13

November

What’s Your Hockey Emoji?

Posted by Greg Carter

I received a text the other day that got me thinking that if hockey players had to choose an emoji to describe themselves and their best hockey skills, what emoji it be?

There are literally hundreds of emoji’s to choose from when sending emails and texts, all of which make communication obvious, quick and simple. Just the other day I sent a text asking if someone was ready for hockey practice and I got back a thumbs up, hand clap and a mail box, which I later learned was meant to say ‘yes, I’m super excited to bring the mail’. All this got me thinking, if you had to pick, what would be your hockey emoji? Here are a few of our favorites:

eggThe Ham & Egger: This is for the every day player that isn’t necessarily the standout on the team, but every practice and game is consistently good and you just know what to expect from them. Every team has and needs players who may not have the top end talent and skill, but they have a drive and desire to win the battles in the corner and the races to the puck. Will over skill.

fist-bumpThe Pick Me Up Fist Bump: A pick me up player is important to the team. The fist bump is for the player that is always a good teammate and not only loves to celebrate the big moments with a fist bump, but to also use it in the difficult times to say ‘I got your back’.

moviecamThe Highlight Reel Movie Camera: This is for the players who have the ability to make moves on the ice that other players try to emulate. They are silky smooth with the puck, can stickhandle through a crowd and can deke goalies to score highlight reel goals.

tongueThe Exhausted Dog Tongue: This describes complete exhaustion, think of your dog after throwing the ball with him for a half hour. Dog tired! When we run conditioning drills at our hockey camps it’s always fun to see the top players working the hardest. If your hockey emoji is both the highlight reel and the dog tongue, you should be proud of yourself!

violinThe “Whine”, Cheese and Violin:  This describes the player who constantly whines about what position they are playing, not getting the puck enough or which line they are on. The violin emoji is often accompanied by the goblet and piece of cheese emoji’s.

gamblerThe Riverboat Gambler. This is the player with talent and the confidence that the chips are stacked in their favor. A dangerous combination that can win championships, but also a risk factor that puts gray hair on coaches. The Riverboat Gambler is willing to risk it all for the big play, and win they score, they win big. But there is always the chance of losing it all with their mid-ice dangle with no safety valve.

100The All-In, All The Time 100: This is for the player that gives 100% in everything they do. They are a good teammate in the locker room, have a 100% positive attitude, are always working their hardest and love the game 100% of the time!

Although emoji’s aren’t yet showing up in scouting reports or player/coach meetings, they are definitely a fun and entertaining way to communicate. So, what is the best emoji to describe you has a hockey player?

This article was written by the Greg Carter Hockey School pro staff. We have hockey schools in Massachusetts and throughout the United States. Please check out our hockey camp page for dates & locations for our 2017 summer hockey camps.

Categories: Uncategorized

28

October

Election Day – Who Deserves The “C” ?

Posted by Greg Carter

 

With Election Day just around the corner there is plenty of consideration – and consternation – among voters. Leading up to this election candidates on both a local and national level have displayed their character and aptitude through both action and words. At this point all that remains is the final decision of voters on who is best positioned to be a leader.

The definition of a leader is “the power or ability to lead other people”. Characteristics of a leader are similar, whether in sport, business or politics. A leader is someone who inspires and motivates. They are humble, intuitive, dedicated and solution oriented.

When hockey teams vote on who deserves the honor of wearing the “C” on their sweater, teammates and coaches make their decision based on many of the same considerations voters use to elect politicians, namely, the ability to lead. This should not be a popularity contest or an honor simply given to the best player on the team.

So what does it really mean to be a team captain? A captain and leader:

* Is respectful of teammates as well as the game of hockey. 

* Has a deep desire to win, to work hard and to inspire others to work just as hard.

* Is honest and trustworthy.

* Sets good examples in the good times, and well as during the challenging moments of the season.  

During this election season we have seen plenty of examples of what defines leaders and captains, as well as unfortunate situations that do not define leadership. For youth hockey players and captains, it’s important to remember that captaincy is a special honor, and one to be taken seriously on behalf of both teammates and coaches who look to their captain for leadership. Remember that the role of the captain and leader also extends beyond the ice, into the locker room and into daily life.

The following is one of our favorite quotes regarding leadership: “The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.”

We hope you are have a great start to the season and that you elect a great captain – and leader – for your team!

Categories: Uncategorized

18

October

Auston Matthews: 1st Game, 4 Goals & Plenty of Lessons

Posted by Greg Carter

When Auston Matthews scored a hat trick in his first NHL game, he became only the fifth player in NHL history to net 3 goals in a career debut. He also became the first Maple Leaf to accomplish this, which is pretty incredible for a team with the history of this original six team. Later in the game when Matthews proceeded to find the back of the net for the fourth time, you knew this would be a night that would have the hockey world talking.

It was little secret that Matthews would be chosen first in the 2016 NHL Draft, but as obvious as the choice seemed to be, the Matthews hype has been taken to an entirely new level after his opening night performance. Suddenly, everyone wants to know everything about this silky smooth forward from Arizona.

So what can youth hockey players learn from Matthews’ map to the NHL?

Skill Development. From an early age, Matthews focused on developing skills versus playing a bunch of games with all of the top teams in the area. He spent tons of hours playing small area games. He worked tirelessly on powerskating. He had the puck on his stick all the time learning to ‘stickhandle in a phone booth’. He focused on skill development and mastering the fundamental skills that would allow him to reach his full potential.

Work Ethic. Any coach will tell you that when you can combine exceptional skill with focus and drive, you have the recipe for a great hockey player. When Matthews learned a new skill he didn’t quit until he mastered it. Matthews’ work ethic is a shining example of what can happen when you have a mentality of not just learning a skill, but mastering a skill through repetition, commitment and hard work.

Shoot Pucks. At our hockey school we love to tell players that they can never shoot enough pucks. Matthews uses the skills he learned playing small area games to create time and space, which ultimately affords him the opportunities to get a lot of shots on goal. And not only is he getting shots on goal, but because he has a deadly shot, he has scored a lot of goals.

And in his first NHL game, he got 4.

 

Categories: Uncategorized

04

October

Are You a Coachable Hockey Player?

Posted by Greg Carter

With the start of the hockey season upon us, it’s important to stop and think about your goals for this winter, and one of the first questions you should ask yourself is if you are a coachable player.

What is a ‘coachable player’? A few characteristics of coachable hockey players include:

  • Respecting your hockey coach and his/her ability to make you a better hockey player.
  • Accepting that there is always room for improvement and growth.
  • Acknowledgement that constructive criticism is part of hockey development.
  • A willingness and accountability to apply what is learned.
  • A burning desire to work hard and become a better hockey player!

In our many years of coaching and running hockey clinics and summer hockey schools, we have seen many hockey players who have great skills, but they simply aren’t coachable. This can be due to parent influence, ego, a lack of respect for the coach or inability to accept criticism. Regardless of the reason, a player will have a difficult time achieving their full potential if they are not coachable.

Perhaps one of the most important ingredients in being coachable is simply having a great attitude and approach to the game. Players who come to the rink eager and willing to learn at practice are going to listen to coaches rather than rolling their eyes at them. These players are going to think about the areas of their game that needs improvement rather than brushing it off as a coach picking on them. These players are the ones who leave practice excited and feeling like they improved on a skill, rather than dwelling on the fact they aren’t perfect.

Coachable players tend to develop their skills and knowledge of the game and an accelerated pace. They also tend to be those who the coaches like to work with, because the coaches can see the improvement, and find satisfaction in helping a player take their game to the next level.

Really good coaches thrive on feeding the hunger of coachable players. Good coaches will recognize and appreciate your desire to improve, and a positive coach/player relationship will most often result in the coach doing everything they can to help you achieve your goals.

So before the season really gets going, take a minute and ask yourself: Am I a coachable hockey player?

Categories: college hockey

14

September

This Season, Make it Matter

Posted by Greg Carter

When it comes to applying your hard work from hockey camp this summer, what are you doing this season to make it matter?

Each summer at our hockey schools we teach a wide variety of hockey skills including shooting, passing, power skating, speed, agility and of course, scoring! We enjoy watching hockey players develop and improve fundamental skills, as well as helping them understand what it really takes to become a better hockey player.

There really is no secret to the ingredients resulting in success, and it all  starts with a big helping of hard work. What the best players understand however, is that while the ingredients may be similar for players’ path to achieving their goals, it’s the recipe that differs from player to player. And the top players understand that the recipe, just like a favorite dish, requires effort.

Summer hockey school is a great time to fine tune your game and work on developing your personal goals. Everything that you worked on this past summer will play an important role in your success this season. And to really make it matter this season, an emphasis needs to be placed on continuing to improve on the skills learned and developed over the summer.

It’s easy to get lost in the excitement of the start of the season and get caught up in some early season success. By mid-season however, it’s not uncommon to fall back into bad habits or taking short cuts. Players need to take the instruction learned over the summer and apply it each and every practice. Think of this in terms of building the foundation to a home. Each layer of bricks will continue to support the structure of the house, and every layer must be as strong or stronger than the previous.

In the same way, hockey players must advance through their development consistently striving to improve skills, and adding to a strong foundation that will lead them to becoming a great hockey player and achieving their goals.

So with the hockey season upon us, and to really make it matter this season, write down your greatest strengths and also areas of your game that require improvement.  Think back to what you learned at summer hockey school and how you can apply that knowledge at every practice and every game.

Continue to work hard and tweak the ingredients in your recipe for success. When things are going great continue to stay focused, and when you find a challenging time, think back to your foundation and the skills that you have developed.

And most of all this season, make it matter!

Categories: hockey fundamentals, hockey goals, skill development, stick handling, stickhandling

09

August

Our Best Summer Hockey School Players

Posted by Greg Carter

IMG_6806 - Version 2Training hockey players and helping in their development is very rewarding. We’d like to introduce some of the best players we met and had the privilege of working with this summer.

In a recent blog post we introduced you to five people you will meet at summer hockey school. As we enter our final month of hockey school we would like to introduce you to a few of our best players from our travels across the country this summer training hockey players and promoting skill development.

The Character Kid. Everyone knows character counts, and this summer we met plenty of exceptional players and parents who had great character on and off of the ice. When it comes to skill development and becoming a great hockey player, who you are as a person, how you carry yourself and treat teammates is all part of the ingredients for success.

The ‘Centered’ Center. Balance is important not only in skating and performance with stride and hockey skills, but balance is also important when it comes to hockey and a daily routine. Our staff met many hockey players this summer, and those who came to the rink with the most enthusiasm, excitement and willingness to learn were often those who had good balance in their life. Many were multiple sport athletes. Some were taking summer school. Others came from water skiing at the lake to the rink. Remain ‘centered’ with good balance when it comes to your hockey schedule and you will find success.

The Skinny Skillmaster. Most of the players we train at our hockey camps are between the ages of 8 and 16. What this means  for example, is that some Peewees weigh 70 pounds and others might weigh 150. One player thought he needed to really bulk up and gain weight, but what he really needed was patience for his body to grow into his frame. A good diet during this age of development is important. We saw many kids eating junk food, drinking highly caffeinated energy drinks and other foods and beverages that you would never find in a college or professional locker room. Food is fuel for your body, but not all food (and beverages) are good fuel.

We hope you had a great summer of hockey and improved your skills. Make sure to keep these hockey development tips in mind as you work your way through August and onto your team for the upcoming season!

Categories: Uncategorized

13

July

Hockey Lessons From A Day At The Beach

Posted by Greg Carter

blog_1

Summer is an awesome time of the year for so many reasons. We obviously love to run summer hockey schools and train young hockey players June – August, but we also enjoy taking advantage of the great weather and spending time with family and friends. One recent sunny afternoon we took a trip to the beach and as we were sitting in the sand enjoying the scenery and blue water, the conversation of course gravitated to hockey and before long, we were drawing up plays in the sand!

We left the beach that day with 5 good lessons about the beach, and hockey!

1. Come prepared. I used to have a coach that said ‘take care of your equipment, and your equipment will take care of you’. Believe it or not, how you tape your stick is important. Having the proper amount of time to stretch and get dressed is important. Arrive at the rink in time to get mentally prepared for the game, not at the last minute scrambling to find the locker room, only to discover that you forgot an elbow pad . . . sort of like the family at the beach who forgot sun screen and left looking like lobsters.

2. Hit the ice with authority. Watching people at the beach tiptoe into the water can be hilarious. Rather than just taking the plunge, so many people try to take it step by step until they think it’s warm enough to dive in. The same can be said at the rink, we love to train – and coach – the players who literally run onto the ice they are so excited to be at the rink. And when it comes to game time, a team running onto the ice and skating a hard lap can be very intimidating.

3. Energy. Everyone loves a day at the beach, and the people having the most fun are those who are playing volleyball, swimming and taking advantage of every opportunity. When it comes to hockey, use your energy to get noticed on the ice and to be quicker, faster and always one step ahead of the competition. High energy people at the beach have more fun, and high energy hockey players are more productive and score more goals!

4. Awareness. The beach can get crowded, the current can get swift and the water can get deep. You always need to know where you are at the beach and in the water. On the hockey rink, you also need great awareness to be effective. Being able to see the ice, anticipate the play and separate yourself from the crowd can add up to great defense and a lot of scoring.

5. Respect. This is one that we talk about at our hockey schools quite often. Just like at the beach where you need to have respect for others around by not throwing sand or playing your favorite song too loud, hockey is a game of respect. Hockey players respect their opponent, respect their coach and teammates and most of all, respect the game.

We enjoyed our day at the beach and are planning a few more trips in the coming weeks. We do still have spots still available in most of our camps taking place in 10 states this summer so we hope to see you soon, either at the beach, or at the rink!

Categories: Uncategorized

13

June

Are You A Big Time Player?

Posted by Greg Carter

Big game players combine their talent and drive to be game changers.

The Stanley Cup Finals is a great time of year. As Wayne Gretzky summed it up in a recent interview “You know that you are in a special place when you look at the out of town scoreboard and there are no games being played.”

Other than the one you are in of course, which at this time of year means only one thing, the Stanley Cup!

There is no bigger stage in hockey than the Stanley Cup, when everything is on the line during an awesome seven game series. It’s the culmination of the season and the playoffs, and the game is being played at an entirely different level. The excitement and adrenaline is at its peak.

So what are some of the key factors in managing all of the stress, excitement and emotions and stepping up and being a big time player in a big time situation?  Here are some common traits of big time players that I’ve seen over the years.

•    As the games and the stakes rise, so too does the play of big game players.  Big game players have the innate ability to keep bringing the energy and leadership that it takes to get the job done. In clutch situations these are the players that are ready and prepared to make it happen. And often times do make it happen.

•    Big game players are those that WANT to be in the ice in overtime and in key situations. They want the puck on their stick, they want to be out there playing great defense to create an offensive opportunity. Big time players have the talent, confidence and determination to make it happen. They are only thinking one thing, not IF we are going to win, but HOW we are going to win. And they want to be out there for every shift to make it happen.

•    As the old cliché goes, “Hard work only comes before success in the dictionary.” Big game players know this, and understand that in order to be successful in that one defining moment, they have to train hard to get there. They shoot pucks. They lift weights. They practice and train with a purpose and with one goal in mind: converting the opportunity that they get to win the big prize. They know that they may only get one chance, and in that moment they know it’s their time to shine.

All players dream of being in the championship games at all levels. And as you watch the Stanley Cup and realize what it means to the best hockey players in the world to be playing for the top prize, you quickly understand that it takes a special player to rise to the occasion and be a big game player.

We hope the Stanley Cup Finals inspired you to train hard this summer, and that you are successful in your very own big games!

Categories: hockey goals, hockey goals and assists, hockey season, ice hockey development, NHL, Player Tips, Stanley Cup

19

May

Make Your Summer Skill Development a Success

Posted by Greg Carter

Youth hockey players always start the summer with great intentions on training. Developing a better shot, a better stride and a better all-around game might be on your list. So how can you make sure that when the sun sets on Labor Day you will have better skills than the first of June or 4th of July? Here are some tips, and it all starts with a plan.

Make a plan. And make a list. Think back to last season and the areas of your game that you needed to improve on. Prioritize the skills that you are going to focus on and then commit to a regular schedule. Post your plan and your list in an area that you will see it every day, and let it be a motivator to get started, and keep going.

Fun Factor. Summer should be about having fun, and there is no reason that your training can’t be fun, along with some sweat and hard work. Turn on some music, dump out a bucket of pucks and start stick handling and shooting. Before you know it, 10 songs will have gone by and your shot will be better for it.

Try Something Different. At our hockey camp we like to talk about training the CARTER Method: C=Control, A=Agility, R=Reflex, T=Technique, E=Edge, R=Retention. Including a new routine or training method into your schedule will help keep things fresh and motivating.

Everyone loves winter hockey, but here at Greg Carter Hockey Schools we especially love summer hockey and all of the training and growth opportunities that come with it. We have watched so many young athletes blossom over the summer months as they push and challenge themselves to get out of their comfort zone and take their game to the next level.

We invite you to take advantage of the outstanding high performance training opportunities we have available this summer. Our hockey school will be in ten states including Alaska, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Virginia.

For more than two decades our experienced team of coaches has been focused on player development and summer hockey training. We hope to see you at one of our camps this summer and look forward to helping you reach your goals!

Categories: hockey camp, hockey clinic, hockey fundamentals, hockey goals and assists, ice hockey development, Massachusetts hockey camp, stick handling, youth hockey

19

April

April Is The Season of Champions

Posted by Greg Carter

April is one of the great hockey months. In the NHL we have the push to the playoffs, which means a few things: the intensity ratchets up several notches, the speed of the game shifts up a gear or two and of course the facial hair is grown out. During April we also have college hockey’s Frozen Four. This is another great tournament as unpaid players are putting it all on the line not for a huge paycheck, but rather for the simple right to win a championship.

You can’t help but watch the incredible hockey this time of year and wonder, ‘what does it really take to get to that level of play’ . . . not just playing at the highest level, but to advance through the regular season and the playoffs and ultimately hit the ice and play on the biggest stage, under the brightest lights for the right to hoist the biggest trophy.

For most of players, and you’ll hear this in post-game interviews, the ‘what it really takes’ is determination. Not just team determination, but individual determination.  And that determination didn’t just start at the end of the regular season or the weeks leading into the playoffs as the team fought to make the post season. For the most successful players, that determination started a long time ago in a basement, garage, backyard rink or local park.

Determination goes hand and hand with hard work. The great Vince Lombardi once said “The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.”

Every hockey player wants to win, wants to make the playoffs, wants to play for the championship and wants to hoist the trophy. The reality is that the players who do end up in these games are the ones who have realized at a young age what it really takes to get there. First and foremost it requires a love of the game. After that, it takes commitment, determination and hard work.

The best players that I’ve played with have all possessed these traits. They were the guys at the rink first and off the ice last. They loved shooting pucks. They loved practicing and trying to get better every day. And I mean every day. They loved being at the rink, and when they weren’t they were making mom and dad upset by staying at the local rink two hours too long. They were quintessential rink rats, who also had skill, determination and weren’t afraid of hard work.

So when you see players on TV hoisting a trophy, some doing so in tears, it’s important to understand that the journey for these players didn’t start at the beginning of the season. It started at the beginning of their recognition that with determination and hard work, there can be no limits to your success.

When does your journey begin?

Categories: hockey fundamentals, hockey goals and assists, hockey season, NHL, playoff hockey
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