Your Hockey Game Starts on the Ride to the Rink

Most young hockey players know how to get ready physically.

Pack the bag.

Grab the sticks.

Get your water bottle.

Find your jersey.

Get in the car.

Head to the rink.

But there’s another type of preparation that can make just as much difference once you step on the ice:

What are you doing mentally on the way there?

On this episode of The Ride to The Rink, Lee Elias is joined by Shayne and Grace, two former college hockey players and high-level coaches, to talk about something young players can start doing immediately.

Use the ride to the rink to prepare your mind.

Not by putting pressure on yourself.

Not by telling yourself you have to score three goals.

Not by worrying about mistakes you made in your last game.

Instead, the goal is to arrive with purpose, positive energy, and an idea of what you want to accomplish.

Because sometimes the first victory of practice happens before you even touch the ice.

Pick One Thing You Want to Do Better

Grace offers young players a simple question:

How can I be better in this practice than I was in the last one?

Maybe your passing hasn’t felt sharp.

Maybe your shot accuracy needs some work.

Maybe you haven’t been shooting hard enough.

Maybe you want to compete harder in battles.

Maybe you simply want to communicate more.

Choose something.

It doesn’t have to be complicated.

Giving yourself one clear target can change the way you approach practice.

Instead of drifting from drill to drill, you now have something you’re actively trying to improve.

That creates purpose.

Make Your Goals Fun

Improvement doesn’t have to feel like homework.

Grace suggests turning some of those goals into games.

Maybe you tell yourself:

“I’m going to score eight times during these drills today.”

Or you and a teammate create a small challenge:

“Let’s see who can hit the net the most during this drill.”

Now you’re competing.

You’re working.

But you’re also having fun.

That balance is important.

Young players should absolutely work hard, but hockey is still a game.

Finding little ways to create competition can make players more focused without making every practice feel overly serious.

Practice Deserves Your Energy Too

A lot of players know how to get themselves excited for a game.

Music on.

Big tournament.

Full rink.

Important opponent.

Everybody feels ready.

But what about Tuesday night practice?

That matters too.

Lee points out that much of what players want to do successfully in games is actually built during practice.

Game performance comes from practice habits.

So if you only become mentally engaged when there’s a scoreboard running, you’re missing a huge part of your development.

The player who approaches practice with energy and purpose has more opportunities to get better.

That doesn’t mean every practice has to feel like the championship game.

It means the effort you bring should matter.

Your Energy Affects Everyone

Shayne emphasizes one of the most controllable parts of being a hockey player:

Energy.

Imagine two players walking into the rink.

One drops their bag, sits in the corner, says nothing, and looks miserable.

The other walks in, greets a teammate, says hello to the coach, and brings some excitement into the room.

Those players create different environments.

And teammates notice.

Positive energy spreads.

Unfortunately, negative energy can spread too.

That is why the energy you bring matters even if you aren’t the captain, leading scorer, or best player on the team.

Every player contributes to the atmosphere.

Being a Great Teammate Starts Before Practice

One of the easiest ways to bring positive energy is also one of the simplest:

Notice when your teammates do something well.

Tell them.

Maybe someone scores a great goal.

Maybe they make a smart pass.

Maybe the goalie makes a big save.

Maybe someone wins a difficult battle.

Say something.

A little recognition can go a long way.

And as Shayne explains, when you build a culture where teammates support one another, that support often comes back to you.

Being a great teammate is not dependent on talent.

It does not matter how many goals you have.

It does not matter which line you play on.

It does not matter how many A’s or B’s are attached to your team name.

Every player has the ability to make someone else’s hockey experience better.

Let the Rink Be Your Sanctuary

Lee uses the word sanctuary to describe the rink.

That’s a powerful way to think about it.

Young players deal with plenty outside hockey.

School.

Homework.

Friendship problems.

Family stress.

Bad days.

Disappointments.

Maybe something happened earlier that day that put you in a bad mood.

When you step into the rink, hockey can give you a break from all of that.

For an hour or so, your responsibility is simple.

Skate.

Compete.

Be with your teammates.

Enjoy the game.

That doesn’t mean your other problems disappear.

They’ll still be there when practice ends.

But for that hour, hockey can give you space to reset.

What If You’re Not Feeling It Today?

Here’s where things get harder.

It’s easy to bring positive energy when you feel great.

But what happens when you don’t?

Maybe you’re tired.

Maybe school was difficult.

Maybe you woke up feeling off.

Maybe your confidence is low.

Grace says something important:

Sometimes getting there is the hardest part.

Once players arrive, see their friends, put on their equipment, and get onto the ice, the energy often begins to return.

The decision to show up was already a victory.

That matters.

Of course, there is a difference between having a bad day and being genuinely too sick or injured to participate.

Players should communicate with parents and coaches when something is physically wrong.

But if the issue is simply that you aren’t mentally feeling your best, showing up can sometimes change the entire day.

Give 100% of the 100% You Have

Lee offers an important way to think about effort.

Not every day is going to be your best day physically.

Some days your body feels great.

Other days, maybe you only have 80% of your normal energy.

The goal isn’t to pretend that 80% is 100%.

The goal is:

Give 100% of the 80% you have available.

That is effort.

You cannot always control how your body feels.

You cannot always control what happened at school.

You cannot always control your mood before arriving.

You can control what you do with what you have.

That is one of the most important lessons sports can teach.

Start Looking for Small Wins

Shayne recommends focusing on little victories when you’re having an off day.

Maybe the puck isn’t going in.

Okay.

Did you win a faceoff?

Did you block a shot?

Did you backcheck hard?

Did you win a battle along the boards?

Did you make a good breakout pass?

Did you support a teammate?

Did you forecheck with effort?

Those count.

Hockey is made up of hundreds of small actions.

Goals and saves get attention because they are obvious.

But good hockey players understand that the game is won through countless smaller plays.

When you’re struggling, recognizing those little successes can help change your mindset.

One small win becomes another.

Then another.

Soon, you may realize that your “bad day” turned into a pretty productive practice.

Don’t Let One Mistake Decide the Next Shift

Everybody makes mistakes in hockey.

You will miss the puck.

Lose a battle.

Make a bad pass.

Get scored on.

Take the wrong angle.

That isn’t the real test.

The test is what happens next.

Shayne describes it as flipping the switch.

Can you respond positively?

Can you reset?

Can you prevent one mistake from becoming three more?

Players often have more control over that than they realize.

Your last shift is already over.

Your next one hasn’t happened yet.

The energy you bring to it is still your choice.

Coaches Can Help Read the Room

There’s also an important takeaway for coaches.

Lee describes using a simple check-in with players:

Thumbs up, thumbs sideways, or thumbs down—how was your day?

That gives a coach quick information about the group.

If half the team had a rough day at school, maybe the coach knows they need to bring more energy into the practice.

It doesn’t necessarily mean changing the whole plan.

It means understanding the people in front of you.

Players aren’t robots.

Coaches who recognize that can create better environments for development.

You Can Always Win at Being a Great Teammate

There will be days when the goals don’t come.

Days when your shot feels terrible.

Days when you aren’t the fastest player.

Days when the puck seems determined to bounce away from you.

But there is one thing available every time you walk into the rink.

You can be a great teammate.

You can bring energy.

You can encourage somebody.

You can work.

You can celebrate someone else.

You can listen.

You can help create a rink that people want to be in.

That is a win.

And unlike goals or assists, it doesn’t depend on the puck bouncing your way.

Use the Ride to the Rink

So the next time you climb into the car headed for practice or a game, use those minutes.

Ask yourself:

What is one thing I want to improve today?

Then:

What energy am I bringing with me?

And if you’re not feeling your best:

What is one small win I can find today?

You don’t need a perfect answer.

You simply need intention.

Because hockey doesn’t start when the referee drops the puck.

Your preparation starts earlier.

Your attitude starts earlier.

Your effort starts earlier.

And sometimes the difference between an average day and a great one begins right there—

on the ride to the rink.

🎧 Listen to the full episode of The Ride to The Rink with Shayne and Grace for more on energy, preparation, effort, small wins, and helping yourself become the best teammate you can be.

Bring the energy.

Find a win.

Help your teammates.

And wherever you are in your hockey journey, remember—we believe in you. You should too.