Sept. 21, 2023

The Ride To The Rink - Respect Yourself And You'll Respect The Game

Respect is a crucial part of your character and it starts with self-respect - an essential aspect that could actually help to turn around your game. It's easy to overlook the small things like having a good breakfast or making it to school on time, but we challenge you to take a close look at these seemingly insignificant details, because when done consistently they can pave the way for an exceptional display of self-respect. And here's a guarantee - not only will it make you a better athlete, but a better person too.

Ever felt that sense of panic before a game, realizing that you've forgotten something? We've all been there, and we have some nuggets of wisdom to share to help limit that panic.

Preparation is the key to wiping away pre-game anxiety. A few minutes of preparation time can go a long way in giving you peace of mind, while also showing respect to the game and those around you.

We also dive into the significance of creating an 'internal culture'. The big takeaway - how you represent yourself matters and will pay off.

Listen in as we navigate this interesting intersection of sports and life that can elevate you from being a high performing athlete to a high performing individual.

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:

00:51 - The Importance of Self-Respect in Hockey

08:40 - Preparation and Respect in Sports

WEBVTT

00:00:07.974 --> 00:00:11.803
Hello hockey skaters and goalies around the world and welcome to another edition of the ride to the rink.

00:00:11.803 --> 00:00:13.647
This is Leo Elias with Mike Benelli.

00:00:13.647 --> 00:00:48.524
We're both coaches, mike and I want to talk to you, the players, today about respect and look, it's important to respect your coaches and your teammates, but this actually all starts with respect for yourself, and we're going to talk to you guys for a few minutes here today about ways to respect yourself that transcend into hockey, into coaching, into play, and this came up because we got a message believe it or not, kids from a parent that says that she's part of a team where the kids are never dressed on time, they don't show up great, they forget their gear, they don't put on the right equipment, they're disrespectful to their coaches.

00:00:48.524 --> 00:00:51.887
Now, I'm going to guess that if you're listening to this, most of that's not you, right?

00:00:51.887 --> 00:00:53.374
Most of you kids love to show up to the rink.

00:00:53.374 --> 00:00:54.700
But here's the deal.

00:00:54.700 --> 00:00:57.466
We've talked about this before on our main episodes.

00:00:57.466 --> 00:01:07.201
How you conduct yourself throughout the day, not just at the rink, is a really, really important aspect of how you end up becoming a great player.

00:01:07.201 --> 00:01:12.563
So, for example, when you wake up for school in the morning which I always hated doing when I was a kid.

00:01:12.563 --> 00:01:16.531
But do you get yourself dressed on time?

00:01:16.531 --> 00:01:18.161
Do you get out the door on time?

00:01:18.161 --> 00:01:18.400
Do you?

00:01:18.400 --> 00:01:21.287
Do you respect yourself to have a good breakfast?

00:01:21.287 --> 00:01:21.870
Do you?

00:01:21.870 --> 00:01:26.188
Do you take some time to think about the clothes that you're wearing and how you're representing yourself?

00:01:26.188 --> 00:01:32.060
However you choose to do that I'm not saying that you need to wear a polo or a dress and look a certain way.

00:01:32.060 --> 00:01:36.513
However you want to dress and represent yourself, are you doing it well?

00:01:36.513 --> 00:01:38.117
Is it thought out?

00:01:38.117 --> 00:01:49.240
Are you taking the time to put the investment into yourself to represent yourself in a way that's going to be conducive to you having a great day and being a great student and being a great hockey player?

00:01:49.240 --> 00:02:06.201
So this stuff and we see this in pro athletes, mike, from a competitive level, but from a training level pro athletes don't do anything lazy, right, when they take the I said this when they take the garbage out, they do a good job, because it's not something you can turn off at that level.

00:02:06.201 --> 00:02:12.081
So, when it comes to respecting yourself and respecting your coaches, this really, mike, starts at home.

00:02:13.764 --> 00:02:14.665
Yeah, it's your.

00:02:14.665 --> 00:02:22.953
You, as an athlete, have to be able to determine how you want to conduct your day so you can have a successful day.

00:02:22.953 --> 00:02:25.463
You know if that and if that starts the night before.

00:02:25.463 --> 00:02:28.155
You know if that starts with having.

00:02:28.155 --> 00:02:29.158
You know your little.

00:02:29.158 --> 00:02:35.513
You know a goal list and your to-do list and your to get things done on time list and your your ability.

00:02:35.513 --> 00:02:42.325
I mean we're all on our phones and we all have access to all these great features and tasks and and alarms.

00:02:42.325 --> 00:02:44.492
You know this is where you set the tone.

00:02:44.492 --> 00:02:59.002
This is how you build your own culture, your internal culture of who you want to be, so you can represent yourself well enough to then be a leader, right, and be somebody that other players and parents and coaches are going to respect and depend on.

00:02:59.002 --> 00:03:14.187
If you come in and you're, you know, disheveled and you forgot, you know the half, you know you forgot your books and you're wearing mismatched socks, and you just come in and you just don't look like you're ready, you didn't get a good night.

00:03:14.187 --> 00:03:19.716
You know you didn't get enough to eat in the morning because you didn't plan it out on time, and you relate to all.

00:03:19.716 --> 00:03:24.917
That reflects on who you are and it reflects on how people treat you and what they expect from you.

00:03:24.917 --> 00:03:25.800
So I don't know.

00:03:25.800 --> 00:03:40.348
I think a lot of us that are, you know, on the way to the rink, expect to be high performing athletes, and first you got to be a high performing person, and if you can do that and establish that in your daily routine, you know getting the rink parts going to be easy.

00:03:40.969 --> 00:03:46.151
Yeah, mike, and I will tell you all young athletes like you've got a lot going on in your life outside of hockey.

00:03:46.151 --> 00:03:51.780
We understand we were there once at our in our youth as well and that every day is going to be great.

00:03:51.780 --> 00:03:53.849
Not every day you're going to wake up feeling wonderful.

00:03:53.849 --> 00:04:06.871
Not every day is going to be perfect and trust me, mike, and I know more than most that when you get to the rink, that's your solace, right, that's your, that's your way to get away from the problems in your life and you get to get on the ice for an hour or so and just kind of enjoy yourself.

00:04:06.871 --> 00:04:09.841
But it doesn't need to be like that every day.

00:04:09.841 --> 00:04:15.336
You can make a great day for yourself so that when you arrive to the rink, you're actually ready to go more than normal.

00:04:15.336 --> 00:04:32.120
Now the other thing, kids, you know, I want to explain to you is that the easier you make your parents lives and your coaches lives by doing these simple things and I want you to take a second and think about what are your mom, dad or coaches on you about all the time.

00:04:32.120 --> 00:04:35.531
You know, don't forget this again, don't forget that again.

00:04:35.531 --> 00:04:54.367
It's easy to be a little mindless when you're young okay, because a lot of people are helping you the better you can get at doing the little Monday things, like getting your bag packed, making sure you double check your equipment, making sure that when you get to the rink and a coach is speaking, that you listen and don't speak and don't be the kid that's disrupting.

00:04:54.367 --> 00:05:02.970
I'm telling you, young athletes, those little things really add up to benefit you as coaches.

00:05:02.970 --> 00:05:12.666
Mike and I will tell you and I will throw it to Mike in a minute we know the kids that do this and we rely on the kids that do this and we want to coach the kids that do this.

00:05:12.666 --> 00:05:18.324
No coach that I know wants to be frustrated at any of the kids that they coach.

00:05:18.324 --> 00:05:28.091
So when you do frustrate a coach or a manager or your mom or your dad, it doesn't help you, it only hurts you.

00:05:28.091 --> 00:05:30.240
Again, not every day is going to be perfect.

00:05:30.240 --> 00:05:33.874
You got to remember kids and this is a tough one to understand when you're young.

00:05:33.874 --> 00:05:35.800
We have bad days too.

00:05:35.800 --> 00:05:42.262
As coaches and parents, we have bad days at work and we're trying to get to the rink for the exact same reason.

00:05:42.262 --> 00:05:46.922
You are to get that hour and a half away from reality where we can do the thing that we love.

00:05:46.922 --> 00:05:57.973
So, whether it's you or us or both, we all need to work together to make that environment a wonderful place to be, because then it's going to be a great, great time.

00:05:57.973 --> 00:06:03.995
Nobody should ever or should ever want to leave the rink feeling bad.

00:06:03.995 --> 00:06:13.523
You want to leave the rink feeling great, and I think that we're talking to you about some of the things you can do, and, again, we'll talk to the parents on the main episodes, about things that they can do, too to make sure that their days are better.

00:06:13.523 --> 00:06:22.449
But, at the end of the day, respect yourself, and that will translate into respecting your parents and respecting your coaches.

00:06:22.449 --> 00:06:34.288
It's a very important aspect, and I promise you all that if you want to do anything at the next level whether it's hockey or a job one day or anything this translates right to this All right.

00:06:34.288 --> 00:06:42.060
The respect that you show others and the respect that you show yourself translates into really making you have a good day or a bad day most times.

00:06:42.060 --> 00:06:45.351
Mike, any final thoughts for the young athletes before I close this show.

00:06:46.918 --> 00:06:48.803
No, just you know we're all in the same boat.

00:06:48.803 --> 00:06:53.264
I mean just you know if you're a, if you're, if your coach comes, you know when your coach comes unprepared.

00:06:53.264 --> 00:06:56.747
You know when your coach is not ready for practice, you know when your coach doesn't have a plan right.

00:06:56.747 --> 00:06:57.735
So you know, and you're in the locker.

00:06:57.735 --> 00:07:00.190
I'm like my God, this guy just he doesn't even know what he's talking about today.

00:07:00.190 --> 00:07:00.713
Like he's just.

00:07:00.713 --> 00:07:02.100
He's just you know winging it.

00:07:02.100 --> 00:07:02.944
You know that.

00:07:02.944 --> 00:07:04.415
And coaches know when you're winging it.

00:07:04.415 --> 00:07:08.278
They know when you're like desperately looking around, like, oh my God, I forgot my jerseys, how do I get hold of my parents?

00:07:08.278 --> 00:07:10.928
Or oh, I'm missing my shin pad and nobody's going to say anything.

00:07:10.928 --> 00:07:12.814
Or hey, I don't have any tape in my bag.

00:07:12.814 --> 00:07:13.154
Can I bum off?

00:07:13.154 --> 00:07:17.817
I forgot my stick, yeah, or I'm, you know.

00:07:17.817 --> 00:07:25.725
I knew after the game last week that my lace had a tear in it, but yet here I am trying to tie my skate and my lace breaks two minutes before it's supposed to go on the ice.

00:07:25.725 --> 00:07:27.069
Coaches know that.

00:07:27.069 --> 00:07:27.670
You knew that.

00:07:27.670 --> 00:07:29.514
So just just come in.

00:07:29.514 --> 00:07:31.257
You know, do your business.

00:07:31.257 --> 00:07:32.949
Make you know, take, take.

00:07:32.949 --> 00:07:35.475
Do your checklist, take care of things before you get there.

00:07:35.475 --> 00:07:48.586
Make your life less stressful, you make your coach's life less stressful and, again, you're going to get rewarded for that, because it's just going to give you the opportunity to be in the moment and think about what you're supposed to be doing at that time and having a successful practice or a game.

00:07:48.586 --> 00:07:54.309
And those are, you know, those are all any coach can ask you to do as you come into the rink.

00:07:54.309 --> 00:07:55.754
You know, coming to get ready to play.

00:07:56.565 --> 00:08:11.146
Yeah, and just remember a final thought the five minutes it could take you to prepare, it could take you five minutes just to check the things in your bag before you leave can can save you from the fear of being reamed out because you are missing something.

00:08:11.146 --> 00:08:12.848
It just doesn't take a lot of time.

00:08:12.848 --> 00:08:21.656
Have that respect for yourself and you'll have that respect for your teammates, your parents, your coaches, your managers and everyone and everyone and everything in between.

00:08:21.656 --> 00:08:23.956
All right, that's going to do it for this ride to the rink.

00:08:23.956 --> 00:08:25.024
Thank you all for listening.

00:08:25.024 --> 00:08:26.206
We hope you have a wonderful one.

00:08:26.206 --> 00:08:29.091
We'll be on the ice without any further ado.

00:08:29.091 --> 00:08:29.533
Skate on.

00:08:29.533 --> 00:08:30.254
We'll see you next time.