Communicating with those you care about
"Be open, be honest, be real, be clear and have fun going through every process.""It's tough to talk to kids who have already arrived and easy to talk to kids who are pushing to get to the next level."
"Carpe diem" Seize the day."
"It doesn't matter where we start or where we are today. The only thing that matters is where we end up."
"Conviction is what keeps you going. Stay the course. Don't compromise your beliefs and dreams."
"People want to narrow us down with words, thoughts, evaluations and beliefs. Do all the things that make you feel good about yourself that excite your mind."
"Young people get more from sharing ideas than giving them pep talks." Sharing ideas, talking with versus talking to, has potential to be life changing. Pep talks are a quick fix with little or no staying powers."
Our lives count only if family, friends and people in need come first."
"What we do for people in need (especially youth and needy) means more than anything else in life."
"Enjoy life by connecting with others and giving back."
Do all this and all things fall in to place. You help others become what you believe they can be. People who train and work @ our Minnesota Hockey Camps have been well schooled on the value of an athlete having the capacity to do 180 degree turns, reprogramming, adjusting and staying on course. Some have been sitting in our class listening to the Template for Success for a lot of years, some for one summer.."
Pushing yourself in a competitive setting prepares you for every situation in life."
I believe young people have the capability and mindset to find a solution in any situation. Most are only @ the goalmouth of boldly expressing their skills with an attitude and a swagger. This will evolve providing they have a strong desire to compete.
MHC creates exposure and awareness; giving you the knowledge to understand yourself; see your blind spots. Until that happens, you are treading water in your development.
Young people today have more intuitive minds and a good chance of being more street smart: years ahead of me @ the same age. The reason being; there is so much more information for them to soak up if they remain curious about the game and life.
Love plays a huge role; there are two winners or no winners. Tell them that. -Ole Gringo-
ã Copyright by Chuck Grillo, Minnesota Hockey Camps
24621 So Clark Lake Rd P.O. Box 90 Nisswa, MN 56468-0090
Phone 218.96.2444 Fax 218.963.2325 Email chuck@mnhockeycamps.com
All rights reserved.
No part of this book, blog OR template may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means without permission in writing from Minnesota Hockey Camps
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Give your athlete a sporting chance
Give your child a “Sporting Chance”
in hockey and real life
Winning @ all costs is destroying youth development. What does it take to get people to see the big picture? This means developing habits that will lead to success versus winning games @ an early age. Work, training habits and figuring out how the mind works, will go further toward dictating success than winning @ all costs @ a young age. We have a number of goals @ our summer camp as we try to connect with young athletes.
We teach young people that training and hard work go hand in hand and can be a source of fun and good times. Sweating with your peers in a training environment can be as much fun as scoring and winning. Creating awareness while exposing both assets and liabilities are paramount to young people defining their game; whom they are, and what we collectively believe they can be.
Most young people “think” they train, “think” they have a passion for the game and life, “think” they work. They have no way of knowing until they are involved in the highest synergy settings possible where they can visibly see who does each skill the best. Only then are they in a position to emulate those that set the bar in each skill and exercise. This is not about winning. This is about developing habits that lead to making you a winner on the ice sheet and in life. There is room for everyone to overachieve in their asset categories.
Early success has become a priority of adults @ the expense of a solid foundation in place to prevent fatigue, complacency and sophistication @ an early age. We are witness to this every day we go in to a rink to view another prospect. “Fatigue, complacency and sophistication kills. Fatigue because of conditioning levels, complacency and sophistication because of too much, too soon @ an early age and failure to consciously guard against it.”
We spend too much time sorting out the weak fm the strong, deciding who is best and who is the worst, when in reality no one can predict fm year to year who is on top until age 25 or 26. Even then I’ve seen people totally wrong in their assessments. We place too much emphasis on ratings; failing to realize that young people were put on this earth to validate and anoint themselves as soon as they begin to figure out how life really works.
This is our obligation to our athletes. The most important part of how life really works is learning to train and work. They will find a way regardless of what you say, write, believe, report or how you rate them if you will just let them grow in a “playground setting” with guidelines. They need only to recognize and accept what they do well, and what liabilities need to be managed, so they can contribute in a team setting. If you need to grade your athlete, do it with exposure and awareness as the primary motive. Take your assets, build on them and manage your liabilities to the unnoticeable level if that is possible. Do not have ratings be the deterrent in any situation.
This is Minnesota Hockey Camps; a “playground setting with guidelines” in place to ensure that each child gets an opportunity. We are @ a point in our society where playground settings are close to extinction and this was the underlying reason why so many young people were able to figure out who they were without some adult coming down on them. This was the driving force behind each person figuring out how life works and success.
No one manufactures a champion. Champions rise out of adversity and understanding of their strengths and weaknesses knowing they have a support system in place. They develop in programs that have the vision to allow kids to experiment and try something without worrying about the other team scoring. We know how to take the game and blend it in with recreation. We know how to run a pond hockey practice with guidelines that emulate the early players who developed on outdoor rinks. We’ve been able to equalize the amount of fun in the weight room, on the dryland, in the classroom, on the shooting range and on the ice sheet. We’ve been witness to players leading in each of these settings and not the same players. Hard work is gratifying; a skill in itself.
The skills are in the drills and FUNdamentals are the priority.
We’ve been witness to our worst camper going on to be a lawyer, our lowest talent levels going on to be millionaire professional athletes and a player unwanted going on to be Captain of a Gold Medal group of athletes he was cut away from two years earlier.
We want each of our athletes to recognize the importance of physical activity as well as the use of their minds and curiosity level. Once defined, it’s easier to implement an attitude, swagger, boldness and competitive instincts that lead to young people becoming winners in hockey and real life. This leads to players developing the skill to express their skills; an acquirable skill that gets left out of the mix in most programs and educational settings.
Teaching young people how to win in life is a lot more complicated than teaching a puck skill or breakout. Some coaches have it down in theory, but too few have the skill to teach young people how to win. We believe we have the Template in place to get the message across to our campers. We have it in a formula and we know how to get it across. We are proud to say, “MHC mirrors life with lifetime values.”
A sport, like life, is a process that becomes simplified when we understand how everything works; meaning the body, mind and life. Learn all this and real life becomes a walk in the park when it comes time to commit to something you love. –Ole Gringo-
ã Copyright by Chuck Grillo, Minnesota Hockey Camps
24621 So Clark Lake Rd P.O. Box 90 Nisswa, MN 56468-0090
Phone 218.96.2444 Fax 218.963.2325 Email chuck@mnhockeycamps.com
All rights reserved.
No part of this book, blog OR template may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means without permission in writing from Minnesota Hockey Camps
in hockey and real life
Winning @ all costs is destroying youth development. What does it take to get people to see the big picture? This means developing habits that will lead to success versus winning games @ an early age. Work, training habits and figuring out how the mind works, will go further toward dictating success than winning @ all costs @ a young age. We have a number of goals @ our summer camp as we try to connect with young athletes.
We teach young people that training and hard work go hand in hand and can be a source of fun and good times. Sweating with your peers in a training environment can be as much fun as scoring and winning. Creating awareness while exposing both assets and liabilities are paramount to young people defining their game; whom they are, and what we collectively believe they can be.
Most young people “think” they train, “think” they have a passion for the game and life, “think” they work. They have no way of knowing until they are involved in the highest synergy settings possible where they can visibly see who does each skill the best. Only then are they in a position to emulate those that set the bar in each skill and exercise. This is not about winning. This is about developing habits that lead to making you a winner on the ice sheet and in life. There is room for everyone to overachieve in their asset categories.
Early success has become a priority of adults @ the expense of a solid foundation in place to prevent fatigue, complacency and sophistication @ an early age. We are witness to this every day we go in to a rink to view another prospect. “Fatigue, complacency and sophistication kills. Fatigue because of conditioning levels, complacency and sophistication because of too much, too soon @ an early age and failure to consciously guard against it.”
We spend too much time sorting out the weak fm the strong, deciding who is best and who is the worst, when in reality no one can predict fm year to year who is on top until age 25 or 26. Even then I’ve seen people totally wrong in their assessments. We place too much emphasis on ratings; failing to realize that young people were put on this earth to validate and anoint themselves as soon as they begin to figure out how life really works.
This is our obligation to our athletes. The most important part of how life really works is learning to train and work. They will find a way regardless of what you say, write, believe, report or how you rate them if you will just let them grow in a “playground setting” with guidelines. They need only to recognize and accept what they do well, and what liabilities need to be managed, so they can contribute in a team setting. If you need to grade your athlete, do it with exposure and awareness as the primary motive. Take your assets, build on them and manage your liabilities to the unnoticeable level if that is possible. Do not have ratings be the deterrent in any situation.
This is Minnesota Hockey Camps; a “playground setting with guidelines” in place to ensure that each child gets an opportunity. We are @ a point in our society where playground settings are close to extinction and this was the underlying reason why so many young people were able to figure out who they were without some adult coming down on them. This was the driving force behind each person figuring out how life works and success.
No one manufactures a champion. Champions rise out of adversity and understanding of their strengths and weaknesses knowing they have a support system in place. They develop in programs that have the vision to allow kids to experiment and try something without worrying about the other team scoring. We know how to take the game and blend it in with recreation. We know how to run a pond hockey practice with guidelines that emulate the early players who developed on outdoor rinks. We’ve been able to equalize the amount of fun in the weight room, on the dryland, in the classroom, on the shooting range and on the ice sheet. We’ve been witness to players leading in each of these settings and not the same players. Hard work is gratifying; a skill in itself.
The skills are in the drills and FUNdamentals are the priority.
We’ve been witness to our worst camper going on to be a lawyer, our lowest talent levels going on to be millionaire professional athletes and a player unwanted going on to be Captain of a Gold Medal group of athletes he was cut away from two years earlier.
We want each of our athletes to recognize the importance of physical activity as well as the use of their minds and curiosity level. Once defined, it’s easier to implement an attitude, swagger, boldness and competitive instincts that lead to young people becoming winners in hockey and real life. This leads to players developing the skill to express their skills; an acquirable skill that gets left out of the mix in most programs and educational settings.
Teaching young people how to win in life is a lot more complicated than teaching a puck skill or breakout. Some coaches have it down in theory, but too few have the skill to teach young people how to win. We believe we have the Template in place to get the message across to our campers. We have it in a formula and we know how to get it across. We are proud to say, “MHC mirrors life with lifetime values.”
A sport, like life, is a process that becomes simplified when we understand how everything works; meaning the body, mind and life. Learn all this and real life becomes a walk in the park when it comes time to commit to something you love. –Ole Gringo-
ã Copyright by Chuck Grillo, Minnesota Hockey Camps
24621 So Clark Lake Rd P.O. Box 90 Nisswa, MN 56468-0090
Phone 218.96.2444 Fax 218.963.2325 Email chuck@mnhockeycamps.com
All rights reserved.
No part of this book, blog OR template may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means without permission in writing from Minnesota Hockey Camps
Friday, January 15, 2010
Seminal Moment, Stanley Cup, WJC for USA
Seminal Moment
I have to admit I am more a fan of players and staffs than an employee in the game. I've been witness to great accomplishments as individuals, as well as teams, each season and I became a fan of the players as well as the staff.
Almost daily, you read in the news where some player or person had a seminal moment that defined their career and/or life. Life shouldn't be all that complicated, but it tends to get that way sometimes. It has been a while since the Pittsburgh franchise had an attitude and a swagger. Looking @ this 2006 Penguins team, I get excited. They are a glaring example that age really doesn't matter if you are mature. The youngest players in the line-up were by far the most mature of anyone we interviewed prior to each draft. They had a maturity level far beyond the normal 17 - 18 year old as have a number of high picks in the draft. If young players are mature what difference does it make? The 2006 feeling played out to a Stanley Cup ring in 2009.
Team USA in the 2010 WJC is an example of taking your game beyond the technical and tactical levels of the game. Seconds after the USA win, my thoughts turned to Larry “Pops” Ross, the storied high school coach in International Fall, USA Hockey Hall of Famer, and most importantly mentor to Dean Blais and Michael “Lefty” Curran. Pops had a way of teaching you how to win. He willed an attitude, swagger, boldness and competitive instincts in to your game and life. Lefty used this to win Silver in the Olympics.
Dean has carried on the legacy as one of Pop’s prize pupils. USA players are fortunate that they crossed paths with Dean Blais. Every one of their careers will be enhanced because of this experience. If there is one thing Dean can do, he can will and weave all the intangibles in to your talent threshold.
The difference is a lesson for all players involved in the game today. These younger players may be mature but they have no doubt retained their fun loving 8th grade personalities. The game is still fun and life's new experiences are exciting if we retain that vibrant and youthful junior high personality. These players are well grounded athletes, a credit to their upbringing, and they love to be @ the rink.
If notoriety @ an early age becomes a burden, that, along with success, could also be a seminal moment in a player's career. These young players share some basic ingredients. Nothing is taken for granted. They are driven to outwork and outperform their opponents in life. They are not content to stay where they are. If they didn't have a "seminal moment" in their young career, their seminal moment is the adversity they face in working as hard to stay on top as they did getting to the top; and they accept the challenge. This is not an easy way to live your every day life regardless of age. A player’s commitment during the summer months is no different than buying an insurance policy on his career and ultimately his life. Another ingredient is they feel an obligation and responsibility to share the puck and the glory. They have figured out @ an early age if their teammates do well, the team will do well and they will do very well. They have the confidence, composure and charisma to trust their game during a critical moment and are comfortable in their own skin. They have fun winning and being who they are. They also have a game within the game. Most take their game beyond what any coach could teach.
For many, a seminal moment is some negative or a failure that wakes us up. For the high ranked players, a seminal moment is recognizing how good they are, how good they can be and the responsibility that goes with cultivating and maintaining what they have. They commit themselves to preparation and rest takes care of itself. This will give any young person, or young team, an attitude, swagger, boldness and over the top competitive instincts. This is what I believe Pittsburgh can be. They play beyond their years and they have young people with the maturity to ask questions about getting better. How special is that?
Next we ask, "Are these players human? Are they invincible? Do they need a support system? If the great players need three to six mentors outside of their immediate family, why wouldn't every person need this? I made the following observations @ our training camp during the fall of 2006. The great players have more outside people in their support system than any of the others. Is this a catalyst for their success?
"Adults and management have a way of stripping young people of opportunity; if only by a rating system." For some, you may get that “one chance” and you better be ready to make the most of it. For others, they can do no wrong. Right or wrong, the pros have less of a support system for their players than the amateurs. This comes at a time when the support system could be the most important thing in a person's life. That support can't always come from the immediate family.
None of us can say we’ve done it by ourselves, no matter what we accomplish in our lives. Supports systems are crucial to our success; whether amateur or pro. We’ve been witness to over twenty-five (25) training camps during our professional career. Sometimes it is the high risk chance we don’t take that gets the attention of management, then there are the times it is the expression of our unique talents with calculated risk taking. I've been to training camp where I've seen young men set up to succeed and I've been to others where certain players are set up to succeed and others are left to fend for themselves. I love the players who accept the challenge of beating the odds and make it happen and I feel the same for those who get an opportunity handed to them and they make the most of it and build on it.
Every athlete has to take the approach, "If it can happen, I am going to make it happen." I see a lot of players making it happen and I predicted this to Greg Malone when we sat down to discuss players the summer of 2006. I am truly excited about the play of a lot of players each season. It makes it even more special when I'm able to share some time with them during the summer months and watch them work hard, interact and have some laughs with players and the coaching staff. Players who have the intelligence to prepare for the unknown are easy to love and respect.
You have no way of knowing what is going to happen when opportunity knocks. You will know you are prepared and that gives you a psychological advantage because there will be no anxiety.
When I see hockey potential in high class young men, it reminds me of people who I believe are highly marketable if they can make it to the NHL. If they maintain the enthusiasm of a child, look like a young man (versus a boy) @ a young age, and play like they are leaders who belong, they are a step ahead of their opponent in life. I hope they maintain the image they acquire through substance and stay well grounded and a "class act".
This is the responsibility a player has to himself if he wants to go beyond being paid as a player on the ice. He has all this marketing potential that goes way beyond the salary of the player. Very few put themselves in a position to take advantage of it.
I love the following attitude. “He can do everything on the ice sheet if he puts his mind to it and he does it unconditionally. Training is a way of life for him. He comes here and he does every single exercise with the same attitude he has in a game. He does all this with a smile on his face, is able to laugh with his peers and laugh @ himself. How can anyone not love your son? He has the talent to play any position and can adjust to any situation.”
This is what I would like to write about every promising athlete I meet. There are a few that I can write about, but I want to write about more. Maybe this is a seminal moment for a player to realize he could really be something if he continues to intelligently prepare and take his development a step @ a time. Develop an swagger with an attitude, boldness and competitive instincts that lead to winning in hockey and in life. – Ole Gringo -
Copyright - Chuck Grillo, Minnesota Hockey Camps
24621 So Clark Lake Rd P.O. Box 90 Nisswa, MN 56468-0090
Phone 218.96.2444 Fax 218.963.2325 Email chuck@mnhockeycamps.com
All rights reserved.
No part of this blog, book OR template may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means without permission in writing from Minnesota Hockey Camps
I have to admit I am more a fan of players and staffs than an employee in the game. I've been witness to great accomplishments as individuals, as well as teams, each season and I became a fan of the players as well as the staff.
Almost daily, you read in the news where some player or person had a seminal moment that defined their career and/or life. Life shouldn't be all that complicated, but it tends to get that way sometimes. It has been a while since the Pittsburgh franchise had an attitude and a swagger. Looking @ this 2006 Penguins team, I get excited. They are a glaring example that age really doesn't matter if you are mature. The youngest players in the line-up were by far the most mature of anyone we interviewed prior to each draft. They had a maturity level far beyond the normal 17 - 18 year old as have a number of high picks in the draft. If young players are mature what difference does it make? The 2006 feeling played out to a Stanley Cup ring in 2009.
Team USA in the 2010 WJC is an example of taking your game beyond the technical and tactical levels of the game. Seconds after the USA win, my thoughts turned to Larry “Pops” Ross, the storied high school coach in International Fall, USA Hockey Hall of Famer, and most importantly mentor to Dean Blais and Michael “Lefty” Curran. Pops had a way of teaching you how to win. He willed an attitude, swagger, boldness and competitive instincts in to your game and life. Lefty used this to win Silver in the Olympics.
Dean has carried on the legacy as one of Pop’s prize pupils. USA players are fortunate that they crossed paths with Dean Blais. Every one of their careers will be enhanced because of this experience. If there is one thing Dean can do, he can will and weave all the intangibles in to your talent threshold.
The difference is a lesson for all players involved in the game today. These younger players may be mature but they have no doubt retained their fun loving 8th grade personalities. The game is still fun and life's new experiences are exciting if we retain that vibrant and youthful junior high personality. These players are well grounded athletes, a credit to their upbringing, and they love to be @ the rink.
If notoriety @ an early age becomes a burden, that, along with success, could also be a seminal moment in a player's career. These young players share some basic ingredients. Nothing is taken for granted. They are driven to outwork and outperform their opponents in life. They are not content to stay where they are. If they didn't have a "seminal moment" in their young career, their seminal moment is the adversity they face in working as hard to stay on top as they did getting to the top; and they accept the challenge. This is not an easy way to live your every day life regardless of age. A player’s commitment during the summer months is no different than buying an insurance policy on his career and ultimately his life. Another ingredient is they feel an obligation and responsibility to share the puck and the glory. They have figured out @ an early age if their teammates do well, the team will do well and they will do very well. They have the confidence, composure and charisma to trust their game during a critical moment and are comfortable in their own skin. They have fun winning and being who they are. They also have a game within the game. Most take their game beyond what any coach could teach.
For many, a seminal moment is some negative or a failure that wakes us up. For the high ranked players, a seminal moment is recognizing how good they are, how good they can be and the responsibility that goes with cultivating and maintaining what they have. They commit themselves to preparation and rest takes care of itself. This will give any young person, or young team, an attitude, swagger, boldness and over the top competitive instincts. This is what I believe Pittsburgh can be. They play beyond their years and they have young people with the maturity to ask questions about getting better. How special is that?
Next we ask, "Are these players human? Are they invincible? Do they need a support system? If the great players need three to six mentors outside of their immediate family, why wouldn't every person need this? I made the following observations @ our training camp during the fall of 2006. The great players have more outside people in their support system than any of the others. Is this a catalyst for their success?
"Adults and management have a way of stripping young people of opportunity; if only by a rating system." For some, you may get that “one chance” and you better be ready to make the most of it. For others, they can do no wrong. Right or wrong, the pros have less of a support system for their players than the amateurs. This comes at a time when the support system could be the most important thing in a person's life. That support can't always come from the immediate family.
None of us can say we’ve done it by ourselves, no matter what we accomplish in our lives. Supports systems are crucial to our success; whether amateur or pro. We’ve been witness to over twenty-five (25) training camps during our professional career. Sometimes it is the high risk chance we don’t take that gets the attention of management, then there are the times it is the expression of our unique talents with calculated risk taking. I've been to training camp where I've seen young men set up to succeed and I've been to others where certain players are set up to succeed and others are left to fend for themselves. I love the players who accept the challenge of beating the odds and make it happen and I feel the same for those who get an opportunity handed to them and they make the most of it and build on it.
Every athlete has to take the approach, "If it can happen, I am going to make it happen." I see a lot of players making it happen and I predicted this to Greg Malone when we sat down to discuss players the summer of 2006. I am truly excited about the play of a lot of players each season. It makes it even more special when I'm able to share some time with them during the summer months and watch them work hard, interact and have some laughs with players and the coaching staff. Players who have the intelligence to prepare for the unknown are easy to love and respect.
You have no way of knowing what is going to happen when opportunity knocks. You will know you are prepared and that gives you a psychological advantage because there will be no anxiety.
When I see hockey potential in high class young men, it reminds me of people who I believe are highly marketable if they can make it to the NHL. If they maintain the enthusiasm of a child, look like a young man (versus a boy) @ a young age, and play like they are leaders who belong, they are a step ahead of their opponent in life. I hope they maintain the image they acquire through substance and stay well grounded and a "class act".
This is the responsibility a player has to himself if he wants to go beyond being paid as a player on the ice. He has all this marketing potential that goes way beyond the salary of the player. Very few put themselves in a position to take advantage of it.
I love the following attitude. “He can do everything on the ice sheet if he puts his mind to it and he does it unconditionally. Training is a way of life for him. He comes here and he does every single exercise with the same attitude he has in a game. He does all this with a smile on his face, is able to laugh with his peers and laugh @ himself. How can anyone not love your son? He has the talent to play any position and can adjust to any situation.”
This is what I would like to write about every promising athlete I meet. There are a few that I can write about, but I want to write about more. Maybe this is a seminal moment for a player to realize he could really be something if he continues to intelligently prepare and take his development a step @ a time. Develop an swagger with an attitude, boldness and competitive instincts that lead to winning in hockey and in life. – Ole Gringo -
Copyright - Chuck Grillo, Minnesota Hockey Camps
24621 So Clark Lake Rd P.O. Box 90 Nisswa, MN 56468-0090
Phone 218.96.2444 Fax 218.963.2325 Email chuck@mnhockeycamps.com
All rights reserved.
No part of this blog, book OR template may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means without permission in writing from Minnesota Hockey Camps
Friday, January 1, 2010
Acquiring winning skills and the skill to express skills
Acquiring the skill and willingness to express your skills and winning
There is no greater joy than working with prospects. I find it interesting to study the mindset of the younger players. First of all, they wouldn't be here if they didn't possess some unique skills. The first question for them to answer in this setting is: Have I mastered the ability to express my talent and skill level? Expressing a skill is an acquired ability that needs to be taught and learned. It is not genetic. This is something you learn; no different than passing, shooting and receiving. It doesn't “just happen”; it doesn't automatically happen; it takes time and hard work; especially during the summer months that give you a psychological edge on your opponent.
Expressing your skills in a critical moment is another level yet. Some are born with it; others have to acquire this by practicing like you play with thousands of repetitions.
While ability to express your skills is a teachable skill that can be acquired, winning is an important skill that can be acquired with the proper teaching. The front of both nets is the priority. Scoring goals in the tough areas and preventing the opponent fm getting goals in the tough areas around the net is more important than goals that are aesthetically pleasing for the fans. Good looking goals get on the highlight films. There is not that many so the dirty goals end up winning games. Get the puck to the net, go to the dirty areas for the rebounds and create traffic in front of the goaltender. This is a good start on becoming a winner and ultimately winning.
Good goaltenders have to be there when the other players are not there.
Hanging in there, or maintaining, is not progress. Every one of these players has one or more unique skills and they have to show them in every game or they will not be part of the program. It starts with the way they professionally dress and act; their mental maturity level. Their desire to compete, and protect all they have worked years for over the years is something to be ingrained in the coaches and players.
They are brought up to respect what each person brings to the team and they willingly accept a lesser role to get results (win) as well as win a job in the NHL with a back up game unlike their 'A' game @ a lower level. This carries over to the ice and they, most all of the time, win by sharing. They are placed in a playground setting, and teams pick what they believe are the 'most real people' out of the player pool. They have enough players, and the stakes are high to represent their organization, there is a ton of “unawareness” in this area, so obviously teams are not 100 percent right. Some of the worst years for pro teams are years with anointed superstars who don't get it, don’t live it, and the teams learn fm that. Players are allowed to express themselves in a playground setting with no entitlement in this business. They are @ a point where they need to make a statement no matter what it takes to make that statement.
If you bring forty (40) players in to a playground with some guidelines and no regard for what people write, say, believe or think, the twenty (20) who come out have a good chance of being the right 20. Skills get you in to the game. Intangibles difficult to measure allow you to express your skills and win the games. Players need the ability to summon energy, boldness, attitude, swagger and the killer instinct, once they reach a certain threshold of belonging, which can beat those blessed with more skill. I have seen a lot of very good players look like ordinary players in these settings and it all stems fm the inability to express oneself.
The best players want to play the best players if they have the right intangibles. The best teams want to play the best teams. The best countries want to play the best countries. It's tough to figure out life when you spend part of it hiding fm your opponent in life. Look them in the eye and get it on. You don't become the player you can be until you figure out how life works.
Expression of your skills and ability is all that matters. I believe putting highly skilled athletes together for short periods of time is a good thing because there will be a best and a worst in every group. Assigning them back to their teams is also good because they learn to lead and excel while others emulate their unique skills with the hopes of catching up and passing them.
There is more than enough evidence to prove this works. If your primary motivation for playing up is 'my child needs to be challenged', there is an argument you are stifling your child's career. Only the best out of the best benefit fm this experience.
Canada's provincial teams @ the 15 and 16 year old levels are another example of what is right. The player pool is this age group is kept around 100 to 120 players. Every one of those players have another team to play on during the season with time set aside to bring them together for special occasions and tournaments. I would have to believe that this player pool changes with regularity in line with training habits of players in and out of the season as each year goes by.
Skills to express skills touch & carry skills in traffic, slot presentation after going out of sight, thru on time with right angle, deception, look offs, false information, tandem play keeping the rink as big as possible, body control to free stick on rebounds and loose pucks are skills that are glaringly missing.
Center forwards dictate the course of the game. If your timing is right, presentation to the puck right, the games becomes easier because the rink stays bigger. If you aren't coming back to the puck when you are about to receive it, the pass is high risk for any transition to defense. Grabbing a piece of the weak side of the rink and maintaining a bigger gap between the center forward and strong side wing is imperative for everything to fall in to place.
Strong side play in your own end needs a lot of work. There were a few examples of players using their body to ensure an easy and safe break out pass guaranteed to move the team up the ice. There were also too many cases of cleared pucks predictably on their way back in to our own end. Strong side point coverage is a unique and teachable skill that works best when the strong side wing forces the strong side defense out to the blue and then comes back to the puck.
Controlling the opponent’s body before controlling the puck is imperative. Strong side point coverage is one underlying reason behind every sustained fore-check, especially when the strong side point gets another shot on net with another loose puck for the offensive team to jump on.
You will hear them say, “I am a detail person and I care about others. I have always put the welfare of those I care about ahead of any personal gain. I am finding more success by sharing than I would have by standing alone. I have a work ethic second to none both on and off the ice.”
-Ole Gringo-
ã copyright Chuck Grillo, Minnesota Hockey Camps
24621 So Clark Lake Rd P.O. Box 90 Nisswa, MN 56468-0090
Phone 218.96.2444 Fax 218.963.2325 Email chuck@mnhockeycamps.com
All rights reserved.
No part of this blog, book OR template may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means without permission in writing from Minnesota Hockey Camps
There is no greater joy than working with prospects. I find it interesting to study the mindset of the younger players. First of all, they wouldn't be here if they didn't possess some unique skills. The first question for them to answer in this setting is: Have I mastered the ability to express my talent and skill level? Expressing a skill is an acquired ability that needs to be taught and learned. It is not genetic. This is something you learn; no different than passing, shooting and receiving. It doesn't “just happen”; it doesn't automatically happen; it takes time and hard work; especially during the summer months that give you a psychological edge on your opponent.
Expressing your skills in a critical moment is another level yet. Some are born with it; others have to acquire this by practicing like you play with thousands of repetitions.
While ability to express your skills is a teachable skill that can be acquired, winning is an important skill that can be acquired with the proper teaching. The front of both nets is the priority. Scoring goals in the tough areas and preventing the opponent fm getting goals in the tough areas around the net is more important than goals that are aesthetically pleasing for the fans. Good looking goals get on the highlight films. There is not that many so the dirty goals end up winning games. Get the puck to the net, go to the dirty areas for the rebounds and create traffic in front of the goaltender. This is a good start on becoming a winner and ultimately winning.
Good goaltenders have to be there when the other players are not there.
Hanging in there, or maintaining, is not progress. Every one of these players has one or more unique skills and they have to show them in every game or they will not be part of the program. It starts with the way they professionally dress and act; their mental maturity level. Their desire to compete, and protect all they have worked years for over the years is something to be ingrained in the coaches and players.
They are brought up to respect what each person brings to the team and they willingly accept a lesser role to get results (win) as well as win a job in the NHL with a back up game unlike their 'A' game @ a lower level. This carries over to the ice and they, most all of the time, win by sharing. They are placed in a playground setting, and teams pick what they believe are the 'most real people' out of the player pool. They have enough players, and the stakes are high to represent their organization, there is a ton of “unawareness” in this area, so obviously teams are not 100 percent right. Some of the worst years for pro teams are years with anointed superstars who don't get it, don’t live it, and the teams learn fm that. Players are allowed to express themselves in a playground setting with no entitlement in this business. They are @ a point where they need to make a statement no matter what it takes to make that statement.
If you bring forty (40) players in to a playground with some guidelines and no regard for what people write, say, believe or think, the twenty (20) who come out have a good chance of being the right 20. Skills get you in to the game. Intangibles difficult to measure allow you to express your skills and win the games. Players need the ability to summon energy, boldness, attitude, swagger and the killer instinct, once they reach a certain threshold of belonging, which can beat those blessed with more skill. I have seen a lot of very good players look like ordinary players in these settings and it all stems fm the inability to express oneself.
The best players want to play the best players if they have the right intangibles. The best teams want to play the best teams. The best countries want to play the best countries. It's tough to figure out life when you spend part of it hiding fm your opponent in life. Look them in the eye and get it on. You don't become the player you can be until you figure out how life works.
Expression of your skills and ability is all that matters. I believe putting highly skilled athletes together for short periods of time is a good thing because there will be a best and a worst in every group. Assigning them back to their teams is also good because they learn to lead and excel while others emulate their unique skills with the hopes of catching up and passing them.
There is more than enough evidence to prove this works. If your primary motivation for playing up is 'my child needs to be challenged', there is an argument you are stifling your child's career. Only the best out of the best benefit fm this experience.
Canada's provincial teams @ the 15 and 16 year old levels are another example of what is right. The player pool is this age group is kept around 100 to 120 players. Every one of those players have another team to play on during the season with time set aside to bring them together for special occasions and tournaments. I would have to believe that this player pool changes with regularity in line with training habits of players in and out of the season as each year goes by.
Skills to express skills touch & carry skills in traffic, slot presentation after going out of sight, thru on time with right angle, deception, look offs, false information, tandem play keeping the rink as big as possible, body control to free stick on rebounds and loose pucks are skills that are glaringly missing.
Center forwards dictate the course of the game. If your timing is right, presentation to the puck right, the games becomes easier because the rink stays bigger. If you aren't coming back to the puck when you are about to receive it, the pass is high risk for any transition to defense. Grabbing a piece of the weak side of the rink and maintaining a bigger gap between the center forward and strong side wing is imperative for everything to fall in to place.
Strong side play in your own end needs a lot of work. There were a few examples of players using their body to ensure an easy and safe break out pass guaranteed to move the team up the ice. There were also too many cases of cleared pucks predictably on their way back in to our own end. Strong side point coverage is a unique and teachable skill that works best when the strong side wing forces the strong side defense out to the blue and then comes back to the puck.
Controlling the opponent’s body before controlling the puck is imperative. Strong side point coverage is one underlying reason behind every sustained fore-check, especially when the strong side point gets another shot on net with another loose puck for the offensive team to jump on.
You will hear them say, “I am a detail person and I care about others. I have always put the welfare of those I care about ahead of any personal gain. I am finding more success by sharing than I would have by standing alone. I have a work ethic second to none both on and off the ice.”
-Ole Gringo-
ã copyright Chuck Grillo, Minnesota Hockey Camps
24621 So Clark Lake Rd P.O. Box 90 Nisswa, MN 56468-0090
Phone 218.96.2444 Fax 218.963.2325 Email chuck@mnhockeycamps.com
All rights reserved.
No part of this blog, book OR template may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means without permission in writing from Minnesota Hockey Camps
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