The Ride to the Rink: What Elite Players Do Before They Step on the Ice With Sandy Cohan
🚗 What if your best shift actually starts before you step on the ice? On this episode of The Ride to the Rink, Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli are joined by mindset coach Sandy Cohan to talk about something every player can control — how you prepare mentally on the way to the rink. Too many players think they can just flip a switch once the puck drops. The truth? Your competitive engine needs to be warmed up before you lace up your skates. 💡 In this ride, we break down: 🧠 Why your brain doesn’t un...
🚗 What if your best shift actually starts before you step on the ice?
On this episode of The Ride to the Rink, Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli are joined by mindset coach Sandy Cohan to talk about something every player can control — how you prepare mentally on the way to the rink.
Too many players think they can just flip a switch once the puck drops. The truth? Your competitive engine needs to be warmed up before you lace up your skates.
💡 In this ride, we break down:
- 🧠 Why your brain doesn’t understand “don’t” (and how negative thoughts sneak in)
- 🔁 How to replace “don’t mess up” with clear, powerful to-do thoughts
- 🎯 Why choosing a simple daily theme beats focusing on stats or outcomes
- ⚡ What it really means to be “impossible to ignore”
- 📈 How to measure gains, not gaps, after every game or practice
- 🕒 Why champions think in today’s, not seasons
This is a must-listen for players who want to compete harder, parents who want to help without adding pressure, and coaches who care about building confident, resilient athletes.
👊 Wherever you are on your hockey journey — we believe in you. You should too.
Skate hard. Have fun. Get better every day.
📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: The Game Starts Before the Rink — How to Build Your Competitive Mindset Early
#RideToTheRink #HockeyMindset #YouthHockey #MentalPreparation #CompeteEveryDay #HockeyDevelopment #GainsNotGaps
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