Youth Hockey Podcast
130 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 months ago - ★★★★ - 30 ratingsTrying to navigate the youth hockey landscape? We have seen it all and done it all. Our experiences include the top prep school in the nation down to the dirtiest rink in Southern California. One thing has become clear. It's better to have a bit of a roadmap and a shoulder to cry on when everything heads south. We are optimistic, ebullient, and sharp as a rusty old skate that's seen too many ponds. We want to help you glide along the path to hockey stardom, and have a few chuckles along the way.
Email: [email protected]
Sponsor: https://gabegiffordhockey.thinkific.com
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Episodes
YHP S3 Episode 2 First tournament matters or not - ACHA different divisions discussed - ACHA Lightning Round
September 13, 2022 02:00 - 35 minutes - 32.5 MBRandall talks about the first tournament blues. Does the first tournament matter? What can we learn from the first tournament? Rolly talks about ACHA divisions and how they might serve different kids who are leaving HS and going into college. ACHA lighting round on mascots for college hockey teams.
S3 Episode 1 New Year for YHP - Great Player Crappy Parent Syndrome - Prizes for Players of the Game
September 08, 2022 21:53 - 30 minutes - 28.5 MBNew year for YHP. We are so glad that we made it this far. We really hope that the journey has helped out our audience and their kids. Lance talks about how often a great player has parents that don't live up to the kid's ability in the stands. Randall talks about prizes for players of the game. I'm not sure they are always the best idea.
S2 Episode 52 Lance takes over the cast - Rolly talks about heads up hockey - Cow pies and how they relate to hockey
August 31, 2022 16:20 - 37 minutes - 35 MBLance introduces the podcast. He is sharp. Rolly talks about heads up hockey. He knows what it takes to get kids to see the ice. The physical part of hockey changes the game. There are stories about how kids have really changed their games because they're not keeping their heads up. The history of the puck.
S2 Episode 51 Most important thing to keep in your kid's bag - Lance talks about advisors and agents - A short lightning lesson on Zambonis
August 23, 2022 02:00 - 41 minutes - 38 MBWe start with a short talk about what's the most important thing to keep in your kid's bag. What did we use and what did we throw away after it rattled around in there for over a year? Rolly gives some good advice on the topic. Lance talks about advisors and agents. He answers questions from an email we received from a parent who was just beginning that part of the journey. He uses his own experience as a guide and gives out sage wisdom. The lightning round is all about the Zam.
Season 2 Episode 50 Rink Rundown - Bitter rivalries (sometimes among the parents not helpful) - Stick Curve patterns for the lighting round
August 16, 2022 02:00 - 35 minutes - 32.6 MBRolly talks about Lakewood ice rink. Randall and Lance have fond memories of the rink in Blaine Minnesota. Our teams usually lost to Minnesota teams, but fun was had anyway. Randall talks about rivalries. He is especially interested in the rivalries of parents in different birth year ages. It's just strange to see people not getting along because the 04 year is more special than the 03 year. I think we can do better. The lightning round is all about stick curve patterns. Can Lance ...
S2 Episode 49 Randall talks about lowering expectations for new teams - Rolly talks about major year and minor year expectations - Lance is still sad about losing the contest
August 09, 2022 02:00 - 50 minutes - 46.8 MBRandall talks about how a new team brings new expectations. It's always good to have certain buffers between where you think you may end up and real level of the team. They sometimes match. They sometimes don't. How a person goes into the situation can help it out a lot. Rolly talks about how minor year kids and major year kids have different expectations. He pines for birth-year teams. Lance is still frustrated about the results. He wants a recount. He demands a full investigation ...
S2 Episode 48 Rolly talks about the six important lessons for skills coaches (five will blow your mind) great information - MOST IMPORTANT PODCAST OF THE YEAR -
August 02, 2022 02:00 - 45 minutes - 42.5 MBLance talks about snack bars. Randall is out to lunch. Rolly talks about the most important lessons for skills coaches. It really blew my mind. I can tell you that this is the episode you should start with if you want to get to know the kind of information we want to supply the listener. GREAT JOB ROLLY
S2 Episode 47 Alexander boys crash the cast - Talk about equipment needed for top tier leagues - Podcast winner is announced!
July 26, 2022 02:00 - 33 minutes - 30.8 MBLance brings his boys onto the show to talk about what equipment has saved them from injury and what equipment has failed them on occasion. Pucks fly. Randall announces the winner of the podcast challenge. Who is going to have to be silent for the next podcast? Rolly takes it all in with his usual charm and grace.
S2 Episode 46 Randall talks taking a date to a rink - Lance talks about the nostalgia of raising hockey kids - Rolly talks about girls hockey
July 19, 2022 02:00 - 33 minutes - 31.1 MBThe best snack bar in existence is in a hockey rink. Maybe it should be the next great date spot. Lance talks about the nostalgia of raising kids in the hockey world. What is better than a kid in skates? Rolly talks about girls hockey and how it has progressed. We talk about A- AA and AAA commentary on the podcast.
S2 Episode 45 Randall talks bad teams - Rolly gets into the five exercises for the offseason - Lance talks tacos
July 12, 2022 02:00 - 30 minutes - 28.4 MBLance talks tacos and where to find them in rinks. He even digs into pupusas. Rolly gets into the exercises that should help the kids in the off season. How do you build quick twitch muscles? Randall talks about how a bad team can mean a great year for a kid.
YHP S2 Episode 44 Dave talks 4-sheet rinks - Tryout fallout when a kid is asked to come back - Lance talks about his close call
July 05, 2022 01:36 - 43 minutes - 40.1 MBRink roundup with many states featured. We are casting a wide net to talk about rinks. Tryout fallout. What happens when you're asked to come back for the second day of tryouts. What's best for the kid at that point? Advancement is not a participation prize. We talk about kids who expect to be on teams when they haven't put in the same amount of work as others on the team.
S2 Episode 43 Lance goes Batman - USHL tryout information - What do you do when your line is very unequal in level
June 28, 2022 02:00 - 43 minutes - 40.7 MBLance talks about a recent USHL tryout. What does it take to get up to that level? What was it like? Dave talks about how to make an impression on the ice. He actually agrees with Randall. It's a YHP first. Lance almost passes out. Randall and Lance talk about what to do when the line your child is on has very different levels represented. What is the solution? Lance does his best.
S2 Episode 42 Rink Rundown - Practice hours V. Game hours - Favorite Bumper Music
June 21, 2022 02:00 - 32 minutes - 29.7 MBNew segment Rink Rundown! Randall talks about practice hours. How many does a kid need at every level? Does it matter how many games they play? What is the best balance. Coach Rolston comes in with expert commentary to save the segment. Lance talks about his favorite rink. He also lends an ear to the final question on bumper music.
S2 Episode 41 Part Three Lance Takes the Mic
June 20, 2022 03:31 - 16 minutes - 15.3 MBLance Takes the Mic and helps you NOT make the mistakes he has.
S2 Episode 41 Part two THE SWISS GUY takes over the podcast
June 16, 2022 22:20 - 15 minutes - 14 MBLorenz talks about Swiss hockey. He openly mocks Randall. It's a good start. The fact that he can inform our community with another perspective is awesome. Thanks Lorenz. I think you're going to get more plays than I do. R.
S2 Episode 41 Part One Try Out Strategies
June 14, 2022 04:34 - 15 minutes - 14.6 MBRandall talks about try out strategies for parents who are sending their kids on the ice for a new club. What are the chances of getting on a team that is highly competitive without relationships at the club? It's an open question. This week we will have three parts of the podcast. We are all in different cities on different schedules. The listeners will then decide who will get the best numbers. The lowest listenership number has to be silent in the next podcast. It should be excel...
S2 Episode 40 Club Affiliations - Coaching Changes Mid-Year - Three Corners
June 08, 2022 05:29 - 1 hour - 58 MBDave and Lance talk about how clubs can sometimes affiliate to create more opportunity for players. Randall and Lance talk about coaching changes mid year. How many times did a coach bug out on your season? Rolly talks about the three corners of hockey satisfaction. He wants to know if Lance ever got all three in a year. Lance surprises everyone.
S2 Episode 39 Refs that make calls the crowd want - Spring programs ups and downs - Memorial day memories from tournaments
May 31, 2022 05:47 - 53 minutes - 49.7 MBDave talks about how spring programs make new teams. They sometimes are a way to move away from the club they usually represent. Lance talks about how refs make calls based on crowd reactions. He also notes how much the refs can be influenced by a number of factors. Randall talks about the memories from memorial day tournaments. There's always rumors about who will show up at a club before tryouts. The tournament is sometimes the tryout.
S2 Episode 38 Lance thinks your kid should Play AA to impress the AAA coach - Randall talks about effort in hockey - Rolly loses his temper
May 24, 2022 03:57 - 54 minutes - 50.6 MBLance talks about how a coach gave him advice about youth hockey levels. He thought that it was much better to dominate a lower level rather than be invisible on a great team. Randall talks about how effort can be preached to the benefit and detriment of the young player. Rolly loses his temper. Rolly talks about some of the strange things he's seen youth teams do.
S2 Episode 37 Corsi stats from coach Rolly - Lance talks about how coaches prepare for big games - Talking about decline of numbers in youth sports
May 17, 2022 05:37 - 54 minutes - 50.1 MBRolly takes time to educate the podcast about the Corsi numbers. What kind of insight do they give to the youth hockey player training to excel in the game. Lance talks about how coaches prepare using stats. He hasn't seen enough of the prep work for his taste. He loves numbers. Lance and Randy talk about the decline in numbers in youth sports, hockey in particular. How do we get kids back into the sport post lockdown?
S2 Episode 36 Team building exercise and associated madness - Rage listener sounds off - Roller hockey and its place in devoloping a great hockey player
May 10, 2022 02:00 - 1 hour - 58.7 MBRandall talks about team building exercises. There are good ones and bad ones. There is one thing that all good ones have in common he asserts. Rolly takes offense at a rage listener. He goes back to his goon days where he used to patrol the ice like a wolverine on smelling salts. Lance talks about roller hockey and how it was introduced to his kids late. They picked it up and now love it.
S2 Episode 35 How do you decide your kid's position, when? - Coach talks turkey on defense - Lightning round "cheating" in youth hockey
May 03, 2022 18:56 - 50 minutes - 46.4 MBLance talks about how each of his kids chose their positions and how their positions eventually came back around and chose them. Coach talks about how playing defense helps a kid develop a complete game. Randall prepares a lightning round about "cheating" in youth hockey.
S2 Episode 34 Rolly talks about a phantom goal that decided a national championship youth hockey game - Lance talks about burnout - Randall stands up against authoritarianism
April 26, 2022 02:00 - 56 minutes - 52 MBRolly wants USA hockey to take over the calendar. He cannot stand the idea of individual freedom. No LOI's, no tryouts for individual clubs - just a top-down system of oppression. He makes a good case. Lance talks about the age group he will choose once the fundraiser to give a team a free year of club hockey. He is ready to get out the spreadsheet on all top scorers in all levels of hockey in the continuous 48 (and maybe Alaska). https://www.gofundme.com/manage/donate-to-put-a-youth...
S2 Episode 33 Lance accepts challenge that will be his downfall- Randall sets him up, he also talks about AAA players on AA teams - Lightning round about favorite tournament destination
April 19, 2022 02:00 - 58 minutes - 54.3 MBRandall asks a question about AA kids on AAA teams and AAA kids on AA teams. Which is the better situation for the kid and the development of the kid. Dave digs the lightning round about the best and worst places to travel for a tournament. Hint: Vacaville is not on the good list. Lance Alexander gets set up. He claims he knows how to win states in California. He is surprised to find out that I've set up a gofundme site to fund a team that Lance guarantees will go to the state finals a...
S2 Episode 32 Free Hockey for Youth - Getting Professional Teams on Board - Questions Asked at Tryouts
April 12, 2022 02:00 - 1 hour - 64 MBInterview with hockey4youth founder Mo Hasham about how hockey provides community and continuity in the greater society. He has a fantastic program for getting kids into hockey who traditionally don't have the opportunity. It's a great idea, and he is a great interview. Lance talks a little about how young people bond over hockey in ways that extend into adulthood. Rolly rallies the show with discussion of why he coached his own son. He also wants sushi restaurant recommendations in Van...
S2 Episode 31 Interview with Jennifer Giles (RDN) about sports nutrition - Burning Bridges at Clubs - Bulking Up for Juniors
April 05, 2022 02:00 - 53 minutes - 49.8 MBJennifer was kind enough to answer all of our questions on hockey nutrition. She has two kids in the sport. Her views are valuable and her presentation is delightful. Couldn't be happier having her on the show. We moved on to burning bridges at clubs. Rolly keeps us all in check. Lance has a great question about bulking up for Junior Hockey. It relates to minimizing injuries as well. It's important to have all ages of kids working towards making themselves less injury susceptible.
S2 Episode 30 Team friendships carrying into off season - off season camps and training - what sports comlement hockey in the offseason
March 29, 2022 02:00 - 1 hour - 63.4 MBRandall talks about team chemistry. Who are the best friends on the team? Sometimes this can tip off a parent about the locker room environment. Rolly and Lance talk about off season camps and training. Lance talks about how other sports can help a hockey player with skills and stoke competition.
S2 Episode 29 High School finals - Nationals - New Hockey League on the West Coast
March 22, 2022 02:16 - 51 minutes - 47.9 MBRandall talks about the California Div.1 HS finals. It was some ride. Lance gives everyone insight into what it's like to go to Nationals. His kids did it every year they played almost. :) Lance and Rolly talk about the new hockey league that is starting on the west coast. It might open up some opportunities for elite players who live and play in the west.
S2 Episode 28 Lance asks if coaches really want to win - Randall talks line combinations - Rolly talks about how lines work from a coach's perspective
March 15, 2022 02:00 - 56 minutes - 52 MBLance has stories about how his kid has been in situations where doing well didn't seem to change the coach's mind on how and when to play him. Randall talks about how a line of the three best players doesn't always make the best line. Rolly talks about how this decision plays out from a coach's perspective. How does shifting players present an opportunity for the coach to understand the team.
S2 Episode 27 Reviewing the Rule Changes - Skating Mechanics - Finding a Coach Who Helps Your Kid Hit His Stride
March 08, 2022 20:34 - 52 minutes - 48.3 MBRandall tees up the rule changes for youth hockey. Did they work out? Rolly kicks the delayed off-sides rule in the butt. Rolly talks about skating mechanics and breaks down the elements of what makes a skater fast. Lance kind of took an episode off. If you're a Lance fan, tune in next week.
S2 Episode 26 Playoff Hockey brings changes to the game - Lance talks about how he got back at a coach - Rolly talks goalies in the playoffs
March 01, 2022 03:00 - 1 hour - 59.6 MBRandall talks about how playoff hockey can be a stressful time. The entire game can shift into a much different phase. Lance talks about a way to get back at a coach who isn't nice to your kid. Rolly talks about how play time can be really limited for goalies in the playoffs. There was a goalie who didn't get a single game in the entire playoff run.
S2 Episode 25 Biggest week ever for the podcast - Mite Superstars - Social Media and Hockey
February 22, 2022 22:16 - 42 minutes - 39.7 MBRandy notes that the podcast has had the biggest week ever. Thank you to the listeners. Lance gets into a discussion of how mite superstars develop differently over the course of the next few years. Rolly talks about social media and hockey. He cannot be stopped.
S2 Episode 24 Lance Takes on the Refs - 5 on 3 Stories - Favorite Hockey Memories
February 15, 2022 03:00 - 49 minutes - 46.3 MBLance decides that the refs need to be discussed. He has a plan to make reffing better. Randall is dubious about the fix. Randall asks the crew if they have any 5 on 3 stories that they can share. The topic is a bit of a disappointment for everyone. We still kept it to prove we can own our mistakes. Rolly calls on everyone to go down memory lane. Lance, Randall and Rolly each have a story that represents their favorite moment in their kid's personal youth hockey history.
S2 Episode 23 Jersey Numbers - Using stats to choose numbers - Inappropriate relationships
February 09, 2022 05:15 - 40 minutes - 37.2 MBRandall talks about jersey numbers. It's silly, but there are so many stories about how jersey numbers became a crisis on the team. Lance figures out how to give out numbers based on hockey stats. Rolly talks about inappropriate relationships. It's pretty racy. I didn't think Rolly had it in him.
Episode 22 S2 Rolly talks sports psychology - Coaches who try to ruin your kid - Randall talks about bad fans
February 01, 2022 03:00 - 46 minutes - 43.3 MBRolly talks about how much of the game happens between the ears. Many people are using therapy to help their kids on the ice. Lance talks about how kids get put out of position by coaches who don't have imagination. He thinks there have been many times when choosing lines has put his kid in bad positions. Randall talks about how bad fans can be viral. They spread their disease throughout the venue.
Episode 21 S2 Swiss Update - Preparing for Tryouts - Coaching Changes mid-season
January 25, 2022 03:00 - 53 minutes - 49.9 MBLorenz updates us from Switzerland. Being a team manager across the ocean also seems stressful. Lance talks about tryouts like it is a science. Randall tries to keep people from limiting their options. Rolly gets tired of kids lobbying for more points with the refs.
Episode Twenty Who is more crazy moms or dads - Refs issuing suspensions - How to deal with kids who target yours
January 18, 2022 03:00 - 35 minutes - 32.5 MBLance takes on the age old question: who is more crazy as a spectator in the sport of hockey? Moms or Dads? Randall tries to give the refs a bit of advice, Lance and Rolly thinks they need more than just advice. Is there a way to make sure that suspensions are a bit more fair to the kids on both sides of the hit? Rolly makes a point about his own experience as a ref in college.
Episode Nineteen Covid testing supplies for quick tests - Rolly finishes sticks with a blatant lie - Lance talks about justice in hockey
January 11, 2022 03:00 - 37 minutes - 34.5 MBRandall gives an update on how to purchase rapid tests for your child. He's now got an account with a company that brings one to your door in 30 minutes or less. It's like pizza, without the carbs. Rolly talks sticks. His lies are better than anyone's. Lance talks justice in the junior leagues. He is concerned about the way refs flip the tables and presume some kids guilty until proven innocent. There's a few missed games in his past that he wants back.
Episode Eighteen S2 Rolly talks twigs (stick flex and pattern covered) - Lance introduces crazy hockey story V1 - Randall learns how to take back a stick to the manufacturer
January 04, 2022 03:00 - 52 minutes - 48.5 MBRolly is shooting bar down like it's nothing talking about sticks. He gets into the different patterns and flex for each position and each player. Lance introduces his new addition to the show: Crazy Hockey Stories. Randall is out of his depth, but tries to keep up.
Episode Seventeen S2 Taunting in Hockey - One Good Season - Being told not to score
December 28, 2021 04:28 - 41 minutes - 38.5 MBLance piles onto a team that was up ten and kept putting out their first line PP at the end of the game. He feels like the experience benefited nobody. Randall talks about finding one good year. It's really hard to chart out several years in a row. Look for one year and if it turns into several, then ride the wave. Rolly talks about what it's like to be told not to score.
Episode 16 S2. Rolly goes after high school hockey in So. Cal - Lance admits that he helped ruin HS hockey - Randall talks Utah HS hockey
December 21, 2021 03:00 - 56 minutes - 52 MBRolly decides to describe the state of the Kings High school hockey league and in so doing notices that there are many many problems. He has some solutions, but some are beyond even his hockey wisdom. Lance admits that he was part of the reason that the HS program formed. He takes no responsibility for the shambles that ensued. Randall talks about Utah High School hockey with great fondness. They really did a great job bringing kids into the sport there.
Episode Fifteen S2 Team Managers - Stories about Team Gifts - Rolly promises to take a flamethrower to topic in next episode
December 14, 2021 05:26 - 44 minutes - 40.8 MBRandall talks about team managers. Who are they? What makes a good one and what makes a bad one. Lance find himself in the middle of a story in which a team manager squandered thousands of dollars. It was a tough year. Rolly promises to stop being so nice about everything. He's going for the throat on High School Hockey next week.
Episode Fourteen S2 Stupid Coaches - Smart Coaches - Finding a way to get along with both
December 07, 2021 03:00 - 55 minutes - 51.8 MBRandall talks about communication with coaches. He tries to stay nice, but some experiences don't fit into that box. Rolly tries to bring together some ideas on communication during the season. Maybe some kind of formal way of keeping lines open between the parents and the people in charge. Lance does his best to take the high road. He slips a couple of times.
Episode Thirteen S2 Rolly finishes sharpening his skates - Lance talks to Lorenz from Switzerland - Randall tries to get Switzerland to sponsor the podcast
November 30, 2021 03:00 - 1 hour - 60.3 MBRolly needs to finish sharpening his skates. You're not done until you've honed. Get your stones ready. Lance talks to Lorenz, a fantastic fan from Switzerland. He knows how the international game is played and who gets paid. Randall keeps the discussion moving by stoking regional rivalries.
Episode Twelve S2 Skate Sharpening - Sparx home units - Questions from Email
November 23, 2021 03:00 - 1 hour - 62.7 MBCoach Rolston goes into a deep dive on skate sharpening, contouring and keeping the blades in good repair. This man is sharp. He also can talk about sharp things. Lance cuts into a question about hockey memorabilia. What made his list of the most important purchases over his kids careers? Randall talks about his Sparx. It was great. Then it wasn't.
Episode Eleven S2 Lance goes negative - Randall talks about expectations that are dangerous - Coach keeps his cool
November 16, 2021 03:00 - 39 minutes - 36.3 MBLance needs to vent. He's not happy with parents who seem to only be happy when other kids do badly. It's a team sport and Lance tees off on those who can't appreciate the greatness of team play. Randall has an observation about parents with open aspirations for their kids. Expectations are welcome. Professional aspirations are great. Expecting that your kid is going to the NHL is something that might be counter productive. Rolly just glides above it all, slightly aloof, but always in...
Episode Ten S2 Joining a Team Late - Switzerland Invades! - Locker room monitoring in a modern age
November 09, 2021 03:00 - 59 minutes - 55.2 MBRandall wants to talk about joining a team late. His experience has been roundly positive. Rolly talks about joining a team late and how it changes the dynamic of the team. It's a great point. Lance responds to our first Swiss listener with tales of how to mitigate locker room bullying and shenanigans.
Episode Nine S2 Rehabbing injuries - Toxic situations in youth hockey - Scary players for halloween
November 02, 2021 02:00 - 49 minutes - 45.8 MBLance talks about the way he used the internet to find all of the best ways to rehab injuries. Spoiler, some of them are internet theories. Dave sheds some light on a scandal in youth hockey. It's sad to see that the sport allowed the conduct to go on so long. It's Halloween, so we talk about the scariest players we've ever seen play
Podcast Episode 8 S2 Concepts with Rolly - Shooting Challenge - Lance goes for goalies
October 26, 2021 02:00 - 40 minutes - 37.7 MBRolly starts his new segment concepts with the coach. He talks about a single concept that can make a youth hockey player better. Randy has a challenge for the listeners. Lance goes crazy on goalies. How do you handle a rogue goalie on the team as a parent or player? He addresses the common conception that GBC.
Podcast Episode 7 S2 Expansion of AAA hockey good or bad - remove one thing from youth hockey to make it better
October 19, 2021 02:00 - 47 minutes - 44.2 MBLance talks about AAA. Is the expansion of AAA in California good or bad for youth hockey. Randy asks the question: what would you remove from youth hockey to make it better. We are always adding rules and baggage to our players. What could we get rid of? Coach keeps us honest.