“There’s no correlation between playing games and development, especially at that age. Those kids need to be on the ice (for practice) at least two to three times for every game.” To maximize the “Golden Age of Skill Development,” Minnesota Hockey has made a rule change to ensure players are getting the proper ratio of […]

“I want to grow the game, and I want to get people involved. Getting down there and working with these brand new players, it takes a lot of time to make sure they’re properly equipped. It takes an army of people.” Coaching and refereeing keeps Purcell busy, and that’s the way he likes it It […]

The US Lacrosse Board of Directors has approved equipment-related rule changes designed to enhance heart protection for youth players, specifically to reduce the risk of the rare yet potentially catastrophic injury of commotio cordis. The rule changes will be included in the 2019 US Lacrosse Boys’ and Girls’ Field Lacrosse Rulebooks, with a delayed implementation […]

Another important step in creating a team culture focused on development is ensuring everyone understands the role of mistakes and how players learn from them. The first few weeks of the season are always an exciting time of the year. Every team has a blank slate, and players of all ages are energized about the […]

“There are going to be collisions. There are going to be accidental hits. What we focus on is taking away the purposeful checking and the purposeful hits that can lead to something more.” When Eric Hedblom first heard about the Minnesota Hockey Recreation League (“Rec League”), it couldn’t have come at a better time. His […]

Put ego and pride aside and let youth athletes focus on playing and having fun

Competing on a high school team, even for club-focused athletes, offers a lot of positives

Sometimes the most harmful stressors aren’t in athletes' bodies but in their heads

Coaches typically send questionnaires en masse to freshmen and sophomores to gauge their interest

All these tips can seem overwhelming at first, but take things one step at a time and you’ll be surprised at just how much your club can grow. When it comes to running a volleyball club, volleyball is just the half of it. In order to field strong teams wherein players are developing their skills […]