Let’s be honest. You and I both know that getting noticed, getting recruited, getting a scholarship and playing college hockey isn’t easy.  There are thousands of players who dream of getting to that level and hundreds who have a realistic shot at it. But only a small percentage will reach that goal.

 

 

This isn’t meant to scare you. It should inspire you.

 

 

Because it’s not just the superstars who get there.  They’ve got it easy. They’ve got the scouts knocking down their doors and have their pick of any school they want. But those girls account for less than 1% of players.

 

So what about the rest of us?  The ones who aren’t at the very very top.  The ones who have the passion and the potential, but aren’t quite at the top of their game - yet.  You probably haven’t reached your full potential yet. It may be because of your age or your experience, but you’ve still got lots of time and desire to get better.  There are plenty of opportunities to play college hockey for you, but you’ve got to be willing to do the work on & off the ice.   But I’ve been telling you that for a while now.

 

The truth is you can work as hard as you want on and off the ice and take care of all the little details with your training, mental game and your nutrition…

 

…BUT if you don’t have a road map to guide you through the whole recruiting process, it is very easy to get lost along the way. The whole recruiting process can get very complicated and confusing. But it doesn’t have to be - if you have a step-by-step plan to follow.

 

That’s why I created the Total Female Hockey SCHOLARSHIP PROJECT and why I am so excited to launch it to the entire world of women’s hockey for the first time ever today.

 

I’ve spent the last 3 years getting the “insider information” directly from the college hockey scouts and coaches. I’ve done all the research about the entire process for you, and mapped out your plan of attack step-by-step.

 

I’ve made it as SIMPLE for you as possible.

 

There is no “fluff” or “filler” here. I have ONLY included the CRITICAL information you MUST know. I’m not going to waste your time with things you don’t need. This isn’t a generic guide to playing sports in college…this is ONLY about women’s college hockey. Period.  There simply ISN’T another step-by-step guide available that is so specific to the needs of female hockey players…

 

…and I’m practically giving it away!

 

This is the FIRST time I’ve released the SCHOLARSHIP PROJECT to the public.  I’ve shared it with the college coaches and scouts, as well as with players and parents who’ve already been through the process, and they agreed that it is the most complete and easy-to-follow resource for anyone who wants to play women’s college hockey.

I want to help you realize your dream.  So I put together an unbelievable introductory offer (with 2 amazing bonuses) to help you get started now.

:::: Click the link below to get started with The Scholarship Project ::::

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

 

 

You’re still going to have to do the work. But all you need to do is follow the plan, instead of having to figure it out on your own.

 

Plan To Work and Work The Plan.

 

Your friend and coach,

Kim

 

 

PS - The price of the Scholarship Project goes up on Friday permanently. It will never again be offered at this ridiculously low price. 

 

Click the link below to get take advantage of this one-time offer:

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

Kim McCullough, MSc, YCS
Director, Total Female Hockey

When it comes to the college recruiting and scholarship process, players, parents and college coaches all want the SAME THING.

PLAYERS WANT:
=> To play hockey at the highest level possible
=> To find the perfect school for them
=> The process to be as SIMPLE as possible

PARENTS WANT:
=> Their daughter to reach her full potential on and off the ice
=> Their daughter to get the best education possible
=> The process to be as SIMPLE as possible

COACHES WANT:
=> Players who have the potential and desire to become the best player possible
=> Motivated players who fit into their program athletically, academically and socially
=> The process to be as SIMPLE as possible

 

You find the school of your dreams and they get a player that fits perfectly into their program.  It’s a win-win situation for everyone…

… BUT Where Do You Start? 

 

I can’t tell you what the best school is going to be for you. And neither can the coaches. You’ll need to figure that out on your own. But I can help you through the entire process. You and I both know that getting recruited, getting a scholarship & playing college hockey isn’t easy. The process seems confusing & complicated - unless you’ve got a step-by-step action plan.

 

And as of next Tuesday morning, you will have that action plan. You will finally be able to get your hands on the Total Female Hockey SCHOLARSHIP PROJECT.  It’s been 3 long years in the making, and I promise you that there isn’t another step-by-step guide that is as packed with critical information and focused only on girls hockey anywhere.

 

On Tuesday, I’ll give you everything you need to make the entire process as SIMPLE as possible.  And on Monday night at 8pm EST, I’m giving you a head-start. Over 300 players, parents and coaches have already signed-up for Monday’s exclusive coaching call - and I want to make sure you don’t miss out on your chance to learn "The 7 Secrets of Getting A College Hockey Scholarship".   Even if you can’t make it on the call live, go register for the call so that I can send you the MP3 recording right after the call is done.

 

To reserve your spot in this FREE Scholarship Secrets Call, visit:

 

http://totalfemalehockey.com/scholarship_call.shtml

 

I hope to see you there next Monday night!

 

Your friend and coach,

 

~ Kim

 

PS - Please pass the sign-up details for the 7 Secrets Call to any teammates, coaches, parents and friends who you think might benefit from this critical information.  You can just send them to the link below:

http://totalfemalehockey.com/scholarship_call.shtml

 

Now that the holiday season is over, it is officially crunch time. The start of the New Year signals a fundamental switch in the  mindset of players, parents and coaches. Our intensity and focus should be going through the roof.  I can feel it every time I walk into the rink.

 

With playoffs less than a month away, every game becomes that much more important.  Coaches are always teaching, but now the expectation is that our players will execute on the things they’ve learned over the past 4 months.  Players have been working hard all season, but now the stakes are higher.  You’re thinking about all you need to do to help your team succeed, and you might also be worried about where you might be playing next year and whether there are coaches and scouts in the stands watching.  And parents, you’re not only focused on how far your daughter’s current team goes, but let’s face it, you’re also already thinking about what will happen next season.

 

So whether you are focused on…

 

::  Making the playoffs
::  Qualifying for provincials, regionals or nationals
::  Making a good impression on coaches for next year’s teams
::  Standing out for college and university scouts

… you have to know that there isn’t a lot of room for error.

 

 

We’re all still going to make mistakes, but we hope that they happen less often and not at critical moments.  We hope that we’re prepared.  You’ve got your skills, strategies and systems in place on the ice, and you’ve hopefully been taking care of your training, nutrition and mental performance off the ice.

 

 

If you’ve done the work, you should be in a position to succeed.

 

:::  Because the reality is - you usually only get one shot at it. :::

 

You need to take advantage of every BIG opportunity that comes your way, because they don’t come around very often.

 

I’ll give you an example. Back in November, I was very lucky to make a presentation entitled, “What The Scouts Are Really Looking For” at  the Wickenheiser tournament.  I’ve given this presentation many times before, but this time I was joined by Melody Davidson, who coached the Canadian women’s team to gold on multiple occasions, and also coached at the university level.  To say that I was honored to be speaking at the same session as her would be an understatement.  After I gave my whole presentation about how to get noticed by and recruited by college hockey coaches, it was Mel’s turn.  And the first point she made really stuck out to me because it not only applies to players when they are looking to play hockey at the university level or for their national team.  It applies to you as you head into this critical time of the year.

 

She said, “You may only ever get one shot at this”. 

 

She went on to explain that when it comes to cracking the national team lineup, you can’t afford to have a bad training camp or a bad tournament.  When you are looking to standout in the eyes of the coaches and scouts, you can’t really afford to have bad shifts or bad games.  When the game or your season is on the line, you have to rise to the occasion.  It is those teams and players who can capitalize on those BIG opportunities that succeed.

 

 

Over the next few months, you may feel a lot of pressure. You may be worried and you may get stressed out. But you need to know this… If you’ve done the work on and off the ice all season long, the opportunities are there for the taking.  If you’ve done all you can to prepare yourself to succeed, there is absolutely no reason why you can’t capitalize on those opportunities.

 

After all, preparation breeds success.

 

 

When you know that you might only get one shot, you need to ask yourself:  “Have I done all I can to put myself in a position to succeed?”

 

Only you know the real answer.

Keep Working Hard, Dreaming BIG and Taking Action.

 

Your friend and coach,

 

Kim

 

Kim McCullough, MSc, YCS

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

Here’s what determines the level of success a girls’ hockey player achieves:

 

It’s NOT…

::  The team you play for
::  The camps you go to
::  Or the coaches you listen to

 

And it’s NOT…

::  How hard you shoot
::  How fast you skate
::  Or how fit you are

 

What truly separates good from great ones is mental.  I’ve talked a lot about confidence and focus in the past, but today I want to talk about something even bigger than that…

 

Your EXPECTATIONS.

 

A great player doesn’t wish, hope, want or strive for success.

 

She EXPECTS it.

 

She 100% believes in her ability to successfully achieve her goals.

 

This doesn’t happen overnight - it is a process. Success breeds success.  And it’s the accumulation of small victories over time in practice, in the gym and in games that lead to bigger victories and help you to believe that you can achieve any goal you set your mind to.

When I think back to my final year of high school, I realize that I expected to be the best player every time I hit the ice.  Whether I always succeeded in being the best player or not, I expected that I would be and that’s what drove my success.  I didn’t just want to be the best - I expected it.

 

So what are your expectations for yourself when you hit the ice?

::: Are you holding yourself to a high enough standard?

::: Or are you letting yourself off the hook? 

::: Are you stepping outside your comfort zone?

::: Or are you just barely playing up to your potential? 

::: Are you consistently making the hard choice to be great?

::: Or are you making the easy choice and just going along with the crowd?

 

 

As we head into the second half of the season and a new year, you need to start setting higher expectations for yourself and holding yourself accountable to meeting and exceeding your goals.  You’ll be amazed at what can happen when you believe in your ability to achieve all the success you’ve dreamed of.

 

Work Hard, Dream BIG and Expect Success.

~ Coach Kim

Kim McCullough, MSc, YCS

Director, Total Female Hockey

Girls Hockey Director, PEAC School For Elite Athletes

I received a great response after sending out last week’s message about the "5 Mistakes That Drive Coaches Crazy", so I decided I would add to the list.  This is for all you coaches out there who are frustrated by these mistakes and for you players who want to stay on your coaches’ good side for the rest of the  season.  There’s no room for these mistakes especially with holiday tournaments  and playoffs just around the corner.

 

1.  NOT Stopping and Starting

This drives EVERY coach crazy.  I must yell out "stop and start" at least 10 times in every single practice and game.  And yet no matter how many times I yell it, players still commit this cardinal sin over and over again. 

 

It’s true that doing a tight turn or making a big circle is not nearly as tiring, or as hard on your legs, as stopping and starting.  But circling means that you are turning your back to the play and giving your opponent more space and time.  This is especially dangerous in the defensive zone where losing your player for a second can lead directly to the puck ending up in the back of your net. But it  is also critical out in the neutral zone and the offensive zone.  An effective forecheck and penalty kill also rely heavily on your ability to stop and start  effectively.  It is hard and it is tiring - but you have to do it. 

 

This is especially critical if you want to play at the university level.   An inability, or unwillingness, of a player to stop and start sets off alarm bells for scouts.  Stopping and starting shows that you are defensively responsible and are willing to work a little harder than a player who takes the easy way out and circles.  These are two qualities that don’t show up on the score sheet, but are things that elite coaches are always looking for.

 

 

2.  Giving Up On A Play

 

This might even be worse than not stopping and starting.  Watching a player give up on a play drives me crazy.  It is one of the biggest things that separates the elite players from the rest.  You see when you make a mistake and stop moving your feet (or even worse, shrug your shoulders or bang your stick), you eliminate your ability to recover and get back into the play. 

 

When I watch the best young players here in Toronto, I always notice how they never give up on a play.  They are the forwards who don’t just back-check to the centre line and coast into their zone - they skate as hard as they can all the way back into their own zone, even if they think there is no way they are actually going to catch the player from the other team.  They are the defensemen who chase down the opposing team’s forward when she has a breakaway and makes that spectacular diving play to stop them, knocking the puck off their stick just as they go to shoot.   They are the goalies who make that last-ditch effort to dive across the net when they are completely out of the play and happen to save the puck with the knob of their stick right before it crosses the goal-line.  That’s what it means to NEVER give up on a play. 

 

That level of effort and hustle isn’t something that can be taught - it’s just something you do because of that small chance that you might be able  to recover and do something spectacular. 

 

3.  Trying To Be Too Fancy

 

OK - I have to admit, out of all the mistakes I’ve mentioned, this is probably the one that makes me the most mad.   I watch so many games where I see girls try to be spectacular instead of keeping things simple.  My two biggest pet peeves in this regard are the slap-shot and the toe-drag.

 

Let me first say, that I have no problem with slap-shots or toe-drags - when they are used at the right time.  It makes me cringe every single time I see a player do a toe-drag right at the blue-line and turn over the puck, instead of taking an extra stride or two to gain the zone.  I hate seeing a defenseman fire a "boomer" off the opponents shin-pads on the power-play, when a simple wrist shot from the point would have done the trick.  Fancy moves are fine - but you’ve got to do them at the right time and be able to execute them at full speed.

 

I always tell my players that it doesn’t say on the score sheet what the goal looked like - it just says "Goal".  It’s nice to score a pretty one every once in a while, but every coach would agree that they just want the puck in the back of the net. 

 

 

 

Like I said last week, these mistakes aren’t huge by themselves - but they add up over the course of the game and the season.  Keep things simple and focus on the "little" details to have a great second half of the season.

 

Keep Working Hard and Dreaming BIG.

 

Your friend and coach,

 

Kim

 

PS - Speaking of fancy moves, if you want to take your shooting and stickhandling to the next level over the holiday season, you can use the Total Female Hockey Elite Stickhandling & Shooting Video Series. I created these off-ice instructional videos to help you make all your shots (including the slap-shot and wrist-shot) as well as your moves (including the dreaded toe-drag) more effective. Now is a great time to revisit these critical individual skills - with big tournaments and the playoffs just around the corner.

 

Click on the link below to get started:

 

http://totalfemalehockeyclub.com/products/elite_shooting_stickhandling/

 

It makes a great holiday gift - especially if you are getting a new stick and need to break it in quickly over the holidays.

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

 

Now that we are deep into the regular season, I have to admit that I’m finding myself getting frustrated by the fact that some of my players  consistently make the same mistakes over and over again.  I’m sure there are more than a few coaches out there who are feeling the same frustrations.  Players - we don’t mind if you make mistakes every once in a while, but when you continue to repeat those same mistakes over time, we start to question your coachability and consistency. Being coachable and consistent are two critical qualities for all players especially when you are looking to play at the elite levels of girls’ hockey.

So to help you avoid getting on your coach’s bad side at the midpoint of the season, here are the top 5 mistakes that drive me crazy as a coach:

 

 

#1 - Making mistakes at half-speed

I don’t mind if players make mistakes - in fact, I expect them to.  Hockey is a game of mistakes after all.  Plays rarely work out perfectly and more often that not, scoring chances and goals result from a bad bounce or a miscue by a player.  I tell all my players at the start of the season that I expect they will mistakes, but I will not tolerate them making mistakes at half-speed.  When you make a play at half-speed (or even worse, without your feet moving) you take away your ability to recover if you make a mistake.  Aggressiveness and confidence are extremely valuable qualities for girls hockey players to have - so go full-out all the time and use your speed and determination to recover if you do make a mistake.

Also - when you do make a mistake, play it off as if nothing happened.  Instead of banging your stick, rolling your eyes or yelling, just keep going.  Pretend as if nothing happened.  This is a huge thing for scouts from the college and university level - they don’t want you wasting your time or energy dwelling on mistakes, they need you to get right back in the play immediately.

#2 - Turn-overs within 5 feet of the blue-lines

This is the biggest one for me.  It drives me crazy when a forward makes a move right outside the blue-line that throws their teammates off-side.  Similarly, turning the puck over on the breakout just 5 feet inside the blue-line is infuriating.  Defensemen are equally as guilty here too - they back off the blue-line in the offensive zone and keep their team from maintain puck possession on the attack.  The rule of thumb is to keep things simple within 5 feet of the blue-line.  No cute drop passes and no trying to make a fancy move. Carry the puck in deep or chip it off the wall to get it out of the zone. Simple.

 

#3 - Throwing the puck back into traffic

Puck possession is a very hard thing to maintain in boys’ hockey because of body checking, but it is much easier to maintain in girls’ hockey and is absolutely critical to a team’s success.  Finding open space when you don’t have the puck and moving the puck to an open player when you do have the puck are two very important skills for players to master - and they are also quite hard to teach.  Too often players panic when they get the puck and are under pressure and simply throw it back in the direction it came from.  This is when your ability to know where you want to put the puck before it even gets to you and your teammates’ ability to provide good close support is critical.  Be patient, keep your feet moving and remember that the puck doesn’t always need to move forwards down the ice.  Don’t be afraid to pull the puck back and regroup it back in towards your own zone so that you can maintain control and wait for space to open up. 

 

#4 - Over-passing the puck

This is a big difference between boys’ and girls’ hockey.  On a 2-on-1 rush in boys’ hockey, the player who carries the puck in over the blue-line is more often than not the shooter.  In girls’ hockey, the players usually make one or two too many passes as they come in on the net, which results in a shot from too tight or no shot at all.  Over-passing the puck takes away space and control which lessens the chance you will score.  I have heard players say that they pass on the 2-on-1 because they don’t want their teammate to get mad at them if they don’t.  Trust me - your teammate will not be mad at you if you score.  One or two smartly placed and timed passes are OK - but trying to make 4 or 5 passes once you get over the blue-line is very unlikely to work.  The closer you get to the net, the less options you have to move the puck.  So shoot more, and pass less.

 

#5 - Taking everything too literally

This is a another huge difference between the boys’ and girls’ game.  Girls’ tend to get very focused on executing the system exactly as the coach teaches it. This is not bad thing - but quite often it results in “paralysis by analysis”.  You get so focused on being exactly where you are supposed to be that you miss out on chances to create turnovers or capitalize on the other team’s mistakes. You need learn the system, be a responsible player in both ends of the ice, and then look for opportunities to play “outside the box”. 

 

Those five mistakes aren’t huge by themselves - but they add up over the course of the game and the season.  So focus on these details to help your team have a very successful second half of the season.

Please pass this email along to any friends, teammates, players, parents and coaches that you think might benefit from the information.

 

Keep Working Hard and Dreaming BIG.

 

Your friend and coach,

 

Kim

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

 

Every year, I take the girls I coach at the PEAC School For Elite Athletes on a tour of US universities to learn exactly what it takes get to and excel  at the next level of women’s hockey.  I truly believe any player who wants to play at this level can get there. Not every player who dreams of making the Olympic team is going to get there (there are only 20 spots every 4 years after all), but with over 100 colleges and universities in North America offering varsity women’s hockey programs, this is a much more realistic and reachable goal.

 

Most of the players I meet say they want to play at this level, but very few of them have any idea what it takes to get there or what they have to do to succeed on the ice and in the  classroom once they arrive on campus. On our school trips, we’ve been very fortunate to have the coaches of the top-level teams in the country give us the "inside" look at their programs. We watch practice, speak with the players, get tours from the coaches, and watch a Division 1 NCAA regular season game. All so the girls can see exactly what the next level looks like.  Now my players are more  focused and committed than ever to achieving their goals.

 

I realize that not every player who aspires to reach this next level has the chance to go on a trip like this…

 

::: That’s why I wanted to share the TOP 3 TIPS we’ve gotten from the college coaches with you :::

 

1.  Be Consistent

This is something that I am constantly bringing up when I’m talking to young players who want to get noticed. You have to be consistent each and every game in order to get to - and play at - the next level.    If you can only string together 3 or 4 good shifts a game now, a college coach is going to question whether you can deliver a consistently good performance once you get to the next level. They need to be confident that they can put you out on the ice and get what they expect out of you.

 

 

2.  What Would Happen If You Broke Your Leg? 

I know this is a bit of a gruesome thought, but when it comes to choosing what school you want to attend, you have to make sure that you aren’t making your choice only because of the hockey program. The question you should ask yourself is, "Would I still be happy here even if I broke my leg on the first day?"  If your answer is yes, then it’s the right school for you.  If it’s no, keep looking.

 

 

3. Start NOW

This was something all the coaches and players mentioned.  Far too many players wait until they get to the next level to prepare themselves for the next level.   You can have all the skills in the world, but if you are fast enough or fit enough to keep up with the pace and intensity, you and your skills will be sitting on the bench.  The only reason I was able to go from being buried on the 4th line to being on the 2nd line and power-play as a 1st year player in college was because of all the training I did off the ice.  I was more fit, which meant I could go harder and longer in practice and in off-ice training ,and could recover faster to work even harder the next day.

But that didn’t just happen when I arrived on campus. It happened in the 4 years before I went to college.  I put in the time and effort off the ice to put myself in a position to excel on the ice.  I did the work.  And you need to too.

 

So here’s my holiday gift to you:

For the next 3 days only, you can get the Total Female Hockey Complete Training System Elite Edition for 50% off regular price. If you order before Friday December 3rd, you will get a training system that is guaranteed to take your strength, speed and  performance to the next level for half price ($97) - and I can guarantee that it will arrive before the holidays.  Your journey to the next level starts today.

 

 

Click on the link below to get started with a program that will help you get to, and excel at, the next level today:

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

 

 

Keep Working Hard and Dreaming BIG.

~ Coach Kim

 

PS - Don’t miss out on your opportunity to get your hands on the best program I have ever created for 50% OFF:

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

 

 

 

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

 

The backhand is one of the most feared shots in the world of girls hockey.  Goalies hate backhands because they can be very unpredictable when done well and players hate them - well, because they aren’t very good at them…

 

…Here’s The #1 Reason Why:

 

=>  You need to get your top hand away from your hip.

 

What do I mean by that?  If you are a right-handed shot, your left hand is your top hand. Most female hockey players (for some strange reason I still can’t quite figure out) hold their top hand very close to their hip. In this case of the righty, it would be on their left hip.  This means that both hands and the stick are being carried very close to the body and that the stick is most likely no where close to the ice (but that’s another topic entirely).

 

When your hands are that close to your body, it restricts your ability to stickhandle, shoot and pass effectively.  The reason is that you lose a significant range of motion with your arms and your stick when you carry your hands close to your body.  So why is this important for your backhand?

 

Because you need to be able to cup and sweep the puck the same way you do on your wrist shot in order for your backhand to be effective (as a side note, having your top hand glued to your hip has devastating  effects on your wrist shot too). 

 

Most young players shoot what I like to call a “pitchfork backhand”. Their blade never cups the puck at all, they don’t start with the puck behind their back foot and they basically try to lift the puck into the air by flinging their stick as high and hard into the air as they can.  Shooting like this gives you zero control and very little power. Not to mention the fact that it just looks so wrong.

 

Once you get your top hand away from your hip, you give yourself a much greater range of motion with your arms and stick. That allows you to cup the puck, sweep the puck like you would in a wrist shot and follow through at the end pointing your stick at the target.

 

Getting your top hand away from your hip is something that I am constantly telling my players to do to help their passing, stick-handling and shooting.  Sometimes I feel like a broken record out there, repeating myself over and over again. It’s one of those little details that makes a huge difference in the way you play the game.  So as you are practicing and playing in your games this weekend, I want you to think about making this little adjustment to your game. It may feel a little awkward at first if you aren’t used to it, but I can guarantee you that it will have a positive impact on your performance.

 

Keep Working Hard and Dreaming BIG.

 

Your friend and coach,

 

Kim

 

PS - We will be working on critical “little” details like this - as well as many more - at the TOTAL FEMALE HOCKEY “KICK START” HOLIDAY CAMP. This two-day camp runs on Thursday December 30th and Friday December 31st at Chesswood Arena in Toronto.  As of this morning, we still have some spots left in each group - but I’m not sure how much longer they’ll last.  So if you are interested in joining us for two days of high-intensity work (and fun) please make sure you register soon to secure your spot.

 

We are splitting skaters into 2 groups based on age:

Group 1 - Atom & Peewee:  On-ice 9:00am-11:00am, Off-ice 11:30am-1:00pm

Group 2 - Bantam & Midget:  On-ice 11:00am-1:00pm, Off-ice 1:30pm-3:00pm

 

 

=>  ATOM & PEEWEE group: Click on the link below to register

http://www.1shoppingcart.com/SecureCart/SecureCart.aspx?mid=D0EE400E-B774-4402-9667-F341B2106AA0&pid=5061fae5b5054c50880f770cd81f8d34

 

 

=>  BANTAM & MIDGET group:  Click on the link below to register

http://www.1shoppingcart.com/SecureCart/SecureCart.aspx?mid=D0EE400E-B774-4402-9667-F341B2106AA0&pid=33ede3ebe5164de9b4539dd5272e91f0

 

 

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

It’s college hockey week here at Total Female Hockey. This week I am touring Vermont and New Hampshire with the PEAC Girls Hockey team to visit NCAA Division 1 schools and play a few games against some top-flight teams.  We will be watching team practices and training sessions, touring the campuses, watching a Division 1 game and getting a first-hand experience of what it really takes to get to, and excel at, the college hockey level. Then the day we get back from our trip, I fly out to Vancouver to speak at  Hayley Wickenheiser’s tournament on “How To Get Noticed & Recruited”.

 

One of the most common questions I get from players, parents and coaches about the whole college hockey recruiting process is:

 

“What are the scouts looking for?”

 

There is really no easy answer to this since a college hockey coach needs to fill their roster with players who fill a position and role, which changes year-by-year based on their team’s particular needs.
 

 

To keep it simple for you, I’ve broken it down into what I call the “3 As”.

::  Academics
::  Athletics
::  Attitude

 

 

 

ACADEMICS:

When it comes to academics, the better your grades and test scores, the easier it is going to be for you to get into the school.  Having high marks and scores will only help you throughout this process. I’ve seen far too many players focus all their time and energy on the hockey side of things only to miss out on a great opportunity because their academics weren’t up to par.  Remember, you want to use your ability to play hockey to get a better academic opportunity.  We aren’t chasing million dollar NHL contracts, we are looking to get a great education that we can use for life.
 

 

ATHLETICS:

Coaches aren’t just looking for the players with the best skills. Don’t get me wrong - your skating, shooting, stickhandling, passing and checking are critical to you getting noticed, but college coaches need much more than that. They are looking at your coachability, your sportsmanship, your work ethic with and without the puck (as well as on and off the ice). These aren’t always things they can see directly from the stands, but a quick conversation with your club coach or opposing coaches will tell them a lot.

 

ATTITUDE:

Last, and certainly not least, is your attitude.  To be honest, I’ve heard from many college coaches that a player could have great academics and athletic ability, but if they have a bad attitude, they won’t be able to go anywhere.  They need to be able to visualize you being a part of their team. They want to see how you interact with your teammates, coaches and opponents. They are watching you when you walk around the rink. They see how you carry yourself away from the ice. This stuff matters.  It is about much more than just your playing ability.

 

 

BOTTOM LINE:  They are looking for the COMPLETE PACKAGE.  That’s what the “3 As” are all about.  It takes a lot of hard work, dedication and discipline to get there. But the payoff is worth it.

Keep Working Hard, Dreaming BIG and Taking Action On & Off The Ice.

 

Your friend and coach,

Kim
 

Kim McCullough, MSc, YCS

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

 

This is a little embarrassing.  Even if you’ve only been part of the Total Female Hockey community
for a few weeks, you know all about the mistakes I made when it  came to training off the ice on my way up to the next level.

 

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/