Specialization; its place in Hockey
Joe Ciardelli, strength and conditioning coach @ MHC, teamed up with us on Sports Specific Training as an answer to specializing.
Specific or precise training is the final touches of the never ending training process. Sport specific training is learning how to throw a curve ball, perfecting how to draw a golf ball or practicing your slap shot. Sport specific training helps you become better at one specific sport, however, don’t mistake sport specific training with becoming a better athlete.
In order to throw a curve ball better or take a better slap shot, you need to practice that skill, but you also need to become a better athlete. Becoming a better athlete is really similar for all athletes, regardless of sport. The better your athletic skills are, the better you will become at your sport of choice. If your shoulder, back, core and lower body are stronger, you will throw a better curve ball. Also, if your shoulder, back, core and lower body are stronger, you will have a better slap shot! So why not work on becoming a better athlete?
What football coach wouldn’t want a lineman that has great explosive power? What basketball coach wouldn’t want a point guard that has great jumping skills? What track coach wouldn’t want a sprinter that is lightning fast? What hockey coach wouldn’t want a forward that can change direction on a dime or thoughts in a split second? What coach of any sport wouldn’t want an athlete that is able to do all of the above?
With proper training, all athletes regardless of sport should improve on all the skills of athletic ability; explosive power, first step quickness, lateral speed, strength, stamina, reaction time, balance, etc. These words are used in the gym all the time. They are used in the gym all the time with different sports and different athletes. Improving on these words, improves your athletic skills, regardless of sport.
Off-ice or off-field training is compatible to athletes off all sports. Becoming bigger, faster, quicker and stronger are the objectives of all athletes. These objectives can’t be accomplished without hard work in the gym or practice field. Workouts need to replicate athletic movements. It doesn’t matter if you are a linebacker taking your first step to the right to make a tackle or if you are a tennis player taking your first step to the right to hit a forehand winner.
Improvements happen by completing the right workouts off the field.
Competitions/Games are used to showcase your skills and see how you compare against others. Games aren’t for improvement; practices/workouts are for improvement. Brainerd Warriors High School Coach Jim Archibald says; “In terms of development, one (1) practice/workout is equal to eleven (11) games. If you want to improve on your abilities, then practice and workout more!
Jim grew up in Canada. He is no doubt recognizing the opportunities his son, Josh, has compared to when he was going through the process of becoming a professional athlete. Jim played for the University of North Dakota and the Minnesota North Stars.
Minnesota Hockey Camps has developed a unique training program that works for all athletes by improving athletic ability. This program is time tested and has the results to prove it. The athletes that train @ MHC leave our program better hockey players, but also better athletes and people. Many go on to star in fall sports before the hockey season starts.
Come train with us this summer!
Copyright by Joe Ciardelli and Chuck Grillo, Minnesota Hockey Camps, 24621 So Clark Lake, Rd P.O. Box 90, Nisswa, MN 56468-0090 Phone 218.963.2444 Fax 218.963.2325 Email: chuck@mnhockeycamps.com All rights are 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 21, 2011
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Specialization - Pros and Cons
Specialization – Pros and Cons
Some maintain (as in the article we read in a Madison, WI newspaper) there is a change in the landscape of prep sports dating back to the early 70’s. In the past twenty-five (25) the era of the three sport athlete has given way to specialization in one sport. Some say it’s happening to pursue college scholarships and professional sports. They are placing the blame on the parents and coaches. “Kids are serving the sport instead of the sport serving the kids.” There are those who say specialization causes burn out, too many are quitting, and that couldn’t be further fm the truth.
We believe “Boring practices, poor mentors, unsolved intimidating tasks, humiliation, ridicule and scrutiny cause burnout. Failure to recognize a person’s assets, develop relationships and reward effort and achievement causes burnout. ”
If all they do is play games on week-ends and/or have boring practices during the week, this is counter-productive, but no one will convince us that twelve (12) fun filled practices and challenging ice times in around dry land, strength training, classroom and shooting isn’t the way to go. It’s all about getting bigger, quicker, stronger and faster while gaining a psychological advantage on your opponent in life. You simply learn to out-work people so the real world is a whole lot easier when your competition days are over. There is no ridicule and zero humiliation.
“We believe hard work can be fun; with courage and boldness instilled.”
We have had athletes over the years tell us how much the camp prepared them as much for life as being an athlete. Their work assignment in life became a “walk in the park” and promotions came because their employees observed their willingness to “live the brand” and log in hours unconditionally without complaining. They learned early on that “hard work is fun” and they learned it in our programs.
We receive letters most every week thanking us for our life preparation program.
Parents asked appropriate questions about our programs. We’ve included a few. If your concern is power skating, most power skating exercises can be done during a ten minute warm-up each day once you have acquired the technique.
We believe you improve the most when you skate the days you lift, sprint, and jump. This ties in all of your muscle groups which have a little different range of motion and lessens the chance of shortening any muscle group that would affect your stride. This also gives you a sense of pride in your commitment and a psychological advantage on your opponent.
If your concern is shooting, you do not need an ice sheet to shoot thousands of pucks.
If your concern is checking, we teach containment which is related to controlling the body and mind of the opponent. Control the mind of the opponent and you control the game.
Concern yourself with compete levels and the technique of containment will suffice.
Add the fun and mind challenging ice times and you have a well rounded program geared to improving any athlete for any sport. We seriously believe our Baseball, Football, Golf, Tennis and Track athletes improve greatly @ our camp. Add in some outside tennis, golf, along with the roller blade opportunities on the trail, dry land rink, and you have it all.
We coached prior to the 80’s and we are still coaching during the summer of 2011 and we always encourage our players to take part in the other sports if they can fit it in, especially if they want to do it. The biggest problem is the coaches in other sports don’t like the cross over idea and they try to intimidate. When is the Football Coach going to admit that our athletes rank amongst the highest in conditioning during Fall Football? They spend more time in the weight room and on the dry land than most Football players who “think” they work out, “think” they train, “think” they have a passion for what they do.
“If your son or daughter can go through our program, and have fun doing it, you have raised a heck-of-a child.”
There comes a time when athletes pick the sport they really like. Some sports are fillers and not as much fun for them. Every kid is different. W can remember letting our Baseball players go to Spring Football right fm the ball field; we encouraged it. Gary Sargent threw the shot put and discus after practice, and won both in High School Track while all-state in Baseball for four years. Sarge thought nothing of going fishing early, playing a little tennis, hitting the golf course, playing Baseball and going on the ice rink all in a summer day’s activity. No one made him do it.
Ralph Lovering practiced his starts with his base running, crossed over during Districts and Regional. He won 1st in the district, 2nd in regional and ran in a state track @ Macalester College the day after winning the Regional Baseball title in Thief River Falls. We know because we made the three hundred (300) mile drive with him right after the game was over. Forget the three sport athlete; they were four sport athletes and summer hockey with the right off-ice training prepared them for all of the sports. It still comes down to becoming bigger, quicker, stronger and faster; not about playing three games on a week-end.
Carl Sneep finished his USHL Lincoln Stars season in time to come home and throw a two (2) hitter and hit a three-hundred eighty (380) foot home run. He played Legion ball and trained ten (10) weeks out of every summer.
Sports, and camps, are as much about instilling intangibles and keeping active children busy as they are about getting a scholarship. This is the point so many are missing. I’ve always felt sorry for the person who went home after school hours and had no activity beyond school, yet schools continue to cut back on co-curricular activities. They must want to see the prisons overflow; which is what happens when active young people have nothing to do. I feel equally sorry for young people who are denied the camp opportunity. This is a totally different intangible building opportunity aside fm the educational process in schools; therefore a must.
“Great mentors and programs embolden people. Boldness and courage levels grow.”
“People need to know how much you care before knowing how much you know.”
We know one thing for sure. The Baseball, Golf, Football, Track and Tennis players that attend MHC show up for their respective camps in better shape than 90% of their peers. We focus on athletes getting bigger, quicker, stronger and faster and we believe that serves any sport they want to play. We also provide enough technical and tactical situations to improve skills.
As said many times, burnout is not directly correlated to specialization. Burnout stems fm poor mentoring, boring practices, humiliation, ridicule and scrutiny. Failure to do well causes burnout, especially when you don’t know how, or not taught, to learn fm failure. Burnout stems fm the inability to take on the challenge of solving intimidating tasks. Helicopter parents cause burnout unless they possess the skills to mentor an athlete properly. You don’t have to be educated to mentor but those who have it you can see it and feel it; it runs right though them.
Today’s athletes are bigger, quicker, stronger, faster, and smarter. They will thin slice and challenge you the second they meet you; they will assess your authenticity and passion for their career, life and game and then text or email results to their friends and parents. There is a good chance of your qualifications showing up on Facebook.” They are more likely to challenge those who lack substance and lack the skills of a true mentor. They read through perception and deception quickly.
Hockey is one of the sports that come under the specialization theory. Those critiquing fail to recognize how much fun the game is to both practice and play. Practice can be just as much fun as games. Whether drills, scrimmages, games or just skating, being on the ice is really fun. It’s the one game where you can have just as much fun on an outdoor rink as you do in a scheduled game. Have you ever been to a public skating session with people fm age two (2) to eighty-five (85)?
People critiquing specializing need only to watch between periods of the Winter Classic, January 1, 2010. Franco Harris and Jerome Bettis, two premier athletes in their sport, two people we love as people, were shooting pucks in to an open net. While accuracy was present once adjusting, check their shooting fundamentals and determine if they could beat a goalie on a breakaway or fm the point in a game. Then picture them on skates. Now, if both had decided to play the game @ an early age, and specialized, our guess is they would be superstars in hockey, also. Just more evidence you need a specialized athlete with specialized skills to play the greatest sport in the world today. Do you want something volcanic and enticing in life? Try practicing and player the game of Hockey.
Those critiquing are failing to recognize the very small percentage of athletes that are born to be there, regardless of what sport they choose, versus the huge percentage that are in the “catch up and pass mode, and will be until they finally catch up and pass. Can you imagine the task @ hand?
Those critiquing fail to recognize the price hockey has paid to be what it is today. Hockey received very little help fm the school systems because school programs were run by football and basketball people who didn’t want anything to do with the sport, especially basketball people. The MSHSL ignored the sport in to the early 1970’s until they found out it was so dynamic they could land lucrative TV contracts. The State High School Tournament was run by the Jaycee programs in St Paul and Bloomington. The game sold itself to the MSHSL.
Arenas were built by hockey groups while gymnasiums were attached to every school. Schools with vision attached ice arenas to schools. They soon found out that hockey was one way to support the rest of the programs. Why? Hockey is dynamic, volcanic and enticing; thus the reason why young people want to spend every waking moment training and playing the game regardless of time of the year. We challenge you to count up the economic dollars brought in to communities by arenas versus community ball parks, football stadiums and gyms. We are quick to say, “We need all of them, but Hockey deserves its place.”
“Mentors capable of creating a great pond hockey setting within a structured practice are in the minority. It’s too challenging and requires skill to teach.”
The game is unique in so many ways that specialization is very important. Players control a puck fifty-three (53), inches or more with a stick in their hands so it’s not like catching and throwing a ball. Skating is much more difficult than walking, jogging or sprinting. Split second thinking is required and intangible levels get tested most every shift.
We’ve always believed that hockey players can play most any sport while athletes in other sports would find it extremely difficult and demanding to play hockey or even go public skating. We can remember challenging an athlete in “horse” our first year teaching in 1964. He was an all-state three sport star in Football, Basketball and Baseball @ Bemidji High School and was very critical of this new sport called, Hockey. We gave him a good go @ horse and then he came out to the outdoor rink in and readily admitted he couldn’t begin to step on the ice with skates let alone play the game. I even let him try to handle a puck and shoot it. That ended all criticism, we had a new fan of the game and he and I had a better relationship in Baseball.
“This split second thinking game is forever challenging the human mind and your athletic ability; this, in itself, prevents burnout.”
Copyright by Chuck Grillo, Minnesota Hockey Camps, 24621 So Clark Lake, Rd P.O. Box 90, Nisswa, MN 56468-0090 Phone 218.963.2444 Fax 218.963.2325 Email: chuck@mnhockeycamps.com All rights are 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
Some maintain (as in the article we read in a Madison, WI newspaper) there is a change in the landscape of prep sports dating back to the early 70’s. In the past twenty-five (25) the era of the three sport athlete has given way to specialization in one sport. Some say it’s happening to pursue college scholarships and professional sports. They are placing the blame on the parents and coaches. “Kids are serving the sport instead of the sport serving the kids.” There are those who say specialization causes burn out, too many are quitting, and that couldn’t be further fm the truth.
We believe “Boring practices, poor mentors, unsolved intimidating tasks, humiliation, ridicule and scrutiny cause burnout. Failure to recognize a person’s assets, develop relationships and reward effort and achievement causes burnout. ”
If all they do is play games on week-ends and/or have boring practices during the week, this is counter-productive, but no one will convince us that twelve (12) fun filled practices and challenging ice times in around dry land, strength training, classroom and shooting isn’t the way to go. It’s all about getting bigger, quicker, stronger and faster while gaining a psychological advantage on your opponent in life. You simply learn to out-work people so the real world is a whole lot easier when your competition days are over. There is no ridicule and zero humiliation.
“We believe hard work can be fun; with courage and boldness instilled.”
We have had athletes over the years tell us how much the camp prepared them as much for life as being an athlete. Their work assignment in life became a “walk in the park” and promotions came because their employees observed their willingness to “live the brand” and log in hours unconditionally without complaining. They learned early on that “hard work is fun” and they learned it in our programs.
We receive letters most every week thanking us for our life preparation program.
Parents asked appropriate questions about our programs. We’ve included a few. If your concern is power skating, most power skating exercises can be done during a ten minute warm-up each day once you have acquired the technique.
We believe you improve the most when you skate the days you lift, sprint, and jump. This ties in all of your muscle groups which have a little different range of motion and lessens the chance of shortening any muscle group that would affect your stride. This also gives you a sense of pride in your commitment and a psychological advantage on your opponent.
If your concern is shooting, you do not need an ice sheet to shoot thousands of pucks.
If your concern is checking, we teach containment which is related to controlling the body and mind of the opponent. Control the mind of the opponent and you control the game.
Concern yourself with compete levels and the technique of containment will suffice.
Add the fun and mind challenging ice times and you have a well rounded program geared to improving any athlete for any sport. We seriously believe our Baseball, Football, Golf, Tennis and Track athletes improve greatly @ our camp. Add in some outside tennis, golf, along with the roller blade opportunities on the trail, dry land rink, and you have it all.
We coached prior to the 80’s and we are still coaching during the summer of 2011 and we always encourage our players to take part in the other sports if they can fit it in, especially if they want to do it. The biggest problem is the coaches in other sports don’t like the cross over idea and they try to intimidate. When is the Football Coach going to admit that our athletes rank amongst the highest in conditioning during Fall Football? They spend more time in the weight room and on the dry land than most Football players who “think” they work out, “think” they train, “think” they have a passion for what they do.
“If your son or daughter can go through our program, and have fun doing it, you have raised a heck-of-a child.”
There comes a time when athletes pick the sport they really like. Some sports are fillers and not as much fun for them. Every kid is different. W can remember letting our Baseball players go to Spring Football right fm the ball field; we encouraged it. Gary Sargent threw the shot put and discus after practice, and won both in High School Track while all-state in Baseball for four years. Sarge thought nothing of going fishing early, playing a little tennis, hitting the golf course, playing Baseball and going on the ice rink all in a summer day’s activity. No one made him do it.
Ralph Lovering practiced his starts with his base running, crossed over during Districts and Regional. He won 1st in the district, 2nd in regional and ran in a state track @ Macalester College the day after winning the Regional Baseball title in Thief River Falls. We know because we made the three hundred (300) mile drive with him right after the game was over. Forget the three sport athlete; they were four sport athletes and summer hockey with the right off-ice training prepared them for all of the sports. It still comes down to becoming bigger, quicker, stronger and faster; not about playing three games on a week-end.
Carl Sneep finished his USHL Lincoln Stars season in time to come home and throw a two (2) hitter and hit a three-hundred eighty (380) foot home run. He played Legion ball and trained ten (10) weeks out of every summer.
Sports, and camps, are as much about instilling intangibles and keeping active children busy as they are about getting a scholarship. This is the point so many are missing. I’ve always felt sorry for the person who went home after school hours and had no activity beyond school, yet schools continue to cut back on co-curricular activities. They must want to see the prisons overflow; which is what happens when active young people have nothing to do. I feel equally sorry for young people who are denied the camp opportunity. This is a totally different intangible building opportunity aside fm the educational process in schools; therefore a must.
“Great mentors and programs embolden people. Boldness and courage levels grow.”
“People need to know how much you care before knowing how much you know.”
We know one thing for sure. The Baseball, Golf, Football, Track and Tennis players that attend MHC show up for their respective camps in better shape than 90% of their peers. We focus on athletes getting bigger, quicker, stronger and faster and we believe that serves any sport they want to play. We also provide enough technical and tactical situations to improve skills.
As said many times, burnout is not directly correlated to specialization. Burnout stems fm poor mentoring, boring practices, humiliation, ridicule and scrutiny. Failure to do well causes burnout, especially when you don’t know how, or not taught, to learn fm failure. Burnout stems fm the inability to take on the challenge of solving intimidating tasks. Helicopter parents cause burnout unless they possess the skills to mentor an athlete properly. You don’t have to be educated to mentor but those who have it you can see it and feel it; it runs right though them.
Today’s athletes are bigger, quicker, stronger, faster, and smarter. They will thin slice and challenge you the second they meet you; they will assess your authenticity and passion for their career, life and game and then text or email results to their friends and parents. There is a good chance of your qualifications showing up on Facebook.” They are more likely to challenge those who lack substance and lack the skills of a true mentor. They read through perception and deception quickly.
Hockey is one of the sports that come under the specialization theory. Those critiquing fail to recognize how much fun the game is to both practice and play. Practice can be just as much fun as games. Whether drills, scrimmages, games or just skating, being on the ice is really fun. It’s the one game where you can have just as much fun on an outdoor rink as you do in a scheduled game. Have you ever been to a public skating session with people fm age two (2) to eighty-five (85)?
People critiquing specializing need only to watch between periods of the Winter Classic, January 1, 2010. Franco Harris and Jerome Bettis, two premier athletes in their sport, two people we love as people, were shooting pucks in to an open net. While accuracy was present once adjusting, check their shooting fundamentals and determine if they could beat a goalie on a breakaway or fm the point in a game. Then picture them on skates. Now, if both had decided to play the game @ an early age, and specialized, our guess is they would be superstars in hockey, also. Just more evidence you need a specialized athlete with specialized skills to play the greatest sport in the world today. Do you want something volcanic and enticing in life? Try practicing and player the game of Hockey.
Those critiquing are failing to recognize the very small percentage of athletes that are born to be there, regardless of what sport they choose, versus the huge percentage that are in the “catch up and pass mode, and will be until they finally catch up and pass. Can you imagine the task @ hand?
Those critiquing fail to recognize the price hockey has paid to be what it is today. Hockey received very little help fm the school systems because school programs were run by football and basketball people who didn’t want anything to do with the sport, especially basketball people. The MSHSL ignored the sport in to the early 1970’s until they found out it was so dynamic they could land lucrative TV contracts. The State High School Tournament was run by the Jaycee programs in St Paul and Bloomington. The game sold itself to the MSHSL.
Arenas were built by hockey groups while gymnasiums were attached to every school. Schools with vision attached ice arenas to schools. They soon found out that hockey was one way to support the rest of the programs. Why? Hockey is dynamic, volcanic and enticing; thus the reason why young people want to spend every waking moment training and playing the game regardless of time of the year. We challenge you to count up the economic dollars brought in to communities by arenas versus community ball parks, football stadiums and gyms. We are quick to say, “We need all of them, but Hockey deserves its place.”
“Mentors capable of creating a great pond hockey setting within a structured practice are in the minority. It’s too challenging and requires skill to teach.”
The game is unique in so many ways that specialization is very important. Players control a puck fifty-three (53), inches or more with a stick in their hands so it’s not like catching and throwing a ball. Skating is much more difficult than walking, jogging or sprinting. Split second thinking is required and intangible levels get tested most every shift.
We’ve always believed that hockey players can play most any sport while athletes in other sports would find it extremely difficult and demanding to play hockey or even go public skating. We can remember challenging an athlete in “horse” our first year teaching in 1964. He was an all-state three sport star in Football, Basketball and Baseball @ Bemidji High School and was very critical of this new sport called, Hockey. We gave him a good go @ horse and then he came out to the outdoor rink in and readily admitted he couldn’t begin to step on the ice with skates let alone play the game. I even let him try to handle a puck and shoot it. That ended all criticism, we had a new fan of the game and he and I had a better relationship in Baseball.
“This split second thinking game is forever challenging the human mind and your athletic ability; this, in itself, prevents burnout.”
Copyright by Chuck Grillo, Minnesota Hockey Camps, 24621 So Clark Lake, Rd P.O. Box 90, Nisswa, MN 56468-0090 Phone 218.963.2444 Fax 218.963.2325 Email: chuck@mnhockeycamps.com All rights are 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
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
MHC Revered and Respected
Minnesota Hockey Camps
Revered and Respected
There are all kinds of reasons why camps maintain, sustain and build on what they have but there are also some constants that will always be a part of MHC. Memories cultivated @ MHC are memories that will live as long as each camper is able to talk about the experience. The experience takes on a tone of reverence and each experience brought in to the conversation comes fm the heart. In many ways the memories brought up are sacred because they play such an important role in the development of the person.
Whether the relationship between counselors and campers, mentors and campers or the synergy of each work out, each experience is remembered and talked about in a manner that tells you that this experience had a profound impact on each person’s life and career. This isn’t something new. People have known for years that there is no substitute for an element of growth away fm home. They are essential to the growth of any person; young and old.
Bottom line is each camper having an element of growth aware fm home and without the eyes and ears of their parents. They are out of their comfort zone facing challenges and accomplishing things that would not be the same if their parents were standing right beside them. It’s a playground setting that is remembered and revered for a lifetime. We bring the value of the playground back in to their young lives; the playground revered for the pecking order and altering the pecking order.
There is nothing that compares to counselors and mentors who show empathy, desire to share and passion for all they do in life. Young people are content to satisfy those in charge and they don’t have to be a superstar to do it. Self-esteem levels are built through hard work alone. Any accomplishment beyond simply enhances the experience.
Our camp has its own rules; not unlike a supervised playground where young people learn to survive in the pecking order rituals of daily life. The young campers are on their own, out of their comfort zone, and take pride in every accomplishment. This is true if the accomplishment is nothing more than showing up on time to put in an honest day’s work. It all starts by creating the habit of commitment to all we do.
Most young people we meet “think” they work out, “think” they train, “think” they love the game, “think” they have a passion for life and work. It’s our position that we are on this earth to create an awareness of what it takes to critique ourselves and then forge ahead with a purpose and a passion we only “thought” was existent in our daily routine. We do know that one needs a “strict routine” to ensure success and we provide that.
The camp is there to create a setting reserved for the campers and each one takes one or more experiences and channels them towards personal growth; something they are unable to do under the protection of adults and their programs back home.
The camp was founded by Herb Brook and Chuck Grillo, and the legacy of MHC lives on. In the process we are developing success stories within and outside of the game. MHC is a special place, revered and respected for all it brings to any person’s life.
Copyright by Chuck Grillo, Minnesota Hockey Camps, 24621 So Clark Lake, Rd P.O. Box 90, Nisswa, MN 56468-0090 Phone 218.963.2444 Fax 218.963.2325 Email: chuck@mnhockeycamps.com All rights are 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
Revered and Respected
There are all kinds of reasons why camps maintain, sustain and build on what they have but there are also some constants that will always be a part of MHC. Memories cultivated @ MHC are memories that will live as long as each camper is able to talk about the experience. The experience takes on a tone of reverence and each experience brought in to the conversation comes fm the heart. In many ways the memories brought up are sacred because they play such an important role in the development of the person.
Whether the relationship between counselors and campers, mentors and campers or the synergy of each work out, each experience is remembered and talked about in a manner that tells you that this experience had a profound impact on each person’s life and career. This isn’t something new. People have known for years that there is no substitute for an element of growth away fm home. They are essential to the growth of any person; young and old.
Bottom line is each camper having an element of growth aware fm home and without the eyes and ears of their parents. They are out of their comfort zone facing challenges and accomplishing things that would not be the same if their parents were standing right beside them. It’s a playground setting that is remembered and revered for a lifetime. We bring the value of the playground back in to their young lives; the playground revered for the pecking order and altering the pecking order.
There is nothing that compares to counselors and mentors who show empathy, desire to share and passion for all they do in life. Young people are content to satisfy those in charge and they don’t have to be a superstar to do it. Self-esteem levels are built through hard work alone. Any accomplishment beyond simply enhances the experience.
Our camp has its own rules; not unlike a supervised playground where young people learn to survive in the pecking order rituals of daily life. The young campers are on their own, out of their comfort zone, and take pride in every accomplishment. This is true if the accomplishment is nothing more than showing up on time to put in an honest day’s work. It all starts by creating the habit of commitment to all we do.
Most young people we meet “think” they work out, “think” they train, “think” they love the game, “think” they have a passion for life and work. It’s our position that we are on this earth to create an awareness of what it takes to critique ourselves and then forge ahead with a purpose and a passion we only “thought” was existent in our daily routine. We do know that one needs a “strict routine” to ensure success and we provide that.
The camp is there to create a setting reserved for the campers and each one takes one or more experiences and channels them towards personal growth; something they are unable to do under the protection of adults and their programs back home.
The camp was founded by Herb Brook and Chuck Grillo, and the legacy of MHC lives on. In the process we are developing success stories within and outside of the game. MHC is a special place, revered and respected for all it brings to any person’s life.
Copyright by Chuck Grillo, Minnesota Hockey Camps, 24621 So Clark Lake, Rd P.O. Box 90, Nisswa, MN 56468-0090 Phone 218.963.2444 Fax 218.963.2325 Email: chuck@mnhockeycamps.com All rights are 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
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Holiday Message fm MHC
Holiday Message
Happy Holidays to you and your family from our Minnesota Hockey Camps family. All the best during the time of the year we have a lot to be thankful for. Sports are a true test of a person's intangibles. Lifetime relationships are developed over a short period of time because of the dynamics of the sport, demands of the job and the people we have the opportunity to meet through our work and travels.
Develop and cultivate as many relationships as possible. Take all the good out of each of them and put them in a memory bank.
If you send your child to camp, and they return home a better player, you will be happy. If they return home a harder worker, better person, with a better understanding of life and what it takes to play the game, you will be happier. We do all that and more. Minnesota Hockey Camps has a way of creating awareness of assets and liabilities. We teach young people the value of hard work that is fun while eliminating blind spots that shorten and stifle careers.
If you had your choice of one improvement, you will want them returning home a better person. This is something that happens just by being @ the camp and rubbing elbows with people who have a passion for life, people and the game.
The game of hockey has people in all capacities who know the value of validating and anointing themselves beyond other's beliefs, words, feelings and evaluations. We learn early on that we control our own destiny and in no way do others validate our worth and success.
We all recognize the need for support systems in every person's life, but it still comes down to each of us just “getting it done”. Keep supporting each other and the results will be dynamic. We are all part of something much bigger than all of us combined; namely each person's life and career. Our wish for this Holiday Season is something thought provoking that enhances our chances of maximizing our unique skills. This costs nothing and ends up being priceless.
It’s easy to judge a person but it takes a special skill and caring person to do something to help others solve an intimidating problem or task.
All of us would like our children to improve so they can move on through the levels. Seeking greatness in your assets is our Holiday Message to you and your family. Along with that, is you raising your level of Curiosity which enhances your chances. Keep asking questions wherever you go; whoever you meet. One of the most important traits of great leaders is Curiosity. This will blend in well with your aspirations. Every year players like Scott Hartnell, T J Oshie, Ryan Malone, Matt Greene, Derek Stepan, Clarke MacArthur, Chris and Tony Stewart came to camp; they would say something like, “You’ve seen me play this year. I don’t want to hear what I did well. I want to know what I didn’t do well and anything I can do to improve.”
Carl Sneep has always sought advice on improving and is now learning how to adjust to pro as the only rookie on the WBS Penguins team. He is fortunate to have mentors who care and know the value of instilling boldness and courage @ the pro level.
Our camp has an attitude. Countries have attitudes (Canada’s hockey attitude), States (Provinces), Communities, Organizations, Teams, Lines, Defensive pairs and Individuals have attitudes. The top one fuels the one underneath and on down. Infectious play of individuals fuels the level above and on up to the top. The USA Miracle on Ice team started out as a collection of good college players and ended up impacting the entire world. They, along with the players we coached @ camps and in high school, are the underlying reason why we enjoy an NHL career.
Winning a game, or a spot on the team, is an attitude. Everything is an attitude. We know communities where young people grow up knowing how to win. There are organizations and teams that go in to each game or a play-off setting knowing how to win. There are individuals who have the “IT Factor” that translates in to performing in critical moments and finding a way to win. Lines and tandem pairs get on a roll and earn nicknames. Goaltenders show a caring level toward their teammates that makes their teammates want to play hard for them.
Our goal is to separate ourselves fm the pack with our unique assets and still find a way to blend in to a team setting by respecting each other’s individual skills. Over-achieving in our unique assets causes those around us to emulate what we do well. This is a team that grows as a team. This is how teams, staffs and departments within a company grow.
“Try to do something out of the ordinary every shift or training session. This builds in to magical and revered memories that ultimately become defining moments in our career and lives.”
Al Neuharth, USA Today Founder wrote, "After 65 you should retire, relax, help others and enjoy it." He says, "Too old and crotchety are risky, but so is young and cocksure."
We say ask questions, sort out all the responses and make a decision. Retirement is nice but maintaining your curiosity level is more important. We want to reduce retirement to recalculating.
Recent observations and circumstances carry more weight, because what you see is what you get. We say and write a lot. We are hoping you have the willingness and wisdom to sort out the good from the bad. This is the way to survive in this world. We only do it to create awareness before problems happen and expose problems when they happen. We have to solve them, because they never just go away. Let’s refer to this as the “Crisis Control and Authenticity Tests” of a human being.
Al says, under 35 - We should listen and learn.
We say listen, learn, chip in with comments and show up on time for work regardless of age. Listening is an ongoing process. Listening is a lost art and a difference maker in winning and losing. Chipping in improves the company culture and performance. Promptness costs the world billions, people their jobs and determines company success.
Al says, 35 - 65 Help run things and look for opportunities to run them yourself.
We say be a detail person, and care about others, before any personal gains. Compete to win. Do this and opportunities fall in your lap. Good people take care of good people, regardless of the situation. Our feeling is there are a lot of good things that will fall in your lap when you work hard with pure intentions.
Personal gains come from respecting unique assets of others and sharing, even if it's a puck. Sidney Crosby and Evgeny Malkin are standard bearers and raise the bar. Sharing stops and losing starts when greed enters in to the equation. We have to guard against it. The way to guard against it is by creating awareness this can happen, exposing problems and solving them. We can’t confuse greed with good greed.
Pass smartly when you should pass, shoot smartly to bury it when you should shoot (good greed is a must if you are going to score with regularity) and carry it smartly only if you have to. The good ones think about who they are going to give it to before they get it. Handling the puck is a given. Adding the word “smart or smartly” to every fundamental and expression of skill will raise the level of performance.
Bottom line, age and experience don’t give you answers. Passion for life, work, people and play does. When we are around people with a passion for life, work and play, we are on a high. It’s fun to be around people who live what they do. They have the will to win and excel and cherish the opportunity to bring others in to their lives.
The Holidays are a time to rehash memories. Life is all about creating memories; magical and revered that all add up to define your life. When it is all said and done, each memory is a special moment. In Astronaut John Glenn’s words, “A final haunting valediction of a person who made the supreme sacrifice and/or those who sacrificed so others could feel comfortable and enjoy a better life.”
This is our camp and life; all about developing people and creating memories while instilling boldness, courage, will to win/excel, skill to get out of yourself and bring others in to your life, the skill to express your skill and the skill to achieve greatness in some asset category. Greatness isn’t about being the greatest. It’s all about doing something great that becomes a memory that lasts forever.
With our economy struggling, we hope we found a way to give you something that didn’t cost all of us anything but time; time to write, read and digest.
We wish you all the best the Holidays have to offer. Take time to give thanks.
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 are 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
Happy Holidays to you and your family from our Minnesota Hockey Camps family. All the best during the time of the year we have a lot to be thankful for. Sports are a true test of a person's intangibles. Lifetime relationships are developed over a short period of time because of the dynamics of the sport, demands of the job and the people we have the opportunity to meet through our work and travels.
Develop and cultivate as many relationships as possible. Take all the good out of each of them and put them in a memory bank.
If you send your child to camp, and they return home a better player, you will be happy. If they return home a harder worker, better person, with a better understanding of life and what it takes to play the game, you will be happier. We do all that and more. Minnesota Hockey Camps has a way of creating awareness of assets and liabilities. We teach young people the value of hard work that is fun while eliminating blind spots that shorten and stifle careers.
If you had your choice of one improvement, you will want them returning home a better person. This is something that happens just by being @ the camp and rubbing elbows with people who have a passion for life, people and the game.
The game of hockey has people in all capacities who know the value of validating and anointing themselves beyond other's beliefs, words, feelings and evaluations. We learn early on that we control our own destiny and in no way do others validate our worth and success.
We all recognize the need for support systems in every person's life, but it still comes down to each of us just “getting it done”. Keep supporting each other and the results will be dynamic. We are all part of something much bigger than all of us combined; namely each person's life and career. Our wish for this Holiday Season is something thought provoking that enhances our chances of maximizing our unique skills. This costs nothing and ends up being priceless.
It’s easy to judge a person but it takes a special skill and caring person to do something to help others solve an intimidating problem or task.
All of us would like our children to improve so they can move on through the levels. Seeking greatness in your assets is our Holiday Message to you and your family. Along with that, is you raising your level of Curiosity which enhances your chances. Keep asking questions wherever you go; whoever you meet. One of the most important traits of great leaders is Curiosity. This will blend in well with your aspirations. Every year players like Scott Hartnell, T J Oshie, Ryan Malone, Matt Greene, Derek Stepan, Clarke MacArthur, Chris and Tony Stewart came to camp; they would say something like, “You’ve seen me play this year. I don’t want to hear what I did well. I want to know what I didn’t do well and anything I can do to improve.”
Carl Sneep has always sought advice on improving and is now learning how to adjust to pro as the only rookie on the WBS Penguins team. He is fortunate to have mentors who care and know the value of instilling boldness and courage @ the pro level.
Our camp has an attitude. Countries have attitudes (Canada’s hockey attitude), States (Provinces), Communities, Organizations, Teams, Lines, Defensive pairs and Individuals have attitudes. The top one fuels the one underneath and on down. Infectious play of individuals fuels the level above and on up to the top. The USA Miracle on Ice team started out as a collection of good college players and ended up impacting the entire world. They, along with the players we coached @ camps and in high school, are the underlying reason why we enjoy an NHL career.
Winning a game, or a spot on the team, is an attitude. Everything is an attitude. We know communities where young people grow up knowing how to win. There are organizations and teams that go in to each game or a play-off setting knowing how to win. There are individuals who have the “IT Factor” that translates in to performing in critical moments and finding a way to win. Lines and tandem pairs get on a roll and earn nicknames. Goaltenders show a caring level toward their teammates that makes their teammates want to play hard for them.
Our goal is to separate ourselves fm the pack with our unique assets and still find a way to blend in to a team setting by respecting each other’s individual skills. Over-achieving in our unique assets causes those around us to emulate what we do well. This is a team that grows as a team. This is how teams, staffs and departments within a company grow.
“Try to do something out of the ordinary every shift or training session. This builds in to magical and revered memories that ultimately become defining moments in our career and lives.”
Al Neuharth, USA Today Founder wrote, "After 65 you should retire, relax, help others and enjoy it." He says, "Too old and crotchety are risky, but so is young and cocksure."
We say ask questions, sort out all the responses and make a decision. Retirement is nice but maintaining your curiosity level is more important. We want to reduce retirement to recalculating.
Recent observations and circumstances carry more weight, because what you see is what you get. We say and write a lot. We are hoping you have the willingness and wisdom to sort out the good from the bad. This is the way to survive in this world. We only do it to create awareness before problems happen and expose problems when they happen. We have to solve them, because they never just go away. Let’s refer to this as the “Crisis Control and Authenticity Tests” of a human being.
Al says, under 35 - We should listen and learn.
We say listen, learn, chip in with comments and show up on time for work regardless of age. Listening is an ongoing process. Listening is a lost art and a difference maker in winning and losing. Chipping in improves the company culture and performance. Promptness costs the world billions, people their jobs and determines company success.
Al says, 35 - 65 Help run things and look for opportunities to run them yourself.
We say be a detail person, and care about others, before any personal gains. Compete to win. Do this and opportunities fall in your lap. Good people take care of good people, regardless of the situation. Our feeling is there are a lot of good things that will fall in your lap when you work hard with pure intentions.
Personal gains come from respecting unique assets of others and sharing, even if it's a puck. Sidney Crosby and Evgeny Malkin are standard bearers and raise the bar. Sharing stops and losing starts when greed enters in to the equation. We have to guard against it. The way to guard against it is by creating awareness this can happen, exposing problems and solving them. We can’t confuse greed with good greed.
Pass smartly when you should pass, shoot smartly to bury it when you should shoot (good greed is a must if you are going to score with regularity) and carry it smartly only if you have to. The good ones think about who they are going to give it to before they get it. Handling the puck is a given. Adding the word “smart or smartly” to every fundamental and expression of skill will raise the level of performance.
Bottom line, age and experience don’t give you answers. Passion for life, work, people and play does. When we are around people with a passion for life, work and play, we are on a high. It’s fun to be around people who live what they do. They have the will to win and excel and cherish the opportunity to bring others in to their lives.
The Holidays are a time to rehash memories. Life is all about creating memories; magical and revered that all add up to define your life. When it is all said and done, each memory is a special moment. In Astronaut John Glenn’s words, “A final haunting valediction of a person who made the supreme sacrifice and/or those who sacrificed so others could feel comfortable and enjoy a better life.”
This is our camp and life; all about developing people and creating memories while instilling boldness, courage, will to win/excel, skill to get out of yourself and bring others in to your life, the skill to express your skill and the skill to achieve greatness in some asset category. Greatness isn’t about being the greatest. It’s all about doing something great that becomes a memory that lasts forever.
With our economy struggling, we hope we found a way to give you something that didn’t cost all of us anything but time; time to write, read and digest.
We wish you all the best the Holidays have to offer. Take time to give thanks.
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 are 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
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Crisis Control
Crisis Control;
managing, mentoring, parenting, playing
Hockey is an impossible game to play afraid. It’s a violent sport and things happen out there. You can’t be tentative. If you are, you are going to get hit, and inevitably, hurt. Going hard gives you a chance to initiate versus retaliate. Playing afraid falls in to other categories like: Afraid to lose, afraid to perform and afraid to win. Just play your game, relax, be aggressive, go with your instincts and do what you do best. Panicking in any situation has never served anyone or anything well. Solve all the little problems and you are less likely to experience big problems; probably the best crisis control there is.
Crisis control, in all situations, is paramount. It comes in to play when attempting to make a team, being a part of the final roster, consistently performing day in and day out, coming off a bad performance or benching, coming out of losing streaks and in the play offs under stress. It all comes down to relaxing, doing what you do well and going with your instincts. Confidence in yourself and your team is all part of the equation. Having a trust in those you work for, and play with, is an important part of the equation. Trusting your instincts and your game is part of the equation. It starts with you doing very well without the puck and moves to doing what you can with a puck.
Crisis control starts with leadership; how they handle themselves in tough situations. Five men that come to mind for me are George Gund, eMario Lemieux, Craig Patrick, Fred Shero and Ray Shero; totally different personalities but a similar approach when it comes to crisis control. They believe that winners win and winners express themselves with no panic; and no one hands anything to them. "Just play; just work."
The game is an aspect of life. The people who play it have sons and daughter, fathers and mothers, relatives and friends. What happens out there can be bigger than the game; whether getting hurt or accepting the challenge when opportunity is there. The challenge may be the challenge of making a team, staying on the team, playing consistently well to avoid riding the pine, and going through ups and downs while winning championships. Every community, every organization, every team, every player, every situation, has a different meaning and different expectation. Expectations are in line with bringing others in to your life, talent levels and ability to express your talent individually as well as in a team setting.
The game is easier to play when you are both relaxed and angry. The thought of annihilating your opponent is a good thought and will go a long ways towards helping you survive in the game. Do everything in your power to make them fail. There is no room for gloating @ any time. There is plenty of time to reminisce when a successful career is over and you’ve embraced every challenged you faced.
Crisis control is all about defining the moments faced before they define you. Knowing that some form of crisis is in the future, prepare yourself to relax, go with your instincts and what you do well. Parents fall in to the same category as leaders. Do you pass the crisis control test, parents? We’ve asked all in the past if you pass the authenticity test. Now we are asking the same of crisis control.
Do you pass the crisis control test? You will need it to survive the slippery slope of managing, mentoring, parenting and playing. Childrens' and players’ problems need to be solved before they become a crisis. All problems need to be solved before there is a tragic ending. Taking care of the little problems as they happen averts tragedy and crisis. It all starts by being a detail person with a strict routine; one who cares about others before any personal gains.
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 are 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
managing, mentoring, parenting, playing
Hockey is an impossible game to play afraid. It’s a violent sport and things happen out there. You can’t be tentative. If you are, you are going to get hit, and inevitably, hurt. Going hard gives you a chance to initiate versus retaliate. Playing afraid falls in to other categories like: Afraid to lose, afraid to perform and afraid to win. Just play your game, relax, be aggressive, go with your instincts and do what you do best. Panicking in any situation has never served anyone or anything well. Solve all the little problems and you are less likely to experience big problems; probably the best crisis control there is.
Crisis control, in all situations, is paramount. It comes in to play when attempting to make a team, being a part of the final roster, consistently performing day in and day out, coming off a bad performance or benching, coming out of losing streaks and in the play offs under stress. It all comes down to relaxing, doing what you do well and going with your instincts. Confidence in yourself and your team is all part of the equation. Having a trust in those you work for, and play with, is an important part of the equation. Trusting your instincts and your game is part of the equation. It starts with you doing very well without the puck and moves to doing what you can with a puck.
Crisis control starts with leadership; how they handle themselves in tough situations. Five men that come to mind for me are George Gund, eMario Lemieux, Craig Patrick, Fred Shero and Ray Shero; totally different personalities but a similar approach when it comes to crisis control. They believe that winners win and winners express themselves with no panic; and no one hands anything to them. "Just play; just work."
The game is an aspect of life. The people who play it have sons and daughter, fathers and mothers, relatives and friends. What happens out there can be bigger than the game; whether getting hurt or accepting the challenge when opportunity is there. The challenge may be the challenge of making a team, staying on the team, playing consistently well to avoid riding the pine, and going through ups and downs while winning championships. Every community, every organization, every team, every player, every situation, has a different meaning and different expectation. Expectations are in line with bringing others in to your life, talent levels and ability to express your talent individually as well as in a team setting.
The game is easier to play when you are both relaxed and angry. The thought of annihilating your opponent is a good thought and will go a long ways towards helping you survive in the game. Do everything in your power to make them fail. There is no room for gloating @ any time. There is plenty of time to reminisce when a successful career is over and you’ve embraced every challenged you faced.
Crisis control is all about defining the moments faced before they define you. Knowing that some form of crisis is in the future, prepare yourself to relax, go with your instincts and what you do well. Parents fall in to the same category as leaders. Do you pass the crisis control test, parents? We’ve asked all in the past if you pass the authenticity test. Now we are asking the same of crisis control.
Do you pass the crisis control test? You will need it to survive the slippery slope of managing, mentoring, parenting and playing. Childrens' and players’ problems need to be solved before they become a crisis. All problems need to be solved before there is a tragic ending. Taking care of the little problems as they happen averts tragedy and crisis. It all starts by being a detail person with a strict routine; one who cares about others before any personal gains.
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 are 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
Monday, November 29, 2010
Tribute to Biscuit another Legend @ MHC
Biscuit; Legend @ MHC
May 24, 1996 – November 29, 2010
Courage – Fortitude – Caring - Special
When Herb Brooks was killed in a tragic car accident, I took time to document everything I could remember about our relationship. I spent about three weeks typing what I could remember. The writing went over 8,000 words.
Biscuit passed quietly away on November 29, 2010. I’ve asked Clairene to type up some memories and I will do my best to recount our life together and its meaning. I will always remember I was sitting in a Springhill Suites @ 0910 in Renton, WA when I received the text message fm Clairene that this precious dog quietly passed away. The text read, “I gave our girl many hugs and kisses fm both of us. She has gone to doggy heaven. I just got home. She relaxed and everything went well. No more pain.”
When I think of different people in my life, I have to include the dogs we’ve had over the years. You get this numbing feeling and then the emotions start to flow. I left the room, went down to the elliptical machine in the exercise room and called Clairene to talk about Biscuit’s last living moments.
I wanted to know about her body, eyes and demeanor. She had to have lived in a lot of pain these past few years without complaining one time; falling down and unable to get up @ times.
Biscuit spent her last moments on a blanket in Milton, FL @ the vet. She has been in arthritic pain for a number of years now and spent the last summer unable to go to the Camp because she was unable to walk up the steps. This alone was a sad moment because she has been a part of MHC for fourteen (14) years. She went every day for seventy straight days as well as days before and after. Her favorite spot was under Clairene’s desk away fm everyone but there was the odd camper she would gravitate to; especially around lunch and dinner.
She could always tell when it was Gringo burger day. She could smell the grill fm her place in the office and she got out of the office as soon as she could because she knew the cook would look after her. Many times that cook was me.
She would wander over to my desk when Clairene left the office or she heard the treats rattle in a plastic bottle. When she came to work each morning, the first thing she did was come and lay under my desk until I pulled out a treat. Once finished, she got up and moved to her favorite spot with the woman she loved as her keeper in the office next door.
She knew we were ready to go when the computer signaled that Microsoft Office was shutting down. She got up to go as soon as she heard the music. She could also tell when the phones were being call-forwarded and got up to leave then, also.
She had inner ear problems and always came up to see if you would rub her ears. She made you do this until you got tired.
I will never forget how scared she was when she was shipped fm Kentucky by our son, Dino. She came by plane and she had her dog cage that we had bought for the trip. Once out of that cage, she refused to ever get in that cage again. It still sits in our garage; brand new, one trip. Dino wanted us to have this dog and I was the one who pushed it. She was taken off the plane, put in our 94 Ford truck and she crawled in to a corner scared stiff. When we arrived @ our home in Lakeshore fm Minneapolis airport, she got out of the car, ran and hid under our neighbor’s car in the mud. I had to crawl under the car to get her out.
It took a while for her to get used to us but it wasn’t long and she was sleeping in a King sized bed every night of her life with us. She came up every night by our pillow, played a while and then moved down to the end of the bed. This was a ritual for many years. She always finished the moment with a kiss for each of us before moving to the end of the bed.
She would always let me know when she wanted to go to bed and I most always accommodated her; especially in her later years when I felt guilty being away all the time.
Then there was Chippy the little Chipmunk that liked to hang around our deck @ home. Chippy was always bugging Biscuit showing up chirping her fm most anywhere close to the deck. Biscuit would take after her and she would duck in a hole. All you had to do was say, “Where’s Chippy and Biscuit ears popped up and she was looking.
She could always tell when we were going church on Sunday. She acted different than when we put our coats on to go out. Once the coats were on she would go over by the treats and just sit there waiting until we got some for her.
She went to Clairene’s workouts up in the garage every morning that Claire went. She would lay there and listen for the Stairmaster to signal the end and then she would goof around on the floor with Claire while she was doing her exercises.
She knew she could wake you up by shaking her collar so she simply got up and then proceeding to wake us up to start the day. It didn’t matter when, she got your attention and I don’t ever remember anyone being mad.
We have two sunning chairs in Florida. She would come out with us. She would wait until one of us got up and she would be in your chair when you came back. It was usually my chair because she was used to sunning with Claire when I was gone. She wasn’t about to move, either.
When camp starts, it will be interesting to see what Luke and Pepper think. Who will finally take her spot under Claire’s desk in the office? The three of them found a way to hang around every day during the summer.
I will always remember our days in the boat together and how she would sense we were coming back home and go to the front of the boat. She did something similar each time we turned on to Birchwood Hills Drive. She could be sleeping and she would get up as we turned and start looking for deer in the road.
We are going to miss walking the grounds with her down in Florida. It is a twenty (20) minute walk around the property. She always hated to go because the little prickly plants were hard on her feet, but she came and all was fine once she got going.
Biscuit was a unique Lab, one who very carefully picked her friends. She was very difficult to get to know and we believe it stems fm how she was treated when born in Kentucky.
Biscuit was one you could never figure out. She reminded me of all the great coaches in the game. They are firm, fair, and loyal to their players and you cannot figure them out; they always keep you guessing. I liked her name because I’ve been shooting a “biscuit” since I was three (3)nyears old on ice rinks. She had the name before she came to us.
Dogs are an unbelievable prototype for all that unconditional love and respect stand for. They stand by you in all situations. They are there wagging their tail no matter what is going on in your mind or life. They epitomize the ability to get out of themselves and bring others in to their life. They literally force you to love them. What a unique skill; something any human being is capable of acquiring and a skill much needed in any locker room setting.
Can you imagine a sports locker room filled with the personality of a dog? There would be more love and respect in that room than anyone could imagine. Dogs unconditionally accept you for who you are and what you bring to the mix. They seem to recognize the unique skills you have and they respect you for it. They respond to any indication of love immediately and they have your back when you develop loyalty, trust and respect in your relationship. While not automatic, it is all there when you work @ it.
We loved her so much that we purchased a small RV called Born Free, Built for Two and Biscuit, to travel back and forth to Florida each year. November 16 to 19 was her final trip and she made the trip like a warrior, even though she was in great pain and struggled to get down the ramp we built for her to get in and out of the RV. She rarely came up between the seats this trip like she did so many times in the past. There were moments, though, when she thought we had some food to give her. She didn’t ask to get up in one of our beds like she had in the past. Something told us this would be her last trip.
I have to mention Clairene’s caring for Biscuit when it came to lotions on her body and cleaning her ears. She was diligent about it and Biscuit had an appreciation for it once the application was over. She treated her no different than she would a child or grandchild and Biscuit never left her side in all of their time together.
Biscuit is one who has taught me a lot about how life should really work. You had to be real honest to earn her love, respect and loyalty. While gone too much in my job, we had our moments where I knew she loved me; especially when she got up in the living room between 2100 and 2200 hours to remind me she would like to go to bed. I loved this yellow Lab. She will always have her place in my life. I will always treasure our relationship and life with her and Clairene.
We left Nisswa on November 16, 2010 in a Born Free Built for Two and Biscuit. We arrived in Florida on November 18, 2010. We are now down to a Born Free Built for Two without Biscuit, but Biscuit will always be remembered for the valued role she played in our lives. There will never a day when I will say, “She was just a Dog.”
Two great side stories involving two of our dogs, Buffy and Biscuit are:
More than once I came home, gone to sleep that night, woke up with my leg hangin off the bed during the night, and asked Claire if the dog could move over so I could have room. Her reply was, “What for, she is here more than you are.”
Another time I overheard her say, “Don’t worry Buffy, he will be gone in a couple of days and we’ll have more room.”
Claire sent the following fm her sister, Carol:
If it should be that I grow frail and weak and pain should keep me from my sleep.
Then you must do what must be done for this the last battle can’t be won.
Don’t let grief stay your hand.
For this day more than the rest your love and friendship stand the test.
We had so many happy years.
What is to come can hold no fear your want of me not to suffer..
So when the time has come to let me go.
I know you will see it is the kindness you do for me.
Although my tail it is the last wave from pain and suffering.
I have been saved.
Don’t let your heart hold any tears.
Our memories I will cherish for all the years.
I will rest in Peace, my friend.
Love you always,
Biscuit
To: Biscuit
While sorry to hear about the passing of our beloved dog, we can sit and go back over the great memories. Our thoughts and prayers are with all who go through this type of traumatic time. No one can ever prepare us for the day we lose anyone in our life. The only thing that gets us through the moment is all the love and caring that comes from those around us; plus the fact we know she knows we loved her during her time on earth.
She passed away realizing we raised a great dog; one who was detailed in everything she did and one who cared about others before anything personal. This is the highest honor any dog owner can receive.
Our love will forever live with our dog, Biscuit.
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 are 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
May 24, 1996 – November 29, 2010
Courage – Fortitude – Caring - Special
When Herb Brooks was killed in a tragic car accident, I took time to document everything I could remember about our relationship. I spent about three weeks typing what I could remember. The writing went over 8,000 words.
Biscuit passed quietly away on November 29, 2010. I’ve asked Clairene to type up some memories and I will do my best to recount our life together and its meaning. I will always remember I was sitting in a Springhill Suites @ 0910 in Renton, WA when I received the text message fm Clairene that this precious dog quietly passed away. The text read, “I gave our girl many hugs and kisses fm both of us. She has gone to doggy heaven. I just got home. She relaxed and everything went well. No more pain.”
When I think of different people in my life, I have to include the dogs we’ve had over the years. You get this numbing feeling and then the emotions start to flow. I left the room, went down to the elliptical machine in the exercise room and called Clairene to talk about Biscuit’s last living moments.
I wanted to know about her body, eyes and demeanor. She had to have lived in a lot of pain these past few years without complaining one time; falling down and unable to get up @ times.
Biscuit spent her last moments on a blanket in Milton, FL @ the vet. She has been in arthritic pain for a number of years now and spent the last summer unable to go to the Camp because she was unable to walk up the steps. This alone was a sad moment because she has been a part of MHC for fourteen (14) years. She went every day for seventy straight days as well as days before and after. Her favorite spot was under Clairene’s desk away fm everyone but there was the odd camper she would gravitate to; especially around lunch and dinner.
She could always tell when it was Gringo burger day. She could smell the grill fm her place in the office and she got out of the office as soon as she could because she knew the cook would look after her. Many times that cook was me.
She would wander over to my desk when Clairene left the office or she heard the treats rattle in a plastic bottle. When she came to work each morning, the first thing she did was come and lay under my desk until I pulled out a treat. Once finished, she got up and moved to her favorite spot with the woman she loved as her keeper in the office next door.
She knew we were ready to go when the computer signaled that Microsoft Office was shutting down. She got up to go as soon as she heard the music. She could also tell when the phones were being call-forwarded and got up to leave then, also.
She had inner ear problems and always came up to see if you would rub her ears. She made you do this until you got tired.
I will never forget how scared she was when she was shipped fm Kentucky by our son, Dino. She came by plane and she had her dog cage that we had bought for the trip. Once out of that cage, she refused to ever get in that cage again. It still sits in our garage; brand new, one trip. Dino wanted us to have this dog and I was the one who pushed it. She was taken off the plane, put in our 94 Ford truck and she crawled in to a corner scared stiff. When we arrived @ our home in Lakeshore fm Minneapolis airport, she got out of the car, ran and hid under our neighbor’s car in the mud. I had to crawl under the car to get her out.
It took a while for her to get used to us but it wasn’t long and she was sleeping in a King sized bed every night of her life with us. She came up every night by our pillow, played a while and then moved down to the end of the bed. This was a ritual for many years. She always finished the moment with a kiss for each of us before moving to the end of the bed.
She would always let me know when she wanted to go to bed and I most always accommodated her; especially in her later years when I felt guilty being away all the time.
Then there was Chippy the little Chipmunk that liked to hang around our deck @ home. Chippy was always bugging Biscuit showing up chirping her fm most anywhere close to the deck. Biscuit would take after her and she would duck in a hole. All you had to do was say, “Where’s Chippy and Biscuit ears popped up and she was looking.
She could always tell when we were going church on Sunday. She acted different than when we put our coats on to go out. Once the coats were on she would go over by the treats and just sit there waiting until we got some for her.
She went to Clairene’s workouts up in the garage every morning that Claire went. She would lay there and listen for the Stairmaster to signal the end and then she would goof around on the floor with Claire while she was doing her exercises.
She knew she could wake you up by shaking her collar so she simply got up and then proceeding to wake us up to start the day. It didn’t matter when, she got your attention and I don’t ever remember anyone being mad.
We have two sunning chairs in Florida. She would come out with us. She would wait until one of us got up and she would be in your chair when you came back. It was usually my chair because she was used to sunning with Claire when I was gone. She wasn’t about to move, either.
When camp starts, it will be interesting to see what Luke and Pepper think. Who will finally take her spot under Claire’s desk in the office? The three of them found a way to hang around every day during the summer.
I will always remember our days in the boat together and how she would sense we were coming back home and go to the front of the boat. She did something similar each time we turned on to Birchwood Hills Drive. She could be sleeping and she would get up as we turned and start looking for deer in the road.
We are going to miss walking the grounds with her down in Florida. It is a twenty (20) minute walk around the property. She always hated to go because the little prickly plants were hard on her feet, but she came and all was fine once she got going.
Biscuit was a unique Lab, one who very carefully picked her friends. She was very difficult to get to know and we believe it stems fm how she was treated when born in Kentucky.
Biscuit was one you could never figure out. She reminded me of all the great coaches in the game. They are firm, fair, and loyal to their players and you cannot figure them out; they always keep you guessing. I liked her name because I’ve been shooting a “biscuit” since I was three (3)nyears old on ice rinks. She had the name before she came to us.
Dogs are an unbelievable prototype for all that unconditional love and respect stand for. They stand by you in all situations. They are there wagging their tail no matter what is going on in your mind or life. They epitomize the ability to get out of themselves and bring others in to their life. They literally force you to love them. What a unique skill; something any human being is capable of acquiring and a skill much needed in any locker room setting.
Can you imagine a sports locker room filled with the personality of a dog? There would be more love and respect in that room than anyone could imagine. Dogs unconditionally accept you for who you are and what you bring to the mix. They seem to recognize the unique skills you have and they respect you for it. They respond to any indication of love immediately and they have your back when you develop loyalty, trust and respect in your relationship. While not automatic, it is all there when you work @ it.
We loved her so much that we purchased a small RV called Born Free, Built for Two and Biscuit, to travel back and forth to Florida each year. November 16 to 19 was her final trip and she made the trip like a warrior, even though she was in great pain and struggled to get down the ramp we built for her to get in and out of the RV. She rarely came up between the seats this trip like she did so many times in the past. There were moments, though, when she thought we had some food to give her. She didn’t ask to get up in one of our beds like she had in the past. Something told us this would be her last trip.
I have to mention Clairene’s caring for Biscuit when it came to lotions on her body and cleaning her ears. She was diligent about it and Biscuit had an appreciation for it once the application was over. She treated her no different than she would a child or grandchild and Biscuit never left her side in all of their time together.
Biscuit is one who has taught me a lot about how life should really work. You had to be real honest to earn her love, respect and loyalty. While gone too much in my job, we had our moments where I knew she loved me; especially when she got up in the living room between 2100 and 2200 hours to remind me she would like to go to bed. I loved this yellow Lab. She will always have her place in my life. I will always treasure our relationship and life with her and Clairene.
We left Nisswa on November 16, 2010 in a Born Free Built for Two and Biscuit. We arrived in Florida on November 18, 2010. We are now down to a Born Free Built for Two without Biscuit, but Biscuit will always be remembered for the valued role she played in our lives. There will never a day when I will say, “She was just a Dog.”
Two great side stories involving two of our dogs, Buffy and Biscuit are:
More than once I came home, gone to sleep that night, woke up with my leg hangin off the bed during the night, and asked Claire if the dog could move over so I could have room. Her reply was, “What for, she is here more than you are.”
Another time I overheard her say, “Don’t worry Buffy, he will be gone in a couple of days and we’ll have more room.”
Claire sent the following fm her sister, Carol:
If it should be that I grow frail and weak and pain should keep me from my sleep.
Then you must do what must be done for this the last battle can’t be won.
Don’t let grief stay your hand.
For this day more than the rest your love and friendship stand the test.
We had so many happy years.
What is to come can hold no fear your want of me not to suffer..
So when the time has come to let me go.
I know you will see it is the kindness you do for me.
Although my tail it is the last wave from pain and suffering.
I have been saved.
Don’t let your heart hold any tears.
Our memories I will cherish for all the years.
I will rest in Peace, my friend.
Love you always,
Biscuit
To: Biscuit
While sorry to hear about the passing of our beloved dog, we can sit and go back over the great memories. Our thoughts and prayers are with all who go through this type of traumatic time. No one can ever prepare us for the day we lose anyone in our life. The only thing that gets us through the moment is all the love and caring that comes from those around us; plus the fact we know she knows we loved her during her time on earth.
She passed away realizing we raised a great dog; one who was detailed in everything she did and one who cared about others before anything personal. This is the highest honor any dog owner can receive.
Our love will forever live with our dog, Biscuit.
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 are 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
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Garmin Theory of Recalculating
Garmin Theory of Recalculating
We’ve all heard of the Darwin Theory of Evolution. I, failing to reach this level of sophistication, have a new theory. I’ve had the benefit of discussions on long road trips with a couple of colleagues of mine who cause a person to think. We decided to create a new “theory of recalculating to prevent tragedy” and named it after the GPS in our rental car.
We believe in the Garmin Theory of Recalculating. We’ve all been there. Whether a case of getting old, not fitting in, going off course, philosophical differences, losing streaks or just maintaining, sustaining and building on a great experience (career), growing as a player, growing as a person, the Garmin Theory of Recalculating comes in to play.
Being a healthy scratch, or experiencing a prolonged slump, simply triggers the word “Recalculate”. The misfortune of being scratched in a game, or a prolonged slump, is not a whole lot different than going off course on a trip. Your mind should be saying, “Recalculating”.
The hardest part about getting old is watching your value decline as your skills erode. This doesn’t mean you quit trying to make an impact. Simply, “Recalculate”. Going off course as an organization sends a quick signal, “Recalculate”. The picture is clear. The Gamin Theory of Recalculating is the wave of the future and has the potential for helping any situation have a happy ending.
During the course of a few twenty-five hundred (2,500) mile road trips, and occasional twelve thousand (12,000) while looking for talent, one has a lot of time to think. There is plenty of opportunity to go off course. When you do, the Garmin is quick to say, “Recalculating”. One word, a few seconds of recalculating and you are back on course to your destination. Every person, unit, department, team, organization, city, state, nation and world is confronted with this problem many times over the course of a season, span of careers and life of a company.
Much of this has to do with acquiring the skill to navigate through unchartered waters. Once acquired, you basically have what it takes to conquer most any situation. Life, and the game, is a test of intangibles once you reach the skill level required for each level or task.
This is a perfect opportunity to pass the Fortitude Test and get back on course. Even the best are forced to recalculate if they are to maintain their number one position. The perfect example is Heinz Ketchup. How many times have they had to recalculate to maintain their lofty position in the Ketchup industry? They could be satisfied with their lofty position but their R & D department is always taking the time to assess, improve and recalculate.
We get ourselves in a position to pass the Fortitude Test more times than we would like to think over the course of a career and lifetime. When you get back in the lineup, or recalculate your life’s course, you will have added Fortitude to your long resume of assets. You will have the mental and emotional strength, as well as courage, to face difficulty, adversity and uncertainty. You will acquire the spirit to do well in spite of obstacles. You will have the patience to weather the storm.
You will get back on course as soon as your mind recognizes the situation and says, “Recalculating”.
This doesn’t eliminate the need for support people that every person needs but it does give you an inner strength and awareness as we recognize being forced to “recalculate” many times over the course of a career and lifetime. This extends beyond one person to units, teams, organizations, cities, states, nations and the world.
So the next time you, or something you are a part of, goes off course, simply think the Garmin way, “Recalculating”. Think it through, ask questions, seek support and encourage ideas. You will be back on the right course and arrive @ your destination with a happy ending.
If you see someone in need of recalculating, reach out and help them help themselves. If it involves your organization, reach out and make a statement that causes those in charge to think things through. People with high caring levels recognize the need, and value, of “recalculating” and the role it plays in preventing a tragedy; personal, organizational or beyond.
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 are 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
We’ve all heard of the Darwin Theory of Evolution. I, failing to reach this level of sophistication, have a new theory. I’ve had the benefit of discussions on long road trips with a couple of colleagues of mine who cause a person to think. We decided to create a new “theory of recalculating to prevent tragedy” and named it after the GPS in our rental car.
We believe in the Garmin Theory of Recalculating. We’ve all been there. Whether a case of getting old, not fitting in, going off course, philosophical differences, losing streaks or just maintaining, sustaining and building on a great experience (career), growing as a player, growing as a person, the Garmin Theory of Recalculating comes in to play.
Being a healthy scratch, or experiencing a prolonged slump, simply triggers the word “Recalculate”. The misfortune of being scratched in a game, or a prolonged slump, is not a whole lot different than going off course on a trip. Your mind should be saying, “Recalculating”.
The hardest part about getting old is watching your value decline as your skills erode. This doesn’t mean you quit trying to make an impact. Simply, “Recalculate”. Going off course as an organization sends a quick signal, “Recalculate”. The picture is clear. The Gamin Theory of Recalculating is the wave of the future and has the potential for helping any situation have a happy ending.
During the course of a few twenty-five hundred (2,500) mile road trips, and occasional twelve thousand (12,000) while looking for talent, one has a lot of time to think. There is plenty of opportunity to go off course. When you do, the Garmin is quick to say, “Recalculating”. One word, a few seconds of recalculating and you are back on course to your destination. Every person, unit, department, team, organization, city, state, nation and world is confronted with this problem many times over the course of a season, span of careers and life of a company.
Much of this has to do with acquiring the skill to navigate through unchartered waters. Once acquired, you basically have what it takes to conquer most any situation. Life, and the game, is a test of intangibles once you reach the skill level required for each level or task.
This is a perfect opportunity to pass the Fortitude Test and get back on course. Even the best are forced to recalculate if they are to maintain their number one position. The perfect example is Heinz Ketchup. How many times have they had to recalculate to maintain their lofty position in the Ketchup industry? They could be satisfied with their lofty position but their R & D department is always taking the time to assess, improve and recalculate.
We get ourselves in a position to pass the Fortitude Test more times than we would like to think over the course of a career and lifetime. When you get back in the lineup, or recalculate your life’s course, you will have added Fortitude to your long resume of assets. You will have the mental and emotional strength, as well as courage, to face difficulty, adversity and uncertainty. You will acquire the spirit to do well in spite of obstacles. You will have the patience to weather the storm.
You will get back on course as soon as your mind recognizes the situation and says, “Recalculating”.
This doesn’t eliminate the need for support people that every person needs but it does give you an inner strength and awareness as we recognize being forced to “recalculate” many times over the course of a career and lifetime. This extends beyond one person to units, teams, organizations, cities, states, nations and the world.
So the next time you, or something you are a part of, goes off course, simply think the Garmin way, “Recalculating”. Think it through, ask questions, seek support and encourage ideas. You will be back on the right course and arrive @ your destination with a happy ending.
If you see someone in need of recalculating, reach out and help them help themselves. If it involves your organization, reach out and make a statement that causes those in charge to think things through. People with high caring levels recognize the need, and value, of “recalculating” and the role it plays in preventing a tragedy; personal, organizational or beyond.
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 are 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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