05/09/2018
A great talk by Tom Renney. I absolutely believe that to become a better athlete you MUST play other sports. Unbelievably, I see too many young hockey players who can't throw a football or kick a soccer ball correctly.
That said, I don't believe that a Rep player needs to "hang em up" completely for 5 months. But scaling back considerably is important.
A hockey player who is not a good all-around athlete is not likely just because of too much hockey. Lower athletic literacy most often stems from too many video game hours or just wasting time on social media. Kids should want to get out and ride their bike, shoot some hoops or play some tennis with a buddy.
The evidence is clear. All young kids will benefit from vigorous physical activity everyday. It is only logical that an aspiring Rep player should be active at an even higher level than the average child. Just shouldn't always be hockey
"But I still want to play Rep and I am afraid I will fall behind this off-season.....what should do?"
- Take the long term view (LTAD model). Stop worrying about what everyone else is doing this week. Do your thing. You can't do it all.
- Really enjoy any hockey you do. Ditching the pressure for a while is a very good thing for hockey motivation. Maybe play some 3 on 3 or shinny once or twice a week.
- Recognize your skills will get a little rusty by August. That's real. Don't panic. They will come back fast. Perhaps sign up for a skating/skills camp or two to help get you ready for tryouts.
- Depending on your age, you will need to seriously think about adding strength and conditioning to your athletic toolbox. Not just for hockey, but for any sport you play.
- When the season starts get back on your skills practice, work hard and compete at your very best effort level any time you are on the ice. You will catch up soon enough if you really want to.
Note to Parents - Don't over structure every activity they do. Hockey gets crazy enough. Best to just let kids play and figure stuff out. Having fun during their activities is critical to an athletes overall motivation.
See you in the Fall !!!
Now that spring has sprung, the president and CEO talks about the importance of hanging up the skates in the offseason, and why young players should broaden their horizons with multi-sport opportunities.
