Playoffs are now underway here in Toronto, which means that tryouts for next year’s teams are just around the corner.  And that means that the "politics" of hockey are about to wreak havoc on all of us. The mixture of playoffs and impending tryouts takes all of our stress levels through the roof.  We’re all worried that we might make the wrong choice, that what people are telling us is not the truth, and that we won’t end up with the team we’d hoped for.  The truth is - we’re all in the same boat as players, parents and coaches. 

 

I’ll be coaching a Bantam AA team next season and I’ve pretty much been in the rinks almost every night watching games, making sure that I know exactly what kind of player I’m looking for to fill out my roster.  I want to create the best possible environment for our player’s and team to succeed next season and I’m putting in a lot of work to ensure that this is the reality.  This is really no different than parents and players doing their homework about different teams and organizations to make sure they find the best “fit” possible.

 

After all, us coaches don’t want to make a mistake either.  We know we are going to have make tough decisions.  We will have to cut players who just don’t fit as pieces in our team puzzle.  We are going to have to tell some kids, “No”, which is something that never gets easier to do.  It’s not just about reducing numbers - it’s about making decisions that temporarily short-circuit the dreams of players.  I know I don’t take making decisions like that lightly.  As coaches, we often have to cut good players because we feel there was another player that was better for a particular role or position on  the team. We are looking for the 17 players that make up the best team, not necessarily the 17 best players.

 

Putting together a team is a game of numbers, of roles, of needs and of responsibilities.  When someone doesn’t make it, they initially feel hurt or even angry.  There is no getting around the emptiness, rejection and even embarrassment.  That’s understandable.  I’ve been there my fair share of times as a player and it never gets any easier to hear “No”. 

 

But it’s not getting cut from a team that matters.  It’s what you do next that defines you as a player and person.

 

:::  Do you use that as a source of motivation to drive you to become an even better player who would make that team (or an even better team) in the future?

 

:::  Or do you make excuses and point fingers that bring other players down?

 

As tough as it is as a coach to make cuts, it’s a lot tougher on the player and her parents. What isn’t constructive is making excuses for your child by saying it was a political decision or that the coach made the wrong decision (which might even be the case).  If you make excuses, you are only teaching your daughter to deflect responsibility and discount the abilities of others.

 

I can assure you that as coaches, we are trying to get it right.  It’s very very hard to try to figure out the best combination of players. If there are 17 players on a team, odds are the practically every coach would agree on the top 8 or 9 players for the team.  And most coaches will agree on the next 4 or 5 that should be on the team.  But picking those last 4 or 5 players to fill out the roster is tough - and more often than not the coaches’ don’t all agree.  That’s when  our job is the hardest and that’s when feelings get hurt. 

 

So as we head deeper into playoff season and the harsh reality of tryouts looms over everyone’s heads, I wanted to share 8 motivational sayings that help keep me on track for success both on and off the ice.  I hope that they inspire you as we head into the hardest part of the year. 

 

1. Focus on what you can control.

2. Live your life like most people do and you’re going to settle for what
most people get. If you want more, you have to do more.

3. ‘Trying’ isn’t enough. It’s an excuse.  Either you’re doing something
or you’re not.

4. You never fail until you quit, make excuses or die.

5. Plan every day.  Success isn’t an accident.

6. Focus on getting 1% better each day.  Small improvements add up.

7. Failure is part of the process.  Accept it.  Learn from it.  Move on.

8. If you’re waiting for circumstances to be different (or perfect) - you’re in for a long wait.  Stop waiting and start doing.

 

Keep Working Hard, Dreaming BIG and Taking Action.

 

Please pass this along to anyone you know who might benefit from hearing this message going into this hectic time of the year.

 

Your friend and coach,

 

~ Kim

 

Kim McCullough, MSc, YCS

Director, Total Female Hockey

Girls Hockey Director, PEAC School For Elite Athletes

 

 

Just as one hockey season ends - the next begins. All week long, girls hockey tryouts have been running all across Ontario.  It’s a stressful time for players, parents and coaches alike.  So this is a message for all the players who are nervous and excited about the tryouts.

When it comes to tryouts, there is one thing you need more than anything else and that’s…

==>  CONFIDENCE

You aren’t going to drastically change your skills between now and tryouts. But you can dramatically improve your confidence in a short period of time.   Confidence comes from inside you - not from your parents, coaches,  teammates or friends.  You have complete control over it.  So to help to get you ready for the challenges and opportunities  that lay ahead in the next few weeks…

… Here are 8 of my favorite quotes about CONFIDENCE.

::  Confidence is preparation.  Everything else is beyond your control.

::  Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent.

(Meaning:  There is no reason anything anyone says or does has to make
you feel bad.  You choose the way you interpret what happens to you.)

::  It’s not who you are that holds you back, it’s who you think you’re not. 

::  We have to learn to be our own best friends because we fall too easily
into the trap of being our own worst enemies.

::  The way you treat yourself sets the standard for others.

(Meaning:  If you put yourself down or think you aren’t good enough,
you are opening the door for others to do the same). 

::  Other people’s opinion of you does not have to become your reality.

::  Whether you think you can or think you can’t - you are right.

::  Don’t let anyone steal your dream.  It’s your dream, not theirs.

I hope that one of the quotes above really speaks to you and helps you to get ready for the challenges ahead. 

Remember to stay focused on the 2 things you’ve got control over - your attitude and your work ethic.

Good luck!

Your friend and coach,

Kim

Kim McCullough, MSc, YCS?Director, Total Female Hockey
Girls’ Hockey Director, PEAC School For Elite Athletes
 

I was at the Under-15 Team Ontario tryouts this past weekend in Ottawa, sharing off-ice training, nutrition and mental performance strategies with the 80+ girls hockey players at the camp.

Every player there wanted to stand out and make the team and I went over exactly what they needed to do in order to get noticed.

But more importantly…

=> I told them exactly what NOT to do to get noticed!

And I wanted to share the same information with you.

The best way to make sure you DON’T stand out on the ice is by…

=> Trying to be something that you’re NOT!

If you are a stay-at-home defenseman, then don’t try to be Bobby Orr by trying to go end-to-end every time you touch the puck.

It may help you to stand out - but it will be for all the wrong reasons.

If you try to be something you aren’t in these tryout situations, you are going to stick-out because of your weaknesses, instead of standing-out because of your strengths.

I’m going to let you in on a little secret…

Any high-level coach or scout can watch you skate for a period or two and know exactly what kind of player you are.

It only takes them a few shifts to figure out if you are a pure goal-scorer, a solid two-way forward, a rushing D or a stay-at-home D.

By the time you are into the second practice or game, they know exactly what kind of player you are and expect that you are going to excel at what you are already good at on every shift.

So if you are a great two-way forward, who all of a sudden can’t find your own defensive zone because you are too busy cherry-picking up by the far blue-line, you are trying to be a player you aren’t.

In these tryout situations, skaters think they need to be “flashy” in order to stand out.

If you are always “flashy”, keep being “flashy”.

But if you aren’t, DON’T WORRY ABOUT IT!

Coaches don’t need a team full of end-to-end rushers.

They need stay-at-home defensemen and two-way forwards too.

Instead of worrying about the things you don’t do well, (and remember, all of us have things we don’t do well out there), focus on what you are already good at.

And commit yourself 100% to being the best at those things
each and every time you touch the ice.

Keep Working Hard, Dreaming BIG and Commit To
Being The Best At What You Are Already Good At.

~ Coach Kim

PS - If you enjoyed this newsletter, and think that another member of your team, family or coaching staff might benefit from the information, please feel free to share this message with them.

And let them know that there are 400+ more articles and videos specifically about how to get to the next level of girls hockey waiting for them here at Total Female Hockey Club:

http://www.totalfemalehockeyclub.com

We just finished our first round of girls hockey tryouts for next year’s teams here in Toronto, which means that there are some players with broken hearts out there.

I’ve been cut my fair share of times in my hockey career and I know how much it sucks.

But one time in particular hurt more than the rest…
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Some players make the mistake of thinking that their tryout is over as soon as the last drill is done on the ice. Here are two quick tips female hockey players can use to make a great impression and standout from the crowd after the final whistle blows.
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Making the team is about making a great impression.
Of course we’d all love to be the best player on the ice and be a “lock” to make the team. Every girls hockey team is going to have a handful of those players who have a “guaranteed” spot, and everyone else has to battle it out to make the team.
Here are 3 tips you can use during tryouts to stand out if you are “on the bubble”.
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Preparing to perform your best at your next female hockey tryout is 90% mental. Whether you are two weeks or two days out from the first session, there isn’t a lot you can do to change your physical performance. Your physical preparation is important, but you are going to see the BIGGEST results from your mental preparation. There are 2 things you should do to make sure you are mentally prepared to standout at tryouts…
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