By: Alexandra Kleinhuizen, CSCS

Everyone has heard the phrase, ‘Practice like you Play;’ and this is true, if you desire to consistently play your best, you have to practice that way. You do not want to guess or hope you are going to have a good game; you want to know and be confident in it. Why should nutrition be any different? If you ‘Practice like you play,’ ideally giving your all in every moment, sacrificing, focusing, etc., you will use the same amount of energy as if in a competition.  Your nutrition and eating regimen should be the same for both practice and competition. The ultimate athlete can output maximal force repeatedly while having optimal recovery. This is the goal of nutrition: to promote consistent optimal performance and optimal recovery. You cannot have ideal performance without recovery.  If your nutrition habits change day to day or change between practice and competition you are setting yourself up for mediocrity, inconsistency, and injury. You would not be training yourself to give your all every moment. You will also not be able to predict your performance or recovery. Inconsistent nutrition is inconsistent performance.  To be the best takes sacrifice not only in training, but in nutrition as well. Nutrition is fuel and recovery, and you need it to perform.  

Now, the question is what is appropriate nutrition? The first thing one has to understand is that we must eat for human performance not sport performance. If you eat for sport performance, you will be lacking in your sport and other areas of life. Treat hockey like a skill, just like anything else: academics, other sports, how you interact with the people around you, music, etc. Develop optimal human performance so you can display any skill you choose. Eat for human performance so you can optimally display any skill you choose.  

It is very important that when you are fueling your body, you begin from the moment you wake until the moment you go to sleep. A meal, or ratio of nutrients, every three hours is ideal and sums up to six meals. When you wake up in the morning, you want to jump start your metabolism in order that you can use your energy efficiently and optimally throughout the day. Fruit is a great jump start. Those who do not eat breakfast will have a slow and inefficient metabolism. When you sleep, optimal recovery takes place. Protein is the nutrient that builds and repairs tissue and new living cells, and this is the ideal macronutrient before sleep.  

Meals during the day must encompass the three macronutrients, carbohydrates, protein, and fat along with vitamins and minerals. Carbohydrates are the immediate energy source of the cell. Protein is the building block of the body. Other than water, it is the most abundant cell in the body with numerous essential purposes, not limited to tissue repair and building. And fat; people fear this nutrient and have negative connotations to it, but it is so important.  Not only does it provide a long-term source of energy, it allows your nervous system to work efficiently. Your brain controls everything you do. The signals created by your brain and the nervous system control every movement, every thought, etc. It is so important that these signals are efficient and fast. Just like an electric circuit, if your nerves have ideal, appropriate insulation (myelin), you will have a strong, consistent signal; and, if it is lacking, your signal will be lost. This is a huge role of fat. In terms of vitamins and minerals, the biggest thing to focus on is an appropriate ratio. Too much of one vitamin or too little in relation to everything else in the body can lead to poor human performance.  

There is so much information related to nutrition and I challenge everyone to take an initiative and educate themselves on these things. Remember human beings are wonders. In fact, the potential of a human being has never been reached. Individuals continue to get faster, stronger, smarter, etc; so, always shoot for the stars. If you sacrifice and give your all in every area of life, including nutrition, you can reach and even surpass your goals. It takes optimal effort in all areas and an initiative to grow.  

Alexandra Kleinhuizen, CSCS

Director of Girl’s MAP and Human Performance for FHIT Players                                                               
Bachelors Degree in Physiology from the University of Minnesota
Played DI Women’s Hockey for the University of Minnesota from 2006-2010 

The Combine: Making a difference in girls hockey

FHIT and Legend Hockey are teaming up to throw a 3 day hockey experience for female hockey players. With this event we hope to enhance the level of play and overall concept of athletics. Although this is an event geared towards ice hockey, we are providing information and athletic situations that will help in all facets of the athletes life. 

Over the course of the next couple months we will be breaking down The Combine for you. Thank you for joining us in changing how female hockey players prepare for higher levels of play.

For now check out the companies involved:

www.legendhockey.com

www.fhitplayers.com

www.megagoaltending.com

By Diane Ness

Let'sPlayHockey.com

We recently had our first day of our Learn to Skate program for the new winter session. For this program, we see all types of ages and abilities. The basic fact is that it still comes back to understanding that skating development is a progression.

One of the classes in particular sticks out in my mind. It was a beginner class filled with 3- and 4-year-olds in which this was their first time being on the ice. Our first lesson at this level starts from the beginning, learning how to fall down and get up, learning how to march with hands “on the table” out in front of them, and if they are really advanced, trying to touch their toes as they march.

Most of this is taught through games so the kids have fun while not even knowing they are actually working on fundamental skating. Anyways, as the young skaters left the ice after the half-hour lesson, I had a parent approach me asking why they didn’t work on stopping and backwards skating. Now keep in mind that these kids are 3- and 4-years-old, so if we can get them to fall down and get up on their own during the first class we have accomplished our goal.

While learning to skate and learning new skills, we have to understand this is a process. A process that takes time, energy and patience. If we aren’t willing to spend the time and energy it takes to get better, we cannot get better and will not progress.

Learning to skate does not happen “right now.” Rather, it is a series of skills that are accomplished, each one getting more difficult than the next. The key is to have the right progression so we have a better chance at succeeding at each new skill rather than getting overwhelmed and frustrated.

The point of this article is not to rant and rave but rather to understand that skating is a progression. Every new skill learned gets tougher to execute, but if the skater has learned all of the lead-up skills, he/she should be able to accomplish the new skill. It’s when we skip steps and try to go from point A to point D that the skater will become very frustrated because it will seem to be too daunting of a task.

I will explain a progression from when a young skater is just starting out. The first-timer should obviously learn how to fall down and get up. Believe it or not, this will take time. Each beginner should do this over and over again. The instructor should help the skater stabilize one foot but let the skater do this on their own.

The skater should then learn how to march, perform a two-foot glide then proceed to a one-foot glide. The general idea is to get the skater progressing forwards. When marching, the youngsters are trying to pick their feet up off the ice rather than just shuffling.

The one-foot glide is the first step to really challenge a skaters balance. You will notice the skater will only be able to hold their foot up for a split second or so but with repetition this will get better.

Once the skater is able to march and move forward, the skater will learn how to do a forward swizzle, which is actually the first edge drill they will perform. From there, the skater can learn how to do a snow plow stop, a backward wiggle and backward swizzles. This is basically what we would teach all of our first time skaters throughout the eight-week session.

Over time, we can move on to more advanced skills such as forward pushing, edges, hockey stops, power turns and forward and backward crossovers. Finally, our most difficult maneuvers are quick starts, strides, transitions and mohawk turns.

As you can see, each one of these skills seem more difficult as the skater progresses. However, if the skater has developed the core skills and is starting from a good base, these skills definitely can be achieved.

Everyone needs to understand that skating just takes time, practice and a bit of patience. Enjoy learning and enjoy improving. Skills will come, some easier than others but the more quality repetition put in, the more the skater will get out of it. Remember to not put the cart before the horse, and always make sure your young skaters have fun.

Diane Ness has been a full-time professional skating coach for over 35 years. She has coached both figure skaters and hockey players alike and is a former U.S. gold medalist in figure skating. She is the Director for the Pro Edge Power hockey camps and the Learn to Skate program at Highland Park Arena. Ness is the skating coach for the New Jersey Devils, the University of Minnesota men’s and women’s hockey teams and the U.S. Women’s Olympic Hockey Team. She has trained players in the NHL, AHL, NCAA, USHL and NAHL.

Composed by Diane Ness

Letsplayhockey.com

http://www.letsplayhockey.com/online-edition/ness/341-the-progression-of-skating.html

http://kaaltv.com/article/stories/s2443321.shtml

Click the video box on this page to hear Jack Jablonski's mother provide updates on his condition, discuss Jack's  concern for the players that hit him, and new efforts to start "Jack's Pledge" hoping to reduce checking from behind in hockey.
Jack Jablonski is already making strides.

Eight days after a check sent the Benilde-St Margaret's hockey player into the boards breaking his spinal cord and paralyzing him, Jablonski moved his arms.
In an interview with several media members prior to Benilde-St Margaret's hockey game Saturday night, Jack's mother Leslie delivered the encouraging news.
Leslie Jablonski says Jack moved was able to flex his left arm at the elbow, something doctors intiially said he would not be able to do.  He also was able to move his right arm away from his body.
Immediately after moving his arms, Leslie quoted Jack saying, "Alright, when can I strap up my skates?"
Jablonski was paralyzed by his injury and remains in the hospital. Doctors who operated on Jablonski said he will likely never regain the ability to walk.
Jack's mother shared that one of his doctors said, "You made my day," to Jack when he saw him moving his arms.
In addition to his own struggle to recover, Jablonski is also concerned about the two opposing players who hit him.
"He keeps asking how they are doing. Saying 'I want them to know I'm not mad'," his mother said. "Jack's gotten so much support, they need it as well.  It wasn't a malicious hit.  We're concerned about them."
An outpouring of support has come out for Jack after the injury and diagnosis that it was unlikely he'd regain the ability to walk.  Rallies, coordinated efforts at sporting events and a massive online effort have all been part of a huge groundswell of community support.
Leslie Jablonski says Jack has seen and heard of the various shows of support, and truly appreciates them all.
A website - jabby13.com - has been established to support the Jack Jablonski Fund.
Saturday's game was the first for a Benilde-St Margarets hockey team since Jack, a member of the Red Knights junior varsity, was injured.

Benilde hockey player Jack Jablonski had 'irreparable' damage, doctors say

By Tim Leighton

tleighton@pioneerpress.com

Updated: 01/05/2012 11:11:17 AM CST

Surgery stabilized the spinal column of Benilde-St. Margaret's sophomore hockey player Jack Jablonski, but the damage done was "irreparable," his doctors said in a statement today.

A news conference will be held today at Hennepin County Medical Center to address the condition of Jablonski, who had spinal fusion surgery Wednesday.

Late Wednesday night, his parents Mike and Leslie, wrote on his CaringBridge website that he likely will not walk again because of the severity of the injury suffered Friday in a junior-varsity hockey game against Wayzata at the St. Louis Park Recreation Center.

"Jack Jablonski's surgery went very smoothly, and we accomplished the necessary goals which were to assess and stabilize his spinal column to prevent further injury and allow for rehabilitation,'' Dr. Thomas Bergman, HCMC chief of neurosurgery, and Dr. Walter Galicich, an HCMC neurosurgeon, said in a joint statement. "Unfortunately, our pre-operative diagnosis was confirmed intra-operatively when we visualized the obviously horrific injury to his spinal column as a result of the neck vertebrae dislocation and fractures (C5-6 dislocation fracture and a C6 fracture). An injury to the spinal cord of this nature results in severe neurological dysfunction and often leads to the inability to move the arms and legs.

"Spinal cord damage of this type is irreparable with surgery, however, Jack is young, strong and determined, and has excellent support from family, friends and

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the community. This support is essential to helping him recover from surgery and continue with the therapies he will require when he goes home.''

Pioneer Press

TwinCities.com

http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_19680543

http://vimeo.com/6089854

Lessons from the Penn State Situation

Lately, you can’t go anywhere without hearing about the scandal that has rocked not only Penn State, NCAA athletics, but society as whole.  

Through all of this, it has reinforced that we are not just judged only on who we are and what we do, but we are also judged by the company we keep.  As member of a team, program or profession, it is important to surround yourself with people who will help make you better.  You cannot turn a blind eye to a situation and deem it as someone else’s problem or just not care because it doesn’t affect you at that moment.

All of this has a broader scope, though. It can be something as simple as understanding that your effort and attitude at practice or how you treat a teammate will affect everyone else and even more importantly, what is YOUR obligation to the success of a group or the success of society as a whole?

As a coach, I have seen first hand people ignoring destructive behaviors in teammates and letting it go to the point where it is too late.  I have also witness situations of personal greatness as teammates have come to the aid of someone in need or stood up for what they felt was right not just for themselves, but for the team and for a program.  It seems there is a lost art of caring for and about others in today’s world of just trying to get what you can get for yourself.

Whether is it buying into your role on a team or helping someone in need from somebody else or, often times, themselves, your actions and reactions can speak louder than anything said or written.

When the day is done, you truly never know another’s secrets.  That’s why they are kept hidden.  But when these things come to light you must do what is right, not what is just easy.  

It is very easy to second guess the decisions of others after we know the outcome of the path chosen, but don’t be afraid to be a leader and demand the best not only of yourself, but also of those around you.

See you at the rink,

Coach Dan

There I was, two-thirds down the bench, stationary. Yes, I was indeed serving as my team’s grocery stick. For those of you who don’t know what a grocery stick is, it is the player who, just as a grocery stick separates your groceries from another’s in the checkout line, separates the defensemen and the forwards on the bench. I came upon this realization the start of the second period of my first MIAC hockey game. I must admit, it humored me at first, being I thought the term was a joke.  However, I learned first hand that grocery sticks do, in fact, exist, and I was one of them.

The transition from South Dakota club hockey and collegiate hockey has been significant, nonetheless my transition from being a defenseman to a forward. Everything is faster, harder, and stronger. Even after putting in hours and hours of training this past summer and a team of people around me helping me achieve my goals, it hasn’t been easy. Despite the challenge, I have loved every second of it. Everyone on my team chose to be here because they love to play hockey, so it makes playing the game so much more enjoyable than in high school. Playing on the Bethel University Women’s Hockey Team has been such a blessing, and I am so thankful to be a part of this team, on and off the ice.

The team environment is quite different than what I experienced in my past 8 years of hockey. Bethel University is a private Christian university, and as a team, we play for the glory of God, not for ourselves. I see being a part of this team as an opportunity to serve my Lord through serving my team by contributing whatever I can, even if that is by encouraging others.  Although being a grocery stick isn’t exactly how I had envisioned my first two college games, I see this as an opportunity to work harder than I ever have before and to not only grow as a player, but as a person.

I once heard that it isn’t fear that will kill you, but complacency. I am by no means complacent with where I am right now; however, I do realize I am in the process of learning a new position, while also adapting to a much faster pace. What more of a perfect opportunity to develop character and improve time management than this? I have recently set goals for myself and know the action steps I need to take with discipline to achieve them. The hardest part of all of this is controlling my thoughts. I find myself listening to myself rather than talking to myself. Sometimes discouragement creeps in and is near impossible to dissipate, but it is my decision whether to give up or get up. With the right perspective, right people, right words, right expectations, and right decisions, I can overcome discouragement with a positive attitude.

In all honesty, if you would have asked me if I wanted to play college hockey eight months ago, I would have said no. Not because I really didn’t want to play, but because I didn’t believe that I could. Joining this team has been one of the most challenging and influential experiences of my life, since it has been entirely out of my comfort zone. I completely put myself out there with the possibility of rejection, and that in itself, for me, is an accomplishment. Now, all I can do is move forward from here, working hard to have intensity, confidence, and skate hard each shift I earn.

“Forget what is behind and strain toward what is ahead.” Philippians 3:13

by MIAC Player X

The Mind Game

I was always thankful that my office in Maine had a couch, and not just for the post morning practice naps.  The only thing that should have changed on the door was the title from Head Coach to Head Psycho Therapist.

In recent weeks, I have several conversations and seen some face book posts about the job of a “Hockey Coach”.  From the outside it looks like the greatest job ever.  Dealing with hockey, the greatest game ever, 24/7/365.  Almost like one of those old ESPN commercials with mascots hanging around, your house made of ice and your kids born with skates on.

The reality of the situation for coaches at the college level – especially Head Coaches, is that hockey is only a small fraction of your job.  There is the paper work for budgeting, the administrative meetings, recruiting and most of all, trying to manage not only your staff and family life, but also 20-25 young women who all have different needs.

My favourite line to hear form players (and sometimes upset parents) is “The Coach is just playing mind games with me.”  Bottom line is, after teaching individual skills, tactical play and scouting reports all that is left is the mind game.  As a coach you are always searching for ways to get the most out of your players. Is it the pat on the back or the kick in the pants.  And each one of those needs to be used differently with each different player at different points in the season or different points within a game.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.  That is the true test of a coach or as I call the, the team’s head psychologist.

The great coaches know when to push the right button for each player at the right time, but it is deeper than that.  It takes time as a coach to figure players out, how they respond to not only what you say, but how you say.  The thing as a coach that you can’t control (which is the hardest part for us who like to try to have as much control of the things you can control) is how the message is heard or reacted to.

This is the mind game.  Can I convince Suzy that she is better than she is to get more out of her during the game, but then next week can I let Suzy know where she fits into the program and she will be out of the line up.  Yes, it is a mind game and the coaches have to play it with everyone on their roster to try to get the most out of their team everyday at practice, every game, every shift and in every situation.  The hard part is getting the players to accept the rules of these mind games.  They want it to only work when it benefits them or when it all of the sudden helps them, but when it doesn’t work, then the coach is the problem.  The mind game needs two willing combatants to be it’s most effective.

At the end of the day, coaches want every player to succeed and be a part of the game and team.  All players want to succeed but sometimes have trouble looking past what is going on for them and not realizing the coach has 20+ more of you that they need to deal with and get the most out of.

Any aspiring coaches that read this, take as many Psychology courses and you can, you WILL need them as a coach.  Also try to understand how tough a job your coach has to manage the needs of each individual on your team and in the organization as a whole.  Understand the coach has to play “mind games” with you in order to help you perform at your highest level – that is coaching.

See you at the rink,

Coach Dan

GimmeHockey was founded by Omaha, Nebraska native Brett Bruneteau. The idea came to Bruneteau after years of struggling to find quality and specific hockey camps to meet the goals he had for himself on the ice rink. This perpetual struggle to find the places that could allow him to further his development in the game would eventually take him to Shattuck St. Mary’s preparatory school which is renowned for turning out players such as Sidney Crosby, Zach Parise, Drew Stafford, Jack Johnson, and Kyle Okposo. After his time there, Bruneteau played in the country’s only tier I junior league, the United States Hockey League (USHL). During that time, Bruneteau was named captain for both the under 17 and 18 United States national teams that won gold and silver in the world championships. After his exposure on an international stage, he was drafted in the fourth round of the 2007 NHL entry draft by the Washington Capitals. Bruneteau went on to play for the University of North Dakota in the WCHA where he won two Broadmoor trophies (Playoff championship) and one McNaughton Cup (Regular season championship). He was also a part of the Sioux’s frozen four berth this past year.

GimmeHockey will provide a unique service to both camps and users that is currently unmatched and unrivaled. GimmeHockey will use a complex and detailed, yet simple and easy template for each camp to design. Camps will have the ability to market in their own language using an array of features, such as photos, videos, and testimonials, to better connect and appeal to their customers. They will be able to set camp capacities, monitor registration more effectively, and receive automatic payment upon user registration. 

Users will be taken through a process upon entering the site in which they will be asked their preferences. These will include skill, age, date, location, price, and or name. If one or multiple areas are not important, they will not be factored into the users end results. Upon completing this information (which will take up 20 seconds), the user will be delivered the camps that meet their matches. The user then will have the opportunity to view the camp profile pages; reviewing and comparing through the generalized personal page template, yet having the ability to decipher between the camps based on their marketing language, camp information, videos, photos, and various other information they choose to update. Finally, users will have the ability to pay and register on the site eliminating the traditional need to bring a check to the first day of camp. 

GimmeHockey.com will be up and running October 1st!!