Kim McCullough
The politics of girls’ hockey
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- Last Updated on Tuesday, 16 April 2013 17:26
By Kim McCullough, M.Sc, YCS
“Politics” of hockey are about to wreak havoc on all of us. Impending tryouts take all of our stress levels through the roof. We’re all worried that we might make the wrong choice, that what people are telling us is not the truth and that we won’t end up with the team we’d hoped for. The truth is we’re all in the same boat as players, parents and coaches.
As a coach, I want to create the best possible environment for our players and team to succeed next season and I’m putting in a lot of work to ensure that this is the reality. This is really no different than parents and players doing their homework about different teams and organizations to make sure they find the best “fit” possible for them.
The right and wrong way to train this offseason
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- Last Updated on Thursday, 14 March 2013 15:55
By Kim McCullough, M.Sc, YCS
Fifteen years ago, as an aspiring female hockey player, I thought I had found the secret when it came to off-ice training. No other player I knew was working as hard off the ice as I was and I knew that would give me a serious edge over the competition. I truly believe that my willingness to push myself to be the best player possible off the ice was what allowed me to take my game to the next level. But another consequence of my dedication off the ice was a career filled of injuries and frustration. Here’s what I did right and here’s what I did wrong...
Is your nutrition hockey-specific?
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- Last Updated on Thursday, 21 February 2013 16:35
By Kim McCullough, M.Sc, YCS
If you are really serious about taking your game to the next level, it’s going to take a lot more than just working on your on-ice skills. Being a great hockey player is a critical piece of the puzzle, but it’s not enough. You need to take care of all the “little” things like getting stronger, faster and fitter off the ice, working on your mental game and paying attention to your nutrition.
For most young players, nutrition is merely an afterthought. And this is a big mistake. You can be a very skilled player, but if you aren’t properly fueled, you will never be able to move from good to great.
What are you entitled to?
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- Last Updated on Wednesday, 06 March 2013 16:58
By Kim McCullough, M.Sc, YCS
If you read any recent articles and books about raising kids, the issue of entitlement comes up. By far the best book I’ve read on this subject is “The Entitlement Trap.”
And while it is more of a parenting book, I found it had some awesome insights into developing today’s young athletes that I can definitely use as a coach.
It seems that now, more than ever, players and kids feel entitled to have what they want when they want it – no questions asked. It’s like they think the world owes them something and they don’t need to put in the time and effort to get what they want. I know that not all kids are like this. But I have seen more and more players like this in recent years.
How to play your playoff role
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- Last Updated on Thursday, 14 February 2013 16:48
By Kim McCullough, M.Sc, YCS
Every girls’ hockey player wants to be the one the coach calls upon to win the big game in the playoffs. Every goalie wants to be in for the games that “matter.” Every forward wants to score the game-winner and every defenseman wants to be out there in the last minute blocking shots to preserve the one goal lead. But not every player on the team is going to get that chance. That might not be your role.
