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A relatable and honest podcast about the highs and lows of being a youth hockey parent. Join us as we share real stories, struggles, and wins from the rink, offering insights and support for parents navigating the world of youth hockey.
This is for the sled dogs in the trenches. Real hockey parents, real stories. The Good and the Gong Show. No filters, no sugarcoating, no politics, just straight hockey talk, and the best guests around the barn. Welcome to the Crazy Hockey Dads Podcast.
Jamie:Alright, boys. Grind them corners, chirp responsibly, and bring that savage fire.
Scott:Alright, everybody. Welcome back to oh, not back. Welcome to the very beginning of episode 84 of the Crazy Hockey Dads Podcast powered by Pacific Rink, the unfiltered podcast for hockey parents. No politics, no sugarcoating, just real talk for hockey parents in the trenches.
Jamie:That was really well done by you.
Scott:You know, that was that was one of my best.
Jamie:You could tell.
Scott:I know. Like right out of the gate, it was firing on all cylinders.
Jamie:I mean, that was like Woah. That was like one for the vault.
Scott:It wasn't that bad.
Jamie:No. It wasn't. I was saying it was that good.
Scott:Shut up. You're such an asshole.
Jamie:Sorry. I'm just scrolling through how he's talking just looking at cool shit.
Scott:Oh, yeah? That's a good idea.
Jamie:Yeah. They have really good stuff, man.
Scott:Well, we know that.
Jamie:Not just not just because and I'm not just saying because I'm biased, obviously. But they have really good stuff.
Scott:Yeah. What are you looking at that's that's tickling your fancy?
Jamie:I mean, just have cool shit. Like, they they they just have I I like the, like, old school look that they have of all their of most of their gear.
Scott:Yeah? Yeah. I do. Okay.
Jamie:I'm a fan.
Scott:Well, why don't you weave that into some of do they have anything with collars?
Jamie:Are you breaking my chops right now? No. I'm just curious. Because I like to wear collars. You are, aren't you?
Jamie:I know. I know. It happened during COVID. Like, I used to wear, like like like, long sleeve collared shirts with a tie to work, and then, like, that kinda so during COVID, started throwing on, like, golf shirts. Yeah.
Jamie:And it just kinda, like, stuck.
Scott:Oh, okay.
Jamie:I don't think they have anything with collards, by way.
Scott:Yo. You just need to find their suggestion.
Jamie:Wait. They have polos. I'm sorry. They do.
Scott:There we go.
Jamie:Why have I not had them send me one of these, by the way?
Scott:I don't know, man. You're you're
Jamie:you're slacking. I am big time, by the way. Look at that. They got like a, alright. Good to know.
Scott:There we go.
Jamie:So now that we're talking about how he's hockey oh, and thank you to Big John Dangles for our inst for our Instagram. Thank you to Big John Dangles for our intro, by the way.
Scott:Oh, you nailed it.
Jamie:See how it, like, rubs off. Stunardness rubs off.
Scott:Hey. Listen. Great minds think alike.
Jamie:It's true. So thank you to BJD for our awesome intro.
Scott:Yes. Thank you, BJD.
Jamie:And thank you to Howie's Hockey for doing all the cool shit that you do. Absolutely. Go go check out howie'shockeytape.com. They have really cool stuff. Use our discount code crazy 10 for 10% off.
Jamie:Like we were just saying, they have some really cool colored shirts for people like myself along with the tape Scott's favorite, the candle of mine, the scissors. They've awesome tape. They've awesome laces. They actually have a cut resistant base layer now.
Scott:Okay.
Jamie:I see it there. I'm not sure how good it is, so I'm not gonna comment on it yet. But we'll get to cut resistant base layers very shortly. So go check out howieshockey.com. Use our discount code, Crazy 10, for 10% off all your howies howies
Jamie:Howies. Hockey gear.
Scott:Yeah. Well, listen. You should've bit your tongue before because, Karma's a bitch.
Jamie:I'm not kidding.
Jamie:It really is. I should I really should have cut off
Scott:my Today, Today, junior? Yes. And next up, we've got hockeytraining.com.
Jamie:Oh, dude. It's a six. Pass.
Scott:A six pass.
Jamie:Okay. We love Howie's hockey. Pass on the Howie's hockey base layer because it's a six cup protection.
Scott:Okay. Hard pass. Okay.
Jamie:Go check out Titan battle gear instead.
Scott:Okay.
Jamie:We'll get to that one second.
Scott:Alrighty then. And Sorry. Switching gears.
Jamie:You guys hard pass on the Hockey base layer.
Scott:Oh, well, okay. Thanks for that.
Jamie:We love them for other reasons.
Scott:Okay. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Alright.
Scott:Can I go on now or do you wanna say anything else?
Jamie:Bahaba, you may proceed.
Scott:I'm your huckleberry.
Jamie:Oh, good for you. Alright.
Scott:Yo. Valcomer's the man.
Jamie:I didn't think you're gonna get that.
Scott:I got that.
Jamie:Well done, buddy.
Scott:Okay. I appreciate that.
Jamie:Well
Scott:done. Anything else? No. I'm good. You sure?
Jamie:I'm sure I could think of something if you give me a couple seconds.
Scott:No. No. We're good. Okay. Alright.
Scott:Anyway, we're moving on to hockeytraining.com and coach Kevin. And I gotta say, I've been using his programming for the last two weeks now. And dude, honestly, it's it's everything that, know, I've wanted in a program in terms of like for like on ice preparation.
Jamie:Yeah. A fan,
Scott:A 100%. I know. I'm fan. I'm doing that. Yeah.
Scott:No. It's it's it's it's really like I'm spending a little bit more time in the gym than I was before. But I'm getting all of these like hockey hockey specific training in and that's part of his men's league domination program. Yes. But they've got in season domination for those younger than than myself who aren't in men's league right now.
Scott:But the point is that hockeytrain.com and coach Kevin have an amazing platform that have a plethora
Jamie:of A plethora?
Scott:That's right. Of, at home training videos, from shooting to stick handling, speed strength agility, great programming. The app is unreal. It's just got everything you need under one roof. I can't speak more highly of hockeytrain.com.
Scott:So if you're not familiar with Coach Kevin, check it out. Go to hockeytrain.com. Go to hockey training HQ on Instagram, and you can take a look at everything he has to offer for all of your off ice at home or out of the rink stick handling, strength training, speed training, needs.
Jamie:The whole nine yards needs.
Scott:Whole nine nine yards. Coach Kevin's got it and then some. So check it out.
Jamie:Nice. And then go check out titanbattlegear.com. We were just talking about base layers. Again, love how he's, not the base layer. Sorry.
Jamie:I mean, we're here to bring you parents, you listeners, the best gear on the market to protect your kids and to have your kids in. Go get Titan battle gear if you're looking for base layers. They have a nine protection. It's top of the line stuff. The stuff is great.
Jamie:So go to titanbattlegear.com backslash Crazy Hockey Dads. In the show notes, use our discount code Crazy Dads 10 for 10% off. They have the new sticker pack, which is a limited drop that they just did. They have camo. They have the popsicle stick.
Jamie:They have, they've all the awesome stuff. The the new base layers, they're three point o. Like I said, best protection on the market. Styles are awesome. They look great.
Jamie:So go check out titanbattlegear.com. Use the code crazy dads 10 for 10% off your Titan battle gear.
Scott:Excellente. And let's not forget to talk about athletic performance insight. Now I know the season's underway, and I'm sure a lot of teams have already settled on, their video analytic needs for the season. However, if you have not, you need to check out athletic performance insight. Eric over there has got has built an amazing platform.
Scott:If you go to the website and you check out the contact form, fill it out, reach out to Eric. I'll be happy to give you a demo of the the platform for free. He'll break down a game for you just so you can see what comes on the other end. And it's got, you know, it's applicable or useful for the youngest of ages from like, you know, mites, squirts, all the way up to the collegiate level he's working with and athletic performance insight has all the under the hood analytics, statistics that you could ever need to help guide your team into a better direction, learn from mistakes. We can filter all different types of video, plays from team concepts to individual plays, penalties, off sides, zone entries, exits, you name it.
Scott:You can filter it down, look at videos. So if you're undecided or looking at something or considering something, go check out athletic performance insight. Magic Crazy Hockey Dads end.
Jamie:$100 value.
Scott:Yep. $100 10% money. Yeah. 10% off your season subscription.
Jamie:Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's good stuff. Yeah.
Jamie:So we've been using API. Our team started using API.
Scott:Oh, yeah. Absolutely. So tell me about it.
Jamie:They tagged two of our games. They, they then sent, our kids the stuff. And, I got a chance to actually look at the platform from, like, a player's point of view.
Scott:Yep.
Jamie:So that that they broke down two games for us, and you were able to go on sort by your player. Yep. It was really easy, like, really easy. And all the times that they were involved in a play. Right?
Jamie:And the coaches could write stuff in there. Hey, Dom. Shitty back check or hey, Dom.
Scott:Hey. Come on.
Jamie:Well, listen. It's not all good. You gotta get you can't just show the good stuff.
Scott:No. I agree.
Jamie:You gotta show the bad stuff too. So I'm saying, like like, he was saying, like, you know, oh, bad shot. You know, you're you know, you had a guy that opened the back post or whatever it is. So you you so the tagging is pretty cool. I'm not gonna lie.
Jamie:Yeah. You can go and you can kinda filter by your player. Right? So you don't kinda or you can get into the weeds a lot more than
Scott:that. Right.
Jamie:Like, it's super robust. But, like, again, following your play matter of fact, our coaches last night did a Zoom call for some of the parents who are, technologically challenged.
Scott:Okay. Okay. There there are those out there.
Jamie:There are. Yes. And and, you know, so but the platform is really easy to use. I was kinda messing around with it when they first, kinda sent stuff out. Really good.
Jamie:Impressive. Yeah. Real easy to kinda go to the drop down. You drop down to your player. All the stuff pops right up there.
Jamie:It's super, you know, user friendly. It was really good.
Scott:Yeah. That's awesome.
Jamie:It really cool. Know firsthand. I do.
Scott:There you go.
Jamie:Yeah. Yeah. So go check out API. Eric will like Scott said, he'll do a demo for you. His stuff's great.
Scott:Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Jamie:You're really good for you managers and coaches that want, you know, some video work. Yeah. And video work's important. It's super important.
Scott:Yeah. Yeah.
Jamie:It's it's I think it's I think it's huge for development because when your kids get older, even when they're younger, you probably do a little bit with them. Right? As long as you don't overwhelm them. You know, these these clips are cut down into, like, these tiny little shifts. Yeah.
Jamie:You know, and they're real easy to, you know, to cut obviously, when the kid's involved in the play, you know, it's it's relevant. Right. I I was impressed with it.
Scott:You know, I I might be miss misremembering this slightly. However, just when we're talking about video review Yeah. Two seasons ago, one of one of Otto's teammates was the son of Jeremy Colleton, who at the time was the devil's one of the devil's assistant
Jamie:Yeah. Coaches.
Scott:And he I was asking him about video review Mhmm. Because at the time I was doing it with the team and he was saying that at least at for him that they would break down video and send very short clips to the team. To
Jamie:the players.
Scott:And it would be like three to five minutes tops. Yeah. But he would they would do it more frequently throughout the day. So they the players ended up receiving like everything you might get in let's say like a thirty minute video. This part of making up.
Scott:Thirty minute, you know, video review got broken down into smaller chunks.
Jamie:Okay.
Scott:That's ease more easily digestible and you're just focusing on that one aspect of the game. Mhmm. Give them time to, you know, go over it and then, you know, they would you have, you know, additional or, you know, they would keep on sending out more. So the point of what I'm saying is that, like, these shorter clips, like you were mentioning, is is seems very aligned with, like, what happens at at higher levels.
Jamie:Yeah. No. I I I listen. I I I thought it was very I thought it was very, like, appropriate for the age, like, what the kids could kind of kinda scroll through and see. I'm sure you can make it as robust as humanly possible.
Jamie:Possible.
Scott:No doubt.
Jamie:But I think, you know, to start doing video with kids is is not difficult for these kids to navigate through. Right.
Scott:You
Jamie:know, Dominic had it on his laptop. I logged him in, or, yeah, I showed him how to log in. You know, he did it. No problem. It was very simple.
Jamie:Yeah. It was, like, super simple.
Scott:That's awesome, dude. Yeah. Good. So so why don't we keep going with that? So hockey hockey list, you wanna go back to this past weekend?
Jamie:Meanwhile, your boy Jeremy Colleton is do know where he is these days?
Scott:So I've spoken to him Is he coaching? While
Jamie:back. Youth.
Scott:I I Well, are you reading something right now
Jamie:about him? Yes.
Scott:Okay. So I I have not I spoke to him a couple months ago. He said he was moving on to something new and different. Didn't let me know what it was then. Okay.
Scott:But now it's in the news.
Jamie:Well, when you pull up his his elite prospect because I when you mentioned his name, I was curious to where he was because he was obviously a devil's New Jersey devil's assistant. Yeah. So it says that he's on the coaching staff for the New Jersey Colonials fourteen u triple a, which is Zajac's team.
Scott:Okay.
Jamie:Which is Travis Zajac's team. So did Travis bring him on to the coaching staff? Is that where is that where he is right
Scott:now? Potentially.
Jamie:Well, that's funny. I didn't realize he I I figured he would I'm I'm assuming he's gonna waiting for an NHL job in some capacity.
Scott:I I you know what? I don't know. He did I we I wanted to have him on the pod, and the timing was bad. I I'm hopeful that he'll join us in the not so distant
Jamie:future. Hopefully.
Scott:And we can get more information excuse me. A lot more information on that, but it it wouldn't surprise me.
Jamie:Interesting. Yeah. It says New Jersey Colonials fourteen u triple a, which is they which is Travis Zadax team.
Scott:So wait 14. Oh, yeah. 14. I know what I'm getting confused.
Jamie:2 thousand twelves.
Scott:No. Know. But Yeah. When you when I hear 14, if it was another number, if Otto wasn't a 2014, I wouldn't get confused. But sometimes when you say like u 14, I'm like, wait.
Scott:He's not coaching Otto's age. Don't think.
Jamie:No. No. No. No. No.
Jamie:You're a '2 thousand '14.
Scott:Yes. I know. I know. Dom's 2012.
Jamie:I know. Is a u
Scott:14? This I understand.
Jamie:You are
Jamie:a u
Scott:12. Thanks, dude. I'm just Just telling you.
Jamie:Because clearly, you didn't know. No. Clearly, you couldn't figure it out.
Scott:No. I couldn't.
Jamie:You were confused.
Scott:Oh my god.
Jamie:It's alright. It's it's it happens.
Scott:It does happen. It happens to the best of us.
Jamie:There's a lot going on these days, and the brain has a lot of input. I get it.
Scott:The brain has a lot of input?
Jamie:Like, in from different directions. There's a lot of
Scott:Yeah.
Jamie:Inputs coming to the brain, and sometimes things get a little misfiled. Misfiled. Or not filed well.
Scott:Or not filed well.
Jamie:Yeah. Misfiled. I like to make words up. Misfiled, definitely probably not a word. Misfiled?
Scott:Well, I don't know. Look it up, Jamie.
Jamie:No. It's it's not that important. It's not that important. But anyway, so yeah. So that's where I believe Jeremy Colleton is, because you mentioned Jeremy Colleton.
Scott:Okay. But I yeah. That yeah. In any event, I think he's I think there's there's probably some other stuff that he's
Jamie:in person that he's working
Scott:on. But
Jamie:I'm sure.
Scott:Anyway Yeah. Shout out Jeremy Colleton.
Jamie:Yeah. Yeah. So, yeah. So, the season is here.
Scott:I mean, it's No. It's been here.
Jamie:Yeah. But now but it's like it and I have to tell you, like, I don't know about anybody else, but this well, I was talking to you yesterday about it. But the first two weeks of school slash the season starting
Jamie:Mhmm.
Jamie:Has felt like like like an 18 wheeler hit me.
Scott:Oh, really?
Jamie:I don't know why, but, like, it it's been so insane for the first two weeks. Again, I I can't tell you why, but it just felt different than other years.
Scott:Yeah. I I mean, I I will agree with that.
Jamie:I don't know why.
Scott:Don't know. Yeah. Likewise, I'm not. You know, I we talk right. We were talking about this, but I think part of it was that, like, there's a few, like, the Labor Day weekend.
Scott:Like, Labor Day
Jamie:Yeah. Guess.
Scott:Was, holidays mixed in Jewish holidays. I guess. There were some Like, kids went back to school at
Jamie:all All different times.
Scott:Like, it just seems like no one was on the same Wave length. Kind of wave length.
Jamie:Yeah. It was it was really like it was it was stressful. I'm not gonna Normally, I don't even notice it. And this year, I'm like, oh, shit. What the fuck was
Scott:that? Yeah. Interesting. Anything anyone anything hockey specific that made you feel that way, or you're just saying, like, generally?
Jamie:No. Our practices are much later now.
Scott:Okay.
Jamie:So that probably also is a little bit of a kick in the balls. Yep. Like like, tonight, we have an 08:40. Oh. 08:40 to 09:40, and then and then I pretty sure we have, like, a is it 905 to ten o five or nine or 08:55 to 09:55?
Jamie:It's oh, yeah.
Scott:Wait. What?
Jamie:Yeah. You didn't hear me? Oh, my God. Not speaking English.
Scott:Oh, wow. You're you're a little hot under the collar today, buddy. What's going on there?
Jamie:Maybe you need to eat
Scott:something more than an avocado and fucking hangry bullshit you're bringing to the
Jamie:table now. Listen. I'm trying to behave myself, you know.
Scott:You're trying to behave.
Jamie:Okay. I may be all hangry, by the way. Well, I mean Avocados generally do not do a whole lot.
Scott:Well, I'm I'm it's a good thing I didn't offer you anything of substance.
Jamie:But I will be at a caloric deficit by the time the day is over.
Scott:Yeah. And you will have ruined many relationships. Oops. So so here's
Jamie:here's the caloric
Scott:deficit. Here's the caloric deficits.
Jamie:That's right. Let's try not to do that. But anyway,
Scott:so Brilliant, buddy.
Jamie:So, yeah. So the, so yeah. So so it's been an interesting couple weeks, you know, with with with practice and and school starting and game starting. It's been a little and and our our season has not opened the way I think a lot of us had assumed it would open.
Scott:Okay.
Jamie:But our our our coaches already addressed that. They already had a parent, parent meeting the other day on Sunday for one of our games, to address not to address the situation because it's not not something they need to address, I have to tell you. But I think it was more we talk a lot a lot about communication. Yes. So our our coaches are trying to communicate and make a little more things a little more transparent, which I think is great, by the way.
Scott:And that was something, like, a stated, like, goal for the season. Not goal,
Jamie:but, like, if they I don't know if it was stated, but they did
Scott:it. Yeah. Yeah.
Jamie:Yeah. And apparently, they're gonna do, like, one every couple months just to kinda keep the parents, you know, abreast of what's going on.
Scott:I think that that's that's reasonable.
Jamie:Yeah. I think it's great. I think it's I think I think it's great. I think that I think the communication, you know, I think it also helps parents to not maybe kind of get lost in their own head about what's going on.
Scott:Well, that's gonna happen anyway. Probably. But at least they'll have more information when they're doing it.
Jamie:True. They probably will get lost in their own head. Yeah. But yeah. But but again, I I think communication is we always talk about communication as as the season is starting, as you're on new teams and stuff like that.
Jamie:So I think communication is is big. So I think the coaches also wanted to make sure that the parents are communicating well with them. Okay. Yeah. That's Yep.
Jamie:That's Kids that are missing for holidays or whatever it is, right, or being sick or being and what he said was, which I was sort of funny, when he said, they, you know, they want to make sure they communicate that they're not gonna be a practice or they'll be a practice or whatever it is. And I was gonna jump in and say this, but the coach beat me to it. And he's like, actually, have the kid reach out instead of the parent, which is which is appropriate. Totally. I mean, these kids just turned 14 years old.
Jamie:They should be reaching out saying, hey, coach. I'm gonna miss practice because I have an orthodontist appointment or or whatever it is.
Scott:At 08:50 at night?
Jamie:Yeah. You're definitely not gonna have an ortho but if you're sick or, like, are you gonna miss a game? You know what I It's good for the kids to call the coach, not the parents.
Scott:I agree with
Jamie:I I I thought that was great that he actually made a point to talk about that. Yeah. I thought that was huge.
Scott:But but that's also, you you know, in today's day and age, also asking for the kids to make a phone call. I I I don't know if they said it like this, but it's like, don't text me. Don't email me. Don't send me a DM on TeamSnap, but call me.
Jamie:So I like the call idea better than anything. Yeah. Agree. Because then you have to engage somebody. You can't just hide behind, you know, behind the screen.
Jamie:Yeah. And behind hide behind like a keyboard.
Scott:And you also get more context.
Jamie:100%.
Scott:Right. Like the the coach the coach might be less annoyed that you're missing something if they hear it, you know, as opposed to just reading, I'm not gonna be there.
Jamie:Agreed. Yes. Yeah.
Scott:No. Without a doubt.
Jamie:I I know a lot of people, like, snap in and out of Team Snap. I I I I never even look at Team Snap.
Scott:Mean You never snap in?
Jamie:I don't. No. My wife snaps him in, I'm assuming. I don't. I I it's funny.
Jamie:I I'll I'll I'll finally bring it up to see, like, what time our practice is, like, every once in a while, and I'll see, like, the chat part, and it'll be, like, 65 messages. I'm like, I don't even read it. I'd click on it so it goes away.
Jamie:Yeah. I
Jamie:don't actually even read it. If anything's gonna happen, my wife will tell me.
Scott:Okay.
Jamie:Like, have way too much going on with this podcast and work and family stuff. Like, just tell me where I
Jamie:need be.
Scott:Ain't nobody got time for that.
Jamie:Ain't nobody got time for what?
Scott:Snapping in. Right. That's what I'm saying.
Jamie:So yeah. So I, yeah. No. No. I don't have the time.
Jamie:So just just tell me where I need to be. So my wife's good like that.
Scott:Okay.
Jamie:Good. She tells me what's going on. But, yeah. So I think communication is huge. I think, again, as the New Year is starting and and people are are kinda getting used to a new coach or same coach or whatever it is, communication is is big.
Jamie:Yeah. And I think that will and if you communicate about your kid every once in a while, not all the time, but maybe every once in a while, you can check-in. Like coach Danielle from Mid Fairview, she's like, you know, she doesn't mind when people check-in every once in a while. Yep. How's my kid doing?
Jamie:I think that's also healthy. That maybe will alleviate some of the parents getting lost in their own mind.
Scott:Yeah. For sure. Right? Yep. I I mean, I I yeah.
Scott:No. I I hear you. And I think that at this point, it's still early, at least on our side. Well, I don't wanna go onto my side yet. Anything what else what else on on?
Jamie:That's really it. You know? I mean, what else about what did you wanna hear?
Scott:I wanna hear about how how's the team doing? How are they coming together? How's Dominic playing? How's his, you know, how's his performance so far? Like, meeting expectations, below expectations?
Jamie:Like, where
Scott:where are you guys at?
Jamie:Listen. I I think there's been some times where he's looked pretty pretty dangerous
Scott:Yep.
Jamie:This year, where he looks like a different type of hockey player.
Scott:Okay. Different type compared to the other kids on the ice or last year, for Both.
Jamie:Both, I would say. Great. You know? You know?
Scott:Why is that? I don't know.
Jamie:I'm not sure.
Scott:Okay.
Jamie:You know, he, when he wants to, he has a switch that he turns. And when he wants to, he looks different.
Scott:I I will say he looks different.
Jamie:Oh, yeah. You were at you were at you stepped into one of our games on
Scott:on Sunday. Larger shin pads.
Jamie:He doesn't have his might shin guards anymore. Yeah. This is this is true. And he actually blocked a shot with it. Not the game you were at, but, like, two before that.
Jamie:I think it was at our showcase or something like that. And he goes, you know, dad? He goes, it didn't even hurt. I go, no shit. It's because it's more than a piece of paper mache, like, than you had before.
Scott:Totally.
Jamie:I'm like, yeah, Dom. I'm like, that's what happens when you because I would bring new gear home, and he's like, I don't want it. I I just don't want it. Like, I I I've had new gear. You know, I had a new elbow pads sitting home for like a year and a half before he actually used them.
Jamie:He was wearing his my elbow pads when he was like a second year peewee.
Scott:That's amazing.
Jamie:It's crazy.
Scott:Well, I will say this though, you know, it's interesting you're talking about just like protection and equipment. Yeah. So when Otto was going into, I don't know, it must have been his court major year Right. We had gotten him some bigger equipment because he was, you know, he was concerned about getting hit by the paw Sure. Or whatever it
Jamie:shot harder as his kids get bigger. Right? Yeah. Normal?
Scott:No. So I got him new equipment that was, you know, bigger and beefier.
Jamie:Right. Sure. Makes And
Scott:he's still he can so that was squirt major.
Jamie:Right.
Scott:Then he played no. It maybe was squirt my I'm confusing. But for a couple years now, he's been wearing the same equipment and it's still fitting him okay. But we were getting to the point he said to me, he's like, dad, I think we need to get some bigger Yeah. Bigger gear.
Scott:He's like, I'm okay this year Yeah. Next year
Jamie:And they start hitting. Yeah. Right? Because you guys are hitting next year?
Scott:Next year, we're hitting.
Jamie:Although Next year.
Scott:By this the you know, based on some of the games that we've already played, it seems like we're doing that already considering that there's been like yeah. We we've had some very questionable refereeing. And when I say questionable,
Jamie:I meant
Jamie:It's rubbing and it's not getting called.
Scott:Yeah. And and then like and then it does get called. It just doesn't make sense. Right? Like, they've let things go.
Scott:There's been like blatant body checks, but then there have been less less serious infractions that have been called. And look, I I'm not I'm not complaining. I'm just pointing out that like it has been maybe more I I feel like this stuff that I've some of the hits that I've seen this year, like, for sure should have been called, but, hey. You you know, that happens.
Jamie:Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Scott:Anyway.
Jamie:Yeah. Right. I digress. Yeah. So you saw Dom play a little bit, know?
Jamie:I did. So he I think he looks a little different when he wants to.
Scott:When he wants to.
Jamie:You know? When he when he wants to. When he doesn't want to, he just kind of
Scott:Does his
Jamie:Just kinda disappears. On the bus. Yeah. Exactly right. Right?
Jamie:We've talked about that. I don't even know how many times on this podcast. You know, countless times I feel. You know? And Your
Scott:hair looks wonderful.
Jamie:It doesn't. It's too long. It's Is it? It's awful.
Scott:Is it?
Jamie:And and I mean, it's funny. I I keep doing different things with it, and I keep getting it cut, and I hate how it looks. And, like I hope your barber's not listening. I'm I'm in I'm sure he's not. But, no.
Jamie:But but but, yeah, like, I I I need to get it cut like a different a different I I keep
Scott:changing for you?
Jamie:No. Why? No. That's a hard no.
Scott:A hard no.
Jamie:Why would I have you cut it for me?
Scott:Why not?
Jamie:Like, what what qualifies you to cut hair, Pete?
Scott:I have zero qualifications. Exactly. I'm just trying to be a good friend.
Jamie:I listen. You're you're you're
Jamie:And I appreciate that.
Scott:I I wanna offer my help to
Jamie:Listen. And I appreciate that. Okay. I mean, I'm not exactly sure I would like the outcome of it.
Scott:Okay. But listen, just don't say I never offered to
Jamie:help you. Listen. I won't.
Scott:Okay. Good.
Jamie:You know? And I and I I appreciate the the
Scott:The gesture?
Jamie:Yes.
Scott:Yeah. Okay. Yeah. I got you, buddy. I got you.
Jamie:I I you. Yeah. So I keep it's funny. I keep going, like, long short, long short, long short. I can't make my mind up.
Jamie:Well, these days, I'll figure it
Scott:out. Yeah. So getting back to hockey, though. Yeah. I'll, so he's been looking more dangerous.
Jamie:When he wants to.
Scott:That's good.
Jamie:Yeah. When he when he wants to look dangerous, he he looks dangerous.
Scott:Right? Yeah. One of the things that When
Jamie:he wants to look like a pedestrian, he looks like a pedestrian. Well So it just depends on what the mood he's in.
Scott:Well, you get out of things what you put into them.
Jamie:No question
Scott:about way that goes. That's for damn sure. End of story.
Jamie:Yeah. So so when he wants to, he looks different. But, so we'll but yeah. So the team's, I think, gelling. You know?
Jamie:We have six new kids, so it's, I think it's a process to kinda get everything together. But yeah. No. It's, I think we're we're three and four, I believe, so far.
Scott:Okay.
Jamie:You know, we played the we played a triple a team, last Saturday who beat us up pretty badly. But it was good for the kids to see, you know, playing against triple a kids. Yeah. You know? I thought Dominic looked pretty good in that game.
Scott:That's great.
Jamie:You know, against, you know, kind of a tougher opponent.
Scott:Yep. Yep. Yep.
Jamie:I thought he looked good there. Yeah. So he's been throwing the body around, which is nice. Again, so when he wants to Yeah. He looks he looks like it's supposed to look.
Scott:Okay. Well, he's making progress. Yeah. See. That's what we're that's what we're hoping for.
Jamie:Getting older. Right? Yep. Now you saw, like, a reverse hit that he he kinda threw when he was there.
Scott:Yeah. He he murdered that guy.
Jamie:He did. Yeah. Like, that
Scott:kid didn't even know it was hitting him. No.
Jamie:No. He's so when he wants to, he
Scott:he Listen. For his size, he packs a punch.
Jamie:He can hit.
Scott:He can hit.
Jamie:Yeah. He can never hit.
Scott:There's no doubt. And quite frankly, in that game that I saw, which I didn't see all of it
Jamie:Yeah.
Scott:I don't know that I saw anyone else really try to anyone else hit anyone the same with the same kind of like intensity that Dom barreled that kid
Jamie:over. When he wants to.
Scott:No. Yeah. Listen, I'm not saying he does it all the time.
Jamie:I'm just Yeah. We have a handful of kids that that don't mind throwing the body.
Scott:Yeah. Well, he's he's one of them.
Jamie:Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No. He doesn't mind throwing the body.
Jamie:I and it's funny. I think I think it's funny when when when and for the you people that have bantams, you'll understand. You know, when kids are allowed to hit, most of them really don't know how to hit nor to take a hit.
Scott:Yes. Right?
Jamie:So it takes a couple of years to kinda figure it out. I still feel like some of the kids don't really know how to hit yet.
Scott:Do you are they how much practice do they put into hitting? You know? Body checking, body contact, any version of that.
Jamie:I I don't watch a practice, so I actually am not sure what the answer to that is.
Scott:Well, is Dom? Have you asked Dom?
Jamie:I think he mentioned they were hitting before the season started. I wanna say they they he said that they were hitting one day. You know, listen, when I used to play football, we would hit, like, every day.
Scott:Well, I mean
Jamie:There would be days where you would do only hitting.
Scott:Right.
Jamie:You know what I mean? You know? So and then you did, like, some, you know, some, like, x is no type stuff. You know? But, I don't know if hockey has that.
Jamie:I I don't know. Especially nowadays, it's a little different back in the day when we used to hit all the time. Yeah. Right now, even in the NFL, they don't hit all the time.
Scott:Right.
Jamie:You know? So I don't know what hockey is like, but I think they hit once in a while.
Scott:Okay. So it's not like an every practice type of thing?
Jamie:Right. And not like a drill to hit. Like, they hit. They they're allowed to hit on the boards, like, practice. Right?
Jamie:So when they're doing when they're doing, like, small area games, they're allowed to hit. You know, I don't I don't think he let them open ice
Scott:Right. Which is fine. Right. Right.
Jamie:You know, you don't wanna hurt your teammate. You know? No. Already have two guys out, so you don't wanna hurt any more teammates.
Scott:No. I know. I mean, I couldn't believe it. So you had you were short how many players for, wait. It was this weekend.
Jamie:It was Friday night. Past weekend. Yeah. Friday and Saturday.
Scott:But Friday was worse.
Jamie:Friday was worse.
Scott:There were there were some questionable ejections
Jamie:We
Scott:if I'm not mistaken.
Jamie:Well, we had two kids. I'm not sure how questionable they were.
Scott:Oh, one of them okay. One of them was no. One of them wasn't questionable?
Jamie:One of them was questionable. Yes. Yes. One of them was. Yeah.
Jamie:Yeah. No. We so we had two kids hurt. Right? We had we had we had a skate cut to the to the to the arm, which was dangerous.
Scott:Still still recovering.
Jamie:Still recovering. That was scary.
Scott:Looking good, though?
Jamie:Yeah. Doctor z, who's one of the doctors on our team, keeps looking at it and says that it's healing well. Hopefully, he's ready to go for Notre Dame because we're all going to Notre Dame the weekend of the twenty fourth, that weekend. So, hopefully, he's back for that. I think that's the the hope.
Jamie:But it looks like he's healing. He's he's been on the ice last couple times.
Scott:Oh, he is
Jamie:in practice. He's been on the ice. I'm not sure how much he's doing on the ice, but he's been on the ice.
Scott:He's getting a skate
Jamie:in. Exactly. Yeah. So I think the range of motion is in PT. The range of motion's coming back, so that's great.
Jamie:So, hopefully, he gets back soon. Another kid has, like, a back issue. He goes to school with Dominic at at at Precinct Academy, so he has not been able to, like, test and and kind of joining the workouts yet, but, hopefully, I wanna say today's Tuesday, he saw a doctor yesterday.
Scott:Mhmm. Like a The back issue or the cut?
Jamie:The back issue. Yeah. Pediatric orthopedist. So I'm hoping he gets good news too because that that could help out him coming back. So, hopefully, he comes back soon.
Jamie:So fingers crossed for that also. And then we had two we had we had one kid out because he who's at a concert. One kid was out because of the Jewish holiday, Friday night. So we were down four off the bat. Right?
Jamie:And then and then one kid got ejected for, like, penalties. The other kid got ejected for talking, for saying things. He got ejected. So, yeah, so we were down we were down, like, six skaters, like like
Jamie:like, mid midway. Don't know you've ever heard
Jamie:the game.
Scott:The team being down that many players.
Jamie:Was crazy, man. It was if you looked at our bench, it was like there were there were there was not a lot going on there.
Scott:Right.
Jamie:And then Saturday, obviously, with two kids who are hurt again, so they they they're obviously out. And then we had two kids out for the Jewish holiday, so we're down four that day. So but yeah. So we've been a little thin for a little while. So, yeah.
Jamie:So I I think once those everybody comes back, once that the kids get the two kids get healthy that are hurt, once they come back, I think it'll also look they'll contribute, and that'll look different. Maybe we won't be so lean. Yeah. So it's been, it's this has been fine. You know?
Jamie:Okay. You know, good parent group, good kid group from what I can tell. Yep. So that's awesome. You know, that's always nice because normally, you don't really get a lot of that.
Jamie:I'm sure that you that are listening realize that, you know, it's very hard to get a a full team of good parents, good kids. We have that again. This is the third year in a row we've had that.
Scott:That's amazing.
Jamie:So shocking. Like, that doesn't you're lucky to get one year like that, let alone three in a row.
Scott:Yeah.
Jamie:Yeah. So fantastic on that front. Yeah. So, that's kinda what's going on. It's been a little bit of a whirlwind first couple weeks.
Jamie:It's not gonna slow down. Like I said, we have this week, Notre Dame.
Scott:Oh, so you're in Notre Dame this coming weekend?
Jamie:We're no.
Scott:We're in Notre Dame Oh, the following weekend.
Jamie:Yeah. Yeah. So so today's fifteenth. So we're in Notre Dame, not this weekend, the following. So we leave Excellent.
Jamie:We leave Thursday the twenty fourth for Notre Dame.
Scott:Okay.
Jamie:Yeah. So because I think we have games on Friday.
Scott:Okay.
Jamie:Okay. What a ball bus getting out to Notre Dame is, by the way, buddy.
Scott:You've said that. I mean, it's like
Jamie:have You to fly into O'Hare and then drive two hours out to South Bend.
Scott:Yeah. That doesn't sound awesome.
Jamie:Oh, it's fucking annoying.
Scott:Right. So, obviously, that's the closest airport.
Jamie:You can fly into South Bend, but I don't think they fly much out there when there's not football games.
Scott:Oh, okay. But there's another place in No. In the state?
Jamie:No. No. You have to fly into Chicago and then drive.
Scott:But did what other airports are in
Jamie:You have drive in Nashville.
Scott:How far is Indianapolis?
Jamie:I think it's I think it's I remember looking at it when we booked it. Yeah. This was the most efficient way to do it.
Scott:Oh, fair. Fair. You know? Yeah. Listen.
Scott:That's yeah. That's, that's annoying.
Jamie:It
Scott:is. But look, you're in for an experience. It's not like you're just going to drive to, like,
Jamie:The States. No. No. Be cool. Like yeah.
Jamie:Yeah. Awesome. I think the plan is to stop in Chicago first Thursday night and then hang out in Chicago. So we we're gonna get there pretty early.
Scott:Get some pizza?
Jamie:Some little deep dish?
Scott:A little deep dish?
Jamie:Why
Scott:not? No. You should.
Jamie:You know, when in Rome.
Scott:That's right.
Jamie:Right? So I think it's appropriate.
Scott:Okay. You know? So that'll be fun. Also make pizza in Rome. They
Jamie:do. Now is it better than do they make deep dish number one? I would say probably not.
Scott:Highly doubt that.
Jamie:And I'm assuming the pizza in Rome, depending on where, although Chicago's got some decent pizza.
Scott:Listen. I'm obviously, we're, like, joking around a bit. But, yeah, they, no. I was in Chicago once. I definitely got some pizza.
Scott:I enjoyed it. It is like
Jamie:bad. It's doughy.
Scott:Dude, it's it's a commitment. Like, you're
Jamie:It's doughy.
Scott:It's a lot you it's like a belly bomb. It's doughy. It's a belly bomb.
Jamie:I'm not a fan, to be honest with you. Like, I'll eat it because we're there. Yeah. Like, you have to try it because you're there. Yeah.
Jamie:But I've had it before too. Okay. It's okay. It's it's fine.
Scott:Sure.
Jamie:You know? I I it's not I wouldn't order it. Like, I wouldn't order it if I wasn't in Chicago.
Scott:You wouldn't go to UNO's?
Jamie:Does UNO's still exist?
Scott:I think so.
Jamie:Do they really?
Scott:Yeah. But it's probably, like, not dissimilar from, like, my experience at Friendly's recently, which was not good.
Jamie:Well, alright. So let's talk about that for a quick second.
Scott:What? Friendly's? Yes. Why?
Jamie:Because I You. You know, know
Scott:You know.
Jamie:Because
Jamie:I'm because I'm educated. Okay? And I thought you would know this as well, that you don't go to Friendly's for anything other than ice cream. You actually went there and ate the food Yeah. Which I would never ever do.
Scott:Well, aren't we the elitist?
Jamie:I I mean, I I would I would never do that.
Scott:You wouldn't do that.
Jamie:I would never do that. You're fucking crazy.
Scott:Yeah. I I would So so this is this is how we ended up at Friendly's. So I we were at the tournament last weekend. Yeah. I I drove my electric, all electric vehicle up there and I needed to charge.
Scott:Okay? And so I went to a charging station and I was very deliberate with finding charging stations. I was using chat GPT and I would give it my route and I say I need a charging station that's within walking distance to a variety of food options.
Jamie:Okay.
Scott:And I and I did it on the way up.
Jamie:So your car was charging, you were looking for food.
Scott:Yeah. But let's listen. So I did it on the way up and it worked out really well. We ended up like in a like a strip mall. We had a walk, I don't know, like two minutes and we're out of Panera.
Scott:We had a plenty of other options.
Jamie:Okay. Got it.
Scott:So I did similar on the way back.
Jamie:Okay.
Scott:And we ended up in what we're approaching what looked like, you know, a strip mall area. Okay. Where the charging stations were located, it was a considerable walk to get to like the main like I don't know we're in like a park whatever wherever in a further away parking lot.
Jamie:Okay.
Scott:The only places to eat was this like Mexican restaurant which looked like it was more of like a bar situation and it was like lunchtime and it was all dark and black and I was like, alright, we're not going there. There's Friendly's and I the Friendly's ice cream is is in a those Reese's Pieces sundaes
Jamie:They're fantastic. Of control. They're fantastic. You go there for
Scott:ice These were literally the only two right next to the charging station. So I chose Friendly's. Ouch. So listen. But when we were kids, went to Friendly's.
Scott:I don't know. Get like For
Jamie:ice cream.
Scott:No. Dude, no. We go to
Jamie:I don't ever I
Scott:have very clear memories of being in Friendly's when there was, like, smoking aloud, and there were like these like aluminum ashtrays on like the tables. The one in Wayne, dude.
Jamie:I I know I know the exact one you're talking about.
Scott:But like they would have like packed
Jamie:in the mail.
Scott:They have like the shit food that like, you know, kids eat.
Jamie:You said it exactly right. Shit food.
Scott:Oh, okay. But listen, you're telling me that plenty of people don't go to McDonald's on the fucking way home or way wherever, and that's shit food? A 100%. So so why are you hating on Friendly's?
Jamie:I would just I I wouldn't eat at Friendly's. I maybe when we were kids.
Scott:You would eat at McDonald's?
Jamie:I have not eaten at McDonald's in a very long time.
Scott:Oh, would you though?
Jamie:These days?
Scott:Yes. No. Okay. Would you eat at Burger King? No.
Scott:So you wouldn't eat at any fast food place?
Jamie:I have not eaten fat like fast food in a very long time.
Scott:Okay. Well,
Jamie:so Like I
Scott:can't even tell you the last time I did. That's great. Good for you.
Jamie:But I I almost feel like McDonald's and Burger King and like Wendy's and all those things are better than Friendly's food. Not ice cream, food.
Scott:No. I understand what you're saying. Yeah. And and at at having now recently gone to Friendly's You
Jamie:you feel the same way.
Scott:I I I I I stand by this statement.
Jamie:You do.
Scott:I will not eat food at Friendly's.
Jamie:So tell tell what you actually ate.
Scott:So I had a chicken sandwich.
Jamie:Okay.
Scott:And Otto had
Jamie:That was the safest you could go there?
Scott:What do you mean
Jamie:by safest? I mean, I'm trying to think of things they can't screw up.
Scott:Listen, honestly, that's not the kind of it's like, didn't wanna eat a salad there. Like, the produce there is not gonna be awesome. Just by the look of the whole situation. Like, I'm telling you, like, walked in there and I was like, oh, this might be a big mistake.
Jamie:Is the chicken any better than the produce situation?
Scott:Listen, it's deep fried and it's you know what I mean? Like, we're not talking about like if
Jamie:So you got like a fried chicken sandwich
Scott:fried chicken sandwich. Okay.
Jamie:Got you.
Scott:And then there's like fries, didn't eat the fries.
Jamie:Okay.
Scott:And then Otto had like a fried chicken something else. And so Okay.
Jamie:Chicken fingers or something like that.
Scott:Yeah. And I would I've loved to have gotten like a salad that looked great. Yeah. A 100%. But like the only the only chicken option to put on the salad was like cut up fried chicken.
Scott:So I was like, I'm gonna skip all
Jamie:that produce and I'm just
Scott:going to I actually saw one of the guys in the back and he was cutting the lettuce that I can't stand. He also had an earbud in his ear and I can't stand that they actually let employers let employees work with earbuds in their ear. Like that is not okay in my book, but in any event, he was holding the list.
Jamie:Get a friendlies. I'm not surprised.
Scott:No. You're not surprised, but it's fucking ridiculous if you ask me. Well, listen Like if you wanna listen to music in the kitchen, put on a fucking speaker.
Jamie:Listen. You were like Michelin star chef. So like
Scott:No. I was not a Michelin
Jamie:star chef. Came from like a little bit of a different environment.
Scott:Oh oh, okay. But like, I'm there's basic sanitary requirements that one would have when they're dealing with food that doesn't have like a a cook step in it that's gonna kill any bacteria.
Jamie:Alright. So I have a question. Is the earbud in the ear considered unsanitary?
Scott:Unsanitary? No. But there's a hazard that if it comes out and lands in the food, and if you were maybe not to notice it, you would end up giving someone a salad with an earbud.
Jamie:So can I tell you? I, did you remember the the restaurant Del Pino's in Franklin Lakes?
Scott:Yeah. Sure. Alright.
Jamie:It's up
Jamie:in the Market Basket where it was our old stomping grounds. So Del Pino's, for those of don't know, used be an Italian restaurant in Franklin Lakes where Scott and I grew up. For those of you who familiar with the area, it was over by by Market Basket in North Jersey. So it was a good Italian restaurant. I remember getting, like, like pasta and clams one day
Scott:Yeah.
Jamie:There. And, I found a rubber band Yep. In my food.
Jamie:Yep.
Jamie:And I guess they said that it was from, like, the nozzle to, like, wash off the pasta or something like that. It gave me some, like
Scott:Could be like. Was, was a rubber band or a washer?
Jamie:Oh, I'm sorry. It was a washer. A washer. Thank you. Sorry.
Jamie:It was a washer, not a rubber band. And it was in it was in yeah. It was in with my food. Did I tell you that story?
Scott:No. No. No.
Jamie:No. Where would that come from?
Scott:It could come from the faucet.
Jamie:From the faucet is what he said.
Scott:Quite honestly, you'd have to have, like, the
Jamie:It was a washer. Correct. It was yes. It was a rubber washer.
Scott:Correct. You'd you'd have to un screw the tip of like the The nozzle. Faucet Right. Or the nozzle. Like Yeah.
Scott:The washers don't fall out without something else usually Yes. Coming out
Jamie:Right. Yes.
Scott:I So maybe they maybe they retrieved the nozzle and didn't see that the the whatever the washer fell in there. Yeah. Listen, those things happen. Like I've I've worked in plenty of food service Yeah. Establishments and I've seen like nothing Well, I've seen some stuff.
Scott:Yeah.
Jamie:Yeah.
Scott:Think like things happen even in the cleanest of places.
Jamie:Sure they do.
Scott:And and so but but foreign objects in food is is obviously happens, unfortunately.
Jamie:I've also had a paper clip in my pasta.
Scott:Oh, yeah.
Jamie:Same place.
Scott:Oh, that's interesting.
Jamie:Same place.
Scott:Paper clip in the kitchen.
Jamie:Paper clip.
Scott:I don't really see that too much.
Jamie:Right? Where would that come from?
Scott:I don't know. Maybe they were paper clipping orders to the order of binder. Yeah.
Jamie:Don't know. So you're trying to figure out like where that would have come Yeah.
Scott:No. That doesn't make sense.
Jamie:Right? Strange. Right?
Scott:Yeah. Yeah. It is a little strange.
Jamie:Definitely strange. Feel like
Scott:Hey then.
Jamie:I feel like the movie Waiting is is is like important to to to give a nod to right now.
Scott:Never saw it.
Jamie:With Ryan Reynolds? No. Wow. No shit. Yeah.
Jamie:Oh, you should.
Scott:I haven't seen a lot
Jamie:of movies.
Scott:You being We've we've discussed this.
Jamie:Yeah. We have. Those for those of you who know the movie I'm talking about, waiting is is with Ryan Reynolds. Yeah. And they're waiters in, like, a Friday's ish type establishment.
Scott:They wear flare?
Jamie:What?
Scott:Flare. Sorry? Flare. Flare? Flare.
Jamie:I don't understand what you're saying.
Scott:That's that was also in the fucking office too. When you go into, like, the friendlies, they have the suspenders with all of, the buttons.
Jamie:Oh, are they wearing flare? Is that what you're saying?
Scott:Yes. Flare.
Jamie:Did they, Maybe? It was like a Benegans type Friday ish type you know what I mean. You all know what I'm talking about. The Benegans, Fridays. What's the other one?
Jamie:Like, Chili's ish type of establishments.
Scott:Yeah. Yeah.
Jamie:Right? The ground round. Maybe not that maybe not that shitty, but, like, but, like, but those types of places. Yeah. Yeah.
Jamie:Yeah. Right? You know? And and they they it was they were following the wait staff, and they were basically showing how the wait staff were all a bunch of fucking hooligans.
Scott:Listen. I
Jamie:In those places.
Scott:There's definitely places where there's shenanigans.
Jamie:It was called shenanigans. The name of the restaurant. I swear to God, the name of the restaurant again, it was it was they were trying to imply a Friday's, and they called it shenanigans. Yes. That's funny.
Jamie:So they actually called it that. If I'm not mistaken, I hope I'll write this if I'm wrong, I'm pretty sure it was called shenanigans.
Scott:You think someone's gonna take time out of the day to write you and tell you?
Jamie:They write us other stuff. So, yeah, maybe. Some of the shit that we get, yes, I do think there's people that that have time on their hands that write us stuff that's
Scott:It was not you probably should not have wrote.
Jamie:Yeah. Yeah. You know? But yeah. So, so so alright.
Jamie:So you so you drove your electric car up to a, up to a tournament, and, and you didn't get stuck, which is nice. You actually got back here in one piece.
Scott:Yeah. That was
Jamie:fine. Really bad food at Friendly's.
Scott:Yeah. But then we had really good ice cream to make up for it. Fair. Yeah. Fair.
Jamie:Did you get sick from the food? No. Okay. So it wasn't that bad.
Scott:No. But it was definitely not what I wanted. I was really honestly, I went there knowing, like, you know, that it was gonna have all of the Yeah. The unhealthy, like, kids favorites and stuff like that.
Jamie:Right. So how long did it take your your car to charge when you were waiting?
Scott:How long did it take? Oh, I just let it charge for, like, the whatever. It might have been there for, thirty, forty minutes around that amount of time. Right. And it was yeah.
Scott:I didn't need to fully charge. I just You needed
Jamie:needed to logistically plan your route along
Scott:the way. The truth is I probably could have gotten home without having to charge, at that point. But not having taken a lot, you know, not having been on such a long drive with an all electric car, I just wanted to make sure I had, you know, enough in case, I don't know, something didn't
Jamie:work. See, that would give me, like, anxiety. Like, because sometimes you can't find charging stations. I know I know that
Scott:You can.
Jamie:I know the apps are all over the place.
Scott:No. You there's there's You know? Listen. The infrastructure is there. It's not convenient.
Scott:I will say that for sure.
Jamie:How many charging ports were there when you got to the spot?
Scott:There is, like, one, two, three, four. Like, there's four, like, in each I'll call it a tower for lack of better words. Like, each tower usually has two two, charging come off of
Jamie:it? Yep. Yep. How many were being used?
Scott:When I got there? Yeah. We
Jamie:There's eight different chargers. Is that what I'm
Scott:eight chargers.
Jamie:Yeah. So how many were being used when you got there?
Scott:Two. Oh. But when you go to the apps, they tell you how many are available and how many are
Jamie:not available. Shows you, like, like, real time, like, who's charging
Scott:and who's not. It does. But it's like Okay. It's a pain in the ass to keep tabs on. Like, if if the I'll look if I'm like, I don't know, thirty minutes out.
Scott:But for all I know, they all could have been taken by between the thirty minutes, you know, when I looked at it and thirty minutes later.
Jamie:Right.
Scott:You know? But no. Then I was the only car there when when we left. When we left.
Jamie:Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Where our our buddy Chris Vollmer, who we had on episode twenty and twenty one, he has a Rivian.
Jamie:So
Jamie:he has to he's been taking the Rivian to hockey for years.
Scott:For years. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, you mentioned, and then you saw him walking.
Jamie:He was walking like a mile from, like, a Marriott. Yeah. Because we were staying in a different hotel, so he but they had a charging station, so we left there overnight.
Scott:Yeah.
Jamie:You know, but that's something he has to obviously figure out where he's gonna be.
Scott:Yeah. I didn't I didn't need to leave it anywhere overnight. I made sure to have enough charge, like yeah. In any event, it worked out fine.
Jamie:So worked out. You got
Scott:I wouldn't I wouldn't hesitate to I wouldn't hesitate to using it again unless we're going to some, like, really remote place, which is not gonna be the case. Got it. I don't think.
Jamie:Got it. Okay. Well, that's cool to hear.
Scott:But yeah, was my friendly story. The ice cream is still good. Part of my yawn.
Jamie:The ice cream, I'm not surprised it's still good.
Scott:It was still delicious. Yeah. Yeah.
Jamie:Yeah. They have they have legit ice cream. Yeah. Yeah. So how'd you guys do tournament wise?
Jamie:Mean, we'll we'll we'll we'll we'll
Scott:we'll we'll we'll we'll like
Jamie:So what'd you guys just do?
Scott:Games this weekend. We had a up in a up in a tournament and then we played them again. Rumor had it that they had been missing two of their better kids at the tournament. Okay. And I'm pretty sure that they're one of their kids there's at least one kid that was one of their better players that put in two goals in one shift that helped just totally, know, change change the momentum of the game.
Scott:Okay. They ended up winning. So we lost the the rematch against the Long Island Arrows. And then we played the Utica Junior Comets Okay. Doubleheader on Sunday.
Scott:Right. They had a kid on there who was bigger, stronger, faster Mhmm. And you know, could kinda have his way a little bit.
Jamie:Right.
Scott:And we it was kind of it was a very entertaining game. The first one, we was like back and forth, we started crawling back.
Jamie:Yeah. That was one. Was like,
Scott:I skipped
Jamie:in a
Scott:little bit. There was a moment where I was like, oh, nice. You know, we're gonna you know, I think we're gonna take this one. Right. After looking like, oh, man, we might get really dominated.
Jamie:Right.
Scott:We ended up losing, but at least I was like, wow. Okay. So if this is what game one was like, game two Right. Hopefully it's gonna be good. I don't have something in my throat.
Scott:Hold on one second. Lovely. Oh, I can't
Jamie:even Lovely. That's alright. I'll speak. Scott Scott's choking over here on something. But
Scott:Gotcha. Then we had our second game and we got pretty manhandled. Okay. The second game, they got some early goals and it just like, you know, we never really recovered.
Jamie:Right.
Scott:And we we put some goals in later in the game. But you know, those those goals later in the game when you're kind of like losing by like six goals, it's like Yeah. The other team gives up a little bit, you know, whatever the deal was.
Jamie:They take their foot off the gas.
Scott:They took their foot off the gas. And and the truth is like just seeing us play against this Utica team, I felt like all of our not all of them. I won't say all of them. But let's just like certainly on the second game, it like the goals were scored by like more or less individual efforts. Right?
Scott:It wasn't necessarily the result of like this Good hockey play. Good like team play.
Jamie:Yeah. Passing the puck.
Scott:Look, there there there was elements of that leading up to stuff. But generally speaking, the Utica comments were scoring goals because they moved the puck. Well, they found open guys
Jamie:And individual play was really the
Scott:It was really what our answer answer to like, know, score some And so that'll only get you so far. We all know that. Right?
Jamie:Yeah. Especially as kids get older.
Scott:Yeah. That's So for sure. I didn't think that, you know, look, the our coach sent an email just, you know, letting all the parents know that, you know, the systems and what he's looking for out of his team this year takes some takes some learning. Yeah. He's he's he's already, you know, he's seeing improvement game over game in terms of like, you know, I'm assuming like the kids positioning, their understanding of what's being asked of them.
Scott:Do they still have plenty to learn? Absolutely. Sure. Is it gonna take a while? It will.
Scott:Sure. But I will say this and you talked about communication earlier. I've been very happy with our coaches level of communication and straightforwardness with the parent group. He's to the point. He doesn't like mince his words and and I'm not saying it's like, you know, aggressive or anything like that.
Scott:I'm just saying it's to the point. And he sent an email after the weekend just saying, listen, trust me. What we're asking of these kids isn't
Jamie:you know Yeah. They're getting bad. Yeah.
Scott:And the other part is that this team is Okay. This team is like brand new. Right? Like they they haven't played together before Yeah. And that's apparent and everyone's still trying to learn each other.
Scott:They're still working. They're all different kinds of line combinations. There's been a lack of
Jamie:Yeah.
Jamie:Ours is similar.
Scott:A pretty and and that's to be expected. So look, at the end of the day, would I be happier if would everyone be happier if they'd probably won more? Sure. But it's not about winning at this moment. It's about development.
Scott:So if you just follow that thread and you're taking your cues from our coach, who, you know, I I think has been earning everyone's trust like you know, it's like alright dude, like let's just let's keep going and let's develop these kids and make them better hockey players and you see a lot of coaching on the bench which I like, a lot of whiteboard stuff or he's writing stuff on like pad and like going over with kids.
Jamie:Showing kids stuff.
Scott:Yeah. So that's something we didn't see at all last year
Jamie:Okay. That's positive. That I remember.
Scott:Yeah. Anyway, so that's really a positive and you know, a lot of it's about positioning, a lot of it's you know you know, how to like you know, what to do when you don't have the puck type stuff
Jamie:Yeah.
Scott:Especially in the offensive zone if there's like you know, we change possession and now we're on the defensive side of the puck like
Jamie:Okay.
Scott:Where the expectation is for certain players in certain situations. So it's it's it's it's all it's it's seemingly all positive, know.
Jamie:Okay. Good.
Scott:And it'll take some time but the Got it. Otto's happy in terms, you know, like with the coaching staff,
Jamie:with
Scott:his teammates.
Jamie:Alright. So
Scott:there's there's a lot of positive signals. The parent group from what I can tell so far is a good group of parents. Good. I I haven't gotten to know all of them yet, that's for sure. But, yeah.
Scott:No. Things things no. It's good.
Jamie:Okay.
Scott:It's good. But I will say though sometimes it's it's it's hard it's hard. Okay. So that's like the team thing. But then looking at that Otto specifically
Jamie:Mhmm.
Scott:Like he's been inconsistent, you know, and Right. And that's the part that, you know, it takes time. That's the part that is also so infuriating because on one hand you know he can do certain things. Yeah. And it's like I you don't understand why it happens at certain times and not others and that's just the way life is.
Scott:And I need to remind myself in the moment because I was getting like really frustrated the second game. Oh my god. A 100% I was getting frustrated because it's like when you see your kid, he's just a passenger on the ice. Yeah. And he's just like watching the game happen around him and like you know, here give an example.
Scott:Right? Like if he's a weak side winger and he's like in the high slot and the puck gets like rimmed around to, you know, the other side Okay. And like it's it's a foot race between him and the defenseman
Jamie:To get to the puck. To get
Scott:to the puck. Like, I just I want more. I want more. I wanna see him skating as fast as he does when he gets the puck on a stick and
Jamie:he Isn't it goes funny how when the puck gets on their stick? And then you can
Scott:have a breakaway. Absolutely. Isn't it funny? Yeah. I I mean, like, that type of stuff, I'm I'm, like, I'm really fighting, my my frustration with it and just trying to be positive.
Scott:I tell them, dude, listen, you know, like, take away time. And what what was also helpful was, our coach is also he does video review, but like early on in the season, like, whatever it is, I don't know how much it's gonna change. Like, they did video review before the game on Saturday as a team. Yeah. Yeah.
Scott:But he's he also sent home video last week, and it was for everyone to watch including parents, and you just see what he's asking of these kids. And, you know, so from that perspective, I think that we have tools as parents to help coach our kids
Jamie:Right.
Scott:At at home. And a lot of it was validating for me because a lot of the things that he said are things that I say to Otto. So like, listen, you don't even have to listen to your idiot father. Yeah. Like, don't listen to me.
Scott:I don't you know, listen to your coach. Yeah. Because at the
Jamie:end of your day, he's
Scott:the one giving you ice time, not me. That's true. You know? And I told him, I said, dude, listen. And you got you you start have to start asking questions of your coach.
Scott:Have to start if you don't understand something, you have to you have to speak up. Yeah. You know, if you're not happy with something, you have to understand the why. Like, you you you have a voice and like, and I'm not I'm not saying use it to complain No. But don't use it use to get more information so that like,
Jamie:you know can figure yourself out. For whatever it is.
Scott:Yeah. So so that that's been good. And yeah. So you know Okay.
Jamie:That's great.
Scott:Yeah. So we're full on full on in the hockey season and
Jamie:Okay.
Scott:Yeah. Alright. I've you know, I'm I'm still not sure how this and no one does. No one's got a crystal ball. I I don't have a strong feeling if it's gonna turn out really well or really poor somewhere in between.
Jamie:Well, you don't know yet.
Scott:Yeah. No. I know. But that's that doesn't even matter. I'm just you know, part of it is It's early.
Scott:It's early but there are positive signs to kinda like grab on to and just like, okay, listen. This is despite any difficulties the kids are having. You know what another thing also I noticed for sure And this is something that is true. I'm sure for any individual player that's gone from tier one from tier two to tier one or a team that's a brand new tier one Yeah. Team with kids that haven't played triple a before.
Scott:But we the games that we won, we had more time and space. Yeah. And the games that we've lost Yeah. Except for the game on Sunday, that wasn't that was more of like we had there was some bad luck involved there and we were just like throwing the puck away a lot. Yeah.
Scott:Yeah. But when the kids don't have time and space, they just like they they panic and they just get rid of the puck.
Jamie:100%.
Scott:The amount of times we just pass the puck to their defenseman
Jamie:Yep.
Scott:Or like couldn't make a breakout pass because they were like people were on them, you know, opponents were on them faster. It's it's it's something that has to get learned and only way it's gonna happen is through repetition. Yes. But it's so clear that like the the the kids need to get better at being put under pressure and what to do and how to handle it and how to not make stupid plays. You might not be able to make a great play, but let's at least get rid of the stupid plays.
Scott:Yes. You know what I mean? And that's I do. That so I'm sure that'll come with time too, but, know, we're we're off and running, dude.
Jamie:Yeah. I know. I I it's funny you say that because I I I have that conversation a lot, not just with you, but, like, with other people. Yeah. You know, I remember, like, in the springtime, like, everybody was so excited about, like you know, they're like, oh, you know, all the all the new kids that we have coming over, you know, we're we're gonna be so good this year.
Jamie:You know, they're like and they're like, yeah. They're like you know, they won, like, their, like, middle middle school league. Right?
Scott:Like Yeah.
Jamie:And I'm like and and I and I and I I always have to remind people. I'm like, listen. That's great, but when there's less time and space, it looks different. Yeah. There's more time and space, kids show out a little more.
Jamie:Right? Like, so you always have to remem that's why you never get too high or too low in this game as a parent because when they're playing against a lesser opponent, there's more time and space. It looks different. Yep. Right?
Jamie:When there's less time and space, you have a better opponent. It looks different because the kids react differently.
Scott:They're rich. Doubt.
Jamie:Right? There's there's less that they can do. There's less time to make a pass or take a shot or whatever it is. So I always tell people, like, you have to understand who you're playing against, right, and the level you're playing against because the kids just react differently, especially at these ages because they they're not adapt adapt to dealing with some of the higher some are not ready to deal with the higher level, you know, teams yet. Right.
Jamie:Right? And and you cease. You know, the kids have a harder time standing out in in those games where you play better teams. We we saw in our first two games in our showcase. We played two higher level teams.
Jamie:There was a lot less time and space.
Scott:Right.
Jamie:Right? You know? So the kids have to start to try to get, accustomed to that stuff.
Scott:Oh, without a doubt.
Jamie:You know? But it's hard. Yep. You know? Not easy.
Scott:Well, what you what do you think at this point? We kick it over to someone who knows a few things about that. Yes. Yes. So, today's episode, we've, we have Jamie Cahill on.
Scott:Jamie Cahill's been a major part of the North Jersey Avalanche
Jamie:For a while.
Scott:DNA for a long time now. Yeah. He's coached some really, really high level talent. He also spent time with the Chicago Steel among other places. Great hockey mind, great hockey coach.
Jamie:Yeah. He was a good interview.
Scott:Yeah. It was a great interview to learn more from him. You know, obviously, they're local to us. So I'm sure a lot of people around here will be interested to hear what he has to say. Coached at the fifteen u at the fifteen u
Jamie:Is he the midget coordinator?
Scott:Oh, you
Jamie:know what? Have to double check. Yeah. I don't know why I thought he was the midget coordinator over there at at the Avs.
Scott:He he listen. He
Jamie:Which most of you probably know. You know? I'm sure most of you probably know the North Jersey
Scott:Avalanche around
Jamie:The US.
Scott:He's part of player development. You know? He helps. And even
Jamie:in Canada, I'm sure you might know North Jersey Avalanche.
Scott:Yeah. Fair. Fair. Fair.
Jamie:They're everywhere.
Scott:Nonetheless, he's a a great hockey mind, great hockey coach. Yeah. Yes. Great great person, and, it was a pleasure to have him on. So why don't we kick it over to Jamie Cahill?
Jamie:Yeah. Enjoy everybody. Yep.
Scott:Alright, everybody. Welcome to the next interview here on the Crazy Hockey Dads Podcast, and we couldn't be happier to have Jamie Cahill on, longtime North Jersey Avalanche head coach, coached a lot of talented players over the years. He's got kids in the game himself. If there's anyone that knows a thing about development, you know, it's Jamie. So anyway, welcome to the pod.
Scott:Thanks for coming on and spending some time with us time with us. Great to have you, man.
Jamie:Thanks so much for having me. Just there's a lot of people nervous that I'm doing this, so I'm not I'm gonna try not to say anything stupid for the next hour here.
Jamie:So Just just let her rip, Jamie. Just let her rip.
Scott:Yeah. Just just have at it. No. But I mean, you know and listen, for for the and for those of that are listening that aren't familiar with you, if you wouldn't mind just kinda sharing, like, you know, what what what you're doing in the hockey world nowadays.
Jamie:Yeah. So it's always a funny statement as to what my actual title is at the Avalanche because I keep getting more and more of them. As of recently, I am I'm the head coach of both the 15 o and and 16 u teams. I've been doing that for for quite a while. I'm also an assistant on the eighteens Yeah.
Jamie:Because one of my former coaches just took over that program. Really cool story. He played for me growing up. Now he's coaching, so we like his family. Right.
Jamie:Yeah. And I'm also given all the years of experience and the type of players, I I direct the midget program, and I do player advancement. You know, obviously, there's a whole world of agents and everything out there, but it's always nice to have a homegrown coach kind of advocating on behalf of our players. So that's part of that role.
Scott:Wow. That so, I mean, there's just so many things just right off the bat right there. But, you know, we do have a lot of folks that listen to the pod, and they're they have they have younger kids. They haven't gotten too far along their journey yet. You mentioned 15 o.
Scott:Could you just, you know, help everyone understand, like, what that means?
Jamie:Yeah. So for for my age hockey player, it's a newer division.
Scott:There we go.
Jamie:That's 15 year old hockey, and they call it fifteen o because it's one of now the 13 year old group replicated that as well where you're not allowed to have players play up. So it's 15 year olds and 15 year olds only. Right? So that's why they gave it the fifteen o moniker. It just means that you can't have players play up, but then another guest's son, you know, you have a special player like a Will with Sorrel.
Jamie:What do do with him? Can't play up for four for fifteens. I just put him on the 16 team when he was 14 years old.
Scott:That was unbelievable.
Jamie:Oh, that's funny. So that's like instead of saying pure, it's a 15 o.
Jamie:Yeah. Yeah. 15 o, 15 only. You know?
Jamie:Gotcha. Okay.
Scott:And does that include goalies also, or do goalies have a pass on that one?
Jamie:No. Goalie goalies as well. Not allowed to to be that, you know, for this year. It's the 2011 birth year. Right?
Jamie:Anybody on the roster has to be twenty eleven and 2011 only.
Scott:And and what's the upside with that? Or like, why is that a thing?
Jamie:So I I actually when they first did it, right, I think it was because each age level, you know, there was this rush in hockey to get to you know, juniors was a lot more prominent, the midget age levels. Right? So they had capped junior hockey that 15 year olds weren't allowed to play juniors because you were getting 14, 15 year olds when the junior leagues were a little bit more prevalent in this in this area. Right? A little bit higher end.
Jamie:Everybody was getting in this rush. Right? So not understanding the dynamic of the 14 to the 16 year old, and you know, I did it a couple of times, so maybe I broke it. Right? But I think it was really that the science, you know, where where a body is developmentally, like, do you really need to play be 15 years old playing against 21 year olds in junior high?
Jamie:Right. Right? And they did it that way because they they felt that the extra age level was necessary. At the time, I didn't, but I'm now you know, they they made me a believer. You know, I've had a great experience with that age level, but it was really to make sure that they could preserve that those 15 year olds were not getting gobbled up by junior organizations and everything else because there was just too much hockey in that age division.
Jamie:So I think they that was the original, and then they copied the same concept once they launched nationals for the 13 year olds because, you know, every high end 13 year old for the most part, you know, especially in our area, but I think it's pretty consistent across the country, was playing up on a band to major team. Right? Okay. So to keep kids within their own age, it's, hey. I'll give you a national tournament to play in, but in doing so, you gotta play your own
Scott:age. Interesting.
Jamie:That's that was done just to kinda keep kids I don't wanna say look, but keep kids in the building more and to keep them in their birth year as opposed to jumping all kind of all over the place.
Jamie:Yeah. I think it was to control the craziness. Right? Yeah. Was a point in time before they made the rule that 15 year old about 15 year olds needing some special like to go play junior B in the Met League.
Jamie:Right? That was a really prominent league. There was so many choices to play for, and the only result was everything was getting watered down. And to be honest, there was a point in time where hockey in the Northeast was, you know, almost failing because we were producing good hockey players, but they were they were getting out of here the second they could. Right?
Jamie:You couldn't retain a kid after 12, 13 years old. So I think it was more to try and kind of, hey. We have this development model. Right? Shocking started in Canada.
Jamie:Right? It's a 1517 model in Canada. Yeah. Soon to soon to be there in The US with the trial period coming this year with with BL, and I'm sure we could talk about that for hours. But I think it was really, you know, this concept of bigger, faster, stronger, but then the player pool gets a little thinner.
Jamie:I become with what it's become, I think bigger, faster, stronger is being is offset when you're around the highest level of talent. You get to practice with those guys day in and day out. Right? Just because, you know, a defenseman on your team can bench press you five times doesn't mean he's making you, you know, a better hot. Right.
Jamie:Right. So just that, you know, with the way the body develops and everything, and, you know, everything we're really doing now is is catered towards transitioning to the USHL. DL is one of that. Right? We're trying to preserve that local talent here with the mess that the CHL has now made with college.
Jamie:Right. You know? It it kinda it kinda makes sense, but it's getting back to that point where there's way too many inputs for the kids to really make a choice, you know, especially high end players that are just getting pulled in a million different directions is very difficult.
Jamie:Right. Yeah. You know, you you said so many things. We could go in so many different directions right there. Right?
Jamie:I mean, I'm not sure where to go first, But I'm curious, you know, you were mentioning, like, the 14, 15 year old. Can you talk a little bit about the difference in a kid that's not gone through puberty yet or starting versus a kid that, like, is in there or through it?
Jamie:Yeah. Yeah. I mean, so there was there was one year I coached bantams. I did it as a favor in my in my 15. I've been doing this twenty two years, I think, now.
Scott:Right.
Jamie:My wife would have to be sitting next to me to tell you how long I've been doing it at the hour. I think I'm getting it twenty fifteen years. But there was one year where they had a band to major issue, and they asked me to step down and do the band to major. It was the o three group. We had an awesome, really fun group.
Jamie:Got the chance to coach actually playing up. Devin Kaplan played up for me that year. Oh, yes. So we had some, like, really cool Tyler Kopf was a kid on that team. Sure.
Jamie:Mike Emerson. A lot of a lot of really high end players. And if any of you guys are listening, if I didn't mention you, like, I'll call you later. I'm sorry. I loved all 20 of you.
Jamie:But the weirdest thing that I learned from that, and I have actually written to USA Hockey several times on this, That was the first group of bantam hockey players that weren't allowed to hit when they were pee wee's. Right? So they had changed the rule. Right?
Scott:Right.
Jamie:And when I tell you the amount of concussions that we had that year was insane. Right? And it's kind of a weird place to do it. Right? Because bantam, you know, 13 and 14 year olds, they're they're much different developmentally.
Jamie:Right? You got kids that are shaving in the morning. Right? And you got a kid that's staring in the mirror trying to find that first armpit hair. Mhmm.
Jamie:That's right. Totally. Yeah. Exactly. There's like you know, even like, I coached Charlie McAvoy when when he was 13 years old.
Jamie:You know? Charlie was had all baby fat. Right? He was a he was an unbelievable hockey player, but Charlie was really late. And Charlie's really he's not even a '97.
Jamie:He's really a '98 birth year. He's December ninety seven, so he's in one that was, yes, underdeveloped, as a hockey player, he was pretty damn good.
Scott:Sure. Sure.
Jamie:Yeah. But what I learned from that is is two things. Right? That the size differential is just insane in bantams. Right?
Jamie:Tyler Kopf, when he played for me at that time, I think Tyler was, like, five feet, like, a hundred and ten pounds. He's now a six foot three professional hockey player in Buffalo. Right? And he grew like way late. His dad was always big.
Jamie:He always knew he was gonna get there. A great family. He always worked hard. But then the concussion part of it was like none of these kids ever learned learned to hit. Right?
Jamie:So I look at like Mike football, and there's all like, I know the science. Right? I I understand that you want to protect, but I I truly believe that the younger you start hitting, the more you can learn because you're talking about, you know, kids hitting where that isn't a factor. Right? Right.
Jamie:My son's now gonna be a a peewee miner. When he was, you know, a mite and a squirt, it was never like, wow, that kid's so big, he's gonna hurt him. Right?
Jamie:Right.
Jamie:And you also bend in your break. You don't break at that point. Right? And you're not as fast in so I think the biggest gap right now is teaching kids how to use their body correctly at a younger age. Because they're not allowed, then it becomes, you know, it's like savage animals coming into bantam year where like there's that group of kids that all they wanna do is take somebody's head off because they've never been allowed to do it before.
Jamie:Yep.
Jamie:Right? They don't know the proper technique on hitting, and more importantly, nobody's Just ever really told me how that's how absorbed. The contact.
Jamie:That's right. Right.
Jamie:Right. So from that year, I remember, like, with Dan May from the Avalanche, I was like, damn, we gotta gotta do something. There's a concussion every other day. You know? Because they just don't know how to protect themselves, how to even kids were giving themselves concussions, you know, hitting somebody else.
Jamie:Right? Because they didn't know where to position their head, how to use their hands. And so that's what I think is is the biggest gap right now. But of those guys, right, wherever you're at in maturity scale, right, pre puberty, puberty, whatever it is, your work ethic's always gonna always gonna if you're if you're a kid that works hard, right, and a kid like Tyler Koff, right, great example that that, you know, always played physical and hoard and, like, knew how to play that style of play. He was easily transitionable into that once he got God's gift of the growth spurt and, you know, worked worked his way in the gym.
Jamie:But the other part of it is the game has changed so much that, you know, I don't I don't really recruit size. Am I allowed to say recruit? I don't know if I'm allowed to say it. If I was allowed to recruit.
Scott:Uh-huh. You you investigate. Yeah.
Jamie:Size has become much less of a factor for me now because of the way one, because the way I teach the game. Right? My development model is very possession based, like very high hockey IQ. Right? You want guys to think the right way.
Jamie:Mhmm.
Jamie:But I also think that we've been really good at teaching undersized kids how to use their body correctly, that it's not as much as a factor as it used to be. You know? If you look at Lane Hudson was five two when he played for me. Lane Hudson was also the like, never lost a puck battle on the wall. Right?
Jamie:Because he knew how to get low. He was a little crazy. Right? He knew how to get low and and, like, just wanted so badly to have that puck. So like Right.
Jamie:I do think that whatever whatever, you know, nature doesn't give you, you can offset with
Jamie:Something else.
Jamie:Grit, grind, determination, you know, and and study the science. Right? The thing I always tell small guys is, yeah, that kid might be six four. I'm like, but your legs, right, you're almost the same size from the waist down. Right?
Jamie:Right. His legs aren't that much, so cut them in half. Right? Right. Go low.
Jamie:Go into the hips. Right? Now you're only taking half his body weight. So there's different ways to teach it. And of course, with the way penalties are called and everything else now, you know, having that big I still love them.
Jamie:Right? But less important in size is just the will to, you know, get into the dirty areas of the rink and really, you know, grind and use the the science of it. Right? You don't have to be bigger and stronger and push somebody over. You have to know how to control your body, how to get low, come through the hands, and and win the park, how to pick when to go versus when not to go instead of running around like a like a maniac.
Jamie:You know?
Jamie:Right. Yeah. You know, it's it's funny. You know, Scott, I'm gonna have a follow-up because Scott I don't wanna cut you off, Scott, but I have follow-up. Very good.
Jamie:So Jamie, have two things. One, what age do you think the kids should start hitting? And number two, it's interesting that you mentioned size because I have a twenty twelve. Okay? So he's a second year bantam.
Jamie:And I have to tell you, of the higher end teams in our area, ninety nine you're the outlier. Most are only interested in size. Because my kid at the time, tryouts was, like, five two, you know, a hundred hundred and five pounds. I mean, you are definitely the outlier there. There's no question about it, which is refreshing to hear, to be honest with you.
Jamie:Yeah. I I think well, for the first question, I think Pee Wee Minor. Right? Think Pee Wee Minor is, you know, 10, 11 years old. Right?
Jamie:You're you're you're there. You know? I think that's a good age where you're where you're not and and the same way they do it. Right? Whether it's just, you know, body contact on boards, you wanna take the open ice hits out of it.
Jamie:I get it. There's also you know, could be an argument made that, like, hey. You gotta learn how to keep your head up too, and you wanna
Scott:100%.
Jamie:Get hit by a six foot five kid coming across the middle or, you know, a a five foot eight kid. Right? You know?
Jamie:Right. Yeah.
Jamie:Oh, sorry about that.
Scott:All good.
Jamie:But so I think Pee Wee Minor is where you know? And and and like everything else, hockey has it. Football has it. Every contact sport, you know, football's got this new heads up head heads up tackling philosophy, right, to so it just gives you more of a a reason to really teach the contact of the game. Mhmm.
Jamie:Right? And then for size, like, you know, I I always say, like, one, I'm gonna take IQ over size a 100 times over a 100. Yeah. That's nice to hear. I'm always looking for guys that can, you know, see and make plays and think differently because I also think of, you know, the tons and tons of of players that I've coached.
Jamie:Right? Nobody's gotten to the next level because they're really big. Right? They've gotten to the next level because they know how to play the game. They know how to think the game.
Jamie:So I'll take IQs. Size help? Yes. Right? But, you know, just because I take a six three defenseman, I'm not taking him because he's six three.
Jamie:I'm taking him because, you know, great example is a kid that played for me last year, Brain Scow. He was gonna play in the North American League, was a forward his whole life, and he was also tiny. He's another kid that went through a growth spurt. His bantam year, because their team all got hurt, he was at Mid Fairfield. They moved them to d, and he had this growth spurt combined with, you know, having that kind of skill set.
Jamie:And Yeah. I had such a pleasure coaching him this year, you know, that that was you know, he's big and and he was strong, but he was also, you know, one of the smartest kids that I coached. You know? So I'll take I'll take the IQ oversize. You know?
Jamie:And I even when I, you know, I'm advocating for players, you know, I spend a lot of time talking to the CHL, the OHL, you know, division one, you know, and now, lucky enough, a lot of my players have been drafted. You know, when the NHL teams call me about a former player, you know, you spend your your two conversations, right, are character number one. Right? Because they wanna know what they're getting in the door. And then it's IQ slash compete.
Jamie:Right? Size and everything. They know how how big they are. Right? Right.
Jamie:But nobody's ever said, like, is the kid too small? Like, you you're watching them. Right? You're you're interested in him because he's competing, so it doesn't make as as much a difference to me. And I know that's that's different thinking than a lot.
Jamie:But, like, if you if you went back into the old, like, Nintendo hockey game, I'd find just the five little guys, right, as my whole lineup, and and we'd go on.
Jamie:Leave the big fat guys.
Scott:That's the one I identified with. That was
Jamie:the that everybody bounces off of.
Scott:A 100%.
Jamie:I would have taken you, Scott. I would have taken
Scott:You know, I and I believe that a 100%. Yeah. I was running around when I was playing. I was I played for the saints growing up, and there was no triple a. It was just double a, and it was a different time.
Scott:But, you know, it's interesting. We were just talking about the body check. I just start playing organized like club hockey until I was a second year pee wee. So I walked in the door of being able to check straight away. And so I'd never played a game of ice hockey, well, until men's league, right, until then I couldn't check.
Scott:But I'll say this, though, for me, I was always when I started, I was bigger. I was bigger for a couple years. And then when I got to midgets and there were guys that were more my size, it was harder for me to adapt to that because I I was I could have my way. And I didn't learn how to play where size and strength were now equal. You know?
Scott:And now I'm playing against people that had much greater skill than me, better positioning, you you know, just like the whole thing. So it was that was it wasn't easy for me to kinda get used to playing against guys my size, especially when I got to high school too. But what I wanted to
Jamie:And, you know, it's got it's funny. You know, I always see with the kids that are always bigger, and then, you know, obviously, they catch up. Yeah. Even bantam hockey, they get called for a penalty every time they hit somebody. Right?
Jamie:Because it it looks high. Right? But, like, hey. I'm a foot taller than the kid. Like, how can I get any lower?
Jamie:Right?
Jamie:Yep. And I've seen that impact on, like, you know, some players that are get afraid to hit it, not because they're afraid of the contact. They're just like, so I can get yelled at for you. Penalties all the time. Right.
Jamie:You know? And every time I hit somebody, even if it's clean, they're gonna give me a penalty because I'm so much bigger than everybody else. So I deal with that a lot too when I do have those bigger guys of, like, teaching them, alright. Here's how you do it. And by the way, you used to be this much bigger.
Jamie:You're only this much bigger now. Like, it's different. Mhmm. You know?
Scott:It levels out. It levels out. But so one thing that we, you know, we talk about often and Jamie asks about Jamie Trebe about the about oh my god. I just lost my train of thought as I was I was I was trying to differentiate between the two Jamie's on here.
Jamie:Side side
Scott:difference. The puberty piece. Do
Jamie:you Yeah.
Scott:Would you agree or do you believe that, like, you really can't tell the like, how skilled a hockey player might eventually be until after puberty? Like, is it is that like a like, that inflection point really as important as people make it out to be?
Jamie:It yes. Yes and no. So, yes, I I think that you you unfairly evaluate anybody that's that's growing at a rapid rate. Right? Mhmm.
Jamie:You know, and I have these conversations all the time. Right? Is there's gonna be a coordination issue, right, of, you know, when you're catching up with your body. As kids, like, you know, finally start putting on muscle because there's a 100 different, you know, personal trainers that want to work with with every kid in the world. Right?
Jamie:You also see, you know, as you watch a kid that fires a puck over the net all the time. Right? They just don't know their muscle twitch yet. Right? So, you know, as they get stronger, the puck comes off the stick a little harder.
Jamie:Right? So, like, you know, I do think that until the the body's somewhat developed, right, you don't know the full product. However, you know, hockey vision, you know, stays with you. Like, somebody that always sees the ice that's always, you know, making you know, that part, I don't think whether growth spurred or not. Right?
Jamie:And it's also whether you're hitting the net or not, like, the the most natural goal scorers. Right? You know, when I when I evaluate a kid, it's not like, you know, there's guys that are just gonna shoot the puck through the back of the net. Right? And they're gonna score a lot of goals, but as goalies grow, you're like, is he really gonna score that much?
Jamie:You know? When I look at a kid that has, like, deception on his release, you know, sometimes even almost like an awkward release point. Right? Because and the goalie just cannot track the way it's coming off the stick. Then I'm not worried about, you know, how that how that translates.
Jamie:Right? A great example, you know, he's transferring this year, but Ben Yerchuk's a player that played for me. Love love Benny. Right? You know, Benny was very underdeveloped.
Jamie:Right? Scored a ton of goals for us. Right? Because his release point was so deceptive. Right?
Jamie:As he got bigger and stronger, then then it became more efficient. But he just had this super deceptive, like, hard to pick up release point. Right? So, you know, I think it's twofold of as kids are growing, right, you have to understand that they're gonna be a little bit uncoordinated. They're gonna be you know, their skating stride may not look like perfection.
Jamie:Right? But if they have the right kind of tendencies within that, right, knee bend and that stuff and, you know, sometimes if their hands are a little slower than their feet because they haven't come around yet, like, I do believe that that catches off and, like, that smooths out. But, you know, the old adage of, like, you can't teach Hockey IQ. I think that's a lie, by the way. You can teach it.
Scott:Yeah. Oh, interesting.
Jamie:But the the IQ, like, never goes away. I've never saw, you know, a kid that, you know, when he was younger that was, you know, racking up all these assist points. Right? Making all these high level, you know, reads and plays that all of a sudden he couldn't do it anymore. Right?
Jamie:Right. So I think that kind of travels with you wherever you go. That makes sense.
Jamie:Yeah. You know, it's it's funny. You mentioned the kid's release point. Did he pull it in and just kind of snap it off kind of like in tight, like like a Connor Bedard? Is that what it looked like?
Jamie:So that was yes. But, like, he had this little delay, and he could also shoot, like like, when he would show, he'd score. He'd pull in. Right? He'd go far side.
Jamie:Like, the goalie would cheat. It looked like it was coming off there, but he could also snap one out with his hands outside, right, before he pulled in. Like, it was just deception, like, everywhere. And the puck came off the stick like so odd. Like sometimes I I I'm sitting on the bench.
Jamie:I'm like, oh, he's he's going he's going low blocker, and then he'd score high glove. And I'm like, how the hell did that happen?
Jamie:Oh, that's funny. That's interesting. And you really notice that. You really notice, like, the do you see that a lot? I'm curious.
Jamie:Do you see a lot, like, of kids of young kids in in the age bracket that you follow and that you coach that that have that ability, or is that a later ability as kids are get older, they kinda figure out?
Jamie:So I I get lucky when I get it, but I think it's I think it's a taught ability. Right? In in our practices, depending on the drill that we're doing, we put things like, hey, you have to show some deception on your release. Right? You have to do something, whether it's pulling in real tight.
Jamie:Right? Whether it's a two touch off your backhand, right, if it's a passing drill, like, you know, and just work on them and fail. Right? You gotta fail Right. Right.
Jamie:A couple of times. Right? And, you know, we do three shot progressions, which are really easy, but like a loaded release, a two touch, and a spike foot. Right? That's what we'll open a lot of practices with.
Jamie:Right. Well, to to be clear, just give some context to the spike foot and the two touch.
Jamie:Yeah. So as a righty, right, on your backhand side, right Yep. The two touch is just receiving in one fluid motion of popping from your backhand and then getting right down
Jamie:And shooting.
Jamie:Over your feet and shooting and releasing right away. Or goalies hate it. It's the most, you know, it's and and you gotta get the perfect pass in the game, but it's a skill to have there when it happens. Right? And the spike foot is is exactly what it looks like.
Jamie:You know, it's it's it's a closed one timer, right, where you're spiking your back foot on the release, and it's just a quick quick really and and and just working on it. You know, just so as you're reading the goalie, right, those those three simple, the loaded the loaded receive is just across and you're fully no stick handling, fully loaded. Right? So it's kinda all three progressions. But as you do it with a lot of volume, then all of a sudden in a game, you're gonna get a quick one on your backhand, realize the goalie's sleeping, and be like, oh, oh, two touch.
Jamie:Backhand.
Jamie:Right. Right. And the spike foot is just a knee down, toe into the ice shot, like, at one time. Is that correct?
Jamie:Correct. Yeah. It's it's the back foot that's gonna spike. Right? Yep.
Jamie:Because your front your front knee is getting so hard over your heels. Right? Over, excuse me, over your toes. Yeah. So that and it's just the way, like, we teach it because, one, it's really, really hard, you know, to save as a goalie.
Jamie:Right? But and it's and it's really deceptive, but it's it's the way a lot of goals are scored. Right? Being able to receive and stick handle a couple of times, like, you know, it it just not how the game's too fast. Right?
Scott:Right. Too fast. Yep. So so just like talking about the coaching piece, and and I just wanna rewind the tape a little bit and just, you know, what was your your sports journey like, your hockey journey like when you were a kid growing up? And, like and and how and when did that transition into coaching?
Scott:And if you could just talk a little bit that trajectory because we also have, you know, probably aspiring coaches, some coaches that wanna get to maybe the levels that, you know, you've been at. So if you could just share that story with people, I'd appreciate it.
Jamie:Yeah. So I'm from Queens, New York originally. You know, back then, ice hockey wasn't really a thing. It was roller hockey, hundred and fourth precinct roller hockey league, awesome league. You know, I think my mom and dad dropped me off there.
Jamie:I was I was two year two years young to even be playing, but my older cousin was on the team, and, you they probably thought it was like free babysitting or short a guy. And I I started you know, this was like four four wheel, no roller blades, a big heavy, like
Scott:Two by two.
Jamie:Yeah. But it was a great way to, like, to to learn. I loved it when I did it. I actually there's a story. I got this, like, this trophy because our team wound up winning that year, but our goalie got hurt, and they just stuck me in net, and, like, I don't know.
Jamie:Like, I don't think I was good. Like, I never played goalie again after that, but it was, like, kinda, like, you know, most improved player award because I was the one that was more like, oh, you know, take a MAED off the off the, you know, off the throat.
Jamie:Off the jugular.
Jamie:Exactly. And that's how I got into hockey, but I was I also you know, I played played everything growing up. We used to joke, you know, my poor mother and and that was all the way up until and somewhat through high school. You know, my parents, if I said, hey. I wanna go play this, they said, okay.
Jamie:Right? So I transitioned to ice hockey when we moved to Rockland County. So right in right in Saints Land over there, or, you know, I used to do clinics with with Coach Kern at Sportarama.
Scott:There you go.
Jamie:He's still around, by the way.
Jamie:Yeah. I I over a cutting There
Jamie:he is. Yeah.
Jamie:He saw me one time. He was like, I can't believe you're doing this. Right? But started to, you know, wound up, you know, playing the the travel hockey circuit around here. I played, you know, for the Mavericks originally, then the Saints.
Jamie:Right? Went to St. Joe's with the intention, like, I was really going there as as a football, hockey, and lacrosse player. Loved football, but played in New York, Pop Warner football, where there was a weight limit for everybody, not just a line weight limit. So I I remember walking into Saint Joe's as a five foot, hundred and five pound freshman, and they're like, what position you play?
Jamie:I'm like, middle linebacker. No. You don't.
Jamie:They're like, this is our middle linebacker. Exactly.
Jamie:And I started looking, you're not a coach.
Jamie:You're on the team. Oh, oh, I get it now.
Jamie:But had a great time playing, wound up being a a cornerback there. Right? Got had a had a great coach at Saint Joe's and, you know, the saints teams I was playing on, started playing some some junior hockey, getting getting really serious and and loving the game, but didn't know much about, like, the hockey landscape. Right? Also played lacrosse.
Jamie:My dad will tell you lacrosse was my best sport. I just didn't like it as much. Yeah. But, you know, I picked up my stick the day practice started and put it down and then went back and played other sports. Wound up focusing.
Jamie:I stopped playing football, focused on hockey and lacrosse my last couple of years of high school. You know, a captain of of the team, played on some really good junior teams, started to get some college attention, started to get some USHL attention. But for me, right, being at Saint Joe's, right, we won three state championships and football walls there. Like, we won everything. Right?
Jamie:Our hockey team was really good, and I just couldn't get past the fact that all the best football players were going to college, right, and they were going there, right, and somebody was asking me to go to Dubuque, Iowa, right, to go play hockey and not go to college. I just didn't understand the landscape. So I rushed in to Fairfield University, which was Fairfield and I own and the MAC were really the only schools that showed any any interest towards me. Both Division One at the time, so I was like, this is cool. Didn't last very long.
Jamie:Right? Went to had a pretty bad injury, so when I was too injured to do everything else, I decided to play rugby in college, because why not? That was that was fun because of what happened They after a rugby drink. They drink out of each other's boots. Exactly.
Jamie:But then I had I
Jamie:played too, so I know what you mean.
Jamie:Yeah. And it was it was a lot of fun for me, but always like, I always loved the game. Right? And then I moved to Long Beach, Long Island right after I graduated college. I had played some juniors out there, and junior coach heard I was living in town.
Jamie:And he said, hey. We just lost a peewee coach. It's a good peewee team. It was New York Apple Corps at the time.
Scott:Oh, yeah.
Jamie:And he said, we just lost the Pee Wee coach. He was like a commercial fisherman and had to go on a boat for six months and missed the whole entire season. And he said, would you be interested? Like, I heard you're living here. And if if you know Long Beach, New York, as a 22 year old single guy, the last thing you're you're thinking about is coaching peewee hockey, the beach town.
Jamie:Lots of bars, lots of distractions. It's just it's just a great place for a 22 year old single guy. So I didn't say yes right away. I was and I was fully intending to say no, but I called I called my dad, and I said, Dad, you're never gonna believe this. Applecore just called me.
Jamie:They want me to coach Kiwi team. He's like, Well, what are you gonna do? And I'm like, I don't want to go to 7AM games. I'm like, Sometimes I don't get home till four. I can't be going as the bar doesn't close till four.
Jamie:And I'll never forget this comment. He goes, you know, you had a lot of really good coaches in your life that played a really profound impact on you. I You think you should I think you'd like it. I think you'd be really good at it. I think you should second guess it.
Jamie:And right after, Now I got it. Yep. I just said that. So that was twenty two, twenty three years ago.
Scott:Wow.
Jamie:The Apple Corp organization stopped, then I went to the Gulls. My last year at the Gulls had a unbelievable team that was the Charlie McAvoy, Adam Fox team. That was a really fun team. We didn't win nationals that year. I lost to Cahilluk actually.
Jamie:Oh, overtime in in the semis. But then I met my wife, Kelly, who was living in Hoboken at the time. And my last half of the year when her and I got serious, I was driving to and from Hoboken or the city where I worked to coach the Gauls in Long Island. It was absolutely miserable traffic wise.
Jamie:How long did that take you, by the way?
Jamie:What it would so
Jamie:It
Jamie:had a really nice I had a really nice train ride in, but on hockey days, I had a drive in because there was no way I was getting back to Hoboken and then there. So it would take about two hours. Yeah. Jesus. At minimum.
Jamie:That's so
Jamie:leave right from the office, like, right from the office to get to practice in time. And I wound up calling Dan May, like, figured I I actually thought that was the end. Like, I had this great group of hockey players. You know, back then, half half the team at 14 years old, like, was committed to college already when when everything was insane, so that was cool to go through that process. I'm like, alright.
Jamie:I could ride off into the sunset like this. And when I met with Dan May, I figured he'd throw me, like, you know, split season double a team or something like that. You know, he had had so much success with that midget program, and he was like, hey. I don't think you were expecting this, but you wanna take over the midget program for me. Wow.
Jamie:Jeez.
Jamie:Really? That's interesting. Compliment, Yeah. We only had sixteens at you know, you had 16 American, 16 national at that time. We had no 18 program.
Jamie:The junior program wasn't there yet, so I was like, yeah, I'll do it, and now fifteen years later
Jamie:The rest is history.
Scott:Here I am. And how did you how did you meet Dan? Did you know him just from, like, from coaching? Or
Jamie:So I knew him, like, with from coaching, like, you know, being with with with the the Gauls. Right?
Scott:Right.
Jamie:And he was always, like, you know, even when I was young, like, he took over Bergen Catholic after I left, you know, the high school scene. You know, we got really big. I played against him. You know? Right.
Jamie:Right. We always Bergen never beat us, but Dan had a nice little run after after that. But that's really how I you know, I knew I knew I knew all of him. I wouldn't say we were friendly, and, I you just figured, hey. If I'm gonna be here, this is Avalanche were the only you know, if I was gonna keep coaching, I would do something with them.
Jamie:I respected the organization. And that know, I think Dan sometimes wakes up in the morning and was like, I can't believe this guy came into my life. He drives me crazy every single day. So it's something with him. But at the same time, like, it's it's just been awesome.
Jamie:You know? Yeah. Yeah.
Scott:So And and you guys have had a ton of success along the way as well. I mean, I you know, just when I started getting reacquainted with the game, I mean, Jamie had his son was was with the Avs before Otto was there. I mean, they they moved on. Obviously, we moved on as well, but, you know, like, it it wasn't long before you knew the reputation of the Avalanche and and kinda what they, you know, had produced along the way, and it was, you know, just, yeah, top class. I mean, I I coached there for a little bit.
Scott:I had the pleasure of, you know, meeting, you know, meeting and and knowing Dan and his family and and just great, great people. But what I wanted to ask, like, you know, we talk a lot, Jamie and I, about, you know, well, now that Jamie is a Bantam, you know, son's a Bantam. But, you know, like, the this 15, 16 year old age group, that's just such like it seems like it's the pinnacle of, like, youth hockey at this point. Can can you just, like, talk a little bit more about what it takes to kind of put those teams together? Because, obviously, you know, at some point, you you your your kids are looking to make moves as they get older to different even parts of the country prep school.
Scott:Like, it it must be it must be kinda wild trying to figure out, like, where where the talent's coming from or who might be leaving to go somewhere else. Like, can you can you just kind of walk us through a little bit, like, what it's like?
Jamie:Yeah. It's I I will actually say it gets it gets harder and harder every year too. Right? Yeah. You know, we always worked really hard.
Jamie:Right? But, you know, the first thing is, you know, you gotta believe in and be and really be able to talk about your development model. Right? And what's most valuable to you, and it's gotta resonate with both the parent and the player. Right?
Jamie:And, you know, we're lucky enough that, you know, we've been, you know, that kind of upper top echelon of of both levels for so long that, you know, we don't nobody really questions whether the team's gonna be good or not. But, you know, when you walk through kind of all the time we put in, right, to and and and the success that our players have come through, you know, have had, right, I think that resonates with, you know, with the families, but it's not just a hockey thing. Right? And I always say since since Larry Robbins left the Avalanche, I'm I'm the lowest paid coach at the Avalanche. Right?
Jamie:Little different than most of the other top tier organizations. I also don't do hockey full time. Right? Right. And I actually think and and and all those guys that do do do a phenomenal job.
Jamie:Right? But I think I come from a from a different perspective, right, where the success of our hockey team, my family's not depending on that for dinner tomorrow. Right? So and and also it's the reason why I've kept doing it this long is because the development of the young man is so much more important than me to me. Right?
Jamie:My favorite part of coaching is, you know, God forbid, one of my players years after they get in trouble at college, like, they pick up the phone. Hey, Jamie. This is what happened. You know? I build, like, a really good relationship with them, but I'm also really invested in, like, hey, if they got a girlfriend problem, right, if they're not doing well in school, right, you know, I I had a job before my my last job where I used to hire people.
Jamie:I talked to the boys about the hiring process, right, and how athletes kind of go up to the top. But if I'm interviewing you, right, and I see on your resume that, you know, you played lacrosse for two years at Notre Dame, right, I'm gonna ask you, well, what happened? You know, how was that experience? Right? And you get two different responses sometimes.
Jamie:You know? Sometimes it was like, oh, it was the greatest experience ever, you know, my teammates, but I wanted to focus on my studies, I didn't play the last two years. Right? That kid's saying right at the top of the pile. Right?
Jamie:But you're also gonna get the guy that that says, oh, yeah. I quit my coach. My coach didn't know what he was doing. My teammates were all assholes. I hated every second of it, so I never and and like the second kid, like, now you're talking about you wanna work in my job environment?
Jamie:Like, for me? Right. It ripped right up. You know? So Yep.
Jamie:There's so much like, I actually think sports and to any of the educators out there, I apologize in advance, but I think sports teach more teaches more lessons in life than anything else and prepares you more for the real world than, you know, the college experience, high school, any any of it, the education that you get. I think it teaches you how to deal with people. It teaches you how to deal with certain situations. Right? It teaches you how to, you know, deal with adversity all the time.
Jamie:Right? But I also think that's that's getting more and more difficult now in in in a transfer portal kind of world, right, with all these organizations. The other thing that I'm starting to see is that, you know, it's too easy for kids at any age level, right, to just the second they're uncomfortable.
Jamie:They
Jamie:leave. Leave and and go find something else to do. Right? Instead of trying to work through that process. Mhmm.
Jamie:Right? NIL, I think, is a great thing. Like, yeah, pay them. Like, you know, you got the you got the money. Go ahead.
Jamie:Pay pay them all the money you have. Right? But at the same time, like, you know, just because you were second liner, not a first liner this year, you know, to go immediately into the transfer portal. I have former players like this, you know, all the time. Like, I had one player who's in the transfer portal for the third year in a row.
Jamie:Right? And every year he's going into the portal. He says to me, hey, coach. Can you call around, see who's interested in me? Can you help me out?
Jamie:And I'll always help you out. But with this one player in particular, I was like, buddy, look at our look at our text messages here. I go, why would anybody want you? Right? Your freshman year, you were a leading goal scorer for for a team.
Jamie:You transferred. Right? And now you wanna transfer again? Like, why would I why would anybody wanna pick you up out out of the portal at
Scott:this point? Right.
Jamie:You know?
Jamie:The optics are bad, unfortunately.
Jamie:Exactly. Exactly.
Jamie:So Yeah. It's it's funny, Jamie. Scott and I talk a lot about how this game and you tell me if we're right or wrong here. We talk about a lot of this game builds really good life skills for kids moving forward. Right?
Jamie:Because at the end of the day, we wanna develop good people. Right? So and it's funny you mentioned, you know, people that are out there hiring. I mean, they want a guy that played high level sports, right, with sports in general. So, you know you know, I'm curious.
Jamie:Talk a little bit more about, like because it sounds what you're telling me is that you're more interested in developing the kids as a coach as opposed to just trying to win games. Right? Again, no. You're like an outlier. Right?
Jamie:A lot of people are just looking to bring kids in because he's gonna help me win nationals or he's gonna help me go where we're gonna go. And not that that's killing the game, but there needs to be more coaches in the game that have more listen. Most of these kids aren't gonna go and play in the NHL. Right? So they're gonna go to college and get a job and become a husband.
Jamie:Right? Like a father, you know, and and create good people. So kinda talk a little bit about, like, you know, how the game is progressing if you can, and about how the game kind of develops really good people.
Jamie:Yeah. Yeah. I think so for one, I I I mean, we're so lucky that, you know, if you see it starts at the professional level. Right? And we're so lucky to have a sport where, you know, professional athletes are so approachable.
Jamie:Right?
Scott:It's true.
Jamie:You guys had the experience, you know, this year of being at the Most Smiles event. Right? And I watched, like, some of my former players, like, you know, Layton couldn't make it this year, but when Layton comes, you know, Devin Kaplan was there. Right?
Jamie:Yeah.
Jamie:You know, even as burgeoning, you know, Stars. Right? And Layton the year before, like, when I tell you there was you you see how many kids come in and out of that house during the Oh, yeah. I, like, I think Lane signed, like, a million items. People were showing up Boston University things.
Jamie:Like, a couple of times, I it was a really hot day that year, the the year before. And I'm like, Blaine, you wanna go inside? He's like, no. I'm good. Right?
Jamie:And then I
Jamie:look over, and, like, he's playing he's playing knee hockey, like like, with with a bunch of kids, and I'm just like
Jamie:So cool.
Jamie:You know? Like and even a guy like Dan Muse, who you guys saw there. Like, Dan Muse is is just one of the most wholesome human beings. So it starts at the professional level where, you know, if you're a kid and, you know, Wayne Hudson or Dan Hughes is gonna sit down and talk to you talk to you about hockey, like, I think I think that's the first kind of indicator of, like, just being a good person. Right?
Jamie:As opposed to you know? And and there's really not the ant in game antics that you see. Right? Like, my kids play play football and baseball also. Right?
Jamie:Like, every time a kid hits a double, does he have to do some sort of dance, like, on second beat? Right? That's right. I'm like, it's it's funny for for an eight year old, but I'm like, where are they learning that? They're learning it because, you know, the professional athletes are doing the dance.
Jamie:You know?
Jamie:Right. Absolutely.
Jamie:And then, you know, just from, like, the 15, 16 year old, like like developing the human being. Right? Like, being approachable to talk through because they have so many inputs now. Social media. Right?
Jamie:You know, there's there's there's a page every day that, like, puts out the top 10 kids in a birth year, and, like, you know, somebody will be on it one day, and then somebody else is Yep. They won't be on it. And they're like, do I suck now? And I'm like, no. Right.
Jamie:That person just doesn't know who you are. Right.
Jamie:Right. You know? Yeah.
Jamie:By the
Jamie:way, there's a kid on there that I cut two years ago. So Right. Maybe I don't know what I'm doing. But, like, that kind of, like, constant input from social media. Right?
Jamie:A lot of our players do. You know, they've gone into this academy model now, right, where they're not getting that, like, huge school kind of, So it's it's learning how to talk to people. Simplest rule I have from that aspect is every year at my first parent meeting, tell them, and it's really not because I don't wanna talk to hockey parents even though it's gonna it'll either sound like a like a mad scientist brilliant trick to not talk to hockey parents as coach, but it's not. You know, all my players have to come to me first to talk hockey related. Right?
Jamie:And they have to sit down and meet with me. If you call me and say, like, hey. You know, I really wanna know why my kids are not on the power play. I'm gonna hang up the phone on you.
Jamie:Absolutely. And
Jamie:and the reason for that is, like, that that kid, right, or young man has to learn for as much as I qualify I'm a very immature, ask my wife. For for as much as I qualify as an adult, you know, they have to be able to come, you know, state their case. Right? Mhmm. And and learn how to state it the right way.
Jamie:Right? And and I'll tell you, kids get better at it as the year goes on. Right? Yep. Because, like, you know, you come in and the first thing you say is, like, why should you be, you know, on the right flank in the one three one?
Jamie:And he says, oh, because Jamie Jamie missed the net yesterday. And I go, oh, because he missed the net, and that's why you what do you do? You know? So it's like that kind of conversation. Right?
Jamie:And the other thing is giving the boys, like, just enough freedom to to mess up a little bit. Right? Mhmm. Let them know when they messed up. Right?
Jamie:I used to be I used to be a raving lunatic. Some people might tell you that I still am a raving lunatic. As I got older, I I learned that if you're always if you're always screaming, then it's just it's the same message. Right? Like, it doesn't mean anymore because you're yelling it.
Jamie:Right? But if you pick and choose your times to like really get angry on something, right, to have that, then it has that impact. Right?
Scott:Right.
Jamie:So so it takes a while. Right? But then, you know, a young man noticing what, oh, man, I really messed up, and I didn't know. Like, you know, they have to know they messed up. Right?
Jamie:But they also have to know that it's not the end of the world. Right? So I do a lot of, like, you know, if I'm if I'm hard on a kid, you know, there will be something coming back. You know? And it's so easy for kids now, right, to because they're always constantly compared to the other the guy sitting next to him, right, whether it's athletically, everything else.
Jamie:Right? So everybody always and a lot of this happens in the car ride, unfortunately. Right? Anytime a kid, you know, is disciplined or told, you know, coached in a certain way, they're always gonna go to, but Tommy does it does that all the time, and you don't yell at him. Right?
Jamie:And I have those conversations all the time. And my answer is, well, Tommy's not as good as you. Right? My expectation is higher for you. Right?
Jamie:So you're kinda always having those conversations, and it's it's the same thing as, you know, Jamie, like we were saying. Right? You're gonna be sitting, you know, in in a in a boss's office one day. Right? And they're not gonna be happy with you.
Jamie:Right? And you're gonna have to be able to, you know, say, hey. I'll do better. Right? You're right.
Jamie:Or say, like, hey. I see that. And I get pushback from the kids all the time. Like, hey. You wanted this?
Jamie:And, like, we'll pull up the video, and, you know, we'll argue till we're blue in the face. Right? Which is okay too. Right? Because I do if if you really feel a certain way, go ahead.
Jamie:Plead your case. Right? You know?
Scott:Right. So, you know, one of the things you you mentioned earlier and was was talking about the hockey IQ piece when I wanna switch gears a little bit. And so I'm curious from from your perspective, like, when you have kids come into a a 15 p or 15 o, year or, know, 16 whatever, you know, whatever level. But what what's the expectation from a hockey IQ perspective? Because I know that's not something that really starts to develop until later on.
Scott:Right? There's probably not so many kids that walk into, you know, onto your team that are just have, like, a a real good understanding of the game. Maybe I'm wrong, but if you could just kinda talk through that piece and and kinda some like, the ways that you've had the most success in kinda helping kids learn hockey IQ.
Jamie:No. I think, Scott, that's such an awesome question. Right? Because one, if you look at my teams, right, they're coming from everywhere. Right?
Jamie:Yeah. You know, half the everybody played for different coaches. They had different inputs. Right? So the first thing I I'm gonna tell everybody is just please don't be a robot.
Jamie:Right? Meaning that, you know, we if you had coaches that told you, you know, it doesn't happen anymore, but but I used to get the that, like, we're literally told they weren't allowed to go more than a stick length inside the blue line, and, like, I'd rip my hair out and be like, are you kidding me?
Scott:Oh, wow. Yeah.
Jamie:You know? Or that, you know, you had to dump a puck in a certain situation. Right? You had to do this. You had to do that.
Jamie:Right? But I think as, like, hockey's almost going positionless. Right? Yeah. And everything there was and and I forgot to to think you guys know this, but I spent some years, you know, working for the Chicago Steel with with Robbie Robbins.
Jamie:It was a great eight year run for me, And I learned from every coach we had, Dan Muse being the first one, you know, I was able to pick and choose, like, all these awesome things. Right? And Greg Moore, who was at the Morley's, I forget where where where Greg is now, he's at the national program, awesome coach. You know, his whole philosophy was there is no philosophy. Every single part of the game is you're reading what the guys are doing around you.
Jamie:Right? And that's what's gonna force your next decision. Right? So, you know, I force possession. Right?
Jamie:I want us to possess the puck because I think that you're teaching all four five guys on the ice. Like, what are the guys doing away from the puck? Right? And the biggest thing is, you know, and the reason what stifles hockey IQ more than anything else is a coach that overreacts to a mistake. Right?
Jamie:So I actually want you to I want you to make mistakes. Right? Yeah. Because now you're learning. Right?
Jamie:If you thought that you had a DB one on one, you turned over the puck and went the other way. Right? Or you thought, you know, coming in hard off the heels was the read. Like, you were actually doing something and making a read, but you didn't execute on it. Right?
Jamie:Now we're on the path to developing Hockey IQ.
Scott:Right? Right.
Jamie:Yep. Now if you make the same mistake 20 times, now we're having now we're having a different conversation. What I've seen with, you know and and I deal with it all the time, you know, a player that played, you know, somewhere. Right? And we talk about, hey.
Jamie:Why are you doing this? He was like, because my coach would bench me if I ever tried to do what what you're asking me to do. And I'm like, well, I'm not gonna bench you. Right? Because you, you know, it's the winner, winner philosophy.
Jamie:Right? You know? If you're not gonna put yourself in a position to fail and understand why you failed, then what do we learn? Right? So that's really kind of the high level, yes, you can teach hockey IQ.
Jamie:Right? But the way you teach it is by allowing that creativity to happen. Right? Yeah. Turn over the puck.
Jamie:You know? It's fine. Right? But if you're turning over the puck because you're trying to slip and make a high end pass, like, to somebody coming off the heels and the d just closes his foot down. Okay.
Jamie:Let's talk about maybe incorporating a hook pass in there. Right? There's different ways to get that puck through, but you actually saw it. Right? Right.
Jamie:So that's really, I think, like, kind of the concept of, you know, how you teach Hockey IQ, forcing guys to play creatively. Right? And listen with the teams, like the overall speed I've had. Right? Been lucky enough.
Jamie:Yes. We win a lot. Right? But we probably could've, you know, won that big game against Shattuck if I would've went into, you know, a one two two trap the whole entire way. Right?
Jamie:And and kinda game planned just to beat Shaddock on that day. But when the Avs play Shaddock, there's also usually 20 or 30 scouts in the stands. Right? So I'm not gonna make a kid sit back and not play his game. Right?
Jamie:Interesting. I'm gonna let the boys cook and, you know, I say Shattuck because up until recently, I beat them a lot. So
Scott:Nice. Rub salt in the wound. Right.
Jamie:You you know, it's it's so funny, Jamie. Listening to you is like, you're saying, like, things that, like, as a hockey parent, you know, it's it's fantastic to hear, and you you don't really hear a lot of that these days. As a hockey as a as a young hockey parent, I remember when I was with the with the Abs from Dumb as a Might and, like, a stupid hockey parents, we were like, when are the kids gonna learn positions? Like, why aren't the kids learning positions? Like, what are we doing here?
Jamie:Right? And, like, as the jackass parent, you know, you and and as I've gotten older and kind of understand, and obviously, this podcast is helping, you know, me out tremendously, but, you know and I didn't realize it, you know, until I I I got older and Dominic got older. But, you know, it's so silly to pigeonhole a kid into a position, especially when you're, like, eight, nine, 10, 11, 12. Right? And so many coaches coach the creativity out of kids, you know, by making this kid a defenseman, you know, at x y z age.
Jamie:Right? Making this kid a forward x y z age and and and making them dump the puck in and not be creative, and they kinda, again, coach the creativity out of him. And for us stupid hockey parents, you know, a lot of us don't see the forest through the trees. Right? So I'm I'm curious to hear your thoughts on that.
Jamie:And and kind of a secondary question is, how stupid do you really feel that hockey parents are these days?
Jamie:Now you're really gonna get me in trouble, but I am definitely We're answering
Jamie:jackasses. I don't know how you do it as a coach.
Scott:So I'm gonna I'm
Jamie:so much better than I used to be.
Jamie:One, if if I I very strategically do not coach my my older son. You know, I'll help out when they want me to. Yeah. But I always found that, like, he changes a little bit, like, when I'm on the bench with him. Sure.
Jamie:And he's got some great coaches. Right? So, like, you know, if it's not broke, don't fix it. But if I to be honest, if I was coaching, you know, squirts and mites mites, you know, with half ice, but at least squirts, every kid will play every position. Like, I like, there was I would rotate kids around, like you know?
Jamie:And I'd probably lose a bunch of players because parents are are are are crazy. Right? Right. What do you mean? Like, you know, my kid's gonna be a center.
Jamie:And I'm like, okay. That's fine. You know? If you play in my team, the center is pretty much a third defenseman. So Right.
Jamie:Right. In the defense of his own. So, like, you know, but that goes above and beyond. Like, what he doesn't take face offs. Who cares?
Jamie:Right. You know, there's there's there's 15 face offs in a game. Like like, who cares? Right.
Scott:Right.
Jamie:So I think, like, you know, that's the first thing is I don't think anybody should be, you know, specialized into a position, right, until at least pee wee's. But then, you know, I'll tell you from and my son's my son's team has a great group of parents. Right? But when they were first coming up, my wife used to laugh at me like, you couldn't find me in the rink. Like, I was hiding.
Jamie:If we were
Jamie:In the corner.
Jamie:Or when we were in rank one in the ice house because my office has glass windows, I can lock the door in there. And but only because, like, I, you know, I didn't want to and everybody was always, like, asking my opinion, right, until I gave it. And they were like, alright. Yeah. I think, like, to be honest, you know, I've taken here's I'm gonna answer this kinda long, Jamie, and I apologize about So the the first thing I'll say is I cannot of all the high end NHL guys, right, everybody that's come through, I can't pinpoint, you know, the right or the wrong way of how a certain parent was.
Jamie:Right? I've had the most hands off parents in the world. You know, I've had parents that followed their son around the globe, you know, moved and trained them every every minute. You know, I've had the parents that, you know, think everything their kid does is horrible and have been telling them that they're horrible and that they play the most poorly. You know?
Jamie:I've had the parents, you know, that think everything their kid does, and and I'm just, like, talking about the the guys that made it. Right?
Jamie:Yep. Right. Right.
Jamie:So there's no commonality in that, and I also don't think there's any commonality in the training regimen. Right? Like, you know, I've decided my my kid's a three sport athlete. He's not one of the guys that's going to the, you know, before school training. Right?
Jamie:You know, he's not a he's not a guy that's gonna, you know, give up his his summer or his football season or his baseball season. Right? Whether I'm right or wrong, I I have no idea. Right? It's just my decision, you know, and my wife's decision.
Scott:Right.
Jamie:Right? But where a hockey parent gets crazy is where they think that what their decision is, it has this undying, like, this huge impact. It really does. You know? You just had probably one of the best, like Anthony Lozaro.
Jamie:You guys had him. Right? Yeah. Hockey Dads. Right?
Jamie:You know, he's got five kids. Will's in in you know, by my argument that, you know, the best forward in North America. Right? Will wouldn't he train all the time? You know?
Jamie:Will went and played the boss, you know, and and and Anthony, you know, being new to Hides, more his wife's side of the family, that was the big the big hockey fans. You know? Anthony, a burden Catholic football player. You know? Yep.
Jamie:And, like but Anthony with me, like, never he never asked like, he never said, you gotta play my kid in a certain spot. Like, he just handed them off to me and just said, I trust you. Just do it. Right? Yeah.
Jamie:And we have this weird dynamic because their youngest son is also on my son's team. Right? So, like, you know Right. A lot of other people, if they got that much access to me, would have been troweling me around and just saying, oh, you gotta tell me about this. Like, what the you know, like Right.
Jamie:And he never did that. Right? So it's just like, you know, the the easiest message to a hockey parent is, you know, when your kid says he wants to go to the rink, take him to the rink. Right? That's being a good parent.
Jamie:Kid if your kid don't wanna go to the rink, leave him home. You're not missing anything. Right? Right. And, you know, let them let them develop into what's working for them.
Jamie:Right? If you you you're paying a skills coach a million dollars and a kid comes home crying every day and says, I hate this. It's not the right skills coach for you. Right? Totally.
Jamie:You read that, you know, they trained, you know, William Gretzky at some point. That's great. You know? There was a million people that trained William Gretzky, one of them being his own father. Right?
Jamie:Right. So Right. There's just there's just not an outright path, and, you know, and and the other thing is, like, let coaches coach. Like, that's my you know, I found, like, anybody I I speak to my my kids' coaches probably less than than anybody else on the team. Right.
Jamie:Actually, I called him about something else at the end of last season. He was like, ah, I haven't heard from you in a while, but I hear from, you know, everybody else, which, you know, there's two you wanna advocate for your kid. I get it. Right? But just trust the process at the same time.
Jamie:Right?
Scott:Right.
Jamie:A lot of times you're doing more harm than good Yeah. Depending on, you know, how overbearing you are and everything else.
Scott:Well, let me let me ask this, though. I mean, obviously, you have the benefit of being a coach for many years and and knowing all the things. But, you know, for a regular parent that has a kid, like, from your perspective, like, when are when are good times for parents to speak up? I mean, obviously, not necessarily to advocate getting on the power play, but, like, just from your experience, are there times where you feel like, you know, this is this is a good time for a parent to speak up?
Jamie:Yeah. I think and this is a double edged sword too. Right? Anything that if there's a behavioral issue. Right?
Jamie:Yeah. Sure. Of course, you're gonna speak up, but you also gotta sit down with your kid first and be like, alright. Tell me end to end. Before you go into that argument, tell me end to end what happened.
Jamie:Right?
Jamie:Right.
Jamie:You know? Because if it's if it's like, oh, I threw, you know, skate ice in my in my kid's face, you know, and and but you forgot that, you know, the kid, you know, threw a stick at him beforehand. Right? So Right. Yeah.
Jamie:You know, have have the whole story and and don't be argumentative. Like, I think all parents, when they when they approach a coach, think they have to be on the defensive. Right? Mhmm. Most coaches are are are really willing to have a conversation with you.
Jamie:Right? I am. Right? You know, it's not an argument. Right?
Jamie:It's and if a coach is telling you one thing and doing the exact opposite, then I think you have a legitimate gripe, and then you might wanna find, you know, somewhere else. Right? That's time to move. Right? Like, you know, I always tell the coaches that I talk to that ask me, like, one, just just be really sure of you know, you're not infallible.
Jamie:You're gonna make mistakes, but, you know, have have a have a plausible answer. Right? And then, you know, from a hockey perspective, if if you really think that, you know, your child, you know, and I I would say this for 12 and under. Once it's 12, well, you know, they're at the rank enough with each other. Right?
Jamie:Maybe 14 and under, but I haven't coached that age level in a while, so my my my age guess might be wrong. You know? You could always intervene, but intervene in a way where it's like, hey. You know, he's not I'm seeing this. Like, let's have a let's have a real hockey conversation.
Jamie:Right?
Scott:Right.
Jamie:And, you know, don't do it with, you know, the gun to the to the face. You know? Just you know, most most of these coaches are, you know, if you're lucky enough, you know, younger kids at the younger age levels, you know, and we're losing too many of the coaches because they can't deal with the parent group. Right? So you you don't want to you know, if you're a parent that has no kid on the team, right, you got a good group of younger guys that are showing up every day that bring all this energy, you shut up because you have an unbelievable opportunity with somebody like that.
Jamie:Right? Now if it's same kid and he's, you know, you know, not showing up on time and not you know, then you have a legitimate gripe. You know? I also think you know, I always think any disciplinary measure, yeah, parents go that's that's parent territory. Right.
Jamie:Hockey measure. Right? Have the conversation, but have the conversation where you're trying to understand rather than, you know, saying, hey. I did all this already, and I know better than you, and my kid should be doing this. You know?
Jamie:You know, just come from you wanna understand better what the coach's thought process is. Right? And any coach is not gonna talk you through their thought process. They're an asshole when, you know, like, like, that's ridiculous too. You know?
Jamie:Right. So so now so I'm curious. What is a what is a bad coach look like? We just went through what the what a really good coach looks like. What does a bad coach look like?
Jamie:Yeah. And what's how should a parent be like I'd like and you add to this, Scott. What should a what should a parent what should a red flag look like? Right?
Scott:Yeah. And and we we bring this up. I know that, like, the season's about to start, so, like, tryouts and all that's, like, past us. But one of the things that we were talking about more around tryout season was just, like, get to know who the who who's coaching your kid. Right?
Scott:And so, like like, ask the coach questions. Ask people that have played for that coach questions. You know, it's like just, you know, I guess from your perspective, know, you if you were looking at, you know, different either organizations or programs or maybe you don't even have a choice, but you just wanna know what you're getting into. Like, what are some of the things, you know, you would wanna make sure you understand about your kid's coach?
Jamie:Yeah. I think honesty is honesty is number one. Right? You know, if if you catch a coach in in a lie, right, or several lies, or they're just telling you what you wanna hear, right, that's that's the first sign. Right?
Jamie:Right. You know, the the second is is the why. Right? Why are why are they? And that's where, you know, like, you know, Ted Lasso.
Jamie:Right? You know?
Jamie:Great show.
Jamie:Right? Be curious. Right? So the why is you know, why are they there, and what are they what are they trying to teach? Right?
Jamie:You know, from peewee down, if the only thing is, hey. We're gonna win every game and and and, like, the the end goal is winning. Right? And, you know, again, pee wee down, they're shortening the bench, you know, like, in halfway through the third. Like, I understand, like, hey.
Jamie:If it's a tie game, like, you know, the last, but, like, really, really shortening. Like, it's it's too young to shorten. Right? Right. Again, we just Totally.
Jamie:Like, it's haven't gone through puberty. Like, you don't know what a kid's gonna be. Everybody's gotta learn. Right? So if the why is just when it all costs, right, then that's a problem.
Jamie:But, you know, as they get older, winning you know, the more you win, right, the higher ranked you are, the more the more your kid gets seen. Right?
Jamie:Right.
Jamie:And and just, like, you really gotta understand, like, the for me, right, practice planning is the most important thing. Right? You know, Scott, I know you were you were around. Like, you saw a lot of my practices. Like, not not something that they can do with younger guys, but, like, I like a really high fast paced practice.
Jamie:Right? I like, you know, we're we're trying now on 15 slot trying to get, you know, seven, eight different progressions in, whether it's different mini games. Right? Sometimes at the younger age levels, you gotta slow it down because they have to understand what you're teaching. Right?
Scott:Yeah.
Jamie:But if, you know, practice is just a horseshoe every day and they do the same three things, right, and there's no, like, teaching, right, then that's a that's a that's a huge red flag. And Yeah. I would actually say and this is a pet peeve of mine. Not a lot of people do this, but I think a big red flag is how much are they teaching in game.
Scott:Right? Like, is the whiteboard out?
Jamie:Is the whiteboard out? Right? Like, is there conversation happening? You know? Yeah.
Jamie:Because it's like you can go to if you if you coach a 12 even if you coach a 15 or 16 year old, right, if I try to correct something that happened over the weekend, that kid has already forgotten about.
Jamie:Absolutely.
Scott:Right?
Jamie:Right. Like Yep. Like me, I take in the game differently, and I'll be like, hey. Remember that shift in the second period? Right?
Jamie:Where, you know, you tried to escape and and the kid picked it it like, what?
Scott:Yep. You know? Right.
Jamie:What are you taught? It was a long game. What shit? You know? So I I would say, you know, a red flag would be somebody that's not engaging because, you know, and I tell every coach I talk to, the game is an unbelievable opportunity to teach.
Jamie:Mhmm. Right? Because it just happened. It's fresh in their mind. Right?
Jamie:Now teach. Right? Don't say,
Scott:what the hell are you doing?
Jamie:And, you know, using a whiteboard doesn't include throwing, even though I've been known to break a few every now and then. Not just like throwing something in the air and saying, what are you doing? Right? Why did you do that? Like, teaching in game, I think, is is a really good indicator of a good coach.
Jamie:And actually, I'm gonna throw this one in there too. Like, you know, probably bantamen up if your coach isn't doing any video, whether it be individual or team video. Mhmm. You know, with access to live born and and and the amount of inputs, you know, if you really want your kid to develop, like, they have to be watching with a coach running those sessions. Right?
Jamie:Because anybody anybody can evaluate themselves. Right? What I will tell you, because I do this every year, especially 15 and 16 year olds, they don't really know how to evaluate themselves and how to watch themselves properly in order to develop better, right? So I I give give a homework assignment at the after our first tournament every year, I say, all right, everybody go home. You know, all our games are recorded.
Jamie:You know, we use InstaT, go into InstaT, set a reel. I want you to show me five good clips, five bad clips. We're gonna sit together, and you're gonna tell me why. That's great. And inevitably, even the the best players, right, there's always at least one, maybe two in each bucket that they'll say, this is a good clip.
Jamie:Right? And I'm like, it's not a good clip. It's actually a bad clip. Right? Yeah.
Jamie:I know you clipped it because you scored a goal, but did you see what just happened behind this play and the mistake that was made that freed you up? Right? Or, you know, on the on the bad side, like, oh, I shot you know, like, this pass didn't get through, you know, and and then you look at them like, but it's an unreal read. Like, the fact that you saw it, you know, that's kind of the Hockey IQ thing. You know, it's only bad because you didn't execute it.
Jamie:How do we make it good?
Jamie:That makes
Scott:a lot of sense.
Jamie:That's pretty interesting actually now that you bring that up. Because I bet you a lot of kids misread those situations. Right? I bet you you sitting down with kids, and if you didn't point it out to them, they would have never seen that. Like
Jamie:Exactly right. Yeah. It's I I mean, video is is and and in hockey, it's so easy, right, because of the access to it. Right? Yeah.
Jamie:You don't
Scott:Yeah.
Jamie:You don't even need like, I love the parent volunteer, but if I can't get somebody to stand there with my iPad, like, you know, I'm downloading right in from, you know, Live Barn or that other bad one. So Yes.
Jamie:It is a bad one.
Scott:Yes. Is. Boy.
Jamie:It's bad.
Scott:The moment I had two the youth hockey streaming service subscriptions, I was like, oh, lord.
Jamie:Yep. Oh, gosh.
Scott:I know it's crazy. But but so, Jamie, let let me ask this part. You know, again, just getting back to that '16 u, especially on the premier level, you know, there are kids that are you know, and it's not it's it's everywhere. Right? But you've got kids from all over the country going to different youth organizations.
Scott:It seems like specifically for that year. Can you can you talk a little bit about, you know, and well, let me just before I say that, one of the things that, you know, I've heard parents discuss is like, you know, it's interesting when they get older because you could spend a long time in an organization, but then once it gets to certain levels, like, you have to find a new home. Can you can you just kind of either, like, either break down or kind of, like, shed some light on kind of, like, the process for kids that maybe are either looking to go away from home because they have, like, you know, interest or what it's like for the organization to look further than, you know, your immediate surroundings.
Jamie:Yeah. I think so one, midget hockey and let's just talk, like, locally by us. Right? The dynamics of midget, they change so much. Right?
Jamie:Because you have, you know, you have schools that let you play high you have organizations that let you play high school. You have those that don't. Right? You have academy models that say you gotta be in the academy that comes at, you know, a pretty steep price. Right?
Jamie:Right. You know? And and then you have, like, even the more high school friendly where you're you're dropping down to, like, one combined practice a week because that's the model. Right? So the first thing is for anybody looking, like, just do your research.
Jamie:Right?
Jamie:Right.
Jamie:And it's funny. I always, you know, I was my wife always jokes, like, because I have these conversations constantly. Like, you know, you don't I would never be an adviser, but, you know, I'm just gonna start a business where, like, I'm start gonna a hotline where people can call and ask, you know, questions about the about the landscape. But the other dynamic now is, like, you know, the the academies, like the Mounts, you know, the BKs, you know, now Masters Academy, you know, kind of that where it's you know, there's that's a great hockey development path. Like, we do it.
Jamie:Right? I have an academy that that I it's by choice. Right? You can do the go to brick and mortar school or you can do the academy. You know, for those students that want that, you know, we're able to offer it, and that's one of the reasons why we're able to get, you know, those guys from all over the country and, you know, reputation of the staff, adviser relationships, USHL relationships.
Jamie:Like, a lot of players, you know, I have certain USHL programs. If they got a guy that's not happy where he's at, you know, hey. Can I park him with you for a year? Absolutely. But that's you you just gotta you just gotta do your your research.
Jamie:Right? And, you know, the best hockey advice I got from from a gentleman when I was first starting coaching is the best path is the one that you choose. Right? So go all in on the decision. Right?
Jamie:If you get somewhere and the second you get there, you're going, oh my god. Why did I do this? Right? Either as a parent or as a player. Right?
Jamie:They you're just you're stacking the cards against your experience, right, which all filters through. So, you know, just do all the research of what you think is best fitting to your development as a player. Right? But you gotta ask those questions. Right?
Jamie:The the biggest the thing that drives me craziest in in that process is when the only question that's asked is, hey. Where do you see me in the lineup?
Jamie:Yeah. That's not the right question to ask. Right.
Jamie:Yeah. You know? Yeah. I'm lucky enough. You know, I every most of the top end programs, you know, you got 20 guys on the team that have been promised they're gonna be the first line center.
Jamie:They're gonna quarterback power play. Right? It just doesn't lead to a good dynamic. You know, my story is the same for everybody. Right?
Jamie:I I guarantee you'll be given every opportunity to succeed for me, but we haven't had a practice yet, so I have no idea where you fit into the lineup. Unfortunately, that's not what's said. So, you know, ask the right questions as to, what's the right development model. Ask a coach, hey, this is always a big one, and I laugh when people get it really wrong because I hear these horror stories. Why do you like my son?
Jamie:Or why do you like me as a player? Right? And if they can't give you some feedback, right, that just means they looked at a stat sheet and saw that you had a 112 points last year. Right? They don't really know you as a player, You know?
Jamie:And and there's enough out there, and there's enough, like, you know, resources where any kid I'm with interested in, you know, I I'd either scouted throughout the year. I I coach you know, I I I coached against, or I pulled, you know, video on and watch video as to you know, so I have an idea of of of what I'm getting, and I watch it length. Right? You know, a lot of coaches like, let's see his goals. You know?
Jamie:Like, I I don't just need. I already know you scored 75 goals last year. Right? I don't need to I need to see you play.
Jamie:Right. Totally. And you know, it's funny, Jamie, that's why we have this podcast because a lot of parents don't know what to ask, and they don't know the right things to the guy that comes into you and says, where do you see my kid in the lineup? That's like the last question you wanna ask.
Jamie:Exactly. Exactly. And it's like, what are you what are you gonna do to make my kid better? Right? That's that's what you want.
Jamie:Right? Right. Your kid to come out, you know, and and let them Yep. You know, I love that question. Right?
Jamie:Because then I get to brag about the development model, and we get to have, like, a a real conversation. But, you know, at at the end of the day, like, you know, it's it's I think the first decision is usually first is where am I in the lineup? Right? And, hey. By the way, who's next to me as well?
Jamie:Oh, is that right?
Scott:Do I know who they're playing with? Yeah. Interesting.
Jamie:That's such a poor that's such an uninformed hockey parent.
Jamie:Yep. And it it you wouldn't believe how often it happens. Right?
Jamie:Oh, no. I can believe it. No. And We have a podcast about it, so I can believe it.
Jamie:Or sometimes it's, you know, I love this group, but I'm not playing with him. I go, first of all, the last I checked, you sit in the stands. Right. So you're not playing with anybody. And by the way, how do you know how do you know that's not a good fit?
Jamie:We played we played in Quebec together. It wasn't a good experience. And I'm like, are you fucking kidding me? Like, that was that was that when you were 12. Four years ago.
Jamie:That's right. You you must get so frustrated as a hockey coach because parents are so stunned sometimes.
Jamie:It it is, but, like, I do it's easy to read, like, who's just that green and doesn't know any better. Right.
Jamie:There's a lot of that.
Jamie:Yeah. And there's a lot that I don't mind. Right? Hockey is a really confusing sport. Right?
Jamie:Is. But the the the strategy, you know, dad or mom that's trying to plant that landmine, like, you know, that there's so much behind it. Like, you know, they're I in most of the cases, I answer that question wrong on purpose because I don't feel like dealing with it. I'm like, yeah. Yeah.
Jamie:Go get mad at me and, you know, go tell everybody you had a horrible experience with me, but thank you. Have a have a nice day.
Jamie:I don't blame you, by the way. And you know what? I'm I'm guessing that you don't want that. It's unfortunate. You probably don't want that child on the team because the parent is gonna be a problem.
Jamie:Right?
Jamie:Exactly. There's there's an you know, I
Jamie:We just opened up Pandora's box.
Jamie:Yeah. So I I very rarely make parent cuts because that's the place where where I'm a little crazy. Right? And it's really funny. I I talk, like feel like, what what how are gonna deal with that person?
Jamie:And I'm like, I'm gonna tell them to eff off, or I'm gonna challenge them to a fight. Like, that's okay. Long as their kid's not causing a problem, like, you know, like and that's what like, some of my younger coaches, you know, when they're saying I'm like, oh, what
Scott:the hell?
Jamie:Like, how do I handle this? I'm like, go ask them to fight you. And they're like, you can't do that.
Scott:Clearly an older brand of hockey there, James.
Jamie:Yeah. Yeah. That's older brand of hockey parenting, but, like, you know, I don't I don't mind because I'm I'm confident enough to to shut down the the craziest. And, you know, very rarely if, you know, somebody's really out of line and, you know, we have that really hard conversation Right. Does it continue?
Jamie:Now is it toxic at the bar or the hotel at at a tournament? Absolutely. But my kids are old enough that they're removed from that. Like, does Yeah. That doesn't filter down into my locker room.
Jamie:No. It doesn't. At the younger at the younger ages, it does. But you're right. At your age, it doesn't.
Jamie:Yeah.
Jamie:Yeah. Alright. So I have one more. Give me your thoughts on the new DL that is coming.
Jamie:So I absolutely love the concept. I think the timing is perfect right now, especially with the new NCAA rules, you know, the five and five that just came out. Mhmm. Yeah. Right?
Jamie:We're actually seeing there's there's been a pretty significant impact down at the 16 age level because now everybody's trying to rush into juniors because they think they gotta get that that process started. Yeah. Right? Yeah. So I I love I love the concept of it.
Jamie:How it's executed is remains to
Jamie:be seen.
Jamie:Yeah. Right? And then, you know, I wish they would have just done it with one fell swoop, right, of saying that all of USA Hockey now is a fifteen, seventeen model, Right? You know, for the because most second year 18 guys is you're taking a gap year. Right?
Jamie:So for most guys, unless you've been reclassed. Right? Your second year of u 18, you're going you you should be your your freshman year of college. Right? So the fifteen, seventeen model with the five and five, like, is the concept I love.
Jamie:Right? I don't understand, like, for the seventeens, right, you know, you're gonna have think the last that came out 32, 36 organizations, whatever it is. I'm really hoping you know, I would I would assume that we're gonna be one of them given the the, you know, prolonged success of our midget program. Yeah. I like the idea of being able to kind of narrow to I mean, the 32 teams that are picked are probably gonna be who I play 80% of my games against anyway.
Jamie:Right? So how do you make the the scheduling? But then the reason why I said I wish they did it all is because they're gonna mess. Right? There's gonna be some other really good hockey teams out there, but now your seven teams are, you know, playing eight teams.
Jamie:You know? So it's just this not not that I think that's a big deal, but it just adds like a a different layer that I didn't think was was necessary. But there's no bigger advocate hoping that this works out and this becomes kind of the next phase where, you know, youth hockey in essence takes you through your high school career. Right? Yeah.
Jamie:And then everything else, depending on what happens with the rules, is is junior hockey. And, you know, I think there's a great avenue to reestablish tier three junior hockey. Right? That kinda got picked apart here over the last couple of years because of some, you know, bad decisions. But there was a time where, you know, the Atlantic Junior Hockey League, right, the Met League were spitting out d one guys like that late late bloomer, you know, needed that year.
Jamie:Right. Right? And I think that's a great dynamic if you can if the end result is that it fixes tier three junior hockey at the same time.
Jamie:So you think tier three junior hockey is gonna have a comeback because of what's going on now?
Jamie:I I do. I do. Yeah. But there's also twofold. Right?
Jamie:I think because of the new NCA regulations, both major junior and the USHL are gonna have to try to figure out a way to push down and and get younger.
Scott:Yeah. Yeah.
Jamie:And that's, you know, another interesting dynamic. Right? So if you have kinda your 18, 19 year old year, right, where you got tier one, tier two, and and and the threes, and maybe, you know, there's also a lot of 17 year olds that may not make a, you know, a DL team. Right?
Scott:Yeah.
Jamie:Yeah. That would be a great fit, you know, that need another year at a tier three junior level. Right? Get to wear a half shield, lose their teeth. Great.
Scott:You
Jamie:know, I'm I'm excited about it, extremely anxious at the same time Right. Because I want it to go well. And, you know, once they send once they send the team names out, like, they make the selections, all hell is gonna break loose.
Jamie:Oh, absolutely. Sure. I mean, your phone's gonna be ringing off the hook, no, if you guys get picked?
Jamie:If if we get picked, but then, you know, every organization that didn't get picked, right, any teams applied. Right? I think there's you know, they're gonna cause some sort of issue and you know?
Scott:So do you think you think that'll in terms of making crazy hockey parents even crazier, you're gonna see families that are gonna be or for whatever they're doing to get on, like, a sixteen year premier team to get in the development league. I mean, relocating, you name it. Right?
Jamie:It's gonna be yeah. And there's just not like, it's a good thing, right, with only 30 some odd teams. Right? Yeah. You can't accommodate everybody.
Jamie:And I Right. Think I remember that your roster has to be you're only allowed to have six what would be 17 year olds. So it's a Oh. You could have one I forget if it said one or two 15 year olds that could play out. Yep.
Jamie:Right? So the Will Soros of the world. Right? Right. Put them into the DL team.
Jamie:But you're capped. I I believe it's six overagers, right, which would be your 17 year old. So it's still 16 heavy hockey, but it does increase the the talent pool that's in there. Right. But I will I will guarantee you that any parent, right, is going to jump through the earth to get their kid on on one of these DL teams.
Jamie:You know? No doubt. With top 40 camp, things some parents do when their kid's on the outside looking in of NTDP camp. Like Yep. I get phone calls on that all the time.
Jamie:Can you get my kid in? I'm like, you no. You know? Like, a chance.
Scott:No. Not at all.
Jamie:Maybe maybe if a 100 people, the 100 kids that are better than your son in his birth Yeah. Right. Can go major junior, then maybe we could we could slide him in there. But I've had money, you know, because I'm friends with the guys. People have offered me money.
Jamie:I'm like, are you out of your
Jamie:mind? I was just gonna ask you that. I'm like, should I ask him if he's ever been offered money?
Jamie:I One time, it was a significant amount too, and I'm like, no. I'm like, are are you out of your mind? Like,
Scott:go I've heard stories of, like, you know, six figures being thrown at at coaches or organizations to get their kid on a particular team.
Jamie:Yeah. Yeah. That Yeah. That happens. That happens.
Jamie:Yeah. Yeah. Not with the abs, though.
Scott:No. No. No. No. But in in all in all seriousness, and listen, Jamie, I just wanna thank you so much.
Scott:I mean, we're at an hour and a half, and this has been, you know, long we're getting, you know, long here. But before we wrap up, you know, for anyone that's listened that, you know, wants to learn more about the North North Jersey Avalanche, you know, more about the academy that you got going on over there, if you could just share where people can find you and and learn more.
Jamie:Yeah. So our our our website, which I'm it it's the ice house website, icehousennnj.com, the Avalanche link. And you could also feel free to I'll give you a cell phone number. Tyler Antonucci is is the coach that takes
Scott:me, so I'm always on our
Jamie:I love it. Give somebody else's number.
Jamie:I'm happy to give you Tyler's cell phone number, and you could call Tyler about anything and everything. He's our biller coordinator. He's doing everything right now. And he's gonna help out working with the academy. I'm actually excited, you know, about the academy that they've launched.
Jamie:It's for the younger age, you know, age levels. There is a, you know, a market need for that. I'm still running my academy separately, but there's gonna come a day where we where we bring that all together.
Scott:Yeah.
Jamie:But in the meantime, any questions, ask Tyler.
Scott:Well played, coach. Well played. Lesson one, parents.
Jamie:Thanks, Jamie. This has been awesome. Thank you
Scott:so much. Appreciate it. No problem.
Jamie:Thank you, guys. And, hey, keep fighting the good fight. You're doing a great job. The content's awesome. Like, really.
Jamie:I I I truly enjoy it. So Oh.
Scott:Thank you so much. Really appreciate it. It was not possible without people like you. So feeling's mutual, my man. Always a pleasure talking to you.
Jamie:Got it, Jamie.
Scott:Thanks, Thanks, Jamie. See you. Appreciate it.
Jamie:Alright, everybody. We are back from our interview with the Avs' Jamie Cahill. I mean, very cool.
Scott:Yeah?
Jamie:Very cool interview. Yeah. Without a doubt. Yeah. He was great.
Jamie:He, I didn't realize he didn't realize that he was living in the town that you and I grew up in.
Scott:I know.
Jamie:I thought that
Scott:was pretty cool, by the way.
Jamie:Yeah. When I saw the FL on his hat and on his, and on his shirt, I'm like, oh, man. I'm like, I remember those days.
Scott:Absolutely.
Jamie:I don't think the logo has changed, by the way No. Since you and I were there. Yeah. Yeah. That that's the, the Frank Lakes football logo that I remember as a kid.
Scott:No. Without a doubt.
Jamie:I'm surprised they even updated it.
Scott:No. Well, I mean, it's probably a little bit different. I
Jamie:don't know.
Jamie:No. I don't think it's any different.
Scott:There's well
Jamie:Unless they change the font on the f and the l, it looks very similar. Okay. Yeah. Maybe they have changed it. What the hell do I know?
Scott:Either way, I never played football, so I don't know.
Jamie:True.
Jamie:Yeah. I don't think
Scott:I ever played like I played rec, but I
Jamie:You played rec football? You didn't play rec?
Scott:No. No. I know I didn't play any football, but like rec basketball and baseball, but I don't know that I ever wore like Pads? No. I'm not saying that.
Scott:What I'm saying is like, you're talking about the logo, the friend likes logo. What was And I don't
Jamie:That was specifically for the football team.
Scott:That's what I'm saying. Like, I never I never had anything with that logo
Jamie:on it. Understood.
Scott:That's what I'm saying.
Jamie:I gotcha. I gotcha. Gotcha. Yeah. Yeah.
Jamie:No. No. It's just funny to see that that he's I didn't realize he was living in the town that you and I grew up
Jamie:in.
Jamie:Yeah. Well Did you know that?
Scott:No. Not until
Jamie:I know idea.
Scott:Not until we saw him on the Yeah. On the pod.
Jamie:Yeah. I noticed the logo. Interesting. Yeah. Yeah, man.
Jamie:He was, he he was he actually really good. You know? I I I don't know. I I probably expected him to be very good. Yeah.
Jamie:What You know, he's been around the game a long time. Yes. Especially at the older ages.
Scott:Yes. And and one of the things that I thought was what I liked a lot when he was we talked about IQ Yeah. A bit and how he'll take IQ over size. Yeah. And that that was something you don't hear very often.
Jamie:That is so different in today's game, by the way.
Scott:Yep. And like
Jamie:That's the exact opposite that I hear.
Scott:Right. And he's a firm believer that you
Jamie:Which is really nice
Scott:to hear. That you can teach Hockey IQ, which I I don't I mean, I don't know why people would think you can't teach it because, like, it's not like you have to learn how to play the game somehow.
Jamie:Yeah. Like, there's some instincts
Scott:that people just like
Jamie:and have them going through with you. Right. Right. Some get it some have it instinctually.
Scott:Or yeah. Or right. But the the bit about, that when we're talking about IQ and he was talking about, that he wants you to make mistakes.
Jamie:I like that
Jamie:part.
Scott:And it's like, you know, same same thing with same thing with like Danielle Ward, just like, but if you fuck up, fix it
Jamie:Yeah, man.
Scott:Type of thing. Yeah. But it's like you need to give the kids the creative freedom to implement the things you're trying to teach them. Correct. Like, you can't you can't make them just like robots.
Scott:No. And it's gonna you're gonna end up kids are gonna make mistakes. But that's I mean, that's that's how we learn. That's how we learn.
Jamie:If anything becomes robotic, it's not a good thing. No. Right? We just talked to a kinda like a strength and conditioning coach, you know, right? You and I.
Jamie:Yeah. And they were saying that robotic is not good.
Scott:Right.
Jamie:Like, you don't wanna be robotic. That's why you want you wanna encourage kids to to think outside the box, to to do things. That's why when you have when you have coaches at the younger ages that kinda pigeonhole kids into, like, positions or, like, you know, just dump the puck in and go chase it. Like, they gotta be creative.
Jamie:Right.
Jamie:You know, that's how they learn the game. That's how they learn. That's how they make mistakes, and you learn from your mistakes. You know? So it was really refreshing to hear Jamie start to talk about that type of stuff.
Scott:Right.
Jamie:You know, especially the mistake part. Yeah. Some guys some kids just get benched when they do that stuff. You make a mistake, you get benched, and that's that.
Scott:Right. And and Then you're on
Jamie:the coach's shit list, and then that's your season. Yeah. And which is unfortunate. Right?
Scott:And and, you know, the other, what was it that he said? He says something along the lines like the best path is the one you choose. I think is what like the quote was something So along those go all in
Jamie:Yes. In
Scott:that direction.
Jamie:Right.
Scott:And you know, look,
Jamie:if it's Even if there's little bit of adversity
Scott:Even if there's adversity and, you know, we talked about how it's really easy for kids nowadays to, like, change teams, whether it's youth hockey, whether it's collegiate hockey between the portal and just parents jumping around from one organization to the other. And Yeah. Part of the the the thing that you're depriving your kid of is an opportunity to, like, face adversity
Jamie:To grow.
Scott:To to to, right, to overcome challenges. Yeah. That's that's what happens constantly in life. So if the if the if the message is, well, when it gets hard, run
Jamie:We'll move you.
Scott:Then that doesn't you're not you're not teaching any resilience in a kid. And there that that's it's not a good recipe
Jamie:No.
Scott:It's not. In my opinion, at least.
Jamie:The optics look bad. Yep. You bounce around to all these different programs. The optics do not look good. I mean, the the hockey world is a small world.
Jamie:People talk. Everybody knows. Like, you know, every all the coaches know each other. All hockey directors know each other. You do not want to have your name kind of, like, associated with that stuff.
Scott:Right.
Jamie:You know? Unless your kid is a superstar. Mhmm. Right? And then you get, like, the Lawrence Taylor treatment where it doesn't matter what you do because your kid's just that good.
Scott:Right.
Jamie:Right? But if you're not if your kid's not that kid
Scott:And most aren't.
Jamie:And most are not.
Scott:Most are not.
Jamie:You do not want speaking of, how many forwards do you have on your team? How many forwards do you guys have on Otto's team? Otto's Otto's now playing triple a u twelve.
Scott:Yeah. There's 10.
Jamie:There's 10 forwards. You have
Scott:10 forwards and 60.
Jamie:10 forwards and 60. So you have more
Scott:One extra forward.
Jamie:You have one extra forward. Gotcha. Yeah. And you don't find that to be an issue, do you?
Scott:No. I mean, do I find it to be an issue? I don't know. It's not an issue.
Jamie:Yeah. We have one extra forward as well.
Scott:No. It's not an issue.
Jamie:We probably should have more being second year bantams, by the way.
Scott:That's probably true.
Jamie:Injury purposes. Injury purposes. Like, I know some parents complain that, oh my god, like, there's more than nine forwards or more than eight forwards. How could you ever do that?
Scott:No. I I mean, look, I do I think having, like, one extra person is like I mean, if you're gonna then then it's like, if you're gonna have one extra, why not have,
Jamie:you know, one
Scott:out of 11 or why not Especially
Jamie:at younger ages. I mean, one extra kid, could rotate between forward and d defense. No problem at all.
Scott:No. I I think though that anyone that and it's not me, and I don't know that anyone has. Look, if if I was picking a team, I don't know that I would have taken a tenth forward. Mhmm. Just kept it, like, you know, to
Jamie:the Nine
Scott:through the three lines of three.
Jamie:Yeah. Nine and six.
Scott:Again, I I haven't I haven't gotten to the point where we're dealing with, you know, injuries start becoming a thing. Right. You know, and so yeah. And we actually have an injury right now. So kids We
Jamie:have two
Scott:of them. So now we have nine and nine and six. So so that's only gonna become more and more common to have more players on the roster.
Jamie:But Yeah. I mean, from,
Scott:you know, a parent that's like, oh, well, now someone's, you know, on aggregate, kids are gonna get less playing time if because there's one extra kid that gets has to get rotated through, like Right. They're not wrong. But it's also, like, it's only one extra instead of three, know, three extras. So Right. In any event, I don't know.
Jamie:But isn't it all about the development of the kid anyway? Especially when you're, like, below even even when you pass puberty. Like, does even isn't all about the puck touches in practice anyway, because the kids really don't get a whole lot of puck touches
Scott:In a game.
Jamie:In games.
Scott:Right. But but the my butt to that is and we and we've talked about it. You hear people talk about it that you have a great practice player, but can't you know, is is ineffective in a game. You know, like there are those kids out there that just don't bring it in the games. Well, of course.
Scott:But all my point is is that, know, so putting a kid like that in more game situations, I you think those are the reps that that kid needs in order to showcase the whatever he can do in practice Maybe. In games. So think there's an argument to be said that like but broadly speaking
Jamie:Mhmm.
Scott:Yes, in practices you're getting more puck touches and you know, you're working on things deliberately and intentionally but Right.
Jamie:At the
Scott:end of the day ultimately all we practice to play games. Yes. You know, we don't play games to practice. No. No.
Scott:No. So so there's, like, clearly, you you can't just say, like, games don't mean anything. And then you did not say that.
Jamie:I No. I think the game I think the I think the reason to move Yeah. Move to another organization should not be because, like, you have one or two more forwards.
Scott:Oh, I see. So you you might be thinking about someone that wrote in.
Jamie:I did. I'm the damn thing exactly about somebody that wrote
Scott:in. No. I do I think it's a reason to move? No.
Jamie:Yeah. Thank you. Even if they told you you were gonna have eight forwards and they wanna put nine or 10.
Scott:Well, that that part would raise concerns not about not about the fact that there's 10 instead of eight, but that there was a real miss mismanagement of expectations.
Jamie:Clearly, that it was not it was listen. And we all know that there's money associated with two more kids. Right? So we all understand that.
Scott:Right. There is a there is a business ultimately, and that can't be ignored. Correct. However, you know, if there's an extra kid look, if if even if a if a coach told me Yes. That I'm taking nine and nine and six.
Jamie:Right.
Scott:Right? And then we end up with ten and six. Right? Like, there could have been, like look, we all know the commitments are made before Yeah. And maybe someone showed up at tryouts that, like, you can't fuck you can't pass up.
Jamie:That or the hockey director said, hey, by the way, like, know
Scott:Will you balance the books here?
Jamie:Yeah. Or or what whatever they said. Right. Right? You know?
Jamie:But again, I and I I was trying to explain to this person that as long as the coach is good Yeah. Okay? Like, you don't have to just I I think at the younger ages, when when when hockey parents have younger kids, like, I think you think that it's all about, like, playing time and games. It's not. No.
Jamie:Like, it's really not. For 99% of the kids, it's not. The kids just need to develop.
Scott:Right.
Jamie:Right? It's it's it's I'm not talking about the one off kids that are, like, superstars at the younger ages. You know, it's all about the coach. You don't need and we've talked to countless people. You don't need, you know, to play for super high level teams, you don't need, you know, to only go nine and six or whatever the numbers are, you know, you don't need any of that shit.
Jamie:All you need to do is find a coach that cares about your kid, that cares about his development, and you need to stay with him. Yep. That's what you need to do. Yep. And when the kids get older, then you could look to move and do stuff.
Jamie:Right. At the younger age, I think it's foolish. All you're doing is wasting your time and money.
Scott:By what part?
Jamie:By bouncing around.
Scott:Oh, by bouncing around.
Jamie:And having to travel longer distances to find better teams. If I knew then what I know now, it would I would that that would look totally different.
Scott:Okay. But Yeah. The best path the best path that you choose is the your the
Jamie:You're trying to say what Jamie Cahill said? Whatever whatever he said. Listen. And you're right about that. So whatever whatever but but, again, moving, jumping ship every year, you know, to try to find greener pastures, all these organizations are the same thing.
Jamie:They're all the same. You know, when you leave an organization, you think that you're going to find, like, greener passers. For the most part, you're not. It's all the same shit.
Scott:Right. Yeah. With exceptions.
Jamie:With certain things here
Scott:and there.
Jamie:Certain ones do Right. Certain ones do certain things better. Right. And certain ones don't. Right.
Jamie:Right? Certain rings look nicer. Certain ones don't. Right? You know, so it's all the same shit.
Jamie:So in my opinion, from doing this for and and kind of having a kid that's kind of gone through, you know, now his second year bantam, you know, and having done and spoken to all these people that we've spoken to, From what I can tell, you find a really good coach that cares about your child and your child's development, and and you let them develop.
Scott:Okay. But then I'll say this, like, the so between both of us, our kids have played however many collect, you know, collective years of hockey. Right. And the number of coaches that our kids have had Right. Is probably not as far off from the total number of years that they've played.
Jamie:Say that again?
Scott:The point I'm trying to make is that I don't know.
Jamie:Mhmm. And this
Scott:is just from my experience, but I don't know how many kids that start playing, you know, like how how every season, how many times are they going back to the same coach?
Jamie:Well, I guess it depends who that person is.
Scott:No. But I guess my point is really that
Jamie:You mean if the coach goes up with
Scott:them? If the if the coach goes up with them. Like, how often like, how many kids say, like, oh, you know, when I played youth hockey, I played for the same coach for five years?
Jamie:I don't know.
Scott:I I don't know the answer to that. And so part of where I'm getting driving at is that like, if you know that you're not gonna have the same coach the next year and the next coach that like is to, you know, is you know, you're expecting Tommy to be your kid's coach next year and you don't like Tommy
Jamie:And then you get Joe.
Scott:And then you go, but like the other organization has got a a great coach for, you know, my son's my son's age Right. Next year. Then, you know, if we're talking about always finding the best coach, if you don't stay if you find one and he's not gonna grow with the team, then is moving crazy?
Jamie:Well, oh, I guess it depends how far you're moving and that type of stuff.
Scott:Of course.
Jamie:Of course. Right? Listen. Listen. We're all consumers of the of the youth hockey is a product Yep.
Jamie:That we're all consuming.
Scott:Yep.
Jamie:Right? So you are well in your right to go and do whatever you need to do. Right? I'm still of the opinion that and, again, I think, like, to move because of, like, nepotism, jealousy, like, that that that stuff is, like, like
Scott:Right. Whatever. Like, there's always exceptions. But generally speaking, you wanna seek out the best coaching.
Jamie:Correct. Right. And Yes.
Scott:There are situations where that's gonna mean moving to an organization after the end of the season.
Jamie:Of course.
Scott:But to to to have, if your model is I'm just gonna always move to, like, try to level up to a better team, I I think that's a a fool's errand.
Jamie:Yeah. And, I I think you need to if you can find a coach that's going to move with you, somebody that you trust that, again, has has has interest in your child
Scott:Yeah.
Jamie:In the development of your kid
Scott:Right.
Jamie:Right, then he's gonna do right by your kid playing time wise and practice wise. Right? And if you can find that person, right, and they're out there. There's a lot of them out there.
Scott:If you
Jamie:could find that person, you stick with that person.
Scott:Right. And it also seems like the people that are moving around all the time is usually because the kid is not, is is not I don't wanna say he's not a good player. That's not the point. But maybe he's not, you know, getting as much playing time or he's, know, there there's there's there's some there's some reason why like, know, you're always bouncing. And if your kid if your kid is let's just say you're not a bubble player, you're not a fringe player, but like you're a top six player, you know, your top two d pairing.
Scott:Right. I mean, like, why why move?
Jamie:Exactly.
Scott:Right. Assuming that you have, you know, decent coaching.
Jamie:Correct.
Scott:Right? Like, you know, I don't know.
Jamie:Listen. At the upper levels a
Scott:lot of variables. There's a lot of variables.
Jamie:I also think at the upper levels, you know, when your kids get older, you know, and you're moving year to year to year, I think that's a red flag when when general managers look at that and junior team general managers and college coaches look at that, and they're like, know, why'd you bounce around? It's it's like it's it's like, going to apply for a job. You you go apply for a job, and on your resume, if you've been to, like, three different companies in three years or four different companies in four years, whatever the number is, you know, they're gonna look at you, like, sideways. Like, what have you what have been doing?
Scott:Right.
Jamie:Like, why why are you bouncing around?
Scott:Right.
Jamie:You know? So and and also, I I think the parents that keep moving their kids, you know, for, like, not legit reasons. Right? If you're just, like, pissed off at the playing time, you're pissed off at coaches, or you're like like, is is it you? Is it is it like, is it and and it could be the parent.
Scott:Right. You gotta you gotta look in the mirror and take Correct. You know, take stock and
Jamie:make
Jamie:You an honest know? I know a bunch of yo yo parents. I know tons of them. I've seen tons of them in this game
Scott:Right.
Jamie:Coming up. Right. You know? So, again, I'm not I'm not saying moving is necessarily, you know listen. I think there's there's certainly reasons to move your kid.
Scott:Yes. There's definitely reasons move question about it. But when it becomes, like, a habit Correct. Like, there there's prob you gotta start looking in mirror a little bit and be like, what what am I not getting right here?
Jamie:Why the problem here? Or is like, am or am I not doing right by my kid by moving him every year because he's not happy with the playing time? I mean, he's not happy playing with Joey and Sam and Marvin. Right. Marvin.
Jamie:Carl. You know, like, you know, like, why are you moving? Right? You know, especially if you have a good thing. Especially if have a good coach who who is interested in developing your kid.
Scott:Right.
Jamie:Right? Because again, no organization is gonna be perfect. They all suck in their own ways. Yep. Wouldn't you agree with
Scott:that? I think everything has got its pros and cons.
Jamie:I mean, every organization that I've seen has sucked in one way or another.
Scott:Right.
Jamie:Right?
Scott:Yeah. There there's definitely yes. Yeah. Sure. Right.
Scott:And they've all had their strengths. Correct. Yeah. Anyway Yeah. Anyhow, what else?
Scott:What else?
Jamie:What else? Anyhow is right.
Scott:Any NHL's, coming around soon?
Jamie:Yeah. Couple weeks.
Scott:It's already underway with the Preseason? Yep. So that's exciting. We're getting ever closer to another season. We're just going over the opening night and see like that
Jamie:Yeah. It looks like September 29. Carolina, Florida Yeah. Tilts. Yeah.
Jamie:Yeah. Yeah.
Scott:It's a doozy.
Jamie:That should be a good one.
Scott:That'll be an interesting one to see. The boys are gonna be fired up for that
Jamie:one. So it looks like preseason ends for everybody on the twenty sixth
Scott:Okay.
Jamie:Of September, and then the twenty ninth looks like the fun starts.
Scott:We're a go.
Jamie:So that's Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. There's a lot of games. Lot of games.
Scott:So Looking forward to that part.
Jamie:Yeah. And we'll have to do our predictions, our NHL predictions of who's gonna win, you know, what, what divisions and all that stuff.
Scott:Oh, let's do that. Do wanna do it next week?
Jamie:Well, we can do that next week. We are so bad at that, by the way.
Scott:At predicting things?
Jamie:Yes.
Scott:Well, I mean, if we're really good at predicting things, we'd probably not you know, we'd have
Jamie:That we'd have a prediction company. A prediction company.
Scott:That's right.
Jamie:Right. You'd have a prediction company. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Jamie:Or like a betting company or something like that. Absolutely. Yeah. No. We are not good at that.
Jamie:We have not had had a lot of good, we have not had a lot of good experience with that last, we've done it, what, we've done it, twice now?
Scott:Twice.
Jamie:Right?
Scott:Yeah. Twice.
Jamie:Right? Because we started in March.
Scott:No. No. We did it three tie. Well, no. When we first started, we did we did Stanley Cup Racket.
Jamie:Oh, that's what we did. Sorry. Right.
Scott:We started Stanley Cup Racket
Jamie:is our second any shell like season. Like season winners.
Scott:Right.
Jamie:Right. Okay. So we're yeah. We're still not doing well.
Scott:Still not doing well. But we'll we'll we'll hope to improve this year.
Jamie:That's right. Yeah. I was so off the I thought I had I had the Florida Panthers winning the Stanley Cup last year.
Scott:I had you did?
Jamie:I think we did.
Scott:We didn't both have the Avalanche? 100%.
Jamie:Did. No. We had we both had the Avalanche in the finals.
Scott:In the finals. Yeah. Oh, I had the Avalanche winning.
Jamie:We both had the Avalanche in the finals. I had the I had the Panthers winning.
Scott:You were way off.
Jamie:Slippy, Swamy, Samsnite. I was way off.
Scott:Exactly. Anyhow,
Jamie:and Yeah, man. Anything else? We got some really good we got some really good guests coming, for you people that have been asking us for a goalie.
Scott:Oh, we got goalie conversation coming.
Jamie:Conversation. We had a really good interview last night with a
Scott:Guy A. Bear.
Jamie:With Guy A. Bear, the NHL veteran goaltender for the Anaheim Mighty Ducks. Wow, dude. Yeah. That was a lot of fun.
Scott:Lot of fun.
Jamie:Like, I was sorry that we had to end that.
Scott:Yeah. I agree.
Jamie:When we ended, like, we could have gone for, like, hours with him.
Scott:Yeah. He's so easy to talk to. Yes. What a great guy.
Jamie:Yes.
Scott:Tons of experience.
Jamie:Yes.
Scott:It's just interesting to learn more about like goaltending as a profession. Yes. We talked about equipment and mindset. His stories were cool. Stories from like the Yeah.
Scott:Yeah. Nineteen ninety six World Cup of Hockey Yes. The ninety eight Olympics. Yes. Like
Jamie:It was some very cool, very cool stories.
Scott:Yeah. So that's on the horizon.
Jamie:Yeah. So for you people that have been asking us for a goalie episode, it is coming.
Scott:It the next
Jamie:couple weeks, we have, like, a speed, strength, and agility coach. We have some we have, we're gonna have, like, a d three wagon of a of a head coach coming. We're gonna have a prep school head coach coming. We have a lot of really, really cool stuff coming.
Jamie:Yeah.
Jamie:Absolutely. So stay tuned for Crazy Hockey Dads. Subscribe. Keep listening, keep downloading, keep sharing the show. We really appreciate all the support from our fans that now we've been doing this for like a year and a half just about.
Scott:Yeah.
Jamie:So thanks so much. We have so much more coming.
Scott:Yeah. I appreciate you all. Thank you for everything. And here's to another episode, my man.
Jamie:There you go. 84 in the books.
Scott:In the books. Alright, guys. Alright. See you. Light off.