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“Guys like that are out there possessing the puck,” Gosselin said. “That’s what we do today. That’s the way the game is played, and that’s what we’re promoting.” In 2011, USA Hockey rocked the youth hockey world by delaying legal body-checking from Peewees (ages 11-12) until Bantams (13-14) for boys. While most have accepted and […]

Give Specific, Positive Feedback: Coaches can help the confidence process by giving players specific, positive feedback. A volleyball coach is all too familiar with the dread that can affect a player in serve receive during a tight match. Coaches see it on the athlete’s face and the athlete certainly feels it.  The face seems to […]

The bane of volunteer youth coaching is the contrived hoops and barriers that discourage otherwise willing adults from participating Sports has been a lifelong passion of mine, the initial source of hope when I arrived in the United States at the age of 6 from South Korea. In those first few months, when I couldn’t […]

Losing a starting spot can be very frustrating, but the good news is that it doesn’t have to spell the end for your recruiting. Plenty of non-starters have gone on to compete at the next level and have successful collegiate careers. However, you will have to work hard at your recruiting and make sure you’re […]

By playing multiple sports, kids will avoid burnout and overuse injuries, all while developing other skills and all-around athleticism that will ultimately translate into being a better hockey player. “I’ve never really been a one-sport kind of guy.” That’s been Hermantown native and New York Rangers blue-liner Neal Pionk’s stance on being more than just hockey […]

With millions of new users on the SportsEngine mobile app, we are here to answer your account and profile questions to ensure you’re set up properly this season. Over the past couple years or so, we’ve released quite a few features in the mobile app that has greatly improved how teams communicate and interact. This has […]

Bob Mancini, a regional manager for USA Hockey’s American Development Model, has some thoughts on why 10U hockey still requires a look at the big picture and a focus on skill development over results. If 8U is about cross-ice hockey and fundamental skill-building, there is perhaps a tendency to rush into opposites at 10U. As […]

Coaches, continue to develop your craft- read leadership and coaching books, learn from your peer group and become the coach your athletes deserve. Most coaches will tell you a high percentage of sports, and life for that matter, is played between your ears. If you have played or coached sports long enough you know that […]