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High Performance Program

Training Manual

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Elite Sports Care Training Manual Version 1.3

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Elite Sports Care Training Manual Version 1.4 Isagenix

Athletics and sports are a great way for you to showcase your individual skills, while also working as a team

member.

Over many years of helping to develop Athletes, I have discovered a very important fact…

“ The team that is the best prepared and in the best shape, both Mentally &

Physically, will usually come out on top “

Take a look at any championship team and you will quickly come to agree with this fact.

I have put this booklet together, in order to help Athletes reach their full potential.

One of the misconceptions in the Athletic world is that a Player gets in shape by just playing or taking part in a

game. If a stationary level of performance, consistent ability in executing a few limited skills is your goal…

then engaging only in a game, will keep you there !!

However, if you want the utmost efficiency, consistent improvement, and balanced abilities… Athletes must

participate in year round conditioning programs.

The bottom line in Sports Conditioning and Fitness Training is stress, not mental stress, but adaptive body

stress. Athletes must put their bodies under a certain amount of stress (overload) to increase physical

capabilities.

Health is a state of complete mental, physical and social well being… where as Fitness is the ability to meet

the demands of a physical task.

Basic fitness can be classified in four main components: strength, speed, stamina and flexibility.

However, exercise scientists have identified nine components that comprise the definition of fitness:

1. Strength - the extent to which muscles can exert force by contracting against resistance (e.g. holding or

restraining an object or person)

2. Power - the ability to exert maximum muscular contraction instantly in an explosive burst of

movements. The two components of power are strength and speed. (e.g. jumping or a sprint start)

3. Agility - the ability to perform a series of explosive power movements in rapid succession in opposing

directions (e.g. Zigzag running or cutting movements)

4. Balance - the ability to control the body's position, either stationary (e.g. a handstand) or while moving

(e.g. a gymnastics stunt)

5. Flexibility - the ability to achieve an extended range of motion without being impeded by excess tissue,

i.e. fat or muscle (e.g. executing a leg split)

6. Local Muscle Endurance - a single muscle's ability to perform sustained work (e.g. rowing or cycling)

7. Cardiovascular Endurance - the heart's ability to deliver blood to working muscles and their ability to

use it (e.g. running long distances)

8. Strength Endurance - a muscle's ability to perform a maximum contraction time after time (e.g.

continuous explosive rebounding through an entire basketball game)

9. Co-ordination - the ability to integrate the above listed components so that effective movements are

achieved.

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The information found in this booklet can be used by parents, coaches and players of all ages. It will help you maintain and improve

your Health and Fitness, and make you a better Athlete.

Whether you are with your regular team, at a camp or at a tryout… by understanding, and using these concepts, you too can reach

your full potential.

As you get older and start trying out for different teams, you will notice that the skill level of players starts to get closer and closer.

Remember Novice Hockey, when those 2 or 3 players seemingly had all the skill, while everyone else could barely skate.

That doesn’t happen at a Hockey Nova Scotia High Performance Camp, Major Midget Tryout, Major Junior Tryout or NHL Tryout.

At those levels, most players have similar skill levels.

Therefore, you have to set yourself apart some other way. Learn from some of the ideas in this booklet and YOU WILL !

This booklet has been divided into several sections, which will make it easy to refer to in the future. Each section covers a topic that is

very important to athlete’s.

1. Sports Nutrition ----------------------------- The 4 Food Groups

Carbs, Fats & Proteins

Gaining Weight For Hockey

Water

What to eat ? – Before

What to eat ? – After

2. Supplements, Protein Shakes and Energy Drinks

3. Understanding Amino Acids for Sports

4. Rest and Recovery

4. Injured Vs. Hurt ??

6. Mental Training

7. Goal Setting

8. Team Work

9. Leadership

10.

11.

Role Model – How to be a good one !

Hygiene and Equipment Care

12. Training Plans ------------------------------ Warm-up

Cool-down / Recovery

In-Season

- Ladder Drills

Post-Season

Off-Season

Pre-Season

12. Goalies… The forgotten Few

13. Coaches Corner

14. Words to Live By

Thanks to every person and organization that helped with this booklet…There are lots of excellent Athletic People in the Maritimes,

and I have had the pleasure to learn from many of them.

They have used their knowledge and experience to help develop some of the best Athletes in the world. Over the years, I have had the

pleasure of working with many of them and learned a lot from them.

Each and every one of them, as well as every Athlete I have come into contact with, have helped to develop this booklet, whether they

know it or not !!!

Everyday I am at the field, rink or gym, I learn…

Thank you

Gaetan Tremblay, Team Athletic Trainer

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Sports Nutrition

Research has shown that being committed to proper

nutrition is essential to maximizing your athletic

performance during a practice/game or in the weight

room.

It’s simple: What You Put Into Your Body Is What

You Will Get Out Of It!

Peak physical performance can only take place when

the body is supplied with a sufficient amount of

essential nutrients. Consequently, improper nutrition

will decrease performance.

Hockey players need to eat every four hours. Doing

this avoids low blood glucose levels which in turn

reduces cortisol (the stress hormone from being

released) which tears down muscle capacity. Snacking on a couple bites of a power bar or sipping on watered

down Gatorade can keep you blood glucose level up and you alert and physically responsive.

This is very important during a high intensity work out or between periods of your game. You cannot train or

compete at optimal levels with low blood glucose levels as your brain and muscles operate on blood glucose

levels.

If you want to be a successful hockey player, you have to eat wisely and work hard in practice and in the weight

room.

The Four Food Groups

As a hockey player you can achieve a balanced diet by eating foods from the four basic food groups:

Meats - This group includes high protein foods: meats, poultry, fish, eggs, legumes (such as dry beans), and

nuts. Make sure to choose lean meats, fish, and poultry (without skin) to help keep your fat intake low.

Remember to keep portion sizes moderate.

Dairy – This group includes foods/liquids that are rich in protein, calcium, and other nutrients needed for

healthy bones and muscles. Choose products labeled “low-fat” or “non-fat” to get the full nutritional value

without the extra fat calories found in whole milk products.

Fruits/Vegetables – This group includes all fresh, frozen, canned, and dried fruits and vegetables and juices.

This group is filled with vitamins, minerals and fiber. Foods in this group are mostly composed of

carbohydrates.

Grains – This group is the main source of complex carbohydrates and fiber. It includes grains such as oats, rice,

and wheat, and the breads, cereals, noodles, and pasta made from them.

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Carbs, Fats and Proteins

When making nutritional decisions, it is wise to read as many food labels as possible to know exactly what you

are putting into your body, and in what quantities. This is critical for performance as the food you eat

eventually gets used as fuel in order for your body to perform.

Carbs – The most important aspect for a hockey player’s diet requires that 2/3 of your diet must come from

carbohydrates or you will not have enough energy. Carbs should be your main source of fuel because of its

quick conversion to energy. It takes 40-54 hours to turn protein into usable muscle fuels and if you do not have

enough carbs in your diet, you will simply run out of gas. Another side effect is feeling chronically fatigued

therefore preventing you from competing at an optimal level. The simplest way for a hockey player to have

sufficient fuel is to simply fill your plate with 2/3 carbohydrates and 1/3 protein and fat.

*Top carbohydrates include: baked potato, rice, bread, rolls, pasta, bagels, etc.

Fats – In general, most athletes feel that any fat should be avoided at all costs. However, everyone needs some

fat in their diets, and hockey players are no exception. Many of your hormones that you need to train and

recover come from fat sources. Fat should make up about 20-30% of the calories you consume. There is such a

thing as “healthy” fats such as omegas and oils (olives, nuts). Most of the fat we consume is naturally found in

foods (meats, nuts, and dairy products) or added during the preparation of food (e.g. fried foods). Sources of

additional fat include margarine, peanut butter, and salad dressings. Hormones come from fat, therefore: No fat

means No hormones to train.

Proteins – Protein is used for the growth and repair of all the cells in your body. It also determines how much

muscle mass you can maintain. Over a long hockey season, hockey players often get thinner and may not

realize that as you lose mass, you lose power and strength. Good sources of protein are meat, fish, and poultry.

Many plant foods, like beans and nuts, are good protein sources too. However, nuts are also high in fat and so

should be eaten only in small quantities. Your diet should provide 12-15% of its calories as protein.

Throughout the hockey season, consuming protein is vital to the rebuilding and recovery process. Various

protein sources are made up of different amino acids which are the building blocks of our body. As you can

see, protein is very important with the recovery of our body, however protein should not be the main focus of a

hockey player’s diet. Inadequate intake of other nutrients (carbs and fats) will lead to the use of protein as fuel

instead of repair, leading to a state of overtraining affecting your optimal performance. When choosing a

protein, try to stick with higher quality choices that provide more nutritional value. This is especially important

for pre-game meals.

• First Choice Proteins- eggs/egg whites, low-fat cottage cheese, fish, protein powders

• Second Choice Proteins- turkey, chicken, duck

• Third Choice Proteins- lean beef, lean pork, lamb

Tip: During the hockey season, try to include a quality source of protein with each meal or snack (every three

to five hours). Be consistent with your nutrition. Missing a protein source at one meal is not going to doom your

efforts and consuming a quality protein once, is not going to make a significant impact on your development.

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Gaining Weight For Hockey

A common question amongst young hockey players is how they can gain weight (muscle) for hockey.

Hockey is a physical game, and it helps to have a little bit of muscle mass in order to help win battles in the

corners and along the boards. With that said, it isn’t necessary for you to be a certain size, and I would promote

speed and quickness over size any day (especially with the direction hockey is moving).

Gaining weight is a pretty simple formula, and anyone can do it. Unfortunately it will be tougher for some kids

to gain weight depending on your body type (but still very much possible).

When we talk about gaining weight it is important that you focus only on gaining lean muscle mass that

will help you on the ice, and definitely not by adding fat.

Also, it is very important that you focus on hockey specific weight training and not on any muscle building

workout you may find in a fitness magazine. Although the focus isn’t on gaining weight in workouts in this

booklet, it will come naturally if you’re eating properly for weight gain.

OK, so how do I gain weight…

It comes down to what you eat.

The goal is to increase your calories above your maintenance. To make things simple for you we won’t get into

counting calories, but I do think it is a great idea to keep track of every meal you eat every day. I suggest

writing what you’ve ate for the day either twice a day so you don’t forget or every night before bed if you have

a good enough memory to remember the whole day.

Now the first thing to do is ditch the “breakfast, lunch, dinner” mindset. You are going to want to be eating 5-7

meals per day. If you’re used to eating three really large meals, you might want to cut the size of the meals

down a little bit, but you will still want to eat 5-7 decent sized meals. Even if you aren’t really hungry you need

to train yourself to eat every roughly 3 hours – your body needs the nutrients and calories to grow.

The next thing you will want to do is switch up the foods you are eating (unless you are already eating these

healthy foods). Junk food, although high in calories, will not help you gain muscle. In fact it will negatively

affect your weight gaining goals – cut it out of your diet almost completely. Stick to healthy foods that are

going to help with your weight gain: potatoes, brown rice, oatmeal, chicken, steak, pork, fish, nuts, beans, eggs,

natural peanut butter, any vegetables and fruits.

Make sure you are getting a small meal into you an hour or an hour and a half before your weight training

sessions (I recommend protein and carbohydrates). Also make sure you are getting a meal into you within 30

minutes after your workouts. I recommend a 3:1 carbohydrate to protein ratio for this post workout meal with

minimal fats.

http://www.officehockeytraining.com/nutrition/gaining-weight-for-hockey/

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To supplement your meals you can include a “meal replacement” Vitamin/Mineral shake or Protein Shake once

or twice a day. See the Chapter in this Booklet on Supplements for more information - Isagenix has an

excellent line of products to help Athletes get everything they need in Vitamins, Minerals and Protein. Protein

Shakes are a great way to get those extra Vitamins and Nutrients in. Blend yourself up some skim milk, ice

cubes, protein powder, banana and natural peanut butter and you have yourself a healthy, weight gainer shake.

If you follow the above tips and continue your hockey training you will see yourself gain weight. It doesn’t

come over night, but it will come. If you aren’t seeing any gains continue to up the size of your meals to

increase your calories.

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Hydration – Water !

Water is the most important, but often forgotten about nutrient !!

I think that proper hydration of your body is one of the major factors in performance.

In today’s world, people tend to forget how important it is to drink water ! Usually it ends up that everyone

drinks coffee, pop, alcohol, fruit juices, teas, milk and a bunch of other drinks. Some of these liquids can help

your body, but it is still very important to drink water.

When you do not drink enough fluids you become dehydrated, which decreases Athlete Performance, causes

weight gain and is very dangerous for your health.

Remember… If you are thirsty… It’s too late !! Make sure you drink enough water to ensure you do not get

thirsty.

The Human body needs a lot water The human body is made up of 60 to 80 percent of water !! It needs enough water to maintain enough blood

and other fluids in order to function properly. Drinking water helps the body function better

Drinking water will avoid water-retention Sufficient water consumption is necessary for your body to maintain adequate fluid levels in the body. If you

do not drink sufficient water… your body will have to retain water to make up for it and this water retention can

add pounds to your weight, making you appear very bloated.

Water is the key element of metabolism Water is the crucial key in weight loss as it is an inevitable ingredient that helps metabolize fats that you

consume. If water intake decreases, fat deposits in the body will increase ! This is because the liver, which is

responsible for metabolizing fat, cannot do so properly when it is forced to focus on helping the kidneys… and

it has to do this because the kidneys cannot function properly without a sufficient supply of water. So… this

results in storing more fat and weight gain.

Water cleanses toxins and reduces weight If you want to keep your body in good health it is vital to cleanse your body of harmful toxins. These toxins are

stored in fatty tissues in the body and increase our weight. Drinking water helps flush out harmful toxins and

impurities from the body and protect the vital body organs. Moreover, cleansing the toxins will improve muscle

tone with properly hydrated skin.

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Drinking sufficient water is an essential part of Athletic Performance,

Weight Control and a Healthy Living.

Why do you need water ? - It makes up 70% of muscle and 50-60% of body weight,

- It helps with digestion, absorption and transport of nutrients,

- It helps eliminate waste products from the body

- It helps you cool your body, and

- It lubricates joints, eyes and air passages.

Are you thirsty ? If you are it may be too late… your thirst mechanism is not as sharp during

exercise, therefore this is not your best indicator of your body’s needs. If you

are feeling thirsty, you have probably lost 1 to 2 litres of Water.

Make sure you’re hydrating yourself regularly.

2 cups (500 ml) – 2 hours before exercise

1 cup (250 ml) – Every 15-20 minutes during exercise

** Drink 3 cups to replace 1 pound of body weight **

How do I know if I am well hydrated ? - The amount & colour of your urine,

- Your weight should be the same before and after exercise.

What happens when I’m Dehydrated ? - Increased heart rate,

- Increased body temperature,

- Dizziness and headache,

- Decreased muscular strength,

- Increased perceived exertion,

- Cramps,

- Fatigue and sleepiness,

- Shortness of breath,

- Slowed reaction time, and

- Poor concentration.

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What should you eat before your game/practice ?

Foods high in Carbohydrates o Digest quickly and are the major fuel for muscles

o Carbohydrates are found in fruits, vegetable,

breads, cereals and grains such as pasta and rice.

Milk products also supply some.

Foods low in Protein and Fat o Foods high in Protein and fat digest slowly and may make you feel sluggish and nauseated.

o Protein and fat are found in fast foods, chips, meats, pastries etc.

Foods low in Fibre o Foods high in Fibre are digested slowly and may cause cramping and lead to a bathroom break

during exercise.

o High fibre foods include bran muffins, beans and high-fibre cereals.

Eat 2-4 hours before your event This will ensure that the nutrients will have time to digest properly and

do their job.

Choose smaller amounts of food, the closer you get to exercise.

Experiment during training… don’t try anything new before competition! The timing, type and amount of food you should eat are highly variable. See what works best for you.

Here are some ideas to get you started…. Fruit smoothes in the blender with milk, yoghurt, banana, berries

100% Juice box, sports bar

Hot/cold cereal, milk, dried fruit

Carnation instant breakfast

Pasta, tomato sauce, salad

Sports drink, cereal bar, yoghurt

Bagel, jam, chocolate milk, veggies

Toast, honey, apple sauce

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What should you eat after your game/practice/workout ?

Post-exercise nutrition can improve the quality and the rate of recovery after a Game or Practice. Signs of poor

recovery include Fatigue, Poor Workouts, prolonged Muscle Soreness, lack of increased strength, and lack of

increased muscle mass.

Research has shown that nutrition ingested within 20 Minutes of working out can drastically improve your

recovery time…

Re-fuel yourself with Carbs ! o You need to replace the Carbohydrates your muscles burned for energy.

o The harder you train or compete, the more carbohydrates you have burned and will need to

replace.

o Carbohydrates are found in fruits, vegetables, breads, cereals, and grains such as past and rice.

Milk products also supply some.

o Eat a source of carbohydrate right after (Within 20 Minutes)

exercise, when your muscles are most receptive to re-fuel

At least 40 grams of Carbs !!!!

A source of Protein o Protein is required for rebuilding and repair of tissues such as

muscle that is damaged during exercise.

o Immediately after finishing exercise consume a source of protein.

o Protein is found in meat, poultry, fish, peanut butter, nuts/seeds,

eggs, tofu, legumes (eg. Baked beans, lentils etc.), milk, cheese

and yoghurt.

Isagenix IsaLean Shake as a Post Exercise Recover Drink

Here’s where the Isagenix IsaLean Shake comes in…

If you mix an Isagenix IsaLean Shake as you normally would, but use

Chocolate Milk, instead of Water or Milk, you have a perfect

Recovery Drink full of Carbohydrates and Protein !

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Here’s a little bit of the Science behind the Isagenix IsaLean Shakes with Carbs added…

From a physiological perspective, muscle fibers are made of Protein and increase in size if the Protein is

Synthesized. Exercise increases the breakdown in muscle Protein while decreasing Protein Synthesis. It also

depletes Glycogen, which is what the muscles use for energy… Glycogen consists of glucose molecules.

Insulin levels are frequently reduced after exercise as well. Insulin is very important during the recovery

process … Insulin is a hormone that enables the muscle cell to absorb Glucose, to build Glycogen and Amino

Acids, used to build Muscle Protein… while also decreasing the breakdown of muscle Protein during the post-

exercise period.

The goal of post-exercise nutrition is to replenish the Glycogen stores and to encourage Protein Synthesis.

Carbohydrates are the body’s main source of Glucose, the molecule used to build Glycogen. By ingesting

Carbohydrates, you rapidly replenish your Glycogen stores. This is important because consistently low

Glycogen stores lead to a breakdown of Muscle Protein and a loss of Muscle Mass.

Carbohydrates increase the body’s insulin concentration, and Insulin is essential for Glycogen and Protein

Synthesis. Carbohydrates also promote the release of growth hormone, which promotes Protein Synthesis,

which in turn leads to increased Muscle Mass. Finally, carbohydrates

decrease Cortisol concentration. Cortisol, also known as a “stress hormone,” is released in response to both

physical and psychological stress. During a workout, cortisol levels are increased, causing Muscle Protein to

break down.

By adding Carbohydrates to the Isgenix IsaLean Shake, it will significantly enhance the release of insulin

compared to Protein alone.

Proteins are made up of Amino Acids. The most important essential amino acid in a recovery drink is leucine

(2,200 mg contained in Isagenix IsaLean Shake), because it works synergistically with insulin to maximize

Protein Synthesis.

An excellent post recovery drink should contain twice as much carbohydrate as protein…

On average 8 Ounces (255 ml) of Chocolate Milk will contain about 25 grams of Carbohydrates… so by mixing

this with the Isgenix IsaLean Shake you will get approximately 46 grams of Carbohydrates and 23 grams of

Protein (The PERFECT MIX !)

The Shake is perfect because most athletes tolerate liquids better than food after a workout. Liquid also has the

advantage of replenishing fluid lost during exercise, and is digested and absorbed more rapidly than solid food.

Research has shown that if the recovery drink is consumed immediately after exercise, the rate of glycogen

synthesis will be three times higher than if it is consumed two hours later. Therefore, you should consume the

drink as soon after exercising as possible.

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Supplements, Protein Shakes and Energy Drinks

Over the years, many people have asked me about Supplements and Protein Shakes. For years I was always

very sceptical of promoting any type of these products because they were very unpredictable, and I never knew

what was “ REALLY “ in the product. You had to be a chemist to try to figure out what each ingredient was !

Well that has all changed…. Isagenix has a complete line of products which meets all the requirements I look

for in fitness nutrition. There are too many products and information to be able to include in this booklet, but I

will touch on a little bit of it.

For complete product information you can go to www.isagenix.com and browse through the website. There is

tons of information on the website, and I’m sure everyone can find something that will help make them better.

Remember… Every ingredient in the Isagenix product line is there to help you get better !

So… You train hard and you play hard !

But you need that little ’ something ‘ that will put you ahead of your competition.

What most Athletes don’t realize is that what they put into their body, has a lot to do with how they perform.

Athlete’s need Isagenix to ensure that their bodies are receiving all the Vitamins and Minerals they need, in

order to ensure they are always at their best.

Athletes are constantly putting stress on their bodies. When they Workout, Practice or Play hard, their Muscles

are torn apart and those muscles need to be rebuilt. There are many different factors that go into what the body

needs to help repair those muscles.

The next 6 pages are a little bit technical, but contain some very valuable information about Amino Acids. It is

not necessary to understand everything about Amino Acids but it is important to know that the Protein used in

Isagenix has an excellent Amino Acid Score… which helps improve your muscle performance !

http://www.isagenix.com/

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What are Amino Acids and why do we need them ??

Amino acids represent the source of life. They are the oldest

and most important nutrients that have existed on earth. They

perform various important functions for the body and serve as

the materials for the body’s cells, hormones, and

enzymes. They band together in chains to form the stuff from

which your life is born. Think of amino acids as Legos for your

life !

Amino acids are the building blocks of the proteins that are

found in our bodies. Body Proteins are made up of 20 kinds of

Amino Acids. The human body can produce 12 of its 20

amino acids, but the other 8, which are called Essential Amino

Acids (Shown below in Blue), can only be obtained by eating

the right foods or using a proper Vitamin/Mineral Shake like

the Isagenix IsaLean Shake. Complicated combinations of

these 20 kinds of Amino Acids produce as many as one

hundred thousand kinds of various proteins. When we eat food

such as meat, fish, and cereals… or drink the Isagenix IsaLean

Shake, the proteins contained in it are first degraded to the 20

kinds of amino acids, and then reassembled into proteins in the

body.

When the body doesn’t get enough of these essential

compounds, it will begin to break down its proteins in search of

the nutrients it needs. Since the body stores fat and starch, but

not amino acids, it is necessary for individuals to consume all

the required essential nutrients daily. There are some other amino acids found in nature (and some very small

amounts in us), but these twenty are the biggies to our species and labelled the standard amino acids.

Below are the Amino Acid Content per serving of the Isagenix IsaLean Shakes (And what each Amino Acid is

used for in your body). There are 12 that are in BLACK… These Amino Acids can be produced by your

body. The ones in BLUE cannot be produced by the body and have to be consumed every day

1. Alanine – 900 mg - When large amounts of muscle protein are needed during intense exercise to help

produce energy, Alanine protects the cells from damage by preventing the buildup of toxic substances

that are released into the muscle cells when protein is broken down quickly to meet energy needs

2. Arginine – 600 mg - Arginine helps strengthen the immune system by increasing the production of T-

cells from the thymus gland. Studies are underway to determine the potential of Arginine in treating

immune system conditions such as AIDS and cancer. Arginine is needed to generate urea, which is

needed to detoxify the liver and neutralize the effects of toxic substances such as ammonia in the body –

waste is then removed during urination. Ammonia is a byproduct of bacterial metabolism in the

intestinal tract and must be detoxified in the liver. An Arginine deficiency can result in hyperammonia

(poor excretion of urea). Arginine also reduces the effects of chronic alcohol toxicity. Arginine is

important for a variety of hormonal processes in the body.

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3. Asparagine - Asparagine is important in the metabolism of ammonia in the body, which is considered a

toxin in the body. Asparagine is needed to maintain balance of the central nervous system, as it is an

essential component of proteins that are involved with equilibrium, signaling, neuron development and

electrical transmission across nerve endings. It assists in preventing extreme nervousness

4. Aspartic Acid – 1,900 mg - Aspartic Acid is known for its treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome due to

the role it plays in generating cellular energy. It helps keep the mind sharp and focused by increasing

concentrations of NADH in the brain (an active coenzyme form of Vitamin B3 called Nicotinamide

Adenine Dinucleotide) which boosts the production of neurotransmitters and chemicals needed for

normal mental functioning). Aspartic Acid also helps remove excess toxins from the cells, especially

ammonia (which can be very damaging to the body, especially the brain, nervous system, and liver). It

combines with other amino acids to form molecules that absorb toxins and remove them from the

bloodstream.

5. Cysteine – 300 mg - Cysteine functions as a powerful antioxidant in detoxifying harmful toxins in the

body, such as poisoning from heavy metals, arsenic, acetaminophen, and the carginogens found in

cigarette smoke, alcohol, and drugs, and also helps with septic shock. It has been used to treat

rheumatoid arthritis and hardening of the arteries.

6. Glutamic Acid – 4,200 mg - Glutamic Acid is a neurotransmitter in the brain and spinal cord that

increases the firing of neurons throughout the central nervous system. The fluid produced by the prostate

gland also contains Glutamic Acid, and may play a role in the normal functioning of the

prostate. Glutamic Acid is important in the metabolism of both sugars and fats, and helps in the

transportation of potassium into the spinal fluid and across blood-brain barrier. It is found at high levels

in the blood and enters the brain in small amounts. Glutamic Acid is considered a superb brain fuel,

attaching itself to nitrogen atoms when forming the amino acid Glutamine… this conversion process is

the only way by which ammonia in the brain can be detoxified.Glutamic Acid shows promise in

correcting personality and biochemical disorders, and in treating childhood behavioral disorders. It is

used in the treatment of epilepsy, Parkinsons, mental retardation, muscular dystrophy, alcoholism,

schizophrenia, ulcers, and hypoglycemic coma (a complication of insulin treatment for diabetes)

7. Glutamine- Inside the brain, Glutamine can be converted into Glutamic Acid (another amino acid – see

above). Glutamic Acid increases the amount of GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), an amino acid

which acts as a neurotransmitter in the body and which is required for brain functioning and

mental activity. For this reason, it is known as a superb brain fuel. Glutamine is also an important

source of energy for the nervous system. If the brain is not receiving enough glucose, it increases

Glutamine metabolism for energy. Glutamine users often report more energy, and less tiredness.

8. Glycine – 400 mg- Glycine is used in the body to help create normal strands of DNA and RNA (the

genetic building blocks needed for proper cellular function and formation). It helps prevent the

breakdown of muscle by increasing the levels of Creatine in the body (a compound that helps build

muscle mass). High concentrations of Glycine are found in the muscles, skin, and other connective

tissues. Almost 1/3 of collagen, which keeps the skin and connective tissue firm and elastic, is composed

of Glycine. Without Glycine, the body would not be able to repair damaged tissue, and the skin would

sag from exposure to UV rays, oxidation, and free radical damage. Wounds would also not heal.

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9. Histidine – 400 mg- Histidine is needed for growth and for the repair of tissue, as well as the

maintenance of the myelin sheaths that act as protector for nerve cells. It is further required for the

manufacture of both red and white blood cells, and helps to protect the body from damage caused by

radiation and in removing heavy metals from the body. In the stomach, histidine is also helpful in

producing gastric juices, and people with a shortage of gastric juices or suffering from indigestion, may

also benefit from this nutrient.

10. Isoleucine – 1,000 mg – Can be found in many foods but there are high contents in fish, meats and

cheeses, as well as nuts and wheat germ. It helps in energy production.

11. Leucine – 2,200 mg – Readily available in poultry and red meats, it can also be found in dairy products.

These essential amino acids can be metabolized to produce energy.

12. Lysine – 1,900 mg – High amounts of these essential amino acids can be found in fish, meats and dairy

products. It helps absorb calcium in the intestinal tract, promotes bone growth and the formation of

collagen.

13. Methionine – 550 mg – Can’t be found in proteins like legumes and peanuts, but it can be found in

higher amounts in eggs and fish. Foods contain less amounts of methionine than any of the other

essential amino acids.

14. Phenylalanine – 850 mg – Can be found in meats and milk products. It is one of the essential amino

acids because it affects brain chemistry.

15. Proline – 1,800 mg- Proline is one of the main components of collagen. Collagen fibres are found in the

tendons, ligaments and connective tissues of the body. Proline also promotes the formation of bone, skin

and cartilage and it is extremely important for the proper functioning of joints and tendons, also helps

maintain and strengthen heart muscles and is helpful in tissue repair after injury, or for any type of

wound healing. Proline is also involved in energy production.

16. Serine – 1,100 mg- Serine is required for the metabolism of fat, tissue growth and the immune system as

it assists in the production of immunoglobulins and antibodies. Some derivatives (e.g. ethanolamine)

are also important components of the phospholipids found in biological membranes. It is a constituent

of brain proteins and nerve coverings and is also important in the formation of cell membranes, involved

in the metabolism of purines and pyrimidines, and muscle synthesis.

17. Threonine – 1,200 mg – Can be found in flesh foods, dairy foods and eggs, and in smaller amounts in

nuts, beans and some vegetables. Of the essential amino acids, its role is to help in the formation of tooth

enamel protein, elastin and collagen.

18. Tryptophan – 320 mg – Is one of the lower essential amino acids and it is found in corn, cereal grains

and legumes. It can also be found in flesh foods, dairy products and nuts. It helps induce normal sleep;

helps reduce anxiety, depression, and artery spasm risk; and helps produce a stronger immune system. It

is a precursor for serotonin, which influences mood and sleep. This explains why turkey, which contains

tryptophan, makes everyone sleepy after Thanksgiving dinner.

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19. Tyrosine – 850 mg- The action of this amino acid in brain functions is clear with its link to dopamine as

well as norepinephrine, but it is also helpful in suppressing the appetite and reducing body fat,

production of skin and hair pigment, the proper functioning of the thyroid as well as the pituitary and

adrenal gland. It is used for stress reduction and may be beneficial in narcolepsy, fatigue, anxiety,

depression, allergies, headaches as well as drug withdrawal. In a study, using soldiers, tyrosine proved

effective in alleviating stress and keeping them more alert.

20. Valine – 1,300 mg – Can be found in most foods and is a vital part of proteins. It is thought to be useful

with addictions, but its exact functions are not well known. It can be metabolized to produce energy and

it is a branched-chain amino acid. It is also thought that Valine supplements may help with building

muscle, and with liver and gallbladder disease.

(Note… asparagine / aspartic acid, as well as glutamine / glutamic acid, are so closely related that it may not be

possible to differentiate between them )

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Amino Acids for Sports

The benefits of amino acids at the professional sport level have long been known. But now these benefits are

gaining wider acceptance amongst mainstream athletes. The functions of amino acids can be divided into three

categories:

1. Muscle building.

2. Increase of stamina.

3. Recovery from fatigue.

Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA’s) contribute to muscle building

Muscle tissues, are comprised of two proteins, actin and myosin. The main components of the two proteins are

leucine, isoleucine, and valine. These three amino acids are called branched chain amino acid (BCAAs)

because of their molecular structures. BCAAs account for about 35% of the essential amino acids contained in

myoproteins. Replenishment of BCAAs increases the raw materials for muscle tissues, contributing to muscle

building.

Amino acids enhance the effect of exercise and serve as the raw material for muscles, so body builders, weight

lifters and other athletes who need to build muscle can benefit from taking them. However, taking amino acids

without any exercise or training will not on their own increase your muscles.

Increase of stamina and recovery from fatigue

When we do strenuous exercise for a lengthy period, the body begins to decompose proteins and consume

BCAAs in order to compensate for insufficient energy sources. It is possible that the post-competition blood

level of BCAAs may be decreased by as much as 20%, because of intramuscular BCAAs consumption during

long periods of exercise. However, we can reduce muscle damage and inhibit the lowering of muscular strength

by replenishing BCAAs timely, before, during and/or after physical activity. Taking BCAAs preserves energy

sources and helps maintain stamina. Also, by taking BCAAs immediately after physical activity or before going

to bed, muscle recovery is improved and muscle soreness prevented.

Amino acids constitute myoproteins and serve as an energy source during exercise. Therefore, athletes use

amino acids for the purposes of nutrition and recovery from fatigue. Amino acids are absorbed faster than

proteins, so they can easily be replenished during physical activity.

Improve your physical and toughness with Branched Chain Amino Acids

BCAAs also function to suppress the production of lactic acid, a substance that causes fatigue. Muscular fatigue

occurs from continuous exercise when the level of lactic acid in the blood increases. This results in the pH in

muscles being decreased, causing difficulty in muscle contraction. However, replenishment of BCAAs will

inhibit the elevation of the lactic acid level in the blood even during strenuous exercise.

Arginine and leucine for athletes

In addition to BCAAs, arginine and leucine also have positive effects on the body during physical activity.

Arginine is closely related to the secretion of growth hormone. Growth hormones are important both for muscle

building and for muscle repair. Replenishment of arginine is considered to promote the synthesis of

myoproteins. Leucine also helps the synthesis of myoproteins and inhibits their breakdown.

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Amino acids and fat burning

Tissues are increased by accelerating the regeneration of muscles after doing aerobic exercise. Replenishing

BCAAs, the raw materials for muscle, helps this process. Muscles are the “furnace in which fat is burned”,

therefore, increasing muscle mass boosts the body’s metabolism and increases the consumption of energy,

meaning more fat burning.

Drug testing and amino acids

Since amino acids are originally contained in the body, they pose no problems in a dope test.

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Energy Drinks

Here’s what I’ve learned about Energy Drinks. But… First I’d like to say that I have never been a big fan of

Energy Drinks… but I have always done my homework to see what is out there and what everyone is saying.

So, the big question is … Are Energy Drinks Bad For You? And if so, how do we spot the signs that energy

drinks are bad? First we need to figure out why energy drinks are bad and then find out how to spot the classic

signs that you might be suffering from the harmful side effects of energy drinks.

Let’s start with a short story… You may have heard this story about the young high school football player who

died of a heart attack in the middle of a game. Such a horrible shame… The significance ? Well, apparently he

had consumed several cans of a popular brand of energy drink before the game…

So what can we learn from this and answer on the question Are Energy Drinks Bad For You? Well, if nothing

else, it prompts us to investigate whether or not we really should be consuming this stuff in the mass quantities

that we are. We need to understand the key ingredients and how to tell if any harmful side effects are

manifesting in us.

Are Energy Drinks Bad For You or Some of Their Ingredients?

Most of the famous energy drink brands are being slammed for their dependence on two main ingredients. The

first, of course, is caffeine. The second, not surprisingly, is sugar. These sound pretty harmless. So what’s the

big deal? Well, with sugar, it’s easy. This young generation is already suffering from skyrocketing rates of

diabetes and the mountains of sugar dumped into our energy drinks isn’t exactly going to help. But you already

knew that.

What about the caffeine?

All around the world, people have been drinking coffee and tea for eons. Why the sudden fear? Here’s the thing.

The average North American drinks the equivalent of around three cups of coffee a day. And generally

speaking, they live to see their next cup.

So how about that football player? He must have had a bad heart to begin with right?

The problem is that there are significant differences between a cup of coffee and a can of energy drink. The first

is that a lot of the popular energy drinks that are marketed towards teens and young people contain more than

twice the amount of caffeine in a typical cup of coffee.

The second is that while your average person sips their cup of coffee over a newspaper, your average Energy

Drink consumer chugs their can of Rockstar over two more cans of Rockstar !! So, What amount do you

consume? Are Energy Drinks Bad For You ?? Hmmmm….

So some people consume around 300 milligrams of caffeine throughout the course of a day… If you are

drinking Energy Drinks you can down 500 milligrams of caffeine in less than an hour. This is the quickest way

to put yourself towards a caffeine overdose.

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And here’s where you start to answer the question yourself: Are Energy Drinks Bad For You?

The 7 Signs of Caffeine Overdose

1. Headaches

2. Muscle Tension

3. Anxiety and Nervousness

4. Dizziness

5. Tiredness

6. Nausea

7. Jitters

Beware of the lesser common but possibly more severe symptoms as well, such as stomach pains, confusion,

dehydration, ringing in the ears, increased heart rate, seizures and insomnia.

Are Energy Drinks Bad For You? Conclusion

Anything in high doses is bad for you. But the problem is, with energy drinks, the caffeine comes in high doses

regardless of how much you drink. And while there are few reported deaths from energy drinks, there are an

increasing number of people complaining of heart palpitations, high blood pressure, headaches and ulcers. That

crash you’ve probably experienced after drinking the stuff answers your question for you.

Are Energy Drinks Bad For You? If you drink them in excess, YES… If you drink the wrong brand, YES. If

you don’t sleep enough and drink Energy Drinks every day to make yourself feel better, that’s not good either.

So what is the alternative ….

If you’re ready for a healthy energy boost that takes your performance to

the next level– then you’re ready for e+! Isagenix® has developed a

nutrient-packed, naturally-caffeinated energy shot that gets–and keeps–

you active and alert. e+ contains caffeine derived from green tea and

yerba maté and a proprietary, scientifically proven blend of adaptogenic

botanicals that increase energy, stamina and mental alertness. e+ is a

healthy and safe way to provide that “get-up-and-go” needed for both

the average person and the competitive athlete.

e+ reduces the effects of fatigue with naturally-sourced caffeine and a

proprietary blend of adaptogenic botanicals. e+ contains no added

sugars, artificial colors, sweeteners or flavoring found in other energy shots. This proprietary, energy-boosting

formula delivers:

A Quick energy boost that lasts for hours

A kick-start to your workout

Improved focus and physical performance

Clarity and alertness

A safe, effective and natural energy boost

How to use e+ … Isagenix® recommends drinking no more than two (2) bottles of e+ daily. Take it in the

morning, during a mid-day crash or whenever mental and physical energy are low. e+ can also be effectively

used for athletic workouts, while traveling and anytime an extra boost of energy is needed.

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Does e+ increase endurance and stamina? An excellent mid- or post-workout pick-me-up, the natural caffeine

content and adaptogenic botanicals in e+ have beneficial effects on stamina, including increased energy

production and improved endurance. You may also experience cardiovascular improvements.

At just 35 calories, e+ is a nutrient-packed energy shot that gets your body moving and sharpens your mind,

helping increase energy and boost metabolism. Feel the energy and experience the results.

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Rest and Recovery

The average human requires 8 to 10 hours of sleep a night.

NO MATTER WHAT !!! *** Good things happen when you get proper rest ***

Recovery Time As an athlete, it is even more important to get proper rest, in order to achieve High

Level Performance.

Rest also allows the body to replenish energy stores and repair damaged tissues.

Practice or competition causes changes in the body such as muscle tissue breakdown and the depletion of

energy stores (muscle glycogen) as well as fluid loss.

Rest time allows these stores to be replenished and allows tissue repair to occur. Without sufficient time to

repair and replenish, the body will continue to breakdown from intensive exercise.

Symptoms of over training often occur from a lack of recovery time.

Signs of over training include

o a feeling of general malaise,

o staleness,

o depression,

o decreased sports performance, and

o increased risk of injury, among others.

Proper Sleep – It may be an athlete’s best performance booster !

Logic would say that getting enough sleep is important for optimal sports

performance. Some recent studies have found that that sleep deprivation can

slow glucose metabolism by as much as 30 to 40%.

Levels of Cortisol (a stress hormone) were also higher in sleep deprivation

athletes… Cortisol has been linked to impaired recovery in athletes.

Sleep deprivation has also been linked to decreased aerobic endurance and

increased ratings of perceived exertion.

What does it all mean ?

Glucose and glycogen (stored glucose) are the main sources of energy for athletes. Being able to store glucose

in muscle and the liver is particularly important for endurance athletes. Those who are sleep deprived may

experience slower storage of glycogen, which prevents storage of the fuel an athlete needs for endurance events

beyond 90 minutes.

Elevated levels of cortisol may interfere with tissue repair and growth. Over time, this could prevent an athlete

from responding to heavy training and lead to overtraining and injury.

“ Athletes who obtain all the sleep they need, may have a secret advantage over their opponents “

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Injured vs. Hurt ???

Are you injured or are you hurt ? There is a very BIG difference between the two… and

your coaches (And team mates!) know the difference.

If you are injured, you are unable to play or practice.

If you are hurt, you are able to practice and play…

you might just be a little uncomfortable.

The list of common injuries is too vast to talk about in this short manual… but your

body will tell you whether you are injured or hurt… All you have to do is listen, and

be honest !!!

The most important thing with any injury is to have it properly assessed by a

professional.

Treat all of your injuries, for the first 48 hours, with the PRICE Principle –

Protection, Rest, Ice (hourly for 15 minutes), Compress area with a Tensor and

Elevate area above the heart where possible.

If you are honest… and you listen to the trainers and medical professionals responsible for your care…

YOU WILL RETURN TO PLAY FASTER !!!

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Concussions (Brain Injury !!!)

Over the last decade, there have been a lot of studies concerning concussions.

We have learned a lot, but there still is a lot to be learned … the important thing

for you to know is … BE CAREFUL !

You only have one brain, and you need it for your whole life -- Not just your

hockey career !!

If you have been diagnosed with a concussion, you have to be honest about

how you feel. If you return to play too early, after a concussion, you can

be affected by “Second Impact Syndrome”, which can cause severe brain

damage or DEATH !!!

Concussions are accumulative – Which means, the more concussions you

receive, the easier it is to get another one.

Always be honest and follow the instructions of your medical professional.

For more information on Concussions please go to www.stopconcussions.com. Former Pro Hockey Player

Kerry Goulet and his staff do an excellent job of helping others get educated and deal with Concussions. This is

an excellent site and has tons of information that is very informative and interesting.

http://www.stopconcussions.com/

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Mental Training Mental Training has become a very important aspect in the development of an athlete. It

takes years to learn and master, so don’t expect miracles on your first day. It is an ongoing

project that you must keep working at.

As you progress further in your hockey career, you will no doubt receive more Mental

Training. All elite athletes, to give them an edge over the competition, use it.

I will give you the basics here… Then it is up to you how you use it.

Hockey is 80% Mental and 20% Physical, so you need to improve your “Mental” Game if

you want to take your Physical game to the next level… By developing laser-like focus,

great composure under pressure and tremendous self-confidence, your performance

potential will skyrocket.

Mental training will not make everyone a superstar, but if used properly, it is just another

tool in your “Hockey Tool Bag”, that can increase your individual performance and make

you better than the next guy.

If you can believe it… The mind can achieve it !

There are 7 main characteristics that will help improve your performance both on and off the ice…

1. Mentally relaxed (Everything around you is in slow motion)

2. Physically relaxed (tension, stress)

3. Confident/Optimistic

4. Focused (Everything happens automatically)

5. Energized (Pumped up)

6. Bodily awareness (Alert of what your body is telling you)

7. “In the zone” (No distractions)

Below, you will find some ideas to help you develop these 7 characteristics.

Mental Imagery

Mental imagery is used by Peak Performers to develop powerful mental images of the behaviour that will lead

to the desired results. They see in their minds eye the result they want, and the actions leading to it.

Something to concentrate on while using imagery…

1. Internal

a. While using imagery… always see yourself through your own eyes.

2. Pay attention to details

a. Don’t leave any details out of you imagery (e.g. Looks, sounds, smells, etc.)

3. Manipulation of images

a. Always see yourself being successful while using imagery

b. Recreate previously unsuccessful situations… Then visualize yourself being successful at it.

4. Self-Awareness (Get to the root of the problem)

a. Recreate a time when you were stressed out. How did you play when your were stressed out ?

What caused the stress ? Now you can deal with the root of the problem

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Progressive Relaxation

Progressive Relaxation is used to help relax your body in a matter of minutes. You will need to find a quiet

place to relax, either laying down or sitting.

First you must tense and tighten your left arm as hard as you can for

10-15 Seconds, then relax for 10-15 seconds. Follow this same

procedure with the rest of your body. o Right arm,

o Left leg,

o Right leg,

o Stomach,

o Back,

o Neck, and

o Face.

How does it work ? When you practice tensing your muscles and then relaxing them, you learn the feeling of tension and then, you

learn to “let go” of that tension… this helps you relax and focus easier.

This should be done at lease once a day… It only take a couple of minutes to do, and the more you practice the

quicker you can learn to relax yourself.

Breathing

Proper breathing can help your performance because it helps to remove waste products

from your system. You can then use the proper breath to help relax you or energize

you…

A proper breath takes four steps…

1) Inhale and fill your stomach

2) Then your mid-section

3) Then expand your rib cage and raise your shoulders

4) Exhale and tighten your stomach muscles, forcing the air out.

Breathing to relax…

- Take proper deep breathes

- Slow down your breathing rhythm

- This allows you to clear your head because your concentrating on taking deep breathes, not the

problem.

Breathing to energize…

- Take proper deep breathes

- Increase your breathing rhythm

- Imagine that with each breath you take you start becoming more and more energized.

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Pumped Up!

If you’re not very pumped up, you probably won’t perform very well.

As you become more and more pumped up, your performance will increase until a certain point.

Then, as you become too pumped up, your performance will decrease because your attention becomes so

narrow focussed, you don’t pay proper attention to important factors that can influence your performance.

This is known as the “Inverted U-Theory“…

You must learn to pump yourself up to your Maximum Performance point… Without crossing it !!

Refocusing Routine

It is important to develop a refocusing routine so if you make a mistake it

doesn’t negatively effect the rest of the game.

o Take some deep, slow breaths to relax.

o Visualize your mistake, then see yourself being successful at

what you just did wrong.

o Tell yourself you’re going to be successful and you can do it.

o Have a cue sound, or action, to let yourself know your mistake is in the past and it won’t

negatively affect the rest of your game. Example – You are a goalie and you just got scored on. Visualize the goal, and then see yourself stopping

it. Tell yourself you will stop the puck the next time. Then splash yourself with water (That is your cue

action to let yourself know the goal is in the past)

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Confidence

Confidence is a huge part of being an elite athlete. If you are

confident in your abilities, then you are more likely to be

successful performing them.

If you think positive, it will start a chain reaction, which will end

up creating a positive performance.

Confidence will give you the ability to do whatever you want to

do… Even when others say it can’t be done !!!

Mental Imagery is a powerful technique to boost your confidence, because in your imagery you are always

seeing yourself being successful.

In order to become CONFIDENT and stay there, you must become aware and recognize situations that might

decrease your confidence level.

Once you know what it is that is making you doubt yourself, or your coaches, you will be able to use some of

the ideas below to counter that…

Review past positive experiences/successes - Remind yourself of previous successes that include training, dryland and/or games.

- Think of all the goals you have set and then achieved.

Watch motivational movies - You may have videos or your own or other high performance athletes or team.

- Use it to your benefit

Visualize your dream performance - Visualize great performances

- Use all your senses with this dream performance, and remind yourself of how it feels physically, emotionally and how you

are mentally during this awesome performance.

Write affirmations - Document all the positive statements

o “I am stronger than I have ever been”

o “I am technically better than ever”

Remember and write down all the comments people have said to you - At times parents, coaches, team-mates etc, have more confidence in us than we do in ourselves

- Trust their comments and write them down in your logbook or journal

Positive affirmations – Erase the doubts - Recognize and become aware of you thought process

- Change any negative thought to a positive

- Stop the negative thought and reframe it to a positive, confident thought

Positive

Thoughts

Positive

Feelings

Positive

Behaviours

Positive

Performances

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Goal Setting

Everyone has the desire to be successful. One of the biggest obstacles to achieving excellence is not deciding

where you want to end up… but more specifically… What are you going to do each day in order to get there ??

You need to set goals to focus your efforts in the right direction.

It is a very simple process –

Decide where you want to go, and then draw a map that will get

you there.

Setting specific personal goals and bringing the highest quality of effort, everyday, to everything you do… is

the major factor that separates GREAT athletes from good athletes.

Dream – Imagine what is possible if all your limits are stretched.

Develop long term goals based on where you are today, your present motivation (How bad do you want it ?)

and where do you want to get to in the end.

Daily – Break down your long-term goals into more manageable pieces and then set even

smaller daily goals… You must decide what things you will do today so you can achieve your

long-term goals.

Discipline & Commitment – Write it down… Commit to it…then make the decision to walk

the talk.

Self-directed – Set goals that you have total control over… Your performance, but not your performance

compared to someone else’s… What it is you want to accomplish, not what someone else wants you to

accomplish.

Surround yourself with people who will help support you… Share what you are trying to do with your support

group. This group can help and encourage you, especially during the tough times.

Self-acceptance – You must be able to accept that you gave it your all, regardless of the outcome. Accept

yourself and what you have achieved.

Goal setting is a tool that will help you be successful.

Remember they are YOUR GOALS and you have complete control over them.

Set whatever goals you want and make them work for you. You must always be monitoring

your GOALS to make sure you are on track… If not, correct them and continue !!!!

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S.M.A.R.T. Goals

In order to help you achieve your goals, you can use the SMART acronym to help you along -

The stage is set and it doesn’t get any better than this… Your hockey family is together... The best hockey

players in the world are gathered on one sheet of ice... A nation’s bragging rights are at stake... The Gold medal

game... Overtime.

Now imagine Team USA and Team Canada playing a game of keep-away... No nets. No exciting offense. No

breathtaking saves. No goals !! Takes the excitement out of the game... doesn’t it?

Imagine basketball with no hoops?... Football with no end zone?... Baseball with no home plate?... Hockey

with no net? Would we engage in sports as intensely as we do if we had no goals, baskets, touchdowns or

runs?

Do we engage in life without goals, as much as we would if we had S.M.A.R.T. goals? SMART goals are:

Specific – Is your goal well-defined? Would someone with basic knowledge of the subject be clear on

what you are trying to accomplish?

Measurable – You must be able to determine whether you accomplished your goal or not. Objective,

not subjective.

Attainable – Goals must be realistic to accomplish. Set a goal that challenges you but is not out of the

realm of possibility.

Relevant – Is your goal relevant to you and your life? If your goal is set by somebody else or is not

relevant to your passions and interests, you’ll never do what it takes to accomplish it.

Timely – Set a deadline for accomplishing your goal. Deadlines create pressure and pressure produces

results.

Goals are critical to success in any area of life. Remember though that the character you build while pursuing

your goals is as important, if not more, than whether or not you actually accomplish your goals. We’ve all heard

the expression ‘life is not about the destination but about the journey.’

Goal-setting develops clarity in purpose and focus. The pursuit of goals requires effort, diligence and

perseverance. Reaching your goals teaches you how to handle success with humility and grace. Falling short of

your goals teaches you how to rise above failure with tenacity and dignity.

If, and when, you succeed, enjoy the fruits of your labour for a moment and then push yourself to the next

level. Don’t let complacency set-in. If, and when, you fail, get up and try again... and again… and again !

Set your goals and resolve to achieve them with passion and integrity. Just as goals engage us in sports, they

should engage us in life as well.

Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing.

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Team Work

No matter what you do in life… often you will have to do it as part of a team.

The quicker you learn to work as a team member, the better off you will be…

Many sports must be played as a team. If you do not work as a team, you will

never accomplish your goals.

The goals of the team will always outweigh the goals of the individual.

It is amazing how much you can accomplish,

when it doesn't matter who gets the credit

Instinctively knowing when to move forward, when to ease back and when to let someone

else take over…

These are the marks of a great team, and a great team player.

I have seen many skilled Athletes left off of a team, because they could not work as a team member. If you put

yourself above the team, you probably will not be part of that team… for long !!

For a sports team to exist, you need a group of talented athletes, who work together to achieve a common goal

of winning the match. There are 4 characteristics that individual members and the team as a whole needs in

order to be successful. These can be described by the acronym:

T - Trust

E – Enthusiasm

A – Ambition

M - Motivation

Trust allows team members to depend on each other and good teamwork is based on trust. In team sports, the

players need to depend on each other. When trust is lacking, the members play as individuals, weakening the

whole team unit. Trust is built when team members get to know each other and their abilities and commitment.

It grows as the team practice together until a developed team has an almost instinctive feel for one another. In

an effective sports team there needs to be trust between team mates, trust between the coach and players and

individual athletes need to trust themselves and their own abilities. If an athlete does not trust themself or their

abilities it often expresses as fear of failure.

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Enthusiasm is the glue that holds the team together. Most people participate in sport for the fun and

enjoyment of the game. If the game is fun, you will be enthusiastic to train and play. The whole sports team

needs to share an enthusiasm that is born out of the desire to be a member of the team. Each team member

needs to have pride in the team, as this creates social cohesion.

Ambition gives the team direction. The individual team members, and the team as a whole, needs to have

ambition to achieve the goal of winning. When a team is united in their pursuit of a common goal or ambition,

they have good task cohesion.

Every member needs to know the team's goals and ambitions… and be committed to achieving them.

Individuals need ambition to attend training sessions and focus on improving their skills to the benefit of both

themselves and the team. Most players have a goal of being recognised as an outstanding player. In order to be

recognised, they have to play well over a series of games. The overall goal of the individual player is therefore

determined by performance of the team in games and in that way the goals of each individual player integrates

with the goal of the team.

Motivation is what drives the team to achieve. Individual players need good motivation before they can

perform to their potential. Motivation comes from having a challenge that the player believes they are capable

of achieving. Teams are also challenged when they believe that they are capable of winning the game. Even

the underdog can, on occasion, beat the overwhelming favourite. In fact, the favourite can under-perform

because the players "go through the motions" without motivation, while the underdog is challenged and

motivated to achieve. When all the team members believe that the team can overcome the obstacles in the path

to achieving the goal, we say the team has good group chemistry.

The success of a team depends not just on its leader.

It depends a lot on its members.

So be an effective team player !

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How to Be an Effective Team Player

How do you motivate your team to success, not as a team Captain or Assistant, but as a member of the team?

Here are some helpful pointers –

Be Responsible - When the opportunity arises, take up responsibilities that are outside

the scope of your current role. Show people you are willing to work hard and learn

more. When a task given to you does go wrong, whether or not the circumstances

causing the failure were under your control, own it up. Never attempt to shift blame to

another team member or to another team.

Coach - If you are good at something, coach and train another person on it. Giving out

knowledge only enhances it, never reduces it. Show the ropes to a junior team member.

Others will be more open to returning the favour when you need it.

Be Open - Encourage free-thinking and discussion. Never discount or ridicule

another's idea. Take each team-member seriously. Never make presumptions about

someone's ignorance or knowledge. When implementing another person's idea, don't

criticize it every step of the way. Criticizing someone constantly will discourage the

person and make them less open to giving suggestions again. Most importantly, you

should be open to feedback. Never discount or whine about feedback on your work or

performance. Don't rationalize or give excuses in response to feedback about your

performance.

Be Generous - Give credit where it is due, and more importantly don't take credit for

what you don’t deserve. Never hold back on a compliment. Learn from others and

their failures. It is imperative for sustained success that the team as a whole should not

repeat the same mistake. Ego and seniority should never stop a team from working

towards an efficient solution.

Set an Example - You could complain and whine at every situation that can be

improved. Instead take action to improve it. Don't wait for others to set right

something. You set an example by taking initiative. Never dish out dirty work that

belongs to you, to someone else. By setting standards for a professional team, you will

raise the bar for others.

Build Relationships - All that we discussed above is easy to do when we develop

relationships. While playing on a sports team, it is natural to form friendships and forge

relationships, but we might find it surprising that in spite of playing together for years,

we don't know their birthdays or how many brothers and sisters they have. To forge

relationships:

a. Have a friendly disposition.

b. Never abuse or insult another team member.

c. Never discuss someone behind his or her back.

d. Never gossip.

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Leadership

The best example of leadership, is leadership by example

“ The leader always sets the trail for others to follow “

Good leaders are made, not born. If you have the desire and willpower, you can become an effective leader.

Good leaders develop through a never-ending process of self-study, education, training, and experience.

To inspire your teammates into higher levels of teamwork, there are certain things you must be, know, and, do.

These do not come naturally, but are acquired through continual work and study. Good leaders are continually

working and studying to improve their leadership skills; they are NOT resting on their laurels.

Lets define leadership….

Leadership is a process by which a person influences others to accomplish an objective and directs the team in a

way that makes it more cohesive and coherent.

Leaders carry out this process by applying their leadership attributes, such as beliefs, values, ethics, character,

knowledge, and skills.

Although your position as a Captain or Assistant Captain gives you the authority to accomplish certain tasks

and objectives on your team, this power does not make you a leader, it simply makes you the Captain or

Assistant Captain.

Leadership differs in that it makes the followers want to achieve higher goals, rather than simply bossing people

around.

There are three basic ways to explain how people become leaders. The first two explain the leadership

development for a small number of people. These theories are:

1. Some personality traits may lead people naturally into leadership roles.

2. A crisis or important event may cause a person to rise to the occasion, which brings out extraordinary

leadership qualities in an ordinary person.

3. People can choose to become leaders. People can learn leadership skills. It is the most widely accepted

theory today and the premise on which you can develop as a leader.

The basis of good leadership is honourable character and selfless service to your team. In your teammates eyes,

your leadership is everything you do that affects the team’s objectives and their well-being.

Respected leaders concentrate on what they are (such as beliefs and character), what they know (such as job,

tasks, and human nature), and what they do (such as implementing, motivating, and providing direction.

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Characteristics of a Good Leader

No matter where you require your leadership skills, the basic traits of a good leader remain common.

Additional positive characteristics may be required, depending upon specific circumstances. Here are some of

the characteristics of a good leader -

Self Leadership: This is probably the most important characteristic of a good leader. It asserts that only when a

leader leads themselves towards excellence, will they be able to lead their followers on the same path.

Personal Leadership: This is a trait is commonly observed in good leaders. Personal leadership enables them

to take charge of their lives and instil the same desire in their followers. It is a motivational leadership trait,

which all leaders must have or strive to acquire.

Confidence: Believing in their own abilities is an essential trait of a good leader. Unless, and until, they have

confidence in their abilities, they will not be able to lead effectively.

Character: A leader's character plays a vital role in determining the effectiveness of their leadership.

Trustworthiness and honesty are the two important aspects of a leader's character. Even a slight flaw in their

character will lead to the followers, not believing in his/her ways.

Communication: Effective communication is a vital leadership trait of a good leader. They should be able to

put across what needs to be done and how. At the same time, they should be willing to accept relevant

suggestions from their teammates. They should have the ability to listen, question, analyze and observe

effectively. They should believe that actions speak louder than words.

Knowledge: Being highly knowledgeable about their sport, is an essential characteristic of a good leader. Only

when they are thorough with their sport, will they be able to guide, solve problems and queries and help teach

their teammates appropriately. This is also a quality required for leadership development.

Respect: A good leader does not demand or command respect, they EARN IT. Respect should not be

restricted only from the followers to the leader, it needs to be mutual. All team players should be respected and

if the leader sets an example for this, the team will follow undoubtedly. This could be a vital characteristic of a

strong leader.

Vision: Being a good leader requires that the person is able to think, considering the future and giving it equal

importance as the present. They should be able to successfully convince their followers and make them

understand the need for change, which will ultimately result in the achievement of their common goals.

Attitude: Sporting a positive attitude, even in the worst of situations is a characteristic of a good leader. They

should be able to instil the same in their followers, by appropriate motivation and problem solving techniques.

The attitude of a leader is an important determinant in the successful overcoming of leadership challenges.

And most importantly, to make a good leader, it is necessary to be PASSIONATE.

Their team should have zeal towards the achievement of their goals.

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Team Captains and Assistants

Perhaps nowhere is the importance of good leadership as apparent as on a sports team. A good sports team

captain, or assistant, can lead their team to success and recognition; and can help a moderate team play better;

whereas, a weak captain or assistant, with poor leadership skills can hinder a team’s chances of competing and

bonding successfully.

Why Is A Good Sports Team Captain Important?

An analysis done by various coaches showed that although there are a variety of reasons why teams do not

achieve their potential and ended their seasons early – such as injuries, conditioning, poor officiating and

eligibility – one main reason is lack of good leadership. And while leadership does come from coaches, the real

leaders come from within the team itself. So selecting a good team captain is vitally important.

Are You Sure You Want To Be A Sports Team Captain?

Being a sports team captain isn’t just about wearing the C (or A) or being the boss or even just cheering your

friends on. It requires a number of things including:

- the desire to lead by example

- a passionate belief in team spirit

- the ability to handle the conflicts that invariably arise when a team is under pressure

- the desire to put more input in planning the team’s strategies

- the ability to handle problems which may arise in a fair and expedient manner

- the ability to behave professionally and responsibility despite personal feelings of frustration and anger

- a thorough knowledge of the rules of the game

- a desire to build relationships with other members of the team, in good times and bad

- the ability to handle the burden of being captain while still playing in the team

- the ability to inspire and motivate and raise team morale

If you are able to possess these qualities, then being a sports team captain can be one of the most

rewarding leadership experiences you can have.

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How Can I Be A Good Sports Team Captain?

Being a sports team captain is a great opportunity to develop the leadership traits that will help you succeed in

your future career, whether this is as a sports athlete or in another field of work. But how can you know that

you are providing good leadership?

Here are some tips to help coaches gain confidence in you and help you lead your team to success:

Always have a positive, up-beat attitude Always show your teammates that you believe in them and the whole team

Help your teammates improve. (If you help them improve they will respect you)

Respect your team mates

Never get down on someone who makes a mistake, show them what they did wrong and show them the

right way of doing it and tell them "its ok you'll get them next time"

Always do more than is expected – stay longer, skate/run farther, play harder

Lead your team by actions, not words. Anybody can talk – it is what they do that counts.

Always take responsibility for your actions – don’t play the blame game. If you make a mistake or cause

your team to lose out in some way, own up, face the consequences and move forward – you will be

respected more than if you try to wriggle your way out with excuses.

Cheer! Cheer for your teammates, but down cheer down the other team

o There is nothing wrong with complementing someone, either on your team or the opposing team,

for something they did. If someone made a nice shot, let him or her know. Whether they’re on

your team or the other team, it’s nice to hear.

Some of the best captains of sports teams are not necessarily the ones who are the best players or the all-

stars, but the ones who never give up, who help their teammates improve, who are the first to get a cheer

going, the first to be out on the field, rink or court, and stretching. And are the first to help their

coaches, teammates and opponents.

Don’t put yourself above the rest of the team – just because you have the captain title does not mean that

you should have any preferential treatment. A sports team captain is subject to the same rules and

consequences as the rest of the team. See yourself as one of the team, otherwise there will be a division

between yourself and your team mates.

In addition, continually try to be self-aware and improve your leadership skills. For example, think about the

captains of various sports teams in the international arena and consider why they were chosen –

Was it because they are popular? The best player? Responsible? Honest? Dependable? A good listener?

Motivating and inspiring? Remain calm and positive under pressure?

See how they lead by example and follow in their footsteps to become a great sports team captain yourself.

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Role Model – How to be a good one !!

As an Athlete, you will always have people looking to you as a role model. Your goal should be to be a

positive role model and model your whole life that way.

A role model is a person who others look up to, and admire. A role model provides inspiration and motivation

to seek out accomplishments. Role models send messages about their beliefs by what they do and say. Here are

some traits of positive role models…

Self-Esteem

A role model is self-assured and happy with whom they are. If a role model displays that they have self-

esteem, those who look up to them will, also. A role model displays a streak of independence showing

they do not need to follow current trends. Role models trust in being themselves. They are proud of who

they are, but not cocky.

Handle Stress Positively

Being human means having to constantly deal with stress and overcome obstacles. A role model sets a

good example on how to handle pressure. Athlete role models can handle stress and can come through

when the pressure is on. While they may not win every game, when they fail they attempt to learn from

their mistakes.

Role Models Are Trustworthy

Trustworthiness is another quality of a good role model. A role model is honest and doesn't lie. A role

model possesses integrity and does the right thing even if no one is looking or they do not receive

acknowledgment for their act.

Perseverance

A good role model also does what they say. A good role model delivers on their promises and can

always be counted on even when they are overwhelmed and want to quit. Perseverance is a key trait.

Role models demonstrate that if they work hard to attain something, then others can, too. They give you

dreams and goals to aspire to.

Respect for Others

How you treat others speaks volumes about who you are. A good role model listens to others and also

considers opposing points of view. They treat others how they would want to be treated and is

considerate of others. When making mistakes, a role model does not place the blame on others… they

own up to their own shortcomings.

“The most important single influence in the life of a person, is

another person ... who is worthy of emulation.” Paul D. Shafer

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Hygiene and Equipment Care

Hygiene is very important for Athletes… As an Athlete, you do a lot of

sweating, both in practice and games.

This sweat is left on your body and absorbed into your gear and can cause you a

lot of health problems.

It is important that you take care of both yourself and your equipment, to ensure

a healthy season.

Smelly Gear is not a good thing !!! That smell is Bacteria, and it can cause you

a lot of problems.

Take care of yourself – o Take daily showers, with soap – Immediately after practice/competition is preferable,

o Report all types of skin rashes – These may be the first indication of a problem,

o Wear clean clothes under your equipment,

o Keep your feet CLEAN and DRY

Whether you are with your regular team, at a camp or at a tryout.. If your feet are not

clean and dry, you can get BLISTERS, or worse… That can mean an early end to

whatever you are doing.

o Wash your hands, with soap and hot water, regularly

o Do not share your towels, clothing, bar soap or other personal items

Take care of your equipment – - Make sure your gear is always removed from your gear bag, when not in use

o Hang your gear out to dry, in a Warm, Dry area. Bacteria loves Cool, Moist

environments – LIKE YOUR HOCKEY BAG !!

o Do not use a cool basement or garage to hang your gear.

- You don’t have to sanitize your gear after every use, but it should be sanitized on a

regular basis.

o Your Gear should be sanitized, in order to ensure that all Bacteria has been

killed and cannot cause you, or your gear any problems

- Ensure that your footwear (skates, cleats, sneakers, etc.) are always dry.

o Blisters can mean an early end to your tryout, camp or season!!

- Ensure that you have spares of all critical equipment

o Every hockey player carries at least one spare stick, because you can’t play without one!

o Have you ever tried to playing without a skate blade ??

Always carry an extra set of blades. If one breaks, you are only

minutes away from getting back into the game !

Always carry an extra set of laces (Proper size and type)

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Training Plans

Athletic Training takes place 365 days a year… That is not to say, that

all you should do is a single sport !

You should train to be an athlete first, with emphasis on your sport,

second. If all you do is a single sport, you will quickly tire of that, and

your body might start to rebel with overuse injuries.

Your training program should have a lot of variety and should change

often… That way your body does not get used to any single training

plan.

The important thing to remember is

that you have to train…

Your competition is training HARD !!

The type of training you should be doing will be determined by a few factors –

1. Your age –

a. For 9 to 12 year olds – Emphasis should be on motor

coordination and skill development

b. For 13 to 16 year olds – Emphasis should be on

development on aerobic conditioning and muscular

endurance.

c. For 17 and above – Emphasis should be on development

of aerobic conditioning, anaerobic conditioning and

muscular strength & power

2. What point in the season are you at – o As mentioned earlier, Sports take place 365 days a year. Any sport year is divided into 4 seasons -

Pre-Season

In-Season

Post-Season

Off-Season

o More ideas for training, for each season have been provided in the sections that follow.

3. Your Athletic ability

o Are you a beginner or advanced ?

For the most part, the exercises will remain the same, the intensity level will be the only

thing that changes.

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Warm-Up

Before you begin any training program or competition, it is important to make sure

that you have properly warmed up. This will ensure that your body is ready for

whatever you are going to put it through.

A proper warm-up will also help to prevent injury and help you to begin focusing on

the task at hand.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD WARM UP

- Always utilize your entire body when performing your warm-up. Do not limit it to a specific area of

your body only.

- Warming up must comprise movements related to the game situations that lie ahead. This improves and

sharpens nerve innervations.

- Warming up exercises should be done systematically/slowly, they should not be the quick/jerky type.

- Do not hold breath when exercising, but inhale and exhale deeply.

After a long trip (ie. Drive to an out of town tournament), a good warm-up is essential. This helps to stretch the

muscle, and maintain the flexibility of various muscle joints.

The benefits of warming up are in 3 areas:

1. Physical changes

2. Psychological changes

3. Physiological changes

1. Physical Changes - The player's neuro-muscular coordination improves. Hockey is played with a stick, and it is essential for you to have good

neuro-muscular coordination, in order to perform at higher level.

- Muscles/joints are fine-tuned and the joint flexibility/mobility increases – injury is minimized.

- Stretching and loosening effect in skeleton muscles. Muscular function is accelerated according to the needs of the game.

2. Psychological Changes - Confidence level increases – You can easily overcome anxiety/tension/pressure before the game.

- Warming up creates a constructive outlet for your negative feelings.

3. Physiological Changes - Through a good warm up, the efficiency of muscular contraction increases to its optimum. The speed of contraction may be

increased approximately 20% by raising the body temperature.

- The physiological benefits of raising muscle temperature through proper warm up, prior to the actual game include:

- Reduced muscle viscosity

- Increased rate of chemical synthesis of contraction and recovery

- Improvement in blood circulation

There are some examples of good Warm-up Exercises on the following pages. Use them, and try to make up

your own. Make it fun and useful for you and your teammates….

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Minor Hockey Warm-up

Most Minor Hockey Players and Teams know that they should warm-up before they hit the ice, but sometimes

there just doesn't seem to be enough time and space to get it done.

With all the driving to the rink, putting on equipment and pre-game pep talks… usually there isn't enough time

left to fit in a complete off-ice hockey warm-up. Let's face it - most young hockey players barely get on the ice

in time for the start of their 3-minute on-ice warm-up… AND, most hockey rinks barely have enough room for

two players to pass each other carrying their bags in the hallway, let alone enough room to have an entire team

warm-up at the same time.

However, you’re in luck, a proper off-ice warm-up is not only possible, but also necessary - especially when

you've only got a few minutes to skate once you step on the ice. Would it surprise you to find out that you can

get a highly effective, hockey-specific off-ice warm-up routine done in just a couple of minutes, with the entire

team in the dressing room? Push all the bags to one corner of the dressing room and you can get all your

players doing this quick off-ice warm-up at the exact same time. For younger players, it will show them, at an

early age, that a proper warm-up is very important !

Here is a warm-up that you can do absolutely anywhere:

20 jumping jacks

20 high knees

20 alternating forward lunges (10 on each leg)

20 squats

Try that sequence once and you'll see that it will get your muscles warmed up and your heart rate elevated

before starting your event. Run through it 5 times in a row and I guarantee that you will come flying out of the

gate !!

Make it fun… Talk to the players while they do it !! Encourage

them… Pump them Up !!!

You may not be able to spend 15 minutes doing a complete off-ice warm-up,

but you can always find one extra minute to get ready before taking the ice.

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Standard Warm-up Exercises

If you are in an area that has enough room, and you have enough time, to do a proper Warm-up, then it is

preferable. The Warm-up should last approximately 15 to 20 Minutes. It should start off slowly and progress

from there. The Warm-up should try to mimic the types of movements that an athlete will be doing in the

upcoming activity.

Many teams start off their warm up by playing a small Team Builder game. One of the games I commonly use

is ‘ Knock Out ‘.

Knock Out - For this game, you will require some sort of ball… Soccer ball is the best. The players

form a circle and try to keep the ball from touching the ground without using their arms or hands

(Such as a game of Hacky Sack). If a player causes the ball to touch the ground, they are out. This

continues until only one player is left. This game requires foot/eye coordination, balance, teamwork

and leadership skills into play.

Once a winner has been established, they can start off their warm-up with a light run. They stay together as a

team, and start focusing on the upcoming game/practice/workout. This will increase their heart rate and start

pumping more blood and oxygen to their muscles and brain ! This run should last for 5 to 10 minutes.

(Remember, the warm-up should get them ready, but not fatigue them !). Immediately after the run they should

start to do some Dynamic Exercises shown below. They could perform these exercises for 5 to 10 minutes, as a

team, and then break off to allow individuals to prepare themselves for the upcoming event.

At the end of the Warm-up the player should be ready to perform. They will have heightened senses and

reactions, and will be able to perform at 100% at the beginning of the Game/Practice/Work-out !!

Dynamic Warm-up Exercises

High Knee Walks

High Knee Walks are a great warm up and stretching exercise to help stretch the lower extremities. Maybe more

importantly it helps to teach the joints and associated musculature to increase the range of motion. This will obviously

help to improve stride length that in turn will help improve speed.

When performing the high knee walk it is important to keep your head up, back straight and slowly and intentionally

pull your leg up to your chest as you walk. Lower the leg to the ground as you step forward and then pull the other leg

up to your chest. Be sure to pull the leg up to your chest as high as possible and DO NOT lower your chest to your leg.

Long Strides

This is a great dynamic warm-up for the hips and more importantly the hip flexors. It is important to make sure the

hip flexors are long and elastic to ensure your stride is long and powerful.

To perform the long stride start in a standing position and simply step out in an exaggerated stride and lower your

hips to the floor. You should feel a stretch in the groin/hip flexor area. Make sure your knee does not pass the toes

and make sure to keep your head up and back straight. Bring the back foot back to the front and return to the

standing position and repeat as you step out with the other foot.

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Butt Kicks

This is a great dynamic warm-up for the hips, quads and hip flexors. Simply begin running in a forward direction.

Back straight, head up and upper extremities working as normal. With each step you will kick your butt with your

heel. Perform this very quickly kicking your butt and then lowering it as quickly as possible. Perform in sets of 10-15

yards.

Straight Leg Toe Touches

Straight leg toe touches are a great way to stretch the hamstrings/buttocks in a dynamic way. It will also help

increase stride length by teaching the joints and associated musculature to increase the hip range of motion. It is

important when performing the exercise to make sure your back is straight. Also make sure the lower

extremities are warm prior to performing this exercise. You can do this by performing other dynamic stretches

first or by lightly jogging for a few minutes.

Backward High Knee Walk/Long Stride

Start off facing backwards. As in the high knee walk you will want to bring your knee to your chest.The leg should

be slightly bent when extended and you should try to touch your opposite hand to the toes. (right hand touches left

foot). Try to keep the opposite leg straight with minimal bend. Keep head up as well. Lower the foot to the ground

and then step out with your other foot. Each time you should be taking a step forward.

Lateral Strides

This is a great functional warm up for the groin muscles. Now instead of simply placing it on the

ground you will perform a long stride backwards. It is important that you take a wide base to help you

keep your balance. Move back up to the standing position bringing your front leg backwards. Then

repeat with the opposite leg.

Start in the standing position with your knees slightly bent. Hips and shoulders are square and facing

directly forward. Keeping your toes straight ahead and maintaining the bent knee position step out to the side. You should feel a

stretch in the groin area. Bring your following foot in to midline and step out again. Make sure you perform the exercise in both

directions facing the same way.

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Cool Down / Recovery

The Cool Down and Recovery portion is probably the most neglected area of an Athlete’s training program. A

proper Cool Down and Recovery is essential in progressing in your Athletic training.

There a 3 different components that should be considered by an Athlete if they want to perform at their best, at

all times –

1. Cool Down –

While many Athletes do dynamic warm-ups before their game/practice or workout begins, very few do a cool-

down afterwards. For the majority of Athletes, the cool-down involves taking off your equipment, and jumping

into the car for the ride home.

An Athlete’s body needs to “come-down” after the game or practice, in the same way that they need to “ramp

up” for each session. When you neglect to perform a thorough cool-down after a tough practice or game, your

muscles will feel heavy and tired. By performing 5 minutes of easy jogging immediately after getting off the

ice, players can prevent blood and lactate from pooling in their legs, which will reduce muscle stiffness and

soreness.

2. Static Stretching –

Athletes don’t need to spend a lot of time stretching every muscle in their body in order to recover

properly. Spending 10 minutes performing a few critical stretches after your cool-down jog is all you

need. Players should perform stretches that address their “sport-specific” muscles – as an example, hip flexors,

quadriceps, glutes and groin, for Hockey Players. By holding these stretches in a comfortable position for 20 to

30 each, and repeating 2 to 4 times for each side, players will alleviate muscle soreness, prevent injury and put

themselves in a great position to perform their best in their next session.

Below you will find some examples of some Static Stretches. There are many, many more , and you should

find some that you enjoy and are comfortable doing -

Trunk/Shoulder

- Stand with feet shoulder width apart – bring left arm overhead , reaching hand down the spine

- Hold the left elbow behind the head with the right hand

- Bend the trunk straight sideways to the right

- Do not rotate the trunk.

Thigh/Quadriceps

- Stand on your left foot , holding a wall with your left hand for support

- Reach behind with the right hand holding the right foot

- Keep back straight and hips and shoulders square

- Lift the right foot and ankle towards the right buttocks

- Keep the right leg in good alignment – the right - Shoulder, hip, knee and ankle should be aligned.

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Thigh/Hip Flexor

- Kneel on the right knee

- The left leg is forward with the knee bent

- Place hands on the floor at each side of the left foot

- Keep you back straight and hips and shoulders square

- Stretch forward feeling the stretch in the right thigh and hip flexor -

Groin

- Sit on the floor with your feet together as in the picture

- Keep you back straight

- Pull your feet in towards your groin, until you cannot keep your back straight or keep

your feet together

- Put you elbows on your knees and you hands on your ankles

- Press your knees towards the floor, to increase the stretch rotate forward at the hips

while keeping your back straight.

Hamstring/Lower Back

- Sit on the floor with the right leg extended and the left leg bent inward as in the

picture

- Keep the back straight and hips and shoulders square

- Keep the right leg in neutral rotation and aligned with the right shoulder –

Reach forward with your hands keeping the back straight (Think of bringing your chest

towards the thigh, no the head to the knee)

Low Back/Hip Extensor

- Lie on your back with the Left knee bent up towards the chest as in the

picture

- Hold the Left knee with both hands (If an Athlete complains of pain holding

the knee as illustrated; instruct them to hold the leg/thigh under the knee:)

- Keep the Left knee in alignment with the right shoulder

- Pull the Left knee towards the chest

Gluteal/Hip/Low Back

- Lie on your back with the left hip and knee bent and the foot over the right leg as in the

picture

- Place the right hand flat on the floor with the shoulder at 90 degrees as in the picture

- Turn the head to the right

- Hold onto the left knee with the right hand and pull the knee towards the floor

- Allow the body to rotate until the shoulder is about to lift off the ground

- Keep the shoulders and left hand in contact with the ground

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3. Post-Activity Nutrition –

Post-activity nutrition and hydration are just as important as completing the cool-down and stretching routines,

and are also generally ignored by Athletes. Immediately after finishing a game/practice or workout, an Athletes

body is in a heightened state to rebuild its energy stores and they need to get food and fluids in them

quickly. Whether it is in the form of chocolate milk and a bottle of water or a sports drink with yoghurt and a

banana, the key is to get re-fuel and re-hydrate fast.

Please see the Nutrition section in this booklet, to see proper nutrition advice !

Completing a proper recovery routine after each session can be the difference between having a mediocre year

and having your best season ever. Make the most of the 30 minute “recovery window” this season and you will

take your performance to the next level.

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Training -- In-Season

In-season training is an absolute necessity, but is almost always completely

neglected.

Athletes tell me that their coach told the entire team NOT to train in-season

because it wasn’t good for them.

That’s just ridiculous.

That demonstrates an incredible ability to selectively neglect an obvious occurrence:

EVERY PROFESSIONAL, MAJOR JUNIOR AND DIVISION I

COLLEGIATE PROGRAM FOLLOWS AN

IN-SEASON TRAINING PROGRAM !

How can anyone look at the levels of every sport considered “elite”, see a commonality amongst all of them,

and then say something like “in-season training isn’t good for you”?

Why?

One of the reasons in-season training is so frequently neglected is because of a lack of understanding of how the

volume and nature of the training program should change to accommodate the volume and nature of the stresses

imposed by their sport. There are some commonalities in exercise selection, but the design of in-season training

programs is DRASTICALLY different from that of off-season programs.

Naturally, in-season training carries a number of important benefits. Unfortunately, most youth sports programs

aren’t set up to accommodate in-season training. There’s an excessive focus on competition at the expense of

preparation, and the “training” side of preparation is neglected altogether. Add this to the fact that most youth

athletes don’t have a true off-season, and it’s easy to see why youth overuse injuries have skyrocketed over the

last decade.

In the most simplistic sense, the body operates within a “use it, improve it, or lose it” framework. If athletes

aren’t working to improve or maintain athletic capacities, they’re going to lose them. It’s that simple.

With in-season training, less is more. The goal is to create the bare minimum stress to the body that results in

the largest improvements in strength and power, and the restoration of structural balance across the major joints

in the body. If youth organizations would sacrifice 45 minutes of practice time twice per week to get a quick

work out in, they’d notice substantial performance improvements and reductions in injury rates. It’s a shame

that more people aren’t doing this.

What to Work on ??

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While you are enjoying your season you should be focusing on maintaining your overall conditioning and foot

speed.

Your season will typically last about 6 to 8 months (Depending on how hard you trained during the other

seasons !!!).

During the season you should be working on –

o Working as a team, teambuilding

o Work on Individual Weaknesses

o Emphasize recovery and regeneration more than building

Quick feet are very important in every sport. Ladder drills are an excellent way to accomplish this. I have

included several different ladder drills below that will help with your foot speed, agility, coordination and

overall quickness. You can develop many different ones… You imagination is the limit !! These drills are in

the “ In- Season “ training section but could, and should, be used all year round.

Ladder Agiility Drills are excellent for accomplishing those goals. At the end of this section I have included 2

10 Minute Interval Workouts, to help you with your Stamina.

Ladder Agility Drills

Ladder agility drills are an excellent way to improve foot speed, agility, coordination and overall quickness.

They are an integral part of many SAQ programs and compliment many different sports and events.

Speed ladder drills are about quality and form rather than producing overload. The drills are not meant to leave

you fatigued or breathless in the way that shuttle runs might, for example.

It is better to perform these drills at the start of a session after the warm up, or as a session in itself. Your

muscles should be fresh to ensure good quality of movement… and because they will not leave you exhausted

you can perform resistance or endurance training afterwards.

In order for these drills to help you, they must practiced all the time. Take 15 to 20 minutes each day, to help

you get better !!

Important Tip: Print this page out and have it with you when you practise these ladder agility drills. It's a

good idea to have half a dozen dummy runs on each exercise before you begin to perform them at speed.

Here are some general guidelines for all the ladder agility drills below:

- Push off from the balls of your feet (not the toes)

- Pump your hands from shoulder height to hips (men), and from chest height to hips

(women)

- Keep your elbows at 90 degrees at all times

- Keep your arms, shoulders and hands relaxed

- Try to keep your head still as much as possible

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Ladder Agility Drills

Hop Scotch Drill

This is one of the simplest ladder agility drills, even for those who are too old to remember

playing hop scotch (or just won't admit to it!).

- Start with your feet hip width apart at the bottom of the ladder

- Jump up with both feet and land on the left foot only in the first square

- Immediately push off with your left foot and land with both feet in the second square

- Immediately push off with both feet and land on your right foot only

- Push off from your right foot and land on both feet.

- Repeat this pattern for the full length of the ladder

In-Out Drill Another basic drill to master but no less effective.


- Step into the first square with your left foot first, immediately followed by your

right foot

- With your left foot step outside to the left the second square, then immediately

step outside the second square with your right foot

- Step back into the third square with your left foot first, followed by your right

foot.

- Repeat this pattern in fluid motion for the length of the ladder

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Lateral Feet Drill

The ladder agility drills from now on require more practise and greater

coordination. Be sure to give yourself several dummy runs before attempting at

speed.

- Start with both feet outside of the first square and to the left

- Step into the first square with your left foot first, immediately followed

by your right foot... in a 1-2 motion

- Step to the right, outside the first square again with your left foot fist,

followed by your right

- Now step diagonally left into the second square, with the left foot

leading always keeping the same 1-2 motion

- Now step out to the left-hand side of the second square and repeat for the

full length of the ladder

- If you perform several sets of this drill start at different sides of the

ladder so your lead foot changes each time

Tango Drill

Named after the dance, when you perform this drill correctly you'll see why. Or

should it be the Foxtrot?

- Start with both feet outside of the first square and to the left

- Cross your left leg over your right and into the centre of the first square.

Your right leg should immediately follow to the right of the first square,

followed by your left leg

- It's a 1-2-3 motion like you're dancing

- From here your right foot comes across your left and into the centre of

the second square as the pattern is repeated in the opposite direction

- Repeat for the full length of the ladder

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Five Count Drill

This is the most difficult to master of these ladder agility drills and requires patience

even for the most dexterous. When you can perform this exercise smoothly, with speed

you're ahead of most of the competition!


- Step out to the right of the first square With your right foot immediately

followed by placing your left foot into the first square

- Bring your right foot along side your left in the first square then step into the

second square with your left foot immediately followed by the right

- Count these first five steps in a 1-2-3-4-5 manor

- Reverse the sequence by stepping out to the right of the third square with your

left foot

- Repeat for the full length of the ladder

In Season Stamina Training

Below you will also find 2 great workouts that can be done in season. They are short but accomplish the goal of

helping you build your stamina. When we think about stamina training for hockey players… think high

intensity, short, repeated burst of exercise. I don’t want you going out and jogging for 30 minutes or sitting on a

bike plodding along for 60-minutes and think that that’s going to help you be a better hockey player. You can

certainly do a light 10-minute flush ride after the game if you feel it helps your legs. But that’s not stamina

training or energy system training for hockey that is active recovery.

10-Minute Intervals:

Workout #1 – for this workout you can use any piece of equipment you wish; a stationary bike, a skipping

rope, an agility ladder, or even just stair stepping. Here is how it works.

o Perform a nice dynamic warm up including stretches for the quadriceps, hamstrings, hips flexors and

torso.

o Perform a 15-20 second full out sprint on the equipment of your choice. I like the agility ladder because

it allows you to work your legs in multidirectional patterns when you are fatiguing. If you do choose the

agility ladder, select a fairly basic pattern so you can maintain your speed and intensity.

o Recover for 40-45 seconds – I will often do my core bridging holds during the rest interval.

o Repeat this 15-20 seconds on: 40-45seconds off pattern ten times. That’s it!

o Make sure you are maintaining the intensity and quality of your movement throughout the workout. If

you are getting so fatigued that your movements become sloppy, then increase your rest.

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Workout #2 – Metabolic strength training is a different form of energy system training. Rather than

performing a traditional mode of cardiovascular training such as the bike, running, jumping rope… you will

perform strength training movements.

o Find a space where you can see a clock with a second hand or set the countdown timer on your watch.

o Pick three to six exercises and you will complete those exercises for 20 seconds with 20 seconds of rest

in between stations

o During the time that you’re exercising, go as hard as you can, provided that you maintain perfect

technique.

o Sample exercises might include: dumbbell squat, push ups with hands on stability ball, chin ups, squat

jumps, single leg squat and bungee or pulley squat and row.

o It will only take about 4-minutes to get through that cycle. You will then rest for 1 to 2 minutes and

repeat the cycle again. This sounds pretty easy, doesn’t sound like that much work, but your heart will

be pumping by the end, your muscles will be screaming, it’s actually kind of like the feeling you get

when you’re playing short-handed for 4 minutes.

o You can track the number of repetitions you get in the 20 second interval to monitor your progress.

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Training -- Post-Season

The Post-Season should be a time for change… Do things that you

wouldn’t normally do ! Biking, Running, Racquet Sports, Etc. By

committing yourself to a hockey specific workout program you are

putting yourself a step ahead of a lot of hockey players out there, and are

setting yourself up for success.

Fitness levels play a big role in all levels of hockey, and it is never too

soon to get started. Work hard and you will improve your athleticism and,

more importantly, you will improve you on ice performance.

By following this Off Season Workout Program you will see

improvements in your strength, speed, quickness, agility, coordination, endurance, balance, and more. All of

which are very important for getting to the “next level” in hockey.

It will also help you, depending on your goals, to gain lean muscle mass or lose the extra pounds of fat your

carrying around. The ideal body fat % for a hockey player is about 6-‐12%, and anything outside of that

range can be negatively affecting your on ice performance.

I hope you make the decision to train like a hockey player this Post Season !

You will be very happy you did… when fall camps and tryouts begin.

The hockey season puts a toll on your body. My guess is that you either didn’t lift weights at all or only

very little during the hockey season. For this reason you will need to ease yourself into your hockey training.

The Post Season is designed to be implemented within a couple weeks after your hockey season has finished.

In this phase we are looking to build up strength and endurance… and get your body ready for the intense

hockey specific training that will come in following months.

Depending on your current fitness levels, the Post Season may seem pretty basic, but it is

important that you start slow to allow your body to adjust.

This phase will last 4 weeks and will contain basic strength training, and cardiovascular

activities. Although not specifically in the workouts, each day should have some sort of

element of an Endurance exercise. A 5 Km run, 20 KM Bike Ride, 10 KM Hike…. Just to

name a few.

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Post Season Work Outs

These workouts will take you through the first 4 weeks of training (The Post Season). You will find the Off

Season and Pre Season workouts following this section, which will complete your 12 Week Program.

The Post Season work outs will take 28 days and will comprise of -

• 7 Upper Body Workouts

• 7 Lower Body Workouts

• 14 Rest Days

You will want to leave 2 days rest between upper and lower body workouts. The ideal “split” would be:

Upper, Lower, Day Off, Upper, Lower, Day Off, etc. for the complete 28 days.

Warm-Up / Cool down – Make sure you perform a proper warm-up before beginning your workout. A

proper warm-up will insure your body is ready… And also perform a proper Cool down when you are

complete, to ensure your body will recover properly !!

The Workouts – We will be going through a rotation of 4 total workouts (2 Lower and 2 Upper). Simply

alternate each workout until the completion of the 4 weeks. Workout #1 and #2 will be performed 4 times

each, while #3 and #4 will be performed 3 times each over the 4 week span.

It is important that you have a spotter . Start light and work your way up – you may be surprised how much

strength you lost over your hockey season if you weren’t doing much weight lifting.

Each exercise will have “Sets x Reps” prescribed to it. Reps are short for repetitions, which is one complete

movement through the exercise. Sets are groups of reps. You may see something like 3 x 10, which means

you perform the exercise 10 times or reps, rest and repeat for 3 total sets. You may also see 4 x 15, 12, 10, 8

for example – this means you do 4 sets and your reps start with 15, and then go down each set to

12, 10, and finish with 8 reps. Pretty simple huh?

You will want about 60-‐90 seconds rest between sets and exercises.

OK let’s get started with your workouts...

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Workout # 1 – Upper Body

Exercise Sets x Reps Notes

Dumbbell Bench Press 4 x 15, 12, 10, 10 First two sets are used as more of a warm up

Dumbbell Shoulder Press

3 x 12

Lat Pull Down 3 x 10 Use a weight you can stay controlled with. Bring bar to chest and squeeze lats.

Dumbbell Lateral Raise 2 x 12 Go light and stay controlled.

Dumbbell Skull Crushers

3 x 12

Barbell Bicep Curl 3 x 10 Make sure you go to full extension at the bottom. No swaying either.

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Workout # 2 – Lower Body


Barbell Squats 4 x 15, 15, 10, 10 First two sets are more of a warm up

Walking Dumbbell Lunges

3 x 8 per leg Don’t let knee go past toes.

Machine Leg Curls 3 x 12

Planks 3 x 45 seconds to 1minute

If you can go beyond the 1 minute mark. Keep body in line.

Squat Jumps 3 x 6 Squat down controlled and jump as high as you can.

Medicine Ball Twists 3 x 15 per side Alternatively you can use a 10, 25 or 35 lb plate.

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Workout # 3 – Upper Body


Alternating Dumbbell Bench Press

4 x 12, 12, 10 First two sets are more of a warm up

Dumbbell Shoulder Press

3 x 10

Barbell Rows 3 x 12 Palms facing out

Front Plate Raise 3 x 10 Hold 10, 25, or 35 lb plate and perform front raises.

Dips (body weight) 3 x Failure Do as many as you can for 3 reps. Alternate exercise is triceps pressdown

Bike or Treadmill 20 minutes Start with a slow jog and increase speed throughout.

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Workout # 4 – Lower Body


Dumbbell Deadlifts 4 x 15, 12, 10, 10 First Two Sets are more of a warm up

Barbell Reverse Lunge 3 x 10 Start with only the barbell, as you may have balance troubles

Machine Leg Curls 3 x12

V Sits 3 x 30

Planks 3 x 45 seconds to 1 minute

Overhead Plate Squat 3 x 12 Holding a 5, 10 or 25 lb plate overhead perform squats.

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Training -- Off-Season

As hockey players, you ultimately want to train your bodies to develop explosive

power and muscular endurance. However, rather than immediately starting a

program to improve both of these fitness aspects, we need to first build the

muscular foundation to avoid injuries (damaged joints, pulled growing’s, etc.).

Over the course of the hockey season you tend to lose strength as your workouts

are not as intense and demanding, or are non-existent !

Therefore before we start putting your bodies through intense workouts during the

off season, we must restore some of the muscle imbalances.

During the 4 week Post Season workouts you just completed, you started building a foundation to help prepare

your bodies to go into the Off Season workouts.

The Off Season will also take 4 weeks and will be used to continue building on that foundation and help prepare

your bodies for the Pre-Season workouts… which will be more intense and strenuous on your muscles

In the Off Season, you’ll be introduced to basic speed and agility training. This will also prepare you for the

Pre-Season workouts, where we’ll focus on hockey specific speed and strength.

Off Season Workouts

Warm-Up / Cool down – Once again… Make sure you perform a proper warm-up before beginning

your workout. A proper warm-up will insure your body is ready… And also perform a proper Cool down

when you are complete, to ensure your body will recover properly !!

The Workouts Each exercise will have “Sets x Reps” prescribed to it. Reps are short for repetitions, which is one

complete movement through the exercise. Sets are groups of reps. Unless noted each superset will be

done for 3 sets and 10 reps, which means you perform the exercise 10 times or reps, rest and repeat for 3

total sets. Some of the exercises will have notes to perform more than 10 reps.

Sets: 3 (unless otherwise stated)

Reps: 10 (unless otherwise stated)

Rests: 45-‐60 seconds (note: exercises within super sets are to be completed without rest, take your rest after you

have completed the superset)

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Warm up

Upper Body

Warm up

Lower Body

Speed and

Agility

Warm up

Upper Body

Warm up

Lower Body

5 km Run REST

DAY

OK…Let’s get started with our workouts…

Upper Body Workout (Monday, Thursday):

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Superset #1:

Alternating arm dumbbell chest press on a Swiss ball (Keep hips elevated, 10 reps each arm/pec)

Swiss ball push ups (feet on ground, hands on ball)

Sitting Med Ball Core Twists (sit on butt, leans back towards a 45 degree angle, feet in the air, slight bend at

knees, twist left then right, touching the ball to the ground next to your butt) (20 reps each side)

Superset #2:

Single Arm Bent-‐over Dumbbell Swiss Ball Row (Free Hand on Ball, slight bend at knees, tighten core)

Max Overhand Wide Grip Pull Ups (all the way down to get full pull, DO NOT CHEAT)

Swiss Ball Core Holds (sit on Swiss ball, feet/toes against wall, lean back to a 45 degree angle and hold the

position with arms crossed and hands touching opposing shoulders) (30-‐45 seconds)

Superset #3:

Sitting Dumbbell Swiss Ball Arm Curls (keep posture straight, do not lean back)

Triceps Skull Crushers on Swiss Ball (roll out on Swiss ball onto your upper back/shoulder blades

after your curls, tighten core, keep hips elevated)

V-‐Sit Ups (lie on back, raise straight legs 45 degrees and bring you body up and touch your toes making

the shape of a V) (15-‐20 reps)

Superset #4:

Lateral Dumbbell Raise on Bosu Ball (standing on black side, extend arms straight out to side up to shoulder,

palms will be facing down, important: do not extend pass shoulders as it will put too much stress on your joints)

Bus Driver Steering Wheel Plate Turns on Bosu Ball (black side keeping arms straight) (30 seconds)

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Lower Body Workout (Tuesday, Friday):

Superset #1:

Barbell Squats to 90 degrees

Squat Jumps (Holding on to plate, explosive jumps, keep arms straight out in front of your body)

Heel Touches (lie on back, soles of feet on ground so knees are up, bring back off the ground and alternate

touching heels of feet with hands) (20 reps each side)

Superset #2:

Single Leg Barbell Deadlifts (keeping the leg relatively straight, don't let you back round)

Side-‐To-‐Side Skater Bounds with Plate ( Bound laterally in a skating position while holding a plate ( 10, 25, 35)

in front of your body with fully extended arms)

Swiss Ball Pulse Ups ( laying on back on Swiss ball, create a triangle with hands and keeping arms straight out

above your head, pulse up as high as you can and back down in a controlled motion) (20 reps)

Superset #3:

Dumbbell Bench Step-‐Ups (bench should be knee height, 10 reps on each leg) Side to side/ front to back Cone

Hops ( Start by two-‐foot hopping back and forth over the cone laterally for 8 reps each side, then do the same

jumping forwards and backwards over the cone for 8 reps each side)

Scissor Leg Holds (lying on your back extend one straight leg as far back and as straight as you can , while the

other leg is straight and an inch or so off the ground in a scissor position, hold this position for 2-‐mississippis

then alternate position of legs) (20 reps)

Superset #4:

Reverse Barbell Lunges (Lunge back with left foot , then back to starting position, then repeat with the right

foot)

Pigeon, Duck, Normal Dumbbell Calf Raises

Pigeon -‐ Feet facing inward, making a triangle with toes touching Duck -‐ Feet facing outward, making a triangle

with heels touching Normal -‐ feet facing straight forward and parallel (The first set will be pigeon, second duck

and third normal. Each set will consist of 10-‐15 slow and controlled calf raises and 10-‐15 fast explosive calf

raises)

Speed and Agility (Wednesday):

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Dynamic Warm Up (10 minutes, mild sweat):

High knee walk and grab Walking toe touch

Forward lunge with twist

Side shuffle (Staying low, knees bent)

Karaoke side shuffle (over, under)

Butt kicks (easy jog, kicking your butt)

80 Yard Sprints (6 sets):

0-‐10 yards - light jog

10-‐20 yards - 50% of top speed

30-‐40 yards - 75% of top speed

40-‐60 yards - 100%= TOP SPEED

60-‐80 yards - gradually decline then walk back to start (walk is rest period, 20-‐30 seconds)

Hexagon Jumps (visualize or use tape to set up a hexgon shape, 3 sets):

Starting in the middle of the octagon, jump to each side and return to middle, jumps should be quick, feet

on and off ground as quick as possible, always facing the way you started, DO NOT TWIST Core, go

around both ways before breaking)

Note: set #1 use both feet, set #2 use left foot, set#3 use right foot

30 Yard Agility Run (Time each trial, pushing yourself to beat each trial, 4 sets)

Set up 3 cones in a straight line 5 yards apart. Start at sprint position at cone one, sprint to cone 2 and

touch the ground, sprint back to cone 1 and touch the ground, sprint to cone 3 and touch the ground, sprint

back to cone 1, sprinting all the way through, 30 second rest

Forward sprint with burpee to backwards sprint (Time each trial, 4 sets):

Set up 4 pylons in a box 10 yards apart (40 yard perimeter); top left cone (#1), top right cone (#2). bottom

left cone (#3), bottom right cone (#4). Start outside of the box at #3, forward sprint straight up to #1,

explosive 2 foot jump to a pushup position (burpee), backwards sprint through box to #4, (burpee), forward

spring straight to cone #2, burpee, backwards sprint through box to #3 (starting position), burpee, rest 45-‐60 seconds

5 KM Run (Saturday):

Dynamic Warm up (same as Wednesday), then complete the 5KM run

Note: this run is to help build our cardiovascular system; if you can’t make it to 5 km, slow down and take

your time, it’s not a race; MAKE SURE YOU COMPLETE THE DYNAMIC WARM UP AND DRINK

LOTS OF FLUIDS

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Important Notes

- I cannot stress how important it is to stay hydrated (You should be drinking AT LEAST 6 x 355 mL

bottles of water per day)

- Make sure you finish each workout/run with a 15 minute POST STRETCH - It may take a couple workouts to get used to these new exercises so gradually increase your weights (it

may help to go over each exercise at home with no weights, practicing the proper techniques)

- USE SUNDAY AS A REST DAY: sometimes “less is more”; do not over work your body because it

will lead to excess fatigue and sickness

Remember: You are hockey players and our bodies need to train differently than the typical body builder, so

train HARD and most importantly train SMART

Training -- Pre-Season

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After you have used the Post Season and Off Season workouts to repair and prepare your body, it is time to

move onto the last phase … The Pre-Season !! In this training we will be focusing on Specifics. It will last for

8 weeks and should be very intense. When you are finished with this, you will be ready !

During the Pre-Season you should be working on –

o Anaerobic Systems

o Explosive Power

o Speed

o Agility

o Quickness

o Plyometrics

o Speed Endurance

o Read-and-React Skills

o On-Ice Skills

This is the time to find a partner and get to work. You don’t need an expensive gym membership… Just a

partner, and a willingness to get better. The first phase of this training will last 4 weeks. Be sure to follow the

schedule and train on the days required.

The pre-season workouts are mostly for your anaerobic systems. They are built by doing very quick, short

bursts of exercises. This is what we will be working on in the Pre-Season workouts, in order to have you ready

for your tryouts and upcoming season

Remember to train like you want to play !!! In other words… TRAIN HARD AND EXPLOSIVE !

Pre-Season – Phase 1 - Lactate Tolerance Training (4 Weeks)

Lactate tolerance training will help you to recover more quickly from successive bursts of speed and power. It

will increase your tolerance to lactic acid and allow you to maintain a high work rate… for longer.

This type of training could also be called speed endurance, anaerobic endurance or power endurance.

In hockey there is nothing more discouraging than trying to perform the most basic of skills when your

muscles are flooded with lactic acid. During the game, players are frequently required to make explosive

sprints consecutively, without rest. Trying to make a shot in this exhausted state is often the last thing an

athlete wants to do.

While lactate tolerance training is very demanding, it can also have the greatest impact on your performance.

It is a great confidence booster to feel fresh and alert when players around you are struggling to keep up!

Ok let’s start our Pre-season Training and get ready for competition…

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Warm-Up / Cool down– Once again… Make sure you perform a proper warm-up before beginning your

workout. A proper warm-up will insure your body is ready… And also perform a proper Cool down when

you are complete, to ensure your body will recover properly !!

The Workouts – These drills are not complicated, but require some setup before you begin. Don’t worry too much about

exact distances. Use the distances as a guideline. You will perform these drills for 4 weeks, before

proceeding onto the 2nd

Phase of the Pre-Season Workouts.


Drill #1 and

#2

Drill #3 and

#4

Ladder Drills

35 Minutes

Drill #1 and

#3

Drill #2 and

#4

5 km Run REST

DAY

Note – The Ladder Drills on Wednesdays should performed at a very high level of intensity. Ensure you are

resting properly, so as you do not fatigue your legs. The idea of the Ladder Drills is to have quick feet, you

cannot do this if you are fatigued. Pick a 3 Ladder drills and perform each one for approximately 1 minute…

with a 2 minute reset in between. Do 3 to 4 sets of these !

Let’s begin….

Lactate Tolerance Training Drills

These drills are very demanding in their nature. They are designed to produce high levels of lactic acid so

the body becomes more tolerant to it and able to remove it more efficiently.

A typical session might include 30 minutes work in total (including the rest periods in between sets). This

may only consist of one or two drills at most. You should be thoroughly warmed up before moving on to

these drills.

Drill #1 - Sprint & Back

Face a partner standing 20 meters/yards away. This partner acts as a director. Sprint towards the director

from the starting position; as you approach the director, they will point in one direction and you should

sprint in that direction for approximately 10 meters/yards and then sprint back to the start. Repeat for 60

seconds and change positions. Complete 5 times each. This is one set. Rest for 2 minutes and repeat for a

total of 2-3 sets.

The director should move around rather than standing still. They should signal when the runner is about 5

meters/yards away.

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Drill #2 - Shuttle Runs

Place 5 cones out 10 meters/yards apart. Starting on cone 1, run to cone 2 and back, then cone 3 and back, 4

and back, then 5 and back. The sprint should be flat out and with emphasis on sharp turns. Rest for 30

seconds and repeat. Rest another 30 seconds and repeat for a third time. This is one set. Rest for 2 minutes

with active recovery, such as walking. Complete a total of 3-5 sets.

Note: This is a very simple but very effective drill. After the very last shuttle of the very last set take your

pulse for 3 minutes while you walk around to recover. Make a note after minute 1, minute 2 and minute 3 to

see how quickly it comes down. If you perform this drill just once per week, you'll notice after several

weeks how much quicker your pulse rate starts to fall. Proof that you are becoming fitter and fitter!

Drill # 3 - Progressive Shuttles

An excellent variation on classic shuttles! Set

out 5 cones 10 meters/yard apart. Look at the

diagram to the right. Starting on cone 1, jog to

cone 4 then immediately sprint to cone 5. Turn

and jog to cone 3 and then sprint to cone 1.

Turn and jog to cone 2 and sprint to cone 5.

Finally, turn immediately and sprint to cone 1.

Rest for 60 seconds and repeat 3-5 times. This

is one set. Complete 2-3 sets.

Drill #4 - Union Jacks

Mark out an area of approximately 50yards/meters by

50yards/meters. Starting at one corner, sprint diagonally across

the square to the opposite corner. Immediately turn and sprint

halfway along one side. Jog the rest of the way down this side of

the square. Turn and sprint diagonally to the opposite corner.

Now, turn and sprint halfway along this side of the square, then

jog back to the start position. This is one set. Rest for 2 minutes

with active recovery. Compete 4-6 sets.

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Pre-Season – Phase 2 –

In this phase we will be using mainly Plyometric exercises. Plyometric training has been shown to be one of

the most effective methods for improving explosive power. For hockey players, explosive power is required for

all movements on the ice.

I will also be incorporating some Abdominal exercises. These play an integral role in any strength and

conditioning program. A strong core is essential for athletic performance and to prevent the occurrence of

injuries and back pain. One of the most important criteria for an athlete is that the exercises they select

mimic the movements of their sport. A hockey player, for example, would benefit much more from

rotational-type core exercises than crunches.

Warm-Up / Cool down– Once again… Make sure you perform a proper warm-up before beginning your

workout. A proper warm-up will insure your body is ready… And also perform a proper Cool down when

you are complete, to ensure your body will recover properly !!

The Workouts – These workouts are designed to make you more explosive and quicker. We will be using the same format

as in the previous workouts. This phase will take 4 weeks, and at it’s completion you will be at the top of

your game…


Drills 1, 9, 2,

10, 3, 13 and 4

Drills 5, 11, 6,

12, 7, 14 and 8

Ladder Drills

35 Minutes

Drills 1, 9, 3,

12, 5, 15 and 7

Drills 2, 10, 4,

11, 6, 16 and 8

5 km Run REST

DAY

Note – The Ladder Drills on Wednesdays should be performed at a very high level of intensity. Ensure you are

resting properly, so as you do not fatigue your legs. The idea of the Ladder Drills is to have quick feet, you

cannot do this if you are fatigued. Pick a 3 Ladder drills and perform each one for approximately 1 minute…

with a 2 minute reset in between. Do 3 to 4 sets of these !

Each drill should be performed for approximately 30 to 40 Seconds, with a 20 second rest in between each drill.

After a complete set (ie all drills) had been done you should take a 1 minute rest.

You should complete 4 to 5 sets in each workout session.

Let’s begin….

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Lower Body – High Intensity Plyometric

Exercise 1 - Zigzag Hops

1. Stand to the left of an agility ladder or similar object approximately 1-2 feet away.

2. Forcefully push off both feet and land the on the other side of the ladder.

3. Repeat and land feet back on the other side, continue repeating and so on down the ladder.

4. Do not "double hop" upon each landing and keep ground contact time to a minimum.

Exercise 2 - Single Leg Tuck Jump

This is the same as the tuck jump exercise only one leg is used. Upon landing another jump is performed

immediately with minimal ground contact time and with the same leg for the desired number of repetitions. This

is repeated for the other leg after a rest period. Single leg plyometric exercises are typically more advanced and

require greater strength and balance. They are excellent for strength as well as stability.

Exercise 3 - Single Leg Lateral Hops

1. Start by standing on one leg with your hands on your waist or at your sides.

2. Proceed to hop to the side while maintaining your balance and hop back to the starting position.

3. You can place a rope on the ground or any object on the ground. The object can be small in size and height

or large to increase difficulty.

4. Repeat continuously.

Exercise 4 - Depth Jumps

1. Stand on box with toes close to edge, feet shoulder width apart.

2. Step off (do not jump off) box and land on both feet. Immediately jump up as high as possible and reach up

with both hands towards. The jump should be vertical with no horizontal movement.

4. Ground contact time should be short. Landing should be soft.

Note: Start with a box height of 30cm (12in). Intensity can be increased by gradually increasing the box height

to a maximum of 107cm (42in) but this is only for experienced athletes with a substantial strength training

background

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Upper Body – High Intensity Plyometric

Note - For some of these exercises you will require a Medicine ball. You should experiment and find the right

weight ball for your requirements.

Exercise 5 - Explosive Start Throws

1. Stand with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart. Knees should be slightly bent.

2. Pick medicine ball up to chest level.

3. Quickly explode up and press the ball straight out as far and fast as you can.

4. As you press the ball forward explode with either leg so that you actually sprint forward a couple of steps.

Exercise 6 - Single Arm Overhead Throws

1. Stand with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart.

2. Grasp medicine and lower body into a semi-squat position. Explode up extending the entire body and

throwing the medicine ball up into the air.

3. The aim is to throw the ball as high as you can and generating most of the power in the legs.

4. Catch ball on the bounce and repeat.

Exercise 7 - Squat Throws

1. Stand with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart. Knees should be slightly bent.

2. Hold medicine ball at chest level and squat down to a parallel position.

3. Quickly explode up and jump as high as you can. As you start your jump you should start to shoulder press

the ball up and reach full extensions with the arms when you are at the peak of your jump. Push ball as high as

possible into the air. Try to minimize the time spent in the squatted position. It should be a quick squat and

jump.

4. Catch ball on the bounce and repeat according to prescribed repetitions.

Exercise 8 - Plyometric Push-Ups

1. Start by getting into a push-up position.

2. Lower yourself to the ground and then explosively push up so that your hands leave the ground.

3. Catch your fall with your hands and immediately lower yourself into a push-up again and repeat.

Abdominal

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Exercise 9 - Double Crunches

1) Lie back onto floor or bench with knees bent and hands behind head. Keep elbows back and out of sight.

Head should be in a neutral position with a space between chin and chest.

2) Start position: Hands behind head and knees bent at 90 degrees.

3. Leading with the chin and chest towards the ceiling, contract the abdominals and raise shoulders off floor or

bench. During the crunch, also bring knees towards chest.

4) Return to start position and repeat.

5) Remember to keep head and back in a neutral position. Hyperextension or flexion of either may cause injury.

Exercise 10 - Side Bridge

1) Start on your right side and press up with your right arm.

2) Form a bridge with your arm extended and hold for 10 seconds rather than performing 10 repetitions.

3) Gradually build up to 30 seconds plus and repeat for 2-3 sets.

Exercise 11 – V-Ups

1) Start position: Lie back onto floor or bench with knees bent and hands extended towards ceiling. Head should

be in a neutral position with a space between chin and chest.

2) Leading with the chin and chest towards the ceiling, contract the abdominal and raise shoulders off floor or

bench. Also raise legs up towards ceiling and attempt to touch your hands to your feet.

3) Return to start position and repeat.

Exercise 12 - Plank Supermans

1) Starting Position: Start the movement in a plank position. Holding that position raise your right arm and left

leg off of the ground.

2) Return to the starting position and repeat with the other arm and leg. Hold each lift for 1-2 seconds and repeat

for the desired number or repetitions.

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Abdominal - Rotational

Exercise 13 – Russian Twist

- Sit on the floor with your knees bent at approximately 90º degrees. Get a partner to hold your ankles to

anchor the lower body

- Holding a medicine ball or lightweight, lower your torso to about a 130º angle. From this position, rotate

from left to right while touching the ball/weight to the floor

- Repeat for specified number of reps.

Exercise 14 – Standing Trunk Twist

- From a standing position with feet shoulder width apart, hold a weight or medicine ball straight out at

shoulder height

- From this position, rotate to the right. Once you have rotated as far right as possible, reverse direction

and rotate to your left until you cannot rotate left any further. Repeat for specified number of reps. Try

to maintain a wide arc with your arms and the weight

- Light weights (2 pounds for beginners, 4-6 pounds for advanced trainees) should be used for this

exercise. I have seen individuals try this exercise with a 35-pound plate and it completely negates the

rotational power enhancing training effect this exercise can offer. Not to mention they drastically

increase their chance of injury.

Exercise 15 – Modified Hammer Throw

- Start with back facing the wall; feet shoulder width apart, holding the medicine ball near hip opposite of

throwing side

- Transfer weight to throwing side leg

- Finish by throwing the ball at shoulder height with weight evenly balanced over deliver side leg

- Catch the ball on the rebound and repeat motion for specified number of reps.

- Repeat for other side

Exercise 16 – Wall Chop

- This exercise requires a medicine ball with a rope attachment or a medicine ball placed inside a towel

- Stand about 2-3 feet away from a wall, with your back to the wall and place your feet about shoulder

width apart

- Holding the rope/towel with two hands, rotate to one side and swing the ball into the wall. Be prepared

for a very fast kickback once the medicine ball springs back

- Be prepared to swing immediately into another chop to the other side. This exercise should be one

smooth, continuous motion until the prescribed number of reps is completed.

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Goalies – The forgotten few

Goalies, in any sport, are usually forgotten when it comes to development. Most

coaches just put you out there and hope you stop the puck/ball.

Well, you can stop the puck/ball a lot better, if you work on it !!

There is only one Goalie on the field or ice at any given time, and you have a

very important role on your team.

Goalies can benefit from the same off-ice training that other players participate in, but there are also some

specific activities that will greatly benefit goalies.

As a goalie, you are always going from side to side, up and down, and trying to follow the puck/ball.. Therefore

you need to work on those movements, in order to improve your game.

Juggling

Juggling is a fun way for goalies

to learn hand/eye coordination… To

enable you to follow the puck.

It takes practice; so don’t get

discouraged if you can’t do it the first

day. Like anything else that is

worthwhile, you have to work at it.

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Coaches Corner

So… you have taken on a sports team and now it’s time to get to work !

If you association is like most in this country, the independent evaluations will determine who is on your team,

and it’s your job to work with that. You have a very important job for this entire season…

You have to TEACH, MENTOR, DISCIPLINE, RESPECT and above all else…

Make sure that each and every player loves their sport more at the end of the season, than

they did at the beginning !

As a coach you have to RESPECT and treat all of your players equally… by doing this they will also RESPECT

you !

At every opportunity, you should seek to enhance your coaching skills… and I’m not just talking about running

drills. You should always be watching other coaches. Notice what they do, and how they act. You can pick

and choose which traits you would like for yourself, or adapt for your own use.

LEARN !!! Education is the key! In order for you to get better as a coach you must constantly learn. Plan on

attending at least one course each year. That course could be on Leadership, Team Building, Off-Ice

Conditioning, Etc. It will make you a better coach and it will make your players better.

Coaching your own Kids

In all my years in sports, I think I have only seen one or two coaches that have done this successfully ! If

you’re not in the situation where you have to do this… GREAT !!!

If you are, then you need to read on….

Coaching your own child is very hard. Your child has to be treated EXACTLY the same as every other child on

that team. EXACTLY THE SAME !!!

You can’t be any harder OR softer !!

If you’re harder on them, they won’t respect you, and if you’re softer on them, the other players (and parents)

won’t respect you !

You should not expect your child to be more skilled, or better behaved, simply because they’re ‘the coaches

kid’.

Do not put your child above the team… and do not put the team above your child !

As a parent/coach I was never very good at it. I was always harder on my own kids and expected more form

them. Was that fair ? Not at all !!

It’s equally unfair to give your child a ‘free ride’, just because you are the coach. Believe me, you are not doing

them any favours, and it will come back to haunt them later in life. I have seen many excellent Athletes ruined

by their parents trying to help them when they were young.

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Picking Captains and Alternate Captains

This is probably one of the hardest things you might have to do as a coach (Other than cutting a player!), but it

can also be very rewarding. By picking the right C’s and A’s on your team you can help everyone reach their

goals. With the proper C’s and A’s in place your team will function better and be able to accomplish so much

more.

In writing this article, I have come across two schools of thought on picking your Captains and Alternates. I

have spoken with many high level hockey players about this subject and there are quite a few that agree that the

players should pick the Captains and Alternates, only at the senior levels of hockey. At the Senior levels, the

players will always pick a player they trust and can depend on.

At the Junior Levels of Hockey (Novice to Junior), I think it is important for the coach to pick the C’s and A’s.

You can give your players some input in picking them, but ultimately, the coaching staff should pick them.

Whether you pick the C’s and A’s, or you allow the players to pick the C’s and A’s, it is not something that

should not be taken lightly ! The success, or failure, of your teams season depends on it !

Some coaches, and parents, think that the C’s and A’s on the team are…

a. the best players,

b. the most popular players, or

c. the coaches kid.

None of these reasons are correct.

Some coaches also believe that a team doesn’t require C’s or A’s

That is also not correct.

Kids should learn, from a very young age, that there are leaders on every team and that those leaders are picked because

they possess certain qualities, and not for the reasons above ! If you are a parent coach, you have to be very careful about

picking your son/daughter as a Captain or Assistant. Many kids have had reputations ruined, and made fun of, because

their daddy, or mommy, picked them as a Captain or Assistant. Especially, if they truly didn’t deserve it, and the

teammates don’t respect him/her. Do not put your child in that position.

Please have a look at the ‘ Leadership ‘ section of this booklet to see some skills, qualities and traits of a good leader

(Captain or Assistant). These should be taught from the very beginning of a child’s athletic career. This will allow

players to set goals and strive to someday become a good leader on their team.

These skills, qualities and traits are not developed overnight, so should be worked on constantly. This will allow a player

to develop their leadership ability.

Once you have picked the C’s and A’s, your work has only just begun. It is your job to mentor those players, and the rest

of the team, so they can all become better leaders. A real problem with players in minor sports is that nobody takes the

time to teach players how to be a good leader. Most people are not born with this ability, but rather learn it over many

years. Your team will run a lot smoother if the leaders understand their role and what is expected of them.

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Words to live by….

Motivational phrases are great and can help teach people valuable life lessons. They are usually short and easy

to remember, and they have great meaning. Try using these quotes and thinking about them in different

situations. I know they help me focus…

Here are some of my favourite motivational phrases that I have seen or used over the

years… I didn’t invent them, but they are great words to live by…. Champions don’t give, or accept excuses.

Your true character is displayed by how hard you work, when no one else is watching.

When faced with a challenge, look for a way, not a way out

Build upon strengths… weaknesses will gradually take care of themselves.

The journey to a championship begins with the off-season, not with the play-offs

Fear not the unknown, for it is where your greatness resides.

Don’t wait for opportunities… make them.

Doing just average is what keeps the average down.

If you don’t like what you’re getting, check out what you’re giving.

Tough people are not born, they are made when no one is around to wipe their tears.

Practice does not make perfect, but it’s the perfect practice that makes perfect.

The definition of GOALS – Guts to use Opportunity to Achieve the next Level of Success.

Winners find a way !

Don’t look back, someone might be gaining on you.

You are never a loser, until you quit trying.

If you’re not going all the way, why go at all ?

If you train hard, you’ll not only be hard… But also hard to beat !

Sweat plus sacrifice equals success

It’s not the size of dog in the fight, but the size of fight in the dog.

The will to win is important, but the will to prepare is vital.

Ask not what your teammates can do for you, but what you can do for your teammates.

The difference between impossible and possible, is in the persons determination.

You can become a winner only if you are willing to walk over the edge.

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It’s like wrestling a gorilla... You don’t quite when you’re tired… You quite when the gorilla is tired.

If you can believe it, the mind can achieve it.

Winners never quit and quitters never win.

The only place where success comes before work… is in the dictionary.

The best and fastest way to learn a sport… is to watch and imitate a champion.

The game isn’t over… Until it’s over !

It is a rough road that leads to the heights of greatness.

Before you can win a game, you have to not lose it.

Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.

Losers quit when they’re tired… Winners quit when they’ve won.

Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, an hour, a day or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If

you quit, however, it lasts forever.

Some succeed because they are destined to, but most succeed because they are determined to.

You’ve got to get up every morning with determination if you’re going to go to bed with satisfaction.

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.

Success is a state of mind. If you want success, start thinking of yourself as a success.

Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right either way.

The minute you start talking about what you’re going to do if you lose, you have lost.

Before you can win, you have to believe you are worthy.

The big game of next year, next month, next week…. Is being won, or lost, right now !!!

The strength of the group is the strength of the leaders.

If you are going to be a champion, you must be willing to pay a greater price.

The Six W's: Work will win when wishing won't.

The difference between failure and success is doing a thing nearly right and doing it exactly right.

Never let your head hang down. Never give up and sit down and grieve. Find another way.

The sterner the discipline, the greater the devotion.

When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.

Adversity causes some people to break, and others to break records.

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Ingenuity plus courage plus work equals miracles.

You can observe a lot just by watching.

Make yourself necessary to somebody.

Discipline is not a dirty word.

The highest compliment that you can pay me is to say that I work hard every day, that I never dog it.

Don't let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.

It's not whether you get knocked down; it's whether you get back up.

It is not the size of a man but the size of his heart that matters.

100% percent of shots not taken don't go in

It's not necessarily the amount of time you spend at practice that counts; it's what you put into practice that makes the difference.

Sports don't build character; they reveal it.

Do not throw in the towel; use it for wiping the sweat off your face.

Concentration is the ability to think about absolutely nothing, when it is absolutely necessary

A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be.

If you are going to win games, you had better be ready to adapt.

The achievements of a team, are the results of the combined effort of each individual

Ability is what you’re capable of doing; Motivation determines what you do; Attitude determines how well you do it.

Show me a guy who’s afraid to look bad, and I'll show you a guy you can beat every time.

Nobody who ever gave their best regretted it.

Hockey players have fire in their hearts and ice in their veins

Quality begins on the inside... and then works its way out

Don't let yesterday use up too much of today

Where there is unity there is always victory.

Don't limit your challenges - challenge your limits

Personality can open doors, but only character can keep them open.

Leadership: The art of getting someone else to do something you want done, because he wants to do it.

If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more… you are a leader.

He who hesitates is lost

Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm

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Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out

The best example of leadership, is leadership by example

Only he who can see the invisible, can do the impossible

Only those who will risk going too far, can possibly find out how far one can go

Ordinary people think merely of spending time. Great people think of using it

Outstanding people have one thing in common: an absolute sense of mission.

Big shots are only little shots that keep shooting

Champions keep playing until they get it right

Courage is being afraid… but going on anyhow

Decide carefully, exactly what you want in life, then work like mad to make sure you get it !

Defeat never comes to any man until he admits it

Failure is the path of least persistence

It's not the will to win, but the will to prepare to win that makes the difference

We all have ability. The difference is how we use it

You're the only one who can make the difference. Whatever your dream is, go for it

Failure is only the opportunity to begin again, only this time more wisely

Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.

It is not so important who starts the game but who finishes it

It is not your aptitude, but your attitude, that determines your altitude

It's how you deal with failure that determines how you achieve success

It takes less time to do things right than to explain why you did it wrong

Just do what you do best

Just go out there and do what you've got to do

Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly

Our attitude toward life determines life's attitude towards us

In order to succeed, we must first believe that we can.

It is always easier to believe than to deny. Our minds are naturally affirmative

The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender !

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To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, be nothing

It's easier to go down a hill than up it but the view is much better at the top

A person shows what he is, by what he does, with what he has

Nobody's a natural. You work hard to get good, and then work hard to get better

One may walk over the highest mountain one step at a time

Motivation is simple. You eliminate those who are not motivated

If they can make penicillin out of mouldy bread, they can sure make something out of you

Determination, patience and courage are the only things needed to improve any situation

Things which matter most, must never be at the mercy of things which matter least

Never talk defeat. Use words like hope, belief, faith, victory

No one can defeat us unless we first defeat ourselves

An ounce of Heart is worth a pound of Muscle

Sweat Dries… Blood Clots… Bones Heal… Suck it up and Play !

Trample the WEAK and Hurdle the Dead !

Trade Weakness for Power – Trade Doubt for Confidence – Trade Fear for Guts – Trade Hockey for Nothing !

If it doesn’t matter whether you win or lose… Why do they have a Score-clock !

Earn your ICE TIME !

Defence – To completely shut down your opponents… So they go home and cry to their Mommies !

Heart is the difference between those who attempt… and those who achieve !

Skill scores a goal… Heart wins a game !

When hell freezes over… I’ll play hockey there too !

It’s all fun and games until someone loses a tooth… Then it’s HOCKEY !

Real Men don’t wear Figure Skates !

Hockey players use pucks because they have enough balls !

Evolution – Crawl… Walk… Skate !!!

Bust YOURS… To kick THEIRS !

If Hockey were easy, they’d call it Baseball !

Hockey is where we live… Life is just a place where we spend time between games !

The longest journey begins with a single stride !

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Why? Why do we skate back and forth night after night ?

Late nights, early mornings, cold rinks, sweat dripping… Friday nights, Saturday evenings, Sunday mornings…

Broken bones, stitches and bruises !!

We skate through it all… We do it --- Because the smell of fresh sweat is heavenly, no matter how gross that seems --- Because

sometimes wind burn frees your spirit --- Because we can party in the locker room just fine --- Because why ?

Because you’re invincible once you step on the ice…

Because a nice shot can make you smile all night…

Because scares are battle wounds…

Because the rattle of the boards and your stick on the ice, is a rhythm to live by…

Because it’s possible to skate fast enough to leave life behind…

We do it because WE LOVE IT !!

NULLI SECUNCUS – Second to None !

Make rest a NECESSITY… Not an OBJECTIVE !

Technique and Strength wins the first period… Conditioning and Intensity wins the second period… HEART wins the third period.

The picture of a champion is someone who is bent over dripping in sweat, at the point of exhaustion, when no one else is looking.

How to Forecheck – Take the direct route to the puck and arrive in a foul mood !

Never let good enough, be enough

Think… Believe… Dream… Dare

Don’t just play… COMPETE !

To be Number One, you have to train like Number Two !

Dreams don’t work… If you don’t !!

You only feel the freedom to fly… when you are not afraid.

When challenged, there is strength in numbers !

Don’t confuse movement , with accomplishment

It’s hard to keep your balance when you stand corrected

When life gives you tough situations… Don’t say “ Why Me “ …. Say “ Try me !! “

A word to the wise in not necessary… It’s the stupid ones that need advise !

Attitude is a little thing… that makes a big difference

Anyone can steer the ship when the sea is silent.

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An Athlete’s Pride -

I'm an Athlete. I'm a team player.

I play with my friends and with some of my enemies, but I respect everyone when it comes to my sport.

I know I'm not going to get a multi-million dollar contract to play professionally.

I know I may not even get my name in the paper.

I play for love of the game.

For the pride and honour, for the blood, sweat and tears it takes to make the team, to earn the spot, to win the

game.

I play because I can; I play because I know that my life would be empty without the sport I play.

I would have a lack of everything my sport gives me...

integrity, courage, talent, fearlessness, pride, strength, stamina, will, and the heart of a champion.

If I didn't play, I would lose a part of me.

I'm an athlete.

I'm a champion, not because my team always wins, but because when we don't, we learn from our mistakes.

We try to fix them, and most of all because we have fun.

I have built lifelong friendships and memories because of my being an athlete.

I leave everything on the rink, field or court and continue to push myself.

I am never happy with second place, but I have learned to accept it.

I have learned to get over and through my anger and be the athlete and player I have always dreamed of being.

I don't play for my parents, for my family, for my friends;

I don't play for my coach or my teachers or my school.

I play for myself but when I'm playing I represent them.

It isn't about winning or losing, but I hate to lose.

I won't settle for a tie, and I am not satisfied with 100%.

To play, you have to sacrifice everything, your body, your time, your sweat, blood, and tears, everything... for

your team.

I am a player, and athlete and a champion, not because I know what it is like to win, but because I know what it

is like to lose.

I know what it is like to feel the anger and pain that comes along with "second best".

I have been that person with tears in their eyes; walking out to receive the second place trophy,

and clapping as the other team, my opponents, receive the first place one.

I know what it is like to lose, to win, to want to quit, to want to cry, to not want to get up.

I know what it is like to hear the cheers and yells for you.

I know what it is like to feel the pressure of everyone on your shoulders, and

I know what it is like to choke under that pressure.

I know what it means to be an athlete, a true player, and that is why I play.

I AM AN ATHLETE, A CHAMPION, A TRUE PLAYER !!

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