Being a Hockey Parent

[Eleven]

Originally Posted by Ahbroody

I fully expect Als wrath. Maybe Scotts.

Hah!

Whatever works, works! I only brought up that whack sharpening job previously because of the one parent on our team who's kid insisted on having skates sharpened virtually after every time on the ice.

I just see dollar signs flying out the window!

[Ahbroody]

Yeah he made it 20 hours on the ice between sharpenings between the camp and the practice/ scrims.
It seems that it had something to do with the way the guy sharpens. Before we put the tuuks on he had wedged the original holders and he wanted to grind down the toe. I had to tell him not to do that.
The new sharpener were using seems to be a little more together. I went in to pick up his skates on duty in uniform the other day and he didnt charge me.

Yesterday at camp the coach he hates. Told him his backwards skating and transitions were looking good. He still doesnt like the guy. . For his age though I think hes doing well just by learning to work with a coach he doesnt like. This week theres also Cougars practice tuesday night, Stars wednesday night, and a Hawks scrim Thursday. Tryouts are at the end of the month. Need to talk to the coach of the Stars about a redshirt so he will go to that. He loves the Hawks scrim so sure he will do that, tonight have to see if he wants to go.

Mike,
If he doesn't have Eagle gloves already you need to get him those. The leather they use in the palms is supper soft and as you know feel is everything. Don't forget custom made sticks. Using a stock stick and cutting it down causes an incorrect lie. This should up his goal count considerably. Besides, having a kid use a cut down stock stick is just barbaric! Also, tailor all his jerseys, to large and the wind resistance will slow him down, to tight and he won't have the freedom of movement needed for his slap shot.

[Ahbroody]

Luls. I knew I could get you to post with that picture.

He already has X3 Eagle Gloves but they dont fit yet. Next year they should. . I got them on a clearence sale from hockeymonkey for 18.99 just like almost all of his gear is sale or clearance except skates and helmet. Those are the two areas that I think matter most. I guess Im also hypersensitive to the skate issue as I have always had skate issues and he has my feet. Must be doing something right he is pulling backhand spinoramas while still 5 and scored on one during a shootout drill last week at camp. .

As for camp hes doing very well and is stickhandling well in traffic along with being trusted to play D during the scrims every so often. He had 3 breakaways today, but isnt lifting his shots so he isnt scoring on these goalies on his breakaways. Must be the clearance sticks fault, better go buy him an S19 or other stick like the other kids.
Hes definitely having a lot of fun and is going to be sad when its over.

[Ahbroody]

E.J. this is the stick he has been using its the lousiville xlite at totalhockey. Its cheap and with there occasional 15% of sales can be had for $25.50. It doesnt last that long though and you can see exposed fiberglass in the toe and heel which makes me concerned.


This is probably less ice time then your daughters, but that said hes very aggressive with his stick and always weasels his way into the faceoff circle. In his scrim today he took 3/4s of his lines faceoffs pretty much whenever they didnt have him playing D. there is actually a chunk missing in the heel. The toe on the otherside is uglier, but that is the side with the divet missing in the back.

Edit
Oooo and TH is having a 15% off sale till the end of the day.

[E.J.]

At the rink.... LM has been in camp 8 hours a day, had a game last night and a alumni scrimmage tonight... He looked like chit in the truck coming overr here...Says dryland at camp is killing him... Interested to see how he skates...

[E.J.]

Fun night.... First time I had seen some of the old seniors since last year.... They're good kids, I miss having them around.

[Eleven]

Originally Posted by E.J.

At the rink.... LM has been in camp 8 hours a day, had a game last night and a alumni scrimmage tonight... He looked like chit in the truck coming overr here...Says dryland at camp is killing him... Interested to see how he skates...

My kids coach thinks dry land is just as important as being on ice. In fact, when the season is over, they switch to 2 dry land sessions a week. He uses a hybrid of the USA hockey ADM model and the Swedish version. The only time they aren't training together as a team is in July (when the coach goes back home to Sweden for the month), but this year my son and a few other boys are still getting together 2 days a week in July to work out.

The conditioning it provides is invaluable, we lost track of how many coaches and parents last year complimented our boys on their ability to maintain such a high level of play for 3 periods with only 11 skaters.

Off ice is huge. When my boys aren't on the ice they are in the gym.

[taltos]

I have stayed out of this thread because my daughter never played but in high school and college (Dartmouth), I found that the dry land training prepared me for the stress of on ice training and made me stronger. I was a goalie so that might affect my findings as related to forwards and defensemen. Sorry for intruding in your thread.

You and your incite are always welcome Paul.

[taltos]

Thank you to my brother Al.

[E.J.]

Originally Posted by ahc4353

You and your incite are always welcome Paul.

X 2

[Ahbroody]

Originally Posted by ahc4353

You and your incite are always welcome Paul.

X3

Today at camp they were stopping the scrim at certain phases and explaining or in Micahs case trying to explain where the best place to be would be as a winger. A buddy and me were joking it must be like the classroom scene from Peanuts for Micah. Wha wha wha wha. He did a lot better at understanding defensive positioning because at his age as he just has to remember to be on the left or right and be the last guy back and try to keep thr other players infront.

Very proud of his progress over the past two weeks in skating and game play.

Scary about dry land clubs are starting it at the mite level these days. Just figured that wouldnt start till squirts. Would think motivating mites would be difficult

[Eleven]

Originally Posted by Ahbroody

Scary about dry land clubs are starting it at the mite level these days. Just figured that wouldnt start till squirts. Would think motivating mites would be difficult

It's hard motivating my 12 year old! But every time he takes his shirt off and people look at him and comment on such abs on a 12 year old, he gets it. Not to mention the real benefits it brings on the ice.

I see the Mites and Squirts doing their own versions of dry land, but it's not quite as intense as what the older boys do, I suppose if they are eased into it, it cannot be a bad thing.

One thing our coach was careful about was strength training, you do have to be mindful about how much you do at young ages. Our boys do it now, but it is all own-body resistance style, no weights. All the boys on the team are 13 now except my son and the coach's son. My son is November, and the coach's kid is a January '99, playing up by 3 days.

He is even getting good at 'The Pose' to show off the abs without looking like he shows them off. We catch him looking at them as he walks sometimes

[E.J.]

That pic makes me laugh, Scott, the LM is always trying to show off his abs...

Just finished up a camp this week, snuck away from work to watch the game they held at the end.... LM played well, found the back of the net twice, but should have walked away with 4... Took some pics, not sure how they turned out... They had half the lights on and the blinds closed....it was a dungeon.

LM had a good time and he was invited to come be a "shooter" at the goalie camp next week....

(pics to follow when I get home from work)

[Ahbroody]

Micah finished up his camp as well today.
He was invited to play in the camp allstar game tomorrow. They basically pick the top 1/3 of campers and let them play a game and video tape it. He was excited to be asked. I have to work so I wont be there. One of his buddies also got picked so his dad is taking.

They had their final scrimmage today and it ended in a tie. They did shootouts to decide. After 7 rounds he got to go. It was do or die, and he died. That said he pulled a spinorama and the coaches, players, and parents went nuts. He stuffed it into the goalies left pad but I was happy he had the guts to do it in front of everyone. He got a lot of love afterwards from his teamates even though he didnt convert and they lost. The coaches also had a lot of nice things to say about him and his abilities.

[E.J.]

Few of the end of camp game photos... Like I said above, it was DARK, so they are pretty noisey...



His first goal, easy pickings...



His second goal was a great slap shot from the point that went 4 hole in the blink of an eye.... Kid in the pic could have probably blocked it, but you can see him pulling his foot away as the puck is going by....



Not much celebration, just waiting for teammates....

[Ahbroody]

Slap shot pick is beauty.

[E.J.]

So I find out that all the HC jobs + #1 assistants are filled, so my friend and I are SOL unless they add a 4th team to our rink(very possible, but I will not cross my fingers). Even then, we may not be able to coach together. I have left my name in for available coaches….but hearing this news today sucks….