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13

November

What’s Your Hockey Emoji?

Posted by Greg Carter

I received a text the other day that got me thinking that if hockey players had to choose an emoji to describe themselves and their best hockey skills, what emoji it be?

There are literally hundreds of emoji’s to choose from when sending emails and texts, all of which make communication obvious, quick and simple. Just the other day I sent a text asking if someone was ready for hockey practice and I got back a thumbs up, hand clap and a mail box, which I later learned was meant to say ‘yes, I’m super excited to bring the mail’. All this got me thinking, if you had to pick, what would be your hockey emoji? Here are a few of our favorites:

eggThe Ham & Egger: This is for the every day player that isn’t necessarily the standout on the team, but every practice and game is consistently good and you just know what to expect from them. Every team has and needs players who may not have the top end talent and skill, but they have a drive and desire to win the battles in the corner and the races to the puck. Will over skill.

fist-bumpThe Pick Me Up Fist Bump: A pick me up player is important to the team. The fist bump is for the player that is always a good teammate and not only loves to celebrate the big moments with a fist bump, but to also use it in the difficult times to say ‘I got your back’.

moviecamThe Highlight Reel Movie Camera: This is for the players who have the ability to make moves on the ice that other players try to emulate. They are silky smooth with the puck, can stickhandle through a crowd and can deke goalies to score highlight reel goals.

tongueThe Exhausted Dog Tongue: This describes complete exhaustion, think of your dog after throwing the ball with him for a half hour. Dog tired! When we run conditioning drills at our hockey camps it’s always fun to see the top players working the hardest. If your hockey emoji is both the highlight reel and the dog tongue, you should be proud of yourself!

violinThe “Whine”, Cheese and Violin:  This describes the player who constantly whines about what position they are playing, not getting the puck enough or which line they are on. The violin emoji is often accompanied by the goblet and piece of cheese emoji’s.

gamblerThe Riverboat Gambler. This is the player with talent and the confidence that the chips are stacked in their favor. A dangerous combination that can win championships, but also a risk factor that puts gray hair on coaches. The Riverboat Gambler is willing to risk it all for the big play, and win they score, they win big. But there is always the chance of losing it all with their mid-ice dangle with no safety valve.

100The All-In, All The Time 100: This is for the player that gives 100% in everything they do. They are a good teammate in the locker room, have a 100% positive attitude, are always working their hardest and love the game 100% of the time!

Although emoji’s aren’t yet showing up in scouting reports or player/coach meetings, they are definitely a fun and entertaining way to communicate. So, what is the best emoji to describe you has a hockey player?

This article was written by the Greg Carter Hockey School pro staff. We have hockey schools in Massachusetts and throughout the United States. Please check out our hockey camp page for dates & locations for our 2017 summer hockey camps.

28

October

 

With Election Day just around the corner there is plenty of consideration – and consternation – among voters. Leading up to this election candidates on both a local and national level have displayed their character and aptitude through both action and words. At this point all that remains is the final decision of voters on who is best positioned to be a leader.

The definition of a leader is “the power or ability to lead other people”. Characteristics of a leader are similar, whether in sport, business or politics. A leader is someone who inspires and motivates. They are humble, intuitive, dedicated and solution oriented.

When hockey teams vote on who deserves the honor of wearing the “C” on their sweater, teammates and coaches make their decision based on many of the same considerations voters use to elect politicians, namely, the ability to lead. This should not be a popularity contest or an honor simply given to the best player on the team.

So what does it really mean to be a team captain? A captain and leader:

* Is respectful of teammates as well as the game of hockey. 

* Has a deep desire to win, to work hard and to inspire others to work just as hard.

* Is honest and trustworthy.

* Sets good examples in the good times, and well as during the challenging moments of the season.  

During this election season we have seen plenty of examples of what defines leaders and captains, as well as unfortunate situations that do not define leadership. For youth hockey players and captains, it’s important to remember that captaincy is a special honor, and one to be taken seriously on behalf of both teammates and coaches who look to their captain for leadership. Remember that the role of the captain and leader also extends beyond the ice, into the locker room and into daily life.

The following is one of our favorite quotes regarding leadership: “The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.”

We hope you are have a great start to the season and that you elect a great captain – and leader – for your team!

When Auston Matthews scored a hat trick in his first NHL game, he became only the fifth player in NHL history to net 3 goals in a career debut. He also became the first Maple Leaf to accomplish this, which is pretty incredible for a team with the history of this original six team. Later in the game when Matthews proceeded to find the back of the net for the fourth time, you knew this would be a night that would have the hockey world talking.

It was little secret that Matthews would be chosen first in the 2016 NHL Draft, but as obvious as the choice seemed to be, the Matthews hype has been taken to an entirely new level after his opening night performance. Suddenly, everyone wants to know everything about this silky smooth forward from Arizona.

So what can youth hockey players learn from Matthews’ map to the NHL?

Skill Development. From an early age, Matthews focused on developing skills versus playing a bunch of games with all of the top teams in the area. He spent tons of hours playing small area games. He worked tirelessly on powerskating. He had the puck on his stick all the time learning to ‘stickhandle in a phone booth’. He focused on skill development and mastering the fundamental skills that would allow him to reach his full potential.

Work Ethic. Any coach will tell you that when you can combine exceptional skill with focus and drive, you have the recipe for a great hockey player. When Matthews learned a new skill he didn’t quit until he mastered it. Matthews’ work ethic is a shining example of what can happen when you have a mentality of not just learning a skill, but mastering a skill through repetition, commitment and hard work.

Shoot Pucks. At our hockey school we love to tell players that they can never shoot enough pucks. Matthews uses the skills he learned playing small area games to create time and space, which ultimately affords him the opportunities to get a lot of shots on goal. And not only is he getting shots on goal, but because he has a deadly shot, he has scored a lot of goals.

And in his first NHL game, he got 4.

 

04

October

Are You a Coachable Hockey Player?

Posted by Greg Carter

With the start of the hockey season upon us, it’s important to stop and think about your goals for this winter, and one of the first questions you should ask yourself is if you are a coachable player.

What is a ‘coachable player’? A few characteristics of coachable hockey players include:

  • Respecting your hockey coach and his/her ability to make you a better hockey player.
  • Accepting that there is always room for improvement and growth.
  • Acknowledgement that constructive criticism is part of hockey development.
  • A willingness and accountability to apply what is learned.
  • A burning desire to work hard and become a better hockey player!

In our many years of coaching and running hockey clinics and summer hockey schools, we have seen many hockey players who have great skills, but they simply aren’t coachable. This can be due to parent influence, ego, a lack of respect for the coach or inability to accept criticism. Regardless of the reason, a player will have a difficult time achieving their full potential if they are not coachable.

Perhaps one of the most important ingredients in being coachable is simply having a great attitude and approach to the game. Players who come to the rink eager and willing to learn at practice are going to listen to coaches rather than rolling their eyes at them. These players are going to think about the areas of their game that needs improvement rather than brushing it off as a coach picking on them. These players are the ones who leave practice excited and feeling like they improved on a skill, rather than dwelling on the fact they aren’t perfect.

Coachable players tend to develop their skills and knowledge of the game and an accelerated pace. They also tend to be those who the coaches like to work with, because the coaches can see the improvement, and find satisfaction in helping a player take their game to the next level.

Really good coaches thrive on feeding the hunger of coachable players. Good coaches will recognize and appreciate your desire to improve, and a positive coach/player relationship will most often result in the coach doing everything they can to help you achieve your goals.

So before the season really gets going, take a minute and ask yourself: Am I a coachable hockey player?

14

September

This Season, Make it Matter

Posted by Greg Carter

When it comes to applying your hard work from hockey camp this summer, what are you doing this season to make it matter?

Each summer at our hockey schools we teach a wide variety of hockey skills including shooting, passing, power skating, speed, agility and of course, scoring! We enjoy watching hockey players develop and improve fundamental skills, as well as helping them understand what it really takes to become a better hockey player.

There really is no secret to the ingredients resulting in success, and it all  starts with a big helping of hard work. What the best players understand however, is that while the ingredients may be similar for players’ path to achieving their goals, it’s the recipe that differs from player to player. And the top players understand that the recipe, just like a favorite dish, requires effort.

Summer hockey school is a great time to fine tune your game and work on developing your personal goals. Everything that you worked on this past summer will play an important role in your success this season. And to really make it matter this season, an emphasis needs to be placed on continuing to improve on the skills learned and developed over the summer.

It’s easy to get lost in the excitement of the start of the season and get caught up in some early season success. By mid-season however, it’s not uncommon to fall back into bad habits or taking short cuts. Players need to take the instruction learned over the summer and apply it each and every practice. Think of this in terms of building the foundation to a home. Each layer of bricks will continue to support the structure of the house, and every layer must be as strong or stronger than the previous.

In the same way, hockey players must advance through their development consistently striving to improve skills, and adding to a strong foundation that will lead them to becoming a great hockey player and achieving their goals.

So with the hockey season upon us, and to really make it matter this season, write down your greatest strengths and also areas of your game that require improvement.  Think back to what you learned at summer hockey school and how you can apply that knowledge at every practice and every game.

Continue to work hard and tweak the ingredients in your recipe for success. When things are going great continue to stay focused, and when you find a challenging time, think back to your foundation and the skills that you have developed.

And most of all this season, make it matter!

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