Posts by CoachC
Coming… June 2026
Long‑time hockey friends should know that I create this page each month as a courtesy to my members and potential members, trying to give everyone a sense of what’s “coming” within the next month. (As always, I’ve purposely saved a couple of slots for this coming month, so please keep an eye out for those postings.)
Read MoreHow to Build a Development‑First Mindset in a Results‑Driven Hockey Culture
In today’s hockey world, it can feel like everything revolves around results. Players are judged by goals, points, rankings, and team records almost everywhere they go. Parents sometimes compare ice time, coaches feel pressure to win tournaments, and young hockey players can start believing that success only comes from being the top scorer or making the elite team right away. The problem is that hockey development rarely works in a straight line. Some players grow early, some develop confidence later, and many successful athletes spend years quietly improving before anyone notices.
Read MoreWhen A Drill Stops Being Useful
Here’s a quick new CoachChic.com podcast I think you’ll enjoy. It’s all about a simple idea that can instantly improve any practice — it’s about knowing when a drill has stopped helping and what to do next.
Read MoreSummer Hockey: The Hidden Costs No One Talks About
Summer hockey has become a major part of youth hockey culture, especially for competitive players who dream about making higher-level teams, junior hockey, college hockey, or beyond. There are certainly benefits to summer training, but there are also hidden costs that many players, parents, and even coaches do not fully recognize until they are deep into the process…
Read MoreWhat Youth Hockey Boards Actually Do — And How They Impact Your Child
Most parents enter youth hockey focused mainly on their child’s team, coach, and game schedule. They think about practices, tournaments, equipment, ice time, and player development. But behind almost every youth hockey organization is another group quietly shaping the experience for every family in the program: the board of directors.
Read MoreCoaching Turnover: What It Means for Player Development
Few things change the direction of a hockey season faster than coaching turnover. One year a team may have a coach who focuses heavily on skill development, puck possession, and confidence-building, while the next year a completely different coaching style suddenly appears. For hockey players, parents, and even assistant coaches, these changes can create excitement, confusion, stress, or new opportunities depending on the situation.
Read MoreMyth #15: “A longer stick is the key to scoring.”
Myth #15: “A longer stick is the key to scoring.”
Read MoreParents Yelling Directions from the Stands
I’ve been wanting to revisit this topic for a long time, because it goes all the way back to some great conversations I used to have with a sport psychologist. She was a coach, a college professor, and her specialty was parent–athlete communication. The two of us connected instantly, because I’d spent decades dealing with the same issues from the coaching side…
Read MoreHockey School, Clinic & Team Gear Available
After years of running hockey schools, clinics, and team sessions, I’ve accumulated a lot of training gear — the kind of equipment that keeps players moving, learning, and improving without wasting time in long lines. And I’m now making the remaining pieces available to anyone who can put them to good use…
Read MoreThe Talent Pyramid Problem — Why Kids Are Being Sorted Too Early
In youth hockey, one of the biggest challenges facing players, parents, and coaches today is something many people call the “talent pyramid problem.” It happens when young hockey players are identified as elite prospects too early while other players are pushed lower in the system before they have fully developed…
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