Youth
The impact of age on player development
- Details
- Last Updated on Thursday, 13 December 2012 17:29
USA Hockey recently released the preliminary roster for the 2013 U.S. National Junior Team that will compete in the IIHF World Junior Championship later this month. Hockey fans are often quick to point out which players on the roster are from Minnesota (Mike Reilly, Brady Skjei and Mario Lucia), their favorite collegiate conference (five from the WCHA) or NHL draft picks to keep an eye on (Lucia was a second round pick by the Minnesota Wild in 2011).
Few people will notice an interesting trend in our development system. Of the 27 players on the roster, almost half of them (13) were born in January, February or March and only two were born in the last three months of the year. It seems highly unlikely that kids born earlier in the calendar year are predisposed to higher levels of athletic potential so the question becomes, is it a fluke?
Athletes make the best hockey players
- Details
- Last Updated on Thursday, 06 December 2012 19:33
By Minnesota Hockey
On Nov. 3, thousands of kids participated in Try Hockey for Free Day. One young boy from New Hope, Minn., spent that Saturday morning flying around the ice, looking more like a second- or third-year Mite than a first-time skater. Yet, his mom claimed he could barely stand up the previous year when he was first introduced to skating. How could a child show so much progress over the course of a year with no additional ice time or hockey specific training?
The answer is simple. During the previous spring, summer and fall, this boy had been participating in other sports and activities, leading to major improvements in balance, muscle strength and coordination. These gains in athleticism translated into a notable difference in his skating ability.
Developing my hockey player
- Details
- Last Updated on Thursday, 06 December 2012 19:34
By Minnesota Hockey
What is the American Development Model (ADM)? Ask that question to a youth coach in your local hockey association and you could get a variety of different answers. Some may say it is about using cross-ice games or small area drills. Others state the focus is on having fun and developing all kids. Another might claim the goal is providing age-specific training guidelines. Each of those statements is correct.
The primary purpose of ADM is establishing a nationwide philosophy that will increase the number of kids playing hockey as well as the number of elite players. It is a model that enables youth programs to help players reach their full potential whether that is a recreational player, or a future NHL star.
Cutting edge
- Details
- Last Updated on Thursday, 06 December 2012 18:39
Understanding skate sharpening for a better glide and a better stride
By Aaron Paitich
When hockey players ask Bill Schuessler, owner of Wissota Skate Sharpeners, about skate sharpening, the first question he asks them is at what radius they are sharpening their skates. Half-inch? Five-eighths? His question is most often met with a blank stare as rarely do the players, or the parents, understand what he’s talking about.
How often do you walk into the skate shop, drop off your blades and leave without asking or understanding the basics about how your skates are being sharpened? While you might not think you need to consider how your skates are being sharpened, understanding the process and at what radius your skates are being sharpened can have a big affect on your performance on the ice. For example, how often have you stepped onto the ice and thought your skates have been way too “sharp”?
Junior Gold turns 20
- Details
- Last Updated on Wednesday, 21 November 2012 17:45
By Aaron Paitich
Touchpoint Media
What was once considered a “hack” league and an eyesore for Minnesota Hockey is now prospering as a fun, safe and competitive hockey alternative for high school boys around the state.
Happy 20th birthday, Metro Hockey League. And many more.
Created by Minnesota Hockey’s District Directors two decades ago, the Metro Hockey League – the largest Junior Gold league in the state – has housed between 55-70 teams comprised of players aged 15-18 who were either cut or declined to play high school hockey. The league contains three divisions – Junior Gold A, Junior Gold B and Junior Gold 16 for a narrower age group. Each team is sponsored by a youth hockey association, whether local or combined with a regional co-op.
