Being a hockey mom or dad can be intimidating.

Really intimidating.

Call it a blog, call it a website, I hope that some of these articles detailing my own experiences as a youth hockey parent can calm any apprehension you may be feeling and maybe better prepare you for what's still to come!

Before we get into it, though, I want to share this graphic.

Youth Hockey Road Map

It's something I put together as a road map of sorts for how the youth hockey journey goes by age...at least from my vantage point.

On here, across all of these articles you'll see below -- now 150 and counting -- I try to cover everything we've encountered along the way by being frank and transparent. If there's something you don't see on here but would like to inquire about -- send me an email!

I always respond and you'll get an answer based on my experiences in youth and professional hockey without any sugar coating or fake spin attached!

Word of caution, though.

I tend to use one sentence paragraphs...and go on and on and on because this is a topic I'm super passionate about!

The response you receive...will not be short!

Oh, and this website looks way cooler on a computer than it does on a phone!

The Latest.

  • After Bantam, Things get Real...Quick.


    This time last year, my oldest was playing on a U14 bantam hockey team with local kids. Tis season his primary d-partners have been from Czechia and Slovakia. It's been a wild ride and it's likely just getting started!

  • Awful News in our Hockey Circle


    This one hurts.

  • Why the US Lags Behind in Hockey


    Youth hockey in the US, while growing faster in sheer participants than anywhere else in the world, has some major hurdles to overcome where Canada, Czechia, Finland, and Sweden are light years ahead.

  • The Stacked Elite Prospects Page


    If you've ever googled any hockey player's name, Elite Prospects is usually one of the first two webpages listed...and here's why you want your player on there too.

  • The Blowout Game


    Now, for all of the negative nellies that think a 36-0 score is disrespectful no matter how you slice it... having been on both sides of a game like this, you know what's actually the worst feeling in the world?

  • Hockey Drama Already? In September? For real?


    Couple whispers from the corners along the glass get louder and louder, a couple parents working the crowd, looking for support or whatever, and before you know it -- boom, a parent meeting notification shows up on the team app. Sigh...

  • Calculated Tournament Team Selection and the Junior Chowder Cup


    As hockey parents, I think we all seek validation that we're making wise decisions on behalf of our children. I got my validation in a Hampton Inn conference room on a Saturday morning in July.

  • Youth Hockey Tournament Selection Guide


    The longer you're in this, the more extensive the tournament options become. Big fish in a little pond isn't a good scenario...when there's a huge pond you just aren't aware of. Knowledge is power. Exposure is important.

  • The Scheduling Rigidity of Hockey


    I've had at least one kid in hockey, full time, since 2015. While our family schedule appears overwhelming, it's actually pretty easy to manage effectively. I never really appreciated that fact...until recently.

  • Everyone, Take a Knee!


    My kids have been on a few teams where the coach instructs the whole team to bring it in and take a knee when going over a new drill. I have a love/hate relationship with this tactic...and here's why!

  • Shocking Images from the Brick Invitational


    I don't usually do current event "hot takes" on here and this could totally be considered CLICK BAIT...but this greeted me on my Facebook feed bright and early this morning and floored me.

  • Lost Touch with the Base, Anecdotes, and a Skate Tying Tip!


    Lately I've been posting a lot about combines, junior hockey, exposure, and how to get scouted to be considered an eligible draft pick. Hardly relevant stuff to a majority of hockey parents. I have a 9 year old -- I know better.

The Best

Articles for those New to Youth Hockey

Articles that Will Make You a Better Hockey Parent

  • Ugh...Youth Hockey Tryouts, Fees, and Scheduling


    The deeper you get into this thing called youth hockey, the more coaches you know, the more players you know, and the more programs you know... The more you know, the uglier and more frustrating it gets, it seems.

  • A Simple Piece of Advice: Be Nice!


    Kids grow up. Their interests change. My circle of friends in kindergarten was vastly different than my circle of friends in junior high school. That's life.

  • Talk to People. Talk to Everyone.


    Encourage your kids to talk to people. Teammates, obviously, but also to opponents before face offs. Talk to different kids in shared locker rooms for skills or clinics or whatever. Talk to the younger players in your program. Grow that social circle.

  • Shocking Images from the Brick Invitational


    I don't usually do current event "hot takes" on here and this could totally be considered CLICK BAIT...but this greeted me on my Facebook feed bright and early this morning and floored me.

  • Let's Talk about the End Game


    If you're not aware of the coming chaos a year or two in advance, it's best to prepare yourself for the high school hockey exodus and figure out which path you're looking to take.

  • Realistic Expectations: Take the Dad-Goggles Off!


    For your sake and your kid's sake, it's all right there in front you. Take the goggles off.

  • What is Spring Hockey?


    I've been at this so long that I'm 100% guilty of just assuming parents that are new to youth hockey just...know. If you don't though, well, your answer might lie here!

  • Guide to Hockey Parenting...better.


    Let's just get this out of the way now. Your kid isn't going to the NHL.

  • Hockey Salad Days


    If you have an 8, 9, or 10-year old player in your household, enjoy it. You're in the midst of the most fun and rewarding seasons you'll ever have.

  • The December Doubts


    This is the time of the season where it really starts to sink in and a lot of players (and their parents) realize that they've made some pretty bad mistakes on where they chose to play this season.

  • Set a Good Example...and Grow the Game


    Most of the parents reading this are at the level where their kids have been "legit" skating since they were four years old. They don't even remember the beginning or that it's hard so, instead, they just poke fun at the people that struggle at the onset.

  • Hey Coach! We've gotta talk...


    I've never been one to try and grease a coach. From my limited time as a youth hockey coach, the thing I hated the most about the gig was watching specific dads saunter over to chat it up....

  • The Aggressive Bully


    Bullies have always been an issue in hockey. But there's little worse than when it's your own kid that's auditioning for the role. That's what I'm dealing with currently.

  • Hockey Drama Already? In September? For real?


    Couple whispers from the corners along the glass get louder and louder, a couple parents working the crowd, looking for support or whatever, and before you know it -- boom, a parent meeting notification shows up on the team app. Sigh...

  • Respect the Opponent. Respect your Teammates. Respect the Game.


    Opportunities to score 6 goals in a game should be rare. If your kid is doing this routinely, read on...

  • Points on the Score Sheet Don't Matter..but Keep Track!


    Give credit where credit is due...even if it doesn't end up on the score sheet. As a hockey parent -- that's your job.

  • Don't be a Distraction -- Know when to Walk Away


    Just think about how silly this sounds... I can (and do) watch my 15-year old's practices and games without issue but shouldn't even be in the rink to watch my 8-year old. But it's true.

  • Snobbery in Youth Hockey?


    I love talking youth hockey, obviously, but have I become a total snob over the years? Self awareness is super important...

  • The ever-Swirling Drama in Youth Hockey


    Some parents, and a few players even, stand out for the wrong reasons. Learn how to separate yourself from the drama.

  • Meaningful Advice For Youth Hockey Parents


    I've been fortunate to have been given advice, right from the mouths of NHL Talent, on what path to take for my children's hockey development...

  • Youth Hockey Nutrition, err, lack thereof


    Players in to pro ranks take their diets very, very seriously. But youth players?

  • Skipping School for Hockey


    As someone who boasted perfect attendance in high school decades ago, when that first hockey tournament for my kids rolled around with a Thursday night game followed by a 10am game on Friday, three hours from home...I was a little uneasy about how to proceed.

  • That Awkward Moment...from that newly Annoying Parent


    As a hockey parent, it's only a matter of time before you'll find yourself walking into a conversation that makes you rethink everything...

  • Player Guidance: Hockey Parent CliffsNotes


    When trying to help guide your player away from developing bad habits that stick, I've found that the most effective path is to only really laser focus in on one (or maybe two) things at a time.

  • Commitment Levels and the (False) Nickel and Diming in Youth Hockey


    Put your head down, bite the insides of your cheeks, take out your credit card, and buy the gear you're supposed to. Then, have a great season watching your kid get better and better right before your eyes.

  • Dissatisfied with Practice?


    Seriously?! Again?! Why aren't they telling him?

  • The 'Dreaded' Car Ride Home after Hockey


    Who here has relentlessly torn their kid's play or effort apart on the ride home from the rink? I've even done that after a practice.

  • Skating into the Sunset: When Youth Hockey Ends


    It comes sooner than you think. So how have we been planning for this date that's rapidly approaching for our family? Short answer...we haven't.

  • Team Setting, Team Culture, Team Personality -- it matters.


    That's like stating the obvious -- clearly the team culture matters -- but I'm certain I'm not the only hockey parent that's been caught overlooking what should've been obvious all along.

  • Golden Opportunities or Grasping at Straws?


    As I get further into the hockey parent journey -- cumulatively over 23 seasons now -- I've found that I'm a lot more selective when it comes to opportunities outside the regular season team.

Articles that Will Make Your Player Better

Articles relating to Coaching

  • Playing Defense is NOT a Punishment


    For a youth hockey player, nothing, not even asparagus, is worse than playing defense.

  • Evaluating Your Child's Hockey Coach


    Are you completely missing the mark on how good your child's hockey coach actually is? I certainly was...

  • Divided Locker Room?


    A fractured locker room never leads to success. Everyone on the roster matters.

  • Your Kid is Invisible.


    I was once told this by a coach. As awful it sounded in the moment, it was genuine praise. In fact, I think it just might be the sweet spot for where you should hope for your player to land.

  • Our iTrainHockey Camp/Skills Experience


    So, like, you've seen this guy before. His name is Sean Walker and he pumps out what I'd consider the best hockey related social media content out there but he's not just a social media celebrity -- he's the real deal too.

  • Unusual Coaching Instruction - No Blocked Shots


    We've all seen it. From shots on net to clearing attempts -- kids just fire it as hard as they can right into a set shin pads. Never works. Ever.

  • Why the US Lags Behind in Hockey


    Youth hockey in the US, while growing faster in sheer participants than anywhere else in the world, has some major hurdles to overcome where Canada, Czechia, Finland, and Sweden are light years ahead.

  • Everyone, Take a Knee!


    My kids have been on a few teams where the coach instructs the whole team to bring it in and take a knee when going over a new drill. I have a love/hate relationship with this tactic...and here's why!

  • Situational Game Awareness


    You ever seen a kid get all wide-eyed and shoot at an empty net from their own zone? Yeah, that's dumb hockey. And it's rampant.

  • The Right Coach; the Right Attitude


    Getting all bent out of shape doesn't get you anywhere. Good coaches know that.

  • Finding the Right Coach for your Youth Hockey Player


    When picking a program for your child to skate with, one of the more important things to take into account is the coach and, more specifically, their coaching philosophy.

  • What to Expect at a USA Hockey CEP 1 Coaching Clinic


    Outside of a handful of Google searches I made in a last ditch effort to see what I should be prepared for, I was really heading in to this blindly...

  • Great Youth Hockey Coaches Teach Confidence


    A great coach instills confidence and pulls talent out of players that otherwise seem, well, like they're just skating in circles out there...

  • Ice it! Shoot! ...and other terrible Hockey Instruction!


    I'm never a fan of painting things with broad strokes but something struck me last night while toiling through a middle school aged spring league game.

Articles related to Youth Hockey Equipment

  • The Buttendz Grip


    I've never been a fan of all the wacky additional contraptions marketed towards hockey players but this one...works. You should buy one.

  • The Wheeled Hockey Bag - Do NOT buy one...


    You might be your their chauffeur...but you're not their mule. Don't be an enabler. If your kids really want to play hockey, make them carry some of the weight too.

  • Youth Hockey Skate Sharpening


    How often? Where? And how much? Some parents insist on weekly sharpenings but...

  • The Proper Way to Tape a Hockey Stick


    Style points aside, there is a proper way to do it -- and the science behind it matters more than you'd think!

  • Sparx Divas...Just stop!


    Okay, so I know the old school guys out there think the Sparx machine is a joke and does a terrible job sharpening skates but it does exactly what it's designed to do. And it does it well.

  • New vs. Used Hockey Equipment


    Considering saving a few bucks by purchasing used equipment for your little hockey player?

  • When to re-tape a Hockey Stick


    I play with a guy who loves the look of a freshly taped blade and always makes sure that it...

  • The Effectiveness of the SuperDeker


    Okay, so I was not a fan of the SuperDeker when came out. Way overpriced for what's literally maybe $7 worth of 1980's-era Radio Shack technology but...

  • The Right, errr, Wrong Curve


    I've repeatedly stated that the advantages that differing equipment provide are minimal...except this time.

  • Retro Fashion Statement or History Repeating?


    I've been around a long time and seen things come and go. Some are predictable...others, well... This season, the team bags issued to my kids were...canvas. What is this, 1983?

  • Protect Your Neck. Wear a Neckguard.


    Enough with the excuses. I'm trying not to get preachy but if you've watched as much hockey as I have, you'll notice a trend. Might wanna force your kid to strap one on.

  • White Hockey Equipment. No, just...no.


    Hockey style changes from year to year -- and repeats itself each decade. Been around long enough to see it all.

  • Review: Raven Hockey Sticks


    The right equipment for the age of the player makes a difference. Raven Hockey has figured that out.

  • New Season, New Equipment


    Before the hockey season gets going, we're usually a little ahead of the curve when it comes to making sure everyone's equipment still fits. But when it doesn't fit anymore, man, can it be a struggle to replace!

  • Blue Pucks vs. Black Pucks


    USA Hockey requires youth hockey programs to use for the U8 level of hockey...and that's a terrible, terrible idea.

  • Let's talk about Hockey Skate Laces


    Frustrated by how much money I'd spent on laces that were just terrible, I decided to pinpoint the best, widely available, skate lace.

  • Product Review: SISU Mouthguard for Hockey


    This is a review of the SISU NextGen Mouthguard -- for real, the only youth hockey mouthguard that's worth it.

  • Broken Hockey Stick Refunds & Exchanges


    If you're the parent of one of those kids that goes through five or six sticks per season, you might want to pay close attention to how your player treats their stick...off the ice.

  • Curing the Hockey Bag Stank


    Why does my kid's hockey bag smell so terrible -- even after I've just washed it...repeatedly? I think I've found the source of the stink!

  • Product Review: Sparx Skate Sharperner


    This is a review of the Sparx Hockey Skate Sharpener that allows you to easily sharpen your skates at home.

Some really solid youth hockey information follows... Legit, read on.

Beyond the Regular Season...