Kid Stuff: Why Every Player Needs a Checking Clinic
No doubt you’ve seen – or felt – what happens when you get hit on open ice. Or seen someone throw a check and knock themselves down rather than the opponent. Or had teammates perpetually in the penalty box for illegal hits. A few years into the “checking years,” you can recognize the players who never had a checking clinic. And this is why anyone moving up to PeeWee or transitioning from roller hockey needs to learn how to take and give a check. A second-year Bantam player shares his top three reasons to take a checking clinic: Read more
Glossary: Zones
Do you zone out when the hockey play-by-play announcer starts yammering about the neutral zone? I admit, I was more than 10 years into living in an NHL town and more than eight years into youth hockey before I figured out the neutral zone let alone the offensive, defensive and danger zones. Decipher the zones and you can significantly increase your chances of at least sounding like you know what you’re talking about. Read more
Contest Entries: Top Skating Tips
Thank you to the players, coaches and parents who submitted their top skating tips in the last couple weeks to win a free Laura Stamm Power Skating Clinic. Rhymes, hand signals, games and more all add to the fun while improving skating skills. Read on for a sampling of tips. Read more
Attention: Youth Hockey Associations! Win $2,500 to Total Hockey
Contest Encourages Efforts to Grow the Game – Total Hockey teamed up with USA Hockey to challenge youth hockey organizations to grow the game for the second year in a row. The Grow the Game Award encourages youth organizations to submit a story describing how they are helping grow the great game of hockey in their local community. The winning submission receives a $2,500 gift card to Total Hockey for their local hockey association. Read more
Voluntary Recall: NIKE BAUER SUPREME ONE50 JUNIOR STICK
Dear Bauer Customer: Bauer Hockey has strict protocols and procedures in place to ensure that all government safety standards are met. It has recently come to our attention that, despite these efforts, the lead content in the undercoat paint which is applied to the NIKE BAUER SUPREME ONE50 JUNIOR STICK (manufactured in 2006) and which is covered by a clear coating, exceeds the stringent limits set for children’s products by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (“CPSC”) and Health Canada. While no injuries or illness have been reported, lead in paint may pose a hazard to young children who ingest the paint. Bauer intends to notify the CPSC of this issue and will be working with the CPSC and Health Canada on a voluntary recall of this product. Bauer is taking immediate action to remove the junior sticks from all stores. Read more
Hockey Glossary: Shot on Goal
Ever heard complaints that your team never got a shot off during a power play? Or come out of a game and heard fans lament about the uneven shots on goal? And you’re thinking: “But the puck was flying everywhere! It almost went in!” If this sounds familiar, read on to learn what counts as a shot on goal. Read more
Kid Stuff: How to Make a Goal (Literally)
There’s nothing wrong with using garbage cans for goals, but if you’re ready to step it up, you might consider making your own goal out of PVC. The project isn’t too time consuming, especially considering most store-bought goals require assembly. If you’re willing to put in the time you can save some serious cash. You should be able to do this project for around $25. The final product measures about 44″ x 26″, about half the size of regulation. Read more
Contest Winner: The Ford Expedition & The Ominous Odor
We asked you to tell us your stories about cars, trunks and hockey bags for a chance at a $50 gift certificate from HockeyShot.com. Congratulations to Tim, who drives an SUV but tells a great story. Read on for the winning answer along with the runners up. Read more
10 Questions to Help Your Player Evaluate Last Season
“Most of the time, you’re a great player on a mediocre team or a mediocre player on a great team. Only when the stars align are you a great player on a great team.” A friend told me this when I described my son’s losing hockey season one year, and I’ll never forget it. When I described coach and locker room issues to another friend, he said, “Tell him this is just one coach and one team of the many coaches and teams he’ll have through his life. Some are good and some are bad.” Read more
How to Choose the Best Hockey Camp for Your Player
When bombarded with information about off-season hockey camps, it’s easy to feel panic and think, “If I don’t get organized, get him signed up—and pay!—for these camps today, I’m holding him back!” Dreams of the NHL, the college scholarship or maybe just an A team fizzle before your eyes as you contemplate putting your tax refund toward more hockey. How do you evaluate all the information and decide what’s right for your player? We asked Angelo Ricci, a skills and stickhandling coach with more than 20 years experience, for help. Read more
