Kim McCullough

Getting noticed or getting better

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Last Updated on Sunday, 27 May 2012 23:31

By Kim McCullough, MSc, YCS

Girls’ hockey has become a year-round sport, which means that more and more spring teams, summer tournaments and camps are popping up all over the place. It seems like getting to the elite levels of female hockey means more time, more money and more commitment than ever.

Back when I was an aspiring hockey player in high school, I would have gone anywhere and done anything if I thought that it would improve my chances of “getting noticed.” But “getting noticed” and “getting better” are two very different things. The truth is that going to five spring hockey tournaments or attending a five-day summer camp isn’t going to make you better.

I am not saying to avoid those camps and tournaments altogether. But instead of spending the entire summer in a rink, go to the one or two camps or tournaments that have the most value and spend the rest of the summer focusing on training. Instead of trying to convince coaches how good you are, spend that time getting better so that they will notice you next season when it really counts.

In my final two years of high school, I spent most of my summer in a gym training off the ice to become the best player possible on the ice. I wanted to play Division I hockey more than anything and I was also looking for a way to make sure that I would not only get noticed in September, but also stand out all season long. Sure, I went to the odd camp or tournament during the summer to keep my skills up, but my primary focus was on getting faster and stronger so that I would be ready for my last year of high school and first year in college. And I truly believe that my dedication to summer training is what gave me an advantage over everyone else on the ice when the season started.

And that’s when I was really able to “get noticed.”

One of the big reasons I started working with young female hockey players in the first place was to help them do exactly what they need to do in the offseason to become the best players possible. And that’s training off the ice. The best female hockey players don’t play hockey all summer long. They train. It may not be as much “fun” and it may not seem as “specific,” but it works.

This summer, you have a decision to make. You can go to all the camps and tournaments and try to get noticed. Or you spend your time training off the ice to get stronger, faster and better and stand out when it really counts in September.

To get off-ice training advice designed specifically for girls’ hockey players, visit www.totalfemalehockeyclub.com. Kim McCullough, MSc, YCS, is an expert in the development of aspiring female hockey players.  She is a former NCAA Division I captain at Dartmouth and played in the National Women’s Hockey League for six years. She is currently the Girls Hockey Director at the PEAC School for Elite Athletes in Toronto and is the Founder of Total Female Hockey.

How to choose a coach for next season

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Last Updated on Sunday, 27 May 2012 23:31

By Kim McCullough, MSc, YCS

When it comes to deciding where your daughter should play next season, the most critical factor is coaching. Sure, girls want to play with their friends, they want to have fun and the logistics of getting to and from practices and games are all critical factors in your ultimate decision. But whether you are just starting travel hockey or are starting to make choices about college hockey programs, coaching should be the single biggest factor you consider when making your decision on where to play next season.

Every coach you speak to is going to try to sell you on the unique features of their program. For the most part, every team will have a few practices a week, will play between 30-60 games and enter a handful of tournaments.

Some programs will include off-ice training, specific skill and goalie training, and address the areas of nutrition and mental performance. These details will not differ too greatly between teams that are competing at the same level.

Everyone wants to play on the “best” team possible. But what does “best” mean for you?

Does it mean the team with the best record this season? Because there is no guarantee that they will be able to repeat that kind of success next year. 

Does it mean the team with the best players? Because we’ve all seen teams that look terrific on paper and have the most individually skilled players on paper, but they can’t put it all together as a team. 

Does being on the best team mean choosing the team with the best coach? I believe it does, but not every coach is going to be the best choice for your daughter.

Before you choose a coach, make sure you do the following:

1. Ask other parents and players if they know about that coach.

This is especially helpful if you can speak to someone who has played for that coach before. This will likely provide you with  the greatest insight into what this coach is like and how they treat their players and work with their team.

2. Meet/speak with the prospective coach to find out what their philosophy is with respect to team and player development.

This should be done well in advance of tryouts. Although I realize that not every player is going to have a great deal of choices for teams to play on next season, here in Toronto, there are typically 5-8 different choices for teams at each age and ability level.

Not every “AA”  or “B” team is going to offer the same program. You have to make sure you get your questions answered from the coach themselves. 

I would suggest sending the coach an email to set up a time to talk. In your email, include 3-5 of your biggest questions so that they have the chance to prepare and you can keep the conversation to a reasonable length (us coaches are doing a lot of talking these days). Also ask them if they have an outline of their program plans for next season that they can send you – this might actually help answer many of your questions in advance of your conversation

3. Watch the coach in an actual hockey practice.

I cannot overstate how critical this is. The team’s program may look great on paper and the coach may have said all the right things in your conversation, but don’t make any decisions until you see them in action on the ice.

Practices are where your daughter is going to learn new skills, concepts and strategies and it is very eye-opening to watch how the coach instructs and interacts with their players on  the ice. You will learn a great deal about the coach and their staff in a relatively short period of time this way.

4. Watch the coach in an actual game.

You should make an effort to watch this coach on the bench during a game. You will see how they manage their players and staff, what the atmosphere surrounding the team is like and how the team responds to instruction.

That shouldn’t seem like too much work – especially since your daughter will be spending 6-8 months of the year under the guidance of this individual. You need to do your homework on the coaches just in the same way that they are doing their homework on players. 

And always remember, this choice is about more than Xs and Os and who wins the most games. You want to have a coach who has all the required technical knowledge and the ability to run an effective practice and game. But most importantly, you want to work with a coach who is going to encourage, develop, “push” and inspire your daughter to become the best she can possibly be and create the best possible environment for the team and players to succeed.

To get complete access to articles, videos and secrets that addresses the specific needs of female hockey players, visit www.totalfemalehockeyclub.com. Kim McCullough, MSc, YCS, is an expert in the development of aspiring female hockey players.  She is a former NCAA Division I captain at Dartmouth and played in the National Women’s Hockey League for six years. She is currently the Girls Hockey Director at the PEAC School for Elite Athletes in Toronto and is the Founder of Total Female Hockey.

Three secrets of success from the best players in the world

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Last Updated on Sunday, 27 May 2012 23:31

By Kim McCullough, MSc, YCS

Last year, one of my brothers gave me a great book called, “Simply The Best: Players On Performance.” It is a compilation of interviews with the best players in the game – from Sidney Crosby and Jarome Iginla to Cassie Campbell and Hayley Wickenheiser. 

Hayley’s interview was the first one I read and reveals a great deal about what she has done to get at (and stay at) the highest level of hockey in the world. Through her amazing work ethic and unparalleled ability to focus on doing whatever it takes to be the best, she has been a bona fide superstar for Canada’s national team for the last 14 years and is widely considered to be the most successful women’s hockey players in history.

I want to share with some of Hayley’s secrets of success with you today.

• On Passion and Purpose: “If you don’t love the game, you can’t be good at it, and I am convinced that you can’t get to that top level without having a purpose, knowing what you are there to do. I think a lot of players don’t know who they are. If you don’t know who you are as a player and your strengths and weaknesses, it is pretty hard to make that next level or get better.”

• On Discipline: “It’s about living a life of excellence daily, not just showing up for games. It’s about how you choose to live every day, how you sleep, how you prepare off the ice and in the offseason and not cutting corners.”

• On Confidence: “Confidence is one of those things that is great when you have it, but hard to get back when you lose it. [Players always say], “The coach isn’t giving me confidence.” I’ve always believed that confidence has to come from within, and when you don’t have it, the best thing to do is to go back to the things you do well and do them a lot. ... When players lose confidence, they often get caught up in the big things in the game versus just simple passes, great positioning on the ice, and the little details they can pay attention to that can turn their game around. As those things happen, confidence slowly starts to come back.”

You heard it right from one of the best women’s hockey players in the world.  Notice how she focuses on what she can do day in and day out to be the best she can be. She is focused on the things she has control over – her work ethic and her attitude. 

In order to be successful as an elite female hockey player, you must let your passion drive your purpose. You must be very disciplined and live a life of excellence. You must build your own confidence. These traits go beyond your success on the ice and into your success in the classroom and in life. 

To get complete access to articles, videos and secrets that addresses the specific needs of female hockey players, visit www.totalfemalehockeyclub.com. Kim McCullough, MSc, YCS, is an expert in the development of aspiring female hockey players.  She is a former NCAA Division I captain at Dartmouth and played in the National Women’s Hockey League for six years. She is currently the Girls Hockey Director at the PEAC School for Elite Athletes in Toronto and is the Founder of Total Female Hockey.

Five things all forwards & defensemen must do well

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Last Updated on Sunday, 27 May 2012 23:31

By Kim McCullough, MSc, YCS

In order to be an elite level hockey player, you’ve got to be able to skate, shoot, pass, stickhandle and check effectively at high speeds. There are lots of players out there who have the skills, but do they actually know how to play their position effectively?

For both forwards and defensemen, there are five position-specific abilities that you must excel at in order to play at the elite level. I’m not talking just about “game sense” here – although game sense is critical to being to able to excel at the abilities below. 

These are much more specific than that. I played both forward and defense at the elite level and it took a lot more than just general “game sense” to allow me to compete at that level – I had to learn the nitty-gritty details of each position.

Defensemen

• Moving the puck: The ability for a defenseman to make a quick and smart first pass is critical. It is the key to an effective breakout and one of the things that coaches at the elite levels are looking for from every defenseman. 

Your ability to use your partner effectively and keep multiple passing options open are also crucial. And your ability to move the puck without telegraphing where you’re going to pass it is absolutely critical. 

• Board play: Are you able to gain and maintain control of the puck and player along the boards by using your stick and body effectively? 

• Net front play: Can you use your body and stick effectively protect your goalie and move the screen from the path of the shot? Can you tie up the player without getting out of position? And the one that is most critical in my mind: Can you clear loose pucks without turning the puck over to the other team? 

• Neutral zone play: Are you able to read the other team’s attack and adjust to different situations (1v1, 2v1, 3v1, 2v2)? Do you understand when to “step-up” and hold the blue line?

Are you able to play the body effectively – without taking a penalty? Can you control the puck and initiate the attack – instead of just throwing the puck back to the other team?  That last one is a HUGE pet peeve of mine – when defensemen just throw the puck back into traffic instead of controlling the play. 

• Point play: Do you know when to pinch and when to back off? Can you play the body without taking a penalty? Can you read when you can jump in for the attack? Do you know what shot to use when – or when you should just throw it in the corner?

Forwards

• Playmaking: Do you know when to move the puck and when to hang on to it (in the defensive, neutral and offensive zones)? Do you know how to support your teammates when they have the puck so they can make a play to you? Can you make a play without telegraphing where the puck is going?

• Ability to break tnto openings: In my opinion, your ability to read time and space on the ice is the one ability that separates good players from great players. Do you understand when you should be going full speed and when you need to slow down and “save” ice? Being able to do this effectively is absolutely crucial if you want to get to and play at the next level. 

• Defensive play: This isn’t about more than just how you play in your defensive zone (which is absolutely critical by the way). Do you understand how to forecheck and backcheck properly? Are you a reliable two-way forward? 

• Puck protection: This is really important for defensemen as well, but it is especially critical for forwards. Can you protect the puck along the boards on the breakout to make sure you get it out? Can you win battles in the corner in the offensive zone? Do you know how to drive around a defenseman without putting the puck in a position where it can be taken away? 

• Scoring ability: Not everyone is a 50-goal scorer. You don’t have to fill the net, but do you know how to use the right shot at the right time? Do you know how to get your body in the right position to put the puck in the net? 

So there you have it – the most critical “position-specific” abilities for defensemen and forwards. Just like you need to be taught how to skate, shoot, pass and stickhandle properly, you also need to learn the secrets of how to execute these five key position-specific abilities effectively and at high speeds.

To get complete access to articles, videos and secrets that addresses the specific needs of female hockey players, visit www.totalfemalehockeyclub.com. Kim McCullough, MSc, YCS, is an expert in the development of aspiring female hockey players.  She is a former NCAA Division I captain at Dartmouth and played in the National Women’s Hockey League for six years. She is currently the Girls Hockey Director at the PEAC School for Elite Athletes in Toronto and is the Founder of Total Female Hockey.