Solving the Riddle of Yourself; not an easy task for any person
This was written while, "Sitting around one day thinking of draft picks that are a part of my life whether they want to be or don't want to be." They were drafted because they are smart, talented and they "had it all going" as a high school or junior player. I do a lot of thinking about campers, potential draft picks and free agents that I care about. Build on what you have, keep reaching and climbing. Success is "right around the corner". Be quick to recognize how others see you compared to how you see you.
One person sees a player as a finesse player or numbers guy in his position and another sees him as a power forward, stay @ home defenseman, grinder or support player. We have goalies with all different styles. The player ends up saying, "I don't know who I am." Bottom line; it's good when you can play multiple positions, multiple styles and fit in for the good of the team. People have different views on the words work ethic and compete levels. Do you think you work and compete or do you meet the thresholds required for work ethic and compete levels set by others?The search for "who you are" has a better chance of being solved when you have a backup game or "game within your game" that buys you time. This is usually a game that makes you hard to play against and mistake free, a game that will always support your "A" game during your development years. Training beyond imagination brings you closer to solving who you are because you gain that psychological edge against your opponent in life knowing you worked harder than they did to be who you are.Some coaches/scouts/managers learn from their experiences as players. Triumphs, trials and tribulations as young players have given more than one coach/scout/manager a different, and very healthy, perspective in the way they approach and handle young players. The majority of those who faced more than their share of adversity and confusion lean toward the approach of no expectations, dry erase board with some guidelines, and the freedom to play and express their unique skills. They recognize the unique skills of a player; they develop a relationship, and reward them properly.
Some coaches have an open door and they hear you out, but they don’t listen.The smart leaders develop leadership groups that meet regularly with management to improve communication and develop trust. Patience and problem solving are always possible in this type of environment. Teams get “back on track” quicker after going through bad stretches.
Most young people are naïve, some have too much too soon, and some develop relationships that take away from their game. The best relationships in life are when two people empower each other to be what they can be. Relationships should enhance careers. Some players party often, and too hard, while success steers their subconscious mind toward sophistication and complacency. Some are misled as to what it takes to "be a pro; a professional person and player". Some go through a divorce setting with their parents. Some use the divorce setting as a crutch to cover mistakes and underachieving, while the divorce really this has nothing to do with it. The stable ones look @ divorce as a situation where, even though a divorce can get ugly, they have a chance to have two sets of supporting parents down the road. "Old wounds rarely heal, but success helps you to forget and your success could be the underlying reason for healing during a bitter separation."
Most players face very little adversity coming through the system. They move on to junior, college and pro where people make a living picking their personal makeup and game apart. Scrutiny becomes more intense during a player's draft year and the years after they are drafted. If a player feels tired, he is no doubt suffering from all the scrutiny and adversity. Players fail to solve the "riddle of themselves" when they fail to see the importance of "just being yourself, competing and playing hard with composure and confidence". My son, Dino, says it best in these situations. His best answer to a bad situation is "just play and everything will fall in place. Talk is cheap and worrying is a waste of energy, just play the game.” You have a “free interview” every night you are performing on the ice. The hockey world is small and word gets around quickly.
Players are fortunate to have gone through some of this scrutiny during their early years to prepare them for what is coming @ some point in their career. Hopefully they go through enough during their early years to recognize that the scrutiny, adversity and confusion they went through will serve them well in future years. Most players have yet to experience what it is like to have their game and personal make up "picked apart". They would have to do something “out of the ordinary” first so there is a higher level of expectation and accountability.
One of the biggest mistakes players, mentors and managers make is not taking a risk to avoid making a mistake; however, learning the consequences of each risk is paramount. The bottom line is there are very few successful people in life who are not risk takers. You don't play/coach/manage/ mentor to not get second guessed, you don't play not to lose. You train, practice and play to win.
Most players don't see the difference in their conditioning level until they get themselves in better shape than the year before or they are in a setting where they can readily see others doing a certain exercise far better than they do that same exercise. This can be on ice or in an off-ice setting. Awareness and exposure are necessary components to development. Reaction levels to exposure and awareness are different for every player. The bottom line is "what are you doing about your deficiencies that will enhance your assets? Are you over-achieving in your assets categories"?
Any athlete, coach or mentor is @ their best when they are like the joyous, carefree little guy, with a zest for life, playing on an outdoor rink, that doesn't worry about making a mistake. Don't ever lose that vibrant “ninth grade personality” where everything was new, fun, vibrant and an adventure in to the unknown. Put mistakes behind you and recognize where you are today in the game knowing that your real game will come if you keep working hard while waiting for your physical growth to meet your coordination. Get in to goal setting, etiquette, communication skills and developing a support system that you can build on as your career and life evolves.
I've learned through the years that one conversation, email or letter to a young person @ the right time can transform a life. This is why I keep writing and talking to young people. I do it with the sincere wish that young people buy in to what it takes to be a "real person and real pro".Pro players who work with young kids, and develop charitable foundations before they are established, put themselves on the line to be even more accountable.
Try to find some time to work with kids in the youth program. You will find that your sub conscious mind will copy most every thing you tell them and you will start performing @ a higher level. Working with young people teaches you to "give back" and you learn early on that there is more to life than hockey. This will enhance your game.Once your life is on display everywhere (internet, media, TV) it's going to have its effects.
You have to watch what you do, what you say, what you wear and you can't necessarily have the best time. There are situations when you want to let loose and have fun, but you can't. So you suppress it. Eventually it creates an alter ego and you'll have situations where guys end up doing something stupid or out of the ordinary. You have to guard against this.It is great to have players who bring their own edge to the team. Do this and you will find that edge will start to appear on your teammates.
You are @ your best when you play with an "edge"; a little "dirt" in your game. Players, who study the game, define their role and develop a game within their game, have more success in any team setting. The good ones learn to separate offense from defense knowing they have to be good @ both. They learn that when one is not going good the other can support their career.In the end, it's the players who are "real people" who end up creating the fiber of the team; not just the player.
The same goes for new buildings, locker rooms and uniforms. It's not the building, locker room or new jersey that makes the program; it's the people; the people that administrate, manage, coach, support staff and play the game. We were put on this earth to "validate and anoint ourselves beyond anything people write, say, believe, report or think" by maximizing our unique skills and managing our liabilities. There is no room for mediocrity.
When you reach a level where you want to be the best you can be every single time you step on the ice, you have reached a level reserved for special players. This type of player wants the puck and they want it in critical moments. They want to be on the ice when it comes time to shut down the opponent.
Have a great career, and send me an update by text, email, call, or all of the above. Keep working hard; stay intense and you will see a lot of good things happen in your life. The strong survive in this game.
I enjoyed typing this because I know deep down the good that can come out of communication. That gives me a special feeling inside; just knowing I took the time to do something out of the ordinary for a young people I care for. It's an easy way for me to build my "net worth".
Hockey brings me a lot of joy. The rink is the one place where I can be myself, and have peace with myself, because I’ve learned how to have fun and express myself. There is no bigger thrill for me than watching a great athlete, or team, develop the attitude, swagger, gregariousness, boldness and killer instinct; the joy of watching your opponents in life suffer. This is the last puzzle piece when “Solving the Riddle of Your Self.”
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
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Helicopter Parent - A Positive Role
Parents; over involved, posturing, standing in the way;
Going beyond their responsibility and obligation? Our feeling is that this is not all that bad.
Welcome to the Millennial Generation; a generation full of life, creative, innovative and searching for both a meaningful life and meaningful experiences.
This is a tough one. There is a difference. While it is difficult to describe an over involved parent, I do know this, "When you meet one, you know you just met one." Over involved parents have a way of turning people off but we have come to understand why they are what they are. There is nothing wrong with making sure your child is having a meaningful experience conducive to growth as a person and skill level. This is good when kept in the proper perspective. We encourage parents to observe what their child is going through our program, especially the dryland involving plyometrics. How else would we be able to promote our program in an age where parents decide where there child should be when in search of becoming a better person and a better player? You can readily see where your child fits in the group as well as the needs.
The new age group of players has moved beyond Generation X, Baby Boomers and the Traditionalist of our era. These high tech groups of young people make up the fastest growing segment of players and workers ever. Mom and Dad are showing up to make sure everything is in order and the athletes are texting, emailing and cruising the internet. They are asking more questions about something having a purpose and being a meaningful experience.
We are ready to accept that challenge and urge young people to experience our program to ensure they are ready to “make a difference” in everything they attempt to do, however, we would like to do this without losing our "element of growth away from home" concepts.
These young people are demanding a quality program in a stimulating environment that serves a purpose for them now and in the future. They want to know that everything we do is meaningful. They want to know who they are, how do they fit and how they are going to get there. They are fm families where they’ve been told, “If you are going to do something, then do something that will benefit you both now and in the future.” This is exactly the role MHC has filled over the years and we have the track record to prove it. We go beyond the game and we do give young people an opportunity to make a difference @ an early age in our diverse programs.
There are times when it is easier for a young player to make a difference in a dryland or strength training session than on the ice. Each experience fuels the other. They learn quickly how to play a meaningful role. If they do not excel in any of the exercises, there is still enough for them in each experience to feel good about what they’ve accomplished. We rarely have a young person fail to improve as a person and player.
Our practices and dryland programs are sophisticated and demanding enough to challenge any person, and this eliminates any reason to burn out. The idea of doing what it takes in any setting is enough to build self-esteem and stimulate the mind. We encourage the use of cell phones, texting and emails because we want the positive buzz about the synergy @ MHC, but we want it done in a constructive manner; never interfering with the training process. The time to text, email and use the Internet is early in the morning before breakfast and later @ night when the training is finished. Guidelines have to be in place to have some sort of structure with regard to losing items and paying attention to detail while training.
Meaningful experiences have a way of giving young people a huge competitive and psychological advantage on their opponent in life and the game. They learn that competition is great and giving 100% can raise your self-esteem level. Our feeling is the positive buzz about our programs will create more interest in MHC. We find it tough for young people to “make a difference” if they aren’t trained, schooled and given an opportunity to “make a difference”. Intangibles acquired, once they reach a required skill threshold, are invaluable and will ultimately dictate their success.
When we speak of intangibles, we are referring to an attitude, swagger, gregariousness, boldness and competitive instincts that provide you with the skill to express your skills. We all need to learn to smartly compete with zero inhibitions and a will to win. This will enable us to solve a lot of problems in life.
The helicopter parent has now assumed the role of teacher, coach, mentor and friend of their offspring and this is here to stay for this generation. We don’t fight it, but we also recognize the value of 3 to 6 mentors outside of the immediate family and the impact they can have on a young person’s life. MHC is willing to assume this role and be an extension of the parent. Young people are now asked about interests, desires and talents. The idea of talking to and telling has been replaced by “talking with”. Coaches and parents would be wise to recognize the value.
Sports and hobbies are approached differently than when we were kids. Young people are programmed to prioritize. This doesn’t mean less fulfillment. This simply means that young people are striving to insure success. MHC has a responsibility to contribute. Loyalty, engagement and respect are still a priority and it’s our job to assume that responsibility as well.
We assume the responsibility of helping young people make a difference, make them feel they are contributing by rewarding their efforts and ideas, respect their creativity levels and listening to their comments. The new wave isn’t interesting in doing what anyone can do. They want to be appreciated for their success levels achieved. They are accustomed to being measured and MHC wants you to know that those measurements are in place. Our goal is to take those measurements to a level where each athlete can constructively critique their efforts and results because we will expose both assets and liabilities.
The rewards for achievement do not have to be costly. Praise is an ample reward for effort and a job well done. This is also a generation that has been hand fed, so failure has more meaning to them. They have been protected fm failure which is why MHC can play an even more important role. We are a “dry run” for experiences that will happen in real life. It is far more important to have these “dry run” failures that don’t affect your life and have the meaningful experience of critiquing your shortcomings and improving. This will eliminate the possibility of any tragedy that is lurking.
Our programs are focused on young people having the freedom to express their skills without having the burden of losing a game because they tried something out of the ordinary and this has been in place since the camp was founded. Our feeling is they will be able to refine and define their game by teaching them how to constructively critique themselves while eliminating all the blind spots and inhibitions that stifle success.
I don't know too many coaches who want a "2 for 1" deal where the parents, sometimes grand parents, come with the players. This is a fine line in this new age. Coaches appreciate the parents who support and believe in the program through the good and bad times. There is always the case where the player is so good that the coach is willing to put up with the side show. This is not meant to give you an out because we are talking about a very small percentage.
Mentoring and parenting all comes down to providing opportunity, creating awareness, recognizing assets, managing liabilities, problem solving and being able to tell your athlete, “Just play; have fun, do something out of the ordinary and try to make a difference.”.
We were all put on this earth to validate and anoint ourselves regardless of what people say, believe, write or think about us. Posturing, lobbying and 2 for 1's have no place in the equation. There is no entitlement regardless of your situation.
It comes down to "dealing with the hand you are dealt". I don't care if the perceived wrong team, in your eyes, drafts you @ any level. Take your poison and learn to live with it. It's in your best interest to "go where you are wanted". History shows that players succeed when the coach believes in them and they believe in the coach. There are a lot of examples out there of young athletes whose parents felt that a certain program wasn’t in their best interest. They would spend a whole season lobbying to get somewhere else. When they get there, they lobby to get them on the “right line or defensive combinations”. There has been more than one case where the team they didn’t like went on to win their division, league or a National Title. There has also been more than one case where they would have been a 1 -2 guy versus a bubble guy in another setting. The 1-2 guys have a better chance to develop.
Every time a parent overly protects their young athlete from adversity, they create more problems than they solve. Young people have to accept the fact that adversity is here to stay. Protecting a child from any adversity is delaying the inevitable. Hiding from adversity @ a young age will make it difficult to cope with adversity in the future. Life is a series of dry runs, semi dry runs and then the “real runs” when adverse situations pop up in your life. The more you accept the challenge of staring them down the better off you will be in the long run.
“Life is an adventure in progress. There are days and nights when all is great and then there are days and nights where……..
I could make a list of high school, junior and college teams when I think of programs poised to turn out as many professional athletes as the name programs. They are programs that are giving young people an opportunity to catch up and pass their peers in life and the game.
I vividly remember the years when our own children moved away to play, whether @ camp, junior or university. We remember receiving calls and listening to them vent. We were left to fret while our children vented. Then they ran off with their friends and had a good time because they were able to vent while we were left to fret and worry.
Bottom line: The parents’ role should be to provide every opportunity and work towards raising a competent, competitive and a confident child, with composure to put a bad mistake/game behind them. They will receive scholarships and/or get drafted/signed as a free agent if they are good enough. The new process begins when that happens. First, the players have to define their assets, what role they can play as they go to the next level and then try to excel @ that. Once they do that, they will be asked to master their trade. All of these players go through the same process. The problem is awareness of who and what you are and who and what you can be. Some players want to excel and a more select group choose to master their trade. Hopefully your child has a will to excel beyond this level and then the rare will to master and perfect the tools of their trade and what others believe they can be. Our job is to make them aware of the process by showing them how it works. Expose problems and help them solve them; because they never go away.
The biggest problem is most players 'think' they want to excel and master their trade, they “think” they train hard, they “think” they have a passion for the game; and are not aware of the process of how to go about doing that. If they did, more would contribute on the NHL level or @ least raise the bar of the organization. MHC has a way of creating awareness and exposing this in our athletes with the primary goal of moving on and up.
I will always believe that any child in a setting where credible adults get to know them (no better example than our camp), will generally get what they have coming to them. They will get the necessary exposure and then be recognized by others who care about their future because they made an impression with their skills and intangibles which are difficult to read just watching a game.
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
Going beyond their responsibility and obligation? Our feeling is that this is not all that bad.
Welcome to the Millennial Generation; a generation full of life, creative, innovative and searching for both a meaningful life and meaningful experiences.
This is a tough one. There is a difference. While it is difficult to describe an over involved parent, I do know this, "When you meet one, you know you just met one." Over involved parents have a way of turning people off but we have come to understand why they are what they are. There is nothing wrong with making sure your child is having a meaningful experience conducive to growth as a person and skill level. This is good when kept in the proper perspective. We encourage parents to observe what their child is going through our program, especially the dryland involving plyometrics. How else would we be able to promote our program in an age where parents decide where there child should be when in search of becoming a better person and a better player? You can readily see where your child fits in the group as well as the needs.
The new age group of players has moved beyond Generation X, Baby Boomers and the Traditionalist of our era. These high tech groups of young people make up the fastest growing segment of players and workers ever. Mom and Dad are showing up to make sure everything is in order and the athletes are texting, emailing and cruising the internet. They are asking more questions about something having a purpose and being a meaningful experience.
We are ready to accept that challenge and urge young people to experience our program to ensure they are ready to “make a difference” in everything they attempt to do, however, we would like to do this without losing our "element of growth away from home" concepts.
These young people are demanding a quality program in a stimulating environment that serves a purpose for them now and in the future. They want to know that everything we do is meaningful. They want to know who they are, how do they fit and how they are going to get there. They are fm families where they’ve been told, “If you are going to do something, then do something that will benefit you both now and in the future.” This is exactly the role MHC has filled over the years and we have the track record to prove it. We go beyond the game and we do give young people an opportunity to make a difference @ an early age in our diverse programs.
There are times when it is easier for a young player to make a difference in a dryland or strength training session than on the ice. Each experience fuels the other. They learn quickly how to play a meaningful role. If they do not excel in any of the exercises, there is still enough for them in each experience to feel good about what they’ve accomplished. We rarely have a young person fail to improve as a person and player.
Our practices and dryland programs are sophisticated and demanding enough to challenge any person, and this eliminates any reason to burn out. The idea of doing what it takes in any setting is enough to build self-esteem and stimulate the mind. We encourage the use of cell phones, texting and emails because we want the positive buzz about the synergy @ MHC, but we want it done in a constructive manner; never interfering with the training process. The time to text, email and use the Internet is early in the morning before breakfast and later @ night when the training is finished. Guidelines have to be in place to have some sort of structure with regard to losing items and paying attention to detail while training.
Meaningful experiences have a way of giving young people a huge competitive and psychological advantage on their opponent in life and the game. They learn that competition is great and giving 100% can raise your self-esteem level. Our feeling is the positive buzz about our programs will create more interest in MHC. We find it tough for young people to “make a difference” if they aren’t trained, schooled and given an opportunity to “make a difference”. Intangibles acquired, once they reach a required skill threshold, are invaluable and will ultimately dictate their success.
When we speak of intangibles, we are referring to an attitude, swagger, gregariousness, boldness and competitive instincts that provide you with the skill to express your skills. We all need to learn to smartly compete with zero inhibitions and a will to win. This will enable us to solve a lot of problems in life.
The helicopter parent has now assumed the role of teacher, coach, mentor and friend of their offspring and this is here to stay for this generation. We don’t fight it, but we also recognize the value of 3 to 6 mentors outside of the immediate family and the impact they can have on a young person’s life. MHC is willing to assume this role and be an extension of the parent. Young people are now asked about interests, desires and talents. The idea of talking to and telling has been replaced by “talking with”. Coaches and parents would be wise to recognize the value.
Sports and hobbies are approached differently than when we were kids. Young people are programmed to prioritize. This doesn’t mean less fulfillment. This simply means that young people are striving to insure success. MHC has a responsibility to contribute. Loyalty, engagement and respect are still a priority and it’s our job to assume that responsibility as well.
We assume the responsibility of helping young people make a difference, make them feel they are contributing by rewarding their efforts and ideas, respect their creativity levels and listening to their comments. The new wave isn’t interesting in doing what anyone can do. They want to be appreciated for their success levels achieved. They are accustomed to being measured and MHC wants you to know that those measurements are in place. Our goal is to take those measurements to a level where each athlete can constructively critique their efforts and results because we will expose both assets and liabilities.
The rewards for achievement do not have to be costly. Praise is an ample reward for effort and a job well done. This is also a generation that has been hand fed, so failure has more meaning to them. They have been protected fm failure which is why MHC can play an even more important role. We are a “dry run” for experiences that will happen in real life. It is far more important to have these “dry run” failures that don’t affect your life and have the meaningful experience of critiquing your shortcomings and improving. This will eliminate the possibility of any tragedy that is lurking.
Our programs are focused on young people having the freedom to express their skills without having the burden of losing a game because they tried something out of the ordinary and this has been in place since the camp was founded. Our feeling is they will be able to refine and define their game by teaching them how to constructively critique themselves while eliminating all the blind spots and inhibitions that stifle success.
I don't know too many coaches who want a "2 for 1" deal where the parents, sometimes grand parents, come with the players. This is a fine line in this new age. Coaches appreciate the parents who support and believe in the program through the good and bad times. There is always the case where the player is so good that the coach is willing to put up with the side show. This is not meant to give you an out because we are talking about a very small percentage.
Mentoring and parenting all comes down to providing opportunity, creating awareness, recognizing assets, managing liabilities, problem solving and being able to tell your athlete, “Just play; have fun, do something out of the ordinary and try to make a difference.”.
We were all put on this earth to validate and anoint ourselves regardless of what people say, believe, write or think about us. Posturing, lobbying and 2 for 1's have no place in the equation. There is no entitlement regardless of your situation.
It comes down to "dealing with the hand you are dealt". I don't care if the perceived wrong team, in your eyes, drafts you @ any level. Take your poison and learn to live with it. It's in your best interest to "go where you are wanted". History shows that players succeed when the coach believes in them and they believe in the coach. There are a lot of examples out there of young athletes whose parents felt that a certain program wasn’t in their best interest. They would spend a whole season lobbying to get somewhere else. When they get there, they lobby to get them on the “right line or defensive combinations”. There has been more than one case where the team they didn’t like went on to win their division, league or a National Title. There has also been more than one case where they would have been a 1 -2 guy versus a bubble guy in another setting. The 1-2 guys have a better chance to develop.
Every time a parent overly protects their young athlete from adversity, they create more problems than they solve. Young people have to accept the fact that adversity is here to stay. Protecting a child from any adversity is delaying the inevitable. Hiding from adversity @ a young age will make it difficult to cope with adversity in the future. Life is a series of dry runs, semi dry runs and then the “real runs” when adverse situations pop up in your life. The more you accept the challenge of staring them down the better off you will be in the long run.
“Life is an adventure in progress. There are days and nights when all is great and then there are days and nights where……..
I could make a list of high school, junior and college teams when I think of programs poised to turn out as many professional athletes as the name programs. They are programs that are giving young people an opportunity to catch up and pass their peers in life and the game.
I vividly remember the years when our own children moved away to play, whether @ camp, junior or university. We remember receiving calls and listening to them vent. We were left to fret while our children vented. Then they ran off with their friends and had a good time because they were able to vent while we were left to fret and worry.
Bottom line: The parents’ role should be to provide every opportunity and work towards raising a competent, competitive and a confident child, with composure to put a bad mistake/game behind them. They will receive scholarships and/or get drafted/signed as a free agent if they are good enough. The new process begins when that happens. First, the players have to define their assets, what role they can play as they go to the next level and then try to excel @ that. Once they do that, they will be asked to master their trade. All of these players go through the same process. The problem is awareness of who and what you are and who and what you can be. Some players want to excel and a more select group choose to master their trade. Hopefully your child has a will to excel beyond this level and then the rare will to master and perfect the tools of their trade and what others believe they can be. Our job is to make them aware of the process by showing them how it works. Expose problems and help them solve them; because they never go away.
The biggest problem is most players 'think' they want to excel and master their trade, they “think” they train hard, they “think” they have a passion for the game; and are not aware of the process of how to go about doing that. If they did, more would contribute on the NHL level or @ least raise the bar of the organization. MHC has a way of creating awareness and exposing this in our athletes with the primary goal of moving on and up.
I will always believe that any child in a setting where credible adults get to know them (no better example than our camp), will generally get what they have coming to them. They will get the necessary exposure and then be recognized by others who care about their future because they made an impression with their skills and intangibles which are difficult to read just watching a game.
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
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Guideline for revealing mortal side
Guideline for revealing “mortal” side
It’s no secret that outbursts revealing your “mortal” side tarnish your image and reduces your production. Staying calm in adverse situations when things aren’t going your way is a skill that every player needs in their arsenal. There is no need to cause people to think you are something you aren’t and certainly no one wants to be known as a whiner.
The playing field is more level in the playoffs, rules become guidelines that are stretched further than normal and the compete levels go to yet another level so it’s easy to find yourself in a situation where you feel you are being treated differently than during the regular season. I believe there are a different set of rules that govern the playoffs. This is caused by compete levels going to another level as well as referees feeling the players should decide who wins; not them. Referees want to do a perfect game no different than players.
The only adjustment is playing smarter in every situation. Playing smarter is the key to success in the playoffs whether it’s adjusting to the referees, execution of fundamentals or team play. The smarts level has to be raised. If players appear to be getting away with holding and grabbing more than the regular season, your only reaction should be to back off, release, spin off and keep playing. Players have to be smart enough to recognize what they have to do to keep themselves focused in to what really matters; the game and winning.
It’s good to assess the philosophical side and go over some common sense things like:
The word WIN means, “What’s important now”. If there is a non call, bad call or goal scored by the opponent, your first thought should be, “What’s important now?” The answers are to keep playing, kill a penalty or get the goal back.
Competitors act; fools react.
Maintain a clear head so your feet and hands can do their work. Common sense says, “Cluttered minds eliminate execution by the feet and hands."
It’s all about being focused and happy throughout the journey; and not about where you want to be @ the end.
The way to address referees will always be as important as how you play. Your knowledge of how to talk to referees is as important as your knowledge of how to play the game. If you feel the rules are being stretched, simply say, “Look, I’m being held in situations I’m not accustomed to. Could you please give it a look and tell me if I’m out of line or right in my assessment? You will get nowhere when you yell and cuss @ them.
Opponents look to find ways to rattle opponents; especially the star players and weak minded players on the team. They know they can’t beat you without getting you off your game. The goal is to agitate, get rid of your focus, in any way possible; physically or verbally.
All you ever need to understand is every game, every season; the team and organization are all more important and bigger than you. This allows you to disengage fm anything that may be upsetting you and ultimately the team. This may seem like a small issue in the overall scheme of things, but sometimes a bit of a difference is the difference in a game of emotions and inches.
It’s no secret that outbursts revealing your “mortal” side tarnish your image and reduces your production. Staying calm in adverse situations when things aren’t going your way is a skill that every player needs in their arsenal. There is no need to cause people to think you are something you aren’t and certainly no one wants to be known as a whiner.
The playing field is more level in the playoffs, rules become guidelines that are stretched further than normal and the compete levels go to yet another level so it’s easy to find yourself in a situation where you feel you are being treated differently than during the regular season. I believe there are a different set of rules that govern the playoffs. This is caused by compete levels going to another level as well as referees feeling the players should decide who wins; not them. Referees want to do a perfect game no different than players.
The only adjustment is playing smarter in every situation. Playing smarter is the key to success in the playoffs whether it’s adjusting to the referees, execution of fundamentals or team play. The smarts level has to be raised. If players appear to be getting away with holding and grabbing more than the regular season, your only reaction should be to back off, release, spin off and keep playing. Players have to be smart enough to recognize what they have to do to keep themselves focused in to what really matters; the game and winning.
It’s good to assess the philosophical side and go over some common sense things like:
The word WIN means, “What’s important now”. If there is a non call, bad call or goal scored by the opponent, your first thought should be, “What’s important now?” The answers are to keep playing, kill a penalty or get the goal back.
Competitors act; fools react.
Maintain a clear head so your feet and hands can do their work. Common sense says, “Cluttered minds eliminate execution by the feet and hands."
It’s all about being focused and happy throughout the journey; and not about where you want to be @ the end.
The way to address referees will always be as important as how you play. Your knowledge of how to talk to referees is as important as your knowledge of how to play the game. If you feel the rules are being stretched, simply say, “Look, I’m being held in situations I’m not accustomed to. Could you please give it a look and tell me if I’m out of line or right in my assessment? You will get nowhere when you yell and cuss @ them.
Opponents look to find ways to rattle opponents; especially the star players and weak minded players on the team. They know they can’t beat you without getting you off your game. The goal is to agitate, get rid of your focus, in any way possible; physically or verbally.
All you ever need to understand is every game, every season; the team and organization are all more important and bigger than you. This allows you to disengage fm anything that may be upsetting you and ultimately the team. This may seem like a small issue in the overall scheme of things, but sometimes a bit of a difference is the difference in a game of emotions and inches.
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
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