This was the first step on a long, challenging journey for these players.  And it was very clear which players were ready to take on the tough road ahead.   We, as coaches, were asked to evaluate the players on a wide variety of criteria, ranging from skating ability to game sense.  The list of areas to evaluate was very long and detailed, but I wanted to share the 4 most critical areas with you today.

Because sometimes we get so focused on one particular aspect of our game that we forget about the importance of other areas. 


::::  Here at the 4 most critical factors for getting to the elite level  ::::

1. Ability to skate the game

This is by far the most important factor.  And it is about more than just being fast.  This is about timing and support.  Your play with and without the puck.  Your quickness in small spaces.  Your speed in open spaces.  Your power and strength on your skates.  Without ALL of the above, you will not be able to compete at the highest levels of women’s hockey. Period.

2.  Have great individual skills and be able to use them in a team environment

:::  On an individual basis:

Are you a threat with the puck?  Can you make moves, protect and control
the puck?  Can you give and receive a variety of passes? Can you shoot a
variety of shots accurately with strength, power and a soft touch? Can you
do all of the above while moving at a high speed?

:::  On the team level:

Are you a threat with and without the puck?  Can you use your vision to see and
create options for yourself and your teammates?  Can you control the puck in
all situations and exhibit creativity and courage?  Do you create time and space
without the puck by getting open, drawing checkers, anticipating the play?

3.  Ability to think the game

As a coach who works mostly at the bantam and midget level here in Toronto, this is the #1 difference I see between good players and great players. I’ve watched hundreds of games this season where it is clear that certain players have tremendous skills, but don’t have a very good understanding of the game.

Here are some examples of what it means to “think” the game:
:: Are you defensively responsible?
:: Can you play within the team system in all three zones?
:: Do you anticipate and support the play on the forecheck, break-out and attack?
:: Are you a factor without the puck?

4.  Grit and Intangibles

This one is more important than all the rest.  You can skate like the wind, have all the skills, and great game sense, but if you aren’t willing to put in the WORK on and off the ice or do whatever it takes to win a game in the last 10 seconds (even when that means diving in front of a huge slap-shot), then you don’t have what it takes to get to the next level.

You have to be able to win battles, fight through checks, play four games in one weekend and have your last shift be as effective and energetic as your first. 

You have to be willing to do whatever it takes to succeed.  You have to be willing to work hard and compete.  You have to be able to deal with adversity. 

The road to the top of the women’s hockey world is very steep. There are many people near the bottom who say they want to get to the top. But as the road gets tougher, those who are willing to show their commitment start to separate themselves from the competition.  The ones who reach the top are the ones who have all the things I’ve listed above, in addition to the
unwavering desire to be their best and the best. 

Having a great slap-shot, 1-on-1 move or straightaway speed might be enough to allow you to stand out and get noticed at your current level.

But it’s not enough to get you to the top.

For many of the players who were at the Ontario Winter Games last week, this will be their last taste of provincial, national or international competition. That may sound harsh, but the truth is, some of them will quickly realize that they don’t want to travel up this tough and uncertain road ahead. Other players who didn’t make this competition will emerge and pass them along the way to the top.

As I reminded my team a few times over  the course of the week, I could barely skate at the age of 13 - let alone perform at an elite level at a provincial tournament.  You don’t need to be the best at the age of 14 to be the best at the age of 25 - which was the average age of the players
on the Canadian and US Olympic teams .  But at every point along your journey to the top, you must commit to developing your game in each of the 4 critical areas listed above.

If you do, you will be well on your way to success.

Keep Working Hard & Dreaming BIG.

Your friend and coach,

Kim

Kim McCullough, MSc, YCS

Director, Total Female Hockey
Girls’ Hockey Director, PEAC School For Elite Athletes

Your exclusive introductory offer on Game Winning Nutrition ends tonight at 6pm EST.

After 6pm, the price of this exclusive program will go up permanently.

So basically, by taking action right now, you are gaining immediate access to a female-specific, hockey-specific, step-by-step nutrition program created by two nutritionists and hockey moms who have been using this program with hundreds of players and teams for years to transform their on-ice performance -
and you are getting it at the lowest price this program will ever be offered at

::  Get Started with Game-Winning Nutrition Today:

http://totalfemalehockeyclub.com/products/game_winning_nutrition/

I’ve been flooded with emails this week filled with specific nutrition questions, players, parents and coaches sharing their own nutrition stories, and touching emails of support from those of you that watched my McDiet video (thank you). 

I’m going to cut to the chase here…

=>  You need this program.

I desperately needed this program when I was a young player and I would have happily spent the $30 to know that I had the exact information I needed to make sure I was on the right track with my nutrition and on my way to taking my performance to the next level - instead of spending years doing the wrong things and suffering the consequences in the way I felt and the way I played.

I want to make things easier for you.

I don’t want you to make the same mistakes I made.

Get Started with Game-Winning Nutrition Today:

http://totalfemalehockeyclub.com/products/game_winning_nutrition/

6pm (EST) is going to roll around pretty quickly

 
Hundreds of your competitors worldwide are already absorbing all this material and planning out exactly
how they are going to reach their hockey dreams.

 
You have until 6pm (EST) to decide if you want to join them.

But more importantly, you have to decide that you want to eat better so that you can feel better and play better. Whether you are a player, parent or coach, you owe it to yourself, your daughter, your teammates, and your players to empower yourself with this critical nutrition information.

Excellence is your choice.

Take action here:

http://totalfemalehockeyclub.com/products/game_winning_nutrition/

Your friend and coach,

Kim

:::  Is the Nutrition Program Right For Me (Or My Daughter)?

First, let me tell you who Game-Winning Nutrition ISN’T for…

If you already know exactly how much you need to eat and drink, based on the amount of activity you are doing and the intensity of the level you are doing it at, then this isn’t for you.

Knowing what to eat - and what to avoid at all costs, when to eat - and when you absolutely should not be eating, is not as simple as it might seem, especially if you are running around playing multiple sports, participating in gym class, and having two or three athletic activities in one day.  That’s a lot
of energy going out - and you need to make sure you are getting enough of the right kinds of fuel back in. 

I did the research when I was a young player, trying to figure out exactly what I should be doing with my nutrition to maximize my performance, but I really had NO IDEA if I was on the right track. One magazine would say one thing, I’d see something else on TV, my friends would try to tell me something else - so I ended up confused and frustrated.

But even worse than the frustration and confusion was the fact that I was constantly tired, hungry and getting injured all the time.

I thought I was on the right track with my nutrition but the reality was I was sabotaging my performance by…

… eating the wrong foods (which I thought were healthy but really weren’t)
… at the wrong times (I had no clue when I should eat to perform my best)
… and not eating the right amount to fuel my peak performance.

I’ll be honest with you…

I fell victim to the same “messages” we see in the media constantly about how “thin is in” and the “skinny size zeros” have an advantage in life.

I knew I was never going to be tiny - I’m half Ukrainian and half Scottish. In fact, I am one of those people who looks at a weight and gets bigger.

But I was very conscious of what I was and wasn’t eating.  I thought I was eating enough of the right kind of foods at the right time - but I was lost in a sea of misinformation and negative messages.

I don’t want that to happen to you, your daughter or your players.

I know how sensitive the issue of nutrition and body image with all girls, and it’s especially challenging with young female athletes. I’ve lived it - and I made enough mistakes to know that I don’t want any other players to suffer the way I did.

I wish I had access to a program like Game-Winning Nutrition when I was younger.  I look through the information Rita and Cathy created and I think about how much easier figuring all this nutrition stuff would have been if I had this kind of step-by-step guide to follow.

::  If you are a 12 year old player who wants to know what you are supposed
to (and not supposed to) eat to perform your best….

::  Or a 16 year old player looking for any way to get an edge on your competition…

::  If you are a parent who is worried about how you are going to address nutrition
with your daughter because you aren’t sure how to navigate the whole teenage
body image issue…

::  Or a coach who wants to make sure that your team has the energy they need to perform their best during this critical time of year filled with playoff games and big tournaments…

This is the program for YOU.

If you think you’ve already got it covered, you might want to think again.

I was sure I was on the right track in high school and even into college, and I now realize that even though all of the right information was out there, it was clouded by all the wrong information that keep throwing me off the right track.

This is a critical point of the season for most players and teams.

::  Whether you are in the heart of the playoffs…

::  Getting ready for the biggest tournaments of the year…

::  Starting to think about how you are going to standout at tryouts…

::  Or you just want to get any advantage you can on the competition…

=>  Your nutrition is a critical piece of your performance puzzle.

It’s one of those “little things”  that makes a HUGE difference.

Access to Game-Winning Nutrition at this low introductory price is only available until Friday at 6PM EST.  After that, the doors are closed and your opportunity to get a serious advantage will be gone.

Click On The Link Below To Get Started with Game-Winning Nutrition Today:

http://totalfemalehockeyclub.com/products/game_winning_nutrition/

Keep Working Hard, Dreaming BIG and Taking Action.

~ Coach Kim

PS - Check out this great email from a player who used Game-Winning Nutrition:

“Thanks to this program, I’ve changed the way I prepare for each game!!!   I really took to heart everything about what foods to eat before and after a game.   At first I was not too sure it would work, but then I found that eating the right foods really boosted my energy and helped me recover from games much faster, especially drinking all that water.  I never used to drink so much water before a game.  I was afraid that it would slow me down but I found that having water really improved my stamina by about the 3rd period.”

Get Started with Game-Winning Nutrition Today:

http://totalfemalehockeyclub.com/products/game_winning_nutrition/

 

I did too much, too soon, with no foundation in place, and ultimately ended up permanently tired, injured and frustrated.

But there is another BIG mistake I made when I was a young player that I rarely share with anyone.

I sometimes bring it up when I do my live seminars and camps, but even then, I get really emotional about it and I usually don’t tell the full story because I am worried that I might cry right there
on stage (I know that sounds sappy, but it’s true).

I may have screwed up my off-ice training pretty badly when I was looking for ways to get an advantage on my competition as a young player, but I screwed up my NUTRITION even more.

::  Oh boy, did I screw up my NUTRITION.

From the time I was 12 to the time I was 22 (OK even until I was 25), I was all over the place with my nutrition and I think it had an even bigger, and more negative effect, than my misguided training did.

I thought I was doing what was BEST for my health and performance…

But the truth is…

=>  I had NO IDEA what I was doing.

It would take me pages and pages of writing to tell you the full story…

So I decided to make a video instead.

Watch Kim’s McDiet video here:

http://totalfemalehockeyclub.com/video-sample/nutrition_story/

I’m finally going to tell my entire nutrition story…

Even though it is one of the hardest things for me to do…

Because I know that if it will help at least one young player avoid making the same mistakes I did, it will all be worth it.

So here we go - the McDiet video that has been 15 years in the making:

Click on the link below to watch me tell the whole story:

http://totalfemalehockeyclub.com/video-sample/nutrition_story/

Enjoy - and please feel free to pass it along to anyone that you think might benefit from watching the video.

~ Your friend and coach,

Kim

PS - To Get Started With Taking Your Nutrition & Game To The Next Level with Game-Winning Nutrition Today, click on the link below:

http://totalfemalehockeyclub.com/products/game_winning_nutrition/

::  What to eat before playoff games?
::  How to keep your energy up during a tournament?
::  What to eat if you have to eat fast-food?
::  How much water to drink (and whether sports drinks are OK)?

And I’ve tried my best to answer all of your questions.  But the truth is…I’m NOT a nutritionist.

But I do happen to know TWO very smart nutritionists, who also happen to be hockey moms of some very successful young female hockey players, and I knew that we had to bring a female-specific, hockey-specific nutrition program to people like you - who are looking for every advantage you can get over the competition, who know that nutrition is critical, but like me, don’t know exactly what you should and shouldn’t be doing to maximize your performance.

So after 15 months of going back and forth, fueled by these two nutritionists decades of experience and tremendous expertise, I can finally give you the nutrition program that you’ve been looking for to take your game to the next level.

Game-Winning Nutrition was specifically created by Cathy Williamson and Rita Wyczynski for the serious player who is ready to do what it takes to become the best player possible.

They’ve taken all the complex and confusion nutrition information that’s out there and simplified it so that you have a step-by-step guide to fuel your peak performance on the ice.

Get Started with Game-Winning Nutrition Today:

http://totalfemalehockeyclub.com/products/game_winning_nutrition/

In Game-Winning Nutrition, you’ll discover:

::  What to eat, when to eat and how much to eat - so that you perform your best every single time you hit the ice.

::  How much water you HAVE TO drink each day - and how drinking any less that this could destroy your performance.

::  How making the smallest changes to the way you eat will transform your performance - and how easy it is to take your nutrition from good to great.

Game Winning Nutrition is all about helping you take charge of your nutrition in order to maximize your performance out on the ice.

To help you get started with taking your game to the next level quickly, Game Winning Nutrition is being offered at the amazingly low introductory price of $29.99.  This is a limited time offer that you must take action on quickly before the price goes up permanently on Friday after 6pm EST.

Get Started with Game-Winning Nutrition Today:

http://totalfemalehockeyclub.com/products/game_winning_nutrition/

Keep Working Hard, Dreaming BIG and Taking Action.

Your friend and coach,

~ Coach Kim

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

In my opinion, there is one single reason the Canadian women’s hockey team won the Olympic gold last night:

==>  PREPARATION

::  They played 50+ games in the 6 months leading up to the games.

::  They participated in grueling "boot camps" that involved early morning runs, intense practices and countless hours of weight training, mental training sessions and conditioning. 

:: They’ve been training together for the last 7 months…but many of these women have been training for this moment for well over a decade.  Players like Hayley Wickenheiser, who has been on the national team for the last 16 years, have dedicated their entire life to this great sport.

But more than all of that long-term preparation. 

They truly believed in their teammates’ ability to succeed.  For example, any one of the 3 Canadian goalies could have played in that gold-medal game.  Two of them have proven themselves on the Olympic stage before, and one, Szabados, was the "rookie".  When the rookie was put in net for the biggest game of her life last night, no one batted an eye.  There was no doubt in their minds that they were going to win.  And that’s one big reason why they did. 

I know I am going to enjoy the BIG win all day today.  Even if you aren’t from Canada, celebrate the fact that women’s hockey was once again front and center on the world stage and all the teams did their country and their sport proud.

Keep Working Hard & Dreaming BIG.

~ Coach Kim

Kim McCullough, MSc, YCS

Director, Total Female Hockey

Girls Hockey Director, PEAC School For Elite Athletes

The games leading up to this gold-medal match-up may not have been nail-biters, but this showdown between the best two women’s teams in the world will definitely be a classic - they always are.

For the last two weeks, these 2 teams have shown the rest of the world that they have no intention of letting them catch-up.  I am tired of listening to the TV commentators talk about how these blowouts aren’t good for women’s hockey.  I can’t stand reading yet
another article about whether our sport should be taken out of the Olympics because it is a two-horse race. 

The reality is that the other countries competing are in fact getting better - much better.  The problem is that the US and Canada keep raising the bar even higher.

And here’s why:  Speed and Strength

The North American players are faster skaters, passers and shooters and they make faster decisions. There might be one or two players on each of the other countries’ teams who are at the same level of the Canada and US players - but one or two fast players
can’t compete against a whole team of 20.

I’ve watched all or part of every single one of the women’s hockey games in the Olympics and the one thing that has stuck out is how much more physical the North American players are. 

They definitely appear to be much stronger physically, but more than that, they are able to translate that strength into smart physical play.  They understand how to give and take body contact properly with and without the puck, while avoiding taking a penalty or getting hurt.  Players from the other countries look like they are either scared to engage in the physical game with the
North American players or that they don’t know how to be physical without taking a penalty.

Here’s the interesting thing about all this…

=>  These are the 2 areas that young girls’ hockey players need to improve on most as well!!!

If you perform all your skills faster and make faster decisions about when to execute those skills…

And are able to give and take contact safely and effectively to separate players from the puck…

You too will dominate out on the ice.

It works for the Canadian and American players and it will work for you too.

That’s why I’m running a MARCH BREAK SPEED & STRENGTH CAMP for 2 days on March 20th and 21st in Toronto.

The entire camp is about taking your speed and your physical game to the next level.

On the first day, we’ll show you how to be faster in all aspects of your game…whether you are a forward looking for the ability to change direction instantaneously, a defenseman looking for faster first-step quickness, or a goalie looking for a quicker reaction time, we are going to work on that on and off the ice. Quick feet, quick hands, quick decisions - we’ll cover it all.

On the second day, I’ll teach you how to give and take contact (not checks) so that you can win 1-on-1 battles in open ice and dominate battles in front of the ice and in the corners.  Off the ice, we’ll teach you how to develop the strength and explosiveness you need to take your speed and physical game to the next level.

This is a 2 day camp that will be held at Chesswood Arena in Toronto and will include 1.5 hours on-ice and 1.5 hours off-ice each day. You will be split into a group based on your age with a younger atom/peewee group and an older bantam/midget group. 
There is only enough room for 25 players per group.

The cost is $90.00 for this 2 day camp -  but there are ONLY 27 spots left so you’ll need to take action quickly to secure your spot now.

Click on the link below to secure your spot now:

http://totalfemalehockeyclub.com/camps-schools/

Enjoy the game tomorrow night.  It will be a great one.

Work Hard. Dream BIG.

Your friend and coach,

~ Kim

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

PS - Secure your spot in the March Break Speed & Strength Camp now:

http://totalfemalehockeyclub.com/camps-schools/

But there has been one moment for me that stood out among all the rest.

During the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics, one of the organizers made a terrific point during his speech that really struck a chord with me and I wanted to make sure that I shared with you.

He said that we should all, “Aspire To Be Olympian”.

He didn’t say we should all aspire to be AN Olympian, but to “Be Olympian”.

Let’s be honest - The reality is that there are very few players or coaches that are ever going to realize their dream of being AN Olympian.

But we can ALL aspire to embody the QUALITIES Olympians have:

::  Commitment & Desire
::  Confidence & Focus
::  Humility & Belief in Themselves

Whether you are a player, parent or coach, you can display these qualities on the ice, off the ice, at school, at work and with your family.

Take a moment and think about what you can do today to embody these ideals in your life.  We won’t all have the chance to compete on the world-stage or stand on top of that podium, but we can learn a lot from these amazing athletes and role models and use their achievements as a guidepost for our own lives.

Keep Working Hard, Dreaming BIG and Be Olympian.

Your friend and coach,

Kim

PS - This past Monday, 103 players came to the Total Female Hockey Speed Camp in Toronto.  The enthusiasm and effort all the players showed was absolutely awesome.

Click on the link below to learn more about future Total Female Hockey Camps and Events:

http://totalfemalehockeyclub.com/camps-schools/

Here is an overview of the upcoming Toronto events:
::  March Break - 2 Day Speed and Body Contact Camp
::  July - 4 Day Complete Player Development Camp
::  August - 3 Day Total Female Hockey “Experience” (high school age only)

You can find out more at:

http://totalfemalehockeyclub.com/camps-schools/

If you aren’t in the Toronto area and are interested in bringing a
Total Female Hockey event to you, email me back with the subject line
“TFH Hockey Travel Event” and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.

Here’s the list of articles included inside this free package:

:: Expect Success To Be Successful
:: The 10,000 Hour Rule in Women’s Hockey
:: 7 Skills Every Player Must Improve On (and Why)
:: The Weight Issue in Girls’ Hockey
:: Committing Random Acts of Excellence
:: The Worst 4-Letter Word in Girls’ Hockey
::  #1 Hockey Pet Peeve
:: Getting Over Getting Cut
:: Olympic Strength In Numbers
::  The Worst Fight In Girls’ Hockey
::  Next Top Model or Next Great Player?
::  #1 Injury in Girls’ Hockey

Click on the link below to get your FREE Olympic Package now:

http://www.totalfemalehockey.com/olympic_package.shtml

Please pass this package along to any player, parent or coach who might be interested in getting some great information & inspiration before the Olympics start later this week.

Enjoy!

Your friend and coach,

~ Coach Kim

Kim McCullough, MSc, YCS

?Director, Total Female Hockey
Girls Hockey Director, PEAC School For Elite Athletes

PS - Start the Olympics off with a bang.  Click on the link below to get your FREE Olympic Package now:

http://www.totalfemalehockey.com/olympic_package.shtml

The mixture of playoffs and impending tryouts takes everyone’s stresslevels 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.  As strange as it may seem, we’re all in the same boat as players, parents and coaches. 

I will be coaching Midget AA in Toronto next season, and ever since I made the decision, I’ve been in the rinks every night watching games, making sure that I know exactly what kind of player I’m looking for once tryouts start.  I want to create the best possible environment for our player’s and team to succeed next season and my co-coach and I are putting in a lot of work to ensure that this is the reality.

After all, we 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.  I know that it’s not just about reducing numbers,  it’s about making decisions that 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.  To be honest, we don’t necessarily want all the best players, but we definitely want to have the 17 players that make up the best team.

Putting together a team is a game of numbers, of roles, of need 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.  But it’s what you do next that defines you as an athlete and player.  Do you use that as a source of motivation to drive you to become good enough to be on that team? 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 just plain 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 and Dreaming BIG.

Your friend and coach,

~ Coach Kim