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RSS Feed Our Kids Play Hockey: What “Elite” Really Means with Game Change's Executive Director Duncan Fletcher
Is your child really “elite”? Duncan Fletcher explains why practice, skills, persistence, and long-term development matter more than labels.
Key Takeaways
- Duncan Fletcher, Executive Director of Game Change, joins hosts Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli to challenge common assumptions about youth hockey and the obsession with being labeled 'elite.'
- Young hockey players improve significantly more through focused practice and fundamental skill-building than by playing an excessive number of games or traveling long distances for tournaments.
- Developing fundamental skills like skating and puck handling creates a much stronger foundation for future success than chasing high-level AAA labels at a young age.
- Fletcher emphasizes that youth athletes should be developed for who they can become at 16, 17, or 18 rather than being optimized solely to win games at ages 9 or 10.
- Embracing multi-sport participation and allowing room for mistakes helps young athletes build resilience, self-awareness, and essential life skills that transfer back to hockey.
🏒 What actually separates the players who reach the next level from the ones who don’t?
Is it talent?
Work ethic?
Mindset?
AAA hockey?
More tournaments?
Or are we focusing on the wrong things entirely?
In this episode of Our Kids Play Hockey, Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli are joined by Duncan Fletcher, Executive Director of Game Change, former Division I hockey coach, and longtime athlete-development professional who has worked with hundreds of professional athletes.
The conversation challenges some of the biggest assumptions in youth hockey—especially the obsession with being “elite,” playing more games, traveling farther, and chasing higher-level labels before young players have built the foundation they actually need.
Duncan’s message is direct: if a young player wants to get better, start with the basics.
Skating.
Puck handling.
Practice.
Persistence.
Self-awareness.
And above all, enjoying the game enough to stay in it.
🎧 In this episode:
🏒 What “elite” actually means—and why the label is wildly overused
⛸️ Why skating and puck skills are still the foundation of everything
📈 Why players improve in practice more than they do in games
🚫 Why more tournaments and more travel do not automatically create better players
🧠 How persistence and what happens “between the ears” separate players at higher levels
🎯 Why coaches should prioritize development over youth hockey wins
⚾ Why multi-sport athletes can build skills that transfer back to hockey
💪 Why getting comfortable being uncomfortable matters
🗣️ How youth sports can develop communication, courage, leadership, and resilience
🔍 Why self-awareness becomes critical for athletes as they grow
🌎 Why players need interests and experiences outside their primary sport
📱 Why parents should stop obsessing over labels, rankings, and what everyone else is doing
🔥 Why mistakes are necessary if players are going to learn how to actually play the game
One of the most important ideas in this conversation is that young players should be developed for who they can become at 16, 17, or 18—not optimized to win at 9 or 10.
That means giving them room to fail.
Giving them time to build skills.
Giving them other sports and interests.
And finding coaches who care more about development than the scoreboard.
Because the real return on youth hockey is bigger than a roster spot.
It’s learning how to do hard things.
How to respond to adversity.
How to work.
How to lead.
How to communicate.
And how to keep improving—even when progress doesn’t always feel like success.
📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: What “Elite” Really Means in Youth Hockey—and Why Development Matters More
#OurKidsPlayHockey #YouthHockey #HockeyDevelopment #DuncanFletcher #PlayerDevelopment #YouthSports #HockeyParents #HockeyCoaching #MultiSportAthlete #HockeySkills #AAA Hockey #YouthAthleteDevelopment
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Duncan Fletcher on Our Kids Play Hockey?
Duncan Fletcher is the Executive Director of Game Change, a former Division I hockey coach, and a longtime athlete-development professional who joined the podcast to discuss what 'elite' truly means in youth hockey.
Why are tournaments and travel less effective for youth hockey development?
While games provide competition, players actually improve their core skills more effectively in structured practices where they get more repetitions and focused instruction.
Why should youth hockey players participate in multiple sports?
Playing multiple sports helps young athletes develop diverse movement skills, prevents burnout, and provides valuable experiences outside of hockey that foster overall personal growth.