It’s been a busy summer, and I continue to work hard towards making kids even better, faster hockey players in a shorter amount of time. I know, there are no short cuts and if anything, my life-changing experiences have made me appreciate the journey much more. Still, I’ll never shake my “Type A” personality and will never be happy until every one of my clients reaches their ultimate hockey goals.
Many are on the way. At the end of my spring camp I witnessed the fastest time yet from one of my skaters who turned a 13.07 second one lapper on the NHL lap track! Most of the athletes improved tremendously, with six of them turning in NHL speeds in the low to mid 13 seconds, and over 10 others at NCAA speed of upper 13 to low 14 seconds by the end of camp. I had 2007, 2006 and 2005 birth year skaters qualify for and attend USA Hockey National Development Camps and get drafted to USHL and WHL teams. This fall, some athletes will be starting with their NCAA programs and, due to successful tryouts, others with Tier 1, 2 and 3 Junior teams. And in what is bittersweet for me, others will be taking advantage of great personal opportunities at prep schools and other AAA teams across the country.
Not one to rest on my laurels, I’ve been putting a lot of effort into a new company, expanding my knowledge of the world of hockey development such as management, scouting and advising. Earlier this month, I attended a sports management conference at the NHL draft and got to meet some amazing professionals – from Junior coaches, to NHL GMs, to brand managers and athlete advisors. I ate lunch with a woman who interviewed for the Montreal Canadiens’ GM position, and sat next to a Tier 2 junior coach for several hours while we watched the NHL draft from the 100 level seats.
As an aside, I learned that power skating with short-track speed skaters is all the rage the Eastern part of Canada right now, specifically Ontario and Quebec, and I had inquiries from Junior teams and professionals with kids about potential travel up North!
Don’t worry – I’m not looking to leave Colorado or turn in my skates for a lofty hockey job. There is nothing I love more than making a difference in a kid’s hockey career by helping them get crazy fast, confident and competitive. In fact, I’m expanding my network, partnering with some of the best industry professionals, taking courses and leveraging my current relationships to roll out some exciting new programs, all designed to better support and develop my athletes, and to help families better understand the industry and navigate the often-confusing waters.
I am hoping that my new ventures will allow me to focus on a smaller number of serious athletes on the ice again, giving them a more holistic development experience. I am looking forward to working with the local players this season who really want to improve, from the AAA kids who are some of the top in the country, to the high schoolers wanting to win a state title or make their varsity teams. I loved being able to accommodate so many new skaters this summer with my drop-in sessions, but am looking forward to the more focused and personalized athlete-coach relationships that in-season training brings.
Speaking of support, in looking at my schedule, I have A LOT of games to attend this year to watch my skaters, both locally and across the country. And, I am making a pledge to travel to support any of my skaters who make Nationals in their respective leagues this year. So, if you or your athlete has a particular game/tournament you’d like me to attend, please let me know and I’ll get it on my calendar!
As always, thanks for reading, and thanks for joining me in this amazing journey of youth hockey.
