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player tips

02

May

Finding Your Next Level

Posted by Greg Carter

Watching the NHL Playoffs, it becomes obvious very quickly that the players are competing at an entirely different level out there compared to the regular season. The speed and quickness of the game is greater. The intensity is higher. It makes you wonder, how do these players take an already accelerated game to a whole new level?

There is a quote about leadership and coaching that says if you can raise the level of effort and performance in those around you, you are officially a leader. When it comes to coaching hockey players, especially elite hockey players such as those playing in the NHL, finding a way to connect with each player and understanding how to get the most out of them is a key ingredient in the recipe for success.

But when it comes to finding that next level it begins and ends with the individual player. The great Vince Lombardi once said that if you’ll not settle for anything less than your best, you will be amazed at what you can accomplish in your lives. When you watch playoff hockey, these players are not settling for anything less than their best. They lay it on the line for every race to the puck. Every shot on goal and every pass is a laser. The battles in front of the net and in the corners are their own individual cage matches.

When you break down the game and analyze how amazing the individual talent and skill sets are out there, it can be compared to an engine in a machine. If the engine is built properly – in the case of hockey players, developed and trained properly – and also cared for properly, there will be a time when you can run that engine at the highest RPM’s and push it to maximum performance.

Youth hockey players who spend the time training and working on skills are doing just that, they are preparing themselves – their engine – for the periods of time (the playoffs) when they are going to need to rely on optimizing their performance at the highest level.

As the run for the Stanley Cup continues, it should serve as inspiration to take your own game to the next level, to shift your engine into the next gear. There is another great quote about commitment that says you’re either IN or you’re OUT. There is no such thing as life in-between.

We invite you to join us at one of our hockey schools this summer and with our training, find your very own next level!

 

 

 

 

 

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16

March

How To Score Your Off Season Goals 

Posted by Greg Carter

Once that final buzzer sounds it’s only a short time before most players start to think “What’s next” . . . “How do I improve my game?” While many players think this, it’s those that follow through, set goals and work hard that actually hit the ice next season as a better player than last season. So the question is, how are you going to make the most of your off season training?

5 tips to the top of your game: 

  1. Start with a plan. This seems simple and obvious, but a plan isn’t a plan unless goals are identified and written down. Think back to last season and the difficulties that you had, identify areas of improvement and create a plan that will improve skills in areas that need the most work. Many players work on areas in which they are already strong. The great players spend time focusing on their weaknesses.
  2. Choose a program. There are many options on how and where to train. Do your homework, and research opportunities that are reputable and offer training and skill development in the areas that align with your goals and objectives. Once you make this important commitment, you will be once step closer to your off season goals.
  3. It’s summer, enjoy it! Off season training should be mixed in with a good balance of traditional summer activities. Hockey players that create a mix of training and fun are more likely to reduce injuries and also will stay with the program for a longer period of time.
  4. Dedicate yourself. When it does come time for training, whether it’s before going to the beach or after a round of golf, focus on what you need to improve on. Put yourself back into the place you were last season and think about the areas of your game that frustrated you. Listen to your instructors and coaches and skate each drill with the same intensity that you play the game. Dedicate yourself to the moment!
  5. Split the summer into 3 periods. June, July and August come and go very quickly. If you split your training and define goals for each month, it will allow you to focus and access your progress on a monthly basis. Players that we have trained at our summer hockey schools have told us they will identify 3 key areas of focus, and while they train all summer with them in mind, they may spend more time in June in shooting for example, and then shift the focus of July to power skating, and then August is all about stickhandling.

The goal of your off season training should be to improve your skills, increase your love of the game and to hit the ice this fall as a better hockey player than you left it in the spring. Good luck in all of your training and we hope to see you on the ice at one of our camps in 10 states this summer!

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02

March

Tryout Success Starts With The Six P’s: Proper, Prior, Preparation Prevents Poor Performance

Posted by Greg Carter

Playoff games can be stressful, but ask any player or parent, and they will tell you that when it comes to stress, tryouts are at the top of the list. Players are no longer competing with their buddies against another team during tryouts, they are now facing each other, competing for a limited number of spots on a team. I have evaluated tryouts for many years and noticed that players seem to fall into a few different categories: those that rise to the occasion and tryout really well, those that don’t tryout well for a variety of reasons, and then those in a middle group that don’t do much to hurt their chances, but also don’t do a whole lot to shine and really help their chances of making the team.

So do tryouts bring out the best in you, or the worst in you? Or are you somewhere in the middle group? What is interesting is that the players that seem to have their best stuff during tryouts, are also the players who have a calm and collected demeanor. In other words, they come to the rink prepared and in a good mindset, ready to compete and showcase the skills that they have developed.

The “Six P’s” can apply not only at tryout time, but also with school, work and just about every task that presents itself. Proper, prior, preparation is all about making sure that you are in the best position possible to succeed. It is often said that a big part of stress is directly attributable to simply not being prepared. When it comes to hockey, and tryouts, how prepared are you? Are you hitting the ice with enough rest to perform at your peak? Have you paid attention to your diet so that you have the fuel that you will need to bring the energy necessary to outwork the competition?

How about your hockey skills? Have you put in the necessary time required to improve the skills in your game? As we have noticed at our Massachusetts-based hockey school, as players advance through the various levels of  youth hockey, the skill level of players increases dramatically, and no where is it more evident than at tryouts where dangles and snipes can be the difference in whether or not you make the team.

What I really like about the six p’s is the word proper. Preparation can mean many different things to players, and the key is preparing the proper way. If you need to work on your skating, you need to understand the proper fundamentals of power skating. If you are working on your stick handling, you need to practice the proper mechanics, such as keeping your head up. If you prepare in the proper manner, you will reap the benefits. Practice like a champion to perform like a champion.

Good luck with your tryouts and we look forward to seeing you at one of our hockey schools this summer!

04

January

The Most Frequently Asked Questions At Our Hockey School

Posted by Greg Carter

Each summer we work with hockey players from across Massachusetts as well as the entire country. Our staff is asked many questions about hockey development by both players and parents, and here are the most frequently asked questions.

What does my child need to do to get better?
Every parents wants the best for their child, especially hockey parents for their hockey players! The first thing to recognize is that development is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. For players to get better they need to commit to a long term development strategy geared towards working on specialized skill sets at each level from Mites on up. If a player masters each of these age-specific skills, they will have a great foundation to build on throughout their career.

Should my child play a variety of positions or just forward or just defense?
This is an interesting question because of how often it gets brought up. At young ages kids need to develop a full understanding of the game of hockey including skills, strategies and tactics at both forward and defense. Many great defensemen playing at the collegiate and professional levels attribute their ability to ‘see the ice’, step up into the play and contribute offensively to having played forward as a youth or even a prep player.

How can I score more goals?
Every player wants to score goals, and there is one surefire way to find the back of the net more often: shoot pucks. A great coach once told me that you can never shoot enough pucks, and he was right. Another way to score more goals is to become a great stickhandler. Spend time at practice, home and hockey camp working on stickhandling and it will pay off on the score sheet!

What can I do to improve my skating, speed and quickness?
We love this question at our hockey school because skating and stride is too often overlooked by hockey players. Even the smoothest, fastest and quickest skaters are continually working to improve in this area because they understand the importance of speed, quickness and stride in the game of hockey. To improve your skating focus on things like edge work and technique. We like to really focus on these two areas at our hockey camps and the results can be extremely positive.

What do I need to do to make the team next year?
This is always the biggest question as we work with players prior to tryouts. Regardless of what level you are playing at or team you want to make, there is no substitute for commitment and hard work. Create a list of skills that you need to work on and spend time on and off the ice mastering these skills. Shoot pucks and stickhandle rather than watching TV or sitting on your phone. Hockey is becoming more competitive every day and the players who make the team are the ones who put in the time and dedicate themselves to learning new skills and getting better everyday!

Do you have a question about your hockey development or summer hockey camp? Email us and we would be happy to answer your questions!

We have hockey camps in ten states this summer including Alaska, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Virginia. We hope to see you on the ice soon!

15

December

Hockey 2016 – By The Numbers

Posted by Greg Carter

2016 was another great year on the ice. Running hockey camps in 10 states again reminded us just how awesome this sport really is in the U.S.
Here are our some of the stats – and a black bear – behind the great states that we enjoy working in each summer!

We started out our hockey camp in Alaska with a black bear greeting us at our cabin. Hockey is alive and well in the Last Frontier. There are nearly 9,000 players in Alaska and the state currently has 16 men’s Division 1 players and 8 women playing Division I hockey.

Connecticut is one of our favorite spots with more than 13,000 players registered with USA Hockey. The also have a nice roster of Division I players including 30 on the men’s side and 15 on women’s teams.

Illinois is a hotbed of “Blackhawk’s hockey” with 84 Division I men’s players (5th most) and 35 women (3rd most). Illinois also has more than 31,000 total hockey players and is always a fun place to train aspiring young athletes!

New Hampshire hockey families are passionate about the game. With around 6,000 players in the state this season, they have the same number (13) of both men and women playing Division I.

New Jersey loves their Devils and has just under 20,000 players in the state. They also have 45 men’s Division I players this season and 4 on the women’s side.

New York is always among the leaders in the U.S. registering just under 50,000 players! We love our camps in the state that has 94 men’s Division 1 players this season and 33 women.

There are just over 30,000 players in the great state of Pennsylvania, all admiring the recent Flyers winning streak, or wanting to grow up and be like the incredible Sid Crosby. 47 men’s players and 9 women Division I players hail from Pennsylvania.

Vermont registers just under 5,000 players and has 3 men and 10 women playing Division I hockey this year.

Virginia has just over 10,000 registered players and 5 men and 2 women playing Division I hockey.

Finally, we close with our home state of Massachusetts, where we love the Bruins; and the Red Sox! Massachusetts (113) ranks third only to Michigan (145) and Minnesota (203) in producing Division I men’s hockey players. There are 72 women from Mass. playing Division I hockey this season, second only to Minnesota (147). As our friends at Mass. Hockey would say, we are #MassProud!

We hope you enjoyed your year of hockey as much as we did.

From our team to yours, have a very happy holiday season and we look forward to seeing you on the ice in 2017!

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Greg Carter's European Hockey School

PO Box 1534 / Concord, MA 01742

PHONE: 978-371-3355

FAX: 978-371-3356

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