Kim McCullough

How to become an elite female hockey player

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Last Updated on Sunday, 27 May 2012 23:31

By Kim McCullough, M.Sc, YCS

The two biggest goals of most girls’ hockey players are to get a scholarship and to play in the Olympics. Both of these are terrific goals and give every girl something to dream about. But the truth about becoming an elite female hockey player is that there is only so much room at the top.

Only 1 percent of high school athletes will receive scholarships to play at a college or university. Only 50 girls in North America are going to make it to the Olympics – 25 on the Canadian team and 25 on the American team. And that’s only every four years. And there are no professional contracts waiting for female hockey players on this side of the ocean – yet.

As the world of women’s hockey becomes more and more competitive, aspiring girls’ hockey players have to find ways to separate themselves from the rest of the pack. And while developing strength, skill and speed is critical for getting to the next level, it’s ultimately the mental side of your game that is either going to make or break you.

There are five questions that players must ask themselves to determine if they really have what it takes to be great. Pass these along to your players and team to see if they are ready and willing to do whatever it takes to play at the highest levels of the female game.

1) How badly do you want it?

How badly do you really want to be great? Do you just talk about it or are you doing what it takes on a daily basis to be the best? Are you warming-up before every ice session? Are you taking the time to work on your mental game? Are you eating the right kinds of food to fuel your best performance? Some players want it to happen, some wish it would happen, and others MAKE it happen by doing all of these “little” things on a consistent basis.

2) What are you willing to do until you get there?

Many players say they want to get a scholarship or make the National Team. But do you know what steps you are going to take in order to get there? Do you know what you need to do on a daily, weekly, monthly and annual basis to reach that ultimate goal?

3) How much time and effort are you willing to invest?

Becoming great takes time. How much time do you put into working on your game away from the rink? Be honest with yourself. Are you really ready to invest the time necessary to be a great player? There really is no substitute for hard work. Are you willing to do that work?

4) Why do you want it?

Do you want to be great so people notice you? Do you want to be great to be famous? Do you want to be great because that’s what you think your goal is supposed to be? You’ve got to know why you do what you do on a daily basis to be great.

5) Do you really love it?

Of the five questions, this one is the most important. Is this your true passion? Because it’s your passion that is going to drive you. It’s what keeps you going when times get tough. The road is going to get rocky, and if you do not love what you are doing, it is going to be really hard to stay on track. So you need to ask yourself, “Is this what I truly love to do?”

Not every player is going to be ready for these questions. They aren’t easy to answer. And that’s why they are so important. Becoming an elite female hockey player takes time, focus and a ton of hard work. But if you are willing to make that investment, the pay-off can be great.

About the author

To learn more about how to help your girls take their game to the next level, get your Free Report: The 6 Secrets of In-Season Success at http://totalfemalehockey.com/. Coach Kim McCullough’s female player development website gives the coaches and parents of aspiring young players access to programs, articles and advice on how to help their players take their game to the next level. Kim is a highly sought-after expert in the development of girls hockey players and is the Founder of Total Female Hockey. In addition to training and coaching girls at all levels of hockey, from novice to the National team, Kim has also played at the highest level of women’s hockey in the world for the last decade.

Game-winning nutrition tips for young hockey players

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Last Updated on Sunday, 27 May 2012 23:31

By Kim McCullough, M.Sc, YCS

Think of your young hockey players as high-performance automobiles and food as the fuel that drives their performance. Far too often, players run out of gas during a game after having lunch at a fast-food restaurant or forgetting to eat breakfast. This would be like putting diesel fuel in your tank instead of regular gas or trying to drive on empty.

You could be the most skilled player in the world, but if you aren’t putting the right fuel into your tank, you won’t have the energy to compete at the highest level. In order for players to perform their best day in and day out, they have to take in premium fuel.

Here are three game-winning nutrition tips for young hockey players:

1)  Pre-Game Tip:  Prepare

Players should never step on the ice feeling hungry. They need to time their pre-game meal so that most of the food is out of their stomach, broken down by the body and ready to be used as energy, by the time they hit the ice.

If the game is three or more hours away, they can have a larger meal that is 75 percent carbohydrates (ie. rice, pasta, vegetables, fruit, etc.) and 25 percent protein (ie. chicken, eggs, beans, etc.).

The closer a player gets to game time, the smaller and “lighter” the meal should be, meaning that they should consume less fat and protein, and focus more on high-quality carbohydrates.

If they have an early-morning practice or game, make sure that they at least grab a piece of fruit or granola bar so that they have some fuel in the tank before they hit the ice. The key is to make sure that they have fuel in the tank and that it is of the highest quality possible.

2)  In-Game Tip:  Hydrate

Proper hydration is the most important nutritional strategy a player can use. If they are thirsty, it is too late!  The thirst sensation kicks in after you have lost 1-2 liters of water. This means that once you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated and your performance can be decreased by 15 to 20 percent.

The solution? Make sure players always carry a water bottle with them and sip from it all day long – not just when they are at the rink. 

A quick note about sports drinks. It is suggested that sports drinks with electrolytes should be consumed when athletes are participating in an intense activity lasting more than 60 minutes. Therefore, for the majority of young hockey players, sports drinks are not necessary. On the other hand, a highly competitive hockey player, who is bantam age or older, may benefit from these specialty drinks for “recovery purposes.”

Consume these sports drinks during a tough practice or immediately after a tough game instead of before activity, since their high sugar content may lead to a sugar “crash”.

3)  Post-Game Tip:  Recover

Immediately after a player steps off the ice, they have a 30-minute window where their body is at a heightened state to recover. This means that they need to start rehydrating and refueling immediately. 

Scientific research shows that one of the best recovery drinks a player can have is one-percent chocolate milk. It has the simple sugars needed to start replenishing energy stores and the protein needed to start repairing tired muscles. By drinking chocolate milk, as well as lots of water, players will be well on their way to recovering from their on-ice session and getting ready for the next one.

Premium hockey performance requires proper training, great coaching and the right equipment. But in order for athletes to perform their best day in and day out, they need to make sure that they are taking in the best fuel possible through proper nutrition.

About the author

Kim McCullough, M.Sc., YCS is a highly sought-after expert in the development of aspiring hockey players and has played at the highest level of women’s hockey in the world for the last decade. Her player development websites give coaches and parents of aspiring young players access to programs, articles and advice on how to help their players take their game to the next level. To learn more about how to have your best season ever, get your FREE report: The 6 Secrets of In-Season Success at http://www.besthockeyseasonever.com.

No. 1 hockey pet peeve

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Last Updated on Sunday, 27 May 2012 23:31

By Kim McCullough, M.Sc, YCS

Anyone who has ever seen the movie “Miracle” remembers the “again” skating scene. After a lacklustre game, Coach Herb Brooks lines his team up on the goal-line and has them skate lengths of the ice until the players can barely move. I have to admit – I love the movie, but I hate that scene. That memorable moment glorifies my biggest hockey pet peeve – “bag skating.”

The truth is that skating players into the ground isn’t going to cut it if you want to ensure that your players are as energetic and explosive in the second overtime period as they were in the second period. Players are definitely working “hard” when they have to drag themselves off the ice after a skating session, but they should be working “smart” instead.

It is important for players to learn to push themselves when they are already fatigued, but there needs to be a plan. Your on-ice conditioning sessions must be as well planned as your skill sessions if you want your players to perform their best and peak in time for the playoff run. The last 10 minutes of each practice session present a perfect opportunity for coaches to focus on improving the conditioning levels of their players, as long as they adhere to the most fundamental principle of hockey-specific conditioning – interval training.

Interval training is the key to developing game-winning conditioning and understanding the concept of the work-to-rest ratio is critical to developing a proper program. The game of hockey is characterized by high-intensity efforts (“work”) interspersed with periods of sitting or standing on the bench (“rest”). For example, if a shift is 45 seconds in length, and the player rests for 1 minute and 30 seconds between shifts, the work-to-rest interval is 1:2 - the rest period is twice as long as the work period. 

The problem with traditional “bag skating” is that this type of conditioning workout rarely resembles the work-to-rest ratios players encounter on the ice.  Two groups of players typically alternate ‘working’ and ‘resting’ until the coach stops the drill - which means that the work-to-rest interval is 1:1.  These rest intervals are too short - especially when used at the beginning of the season.  Proper interval-based conditioning relies on using the appropriate work-to-rest ratios at the appropriate times. 

Most minor hockey teams have very little time on the ice prior to playing their first games of the season.  As a result, coaches try to “whip” their players into shape by using high-intensity conditioning sessions.  By doing too much too soon, players don’t develop a solid base of conditioning and are at risk for injury. 

You should start your season-long conditioning program with ‘higher’ ratios (such as 1:3) and work your way back to the ‘lower’ ratios (1:1) as the season progresses.  This ‘top-down’ approach allows players to develop their conditioning in a safe and effective way and helps the team to peak in time for crucial late-season games.

About the author

Kim McCullough, M.Sc., YCS is a highly sought-after expert in the development of aspiring hockey players and has played at the highest level of women’s hockey in the world for the last decade. Her player development websites give coaches and parents of aspiring young players access to programs, articles and advice on how to help their players take their game to the next level. To learn more about how to have your best season ever, get your FREE report: The 6 Secrets of In-Season Success at http://www.besthockeyseasonever.com.

Three keys to the mental side of hockey performance

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Last Updated on Sunday, 27 May 2012 23:31

By Kim McCullough, M.Sc, YCS

Hockey experts agree that 80% of hockey performance is mental and 20% is physical.  However, we often focus all of our efforts towards building the physical side of the game, instead of taking the time to develop the mental game.  And it is this lack of attention to the mental game that is preventing so many teams and players from taking their performance to the next level.  

Figuring out how to improve the mental side of the game presents a huge challenge to coaches, parents and players alike.  To ensure that you and your players are 100% prepared for every game and the team can perform its best, you need to have mental performance strategies in place at the start of the season.

The ability to stay focused, confident and composed are three critical mental skills that can completely transform the physical side of your game.

Focus                                                                                                                

Hockey players must learn to focus only on the things that are under their own control.

It is impossible to control the actions of everyone else in the rink - you can’t control what the referee calls, what the fans are yelling or what system the other team is playing.  But you always have complete control over your thoughts and your actions.  Learning how to focus on your own performance, while maintaining a positive attitude and tireless work ethic, will positively influence your whole game and help you take your game to the next level.

Confidence                                                                                                              

In order for players to be confident, they have to believe in their ability to perform on the ice and contribute positively to the team.  Players and coaches need to work together to identify the player’s strengths, define their role on the team and set realistic expectations for performance.  But, most importantly, players must realize that they are largely responsible for their own confidence.  When we constantly look to others to boost our confidence, we become reliant on them instead on ourselves.  By helping players take control of their own confidence, we empower them to be their best both on and off the ice.

Composure                                                                                                            

It is great to be focused and confident going into the game - but how do you react when things go wrong?   Hockey is a game of mistakes and it is those teams and players who recover quickly that are going to excel.  Players have to develop the ability to be able to recognize that they made the mistake, regroup quickly and refocus on the task at hand.  The ability to regain your composure quickly is what separates the “great” players and teams from the “good” ones.  

Putting strategies in place to develop these three mental skills will help your players take their mental game to the next level and help your team have your best season ever.

About the author

Kim McCullough, M.Sc., YCS is a highly sought-after expert in the development of aspiring hockey players and has played at the highest level of women’s hockey in the world for the last decade. Her player development websites give coaches and parents of aspiring young players access to programs, articles and advice on how to help their players take their game to the next level. To learn more about how to have your best season ever, get your FREE report: The 6 Secrets of In-Season Success at http://www.besthockeyseasonever.com.