Grassroots: The Minor Hockey Show artwork

Grassroots: The Minor Hockey Show

102 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 month ago -

A provocative, in-depth podcast that examines the world of minor hockey, from coaching to program development to the myriad of issues faced by everyone in the game.

Hockey Sports coaching hockey minor hockey youth hockey hockey development
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Episodes

Episode 100 - The Value of Small Space Activities & Games

February 25, 2024 15:00 - 1 hour - 79.8 MB

Brian Gillam, HEO's Coaching Coordinator and Gold Medal Pathways mentor, delves into the myriad of ways in which small or reduced space practice activities are central to how children will develop both their skills and ability to play games on similar sized areas. Gillam is a longtime proponent of ecological dynamics and constraints led approaches. He explains how important it is for children and teens to be trained in space consistent with their developmental stages and what they can learn ...

Episode 99 - Hockey Factories through a different lens

February 13, 2024 21:00 - 1 hour - 59 MB

Matt Dumouchelle is a writer for The Coaches Site and assistant GM for a junior A team near Windsor. But he also authored a revelatory five-part series, "Hockey Factories" published last year on thecoachessite.com. A second series focusing on five different hockey organizations in Europe and North America will be out shortly. In this episode Matt shares what can be learned from these clubs, their programs and approaches. He also discusses his own journey in sports, with keen observations abo...

Episode 98 - Joe Baker: The Tyranny of Talent

January 30, 2024 15:00 - 1 hour - 42.7 MB

One of the more important publications in recent years is The Tyranny of Talent by Prof. Joe Baker. Baker is a professor of kinesiology and physical education at the University of Toronto and inaugural holder of the endowed Tanenbaum chair in sport science, data modelling and sport analytics at U of T’s Tanenbaum Institute for Science in Sport (TISS). In this episode, he discusses some of the key points of this seminal work and how they relate to hockey and talent identification. The Tyrann...

Episode 97 - When science meets art in coaching

January 21, 2024 18:00 - 1 hour - 54.3 MB

This first episode of 2024 features a discussion about the science that should inform  current coaching approaches and how coaches need to now examine the effects on their coaching art. Host Richard Bercuson discusses with Dean Holden and John "the Colombian" Castrillon who has spent decades using game-based approaches in soccer and hockey, even before he was aware of what the science showed. Contact: richard(at)grassrootsminorhockey.com Twitter: Richard - @berky544

Episode 96 - When kids discover through play

December 15, 2023 16:00 - 58 minutes - 40.4 MB

It didn't look like fun. So Kevin, dad of a little girl new to hockey, decided to "go his own way" by leaving the local "Timbits" program and adopting an ecological dynamics approach. He rented a small patch of ice, invited others to join in, and used play activities to turn the kids on to the game. Now he is on his own discovery path of how to properly introduce and teach the game to children. Kevin's Instagram: AthleticDevelopmentGames Kevin's web site: hockey training.com Dropbox video l...

Episode 95 - Madame President: Where we are - Where we're heading

November 09, 2023 20:00 - 1 hour - 58.8 MB

Kealy Lambert is a former college hockey player, now a mom, a coach, a lawyer and the president of Bow River Minor Hockey in Calgary. She's seen the game from just about every angle and now, as the head of an organization, she suspects Canadian minor hockey is heading...well...listen to find out where. Contact: richard(at)grassrootsminorhockey.com Twitter: Richard - @berky544

Episode 94 - Dr. Stephen Norris - Part 2

October 18, 2023 13:00 - 50 minutes - 34.4 MB

Stephen Norris delves deeper into Canada's minor hockey world, finishing with the challenge: What would you do if declared King of Hockey Canada? Contact: richard(at)grassrootsminorhockey.com Twitter: Richard - @berky544

Episode 93 - Dr. Stephen Norris - Part 1

October 14, 2023 15:00 - 1 hour - 49.7 MB

Stephen Norris,  one of Canada's pre-eminent sport scientists and performance experts, has worked with numerous sport organizations including Hockey Canada. He refers to himself as a "performance guide to a chosen few." In this first of a two-parter, we hear about how and why he started in the field and ends with his annual suggestion to a minor hockey organization that was voted down every time he brought it up. Contact: richard(at)grassrootsminorhockey.com Twitter: Richard - @berky544

Episode 93 - Dr. Stephen Norris (Part 1)

October 14, 2023 15:00 - 1 hour - 49.7 MB

Stephen Norris,  one of Canada's pre-eminent sport scientists and performance experts, has worked with numerous sport organizations including Hockey Canada. He refers to himself as a "performance guide to a chosen few." In this first of a two-parter, we hear about how and why he started in the field and ends with his annual suggestion to a minor hockey organization that was voted down every time he brought it up. Contact: richard(at)grassrootsminorhockey.com Twitter: Richard - @berky544

Episode 92 - Holding my feet to the fire

October 05, 2023 15:00 - 1 hour - 61.4 MB

Podcast host Richard Bercuson has taken on coaching a U18AA team this season, a somewhat new experience for him even after coaching for decades. In this episode, Dean Holden poses some interesting questions for him to consider as he navigates these waters using a competition or game-based approach. Contact: richard(at)grassrootsminorhockey.com Twitter: Richard - @berky544

Episode 91 - What is Coach Development?

September 11, 2023 00:00 - 1 hour - 56.2 MB

Season 4 kicks off with Richard and Dean in a pretty deep discussion about the definition of coach development, professionalism in coaching and related topics. It all begins with Richard's follow-up presentation to Oshawa coaches in August when he asked participants to provide their definitions of coach development.  Contact: richard(at)grassrootsminorhockey.com Twitter: Richard - @berky544

Episode 90 - Follow the leader?

June 15, 2023 18:00 - 1 hour - 54.7 MB

For Canadian minor hockey to evolve and improve, solid visionary leadership is the key. Richard and Dean invite Rick Ladouceur to discuss what we have and where we can go. Ladouceur is the executive director of Prairie Storm Minor Hockey near Regina. In addition to an extensive coaching and teaching background, he's held key leadership positions in hockey and recreation/sport management. Thus he is able to offer some interesting perspectives. Contact: richard(at)grassrootsminorhockey.com T...

Episode 89 - The Evolution of the Coaching Life of Brian

May 19, 2023 20:00 - 1 hour - 64.6 MB

It took Brian Gillam nearly 20 years to realize that perhaps his coaching approach had room for adjustment. His epiphany came at a High Performance conference and, since then, his readings about leadership, ecological approaches, constraints, etc. have made him reconsider what coaching the game could be about. As Hockey Eastern Ontario's (HEO) coaching development coordinator, he's also in a position to influence others into seeing coaching in a different light. He has created a YouTube seri...

Episode 88 - Reflecting on a S.E.E.P. Presentation

April 25, 2023 15:00 - 38 minutes - 26.2 MB

S.E.E.P. - Six Elements for Effective Practices - is a presentation Richard created to educate, inform, and assist coaches in improving their approaches. In this episode, he describes how the first one went on April 18 in Oshawa, ON, attended by 27 competitive level coaches. The 2-2 1/2 hr presentation is available for any minor hockey organization to share with its coaches. It can be done via Zoom or preferably in person for those within reasonable driving distance from Whitby, ON.  Conta...

Episode 87 - Five Questions that need Answers

March 27, 2023 21:00 - 1 hour - 57 MB

There are questions we need to address in order for coaching and coach development to move forward, utilizing research evidence now available to us. Richard and Dean attempt to answer these questions, which were posed recently by Dr. Mark Williams, a research scientist at the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition and the University of Utah. Visit: Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition FIFA Training Centre Contact: richard(at)grassrootsminorhockey.com Twitter: Richa...

Episode 86 - Raymond Verheijen: The Evolution of Coaching

March 08, 2023 03:00 - 1 hour - 59.7 MB

Dutch football (soccer) coach and coach developer Raymond Verheijen has developed a worldwide following through books and courses on how to coach, not just football but coaching in general. In this episode he explains the importance of using objective facts and logical reasoning to counter long-standing beliefs on coaching approaches, whether they be in his sport or hockey. Though Richard and Dean had first touched on his work in episodes 78 and 80,  hearing from him directly on various aspe...

Episode 85 - The Language of Coaching

February 12, 2023 02:00 - 1 hour - 50 MB

In recent years, coaching has taken on an entirely new lexicon thanks to research into coaching methods and approaches. Richard and Dean examine some of the key ones pertaining to hockey, ones they feel are essential for the modern coach to not only be aware of but also employ. These include: constraints (as in the Constraints Led Approach), ecological dynamics, TGfU, skill vs. technique, observation, variability, and small area games (aka. small sided games).  Contact: richard(at)grassroo...

Episode 84 - Wally Kozak: For the good of the game

January 21, 2023 21:00 - 1 hour - 51 MB

Wally Kozak is a resident of host Richard Bercuson's virtual Pantheon of Canadian hockey developers. Here, he begins by reflecting on his stint with Father David Bauer's national team and its influence on his future as a teacher and coach. Then comes the segue into the importance of creating a mission statement as most recently done with the parents of a U13 girls team. Along the journey, he shares stories of his experiences in developing the exercise. This includes one about how Hockey Cana...

Episode 83 - S.E.E.P. - Six Elements for Effective Practices

December 19, 2022 19:00 - 1 hour - 45.7 MB

Organizing a practice is challenging enough. However, Richard and Dean contend that incorporating six key elements will make a practice hum and provide the players with all they need to experience success and enjoy themselves. The first element is Fun. After that comes...well, listen in and find out. Contact: richard(at)grassrootsminorhockey.com Twitter: Richard - @berky544

Episode 82 - Wherefore bodychecking?

November 26, 2022 15:00 - 1 hour - 49.9 MB

In the last few months, two Canadian research studies have concluded that bodychecking in hockey should not begin till age 18, when kids are out of minor hockey. One of those studies, headed by the renowned brain injury and concussion expert, Dr. Charles Tator, reached some startling conclusions about long term concussion symptoms. The other study was completed by researchers in Alberta with teenagers in various minor hockey organizations.  And so in this episode, Richard and Dean ask if it'...

Episode 81 - Beer League Hockey Practice

November 15, 2022 15:00 - 53 minutes - 37 MB

A  departure from the normal content as this one scratches an itch: how to get adults who've never played hockey to give it a try.  Peter Munro has started a venture called "Beer League Hockey Practice" which invites adult learners in various Ontario municipalities to learn to play the game.  But will this also become a breeding ground for new coaches? According to one participant, a coach who's registered in the program, he's unearthed a whole new respect for what he asks his youngsters to ...

Episode 80 - Applying C-D-E-F to minor hockey coaching

October 30, 2022 14:00 - 1 hour - 41.3 MB

The fascinating C-D-E-F approach taken by Dutch coach and coach developer Raymond Verheijen is the subject of this episode, a sequel to Episode 78 with Neil Sedgwick. Richard and Dean  adapt Verheijen's ideas that were designed for soccer coaches and re-package them for minor hockey. They base the discussion on Verheijen's recent guest appearance on the John O'Sullivan podcast "Way of Champions." Here's the link to Episode 294 of that show: https://wayofchampions.libsyn.com/294-raymond-verhe...

Episode 79 - Explaining critical thought in coaching

October 20, 2022 13:00 - 1 hour - 41.8 MB

"A Problem Well Stated is Half Solved," said the late Charles Kettering who headed the GM research department in the mid 20th century. How does this apply to the application of critical thought in coaching, especially in minor hockey? Dean Holden explains what it means and how it applies, referring as well to the work of Robert Ennis ("Critical Thinking Dispositions"). Also mentioned is the 2006 World Cup match between Argentina and Serbia/Montenegro in which the Argentines completed 26 cons...

Episode 78 - A paradigm shift: C-D-E-F

October 04, 2022 14:00 - 1 hour - 48.6 MB

Neil Sedgwick is the head coach of the Univ. of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) women's soccer team in Prince George, BC. His coaching approach has been radically changed by the teachings and courses offered by Dutch coach Raymond Verheijen who is transforming the coaching landscape. The long-accepted ways of looking at coaching invasion team sports like soccer using the technical-tactical-mental-physical-social criteria need to be re-examined. Since soccer and hockey have much in common, w...

Episode 77 - Practice Structure

September 14, 2022 18:00 - 1 hour - 49.4 MB

Once a coach gets past the basic practice template, what are the myriad of priority considerations to have in a good practice? What to teach, when, and, most importantly, how are the key questions a coach should be answering. In this episode, Richard and Dean delve into how to shape practices while also dispensing with some of the myths about what we've long done. Dean refers to this research doc in the show: "Decision-making practice during coaching sessions in elite youth football across ...

Episode 76 - Deconstructing Deconstruction

September 04, 2022 15:00 - 1 hour - 45.1 MB

This episode takes the listener from sewing quilts to line dancing to "Achy Break Heart" and finally a western bar in Houston. The journey is all about wondering why we've long accepted that deconstructing hockey skills in practice would actually produce improvement. We know now it doesn't. And Dean puts Richard on the hot seat with an important question. A  conversation rife with clever metaphors. Contact: richard(at)grassrootsminorhockey.com Twitter: Richard - @berky544

Episode 75 - Observational Insanity: Copy & Paste

August 22, 2022 03:00 - 1 hour - 51.9 MB

The first show of Season 3 features a discussion with soccer and hockey coach John "the Colombian" Castrillon on his observations of elite team practices. Are teams just recycling timeworn drills? Why? What's missing? He also comments on how goalies are used in practice, what guest host Dean Holden refers to as "punching bags." NOTES: Karl Marius Aksum's Twitter commentary for his PhD on the effectiveness (or not) of the Rondo in soccer is at (and you don't need a Twitter account to read it...

Episode 74 - About that conference

June 09, 2022 01:00 - 36 minutes - 25.3 MB

In this final episode of the 2021-22 season, Richard and guest host Dean chat about the June 4-5 coach conference hosted by the Whitby Girls Association that Richard set up, its first ever such conference. The agenda was designed for coaches to reflect on their past approaches, by "opening their parachutes," so as to  improve their coaching methods through the latest research and knowledge on how children learn. The conference included presentations by Vic Chiasson and Jim Mercer who have de...

Episode 73 - Prof. Rob Gray: "How we learn to move"

May 23, 2022 21:00 - 56 minutes - 38.7 MB

Rob Gray,  from Caledon, Ontario, is a professor at Arizona State University where he specializes in perceptual motor skill development. His recent book "How we learn to move," available on Amazon, may very well be what he wrote on the cover: A revolution in the way we coach & practice skills. While his work in Arizona has been primarily in soccer and baseball, in this podcast he seemed pleased to delve into hockey and the myriad of timeworn traditions about how we teach and practice the gam...

Episode 72 - The end of patterned coaching approaches is coming

May 03, 2022 17:00 - 49 minutes - 34.3 MB

"How we learn to move" by Rob Gray, PhD, may be the game-changer minor sports, especially hockey, needs to shake up the coaching tree. If you like pylons, patterned drills, and specialty toys on the ice for kids to skate around, follow or go through, then this podcast will not be for you. Best to move on to a different episode right now! Contact: richard(at)grassrootsminorhockey.com Twitter: Richard - @berky544

Episode 71 - Do our coaches need what they're doing in Australia?

April 18, 2022 16:00 - 49 minutes - 34.1 MB

Those who run Australian sports have concluded that the coaching of children has become too structured. Now they're doing something about it. The CEO of Water Polo Australia, Richard McInnes, explains what it is and how they're going about it. Interestingly, it involves many of the same approaches to coaching children as are being advocated in Canada. He also reveals their novel way to entice coaches to become better educated and trained. Here is the link to the cricket video he referenced i...

Episode 70 - Yogi was right! (Part 2)

April 12, 2022 12:00 - 45 minutes - 31 MB

"We take a  minor hockey coach off the ice, stand him at the glass, and we're going to ask him to watch his practice that the assistant coaches are going to run. What does he look for - and why?" So begins Part 2 with host Richard Bercuson posing the questions. Dean Holden and John Castrillon describe the importance of self-reflection in observations, beginning with, as Dean says, the constraints of what the coach even knows. So, even by posing the right kind of questions to the coach, the d...

Episode 69 - Yogi was right! (Part 1 of 2)

April 06, 2022 18:00 - 36 minutes - 25.4 MB

"You can observe a lot by watching," said Yankees Hall of Famer Yogi Berra. He couldn't have known just important that statement would become for minor hockey coaches. The power of observation is indeed linked to critical thought, self awareness and self reflection, which is to say that all coaches would well to step back a moment and watch themselves. This is what mentors and coach developers do on a regular basis. In this first of a two-parter, host Richard Bercuson dives into a discussion...

Episode 68 - It's not the what; it's the how and why

March 24, 2022 01:00 - 1 hour - 49.9 MB

USA Hockey's American Development Model (ADM) has made huge strides since its 2009 inception. One of the program's original regional managers, Roger Grillo (www.admkids.com/rogergrillo), a successful college coach for 20 years before joining the ADM, provides a unique perspective on the ADM's successes and challenges. He also delves into practice and teaching approaches that are now tried and true, describing what he sees as the three key elements of a good practice. This episode harkens b...

Episode 67 - Do you have an open parachute?

March 12, 2022 12:00 - 1 hour - 47 MB

What does Leonardo da Vinci have in common with three intrepid French inventors and Scottish whisky distiller Lord Thomas Dewar? It's all about first having a parachute and then opening it. Without it, the game will remain mired in its age-old traditions and conventions about how it should be taught. Contact: richard(at)grassrootsminorhockey.com Twitter: Richard - @berky544

Episode 66 - Could a club system work in Canada?

March 03, 2022 17:00 - 43 minutes - 29.8 MB

Canadian minor hockey players mostly play within their municipalities or regions. It's only at the highest competitive levels where there is more freedom to move. However, each playing area or association is largely a collection of teams governed by a board. With few exceptions, teams and coaches are on their own with respect to development, training, and direction. In Europe, for instance, clubs have  more clearly defined top-down training and guidance with coaching experts and mentors dire...

Episode 65 - What a master soccer and hockey coach sees

February 23, 2022 13:00 - 49 minutes - 34.2 MB

John Castrillon's father brought his family from Colombia to Montreal in the 1970s. There, young John, already a fine soccer player, fell in love with hockey (and the story of Maurice Richard whom he once met) after watching it on TV. He taught himself how to skate on outdoor rinks then, at age 14, began to play hockey. Eventually, he was good enough to make a midget team and then a junior squad. He maintained his soccer skills and still plays at a high level. Today, John is a sought-after c...

Episode 64 - Concepts: What a concept!

February 16, 2022 16:00 - 54 minutes - 37.1 MB

The new coach of the Montreal Canadiens, Martin St. Louis, stated in his initial press conference that he was about teaching concepts, not systems. Whether or not that works remains to be seen. However, the idea of presenting concepts to players directly impacts minor hockey in various ways. In Episode 38, host Richard Bercuson and his guest, Dean Holden, examined the teaching of principles of play vs. systems. Now, with St. Louis' statement as a backdrop, how do concepts come into play for ...

Episode 63 - The 90% Factor

February 07, 2022 13:00 - 53 minutes - 37.1 MB

For any coach, there should be a tacit understanding of the need to make practices as game-like as possible. The one possible exception might be the teaching of raw skills. That aside, in order to best teach the game, how many players should be involved in an activity, be it drill or small area game? Shouldn't that number replicate what happens in a game? What is that number? In 2009, Slovakian coach Igor Andrejkovic published a scientific paper based on his  breaking down 60 game videos of ...

Episode 62 - How to create a positive culture

January 31, 2022 13:00 - 36 minutes - 24.9 MB

Jim Mercer and Vic Chiasson return from Episode 61 ("Culture is everything") to discuss the program they've created called "Creating a high performance environment." It includes a document participants work with in a seminar format. With a website and other social media connections on the horizon, the program is just under way after having been piloted last November with the Whitby Girls Hockey Association. Those wishing to contact Jim or Vic should email podcast host Richard: richard (at)gr...

Episode 61 - "Culture is everything"

January 24, 2022 13:00 - 46 minutes - 31.8 MB

The episode begins with an overview of a research report which showed how a group of Canadian college coaches completely changed their teams' culture without ever dealing with tactics or strategies. Can this be done in minor hockey? Guests Vic Chiasson and Jim Mercer have about 75 years of coaching and teaching experience between them. They are hot on the heels of defining culture in sport, explaining its importance, and determining what organizations or teams can do to improve it. Contact:...

Episode 60 - The Room

January 17, 2022 13:00 - 40 minutes - 27.9 MB

This one begins with the story of the dressing room eavesdropper before a championship game. Then, host Richard Bercuson reveals three short tales of his own dressing room talks that didn't go well. Otherwise though, this episode delves into what coaches should or should not be saying in minor hockey dressing rooms, let alone how they say it. And the guest host does an even deeper dive into a topic that is rarely examined. Contact: richard(at)grassrootsminorhockey.com Twitter: Richard - @b...

Episode 59 - The Addiction to Drills

January 10, 2022 13:00 - 57 minutes - 39.8 MB

We are inundated with drills from a host of sources. Leagues host drill exchanges. Coaches can access software that will provide them with more drills of every possible type than they will ever need. As tools, or learning opportunities, drills can serve a purpose. More importantly, however, is that using drills may be stultifying coaching creativity and not providing our young players with the kind of direction they should have. Then, there's the infernal whistle. In this episode, Richard an...

Episode 58 - Where have you been?

January 04, 2022 02:00 - 12 minutes - 8.3 MB

After a few months of reflection and other distractions, host Richard Bercuson returns with a list of new topics he will address in future shows, along with a guest host. The minor hockey addiction, development planning, triages, how to teach space, what is said in a room and many more are on the agenda.  A new ride is about to begin on the only podcast about minor hockey. Contact: richard(at)grassrootsminorhockey.com Twitter: Richard - @berky544

Episode 57: Final words for the season

June 01, 2021 02:00 - 2 minutes - 1.82 MB

This shorty is the last podcast for the long, Covid-laden season. A few words from the host and then we'll be back in August with more great interviews and discussions about the minor hockey world. Till then... Contact: richard(at)grassrootsminorhockey.com Twitter: Richard - @berky544

Episode 56: Getting the edge on skating

May 21, 2021 19:00 - 51 minutes - 35.7 MB

The teaching of skating has improved immeasurably over recent years. While aided by improved technology, it's mostly because of a crop of eager young development people who explore ways to teach not just old skills but also the newer ones the game is being built on. One of those riding this wave of expert instruction is Jon Cara, a development teacher at a facility in Winnipeg, The Rink. In this episode Jon discusses his approach and offers advice to coaches of the key components they need t...

Episode 55: And now, from Scandinavia...Part 2

May 10, 2021 13:00 - 31 minutes - 21.3 MB

As David Laszlo heads to Finland to oversee development and coaching for young teens, he sees that his new club seems to have a strong vision for its future. There will, of course, be new challenges, such as finding proper goalie coaching and dealing with parental issues. Some things never change though. Here's more from Laszlo and his Norwegian goalie coach Frederik Meling on minor hockey in that part of the world. Contact: richard(at)grassrootsminorhockey.com Twitter: Richard - @berky544

Episode 54: And now, from Scandinavia...Part 1

May 02, 2021 18:00 - 46 minutes - 31.6 MB

Chicago native David Laszlo was once a middle school teacher and later owned a pro shop where he often sharpened the skates of some Carolina Hurricanes players. Today, after eight years coaching minor in Denmark, Finland and Norway, he has learned much about hockey overseas and his own skills as a coach. For instance, he uses his whistle judiciously and talks less, a lesson he learned in Detroit when hearing that ice cost $400 per hour. "Am I worth nearly $7 a minute to hear myself talk?" He...

Episode 53: Inside the American Development Model

April 21, 2021 19:00 - 1 hour - 42.8 MB

USA Hockey's ADM has radically changed the game south of the border, accomplishing much of what it had aimed to do years ago. It has increased participation in the sport and, at the same time, made US hockey a world power. In this episode, we see how it works in a Massachusetts community, as described by Al Ramsay,  who coaches and directs the program where he lives near Boston. Contact: richard(at)grassrootsminorhockey.com Twitter: Richard - @berky544

Episode 52: Teaching what has "maximum impact"

April 10, 2021 14:00 - 59 minutes - 40.7 MB

At age 13, after years of playing various sports with boys, Kim McCullough began playing hockey. Just five years later, she was playing Div. 1 hockey at Dartmouth followed by stints in pro hockey. She's coached girls in junior, AA, and in national programs in addition to running development and strength/conditioning programs from her home base in Toronto's Leaside Girls Association. Her next challenge is stepping out of coaching and into mentoring and a broader development framework. What is...

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