Aug. 8, 2024

The Ride To The Rink: Players Checklist for the Season

Show Notes
Transcript

Welcome back, hockey skaters and goalies around the world, to another edition of The Ride to the Rink! With the new season fast approaching, it’s time to get prepared. Inspired by our recent episode on Our Kids Play Hockey, we’ve created a quick three-step checklist to help you get ready for the season.

1.Equipment Check:
•Make sure all your gear fits properly.
•Replace any equipment that is too small or worn out.
•Important items to check include hockey pants, shin guards, and sticks.
•Goalies, ensure your leg pads and pants fit correctly for optimal protection.

2.Mental State:
•Reflect on your current mindset and how you want to approach the season.
•Acknowledge any feelings of anxiety or excitement and make a plan to address them.
•Discuss your mental goals with parents or coaches to build a strong mental game.

3.Gratitude Check:
•Recognize the people who support you, like parents, grandparents, and coaches.
•Show appreciation for their time and effort in helping you pursue your passion.
•Stay organized with your practice schedules and be ready to go without needing constant reminders.

Remember, these three steps are essential as you prepare for the upcoming season. Stay tuned to The Ride to the Rink for more tips and insights. And most importantly, skate hard, have fun, and believe in yourself because we believe in you!

Text The Our Kids Play Hockey Team!

We're powered by NHL Sense Arena!

NHL Sense Arena, is a virtual reality training game designed specifically to improve hockey sense and IQ for both players and goalies. Experience the next generation of off-ice training in VR with over 100+ drills and training plans curated from top coaches and players.

Use Code "HockeyNeverStops" at Hockey.SenseArena.com to score $50 off an annual plan!

Have A Topic You Want Us To Cover? Let us know!

Please Be Sure To Subscribe & Leave A Review For Us On Apple Podcasts, doing so helps our show grow!

Follow Us On Social Media:

WEBVTT

00:00:07.974 --> 00:00:12.467
Hello hockey skaters and goalies around the world, and welcome back to another edition of the Ride to the Rink.

00:00:12.467 --> 00:00:14.888
The season is approaching.

00:00:14.888 --> 00:00:17.667
It's coming for you, no matter what you're going to do.

00:00:17.667 --> 00:00:18.530
It's coming right now.

00:00:18.530 --> 00:00:26.108
We just did an episode on Our Kids Play Hockey titled Three Things that your Coach Needs to Know to Get Ready for the Season a checklist for them.

00:00:26.108 --> 00:00:34.409
So I thought it'd be fun today on the Ride to the Rink to do like a quick three things that you, as a hockey player, need to have as a checklist before the season starts.

00:00:34.409 --> 00:00:35.826
So I'm going to run through these real quick with you.

00:00:35.826 --> 00:00:39.070
These will be good ones to listen to again before a season.

00:00:39.070 --> 00:00:45.502
So the checklist starts with the most obvious one your equipment.

00:00:45.502 --> 00:00:46.024
Okay, check your equipment.

00:00:46.024 --> 00:00:49.621
I know some of you probably have a favorite piece of equipment that you want to keep wearing, that they're yours and that you had.

00:00:49.621 --> 00:00:51.045
You think you have good luck with this equipment.

00:00:51.045 --> 00:00:55.627
I'm not going to argue that, but I'm going to tell you if it doesn't fit anymore, get some new equipment.

00:00:55.627 --> 00:00:58.762
Okay, being protected in this sport is very possible.

00:00:58.762 --> 00:00:59.301
I'm sorry.

00:00:59.301 --> 00:01:00.323
It's very, very important.

00:01:00.323 --> 00:01:04.549
I'm also going to say this to you as much as you love that piece of equipment and I get it.

00:01:04.549 --> 00:01:05.591
I was a hockey player too.

00:01:05.591 --> 00:01:07.034
You make the equipment great.

00:01:07.034 --> 00:01:09.766
The equipment does not make you great, so believe in yourself with that.

00:01:09.766 --> 00:01:13.942
So number one on the checklist go through equipment well before the season.

00:01:13.942 --> 00:01:15.308
Make sure everything fits.

00:01:15.308 --> 00:01:18.421
If it doesn't fit, go to your parents, tell them something doesn't fit.

00:01:18.421 --> 00:01:20.807
Make sure you have the things you need to start the season.

00:01:20.807 --> 00:01:21.730
Well, some of you are growing very fast.

00:01:21.730 --> 00:01:22.611
You might be going through a growth spurt.

00:01:22.611 --> 00:01:24.677
All the gear you have to start the season well, some of you are growing very fast.

00:01:24.677 --> 00:01:25.739
You might be going through a growth spurt.

00:01:25.739 --> 00:01:30.028
All the gear you have to start the season might not fit middle of the season or end of the season.

00:01:30.028 --> 00:01:32.287
That's why it's important that you check this out for your parents.

00:01:32.287 --> 00:01:35.569
Nobody, nobody, wants you to get hurt this season.

00:01:36.040 --> 00:01:38.420
Quick ones to check for again your hockey pants, kids.

00:01:38.420 --> 00:01:51.000
If there's a gap, if you're a skater, between your hockey pants and your shin guards above the knee, you need to get some new pads for that area.

00:01:51.000 --> 00:01:51.051
Keep it.

00:01:51.051 --> 00:01:51.522
Pay attention to your wrists.

00:01:51.522 --> 00:01:52.338
Pay attention to your chest protector.

00:01:52.338 --> 00:01:52.748
Is your belly hanging out?

00:01:52.748 --> 00:01:53.545
Things like that are really important.

00:01:53.545 --> 00:01:53.748
Make sure they fit.

00:01:53.748 --> 00:01:54.495
Obviously, your skates.

00:01:54.495 --> 00:01:56.855
Your toes should not be crunched up inside your skates.

00:01:56.855 --> 00:01:58.158
They should fit properly.

00:01:58.158 --> 00:01:59.822
New skates are very expensive.

00:01:59.822 --> 00:02:09.596
Make sure that they're actually not fitting properly before you go to your parents about this, so forth and so on, and just take a look at your sticks and make sure your sticks are in good working shape and see if you need some new ones.

00:02:09.596 --> 00:02:11.205
Goaltenders same for you.

00:02:11.205 --> 00:02:13.908
Make sure that your leg pads fit correctly, your pants fit correctly.

00:02:13.908 --> 00:02:15.747
Make sure that they're not too big, right?

00:02:15.747 --> 00:02:17.567
I see this sometimes in goaltenders as well.

00:02:17.567 --> 00:02:19.265
Just make sure that you're well protected.

00:02:19.319 --> 00:02:21.025
So equipment is the obvious number one.

00:02:21.025 --> 00:02:21.626
Obvious Number one.

00:02:21.626 --> 00:02:23.792
Number two is your mental state.

00:02:23.792 --> 00:02:25.075
Now, what do I mean by that?

00:02:25.075 --> 00:02:28.264
You're doing a million things in the summer and the spring.

00:02:28.264 --> 00:02:30.661
Throughout the year, you got a lot going on in your lives.

00:02:30.661 --> 00:02:33.048
I totally get that and that you know.

00:02:33.048 --> 00:02:35.663
You're probably pretty present with what you're doing today or right now.

00:02:36.647 --> 00:02:46.270
Make sure you just take a moment in your room, just think mentally about how you want to approach this season, whether it's with a lot of confidence, whether you're nervous, whether you have some anxiety about it.

00:02:46.270 --> 00:02:53.001
Acknowledge those feelings and then you can even talk with your parents, or even your coaches in some cases and just make a plan right.

00:02:53.001 --> 00:02:54.705
I'm feeling a little anxious about the season.

00:02:54.705 --> 00:02:59.140
What are the things I can do to help me with that?

00:02:59.140 --> 00:03:01.745
What are the things I can do to push through that?

00:03:01.745 --> 00:03:14.693
Really important that you acknowledge what you're feeling and find methods through those, because the mental game is part of the game and your ability to become really mentally strong or mentally fit will affect your performance.

00:03:14.693 --> 00:03:18.134
So take a moment, think about what you want from this season.

00:03:18.134 --> 00:03:19.981
Think about what you're feeling before the season.

00:03:19.981 --> 00:03:21.545
What do you want to accomplish this season?

00:03:21.545 --> 00:03:25.379
These are really great questions to go over with your parents or just by yourself in your room.

00:03:25.379 --> 00:03:28.050
Write them down in a notepad or on your phone or wherever you want to do.

00:03:28.439 --> 00:03:32.270
But take a moment and do a little bit of a mental audit to prepare yourself.

00:03:32.270 --> 00:03:35.381
Your gear's got to fit right, correct, I mean.

00:03:35.381 --> 00:03:36.826
So your mind's got to be fitting right too.

00:03:36.826 --> 00:03:39.526
And remember hockey season's a living thing.

00:03:39.526 --> 00:03:40.569
It's a rollercoaster ride.

00:03:40.569 --> 00:03:42.330
You're going to have some great weeks, some bad weeks.

00:03:42.330 --> 00:03:44.752
You're going to have some times that feel like nothing can bother you.

00:03:44.752 --> 00:03:46.914
You're going to have some times it feels like everything's bothering you.

00:03:46.914 --> 00:03:49.877
You got to prepare for that as an individual mentally.

00:03:50.736 --> 00:03:55.967
The last thing on the list today and there's a couple of things that go into this is a gratitude check.

00:03:55.967 --> 00:04:07.806
It is so important, kids, that you take a moment and think about who is sacrificing time, money and resources to allow you to play.

00:04:07.806 --> 00:04:10.116
Most of the cases, it'll be your parents.

00:04:10.116 --> 00:04:12.018
I know a lot of you have your grandparents help out.

00:04:12.018 --> 00:04:16.141
Sometimes there's other people that help out to drive you there, to take you there.

00:04:16.141 --> 00:04:22.391
You got to remember that these people are taking time out of their day to let you do what you love and listen.

00:04:22.391 --> 00:04:23.696
They love doing it.

00:04:23.696 --> 00:04:30.427
They might grunt and groan sometimes, especially if you're not holding up your end of the bargain, but they're not doing it because they hate it.

00:04:30.427 --> 00:04:34.000
They're doing it because they love you and they want you to participate in hockey this season.

00:04:34.622 --> 00:04:42.483
It's really important that you take a moment and think about who are the people that are sacrificing time, so that I can do this and just acknowledge them.

00:04:42.483 --> 00:04:43.913
Tell them before the season.

00:04:43.913 --> 00:04:50.355
I know you're going to be driving me a lot this year mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, whoever, friends, parents I really appreciate it.

00:04:50.355 --> 00:04:51.675
I want you to know that I really appreciate it.

00:04:51.675 --> 00:04:57.862
That will go so far for you in terms of the start of the season, but throughout the season.

00:04:57.862 --> 00:05:01.673
Just trust me with this one all right, and really acknowledge them.

00:05:01.793 --> 00:05:05.822
Also within that gratitude, take a look at your schedule If you have a chance.

00:05:05.822 --> 00:05:06.182
All right.

00:05:06.182 --> 00:05:08.399
I mean the, the, the routine schedule.

00:05:08.399 --> 00:05:13.822
Obviously, your games are going to be in different places and you know you're going to be traveling to some really exciting places throughout the season.

00:05:13.822 --> 00:05:21.461
But it's those repetitive things on the schedule the practices every Tuesday and Thursday and Friday, the, the, the things of I got to be out of school at this time.

00:05:21.461 --> 00:05:28.899
Start to pay attention to that routine and do the things you need to do to make this easier for yourself, but also the people taking you.

00:05:28.899 --> 00:05:36.769
All right, it's very frustrating when we know you have practice and, week after week and after week, we're grinding to get you out of wherever it is, to get you going.

00:05:36.769 --> 00:05:39.333
If you love the game, we shouldn't have to do that.

00:05:39.333 --> 00:05:52.226
You should be ready to go and that's something I want you to work on this season Knowing when your practices are, knowing the schedule, remember having gratitude that someone's coming to take you, someone's coming to support you, and making sure that you play that right.

00:06:00.490 --> 00:06:00.992
The ride to the rink.

00:06:00.992 --> 00:06:01.774
That's what I want you to think about.

00:06:01.774 --> 00:06:02.658
Check your equipment before the season.

00:06:02.658 --> 00:06:03.139
Do a mental check.

00:06:03.139 --> 00:06:04.886
Make sure your head is where you want it to be.

00:06:04.886 --> 00:06:10.021
Start to think about the things that may be coming in the present so you can work on them when they happen in the future.

00:06:10.021 --> 00:06:13.237
Okay, do a mental check and then do a gratitude check.

00:06:13.237 --> 00:06:14.942
Acknowledge the people helping you.

00:06:14.942 --> 00:06:15.790
Don't take that for granted.

00:06:15.790 --> 00:06:21.641
I want to say one more time that last one goes really, really far for you if you play it right.

00:06:21.641 --> 00:06:22.843
Okay, but that's it.

00:06:22.843 --> 00:06:23.651
Those are the three things.

00:06:23.651 --> 00:06:25.879
That's going to do it for this edition of the ride to the ring.

00:06:25.879 --> 00:06:32.470
I should have added on there continue to listen to the ride to the ring throughout the season as part of your checklist, but if you're here, you're probably doing that already, and we appreciate that.

00:06:32.470 --> 00:06:38.492
So remember above all, above all, skate hard, have fun and remember that I believe in you.

00:06:38.492 --> 00:06:39.293
You should too.

00:06:39.293 --> 00:06:40.733
We'll see you on the next Ride to the Ranks.

00:06:40.733 --> 00:06:40.973
Skate on.