While there are a lot of power skating drills/exercises that look familiar, like crossovers, pivoting, stops and starts, etc., there are also a lot of drills that look really “weird”. Parents and players often ask why we teach these other exercises that players will...

Well, it looks like Spring in Michigan has arrived! (I sure hope I didn’t jinx us by saying that!) The regular hockey season is over, and hopefully the kids are engaging in some other sports. Spring and Summer are also the perfect time to work on your...

With each passing year of coaching, it never ceases to amaze me how often people assume that our sports superheroes and stars were “born that way”. That Patrick Kane had “gifted hands” from a young age, or that Tom Brady was a superhuman athlete his whole...

I like to walk through the book stores every once in a while, just to see what might be out there. I always peruse through the NY Times best sellers, the business section, and of course, the sports section. A new book called Hockey Anatomy caught my eye....

As someone who spends 100% of my coaching time working with youth athletes, it never ceases to amaze me how poorly they eat. The younger athletes age 6-10 are busy pounding candy, popcorn, and Gatorade (the “healthy” drink!), just to name a few common...

I don’t know why, but most of us struggle with the concept of future benefits. Getting people to understand the concept of saving and investing their money when they are young is like pulling teeth. And so it goes with athletic training as well. I wish I had a nickel...

What? In terms of athletic development, speed and quickness can only be developed once all of the required pieces of the puzzle are in place. Yes, some youth athletes are quicker or faster than others, and some kids are just more athletically inclined than...

My Identity as an Elite Hockey Player by Drew Brown #7 July 2011 Ever since I was five years old, I told everyone I wanted to play hockey in the NHL. As a five-year-old, you do not recognize the early mornings, late nights and long days it takes to become...

Olympic Recap Wow! What a great set of Olympic games!!! Congrats to the US Women’s Ice Hockey team for pulling out a victory and Gold Medal in a shootout win over Canada. Too bad the Men’s team couldn’t do the same, I think we had a shot at double Gold Medals in ice...

It’s finally here!!!! The moment all winter sports fans wait 4 long years for the Winter Olympics! And for all of the Men’s and Women’s Ice Hockey fans, the 2018 Olympics will be very special indeed. For the first time since the 1998 Olympics, the Men’s team will be...

While most successful College and NHL hockey players are above average in terms of height and weight, there are some players who have been very successful because of their speed and explosiveness. Jiri Hudler and Brad Marchand are only 5'9",...

One of my favorite things to do when I work with a player for the first time is find out what they’ve been taught or what they already know. I usually ask them if anyone has ever taught them anything about skating, specifically what a player has to do to get speed and...

Absolutely. 100%. YES! Why do I say that without hesitating? 3 reasons: To be effective at the position of goaltending, you need to be a good skater. If you ask the “pros”, they will be the first to tell you that the goalie actually has to be one of the best skaters...

I often get questions from parents about whether or not their child is “ready” to participate in our skating treadmill training program. They want to know if their 8-year-old is too young, or even their 6-year-old. Or what if their child only plays House hockey, or...

One of the most frequent questions people ask about training on the skating treadmill is whether or not it "ruins" or dulls your blades. Skating on the treadmill does NOT ruin your blades! But the plastic polymer of the skating treadmill surface has a higher...

As an athlete, or a parent of an athlete, we are all looking for the highest quality coaching we can get. Much time and energy is spent researching the credentials and track records of local coaches in the hopes of finding a qualified professional that we can trust...

Skating is a very specialized form of movement, one that takes years to master. It is a time-intensive, repetition driven form of locomotion that requires thousands of hours to attain an elite status. The treadmill offers players a readily available, accessible means...

For those lucky few who are blessed with exceptional athletic skills, a life of celebrity, fame, adoring fans, and fortune may await you. At the very least, you will have many friends, people who take an interest in your life and tell you that you are special. Of...