Yucky Hockey - A Tribute to Minor Hockey Week

Minor Hockey week in Canada runs from Friday, January 10^th, 2014 to Saturday, January 18^th, 2014. More than 500,000 minor hockey players will play and compete for medals across Canada. In the City of Calgary alone we have over 13,000 minor hockey players active in our game.

For many young aspiring hockey players, this tournament will be the hi -lite of their season and for some maybe the hi-lite of their minor hockey playing careers. Great memories and good friendships often develop from playing our nations greatest sport. Having fun is of paramount importance during our country’s annual minor hockey week of events!

So what is yucky hockey you may ask? Yucky hockey is hockey that leaves a bad taste in your mouth. It is events and happenings within the game that test our true love of our game. On many occasions it may cause individuals – minor players and valuable volunteers - to turn their back on our game. They feel they do not enjoy hockey any more and wish to do something else with their lives. Hopefully, this bad taste doesn’t linger too long. Maybe for a few days, weeks, or months but for some if the experience is really yucky enough it can last a life time!

In our Hockey Zones newsletter publications (http://www.tuckerhockey.com/newsletters.asp) we strive to reinforce hockey’s positives to all ages. However, on occasion it’s necessary to look at the negatives – yes, yucky hockey! –maybe it will positively influence and help change a few negative attitudes and influences in our game to smarten up! Fortunately for the minor hockey associations, 98 per cent of the performers are good people; it’s the bad behavior / attitudes of the other 2 per cent that is painting a negative environment in our great game.

Hockey Calgary is actively promoting this season “RESPECT” in our game. You may have seen the new signs located in each city arena. Hockey Calgary is promoting awareness, and education to those involved in our great game – “that everyone should be shown respect”. Otherwise, please stay away from our local rinks! “Hockey rinks are supposed to be playgrounds for children. They are supposed to play, have fun and enjoy the experience” says Former Hockey Calgary President, Perry Cavanagh 

Here are a few examples of yucky hockey.

Often we see players hitting from behind and delivering head shots. Such reckless actions can cause concussions and even major life changing injuries. Player’s must be conscious of opponent’s safety as well as their own on the ice.

Some minor hockey coaches are concerned about winning at all costs. Coaches, who verbally abuse their players, opposition coaches and officials, need to take a look in the mirror. A few coaches have crossed the line with shocking sexual abuse of their players over the years. Both Hockey Canada and Hockey Calgary encourage victims to voice their concerns with “speak out programs” to ensure we have a safe environment for kids at the local arenas.

In addition, there are parents who are living the NHL dream vicariously through their children. Many parents are so involved in their child’s hockey that they pressure their kids too much. Hockey Calgary is actively promoting – The Respect in Sports – “the parents program” to educate parents about acceptable and unacceptable behavior.

Also, there are officials, who spoil a good game via inconsistent and bad calls. As well as the occasional administrator who carries around his or her own power and control agenda and forgets that our game is first and foremost about the kids and their enjoyment from our game!

I am sure you can add a few more yucky examples to the list!

For more information about RESPECT in hockey initiatives, please contact your local minor hockey association or the Hockey Calgary head office at 403 – 245 – 5773 or visit their website www.hockeycalgary.com

Let’s work together to rid the game of:  “Yucky Hockey”. Shared respect within the game of hockey requires good cooperation between all the major stakeholders – players, parents, coaches, officials and facilities. Shared respect will ensure that hockey will continue to be the greatest game on earth. Everyone should be shown RESPECT! 

Coach Rex's Note  –  Background on the Article:

The idea to write a “Yucky Hockey” article came to Coach Rex at a downtown drugstore. While waiting patiently in my chair for a prescription to be filled, I noticed a poster on the wall – illustrating kids taking their medicine. The poster indicated the taste can be yucky! The promotion talked about food coloring flavors such as raspberry, grape etc to make the medicine for kids – more palatable. So I thought how can I relate this to the game of hockey?

As hockey coaches, managers, officials, organizers, parents and fellow players, I feel it is our responsibility within the game - to try and make the game better each day, season and year. To avoid yucky experiences and incidents, and to help instill the love of the game in our youth so they will stay in the game, learn valuable life skills as well as hockey skills and become good contributing members of society.

Respect is critical. It should be shown towards everyone involved in the game. Remember the golden rule – do onto others as you would want them to do on to you. Unfortunately, our society forgets the wisdom of this rule. Plain and simple - if people don’t show respect they should not be allowed in our local arenas!

Tucker Hockey picks Canada's 2014 Olympic Hockey Team

The NHL will place its regular season on hold from February 9^th to 25^th, 2014 for the Winter Olympic break. This past summer 47 Olympic hopefuls were invited to Calgary’s Canada Olympic Park from August 25^th to 28^th for Hockey Canada’s orientation camp.

During the four days, Hockey Canada held informational meetings regarding the logistics, travel issues, accommodations for family members and friends, a walk through of the venues, and drug testing policies. Due to insurance costs of $1.4 million, Hockey Canada did not conduct any on-ice sessions. Off - ice activities to enhance team chemistry and information meetings to get players to understand what to expect were the keys to prepare staff members and players, who have the potential of representing Canada at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. This will ensure players are well prepared and can focus mainly on giving their best for their country.  “Russia is kind of a whole new world compared to what North America is like” said Edmonton Oilers Forward Taylor Hall.

Players will tryout based on their play throughout the Fall 2013 NHL schedule. So much can happen between now and December 2013. Injuries, scoring slumps to just name a couple. Players plan and hope to peak at the right time. There are many questions to be answered. Who will play in net – arguably Canada’s weakest / unknown position? Who will play the left side of the team’s defence? Will it be a classic battle between Canada and Russia? Remember the European teams always do better on the big ice!

With the international ice surface 200’ by 100’ – it’s 3,000 square feet larger than NHL size, therefore players will need to be quicker and faster, plus require strong skating agility and supreme hockey sense / IQ. In the past Olympics games on the bigger ice, the ability to score has been an issue for Team Canada.

Steve Yzerman, Team Canada General Manager stated “We’re not putting together a team for an NHL all – star game…we’re putting together the best possible team we can to compete against the best players in the world and try to win a gold medal”. “Part of that comes with players that can do specific things for us.” We have enough depth in our country to ice two medal contending teams! It’s a very difficult task for the coaches and management team to select the right NHL players to represent Team Canada in Sochi, Russia. Good luck gentlemen with a very difficult task!

We live in a very passionate country when it comes to hockey. Everyone has an opinion; everyone will give their two cents worth from now until long after the completion of the 2014 Winter Olympics. Did we pick the right team?

Let’s have a little fun! Here’s Tucker Hockey’s picks for Team Canada.
Goalies (3): 
Robert Luongo, Carey Price, Corey Crawford
Notable: Cam Ward 

Defence (8):
Duncan Keith, Drew Doughty, Shea Weber, Dan Boyle, Alex Pietrangelo, P.K. Subban, Marc Staal, Jay Bouwmeester
Notables: Kris Letang, Brent Seabrook    

Forwards (14):
Chris Kunitz, Sidney Crosby, John Tavares, Corey Perry, Claude Giroux, Steven Stamko, Rick Nash, Jonathan Toews, Patrick Sharp, Eric Staal , Patrice Bergeron, Logan Couture, Taylor Hall, Matt Duchene 
Notables: Ryan Getzlaf, Martin St. Louis, Jordan Eberle, Jeff Carter

Note:

Team Canada opens round robin play on February 13^th, 2014 against Norway.

 

Canadian / Czech Hockey Exchange - Summer 2014

Experience the Hockey Trip of a Lifetime!!

Tucker Hockey is offering a unique opportunity to visit the Czech Republic from July 9th to 23rd, 2014. It’s an incredible opportunity for top calibre / select Peewee and Bantam aged players born in 1999 to 2002 to experience elite Czech hockey training and enjoy the rich culture of the “Golden City” – Prague, Czech Republic with their parents.

Prague is one of the most beautiful cities in the world! Prague, pronounced Praha in the Czech language, is the capital city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north- west of the country on the Vltava River, the city is home to about 1.3 million people.

The city has been a political, cultural and economic centre of central Europe for centuries. Prague suffered considerably less damage during World War II than other major cities in Europe, allowing most of its historic architecture to stay true to form. Since the fall of the Iron Curtain, Prague with its rich history has become one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations. The Czech Republic is famous for its historic architecture, rich culture, crystal and of course passion for hockey!

Why Experience the Canadian / Czech Hockey Exchange Program?

Our camp location will be in the Czech Republic! It is a country with an excellent ice hockey tradition, boasting the most NHL hockey players from any European country; an amazing statistic considering the country’s small population of only 10 million people.

Practice and learn an intensive type of hockey from highly trained and experienced elite Czech coaches - including the “Imaginary Model Opponent”, specific station training of hockey skills development, as well as other innovative training methods based on the Czech tradition to develop a player’s individual and tactical hockey skills.

The hockey camp is based at the top sports facility in Nymburk, Czech Republic where the best Czech ice hockey players and other elite athletes train for their upcoming season.

Intensive on and off ice training as well as high quality relaxation and recovery time – 21 hours of on ice training, 10 hours of off ice dryland training, daily video / chalk talks, mental conditioning, a variety of balanced nutritious meals, and 24 hour supervision by a staff of professional counsellors. Parents will have the option of staying with their child at the sports center camp hotel or another hotel a 5 minute walk away from the sports center. Parents can also use all the sport facilities in the sport center.

An Exceptional Hockey Value, the Exchange Program Includes The Following:

• Airfare from Calgary to Prague ( Return)
• 2 weeks accommodation in the Czech Republic
• Majority of meals included
• Guided sightseeing tours of attractions within Prague
• Guided sightseeing excursions to the Czech countryside
• 1 week of professional Czech ice hockey training with Elite Coaches
• Access to all the sports facilities within the sport center for both players and parents
• 24 hour camp supervision by a staff of professional counsellors
• 3 exhibition hockey games against local Czech competition
• Group travel attire for all participants
• Personalized Home and Away Game Jerseys
• Arrival and Departure Receptions in Prague

An outstanding hockey, travel vacation, cultural, and friendship exchange experience!

Additional Features / Added Value Included:

Sightseeing trips to historic and cultural sites in the Czech Republic such as Karlovy Vary, Crystal Factory Nizbor or Karsteinjn Castle etc. Explore one of the most beautiful cities in the world – Prague! We will show you the beautiful center of Prague, historic Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, the old Astronomical clock in the Old Town Square and Vltava River Cruise. Thanks to the Czech Republic’s location at the crossroads of various cultures in the heart of Central Europe – it can provide opportunities to extend your stay and explore other countries near to the Czech Republic.

To ensure a wonderful time on and off the ice, the Hockey Exchange Program is professionally organized and managed by a friendly, dedicated support staff. Two unforgettable weeks consisting of elite hockey training balanced and supplemented with unique Czech cultural experiences. Excellent opportunity to make new hockey friendships!

Check Out Our Brochure

Passion

“What is life without passion?” I have tried to live by these words since the first time I heard them some years ago. I’m very sheepish to admit it but it was on a CBC drama program, the title eludes me.

We can all be passionate about the big things that matter in life, but what about the practices or the games that really have no bearing on the standings at the end of the season?

Passion produces perseverance. If you can be passionate about something, time doesn’t seem to matter. The extra practice time, the skating drills are not so boring and repetitive. Everything has a reason - if you fall you get up and try over again. With passion, you’ll always find the tenacity to go on.

If the coach or captain is passionate about the upcoming game, eager to play with zeal and ardor, it will carry to the whole team. People who are passionate are fun to be around. When you are passionate you want to learn, and know new ways to reach that higher level of accomplishment.

In your pursuit, you may encounter someone who will try to dissuade or deter your passion. They may give you – why nots or negative thinking, explaining it is not possible to achieve. You must not pay attention to these types of people and keep moving on. As the coach or captain, you should always try to help others to be better players.

During the 2010 Winter Olympics, the athletes that we saw and cheered were definitely passionate about winning. The Vancouver Olympics gave all Canadians – a heart of gold! When Sidney Crosby scored the final goal for the Olympic men’s hockey gold medal, Canada’s passion and pride was very much alive across the country. At one point in time, 18 million Canadian views watched this great sporting event!

The Canadian Men’s Olympic hockey team was made up of passion and expertise. Steve Yzerman, the Executive Director of Team Canada, has accomplished a great deal in his hockey career. From being a 3 time Stanley Cup champion, a 6th all – time leading NHL scorer, as well as playing on the 2002 Olympic Gold Medal team are highlights of his career.

Working with Mike Babcock, the Head Coach of Team Canada, a former McGill University team captain, who knocked around in the minors and missed making the Vancouver Canucks roster. As a result, Babcock thought he would end up being a school teacher. Little did he know his passion and love for the game of hockey and winning attitude would take him to the ultimate coaching experience – achieving the 2010 Olympic Men’s Hockey Gold medal.

Passion indeed does count. Success in life doesn’t come without passion!

“Chase down your passion like it’s the last bus of the night.”
~ Terri Guillemets

Emotional Control

Controlling your emotions in any sport is of paramount importance for success. Emotional intelligence is a key component of a winning attitude. It refers to the ability to perceive your emotions, reason with your emotions, understand your emotions, manage your emotions and control your emotions.

For example if you are the captain, the primary leader of the team, you must keep your emotions in check, never too high, never too low, on an even keel. The team captain’s mission is to win the team’s trust, and to gain their respect. Stay calm and carry on – even when the score is one sided. Work hard, do your best and lead by example – set a great example for the rest of your teammates.

Some ways to manage and control your emotions can include the following.

1) Choose to be an optimist. Keep positive even when the game situation looks bleak. Maybe there’s still time on the clock, you just need a break in this game (a good bounce, a referee’s call in your favor etc) or maybe there’s another game / opportunity to redeem yourself. Keep the big picture - look towards the bright side keep the situation in perspective. It’s part of life’s learning process. Being thankful for what you do have makes it easier to wake up in the morning with a positive attitude. Gratitude is a powerful force in our lives especially in sports. It’s a privilege to play a sport at this level!

2) Choose how to react to your emotions - we try to justify our emotions but we need to own our emotions and decide which is the best way to react. Be conscious of your old moods and feelings reappearing (getting too nervous or anxious).  Try not to let past experiences, situations and results trigger your reactions. Try not to let your emotions get the better of you again! Learn from past moments and experiences (taking a bad penalty etc). Be stronger emotionally and perform better next time!

3) Know that you are responsibility for your actions and emotions. Do not be a victim to your emotions. Be in charge – be in control. You can make a better choice, a better action and have better control of your emotions. It’s not the situation but how you react to the situation!

In the end, emotional control will produce better play / performances and an even superior experience for yourself and everyone on the team.  And at the end of the game isn’t that what it is all about? Don’t let your emotions deter you from giving your best efforts and achieving your best results!