Our Kids Play Hockey

🏒 What does it really take to go from a 9-year-old hockey player with a dream… to an Olympian and professional hockey player? In this special Our Girls Play Hockey Mailbag Episode (Part 1) , hosts Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli are joined by our very own Olympic and professional hockey player Hayley Scamurra to answer your questions — straight from young players, parents, and families across the hock...

🚗 What if your best shift actually starts before you step on the ice? On this episode of The Ride to the Rink , Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli are joined by mindset coach Sandy Cohan to talk about something every player can control — how you prepare mentally on the way to the rink . Too many players think they can just flip a switch once the puck drops. The truth? Your competitive engine needs to be...

🧠 What if the most important skill your hockey player needs isn’t taught on the ice? In this powerful episode of Our Kids Play Hockey , Lee Elias , Christie Casciano-Burns , and Mike Bonelli are joined by Sandy Cohan , founder of Mental Edge Hockey and author of the 99 Rules book series, for a deep, honest, and eye-opening conversation about mindset, confidence, and what it really takes to develo...

🚨 How do you grow a girls hockey league from a handful of teams to one of the largest in the country? This week on Our Girls Play Hockey , hosts Lee Elias and Hayley Scamurra sit down with Bob Apter , President of the Northern Illinois Hockey League (NIHL) — an organization now home to 75 girls travel teams across five states and counting. From humble beginnings to a multi-state powerhouse, Bob s...

🚗💨 What if not being “identified” as a top player early… actually worked in your favor? On this episode of The Ride to The Rink , Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli are joined by their good friend Matt Dumouchelle , creator of Hockey Factories and a global student of hockey development. Matt has traveled the world studying how different countries develop players — and what he’s learned challenges a lot...

🏒 Are we building great hockey teams… or just chasing superstars way too early? In this episode of Our Kids Play Hockey , Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli are joined once again by hockey development consultant and writer Matt Dumouchelle for a deep, thoughtful, and at times uncomfortable conversation sparked by the World Junior Hockey Championship. After watching Canada eliminated by Czechia for the th...

💭 Do you ever feel guilty for missing hockey? Missing a practice for school. Saying no to a tournament. Choosing family time, another sport, or just a much-needed break. If that knot in your stomach feels familiar, this episode is for you. In this powerful conversation, Lee Elias and Hayley Scamurra tackle a topic that players, parents, and even coaches experience — but rarely talk about out loud...

🧠 What if your thoughts and emotions were actually your biggest teammates? On this episode of The Ride to The Rink , hosts Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli are joined live from Sweden by sports psychology experts Johan Fallby and Henrik Cronebäck for a powerful conversation just for young hockey players. Together, they break down simple, practical mental fitness tools kids can use: On the way to practi...

Happy New Year, hockey friends and families! 🎉 We’re kicking off 2026 by reflecting on how far Our Kids Play Hockey has come, thanking the incredible community that made it all possible, and sharing a few important updates as we head into our sixth year of the show. In this special New Year’s episode, Lee, Mike, and Christy talk about the growth of the podcast, the lessons learned along the way,...

🟦 Feeling tired, burned out, or just plain stuck halfway through the hockey season? You’re not alone. This episode lands right in that in-between space — after the early-season excitement fades and before playoff hockey really begins. The skates might be hanging in the garage, the coffee intake is way up, and families everywhere are wondering how to make the final stretch of the season actually m...

🎙️ Hockey friends and family — Happy Holidays from our team! In this special, lighthearted holiday episode, Christie Casciano is joined by her two favorite cohosts,  Lee Elias  and Mike Bonelli  for a festive check-in with the Our Kids Play Hockey community. Between laughs, movie references, and holiday banter, the trio delivers an important reminder parents and players often need to hear this tim...

🎁 Happy holidays, hockey family! As the holiday season rolls in, Lee Elias and Hayley Scamurra take a break from the usual hockey talk to do what matters most this time of year — connect, reflect, and give thanks . In this special holiday episode of Our Girls Play Hockey , Lee and Hayley come together from Montreal to share warm wishes with the entire girls’ hockey community and offer listeners a...

🧠 Mental fitness isn’t a buzzword anymore — it’s a skill. And like any hockey skill, it has to be trained. Mental fitness is one of the most requested topics in the Our Kids Play Hockey community, and for good reason. Parents, coaches, and players all know it matters — but far fewer know how to actually teach it, practice it, and *build it into everyday hockey life. In this episode, hosts Lee Eli...

🎮 What if your love of hockey could become a lifelong career… even if you’re still a kid? On today’s Ride to the Rink, Lee, Mike, and Christie are joined by Nick Bowins , founder of Working in Hockey , to open young players’ eyes to just how many opportunities exist beyond playing the game . Whether you love video games, math, technology, social media, photography, coaching, or just being around...

📣 What happens when grit, belief, and a nation’s pride collide on the ice? In one of the most electrifying moments in recent women’s hockey history, the Puerto Rico Women’s National Team stormed back from a 5–2 deficit to win gold at the IIHF 3-on-3 Series in Buenos Aires — and today, we take you inside that unforgettable run. Host Lee Elias and co-host Hayley Scamurra sit down with four players...

🔥 Ever wondered how people really get jobs in hockey? Today’s episode pulls back the curtain on an industry filled with far more opportunities — and far more good people — than most families ever realize. Nick Bowins, founder of Working in Hockey , joins Lee, Christie, and Mike to reveal how thousands of passionate players, parents, graduates, and lifelong fans are finding careers in the game. Fr...

🎧 Want to become a better hockey player before you even step onto the ice? Today’s Ride to the Rink is a special one — because cognitive performance coach Satoshi Takano joins Lee, Christie, and Mike to share simple, game-changing ways kids can think faster, scan better, and make smarter decisions on the ice. Young players often focus on chasing the puck or scoring the goal… but what about the ot...

🎧 Ever wonder what it actually looks like when a pro athlete is chasing an Olympic roster spot? In this new Ride To The Rink episode, Lee Elias checks back in with Team USA forward and PWHL Montreal star Hayley Scamurra — and a lot has happened since her last update. From moving cities twice, to training with Team USA, to preparing for the Rivalry Series, to staying grounded while chasing her Oly...

🧠 What if the biggest advantage your young hockey player could gain… wasn’t on their stick, but in their mind? This week on Our Kids Play Hockey , we dive deep into one of the most misunderstood and under-trained parts of the game: Hockey IQ — the ability to read, decide, anticipate, and act faster than the play itself. And joining us is one of the world’s leading innovators in cognitive performa...

🧼 Hockey kids… we love you. But some of you stink. And today, we’re tackling a topic every parent is cheering for and every young player needs to hear: HYGIENE. Don’t panic. Don’t turn us off. This one’s going to help you stay healthy, stay in the lineup, and yes… stop clearing the bench with your gear odor. In this Ride to the Rink, Lee and Mike break down why taking care of your body isn’t just...

💥 Is Women’s Hockey Becoming a Full-Contact Sport? Let’s Talk About It. In today’s episode of Our Girls Play Hockey , Lee and PWHL/Team USA forward Hayley Scamurra dive into one of the most talked-about topics in the sport right now: physicality, checking, and the evolution of competitive contact in women’s hockey. With the PWHL playing faster and more physical than ever, parents and coaches ever...

🎙️ Ever felt like there are too many voices on your child’s hockey bench? This mailbag episode might hit close to home. Lee, Christie, and Mike dive into a letter from a parent-coach navigating a situation many families know all too well — four coaches on the bench, nonstop yelling during games, and a sidelined head coach who isn’t guiding the staff. The result? Chaos, confusion, and kids who don’...

🍁 This week, we’re giving thanks — for YOU, our listeners, our incredible hockey community, and the five amazing years of Our Kids Play Hockey! Join hosts Lee Elias , Christy Casciano-Burns , and Mike Bonelli for a heartwarming Thanksgiving special that’s all about gratitude, laughter, and celebrating how far this podcast (and our hockey families) have come. In this special holiday edition, the t...

This week, Our Kids Play Hockey is taking a brief break from the Wraparound Roundtable giveaway series to celebrate the holiday season and encourage our community to support small and medium-sized hockey businesses. While there’s no weekly giveaway this week, the grand prize is still on its way , and the full series continues soon! 🎁 Holiday Shoutouts: HockeyWrapAround.com – The original wraparou...

🔥 Is “a hockey-life balance” even real—or is it just about priorities? This week on Our Girls Play Hockey , Lee Elias, Mike Bonelli, and PWHL star Hayley Scamurra dig into one of the biggest questions families face: how do young athletes juggle hockey, school, family, and downtime without burning out? From missed school dances and long road trips to the reality of puberty and injuries, Hayley sha...