Pucked Up Parents - Youth Hockey

In this episode of Pucked Up Parents , Michael and Angela sit down with Chris Holmes—a hockey dad, goalie dad, youth hockey coach, and the founder of Buffalo's Queen City Hockey Expo . Chris shares his journey into the hockey world, how his child unexpectedly became a goalie, and what inspired him to step behind the bench as a youth coach. The conversation then shifts to a large hockey community o...

This episode of Pucked Up Parents , Michael and Angela kick things off with a recap of the latest hockey happenings, including their 12Us experience at summer hockey camp, the was it worth it story of how Angela managed to crack her phone screen because of hockey, and a listener's story that reminds us why maybe... just maybe... we should cut referees a little slack. Then it's on to the ma...

Hosts Michael and Angela venture into dangerous territory by inviting a real-life youth hockey referee, Jeremy, onto the show. That's right—the guy everyone yells at from the stands finally gets a chance to share his side of the story. Jeremy shares his hockey journey, from player to official, and explains what led him to being a referee. He breaks down the different levels of officiating and...

In this episode Michael and Angela kick things off with a recap of another chaotic week in hockey life. Michael shares the boys latest adventures from beer league and squeezing in ice time, while Angela recounts a travel nightmare trying to get home from a work trip—proving once again that hockey parents aren't the only ones who spend their lives battling schedules, delays, and unexpected dram...

On this episode of Pucked Up Parents , Michael and Angela dive headfirst into the unpredictable world of youth hockey adventures and all the chaos that comes with it. Because let's be honest—if you've spent enough weekends at the rink, you've probably learned that the game itself is often the least dramatic part of the trip. The hosts swap stories about dead car batteries in freezing p...

This episode Michael and Angela tackle one of the biggest topics in post youth hockey: the college hockey path . From the bright lights of NCAA Division I hockey to the late-night beer-league-adjacent glory of campus intramurals, they break down the many roads available to players who want to keep skating after high school. Angela takes listeners through the different college hockey options, expla...

Angela is out of town this week, so Michael takes over the microphone for a solo episode that dives into his unique journey as a youth hockey parent. Unlike many sports dads, Michael didn't grow up playing hockey, following hockey, or really excelling at sports at all. In fact, he admits that becoming a hockey dad was never part of the plan. Michael reflects on what it's like entering the...

On this episode of Michael and Angela dive into one of the true characters of youth hockey — the rink itself. From freezing cold “barns” with pothole-filled parking lots to immaculate NHL practice facilities with heated viewing areas and bars, they break down every type of hockey rink parents and players experience along the journey. The two discuss everything that makes a rink memorable: the qual...

On this episode Michael and Angela dive headfirst into one of hockey’s most unavoidable traditions: penalties. From the confusion of offsides and icing calls that leave first-year full ice hockey parents nodding like they totally understand, to the chaos of minors, majors, and misconducts, the duo breaks down the rules every hockey family eventually learns the hard way. Of course, no penalty conve...

In this special Mother’s Day episode of Pucked Up Parents , host Michael steps aside and hands the mic over to Angela and two fellow veteran hockey moms, Shawna and Leslie, for a hilarious and heartfelt conversation about life as hockey parents. As first-generation hockey moms, the trio (known as the HBI) reflects on how they were thrown headfirst into the wild world of youth hockey and somehow su...

Christie Casciano; Author of the Puck Hog Series and My Kids Play Hockey. Available now! In this episode of Pucked Up Parents , Michael and Angela sit down with book author, USA Hockey Magazine colunist, news anchor and hockey mom Christie Casciano for a candid and relatable conversation about life as a hockey parent. Christie dives into the inspiration behind her youth hockey parent guide, My Kid...

In this episode of Pucked Up Parents , Michael and Angela dive into one of the most overlooked species in youth hockey culture: the siblings—aka the legendary “rink rats.” From toddlers wrapped like burritos in oversized blankets to pre-teens living off vending machine snacks and chaos, they break down what it really takes to keep the non-playing kids alive, warm, and relatively entertained during...

In this episode of Pucked Up Parents , Michael and Angela take a brutally honest (and predictably sarcastic) look at the true cost of youth hockey—and spoiler alert: it’s not pretty. At a high level, they walk through the endless list of expenses that hit parents before the season even really starts. It begins with tryout fees—because apparently you have to pay just for the chance to pay more—foll...

In this episode of Pucked Up Parents , Michael and Angela take a fun detour off the ice and into pop culture, breaking down how hockey shows up on the big and small screen. They kick things off with a look at iconic hockey documentaries, including the legendary Miracle on Ice, sharing why stories like that still resonate with players and parents alike. From there, the conversation shifts to TV, wh...

In this episode of Pucked Up Parents , Michael and Angela trade in the frozen tundra for hot pavement as they dive into the world of off-ice hockey. From roller hockey leagues to driveway danglers, they break down summer training—where the only thing smoother than your kid’s hands is the melted asphalt under their wheels. They cover everything from rollerblade skate styles to the realities of outd...

In this episode of Pucked Up Parents , Michael & Angela dig into the never-ending challenge of feeding a youth hockey player—aka trying to outpace a kids metabolism that somehow survives on one decent meal and a mountain of rink snacks. They break down how to piece together actual dinners during the week while juggling practice schedules, late ice times, and the classic “we’ll just grab someth...

On this episode of Pucked Up Parents , Michael and Angela are joined by Patrick Michael of Hockey Gear For All, a foundation that donates gear to kids in need. He is truly a guest who brings both expertise and heart to the conversation. The episode covers all things hockey gear, from the importance of proper sizing (because nothing ruins a stride faster than ill-fitting equipment) to the less glam...

This episode of Pucked Up Parents, Michael and Angela dive headfirst into one of youth hockey’s most expensive and confusing pieces of equipment: the hockey stick. From flex to lie, blade curves to kick points, they break down the specs parents are told they need to understand… and the ones that probably don’t matter nearly as much as the pro shop guy says they do. Along the way, Michael tests Ang...

This week on Pucked Up Parents, Michael and Angela dive headfirst into the wild world of youth hockey tournaments — where the games are early, the hotel hallways are loud, and somehow you leave with three new hoodies you absolutely did not budget for. They break down the mysterious forces behind tournaments — the event companies, third-party organizers, and sanctioning bodies like USA Hockey — and...

Michael and Angela start off riding the high of recent Olympic hockey success — because nothing fuels delusion quite like watching elite athletes on TV make it look easy. Inspired by the big stage, they pivot into today’s topic: what actually happens after youth hockey? When your kid hits that 16–21 sweet spot, things get real. They break down the winding road beyond the local rink — from Juniors...

Michael and Angela lace up for the most stressful “non-season” season of all… youth hockey tryouts. Because nothing says spring flowers like roster anxiety for a season that doesn’t start until the leaves fall. They dive into the absurd timing of tryouts happening months before anyone’s sharpened a skate for real games. The rink rumor mill is already in playoff form: “I heard they already picked t...

This week on Pucked Up Parents , Michael and Angela dive into the myth known as the “off-season.” Spoiler alert: there isn’t one. They break down the world of spring and summer hockey — from skill camps and power skating clinics to tournament teams that are “super laid back” but somehow still require a bit of travel. Is it development? Is it fun? Is it just one more ice slot? Yes. They also tackle...

This week, Michael and Angela dive headfirst into the slippery ice of making new hockey friends—because nothing screams bonding like awkward hotel lobbies and forced smiles at team dinners. They tackle how to pass the endless downtime between games, whether it’s surviving board games , watching other sports on a TV in a hotel lobby or quietly judging other parents. Along the way, they explore how...

In this episode, Michael and Angela try to decode the wild, confusing, heavy maze that is youth hockey levels. From Mites to Squirts, PeeWees to Bantams , and all the way up to U16s and U18s , they break down what each level actually means—plus all the mysterious sublevels that somehow make it even more complicated. Because apparently “just hockey” isn’t a thing. They also dive into the skill tier...

Angela and Michael are back—and they’re frozen solid. 🥶 In this episode, the Pucked Up Parents hosts tackle one of youth hockey’s greatest challenges: surviving the Arctic tundra known as the ice rink . From mastering the art of layering to debating heated vests, wool socks, mittens, and why nothing ever keeps your toes warm, they break down what actually works. They also call out the mysterious...