First Annual HOCK

Texas Amateur Hockey Association

Youth Sports: A Marathon Not a Sprint

You can't be in youth hockey long without hearing parents claim that their extra-talented player needs to "play up." What they mean is they want their child to play with older kids, presumably for more challenge and faster development. In hockey terms, that might mean that a player born in 2000, who would likely be a second-year PeeWee, would play at the next level with Bantams. In some cases, the pressure to play up comes from coaches rather than parents. 

With all the talk about playing up, it's easy to start feeling confused and begin to wonder if you're holding your kid back. How do you know what's right? Read a sports psychologist's perspective (PDF) as it relates to youth lacrosse and hear from an experienced youth hockey director for more information.

Full Ice Like Playing from Championship Tees

This summer Jamie Rice, Men's Ice Hockey Coach at Babson College in Massachusetts, tweeted: "Playing golf Monday made me realize that full ice hockey for youth is like playing from the championship tees#frustrating #nochanceforsuccess." For more on cross-ice and half-ice play for younger players, read "One Size Fits All: ADM Ice Mandates."

Unlike kids, who outgrow and wear out their hockey equipment all the time, adult hockey gear can last for years. If you're playing one game a week and no longer growing (at least in height!), you can keep using the same pads until nobody can stand to be in the same car, room and maybe even house with them! And eventually, something will snap, tear or just break down. Now, you can not only get a new piece of equipment that smells good, but it probably takes advantage of newer technology than your old equipment. Take a look at USA Hockey's equipment rules and then learn from tips we spotted on Hockey-University.  

Dangle Glove = Smooth Hands

It's hard to sing "Dangle, Snipe and Celly" if you can't snipe and never get to celebrate. That's where the Dangle Glove comes in. This new piece of training equipment encourages you to control the stick with your top hand, leading to smoother stickhandling. Butdoes it really work? Will it really help you complete the dangle, snipe and celly equation? Find out here.

10-Player Starter Equipment Set

Kicking off a new ice hockey program? Invest in a Mite 10-Player Coach's Starter Equipment Set and protect 10 kids from head to toe. The sizes are based on surveys of 2,000 participants and the package price is $600 less than buying the pieces individually.