The Magic 8U Glasses, 5 Ways Parents Can Be Supportive After a Tough Game, Girls 3v3 Cross-Ice Classic at the UC, On- and Off-Ice Plans for Coaches & More!

IN THIS ISSUE

The Magic 8U Glasses

Mid-Season Classic Girls Cross-Ice Tournament

5 Ways Parents Can Be Supportive After a Tough Game

7 Valuable 10U Development Activities

ADM Perfect Fit in Michigan

Lady Patriots Surge by Embracing Skill Development

Video: NHL Analytics Tracking of 8U Players

Video: 8U Practice with Peric & Bollue

Just for Coaches: On- and Off-Ice Practice Plans

Volume 2 Issue 13

December 28, 2015

THE MAGIC 8U GLASSES

By Michael Rand ~ All adults were 8 years old at one time. Simple math tells us that. But when it comes to relating to an 8-year-old hockey player, it's anything but simple for an adult. While our grown-up minds are used to dealing with problems and stressful on-ice situations with adult solutions, youth hockey players are often on a much different track.

In a tie game with a minute left, some of them might be thinking about scoring a goal. Some might be thinking about postgame snacks. Some might be thinking about cartoons. And still others might be thinking about what their parents will say on the car ride home.

Going inside the mind of an 8-year-old is a proceed-at-your-own-risk task, but it's one that is necessary when it comes to youth hockey, says Dr. Adam Naylor, a faculty member at Boston University and a sports psychologist who has worked with hockey families for more than 15 years. READ MORE>>

ILLINOIS ADM NEWS

Sponsored by USA Hockey, Chicago Blackhawks and the

Amateur Hockey Association of Illinois

The field is set for the first 3 v 3 Girls Cross-Ice Tournament at the United Center on Saturday, January 2, 2016. Twenty-four teams representing 15 associations will take the ice at the home of the Chicago Blackhawks. A full-ice game featuring the Sabre 19U and Admirals 19U girls will provide a break for the almost 400 10U and 12U girls to enjoy. Everyone is welcome to attend this FREE event! The day begins around 1:30pm and will wrap up with the Championship games at 9:15pm. Bring your girl hockey players down to the United Center to enjoy the games and all the activities - photobooth, video gaming trucks, the Blackhawks Street Hockey crew, autograph sessions with Megan Bozek and Alex Rigsby and more! We hope to see you there!

USA HOCKEY ADM NEWS

5 WAYS PARENTS CAN BE SUPPORTIVE AFTER TOUGH GAME

7 VALUABLE 10U DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES

By Jamie MacDonald, Massachusetts Hockey ~ Not only did Dedham native Ted Donato play nearly 800 games in the NHL, including parts of nine seasons with the Bruins, but he's also been behind the bench as head coach at his alma mater, Harvard, since the 2004-05 season. He's a hockey dad, too, as the father of four hockey players now ranging from 13- to 19-years-old. In other words, he's seen a lot of hockey. READ MORE>>

By USA Hockey ~ The 10U age level is a crucial period for hockey players to develop physical skills while also improving mental aspects of the game, such as spatial awareness, comfort level with body contact, and how to approach a defender when they have the puck. Matt Cunningham, manager of the USA Hockey Coaching Education Program, offers seven on- and off-ice drills that help players work on both the physical and mental sides of the game. READ MORE>>

ADM ACROSS AMERICA

AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT MODEL PERFECT FIT IN MICHIGAN

LADY PATRIOTS SURGE BY EMBRACING SKILL DEVELOPMENT

By Scott Powers - Special to USAHockey.com ~ When he came on board, Brooks Millar found that not everyone in the Grand Traverse Hockey Association fully understood USA Hockey's American Development Model.

Shortsightedness gnawed at the edges. Some parents didn't immediately embrace see the value idea ofin age-appropriate, age-specific programming, practicing in smaller ice areas and providing youth players with more efficient skill development. READ MORE>>

By Mike Scandura - Special to USAHockey.com ~ When the Lady Patriots of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, added a 10U girls team last spring, parents almost broke down the doors at the Revolution Ice Gardens in Warminster to register their girls.

"We've focused on the development of 10U players," President Paul Bardell said. "We're finding 10U players are very receptive to high-skills development practices. We create a fun environment where development comes as a result of the fun. READ MORE>>

ADM MULTIMEDIA

NHL ANALYTICS TRACKING OF 8U PLAYERS

8U PRACTICE WITH INTERNATIONAL COACHES PERIC & BOLLUE

A cutting-edge NHL analytics team puts the test to youth hockey for the first time ever. Watch this video and see what you think.

Dr. Thomas Peric (CZ) & Johan Bollue (BEL), IIHF Instructors, focus on 'wiring the brain' to enhance decision making & multi-lateral coordination.

JUST FOR COACHES

PRACTICE PLANS FOR ON-ICE

Defenseman Specific Drills

PRACTICE PLANS FOR DRYLAND

Quick Stick

Small area games, activities or drills that replicate game situations and target skills specific to the position a player plays (forward or defenseman) can be an effective way to use your ice time and develop fundamental skills. VIEW PLAN>>

Off-ice puck handling - Quick Stick

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