Help me develop an off season program for my son!

[AIREAYE]

who the f&*k are you? He's a hockey parent not a baseball, soccer, lacrosse, or swimming parent. There's a term for people telling other people how to raise their kids. They're called "losers" or "wanna-be parents"...Nice try though

Anyway, definitely get him a pair of roller hockey blades. Roller is an awesome way to work on your ice game during the summer whether it's a pick up game, or just practicing skating/stickhandling/shooting

Alrite there. Let's tackle this response:

Hockey parent yes, those sports were suggestions on other activities that would ALSO HELP with conditioning not involving hockey.

Other people telling him how to raise his kid...haha you make me laugh. This is HFBoards, not a child-rearing class. He came on this board asking for our advice bud, I gave my opinion, others seem to agree with me until the OP clarified that the kid really wanted to do this too. Take a seat please and thank you and keep the language off these boards too.

i take exception to you saying im trying to run my sons life. This is a way me and my son connect, i WISH my father had "run" my life like this. OFFSIDE

Thanks for clarifying your position, but make no mistake, your first post gave off that 'stage parent' attitude but now you've made it clear that he likes it too and I really think that's an amazing thing. My dad doesn't like me playing hockey so I've had to support myself...I'm not even 18 yet lol, I wish my Dad was like you.

edit: ever try mountain biking? It's a great way to work the quads, lower body and stamina while taking advantage of the weather. I don't think an 8 year old should be doing weights and stuff cause I heard it's not good for his physical development.

 

[ponder]

Also, to the thread creator, if you're wondering why people reacted so negatively to your original post, it's because there ARE a lot of crazy hockey parents out there who push their young kids way too hard and make the game not fun for them, and speaking like this about an 8 year old seems a touch odd:

His strengths are his hockey sense and crazy hands and heads up skating. He has a good stride but it isnt lightning fast. He is VERY strong on the puck.
His weakness is quick speed, and energy levels at times in games is below average.

I think it's a great idea to help your kid out with hockey in a fun, low pressure way, but it shouldn't be hard to see how this post gave off the "over the top hockey dad" vibe. Not saying you necessarily are like that, but your first post obviously gave a lot of people that feeling.

 

[Rocko604]

This thread reminds of when my parents gave me a choice of what sport I wanted to play during the hockey off-season:

When I was 11 years old, Mike Piazza was one of my sporting heroes. I begged my parents to let me play baseball, but I somehow ended up playing lacrosse instead. Apprently that was my decision. I don't remember it that way, so now I blame them for me not making $10 million a year playing for the Dodgers. Jerks.

 

[Bravid Nonahan]

It's really fortunate, that where I live, the local YMCA has a rink and it has ice year round. However, aside from a few hockey camps and AAA practices, it isn't used in the summer a whole lot (compared to hockey season anyways) and so they have a couple of hours of shinny every day. My little brother goes there a lot and it's really helped him. Sometimes we even get some OHL and USHL players who are up at their cottages or in town and they play with the kids. It's good fun.

 

[Moncton man]

When I think of putting an 8-yr-old in gym I don't think of weight training but tumbling, calisthenics, running etc. seems like others were thinking differently.

I guess the best thing to do is get him active one way or another. Too many kids (my own included) almost forget what it is like in the outdoors.

sure mix in some other sport, but at the same time get him doing stuff he likes outdoors with other kids (as others have mentioned).

I think sometimes we structure kids activities a little too much compared to when I grew up (naw, not an old timer, but I am pushing 50).

As to the original post I guess it is sometimes too easy to think of those pushy parents who are sure their kids are going to be stars, rather than the level-headed types who realize their kids have more ability and want to get the best out of those abilities.

I think your son having fun with exercise outside of hockey will be the best thing, whether structured or not.

Good luck with next season.

 

[bOILing point]

Also, to the thread creator, if you're wondering why people reacted so negatively to your original post, it's because there ARE a lot of crazy hockey parents out there who push their young kids way too hard and make the game not fun for them, and speaking like this about an 8 year old seems a touch odd:

I think it's a great idea to help your kid out with hockey in a fun, low pressure way, but it shouldn't be hard to see how this post gave off the "over the top hockey dad" vibe. Not saying you necessarily are like that, but your first post obviously gave a lot of people that feeling.

Trust me ive seen them. As far as sending the wrong message, ya i admitted as much in a later post. I guess i put it that way because i was looking for something SPECIFIC that would help him. I love the conditioning ideas and really apreciated THE JUDGEs post. (it was nice to hear from someone whose dad had done the same for him)

Thank to EVERYONE who replied. Im going to print this thread off and me and my son are going to have a funfilled summer. The one thing Hockey Canada stresses to us coaches is to never stop asking for new ideas from younger players. You guys play the game at a MUCH higher level than we ever did.

So in summary, im going to start my kid on benchpresses, pushups and run him behind my vehicle till he collapses. JOKE

 

[AIREAYE]

haha have fun and goodluck

 

[Owen Money]

My off season program for my son is:

-Play lacrosse
-Finish school year
-Go fishing
-Play golf
-Mess around with friends
-Do a goalie camp
-Go fishing again
-Fill in here or there for camps, 3x3, pickup, whatever
-Go camping
-Mow the lawn
-Ride bike
-More fishing
-Whiffle ball at beach
-Play soccer
-Go to a few baseball games

By September, he can't wait to get back to the rink.

 

[Sticks of Fury]

Enroll him in power skating. That's it if you want speed.