Youth Hockey Podcast

Lance talks tacos and where to find them in rinks.  He even digs into pupusas. Rolly gets into the exercises that should help the kids in the off season. How do you build quick twitch muscles? Randall talks about how a bad team can mean a great year for a kid. 

Rink roundup with many states featured.  We are casting a wide net to talk about rinks. Tryout fallout.  What happens when you're asked to come back for the second day of tryouts.  What's best for the kid at that point? Advancement is not a participation prize.  We talk about kids who expect to be on teams when they haven't put in the same amount of work as others on the team.

Lance talks about a recent USHL tryout.  What does it take to get up to that level?  What was it like?   Dave talks about how to make an impression on the ice.  He actually agrees with Randall.  It's a YHP first.  Lance almost passes out. Randall and Lance talk about what to do when the line your child is on has very different levels represented.  What is the sol...

New segment Rink Rundown! Randall talks about practice hours.  How many does a kid need at every level?  Does it matter how many games they play?  What is the best balance.  Coach Rolston comes in with expert commentary to save the segment. Lance talks about his favorite rink.  He also lends an ear to the final question on bumper music.

Lance Takes the Mic and helps you NOT make the mistakes he has.

Lorenz talks about Swiss hockey.  He openly mocks Randall.  It's a good start.  The fact that he can inform our community with another perspective is awesome.  Thanks Lorenz.  I think you're going to get more plays than I do.  R.

Randall talks about try out strategies for parents who are sending their kids on the ice for a new club.  What are the chances of getting on a team that is highly competitive without relationships at the club?  It's an open question. This week we will have three parts of the podcast.  We are all in different cities on different schedules.   The listeners will then decide who wi...

Dave and Lance talk about how clubs can sometimes affiliate to create more opportunity for players. Randall and Lance talk about coaching changes mid year.  How many times did a coach bug out on your season? Rolly talks about the three corners of hockey satisfaction.  He wants to know if Lance ever got all three in a year.  Lance surprises everyone.

Dave talks about how spring programs make new teams.  They sometimes are a way to move away from the club they usually represent.  Lance talks about how refs make calls based on crowd reactions.  He also notes how much the refs can be influenced by a number of factors. Randall talks about the memories from memorial day tournaments.  There's always rumors about who will show up...

Lance talks about how a coach gave him advice about youth hockey levels.  He thought that it was much better to dominate a lower level rather than be invisible on a great team. Randall talks about how effort can be preached to the benefit and detriment of the young player. Rolly loses his temper.  Rolly talks about some of the strange things he's seen youth teams do.

Rolly takes time to educate the podcast about the Corsi numbers.  What kind of insight do they give to the youth hockey player training to excel in the game. Lance talks about how coaches prepare using stats.  He hasn't seen enough of the prep work for his taste.  He loves numbers. Lance and Randy talk about the decline in numbers in youth sports, hockey in particular.   H...

Randall talks about team building exercises.  There are good ones and bad ones.  There is one thing that all good ones have in common he asserts. Rolly takes offense at a rage listener.  He goes back to his goon days where he used to patrol the ice like a wolverine on smelling salts. Lance talks about roller hockey and how it was introduced to his kids late.  They picked it up...

Lance talks about how each of his kids chose their positions and how their positions eventually came back around and chose them.   Coach talks about how playing defense helps a kid develop a complete game. Randall prepares a lightning round about "cheating" in youth hockey. 

Rolly wants USA hockey to take over the calendar.  He cannot stand the idea of individual freedom.  No LOI's, no tryouts for individual clubs - just a top-down system of oppression.  He makes a good case. Lance talks about the age group he will choose once the fundraiser to give a team a free year of club hockey.   He is ready to get out the spreadsheet on all top scorers...

Randall asks a question about AA kids on AAA teams and AAA kids on AA teams.  Which is the better situation for the kid and the development of the kid. Dave digs the lightning round about the best and worst places to travel for a tournament.  Hint: Vacaville is not on the good list. Lance Alexander gets set up.  He claims he knows how to win states in California.  He is surpris...

Interview with hockey4youth founder Mo Hasham about how hockey provides community and continuity in the greater society.  He has a fantastic program for getting kids into hockey who traditionally don't have the opportunity.  It's a great idea, and he is a great interview. Lance talks a little about how young people bond over hockey in ways that extend into adulthood. Rolly rallies the sh...

Jennifer was kind enough to answer all of our questions on hockey nutrition.  She has two kids in the sport.  Her views are valuable and her presentation is delightful.  Couldn't be happier having her on the show. We moved on to burning bridges at clubs.  Rolly keeps us all in check. Lance has a great question about bulking up for Junior Hockey.  It relates to minimizing i...

Randall talks about team chemistry.  Who are the best friends on the team?  Sometimes this can tip off a parent about the locker room environment.   Rolly and Lance talk about off season camps and training.   Lance talks about how other sports can help a hockey player with skills and stoke competition.

Randall talks about the California Div.1 HS finals.  It was some ride. Lance gives everyone insight into what it's like to go to Nationals.  His kids did it every year they played almost.  :) Lance and Rolly talk about the new hockey league that is starting on the west coast. It might open up some opportunities for elite players who live and play in the west.

Lance has stories about how his kid has been in situations where doing well didn't seem to change the coach's mind on how and when to play him. Randall talks about how a line of the three best players doesn't always make the best line. Rolly talks about how this decision plays out from a coach's perspective.  How does shifting players present an opportunity for the coach to understand the tea...

Randall tees up the rule changes for youth hockey.  Did they work out?  Rolly kicks the delayed off-sides rule in the butt. Rolly talks about skating mechanics and breaks down the elements of what makes a skater fast. Lance kind of took an episode off.  If you're a Lance fan, tune in next week.

Randall talks about how playoff hockey can be a stressful time.  The entire game can shift into a much different phase. Lance talks about a way to get back at a coach who isn't nice to your kid. Rolly talks about how play time can be really limited for goalies in the playoffs.  There was a goalie who didn't get a single game in the entire playoff run.

Randy notes that the podcast has had the biggest week ever.  Thank you to the listeners. Lance gets into a discussion of how mite superstars develop differently over the course of the next few years. Rolly talks about social media and hockey.  He cannot be stopped.

Lance decides that the refs need to be discussed.  He has a plan to make reffing better.  Randall is dubious about the fix. Randall asks the crew if they have any 5 on 3 stories that they can share.  The topic is a bit of a disappointment for everyone.  We still kept it to prove we can own our mistakes. Rolly calls on everyone to go down memory lane.  Lance, Randall and Ro...

Randall talks about jersey numbers.  It's silly, but there are so many stories about how jersey numbers became a crisis on the team. Lance figures out how to give out numbers based on hockey stats. Rolly talks about inappropriate relationships.  It's pretty racy.  I didn't think Rolly had it in him.