According to Ricci:

• Focus on Fun: When selecting what hockey camp to attend, please consider a camp that promises two things: fun and hockey skills. I think fun is the most important consideration and many parents forget this part. This is a “summer hockey camp,” so please remember that it is summer and it is a camp, so it should fun. If the player is not having fun, the learning part will not reach its maximum potential.
• Fundamentals are Key: This game is all about skating and puck control skills. I encourage you to look for a camp that will teach your player the fundamentals of all skills, offer repetition of puck and skating skills, and improve on their existing skills—plus correct anything that might be wrong with a player’s skills.
• Checking Camp is Crucial: At the PeeWee level, checking skills and body contact drills become very important. It is imperative that players are properly taught how to give and receive checks. It will help their confidence immensely when they transition from Squirts to PeeWees.

When reviewing camp information, compare the following:

• Instructors’ qualifications, experience and character as role models
• Instructor-to-player ratio (6 or 7 kids per coach is good; the important thing is that the coaches who are there interact with the kids)
• Availability of off-ice training
• Price (a general guideline is $25-$30 per hour of camp; costs vary by location)
• Schedule: Are there many choices to work around your busy schedule
• Camp choices: General or specific skill development
• Convenience: Can we get there easily, on time?
• Fun: Is it marketed as fun? Will my kid want to come back next summer?

Ricci concludes that the best way to find out which camps are beneficial to player development is by word of mouth from other hockey parents. If their kids attended the camp, ask them if they enjoyed it. Ricci also recommends a less structured three-on-three or four-on-four summer league: “It will allow players to develop their skills, be creative and not feel the pressure of negative feedback from a coach if a mistake is made.”

Editor’s Note: Thank you to Angelo Ricci for providing information for this article. Ricci is founder, head instructor and consultant for Ricci Hockey Consulting (www.riccihockey.com). With 20+ years experience as a skills and stickhandling coach, he conducts/oversees more than 40 programs year-round that develop over 1,000 players each year.

Everything you need to know about hockey calls but are embarrassed to ask.

What you need to know about roughing: Officially called “Unnecessary Roughness” as in football, roughing is one of those penalties that a referee knows when he sees it. In leagues without checking—such as girls’ teams, some men’s leagues and Squirt and under—a body check will garner a roughing penalty as will shoving, elbowing and punching. (A body check is basically a body slam with a lot of rules attached that make it a “clean hit” or a “dirty hit.”) In leagues with checking, you still see plenty of roughing penalties due to shoving, elbowing and punching after—or instead of—a check. Surefire ways to get a roughing call include scrapping after the whistle is blown (i.e., right in front of the referee) and flagrant retaliation against an opponent.

The referee (the official with the orange arm bands) uses a punching motion out to the side to indicate a roughing call. Roughing can result in a minor, double minor or major penalty at the referee’s discretion—basically, a whole lot of time in the penalty box and/or out of the game. Why not just call it fighting if players are throwing punches? Generally, if the players don’t drop their gloves, it is not considered fighting.

What else is there to know? For example, what happens if you “accidentally” check a referee? You can find other details on pages 91-92 of the 2007–09 Official Rules of Ice Hockey booklet available at www.usahockey.com (pdf).

See it in action:

Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Kelly Kordes Anton for this article.

• Pucks with nicknames: If you’re under a time or money crunch, the easiest trophy is a puck emblazoned with a thoughtful nickname from the coach or coaches. If your association has pucks, spring for those. If not, you can print large mailing labels and trim them for the front of the puck. On the back, use a metallic Sharpie to write the player’s name, number and nickname: Little Big Man, Gentle Giant, The Bus, etc. Explain the nickname as you hand out the pucks.
• Logo hockey items: Work with your association’s embroidery person to get the players personalized skate towels, stick bags, garment bags for jerseys, backpacks or even full hockey bags. Include the logo; team name, level and year; and player name and number. These items are not only useful for hockey, but they help keep players keep track of their own stuff. Some of these things can get expensive, so check with the parents to see if they need them and if they can afford them.
• Logo clothing: Do teens ever have enough hoodies? No. A side benefit: Logo hockey items and clothing help market youth hockey in general and your association in particular.
• Picture gifts: You can slap a picture on just about anything these days. If you have a decent photographer on the team or pictures from a tournament, make sure you have one of each player and then order posters to frames, plaques, luggage tags or photo albums. For girls, try photo tote bags, key chains or charm bracelets (www.snapfish.com). A unique photo gift is a cut-out of the player on a photo wall decal, which can be stuck to a shower door, room door or any wall surface (www.jambellies.com or www.customsportsproducts.com).

Whatever type of “trophy” you choose, remember that encouraging words from the coaches about the player’s and team’s progress over the year mean more than anything.

Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Kelly Kordes Anton for this article.

Overview:

Skill Level: If you’re not a serious and skilled goalie playing at a high level, then don’t bother.

Competition: Vaughn Velocity 4, Reebok Pro, Bauer Pro

Conclusion: Brian’s, known for its comfort and customization, just found a new niche.

Get It Now: Total Hockey is your source for all hockey equipment, including Brian’s Goalie equipment.  With a huge selection of equipment from the world’s leading manufacturers, Total Hockey has it all. Visit totalhockey.net today. Total Hockey. We Don’t Do Anything Else.

This got me thinking — what is actually considered a goal? And what isn’t?

What you need to know about goals vs. no goals: To count as a goal, the puck needs to entirely cross the red line in front of the net. Usually, the puck is hit in by a player’s stick, but it might also bounce off a player on offense or defense on the way to the net. (It cannot, however, bounce off an official.) Even if the puck goes in, the referee can call no goal if the offensive player kicks the puck with a skate, hits the puck with a hand, hits the puck with a high stick, or is in the crease. The referee (the official with the orange arm bands) makes the decision about goals, not the linesman. Pointing at the net indicates a goal while the “washout” symbol indicates no goal.

What else is there to know? For example, if the net is dislodged or the goaltender is interfered with, it’s no goal. You can find other details on pages 69–70 of the 2007–09 Official Rules of Ice Hockey booklet available at www.usahockey.com (pdf).

To see it in action, keep your eyes on the referee in this video:

Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Kelly Kordes Anton for this article.

Everything you need to know about hockey calls but are embarrassed to ask.

What you need to know about tripping: As it turns out, tripping in hockey is pretty much like hockey in real life. You can’t knock other players off balance with your stick, leg, foot, arm or hand. Tripping is signaled by the referee sweeping a hand past the knee. Usually, a tripping call results in a minor penalty — 2 minutes in the penalty box — leaving the team shorthanded. A tripping call during a scoring opportunity may result in a penalty shot (a shot on the goaltender with no other defenders).

What else is there to know? For example, tripping that causes an injury may result in a major penalty — 5 minutes in the penalty box — plus a game misconduct. You can find other details on pages 90–91 of the 2007–09 Official Rules of Ice Hockey booklet available at www.usahockey.com (pdf).

See it in action:

Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Kelly Kordes Anton for this article.

Question: Any great ideas on bad blisters from new skates? We’re using liquid bandage and tape, and wondered if there was another great product.

Answer: Funny you should ask that as I have a package of moleskin on my desk right now, ready to go out to the hockey bag. You can buy it in sheets (which my son cuts up and puts in a baggy) or precut. It’s really more preventive, than a cure, however.

For blisters, the players tend to use those corn pads with a hole in the center. A parent on my older son’s team, who is a pediatrician, does recommend the liquid bandage. (But as you probably know, it can burn!) Also, be sure the skates are tied tight so his or her feet aren’t moving around a lot to start with.

Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Kelly Kordes Anton for answering this question.

But, as the hockey season wraps up, you know somebody’s going to start taking up a collection. And there’s no doubt that coaches deserve gifts. They volunteer five, 10, 20 hours a week or more for a really long season—plus, they deftly handle kid and parent issues while teaching your kids about sportsmanship and hockey. (Don’t thinks so? Whether and how much you should contribute to a gift for a coach you don’t like is a conversation for another day.)

I talked to coaches from Mite to Midget about what they really like. Once you get past the obligatory “I don’t expect anything, I do it for the kids,” you get to the meat of what they really like. Read on for ideas.

About That Gift Card

No, they’re not all bad. If you have one of those young coaches with no kid on the team, for example, he might really appreciate a gas card, a grocery store card or even just the cash. But if your coach is, say, a former NHL player, a gift card is a little silly. And some gift cards are more thoughtful than others. A steakhouse gift card is a little nicer than a fast-food card and few female coaches are going to hate a spa gift card. As it turns out, male coaches might be into spas as well. Doug Fessenden, a Bantam assistant coach, says, “Oh…a massage gift card to rub away the pains those little monsters—oops, I mean angels—caused us.”

Many coaches like gift cards to nice restaurants that are intended to thank both the coach and the spouse who has given up so much. (Choose a nice local spot and feed your local economy.) For coach-and-manager couples, common in the Mite world, a gift certificate for a one-night romantic getaway is not usually out of reach financially.

What do hockey coaches not want in a gift card: Starbucks. Nothing against the chain or coffee, but a Starbucks card is considered the ultimate in thoughtless gift-giving. (Eek, and I’ve given one before!)

Top 10 Gifts

Buy these gifts alone or in combination, depending on the number of coaches and the amount of your collection. Before you decide on a gift, arm yourself with size, dates and personal preferences garnered from a spouse or friend of the coach.

1. Something personal. Whatever you get for the coaches, have your player write a personal message to the coach—and maybe draw a picture—about what he or she learned from the coach that year. Coaches all say that means more than any plaque or gift card as it forces each kid to think about the time the coach devoted and what the coach had to offer. Coaches also like things signed by the whole team, such as a team photo, a T-shirt to wear or a jersey to hang on the wall.
2. Photo items and photo albums. A coffee mug or travel mug with a team picture is great for work—just remember that no adult is going to carry around a cup that says “World’s Best” or “No. 1” anything. Photo albums documenting the season—such as the ones you can make using iPhoto or www.snapfish.com and signed by the players are popular as well. “The best gifts are unique items, like when you get a team photo and each player signs it along with a brief note about what they liked best about the coach and/or the season,” says Paul Avant, a Bantam head coach. “Two years ago, one of the moms put together a photo album that had at least one picture of each player and coach and then had it bound into a nice book. That was really cool because it will last virtually forever.”
3. Framed pictures. Give someone an unframed picture and you know where it is years from now? Unframed in a stack of papers on the desk. Give them a framed picture, and it’s on a bookshelf at work or on the wall.
4. Logo items. A T-shirt, hoodie, jacket or hat from your hockey association. This works best for coaches of younger players who may not already own a hockey wardrobe. Or, look for clothing that is nice enough to wear even without the logo—a nice winter jacket, for example. Some coaches mentioned that they treasure a hoodie or jacket that commemorates a specific team or tournament.
5. Skate/golf towels. A skate/golf towel embroidered with the coach name, team name and logo give coaches a frequent reminder of the kids.
6. Coaching boards. Coaches say they love things that help them be a better coach. Try the Ultimate Playbook Dry Erase Portfolio, which combines a coaching board with a zippered portfolio so coaches can keep all their information in one place. You can personalize these so they don’t get lost.
7. Tickets. Tickets to a baseball game, concert, comedy show—whatever the coach likes. Just don’t get enough tickets for the kids to tag along.
8. Beeswax lotion bars. Mite coaches who are stuck tying skates all day like lotion bars that you rub into your calluses—preferably unscented and not-too-sticky. You can find these at artisan centers or order online (but then you can’t smell or touch).
9. Hockey ties. Choose tasteful ties with either your association’s logo or a hockey-themed pattern. These are great for coaches who seldom wear ties but want one with personality and for coaches who wear ties on the bench. (But don’t kid yourself—an attorney is probably not going to wear one to work.) This gift is a one-timer as nobody needs more than one hockey tie.
10. Jewelry. Many female coaches like Brighton, Silpada or artisan jewelry—something that generates compliments so they can brag, “I got this from my team.” A skate necklace? Not so much.

Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Kelly Kordes Anton for this article.

“Foul!, Number 10 you have to pass!, Cram it down their throats!, Ref, you’re an idiot!” - What do all these “cheers” have in common? They’re clueless.

My best friend yells “foul!” because she knows no hockey lingo, which is fairly harmless. But another parent gives super-specific advice that is kind of insulting. A player’s uncle doesn’t understand the sportsmanship we try to teach when he advises the team to rack up the score. Many spectators, parents included, forget to respect the officials.

Fortunately for hockey players, they’re wearing helmets and often behind glass. No matter what you yell, they probably can’t hear you. And it’s probably good that they can’t hear you because you might not being saying the same thing as the coaches.

The crowd around you, however, can hear you — and they may be offended by what you and your friends and family have to say. (I’m still holding a grudge against a guy who yelled, “You have to pass in that situation,” to my son, who plays the puck like a hot potato, when he actually worked up the nerve to skate the puck up the ice once. And that was four years ago.) You’re around these people a lot, during the season and over the years, so you’ll want to keep the peace.

Safe to Say

It’s safe to yell anything positive, without swearing or sarcasm.

• Go! (Your go-to cheer if you know nothing about hockey.)
• Stop him!
• Great try!
• Great pass!
• Good save, goalie!
• Nice shot!

Taboo

The fastest way to make enemies is to criticize or laugh at other kids. You can bemoan your own kid’s play to your heart’s content, but you’ll be sorry if you start harping on others. Parents I’ve talked to admit to being embarrassed about saying — or irritated by hearing — the following:

• Pass it to [insert number of your kid]!
• You have to pass!
• Terrible pass!
• Not in front of the net!
• Number [X] you need to…
• Why didn’t you…?
• What was that?
• Hit him!
• Terrible shot!
• Puck hog!
• You suck! (To a player or the other team.)
• Coach, put in [insert name of you kid]!
• Ref, you [anything]
• &$?@ or *+!# or any other four letter word

Go negative enough and you may earn more than a dirty look or snide comment. Officials can toss offensive spectators and hockey associations can take action. If it takes some practice to bite your tongue, hang out by the glass rather than in the stands. In a later article, we’ll talk about ways to encourage positive behavior in your relatives, your friends and other fans.

Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Kelly Kordes Anton for this article.

Overview:

Skill Level: Warrior Franchise gloves can be worn at any level, but are designed more for skill levels in the high school to NHL range.

Competition: Bauer Pro Roll, Reebok Pro Roll and Eagle PPF gloves all compare. All of these gloves feature pro-like qualities, like the Franchise gloves.

Video: The below video shows the Warrior Franchise Gloves:

Conclusion: If you want to have hands like the pros then you should consider putting your hands in what the pros are wearing.

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