How to Help Your Player Bounce Back

Youth hockey is a wonderful sport that’s a lot of fun for the players. However, it also teaches them a lot of lessons, lessons about life, teamwork, and responsibility.  Some of those lessons, though, won’t be learned without a few mistakes or poor decisions along the way. 

  

When the young athlete in your life makes a poor choice or a mistake, what should you do? The answer isn’t to berate them or make them feel horrible. It’s to help them to learn from the mistake and to bounce back and become better than ever. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to help make this possible.

Stay Calm

Sometimes, parents, coaches, and other people in a young hockey player’s life have the tendency to “freak out” when something goes wrong.

They might get mad when a player makes a wrong move on the ice or stops attending practices. Whatever the case is, your job is to not lose your cool.

Don’t blow up at or yell at your player. Instead, ask him what’s going on, why he made the decision he did, and how he could do better next time. Try to focus on the consequences of the bad choice and how to avoid those consequences in the future.

When you stay calm and approach the topic in a gentle, understanding manner, you’re more likely to get a positive final outcome.

Stop Habits from Forming

When players make one mistake, it’s no big deal. However, a continued mistake can start to become a habit.

As a parent, coach, or other adult in a child’s life, you want to prevent bad habits from forming. That’s why it’s important to reinforce good habits, like attending practice regularly, always playing your best, and consistently showing good sportsmanship.

And, when you do catch bad behavior or poor decisions, address it right away. If you can prevent it from happening again, you can stop a forming bad habit in its tracks.

Remember, your job is to be supportive and encouraging of your young athlete no matter what. If you can do that, there’s a good chance your player will always bounce back from any bad choices.

Simple Tips to Help Young Hockey Players Improve

There are two types of youth hockey players. There are those who play for fun and are just having a good time. Then, you have those who want to be the absolute best they can be, who may even have dreams and aspirations of going pro.

There’s nothing wrong with falling into either category. However, for those in the second group, there are many things that can be done to positively improve oneself as a youth player and beyond.

Build Strength and Speed

Often, with young hockey players, real training and off-ice exercise gets overlooked. However, it’s important for serious young players.

Hockey demands strength and speed to be effective. And, neither of these is possible without a strong, muscular body that holds power. For this reason, regular strength training, both on and off the ice, is highly recommended, even for very young players.

A good coach or personal trainer can easily develop a regimen that is healthful and helpful for kids and teens who play the sport.

Focus on Correct Execution

Whether it’s in strength training, performing drills, or anything else, athletes often get caught up on the number of repetitions they can do. Coaches sometimes fall into this trap as well.

However, instead of yelling at players to do twenty push-ups quickly, they should ask them to do ten fully and correctly concentrating on execution. Every move, in training and in the sport itself, should be executed as well and as correctly as possible for players to truly grow and improve.

For this reason, take the focus off “how much” or “how many” and redirect it toward proper form and technique. This simple change will make a world of difference and will lead to speedier improvement all around.

If young players and their coaches and supporters can keep these useful tips in mind, they should rapidly improve in the sport and get that much closer to reaching their goals.

How Youth Hockey can Positively Change Lives

Getting involved in youth hockey can be a very rewarding experience for any young person. What many people don’t realize, however, is that the skills and benefits gleaned through it can impact a player throughout the rest of his or her life. With the right coach, many players will earn and learn things that will last them a lifetime and continue benefiting them throughout their entire lives.  

Sharpened Mental Skills

People often think that kids who are involved in sports are just “jocks,” that they’re not really that smart or focused on their studies.

However, this is far from the truth. Being engaged in youth sports can actually help improve overall mental skills. Sports help with critical thinking, judgment and decision making, and learning in general.

So, ditch the stereotype about “stupid jocks.” Youth hockey players build their intelligence, and that’s not something that can ever be taken away from them.

A Reduced Risk of Depression

Many people struggle with depression through no fault of their own. However, getting involved in sports early on can actually reduce the likelihood of a person developing depression.

Kids who are active don’t have time to dwell on bad feelings or thoughts. They have something to take their mind off of any stressors in their lives. Plus, they enjoy a reduced level of stress hormones thanks to all their exercise. Even better yet, endorphins are produced as they exercise. They, in turn, help young athletes to feel better and happier, further reducing the risk of depression.

While depression may still occur, it’s a lot less likely for people who develop and stick to an active lifestyle via sports.

Increased brainpower, better mental health- what could be better? Surprisingly, these aren’t the only benefits of getting involved in youth hockey. Increased confidence, the ability to work well with others, and plenty of great opportunities are just a few of the many ways in which hockey can benefit a person for a lifetime.

Youth Hockey: Is More Really Better?

A lot of parents want their children to be serious about youth hockey. There’s certainly nothing wrong with that. After all, hockey can ultimately lead to scholarships and to great future opportunities.   

With that said, however, the big mistake that many parents make is choosing to have their kids focus ONLY on hockey. Some parents won’t allow their children to try or play any other sports, thinking that the more their children focus on hockey, the better they will get.

Is this way of thinking accurate? The answer may just surprise you.

A World of Skills

One of the first things to know and understand is that hockey requires all kinds of skills in order to be successful. These include skills like balance, strength, and overall power and stamina.

Hockey practice and training teaches a lot of these skills. However, it can’t teach all of them, nor can it teach them as fully as certain other sports and exercises do.

Thus, when you deprive your kids of participating in other sports, you actually deprive them of the opportunity to build skills that could be useful to them in hockey. Think of the coordination that baseball teaches or even the balance of something like ballet.

Basically, if your child has a sport he or she is interested in other than hockey, go ahead and let your child participate. Chances are it will only improve performance on the ice.

The Possibility of Burnout

Burnout is a very real problem among many of today’s young athletes. Kids, as you probably know, have short attention spans, so it makes sense that they would quickly grow bored and disinterested if you make them practice the same sport day after day.

Fortunately, there’s an easy way to prevent burnout, and that’s by allowing your child to do other things. If those “other things” include sports, that’s great. As mentioned, participation in other physical activities will only help their hockey game.

Even if your child is interested in totally unrelated pursuits, however, such as taking an art class or just spending time with friends, allowing these types of activities can prevent your child from growing bored with hockey and ultimately refusing to have anything to do with it.

Physical Injury

Finally, keep in mind that if a person- especially a young and growing person- does the same activities over and over again, he or she is very likely to develop related injuries due to stress and overuse of certain muscle groups.

Injuries can be serious and even lifelong. Fortunately, if you allow your child to take breaks and switch up sports, you can reduce the possibility of these types of injures.

The bottom line in all of this is that, while it may seem counterintuitive to allow your child to focus on sports other than hockey, doing so can actually help him or her to ultimately have great success in the sport, as well as a longer, more fulfilling career in it.

How to Increase Speed and Agility on the Ice

The number one thing that youth hockey players and youth hockey coaches want to know is how to increase speed and agility, necessary skills for being a successful athlete on the ice.  

Genetics are Key

Unfortunately, though, there really isn’t a simple answer to this question. In fact, to a large degree, strength and agility are determined by one’s genes and physical makeup. With that said, though, there are things that can be done to improve these features, whether one is “naturally gifted” in them or not.

Exercise Can Help

One great exercise to work on is squats. These are great at building strength and power in the legs. Strength and stability can also be improved through abdominal work, which will also help with balance. And, on top of those things, power moves like plyometrics/jumps will work very well at improving speed, smoothness, and fluidity.

Find Your Strength

If you can work in these ways, you should be able to increase speed and agility to the best of your ability. And, if you still don’t reach the speed and agility levels you want? Well, don’t worry. The key is to remember that everyone has strengths, and these two much-coveted skills aren’t the only strengths that matter.

You simply need to figure out what it is you (or your players) are particularly good at. Whether it’s skating, stickhandling, or anything in between, if you can focus in on one main strength, it will provide an edge on the ice. That way, strength and agility will just be icing on the cake. 

The Wing Man

Is your child playing “the wing” in youth hockey? If so, you should understand that this position actually comes with a lot of responsibility.   

So many people think that the only responsibility involved is guarding the other team’s defensemen, and, while that’s certainly a part of it, there is a lot more involved.

It is important, then that you make your child understand all that is involved in this position. Fortunately, you can do so by following a few simple tips.

Watch Defensemen Carefully

First things first, wingers should always keep their eyes fully open when the other team has the puck.

What those open eyes should be focused on is the defensemen because they can be very tricky.

These players will often try to sneak in front of the winger or move to the center, and it’s the winger’s job to make sure that they do not.

Teach the young winger in your life the importance of an “open eye” approach if you want to guarantee success.

Accept Passes

Another important job of the winger is to remember to accept passes whenever possible when his or her own team has the puck.

Wingers often forget this important task, but it really matters, so be sure to instill its importance in your own player.

Also, remind your winger to stay mostly between the hash marks and the top of the circle for best results.

As you can see, there is a whole lot more to playing winger than most people realize. So, if the young person in your life has been tasked with this all-important role, be sure to pass on this all-important advice to help foster success.

Tips at Being a Good Defenseman

There are all kinds of positions and tasks in youth hockey. Being a defenseman is one of the most important. However, this is certainly not an easy role to play. With that said, however, following a few simple tips can help young players to improve greatly as defensemen.  

Tip #1: Stay in the Right Place

Where a player stands when playing the defenseman role is very important. Ideally, he should stay between his man and the net, a spot often referred to as the “goal side.” From this position, players are encouraged to try and get a feel for the direction and the speed of the player they are covering. From there, the defenseman’s job is to keep his body between the player and the net. Some caution does need to be exercised, however, because recent rule changes make it a penalty to push too hard against an opponent. A good coach can help a player to understand where the line is drawn between using force and using too much force.

Tip #2: Help Out Your Partner

When playing defenseman, a player will have a “defensive partner.” When this person has the puck, it is imperative that the defenseman support him. The easiest way to do this is for the defenseman to sag close to his end. This will make it harder for your partner’s passes to be intercepted and will offer up an extra line of defense as well.

Tip #3: Be Skilled at Passing

While there are all kinds of important skills for defensemen to work on, one of the most important is passing. Good passes can help out other players on offensive plays and can often save the game. Players are encouraged to practice passing in all kinds of situations in order to get truly good at this invaluable skill.

As you can see, there are lots of “tricks and tips” for being a good defenseman, and these are some of the most valuable. Work on these, and there’s no stopping you in this position!

How to Make Hockey More Accessible

Youth hockey provides a wonderful growth and learning opportunity for children of all ages. Unfortunately, however, hockey is not something that is easily accessible for all children. The cost of being on a team, buying equipment, and traveling to tournaments is something that not every child’s family has the resources for. But, it’s not just the cost that proves to be a barrier. Other problems include the fact that youth hockey these days is just too competitive and just plain “too much” for kids who are just looking for a fun sport to play.  

For those for whom cost is the most difficult barrier, there are some simple solutions. For one thing, children are encouraged to participate only in house league hockey if they’re looking for a less expensive, less time committed experience but one that’s still just as beneficial.

Not only are these smaller leagues cheaper to participate in, but they’re also a lot less overwhelming. For parents looking to save money or just to provide a less intense and more fun experience to their kids, the key is to avoid clubs that force numerous out of state hockey tournaments, and require mandatory spring and summer hockey. These are the classic signs of the kind of club that will require more time and money than you may be willing or able to commit.

Hockey club/league selection all boils down to what you want for your child and what you can afford, the time commitment you desire and the skill/talent level of your skater.

Remember, what matters to kids is just having fun and enjoying the sport, so don’t feel like you have to bow to the pressure. Do what you can to make hockey more accessible for your family and know that your child will love the sport, no matter how or on what league he or she gets to play it.

Moderation: The Key to Hockey Success

Everyone knows that moderation is the key to a happy, healthy life. Don’t eat too much or drink too much, or you will suffer consequences. Eat just the right amount, however, and you will thrive. These are simple rules that everyone knows, so why aren’t they being applied to youth hockey?

Sadly, for many, moderation goes out the window when it comes to youth hockey. Young players are often forced or at least “strongly encouraged” to play hockey all year long, even during the off-season, and to basically eat, breathe, and live hockey, all by parents who think this will turn their kids into pro hockey players. The fact of the matter is, though, that over saturating kids with hockey is unhealthy, counterproductive, and often leads to complete and total burnout.   

Kids don’t need to play hockey all year long. They need to spend some time just being kids, and they also need to spend time playing other sports and pursuing other interests. Not doing so can not only make them come to hate hockey, but it can also breed bad, resentful relationships with parents and a host of other problems.

If you’re a hockey parent, remember the “moderation rule” when it comes to hockey. Allow your kids to take a breather during the off-season- that’s what it’s there for after all. You might just be surprised at how effective this break can be. Often, kids are super excited when the new season starts and, as a result of their break, they approach the new season ready to give it all they’ve got.

The bottom line is that you can have too much of a good thing, and that includes hockey. So, let your kids take the lead and choose their involvement level with the sport. The results might just surprise you and are sure to make everyone happier and healthier.

The Power of Practice

There’s a good chance that, as a child, your parents, teachers, and others in your life repeated the saying, “Practice makes perfect,” to you. And, in all honesty, this is a pretty good thing for them to teach you! This saying instills in children the idea that, if they work hard enough and don’t give up, they can achieve anything and achieve it perfectly.   

And, while this saying might have been popular when you were a kid, it seems that we don’t say it enough today, and furthermore, that we don’t really instill the value behind it firmly enough. For proof of this, just consider these common complaints from youth hockey coaches we talked with:

·         Kids only come to practices because, if they don’t, they won’t be allowed to play in the game. They’re not there for the right reasons!

·         Kids don’t think they have to come to practices because they, as players, are too important or invaluable to the team.

·         Kids don’t give their all at practice because it’s “just a practice.”

·         Kids complain about being tired during practices or about practices being “too hard.”

·         Kids are forced to come to practices by their parents; they don’t really want to be there.

These complaints show that kids don’t really value practice the way they should. They don’t see it as a way to better themselves and to achieve their goals. Instead, they see it as a cumbersome chore that they have to complete.

While, unfortunately, it is impossible to change every kid, you can start by instilling in your young player or players the value of practice- that it’s a stepping stone to greatness. Coaches can enforce this standard by only playing the kids who show up to practice and commit 100% each time.

When everyone works together to lead by example and teach kids the “power of practice,” maybe they’ll finally start to get it, the way we did when we were kids!

Related articles

• Scientists: Brain Circuits Tell Us When Practice Makes Perfect (voanews.com)

The Soft Skills of Youth Hockey

When you think of the skills that are learned in youth hockey, you probably think of things like stick and puck handling. And, while these skills are certainly important and are, undoubtedly, a part of youth hockey, they are far from being the most important skills your child should focus on or even the most valuable skills you should help your child to learn through the game.

So, what are the major skills, often referred to as the “soft skills,” since they are learned gently, along the way? Well, one of them is making friends and learning loyalty. When your child is a part of a team, he or she will grow close to and reliant on others like never before. He or she will form a family type bond with people outside of his or her family often for the first time, therefore teaching your child how to trust others and how to truly love people and be a good friend.

Another great thing that children will glean from the sport is confidence. Hockey is wonderful for teaching kids how to face challenges head on, to move on and recover from losses, and to believe in themselves. In fact, for most kids, the change in confidence level from when they first start hockey to the end of their first season is downright phenomenal.

Kids will also learn good communication through playing this sport. They will learn to take direction well from their coaches and other people in charge in the sport. They will also learn how to effectively communicate with their peers/teammates and even how to read body language and subtle communicative signs.

As if these things weren’t enough, kids also learn leadership from the game of hockey. Even if they aren’t the team star, they’ll learn how to be an example to others, how to show good sportsmanship no matter what, and just, in general, to be and become the awesome people you want them to be.

It is, in the end, these sports skills- no, life skills,- that make youth hockey such a powerful and wonderful thing for your child to be involved in, so don’t forget to focus on what really matters.

Coaching vs. Parenting - It's Important to Understand the Difference

An icon illustrating a parent and child (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

As the parent of a young athlete, you need to absolutely understand that there is a HUGE difference between being a parent and being a “coach.” Your job, as a parent, is to be someone who encourages and supports your kids, who loves them endlessly, no matter how they perform on the ice. Your job is NOT to coach your kids- to criticize them for their mistakes, to demand better performance, or to get onto them about missed plays or other small mistakes they may make in the sport of their choice.

If you can separate these roles- letting the coach do the coaching and you do the parenting- everyone, especially your kids,will be a lot happier! In fact, you should never be the one to bring up sports or sports performance. If your child brings up the topic, answer his questions or concerns, but don’t take it further. Remember, your child’s home should be a safe haven from the pressures and worries of the outside world.

Of course, things aren’t always so simple. Sometimes, the lines get blurred, such as when parents serve as coaches or assistant coaches. If that describes your situation, the best thing you can do is to take off your “coach” hat the moment you get home and put on your “parent” hat.

The bottom line is that, regardless of your role in your child’s athletic life, sports stuff belongs on the playing field and at practice, and “home stuff” is the ONLY stuff that belongs at home. If you can learn to create barriers between the two worlds, you and your child will be a lot happier and more comfortable, and your child should get a whole lot more enjoyment (not to mention a whole lot less pressure!) from his sports experience.

Related articles

• Ask Hahney: Overbearing Parents (dailytrojan.com)

Are You Concussion Conscious

A diagram of the forces on the brain in concussion (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If you’re like many parents who are reluctant to put their children in youth hockey, it may be because you’ve heard it is a “dangerous sport” and that children regularly get hurt and suffer concussions. While it is true that injuries, and, in some cases, concussions do sometimes occur in the context of the sport, recent studies have found that concussions are not more common in youth hockey than they are in other high contact sports.   

Studies have also found that, more often than not, when concussions do occur in youth hockey, they are due to disallowed/illegal moves, so if you choose a good coach and a good league that doesn’t put up with “bad behavior” from players, you can cut the risk even further.

Other ways to reduce your child’s risk of a concussion include having the proper, high quality safety gear and insisting that your child wear it anytime he goes on the ice. It’s also smart to find a coach/league that educates players on proper body checking, that doesn’t allow body checking until the age of 13, and that teaches proper playing techniques and respect to young players.

As you can see, there are things you can do to protect your child against getting a concussion. But, at the end of the day, you have to ask yourself, do you really want to stop your child from doing something he wants to do because of fear and because of what “might” happen? That’s not a good way to live or a good example to set, so if your child is begging you to play youth hockey and you’ve said no, maybe it’s time to reconsider?

Related articles

• Are kids getting more concussions than we realize? (cnn.com)

The Stellar Stride Drill You Need to Know

In hockey, a good stride is one of the most important things a player can have. Strong strides come from proper training and practice, and what better way to help young players develop their stride than with some specially designed stride drills? One of the best out there is one popularized by Dave Cruikshank, a one-time Olympic speed-skater.

To do this drill, players head out onto the ice. Then, they will load their legs on an inside edge. When done properly, each skater should feel like he has a firm grip on the ice with his or her inside edge and like it’s easy to push off and explode when needed. One each skater has proven that he can handle this skill and has been given a few pointers on improving it, it’s time to move on to the drill itself.

To begin, each skater should stand with his toe boxes pointing forward and in a “ready to explode stance. Skaters then use downward force to explode out, sliding laterally on the other skate with the toe boxes still pointing forward. The player should repeat this movement for five strides, turn around, and go the other way with five more strides. Players should repeat the drill four times, twice on each leg.

The great thing about this drill is that it will allow the player to improve his ability to load and explode. Plus, at the same time, it will increase and improve leg strength.

While there are all kinds of drills out there, this really is one of the best, so try it with your young players and see what they think. They’ll probably be tired by the end, but they’ll also have built a great skill!

The Key to Speed Skating

If you are a hockey parent, then there is a very good chance that you want your child to be able to skate quickly.  

The funny thing about “speed skating” is that, despite what you may have heard, there isn’t really some “big secret.” So, before you pay professional coaches hundreds or even thousands of dollars to tell your youth hockey player how to skate fast, memorize this simple tip: speed skating is all about pushing out on the edge of your skate, plain and simple.

Since speed is created by downward force, the harder and stronger you can get your young player to push against the ice with his skates, the faster and more steady he will be. Practice this skill together by going skating and enforcing the rule that your child’s blades always, always must stay in contact with the ice with a downward force.

To make this happen, your player simply needs to load all of his or her power on one leg through bending one knee. While this is happening, the player must send energy or “power” to the opposite leg and then use that leg to push into action. When skating, this transfer of power must happen simply and naturally, so practice it together until it becomes second nature for your child.

If you and your little one can follow this simple tip,  ayour child will know how to handle himself and even more importantly, how to handle himself quickly, on the ice.

Name Changes for Youth Hockey

There is a big change coming to youth hockey, and it’s all about names.      

Based on a rule change by USA Hockey, age classifications will no longer have name labels like ‘midget’ or ‘bantam’ in the USAH rulebook.

Instead, all age categories for youth hockey are to be referred to only by age number – 12U, 14U, 16U, etc.

Within the legislative proposals addressed at USA Hockey’s Annual Congress, ‘Legal Council #3 Amended’ is the document in which the name changes take place; the proposal was approved by the board of directors.

The ‘intention of proposal’ states: “To remove references to age classifications using Mite, Squirt, Pee Wee, Bantam and Midget, and instead refer to them using age categories.”

USA Hockey’s Legal Council and Disabled Section submitted the original proposal.

The proposal states that the ‘housekeeping changes’ of removing the names would take place in these areas:

• References to age classifications would list ages only
• ADM chart would list classifications by age only
• Split Season Dormant Program would remove references to “midget”
• Under age coach examples would refer to age categories only
• Junior relocation section seeking information on “midget” teams would refer to 18U
• References to “Midget Hockey” would refer to “Youth Hockey”

You can see the approved proposal here.

How age categories will now be referred to:

Youth

• Seventeen (17) and Eighteen (18) – 18U (Midget)
• Fifteen (15) and Sixteen (16) – 16U (Midget)
• Fifteen (15) Tier I only – 15 (Midget)
• Thirteen (13) and Fourteen (14) – 14U (Bantam)
• Eleven (11) and Twelve (12) – 12U (Pee Wee)
• Nine (9) and Ten (10) – 10U (Squirt)
• Eight (8) and Seven (7) – 8U (Mite)
• Six (6) and Under – 6U (Mini Mite)

Girls

• Seventeen (17) through Nineteen (19) – 19U
• Fifteen (15) and Sixteen (16) – 16U
• Thirteen (13) and Fourteen (14) – 14U
• Eleven (11) and Twelve (12) – 12U
• Nine (9) and Ten (10) – 10U
• Eight (8) and Seven (7) – 8U (Mite)
• Six (6) and Under – 6U (Mini Mite)

Is There a "Cool Crowd" in Youth Hockey?

It’s crazy to think about adults feeling the need to be “in with the cool crowd.” After all, adults gave up that kind of thinking long ago, right? While that may be true for most adults, many hockey parents quickly find that youth hockey can get kind of clique-ish and that there tend to be some teams in town that are thought of as “elite.”   

If you don’t believe that, just listen in on the conversations hockey parents have with each other. They ask questions like, “What team is YOUR child trying out for?” and then snub the responder when they don’t like the answer. There’s also a lot of competitiveness in general, with parents asking what other kids are doing to “get ahead” or to prepare for the upcoming season.

There’s no doubt about it. In most communities, there is a lot of pressure on hockey parents- which translates to pressure on kids- to get on the “right” team, but really, this is all pretty ridiculous. Youth players don’t need to worry about getting on the “big” or “elite” team. While that would certainly be a nice honor, what’s really important for youth players is finding a team where they can develop their skills, learn new ones, and just have fun...which is really what youth hockey is SUPPOSED to be all about.

Even for serious,older players who are hoping to land a scholarship or go pro, it’s important to remember that talent will always find its way in front of the right people. There’s no need to force it by putting a lot of priority on getting on a particular team.

Furthermore, not being on the “in” team can actually end up being a good thing for players. It can give them more time to learn skills at their own pace. Plus, players who may have been at the bottom of the barrel on their dream team will have a chance to shine, which will enhance their confidence and thus their performance.

Of course, sometimes there are young players who truly want that spot on the “dream team.” If they want it and for the right reasons, meaning not just because of a need to up their status or keep their parents in with the “cool crowd,” then that’s fine. If the reasons behind a player’s motivation are legitimate, then it’s fine to work toward getting on that “right” team, but it’s important to understand that success in the sport is not reliant on getting on a particular team.

A good player who works hard is a player who is going to shine anywhere. So, put away those middle school thoughts of “fitting in,” and just allow your player to do what’s right for him.

Playing Up Examined

While allowing a child to play up can be tempting- after all, it seems to scream to the world that, “my kid is advanced!”- most experts advise against it. Just because the option is there doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good one, and most coaches and other pros think that, barring rare circumstances, playing up probably isn’t the best idea.   

The Downside to Playing Up

The reason so many parents end up saying yes to their children playing up is because they love the idea of having a highly skilled child, one who is just too good for his own age group.  However, many parents who do allow their children to move up quickly find that their dream of stardom and of everyone praising their child is far from reality…very far. Typically, most parents face the harsh reality of having a young kid “in with the big dogs,” which can involve many drawbacks, including the following:

·         -Reduced playing time for their players, which means less practice and less skill building

·        - Pressure to “act older” and to perform at the same level as older kids

·         -A higher risk of injury since the physical playing field is often uneven

·         -Social problems, such as difficulty making friends with the other (older) players or getting picked on

While young kids may be the star at their current level team, that doesn’t really translate when they play up. Instead, they often become the weakest link- the smallest, least skilled player, and that doesn’t feel good, nor does it do the kid and his development any favors. It’s hard to understand why parents would want to do this to their child; why not let him or her enjoy being the “star” for a while?

Hockey creates lifelong friendships. This is made easier when players grow up together on the ice and in school. You can continue nurturing these lasting bonds by having your players stay within their age group.

Put Friendship First

Parents also need to keep in mind that hockey is as much about social growth as it is about athletic growth. Children need to learn social skills and how to interact and work with others just as much as they need to learn how to handle the puck. When you put your child in with older, more developed kids, you take away this opportunity, and it could end with your child getting bullied, which certainly isn’t good for self-esteem, either on or off the ice!

That Rare Exception

Every once in a while, there will be that one exception to the rule- that kid who is just so talented and so good at the game and who can handle being with the older kids. However, most kids are not that exception, so be honest with yourself. Unless it’s really going to benefit your little one in the long run, and not just feed your ego, your child is probably better playing in the correct age group.