that coaches need to modulate their approach to the younger groups.
Randall thinks that the phone somewhat is replacing the kids' enthusiasm for activity. It also is replacing other parts of the growth of some kids.
Kathy joins the podcast with invaluable insights on how a kid views hockey. And how a mom views hockey through their kids' eyes.
The podcast talks about how teams sometimes fold in the middle of the season. It's something that seems like it's an extraordinary circumstance, but it happens more than people think.
Lance talks about how both his kids were pushed up on the same team then treated less than generously when the season ends.
Rolly gives us a cautionary tale about sandbagging.
Randall takes a listener's email on tournaments and turns it into a frenzy of conversation.
Rolly talks about the Boston tournaments that only have two periods for the regular games and only one period for the semifinals and finals. He also has a take on the Brick tournament in Edmonton (in a mall).
Lance talks a little about Quebec peewee tournament.
Randall decides that the idea of cuts should be part of the stands. Cut the parents. Not the kids. Just kidding, but sometimes it seems like kids are best off on their own.
Rolly reports on the Californians on the national team. There is some good news. Kids from the coast are scoring and winning medals.
Lance talks about the camps that lead to the national program. His kids kept going to the camps and having great memories of hockey glory.
Lance did not want to leave his home. He talks about how the next generation is just catching up to the experience in his youth.
Coach has a lot of suggestions for what kids need when they leave the home. He has great ideas about how to prepare a modern kid for free range roaming.
Randall runs into a parent who left the rink two years ago swearing that they would never be back. At tryouts. It is a bit strange watching somebody who was too big for the neighborhood rink come back.
Coach talks about how many players from California are making a splash nationally. Is there a trend? Is there a way to get your kid into that upper echelon? The kids from the west coast are getting opportunities.
Lance looks at how his kids started out and sees if he can refine the process for the next group of mighty mites.
Randall has a new segment to end the show. IDTA (I was definitely the asshole) Youth Hockey edition.
The podcast is back!
The podcast crew talks about how kids train during the summer. Each member of the team has their favorite activities. From spin class to beach runs. We all have our picks.
The ice is melting at the barns around the summer. Some rinks are holding up better than others.
Fantasy tender is the name of the game to end the show. Where would you like your kid to get a tender from?
Rolly gets us all ready for summer. It's time to hang up the microphone for a month and get back at it in the fall. He will recharge and be better than before.
Randall talks about bubble players and bubble parents. Are there ways to make sure you kid is not on the bubble? Are there parents who you wouldn't mind if they don't make the cut for the next year's team? It's partially in jest, but there is some truth in it.
Lance talks about how his kid misses shifts for penalties. It can really affect a kid lower on the roster.
We love all of the listeners. Thank you for tuning in. We will be back in the August.
Coach talks about the update to the Gladwell examination of hockey players in Outliers. There is science to the idea that maturity has a statistical advantage.
Lance examines the break between kids who have hit their growth spurts. The scoreboard is merciless.
Randall tries to give balance to the idea that kids with late birth months are going to always be disadvantaged. They will have their day on the ice!
Lance talks about the best bantam programs in the nation. He also digs into the SoCal programs. Is there a program that is consistently the best in the region? Are there programs on the rise?
Rolly talks about how programs grow and fade back east. He seems to know every program Lance brings up on the list. It's a bit frightening.
Randall gets questions about the girls. They have some great programs growing across the country. The future feels bright for the women's side.
Lance takes a strange stance. He backs the refs in youth hockey. He tries to make the case that they are just doing their job and deserve universal respect and patience for a hard job.
Coach modifies this to be a little more in line with the product on the ice. Are they doing the best job possible? Shouldn't we expect the effort to match the level of professionalism they seek to be treated with?
Randall moves on to talk about what it takes to get thrown out of a game in California. Refs have actually thrown out the wrong person in the stands too. It's hilarious.
Randall looks at the So. Cal landscape and decides to zoom in on the club hoppers. Who are they? Why are they hopping? Will they ever be able to just walk to another club rather than jumping?
Lance decides that it is often about moving up. Lateral moves are not the way to club hop in his humble opinion.
Rolly gets into the stats of how many slots are really open on a given team. The numbers are often disheartening.
Rolly brings skating guru Jason Yee onto the program to talk about video feedback, shin angle, Finland, Mckinnon and more. He credits this coach as the best resource in hockey for a young player in his developmental years.
Lance asks about the corkscrew. It turns out to be one of the secrets of the game for Yee.
Randall knows when he's out of his depth and stays quiet. You heard right. It's like I'm barely even there. That should improve our ratings. :)
Randall digs up a hockey league for kids that is totally outdoors. It's the kind of thing that CA kids can't even imagine, but it sounds like the kind of place most of our kids would love.
Lance talks about the way hockey without coaching can be the best idea for a kid who has only seen the game as a structured event.
Rolly talks about how enthusiasm goes hand in hand with pond hockey. There's no pressure. There are no parents. It's just the kids and the sport.
Rolly brings up some of the classic "coach speak" moments from his time with his kids in the sport. He can't believe how long the deceptions can last. Honesty brings confrontation. Is that the right way to do it?
Randall takes on the idea of how defensive coaches sometimes put the defense in the spotlight. This means they sometimes want to involve the defense in ways that favor the position.
Lance is tired of recruiters talking out of both sides of their mouth. He is not taking any prisoners with his opinions. The story about being told there are no first, second and third lines don't hold up in games.
Lance has a take on how to gauge success in a hockey season. He wants his kids on the ice at the important moments. That's necessary for a good season.
Coach agrees and talks about how merit can play against a player in some circumstances.
Randall wants his kids to fit onto the team. It's a difficult thing to quantify, but fitting in makes for a good season in his experience. Fairness is almost impossible to expect. So, go for a situation where he or she is comfortable and happy (this is a bit of a unicorn, but it sounds good).
Welcome to Laura, our guest host for the week.
Laura keeps her sense of humor as she talks about youth hockey. She knows the ins and outs of social media and how hockey seeps into a family dynamic. It's hard to let go of the experience, but she talks about that too.
Lance is a big fan. He read her book and loves the way it conveys the hockey landscape to an audience of experts or newbies.
Randall is just trying to keep up. He does get in some questions about how Laura's experiences have brought up interesting comparisons in his own life. He also brings back the end of the podcast "Character" to the delight of Lance.
Rolly builds the best coach possible from his experience. Each layer is painstakingly analyzed in Coach's best practices. He shares his years of experience and judges accordingly.
Randall recounts a strange strategy that worked in a tournament.
Lance talks about communication with coaches. It can be strained, but it can also be something that elevates the young player. Understanding is key. Lance is the master of getting information out of a coach.
Randall makes an observation that almost all players who make it to the NCAA share. He's seen a lot of fast, skilled kids bail out of hockey. He's never seen kids with this attribute get drummed out of the sport.
Lance talks about the idea that concussions lead to more concussions. What evidence is there?
Rolly takes a nasty swipe at Randall, then makes an excellent point about new tech that might help with concussions. Randall rises above the abuse and finds common ground with his old friend.
Randall gets into the idea of goals being disallowed. Is there a mathematic theory that can explain the way they are called?
Lance talks about great trainers who have small character issues.
Coach talks about how performance is not always recognized by those in charge of picking youth hockey teams. The people who are on great teams are still often not getting their kid developed.
Randall is about to take a trip on Spirit Airlines. It was fun knowing all of you.
Lance talks tournament schedules that can't get out the details until the ten minutes before the puck drops. How can a person plan a weekend when there is no schedule of games? Come on tournament people.
Rolly has some shocking stats on point distribution among teams in So. Cal. It won't shock anyone who has played in certain rinks, but some teams get statistically more points per goal than others. It might not be wrong, but it sure tells a story.
Randall looks at jumping levels as a double-edged sword. It can really damage the social group around a talented kid. It's great if it works, but there are stories where the kid gets punished for moving up without his friends.
Rolly talks about the way the locker room can move against a younger player if there isn't careful monitoring and adjustment by all of those involved.
Lance remembers when a coach and a parent tried to force two kids to be friends. The result was predictable.
Lance shatters all records and decides to talk turkey. Also juice boxes. Randy uses snack to clear his pantry.
YHP has the best week ever. There are 1000 people listening weekly. It's a privilege and honor to get the chance to talk to the hockey community this way. Thanks.
The podcast ends with a playful round of Kings or Ducks (which team is leading in each AAA class)
What do people do at this point of the season to set themselves up for the next? Stories of skating with the next coach while still on the old team.
How does the transition to prep school work out best? What did Lance go through when his kids were going to Minnesota.
Is it good to build a team? There are mistakes that can be made and friendships are tested. Strained. And sometimes marketing a team can leave you on the hook for a bad season. Still, it can be great to put together a team that exceeds expectations.
Lance talks about what he would have done differently in his hockey journey. Randall and Dave get into a brawl. Dave wins easily but Randall lands some haymakers (unfortunately they landed on Lance).
Randall sees the landscape of hockey at the end of the season. What are some of the things you have to do to get ready to move on to the next year that start at the end of this year.
Rolly talks about how specialization can be dangerous in young athletes. It's so logical and well reasoned that it starts a fight.
Randall tees up hotel stories from travel hockey. There are some details that should be left on the road. Or on a podcast.
Lance has two stories that each have police arriving at the end.
Rolly smells the stench of cattle as he pulls up to the team hotel. How did the weekend go? He can't remember.
Randall talks about building lines. What kind of players naturally complement each other? Is there a recipe for the best combination?
Lance talks about some line woes of the past. Where did he make mistakes with his top-tier sons?
Rolly talks chemistry. It's not about player types, it's about how any three kids blend and get coached.
Randall talks to a hockey mom who has a kid who leads the league. She was very angry that he hadn't scored for three games.
Rolly talks about blowouts. He thinks they might not be as bad as some parents make them out to be. The idea of parity is not every going to work out well, so let the kids play.
Lance remembers a AAA story about a losing team. He dodged a slapper there. Lance has a theory about MN hockey too.
Randall finds a reason to be happy during a loss. It's not the same as winning, but there are some good things to pull from some losses.
Lance talks about how a few parents he knew rooted against their own team when their kids weren't on the first line. Ouch. It sounds like the kind of thing that is hard to handle.
Rolly has ideas about what happens when a kid is much lower than the level he plays at. He is kind, but firm.
Randall talks about how a hat trick can make the car rid home awesome.
Rolly talks about prep schools. He has a take on the hockey academies and the prep schools that try to balance academics and hockey.
Lance talks about how schools can make it hard on hockey players who miss school. Even when parents communicate with the principals and teachers, sometimes the results are hit and miss.
Dave gloats openly about how the podcast has broken into the top 100 hockey podcasts in the US. Big in Hungary as well. Thanks Hungary.
Randall talks about what to do when a kid, parent or coach is mean to your kid. It will happen. It always does. It's hard to keep emotions out of this, but he tries to keep an even keel.
Lance corrects Rolly and he defies the Internet.
Rolly talks about how Captains are chosen in youth hockey. There are multiple stories of shinanigans.
Lance questions the honesty of some of the scenarios in the past.
Randall talks about how it is sometimes best to just leave the field when there is injustice. Discussing the delicate balance of treatment of kids in youth hockey- it's not always best to confront the issue.
Rolly pilots the show with precision and artful result. He talks about late bloomers in hockey.
Lance has multiple stories of how kids who struggled in one level played much better in the next.
Randall talks about hockey birthdays and how they can affect the way a player gets seen.
Rolly is now the host of the cast. He does such a great job, he may replace everyone else.
Classy fan scale. Who is the least classy in the land? It's an open conversation.
Holiday tournaments are now a staple. How can a hockey family navigate these festive times.
Lance talks about his travels. Don't listen to the badger story if you have a weak stomach.
Hockey commutes and billets. How far do people go to get their players on the ice?
Hockey facts quiz at the end. Lance and Dave battle for control of the podcast for the next three episodes.
Tier two controversy. There is a play in weekend in So. Cal. It's a strange system, but it does produce some good hockey.
Dave goes scorched earth on live barn. He is not happy with the results of his subscription.
Lance admires the New Jersey Hitmen in the NCDC for their video presentation of their games.
Coach talks about how South Korea has embraced the podcast. We are officially #2 in ice hockey podcasts in the country. Thank you Seoul.
Middle season issues for players. How do you change course when things are not going well.
A listener asks about breaking into a new hockey situation when moving to a new area. Lance has some ideas on how to best get your kids on the right track.
Randy talks about how myhockeyrankings has changed the lobby. There are many people who love to watch how the teams go up and down the lists. It's mesmerizing and seriously toxic.
Lance talks about Eliteprospects and how to find anyone you've ever known who has played hockey. Play the game with people who were on your first team. Where are they now? Only do this if you are old and your kid is out of hockey.
Rolly takes on an email question about how to choose to what position a new player should learn. He has advice for how to put the younger kids through drills that will help them become a balanced hockey player.
Randall sees the strangest result in PEEWEE hockey. It was impossible. A unicorn. It still haunts his dreams in disbelief. And it was cool to see that two teams could accomplish it.
Rolly talks about positive coaching initiatives. How does a kid take criticism best?
Lance has some off color stories that we don't see coming.
Randall talks about a crisis at the CAHA weekend. It's a deep and personal admission on his part. It might get ugly.
Lance digs into his coaching grievance logs. He finds a list of issues that he believes can be solved.
Rolly has hockey terminology quiz that stumps the hosts.
Lance has spreadsheets of all of the players in California. He knows every kid his sons have ever played with.
Dave talks about the Junior A programs and how they have been evaluated as facilitating getting people into NCAA Div. 1.
Randall thinks that Missoula should be considered a hockey powerhouse.
Email question on buyout of contracts. If your kid's team doesn't make AA, then should you try to switch teams?
Lance and Randall talk about the rules that make no sense to most of the people in the stands. Also the craziest calls we've seen on the ice. Refs be crazy.
Dave talks about a team that won the best uniforms in youth hockey.
Lance likes to talk about the ratings when people listen. Thank you.
The unwritten rules of hockey are discussed. What are the things that nobody talks about, but they are carved in stone.
Rolly talks about the way physicality can be a trait that defines a player.
Randall is trapped in Lance's house in the blistering So. Cal heat.
Lance notices that some of the hockey club websites have not been updated in decades.
The group talks about how sometimes hockey coaches have different reputations.
Randall talks about the first tournament blues. Does the first tournament matter? What can we learn from the first tournament?
Rolly talks about ACHA divisions and how they might serve different kids who are leaving HS and going into college.
ACHA lighting round on mascots for college hockey teams.
New year for YHP. We are so glad that we made it this far. We really hope that the journey has helped out our audience and their kids.
Lance talks about how often a great player has parents that don't live up to the kid's ability in the stands.
Randall talks about prizes for players of the game. I'm not sure they are always the best idea.
Lance introduces the podcast. He is sharp.
Rolly talks about heads up hockey. He knows what it takes to get kids to see the ice. The physical part of hockey changes the game. There are stories about how kids have really changed their games because they're not keeping their heads up.
The history of the puck.
We start with a short talk about what's the most important thing to keep in your kid's bag. What did we use and what did we throw away after it rattled around in there for over a year? Rolly gives some good advice on the topic.
Lance talks about advisors and agents. He answers questions from an email we received from a parent who was just beginning that part of the journey. He uses his own experience as a guide and gives out sage wisdom.
The lightning round is all about the Zam.
Rolly talks about Lakewood ice rink. Randall and Lance have fond memories of the rink in Blaine Minnesota. Our teams usually lost to Minnesota teams, but fun was had anyway.
Randall talks about rivalries. He is especially interested in the rivalries of parents in different birth year ages. It's just strange to see people not getting along because the 04 year is more special than the 03 year. I think we can do better.
The lightning round is all about stick curve patterns. Can Lance finally get out of the doghouse and win something?
Randall talks about how a new team brings new expectations. It's always good to have certain buffers between where you think you may end up and real level of the team. They sometimes match. They sometimes don't. How a person goes into the situation can help it out a lot.
Rolly talks about how minor year kids and major year kids have different expectations. He pines for birth-year teams.
Lance is still frustrated about the results. He wants a recount. He demands a full investigation into an organization called the FRONT SUISSE - a group that inflates numbers of listens for native Swiss people.
Lance talks about snack bars. Randall is out to lunch.
Rolly talks about the most important lessons for skills coaches. It really blew my mind. I can tell you that this is the episode you should start with if you want to get to know the kind of information we want to supply the listener.
GREAT JOB ROLLY
Lance brings his boys onto the show to talk about what equipment has saved them from injury and what equipment has failed them on occasion. Pucks fly.
Randall announces the winner of the podcast challenge. Who is going to have to be silent for the next podcast?
Rolly takes it all in with his usual charm and grace.
The best snack bar in existence is in a hockey rink. Maybe it should be the next great date spot.
Lance talks about the nostalgia of raising kids in the hockey world. What is better than a kid in skates?
Rolly talks about girls hockey and how it has progressed.
We talk about A- AA and AAA commentary on the podcast.
Lance talks tacos and where to find them in rinks. He even digs into pupusas.
Rolly gets into the exercises that should help the kids in the off season. How do you build quick twitch muscles?
Randall talks about how a bad team can mean a great year for a kid.
Rink roundup with many states featured. We are casting a wide net to talk about rinks.
Tryout fallout. What happens when you're asked to come back for the second day of tryouts. What's best for the kid at that point?
Advancement is not a participation prize. We talk about kids who expect to be on teams when they haven't put in the same amount of work as others on the team.
Lance talks about a recent USHL tryout. What does it take to get up to that level? What was it like?
Dave talks about how to make an impression on the ice. He actually agrees with Randall. It's a YHP first. Lance almost passes out.
Randall and Lance talk about what to do when the line your child is on has very different levels represented. What is the solution? Lance does his best.
New segment Rink Rundown!
Randall talks about practice hours. How many does a kid need at every level? Does it matter how many games they play? What is the best balance. Coach Rolston comes in with expert commentary to save the segment.
Lance talks about his favorite rink. He also lends an ear to the final question on bumper music.
Lorenz talks about Swiss hockey. He openly mocks Randall. It's a good start. The fact that he can inform our community with another perspective is awesome. Thanks Lorenz. I think you're going to get more plays than I do. R.
Randall talks about try out strategies for parents who are sending their kids on the ice for a new club. What are the chances of getting on a team that is highly competitive without relationships at the club? It's an open question.
This week we will have three parts of the podcast. We are all in different cities on different schedules.
The listeners will then decide who will get the best numbers. The lowest listenership number has to be silent in the next podcast. It should be excellent for Lance. He is a fan favorite.
Dave and Lance talk about how clubs can sometimes affiliate to create more opportunity for players.
Randall and Lance talk about coaching changes mid year. How many times did a coach bug out on your season?
Rolly talks about the three corners of hockey satisfaction. He wants to know if Lance ever got all three in a year. Lance surprises everyone.
Dave talks about how spring programs make new teams. They sometimes are a way to move away from the club they usually represent.
Lance talks about how refs make calls based on crowd reactions. He also notes how much the refs can be influenced by a number of factors.
Randall talks about the memories from memorial day tournaments. There's always rumors about who will show up at a club before tryouts. The tournament is sometimes the tryout.
Lance talks about how a coach gave him advice about youth hockey levels. He thought that it was much better to dominate a lower level rather than be invisible on a great team.
Randall talks about how effort can be preached to the benefit and detriment of the young player.
Rolly loses his temper. Rolly talks about some of the strange things he's seen youth teams do.
Rolly takes time to educate the podcast about the Corsi numbers. What kind of insight do they give to the youth hockey player training to excel in the game.
Lance talks about how coaches prepare using stats. He hasn't seen enough of the prep work for his taste. He loves numbers.
Lance and Randy talk about the decline in numbers in youth sports, hockey in particular. How do we get kids back into the sport post lockdown?
Randall talks about team building exercises. There are good ones and bad ones. There is one thing that all good ones have in common he asserts.
Rolly takes offense at a rage listener. He goes back to his goon days where he used to patrol the ice like a wolverine on smelling salts.
Lance talks about roller hockey and how it was introduced to his kids late. They picked it up and now love it.
Lance talks about how each of his kids chose their positions and how their positions eventually came back around and chose them.
Coach talks about how playing defense helps a kid develop a complete game.
Randall prepares a lightning round about "cheating" in youth hockey.
Rolly wants USA hockey to take over the calendar. He cannot stand the idea of individual freedom. No LOI's, no tryouts for individual clubs - just a top-down system of oppression. He makes a good case.
Lance talks about the age group he will choose once the fundraiser to give a team a free year of club hockey. He is ready to get out the spreadsheet on all top scorers in all levels of hockey in the continuous 48 (and maybe Alaska).
https://www.gofundme.com/manage/donate-to-put-a-youth-hockey-program-on-the-map
Randy gives the lightning round a Staples Center twist.
Randall asks a question about AA kids on AAA teams and AAA kids on AA teams. Which is the better situation for the kid and the development of the kid.
Dave digs the lightning round about the best and worst places to travel for a tournament. Hint: Vacaville is not on the good list.
Lance Alexander gets set up. He claims he knows how to win states in California. He is surprised to find out that I've set up a gofundme site to fund a team that Lance guarantees will go to the state finals and win. All moneys collected will go toward player scholarships. No money spent on us bozos. It will never happen, but here's the link:
https://gofund.me/45a39bfe
Interview with hockey4youth founder Mo Hasham about how hockey provides community and continuity in the greater society. He has a fantastic program for getting kids into hockey who traditionally don't have the opportunity. It's a great idea, and he is a great interview.
Lance talks a little about how young people bond over hockey in ways that extend into adulthood.
Rolly rallies the show with discussion of why he coached his own son. He also wants sushi restaurant recommendations in Vancouver, if any of you have the chance to reply.
Randall presses the idea that Hockey can be a positive unifying force in the lives of young people. Mo's message definitely resonates in this area.
Jennifer was kind enough to answer all of our questions on hockey nutrition. She has two kids in the sport. Her views are valuable and her presentation is delightful. Couldn't be happier having her on the show.
We moved on to burning bridges at clubs. Rolly keeps us all in check.
Lance has a great question about bulking up for Junior Hockey. It relates to minimizing injuries as well. It's important to have all ages of kids working towards making themselves less injury susceptible.
Randall talks about team chemistry. Who are the best friends on the team? Sometimes this can tip off a parent about the locker room environment.
Rolly and Lance talk about off season camps and training.
Lance talks about how other sports can help a hockey player with skills and stoke competition.
Randall talks about the California Div.1 HS finals. It was some ride.
Lance gives everyone insight into what it's like to go to Nationals. His kids did it every year they played almost. :)
Lance and Rolly talk about the new hockey league that is starting on the west coast. It might open up some opportunities for elite players who live and play in the west.
Lance has stories about how his kid has been in situations where doing well didn't seem to change the coach's mind on how and when to play him.
Randall talks about how a line of the three best players doesn't always make the best line.
Rolly talks about how this decision plays out from a coach's perspective. How does shifting players present an opportunity for the coach to understand the team.
Randall tees up the rule changes for youth hockey. Did they work out? Rolly kicks the delayed off-sides rule in the butt.
Rolly talks about skating mechanics and breaks down the elements of what makes a skater fast.
Lance kind of took an episode off. If you're a Lance fan, tune in next week.
Randall talks about how playoff hockey can be a stressful time. The entire game can shift into a much different phase.
Lance talks about a way to get back at a coach who isn't nice to your kid.
Rolly talks about how play time can be really limited for goalies in the playoffs. There was a goalie who didn't get a single game in the entire playoff run.
Randy notes that the podcast has had the biggest week ever. Thank you to the listeners.
Lance gets into a discussion of how mite superstars develop differently over the course of the next few years.
Rolly talks about social media and hockey. He cannot be stopped.
Lance decides that the refs need to be discussed. He has a plan to make reffing better. Randall is dubious about the fix.
Randall asks the crew if they have any 5 on 3 stories that they can share. The topic is a bit of a disappointment for everyone. We still kept it to prove we can own our mistakes.
Rolly calls on everyone to go down memory lane. Lance, Randall and Rolly each have a story that represents their favorite moment in their kid's personal youth hockey history.
Randall talks about jersey numbers. It's silly, but there are so many stories about how jersey numbers became a crisis on the team.
Lance figures out how to give out numbers based on hockey stats.
Rolly talks about inappropriate relationships. It's pretty racy. I didn't think Rolly had it in him.
Rolly talks about how much of the game happens between the ears. Many people are using therapy to help their kids on the ice.
Lance talks about how kids get put out of position by coaches who don't have imagination. He thinks there have been many times when choosing lines has put his kid in bad positions.
Randall talks about how bad fans can be viral. They spread their disease throughout the venue.
Lorenz updates us from Switzerland. Being a team manager across the ocean also seems stressful.
Lance talks about tryouts like it is a science. Randall tries to keep people from limiting their options.
Rolly gets tired of kids lobbying for more points with the refs.
Lance takes on the age old question: who is more crazy as a spectator in the sport of hockey? Moms or Dads?
Randall tries to give the refs a bit of advice, Lance and Rolly thinks they need more than just advice. Is there a way to make sure that suspensions are a bit more fair to the kids on both sides of the hit?
Rolly makes a point about his own experience as a ref in college.
Randall gives an update on how to purchase rapid tests for your child. He's now got an account with a company that brings one to your door in 30 minutes or less. It's like pizza, without the carbs.
Rolly talks sticks. His lies are better than anyone's.
Lance talks justice in the junior leagues. He is concerned about the way refs flip the tables and presume some kids guilty until proven innocent. There's a few missed games in his past that he wants back.
Rolly is shooting bar down like it's nothing talking about sticks. He gets into the different patterns and flex for each position and each player.
Lance introduces his new addition to the show: Crazy Hockey Stories.
Randall is out of his depth, but tries to keep up.
Lance piles onto a team that was up ten and kept putting out their first line PP at the end of the game. He feels like the experience benefited nobody.
Randall talks about finding one good year. It's really hard to chart out several years in a row. Look for one year and if it turns into several, then ride the wave.
Rolly talks about what it's like to be told not to score.
Rolly decides to describe the state of the Kings High school hockey league and in so doing notices that there are many many problems. He has some solutions, but some are beyond even his hockey wisdom.
Lance admits that he was part of the reason that the HS program formed. He takes no responsibility for the shambles that ensued.
Randall talks about Utah High School hockey with great fondness. They really did a great job bringing kids into the sport there.
Randall talks about team managers. Who are they? What makes a good one and what makes a bad one.
Lance find himself in the middle of a story in which a team manager squandered thousands of dollars. It was a tough year.
Rolly promises to stop being so nice about everything. He's going for the throat on High School Hockey next week.
Randall talks about communication with coaches. He tries to stay nice, but some experiences don't fit into that box.
Rolly tries to bring together some ideas on communication during the season. Maybe some kind of formal way of keeping lines open between the parents and the people in charge.
Lance does his best to take the high road. He slips a couple of times.
Rolly needs to finish sharpening his skates. You're not done until you've honed. Get your stones ready.
Lance talks to Lorenz, a fantastic fan from Switzerland. He knows how the international game is played and who gets paid.
Randall keeps the discussion moving by stoking regional rivalries.
Coach Rolston goes into a deep dive on skate sharpening, contouring and keeping the blades in good repair. This man is sharp. He also can talk about sharp things.
Lance cuts into a question about hockey memorabilia. What made his list of the most important purchases over his kids careers?
Randall talks about his Sparx. It was great. Then it wasn't.
Lance needs to vent. He's not happy with parents who seem to only be happy when other kids do badly. It's a team sport and Lance tees off on those who can't appreciate the greatness of team play.
Randall has an observation about parents with open aspirations for their kids. Expectations are welcome. Professional aspirations are great. Expecting that your kid is going to the NHL is something that might be counter productive.
Rolly just glides above it all, slightly aloof, but always informative.
Randall wants to talk about joining a team late. His experience has been roundly positive.
Rolly talks about joining a team late and how it changes the dynamic of the team. It's a great point.
Lance responds to our first Swiss listener with tales of how to mitigate locker room bullying and shenanigans.
Lance talks about the way he used the internet to find all of the best ways to rehab injuries. Spoiler, some of them are internet theories.
Dave sheds some light on a scandal in youth hockey. It's sad to see that the sport allowed the conduct to go on so long.
It's Halloween, so we talk about the scariest players we've ever seen play
Rolly starts his new segment concepts with the coach. He talks about a single concept that can make a youth hockey player better.
Randy has a challenge for the listeners.
Lance goes crazy on goalies. How do you handle a rogue goalie on the team as a parent or player? He addresses the common conception that GBC.
Lance talks about AAA. Is the expansion of AAA in California good or bad for youth hockey.
Randy asks the question: what would you remove from youth hockey to make it better. We are always adding rules and baggage to our players. What could we get rid of?
Coach keeps us honest.
Lance talks about his experience watching his kids jump up to new levels on the ice. Are there ways to make the transition easier?
Rolly talks about the myths about development in the hockey world.
Randy talks briefly about a study from a Stanford Neurobiologist. How do we get our kids to learn faster? Can the mind be tricked into storing more information for longer?
Randy talks about dealing with deep bench. What are the best strategies? Is this where level is most important?
Lance talks about the shortest benches his kids have ever been on. How many games did one never come off the ice? Party time.
Rolly talks about dealing with injuries. Stories about people who have done it right and wrong abound.
Lance talks about the NCAA. He lays out some of the complicated truths about ending up in Div 1.
Rolly and RJ engage in a bet. They bet something against the results of something.
This looks like at least an hour. :)
Rolly talks about a new documentary. Perhaps this can reach into other sports docs that show the rigors of youth sports?
RJ talks about coach speak. He has an intricate translation system that he has developed over the years.
Lance complains about how wrong most depictions of hockey are. He offers no solutions.
Rolly starts with the camps that get people there. What leagues set up a kid for the next step? What does it mean when you get three thousand texts telling you that they saw your kid and want to talk about all the camps he should attend.
Randall talks about NA3HL. Is it developing kids? What is the pathway?
Lance brings us home with a shitload of information on the process of navigating the junior ranks. He mystifies his critics.
Lance gives his take on the emergence of hockey after Covid. There are a cascade of stories from the hockey world from the covid year. What was the craziest regulation and perhaps the most sensible one as well?
Rolly updates the audience on the 2021 rule changes. Do they make the sport more compelling? Do they keep more kids in the sport? What is the end game for each change?
Randall will talk about coach speak. It's a different language and you need the translations.
Lance talks about all of the experiences he's had with his kids being recruited. It goes from parents at mites to top Juniors programs just a few days ago. He has some great advice for moms and dads in this position. Randall did a search of the country and found one ice rink open for business. It was kind of just for fun, but he probably wants both of his kids on a bus to South Dakota, just for his own sanity. The character this week is all about kids, guilt and keeping up with the rink rats.
Lance asks the question: What if there is no hockey this year? He talks about his kids routines and how to build hockey reps when you're not on the ice. Randall takes a swing at the concept of the sudden nature of rink closure and has some thoughts on how they will make a comeback. The character of the week is the one who always has a story that's better than yours, always has an experience more valuable than yours and their kids always are on teams that yours can't get on.
Lance has been doing his research on what kind of tryouts will occur this summer for next year's season. The resume tryout is being talked about at some rinks. Let's face it, many of these kids might not be able to hit the ice together for some time. Randy talks about a way to make tryouts more accountable. Is there a system that could be a little more fair? Finally Lance talks about family youtube workouts. If you can't go out, get your workout indoors.
Lance takes aim at the idea of keeping up with other hockey families. Why does that kid get to spend his summer in Canada training with someone who played on three championship NHL teams while mine is mowing grass? Is there a way to compensate for having less in the funding department? Randall is tired of fund raising where it's just another fee. It should be a way to mitigate the contribution from parents, not add to it. Finally, there is that coach that comes over at the wrong time.
What is up with the rink that brings people closer to Costco than almost any other rink in So Cal.
Lance takes aim at one of his biggest problems with the sport. The daddy coach who gets his way. Randall talks about some excellent dad coaches that his kids have had along the way. He still ends up agreeing with Lance (that guy is persuasive). Team captain elections get a bit of scrutiny. Finally, the character of the week is the guy that talks your kid up when you're there, and proceeds to bash him every chance he gets in your absence.
Lance and Randall give a sketch of the Condors and the greater Bakersfield hockey program. It's just scratching the surface, but it might be useful to some.
Don't you dare call them the Leaves. They just will not respond to it. Lance and Randall both spent time in Pasadena. They were one of the first ice hockey clubs in the LA area. Let's see what's going on there now.
Pasadena Maple Leafs hockey club
What does this valley team have to offer that others don't? Well, let's see.
California Heat hockey take a listen.
Lance and Randall talk about the Valencia Flyers. Both past and present, coaches and general program notes.
Valencia Flyers Club podcast
Lance talks about the club where both of his kids played. Randall chimes in with his experiences there too.
California Bears podcast
Lance dives deep into the idea of hockey IQ. Is it just a matter of getting reps? Or is it something about the complicated nature of the sport we all love and how the young mind tries to solve it? We talk about kids getting kicked off of teams. It happens. It happens more often when the team is at the top level of competition either regionally or nationally. What lights the fuse? Vaping and smelling salts. Why do kids inhale things without parental permission? I remember when they were toddlers putting coins in their mouths. Now, we have to deal with this.
Lance talks about possessive organizations that behave in the interest of club. It's not a bad thing, but it can restrict a player. Randall talks about people moving teams in the middle of the year. It's a tricky question of rationale v. commitment. We learn a little about ozone and how it can be used to make your kid's rotting hockey bag ALMOST pass the smell test.
Curt Sandoval joins the podcast to talk about the journey of his goalie son. Insights on training, mindset, and development make this a great way for the new goalie parent to learn about the world their son or daughter is entering. It also brings the players and goalies closer to understanding how they play the same sport, but the game is much different for each.
Curt Sandoval joins the podcast to talk about the journey of his goalie son. Insights on training, mindset, and development make this a great way for the new goalie parent to learn about the world their son or daughter is entering. It also brings the players and goalies closer to understanding how they play the same sport, but the game is much different for each.
Lance's thoughts touch on moving to the next level. Whether it's from house to travel, AA- AAA or navigating Juniors, Lance goes through the steps he's taken to get his kids noticed. Randall takes on the issue of blended families. No, not families that have different heritage or culture. It's the families that have kids on AAA teams and other teams. Mike from Pasadena asks about getting on a coach's radar, and the character of the week is somebody who just dropped by. Enjoy.
Dave Rolston joins the podcast to talk about his experience playing college hockey. He talks about how his journey helped him with expectations and the development pathway within his own family. He talks about wearing a skate that was made by a ski boot company, and how that made him value the modern skate. Wooden sticks, crashing the goalie, meeting the Miracle On Ice members from his college as a freshman: Dave gives us a peek at a different world while sharing his outlook for the next generation.
Dave Rolston joins the podcast to talk about his experience playing college hockey. He talks about how his journey helped him with expectations and the development pathway within his own family. He talks about wearing a skate that was made by a ski boot company, and how that made him value the modern skate. Wooden sticks, crashing the goalie, meeting the Miracle On Ice members from his college as a freshman: Dave gives us a peek at a different world while sharing his outlook for the next generation.
Lance talks about the idea of moving the family out to prep school to be with the kids. He has thoughts on the idea of sending one parent. We talk about using crib toys to keep kids shooting pucks. We talk about the limitations of experience and yet we fight to bring in as many voices as we can to keep the specialty information flowing. The character of the week is trying to butter up the coach to get more ice time.
Lance is on the top of his game discussing the injuries that his kids have come back from and the way that injury affects a kid's trajectory in the sport. Do some kids come back stronger because of the time off? We have a discussion about tournament teams. Putting the experience into perspective can be fun. Mouthguards are the subject of equipment corner.
Lance fills in the gaps on his sons' journey to Shattuck, then dives into a topic that every parent struggles with: ice time. Does my kid deserve more? Does my kid get less than another kid? Can I possibly live with the fact that my kid has been replaced on PP1? Setting expectations of the coach and the team is important from the start. Lance has thoughts on how to prepare parents for the type of team that they are getting their kids into. The equipment section for the week is filled with jerseys. Why do they cost so much? Is there a better model? Last, we have the character of the week. He has a problem with travel hockey.
Lance takes on the topic of checking in Bantam or above. Hockey helmets rated on Virginia Tech discussed. The topic of where to play girls, and how they are viewed by male coaches is also spotlighted.
This week we go on a journey into one of the best hockey prep schools in America, Shattuck St. Mary's. Lance talks about the process of getting his kids into the school and the general signs that kids are ready for the jump to the next level. We also talk about the sticks that our kids like the best. The skate sharpening question is raised from the email and we talk about the different options at home and at your local rink.
Motivation, Helmets, and Playing your kid up in Hockey. It's hard to make decisions surrounding your child's future in Hockey.