Wantyourkidstogetbetterathockey?Havethemplayless,experts
say.
By:RonnieShuker(TheHockeyNewsBlog)
May29,2016
BenPrentissseesitallthetime.ParentscomeintohisConnecticutgymandexpecthimtoput
theirchildonapathtobecomingJonathanQuick,MaxPacioretty,KevinShattenkirkoranyof
theotherNHLstarshetrainsduringtheoff-season.Whattheydon’tknowisthatcomparatively
littletrainingforhishigh-profileclientsinvolveshockey.Inthesummer,hisguysdon’tevenhit
theiceuntillateJulyorearlyAugust.
Hockeymaybeayear-roundjobforNHLplayers,butitshouldn’tbeforkids.Itactuallyhurts
theirdevelopmentintwoways:itdecreasestheiroverallathleticism,anditincreasesthe
likelihoodoftypicalhockeyinjuriesliketornlabrums,hipimpingementsandgroinproblems.
“That’sabig,big,bigproblemnow,”Prentisssaid.“Thesekids,whoare12to15,they’re
playing70gamesayear…alltheydoisplayhockey.Theydon’tgettheirfeetoutofskates,
theyplaytoomanygamesandtheydevelopanoveruseinjury.”
Tocounteractthis,Prentissgetshispre-teenandearlyteenclientstoplayothersports.The
bestonesrequiredifferentmuscleswhileincreasingmobilityandflexibility.Heevenhashis
NHLclientsdonon-hockeyworkouts.Atthebeginningoftheiroff-season,hehasthemdo
gymnastics-typeexercisestoworkmusclestheydon’tusuallyuse.
May30,2016
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RonnieShukar,TheHockeyNews
DanielNobleseestheall-hockeyall-the-timeparentalphilosophyfartoooftenaswell.Andlike
Prentiss,heincorporatesothersportsintotraining.HehadMapleLeafsfirst-rounderMitch
Marnerplayinghandballandbadminton,andbothoftheRitchiebrothers(BrettandNick)were
fanaticaltennisplayers.“Overspecializationisabigprobleminhockey,”saidNoble,directorof
athleteperformanceattheHillAcademyinToronto.“Wehavekidsasyoungasseven,eight
yearsoldandtheycan’teventhrowabaseball.”
Itsoundscounterintuitive,butgeneralizingkids’repertoireofsportswillhelpthemspecialize
downtheroad.TylerGoodale,forone,hasseenthebenefitsofbeingamulti-sportathlete
firsthand.Intheoff-season,hetrainsJamieBenn,whoplayedhigh-levelbaseballthroughout
histeensuntilhockeyeventuallytookover.“Playingbaseballwashugeforhim,”saidGoodale,
strengthandconditioningcoachattheCanadianSportsInstitute.“Heimprovedhishand-eye
coordination,hisstrengthfromswingingthebatandthrowingtheball.Hewasalsorunning,
andrunningspeedcorrelatesreallystronglywithskatingspeed.”
Goodalesuggestsaslidingscaleofsportsdependingonage:oneortwosportsfor17-to19year-olds,threesportsfor13-to16-year-olds,fourfornine-to12-year-oldsandasmanyassix
forthree-tonine-yearsolds.
May30,2016
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RonnieShukar,TheHockeyNews