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05

March

How Important is Hockey to You?

Posted by Greg Carter

It’s been a fun season from the peewees to the pros. With two NHL players (Nikita Kucherov and Nathan MacKinnon) eclipsing the 100 point mark and another (Connor McDavid) about to do the same, there have been plenty of goals and talent to celebrate!

With most youth hockey tournaments complete we are in the ‘inbetween season’ and depending on where you live, that can mean many different things. Here in Massachusetts for example, we are in tryout mode as our youth hockey teams for next season are chosen in the coming weeks. 

In other parts of the country where teams for next season are chosen in September or October, you are likely spending the next few weeks in a spring league or development league as well as making final plans for summer hockey training.

One of the biggest decisions players are faced with at this time of the year is this:

How bad do you want to achieve your hockey goal?

We have talked about goal setting in a variety of past articles and the importance of this can’t be overstated. 

What’s Next?

Regardless of how your hockey season started and ended, whether you felt like you deserved more ice time or anything else, what happens next is more important than what happened last. And it all starts with deciding how bad you want to improve your skills and take your game to the next level.

One of our favorite past articles was about a player who showed up every day for summer workouts. While friends were sleeping in, going to the beach or doing other things, this player was dedicated to sticking to a schedule, never making an excuses. Hockey was important enough to the player that there was always a way, never an excuse. The results and success of this player spoke for themselves. 

So as you make important decisions about how, where and when to train this summer, we invite you to join us at one of our summer hockey schools located in 12 states.

The only real question that remains is, will you find a way, or will you make an excuse?

Thanks for reading and we look forward to seeing you at the rink soon!

03

February

The Great Ones Make it Look Easy

Posted by Greg Carter

A few years back we wrote this article about the great ones making it look easy. After watching Connor McDavid compete and win the skills competition at the recent NHL All-Star Game, we were reminded just how easy the great ones make it look!

Social media is full of skill videos featuring hockey players making incredible dekes and dangles and then finishing with a storybook goal. Watching this talent leaves everyone on the edge of their seat wondering ‘how’d they do that’? The answer is really quite simple: practice!

This summer we enter our 30th year of summer hockey camps in 12 states. It never ceases to amaze our pro staff how much the talent of young hockey players increases with each passing season.   

The level of play from peewees to preps has gotten to a point where each and every year the discussion in the coaches room is whether the level of play can continue to improve. Amazingly enough, each year skills do improve and the level of play does get better.

Last year at summer hockey school after watching a player make a move that literally brought the coaches to applaud, we asked the player where he learned the move. The answer, not surprisingly, was by practicing it. Over and over and over again. 

Like so many do, this player saw a goal scored on social media and immediately tried it. Then again at practice, and then again at home, in the basement and in the driveway. Everywhere and anytime this player had a stick and a puck, ball or anything else, he was practicing the same move.

Repetition and muscle memory are key to athletic success and within a relatively short period of time the player became successful with this move. After several more hours of practice he became great. Soon, he would ready to try it in a game!

There is an old saying in sports and life that “The great ones make it look easy” and when it comes to hockey skills this is definitely true. However, as we have talked about in past articles, the great ones only become great after spending hundreds or even thousands of hours honing their craft. 

We encourage you to become great! Start by identifying an area of your game that needs improvement and dedicating yourself to working on it until it becomes natural. Find a great deke or dangle on the internet and work on it until you become great!

Thank you for reading. We invite you to train with us this summer at one of our hockey camps! For dates, locations and to register, click here.

25

January

Why Great Teams Win

Posted by Greg Carter

Do you ever wonder why the same teams always find themselves in the playoffs, championship game and even winning the title?

In past articles we’ve talked about Winning Being A Habit and that To Be The Best, You Need To Set Goals Like The Best. When it comes to winning, it’s pretty obvious that the best teams have good players. These players are doing all the little things that add up to the big things! But why is it that certain teams and programs always seem to produce winners?

It starts with skill, talent, work ethic and all of the ingredients that you would expect in a successful recipe. However, there is something that we’ve noticed in recent years, especially at the youth levels, that great teams share.

Selflessness. (Related Articles: “Are You A Me or We Player” & “That You Do Is More Important Than Who”)

As we watch teams, from the good to great, we are always intrigued by the top players. We watch their skill sets, their style and how they interact with their teammates. From an individual standpoint, this is important because much of the time as the top players go, so goes the team.

More specifically, if the team relies on the top player for everything, other teams can usually contain the threat. But if that top player (or players) relies on themselves for everything, and tries to do everything either out of selfishness or not trusting that teammates can get the job done, well this is separation between good teams and championship teams.

What we mean is this: How bad does a top player, or any player for that matter, want to score themselves vs. making sure that the team wins.

We’ve seen players in game changing moments shoot from bad angles for example, rather than sliding the puck to a teammate for an easy tap in goal. We’ve seen players that want the notoriety of scoring in the big game or scoring a big goal seemingly more than an assist on a teammates goal. These things don’t happen on championship teams.

The teams that are playing for the championship are the teams that operate like teams! The players, all the players, want the team win more than the individual stats. Championship teams make good hockey decisions, they make good hockey plays, they are unselfish and we is always more important than me.

As you head towards the playoffs we wish you the best of luck at your Mass Hockey USA Hockey or local tournament! We hope that your team comes together and plays like a team and when that final buzzer sounds, you are celebrating a well-deserved championship!

Thanks for reading and as you set goals for next season, please accept our invitation to join us at any of our hockey schools this summer!

09

January

When it comes to taking your game to the next level, what are your goals? How are you going to accomplish your goals?

The New Year brings new beginnings, on and off of the ice. For hockey players it’s an especially exciting time with holiday tournaments setting the stage for the second half of the season and playoffs.

It’s also a great time of the year to take a pause and evaluate your season.

Are you improving your skills?
• Are you a good teammate?
• How many of your preseason goals have you accomplished?
• What are your New Year’s resolutions for hockey?

Only one of ten people who set a New Year’s resolution actually fulfill it!

Are you going to be part of the 90% or part of the 10% that dedicate themselves to becoming better. In this case, becoming a better hockey player includes developing skills in all areas of the game.

The great news is that we are going to incentivize you to keep your New Year’s resolution! For a limited time, all of our summer hockey camps are 10% off. Simply choose the date and location that works best for you, and our coaching staff will work hard to take your game to the next level!

We wish you nothing but the best in the 2024 and we hope you score like never before!

For 2024 Greg Carter Summer Hockey School dates and locations, click HERE. Thanks for reading and we look forward to seeing you at the rink soon!



12

December

A Big $core for Christma$!

Posted by Greg Carter

Our recent article “The Early Bird Gets the Worm” started the breakaway on our 30th Anniversary of Summer Hockey Schools.

This season we are super excited to once again offer our Early Bird Special and best pricing of the year for all of our summer hockey camp locations. From Alaska to Vermont and Michigan to Rhode Island, all dates and locations are on sale!

With three decades of experience training youth hockey players, we are more ready than ever to hit the ice for the summer of 2024. Whether you are looking to improve your stride or speed, shot or stickhandling, our talented coaching staff is ready to help you take your game to the next level.

With the holiday season approaching we invite you to give the gift of development by capitalizing on our 10% off special.

To get in the game, check out our website for locations, dates and details by clicking here.

Thank you for reading and please feel free to email us at info@gchockey.com with any questions. We wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season and happiest New Year!

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