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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.
Alright, everybody. Welcome back to episode 33 of the crazy hockey dads podcast. The hockey podcast. No. Yes.
Scott:We're back. We're back. We're back.
Jamie:Sorry. Continue. I keep fucking you up in your, in your, your tagline. Yeah. Why'd you have to?
Jamie:Meanwhile, I'm going do it every time now, by
Scott:the way. Well, listen, I, at least I'm remembering to do it.
Jamie:This is true. Cause I do not. You're a
Scott:Because thousand percent Crazy Hockey Dads podcast is the unfiltered podcast for hockey parents. No politics, no sugarcoating, just real talk for hockey parents in the trenches. Boom.
Jamie:There you go.
Scott:Yeah, dude. We're back.
Jamie:Yeah. Episode 33.
Scott:33. Welcome on. Welcome to
Jamie:action. I like it.
Scott:Oh my God. Blast from the past, dude. Patrick Ewing. Wow.
Jamie:I know. Right.
Scott:You haven't Go, York. Go, New York. Go. Anyhow, dude, what an episode we have.
Alec:We have
Jamie:a sick interview.
Scott:Sick. Sick, solid. Awesome interview. Yes. Alec Marsh, assistant coach at Hobart.
Scott:And he just had a tremendous career himself as a youth player, played D1, played pro over in Europe and just just had a ton of like awesome, insightful things to say. Really, real pleasure to have him on the podcast. So that was that was awesome. Awesome. Awesome interview coming up for everyone in a few moments.
Scott:But before we get to that, want to call it our partners at Howie's Hockey.
Jamie:Howie's Hockey. Crazy 10. Go get your tape, your laces, your gear, your candles, your wax.
Scott:All the things. The things. Yellow and blue.
Jamie:Yeah. The bobbleheads, the Christmas ornaments. I mean, have so much shit. The tape bags, the I mean, crazy, crazy 10 for 10% off. Howie's hockey.
Jamie:Yes. I always say it's the second best logo in all of you youth hockey next to our logo.
Scott:Yep. There it is. Right? Absolutely. I just want to call a space suit.
Scott:They just have like the missing tooth thing, which we might have to get like art graphic designed on ours. Maybe knock one of your teeth out. How's that sound? Listen, one of my two, my, my, my tooth sounds like gonna say,
Jamie:technically you already have that covered, don't you?
Scott:I do. But I just have, yeah, an implant.
Jamie:Can you pop it out?
Scott:Like, no, not on demand.
Jamie:You can't do it on demand.
Scott:Have to There actually was a while where I could.
Jamie:Oh yeah. Now it's like cement it in there.
Scott:It there's a post. Why don't
Jamie:you tell our audience how you did that, Scott? And how that exactly happened?
Scott:Well
Jamie:Let's see what our audience thinks of what you did.
Scott:Well, I didn't I mean, it wasn't me exactly, but it one fine morning.
Jamie:Some would say that maybe it wasn't the smartest idea to wear what you were wearing.
Scott:So, fine. This how this all came together. Auto cycling.
Jamie:When I say some, I mean most.
Scott:Listen, I play men's with guys that just wear visors. See Not a lot. You in any event, so, okay, so stick and puck is a thing that I learned about when Otto started playing hockey and it was like COVID time, whatever. And we moved to New Jersey and Otto's like, I want to go on the ice and I learned about stick and puck and then I read that I need to have equipment. So I got equipment just to go out there with him.
Scott:I got a helmet, bucket, no visor, no nothing. I'm there with like a six or five year old, whatever it was at the time.
Jamie:Right.
Scott:And then when we moved to Jersey, I was like, oh, dude, I should start playing. It's been years since I played. So I started playing men's league. But I had always I never played at a level where I could wear a visor. I always wore a full cage and I had a bucket with nothing on it.
Scott:So I'm like, oh, just get a visor. It's non checking, whatever. So I'm just wearing a visor and one morning at a pickup game that starts at like six in the morning. Sure enough, I was driving the net and the winger centered it and it went off of one of the defenseman sticks and it popped up and hit me right in the tooth.
Jamie:Right in the chicklet.
Scott:Right in the chicklet. Yeah, I got lucky though. And I'll say this because it only hit one tooth. It didn't split my lip. Nope.
Scott:And so it could have been multiple teeth in a bloody mess. It was like one broken tooth that fractured in two different directions. And it was like early in the morning, I had to deal with that until I could get to a dentist later that day and thousands of dollars and months later, have a fake front tooth.
Jamie:And that's how you got the Michael Strahan look.
Scott:Dude, it was so not worth it. I can say that wholeheartedly. If I knew then what I know now, I would have never played men's without a full cage.
Alec:There you go.
Jamie:And I'm assuming you have not played without a full cage since.
Scott:No, of course not. No, dude. Forget it. No.
Jamie:I'm assuming most dudes wear full cages where the bubble or something like that.
Scott:Right? Most occasionally you're going to have a guy that just wears the bucket. No nothing.
Jamie:Right. Old school dude?
Scott:Yeah, mostly. There's a few like younger guys that are like whatever, but no, mostly yeah, mostly older, whatever. But yeah, so that sucked.
Jamie:Anybody rock the Joffa, the old Joffas?
Scott:Oh, that's a good one. No, not.
Jamie:Nobody? No.
Scott:No. I take that back. Yes. I play. Yes.
Scott:There's one, one. Yeah. One. Yep. And that's, it's just such a strange looking helmet.
Jamie:Yeah. It's, know, suppose it's better than the leather back in the day, but not much.
Scott:Yeah, either way. I mean, it's just like a it's interesting looking. Yes, it is.
Jamie:That is well said.
Scott:Anyhow, getting back to our partners and my fake tooth. Okay. So ProStride, Angelo Searce, CHD 10, use that to get your discount off of power skating clinics, skating clinics, camps, etcetera. Angelo Sureson company can't speak highly enough about them.
Jamie:New Jersey Devils trust them. You should too.
Scott:That's it. Check them Pro Stride, elite skating. And then we've got athletic performance insight API. Again, a video analytics and tagging for all levels of youth hockey up to college. Just got off a call with Eric.
Scott:It looks like our team is gonna move forward with you for video review. Looks like it. Yeah. No. It was great having you.
Scott:He went over the system. So, anyone who's
Jamie:But you guys did like a demo with him? You guys did like a call?
Scott:My parents had questions, you know? So, we had a demo with him last night.
Jamie:Oh, good.
Scott:And it was great. It's really robust, man. That you
Jamie:know, look just software's impressive.
Scott:It is. And not that others aren't, he's he's done a really great job and it's affordable and it's user friendly and all that stuff. So, athletic performance insight API use their request form to get a demo. They'll tag a game for free. New users will get 10% off their season subscription.
Jamie:$100 value.
Scott:There it is. And those are our partners.
Jamie:Nice. Any updates geography wise? Oh, we keep adding adding like regions.
Scott:Yeah. Yep. Yeah. In other yes, we have a there are a few. Don't off the top of my head, I don't remember them all.
Scott:But like in Germany, we picked up like Berlin, Prague,
Jamie:and In Czech. Yeah.
Scott:Saw that. Another place
Jamie:in Keep adding Sweden and Finland. Yeah.
Scott:So it's growing, man. It's growing. So anyone that's listening, new listeners, welcome. Thank you. You for checking us out and being a part of this journey with us.
Scott:And also, we haven't read any write ins. We should do that next episode. Just didn't have teed up. But yeah, please write in. We've got some great stories just hearing from people out there.
Scott:Great to learn about other parts of the country, other parts of the world.
Jamie:I just want to go nuts out there.
Scott:Yeah. So please write us. Love to hear from you.
Jamie:Yeah, man. Read them next time. That's a good idea, actually.
Scott:Yeah. I just don't have it teed up for today. I was focusing on getting the interview. Yeah. A 100.
Scott:Sick interview. But yeah, man. How was your weekend? How was your hockeying weekend?
Jamie:My hockey weekend was good. We had a game Saturday, game Sunday. We did everything in our power to lose on Saturday.
Scott:That is not a prescription for
Jamie:no, no, not good results. Yeah.
Scott:For W's. Yeah.
Jamie:For W's. Yeah. No, we, you know, when you get out of those games, which I'm sure all parents and players know exactly what I'm talking about. We literally walked out of the rink and we were like, I don't know how we just won that game. Thank God we did because we should not
Scott:have right
Jamie:like like our goalie made a save like point blank that. He should not have
Alec:saving right?
Jamie:No business like that. You know those, you know how like goalies are supposed to save the ones are supposed to save and if they save a puck, they're not supposed to save just kind of like an extra added bonus. Right?
Scott:Well, that's
Jamie:like was yeah, yeah, this was one of those like this was a puck he was not supposed to save and he I don't know how he did it, but he stuck his glove out. Don't remember what's the first or smooth second period, but this puck should have been in the back of the net.
Scott:And would that have been a difference maker for the game?
Jamie:Oh, a 100%. We absolutely, you know, we we won by one goal. We had no business winning that, so we got out shot. The goalie stood on his head. For the entire weekend.
Jamie:The way, our goalies won us both games. If we didn't have the two goalies that we have, we would have had a rough weekend.
Scott:Alright, alright, go goalies.
Jamie:Our goalie Sunday made we were up five one and they kind of our kids took their foot off the gas pedal on Sunday and. They came cranking back and our goalie made a save with like under thirty seconds left. He stopped the initial shot and the rebound that he saved was again like not supposed to save. Right, right. So he saves the rebound and then the puck got dropped and a shot with one second left kind of like winged the goalie in the shoulder again, another big save.
Jamie:So I give a lot of credit to our goalies this weekend. Both both kids played what they stood on their heads Both kids.
Scott:That's awesome. Well, listen. And you know what? That that's it's a team game, and there's gonna be games where that's gonna be the difference maker. That's true.
Jamie:No. It was huge, man. I I said thank thank God for our goalies this weekend. Both kids.
Scott:Awesome.
Jamie:Played great. Shout out both of our goalies because you guys really both played great.
Scott:That's what's up.
Jamie:Yeah. Yeah. So yeah. So it was good. Dom Dom played better, right?
Jamie:We told we talked a lot about effort with Alec Marsh in our interview. He played. He played better than he did the previous weekend and then it was better Saturday and was even better on Sunday.
Scott:Good, you
Jamie:know better so incrementally better. Let's see. Still had, you know, three points. He had a goal on Saturday and two on Sunday, although one didn't get registered to him. They gave it to another kid who wasn't even on the ice.
Jamie:But I mean, listen, I will say this though. Our refs for that game were wonderful. Like that's great. Two refs, you know, you appreciate good raffing.
Scott:Sure.
Jamie:You don't see it much in our game.
Alec:I don't know if that's true.
Jamie:Listen, I'm obviously being sarcastic, but you know what I'm saying. It's hard to find good refs. Can have the youth level, right? Sure. These guys were both very good.
Jamie:So I was surprised that they botched the scoring as as as much as they did, but they were phenomenal during the game. They really were.
Scott:That's great. Well, that's probably the most important part, right?
Jamie:Yeah, of course. Keep the kids safe, call fair game. So it was great. Yeah, was a it was a good hockey weekend.
Scott:Awesome.
Jamie:Yeah. Our kids were like six and one or something like that. So
Scott:better than our kids.
Jamie:Yeah. What happened with you guys?
Scott:We took two two L's this weekend. Two big L's and
Jamie:where the team's really good.
Scott:You know, I so the first game we had played AAA team. Mhmm. That's we're in the AHF. They're in the THF. Okay.
Scott:They they did a number on us. Although I will say this, though.
Jamie:Big difference in skill level between the two? You know, it skating? Kind of. Positioning?
Scott:Everything like we saw Otto had played that team last year when he was down with the Wolfpack.
Jamie:Like, Belay. Right.
Scott:Belay. Like his team last year beat up on this team.
Jamie:Okay.
Scott:And then I actually had a goal in that game last year. It was a nice goal, actually. Anyway. Yeah. But yeah, they had the they had our number.
Scott:Look, they they are just used to playing a faster game. They're used to moving the puck a bit more than our kids or a lot more. So even though that team, like their better players were better than our better players, had a bit little bit more depth, although, like for a triple a team, like there was a bit of a cliff for them, you know, so when they're playing some heavier duty triple a teams, I can't imagine. Imagine
Jamie:They run into a problem.
Scott:They definitely run into a problem.
Alec:Like a
Jamie:depth Depth issue. Is that what you're trying
Scott:to Yeah. But even their top guys are like, you know, they're good to I'm like Yeah.
Jamie:I know what you mean.
Scott:But they're just not a high end triple A team, but they're certainly better than our team. And, you know, like you mentioned effort before, I think, you know, part of it can be frustrating for kids when they're they're outmatched or it's just not going in their direction. And, you know, to to be kind of relentless and gritty, it it takes it takes I I think for the younger kids, it takes a different kind of kid that's just always just super competitive, you know. Otto had some chances, didn't bury, which could have made a difference in the momentum at some points, but ultimately the game was, I don't think, ever gonna be won by us. So that wasn't that wasn't great.
Jamie:Alright.
Scott:You know, and then and for me as a parent, like being out there and like just so we had played that team last year and beat up on them. And then it's a different you know, it's it's just different this year. But in my mind, I'm like, I don't know. I I had a rough time kind of, like, watching that just not go well.
Alec:Right.
Scott:And I actually, like, I stepped out of the rink for a second. I had to like, you know
Jamie:Because of Otto's play or just because of that overall play?
Scott:It was a combination. It was a combination. And, you know, I think that I don't want to say I was being unfair because I think at times, like the effort just wasn't there and it was noticeable. There was just some like, I don't know, some decisions that, you know, I think that we would have been passed at this point. And, you know, I'm talking, you know, about Otto, not necessarily the team.
Scott:I don't know all the kids all that well, but, you know, just some things I'm just like, I think I think we can do better. I know we can do better. And just in a game where we're kind of getting like outmatched to also have, like, a bunch of poor decisions kind of on top of it was just like, ugh. But Yeah. In any event, that game came and went, and then we were hopeful on Sunday.
Scott:We'd rebound with the w. I was with Noah again for soccer, and Orly took him down Yeah. To his game. And it wasn't long before they were down three nothing.
Jamie:Yikes. Okay.
Scott:Yeah. So that didn't get off to a great start. And then
Jamie:Goalie get pulled?
Scott:No. No, not after that. No, no. Okay. But then they they clawed back.
Scott:They clawed back to they were down at one point. I think we're down ultimately five to nothing. Oh, at like some point in the second period. And then they clawed back to they were down five four.
Jamie:Oh, so they scored like four unanswered. Nice.
Scott:Then Otto again, he was like, it was ish breakaway. Forehand, backhand didn't get it through the five hole. And then they ended up losing eight to four.
Jamie:Oh, so we got away from you guys after that.
Scott:Yeah. And you know, it's a whole bunch of things like, look, ultimately, I think one of the things that this team will I'm I'm hopeful for their team because they do have some good players on the team. Yeah. And they've demonstrated that. It's just I think it's a matter of playing together more and getting familiar with systems and playing as a team.
Scott:Like I said, this team has got, like, kids from seven different organizations last season. So it's
Jamie:it's Still early in the season too.
Scott:I don't even know if they're like juggle the lines a little bit. So there's Yeah. We're In any event, it was it was not a
Jamie:I gotcha.
Scott:An awesome weekend, but
Jamie:Yeah. Listen.
Scott:Is what it is. And on to the next. It's true. We will see what next weekend brings. But before we get there, we have a tremendous interview with Alex Marsh.
Scott:Yes. What do you think? Just a
Jamie:coach Hobart College up in Geneva, New York. Yeah. Going for a four Pete.
Scott:Four Pete? What's the name of the championship or the what did they win? What's the name it?
Jamie:I actually don't know. I'm not sure. Yeah, we should look it up. It's the the the obviously the division three, you know, college ice hockey championship, right? I I haven't actually looked it up.
Jamie:Can you look it up for me? Yeah. But yeah, know he he
Scott:I need to say you're the one that I need to tell look things up, on Rogan, he was like, Jamie, pull up that video.
Jamie:Because my name's Jamie. Yeah, his Jamie does look stuff up. You know, you're better at that stuff than I am.
Scott:Oh, okay. That's a great way to like psychologize me into doing the grunt work.
Jamie:Listen, it's not psychology. It's literally just facts.
Scott:Okay, fine.
Alec:You know, put it that way. I'll be more
Scott:than happy to do your
Jamie:bidding, sir. You just are better in a period end of story.
Scott:Yeah. Okay.
Jamie:You know, but no, but yes, so Alec was hired as the as the assistant coach at Hobart, the assistant that was there that vacated the spot that he now filled is on a D one bench. If I'm not mistaken, the last four, three or four assistants are all on D one benches. So I've said it for years. Alec will be on a D one bench one day. There's no doubt in my mind that's where he belongs.
Jamie:He is a very impressive young man. He's a very impressive hockey mind. As a matter of fact, I remember and I didn't know he was such a hockey mind. So he he he was the hockey director for the X Hockey Academy where Dominic went to school.
Alec:Right.
Jamie:Okay. So he was he was he ran the whole show. And not only did he coach, you know, Bryce Salvador's nine team, but he was the director of the of the X Hockey Academy. So he was in control of on ice, off ice development for our kids who went to the X Hockey Academy, which is an ice hockey school in in New Jersey. For those of you who don't know.
Jamie:You know, so I remember we were up in Buffalo. A couple of years ago, so we were the '20 12, you know, AAA team and he was 2009 AAA. And we were both up in Buffalo to tournament, and he came by to to to watch one of our games. And he's we're playing some Canadian team. I don't remember who it was, but he's standing next to me watching the game.
Jamie:And I'm listening to him talk and I'm listening to him kind of just. He was just like talking about what was happening on the ice. Yeah. Right. And I remember saying to myself, like.
Jamie:I don't fucking see any of that shit. Like he was seeing shit that I was like, what? Like,
Scott:are we watching the same game? What
Jamie:am I not seeing that? Like, I didn't see any of what he was saying.
Scott:Bar your glasses.
Jamie:Like what the fuck dude? Like clearly his hockey mind works differently than
Alec:clearly
Scott:Than your pickleball mind?
Jamie:Seriously, seriously. I mean, I'm like, you know, like a, you know, like a piker compared, you know, it's like it's, you know, so like his his he has a it's the first time I ever really heard him like. Watch a game and almost like dissect it. Yeah. Yeah.
Jamie:It was crazy, Scott, you know, so so I always I always knew that he would be on a D one bench, you know, one day and I'm thrilled for him for this opportunity for him to go coach, you know, up at Hobart. I'm really thrilled for him because he he's gonna be. There's no doubt in my mind that he'll be on a D one bench one day.
Scott:Yeah,
Jamie:he's a special human being comes from a really cool family. His mom is one of my favorite people. Alex, one of my favorite people in all of youth hockey by far. I hope everybody enjoys the interview because he is a very insightful young man, almost like wiser beyond his years. You know what I mean?
Jamie:Yeah. Like that type of a guy. Yeah. You know, he just comes off differently than people his age, in my opinion.
Scott:Yeah. So I pulled it up and I because I thought he said something in the interview like there was a name for like the the trophy or whatever, but it's a he they they won the twenty twenty five NCAA division three men's ice hockey championship for the third straight season defeating Utica two one in overtime last year.
Jamie:Last year. Yep. So which I didn't know is they're going for a four P now.
Scott:Going for a four P, the Statesman. Statesman. Yes.
Jamie:Which, yeah. Yeah. So,
Scott:let's go Hobart.
Jamie:Yeah. Listen, my dad is an alumni at Hobart.
Scott:That's true. Yeah.
Jamie:And I've actually never been up there. This is like a no brainer reason for me to go up there.
Scott:No doubt.
Jamie:And watch a game and hang out up there. Yeah.
Scott:All right. So what do you say we kick it over?
Jamie:Yeah. Let's do it. I love it. Right. See you guys on the other side.
Scott:Let's go enjoy the interview everyone.
Jamie:Here we go. All right. So we are here with one of my favorite people in the youth hockey space, Alec Marsh, who is the newly hired assistant coach at Hobart College up in Geneva, New York. Alec man, thanks so much for jumping on. Appreciate it.
Alec:Yeah, thanks for having me guys. Appreciate
Jamie:it. So Alec, do me a favor, kind of get into your youth hockey career, you know, up until kind of, you know, through pro and what you did after that. You kind of tell our audience kind of like where you started and where you are now.
Alec:Yeah, I played for the Rockets Youth Program for mites. I actually started playing in house local just you know, learning the game and grew up I think start skiing at like three years old or four years old. Pretty traditional in that way. And then from there, I I played for the Rockets for a couple years, and then I went to the Mercer Chiefs for a year. And then I was at the Colonials for midget.
Alec:And then I went to play rockets again for junior for junior b when I was around 15. So we had a it was a unique situation there. Like we we were like a u 18 team playing in a junior league. But it was a lot of good, like, local guys kinda like preparing like, not local, I'd say, like, New York guys and PA guys, but kind of preparing guys for that next step. So we were younger and getting them acclimated with the junior style, which was great.
Alec:And then from there, I actually I committed to Penn State from there at 15, which was awesome. And then I went and played in the USHL in Cedar Rapids for three years. I finished in Sue or sorry. I finished in Fargo. My last year, I went to Sioux Falls and then finished there in Fargo.
Alec:And then, you know, that was that was a good time. And then I went to went to Penn State there when I was 19. New program, a couple years couple years started, which was great. And then I was there for four years. Fortunate enough, we won a big ten championship my sophomore year, which is great.
Alec:Kind of, you know, the guys that were there in those four years or, you know, the four years prior or two years prior, like, kind of pioneered to what it is now, which is everyone kind of knows it, you know, really, really honored to be able to do that. And then I played in the East Coast League and in the Southern Pro League. And then COVID happened. I was in South Carolina. Went back down to Florida, and then I'm my last year playing, I played over in England in the IHL in Coventry, which was a really cool experience.
Alec:I wanted to do one more year in Europe and actually really enjoyed it. Was really fun year over there. It's a it's a it's really it's really growing hockey over there. People don't realize it, but the the fans and the locals over there love it. So it's a it's a great place to play.
Jamie:Nice. That's awesome. And then when you were done with your pro career, kind of how did you get into coaching stuff like that?
Alec:Yeah. So my last year of playing, I kind of knew is my last year with, you know, the I had shoulder surgery the year before when I was in Florida, which was I played three games basically, because it was coming off COVID. So kind of sat around on my ass for two years, which was tough. And then I knew I wanted to play one year in Europe, which, you know, everyone does. Well, not everybody does.
Alec:But I suggest anybody's listening to this that's going through it, I would do it. It's great. It was a it was a great experience. But yeah, I went over there. And then when I was over there, I kind of was ready to move on from hockey.
Alec:But I knew I wanted to stay in it. The days kind of get repetitive of, know, going to the rink and practicing and then you're done at noon every day. And it's kind of a tough, tough lifestyle, I guess you get you get kind of caught up in it. We had a lot of breaks during the year too because it was COVID was still going on over there. But Bryce Salvador reached out to me because I used to train at Bridgewater for the in the gym down there and we crossed paths a few times and he had his own fitness center that he started in Scotch Plains that I worked out there a couple years in advance a couple years before that, when I was in college still, and asked me if I wanted to kind of take over this, like, elite o nine team that he had, which I think was like 13 you or 12 you at that point.
Alec:Yeah. And, you know, he said he wanted to kind of take a step back from them and and have a new voice come in and a younger guy. And I knew I kind of wanted to get into coaching. And I thought it was a good good first step. And it was, you know, I was at the Rockets for the past three years.
Alec:Last year, I got more into the junior realm. I coached midget. I coached junior coached the NCDC in the Premier. And then, you know, I got a really good opportunity here up in Hobart and and wanted to continue my career. So I I moved on up here.
Jamie:Nice. Nice.
Scott:That's amazing. Oh, go ahead, James.
Jamie:Yeah. And I'm just curious before before we get into like the meat and potatoes of everything. Yeah, I'm just curious to hear now that you're out of youth hockey. Okay. Yeah.
Jamie:I'm curious to hear what you think. The health of the youth hockey spaces and when I say health, I mean like, do you think it's too much of a business now and they're kind of forgetting about the development of the kids? Do you think there's too many levels, too many teams, especially in our area? Like I'm really curious to hear your take on the landscape because we talk about it a lot. Yeah.
Alec:Yeah, I think it's changed so much from what I played. I think like, you know, with with the fact that there's so many tier one charters now locally, there's so many programs locally. You know, it's, it has changed. And I don't know if it's changed more in like the business aspect of it is, it's just like the premier status. I think so many people chase it that they want to play on the best team.
Alec:And I don't ever always think that's the right move. You know, I've I've had kids in the past and families that I've talked to and just said, like, you know, you need to go you need to go play on a team where you're going to be the best player. And it's gonna help your son develop better. You know? And and I think there's a lot of people that don't do that.
Alec:You know? I think that the way it's going now, I think there's just too many tier one programs. You know, too many. There's too many programs in general. You know, I think there's hockey is a very unique skill set and to be very, very elite at it.
Alec:There's only a small few. And I think that, you know, with with how many programs there really are, there's not a lot of separation anymore. You know, I think a lot of people kind of just bounce around because they can because there's no real rules against it anymore. We're back when I played, you know, it was, know, you I can only go to two guys to a team now, like, that's kind of like astrocyte. It's an asterisk next to it.
Jamie:Yes, there is
Alec:a big asterisk next to it. But I think everyone kind of everyone kind of chases it, where it's, you know, it's not so much about what's right, but what's right for your kid and what's right for your family. You know, I think now it's just all about how many games are you playing and who what teams are you playing? And I don't necessarily agree with it. I think last was best.
Alec:Think you know, the training and getting away from it is pretty important to I don't really see the need for these guys to be doing you know, these kids are playing 100 games a year when you know, you got guys on national TV playing 80 crazy. It's kinda backwards in that sense. But, yeah, it's definitely a lot different, in my opinion.
Scott:Wow. Yeah. So so just circling back to, like, you when you when you got started, were you always a a triple a player? Or did you balance between tier one, two? Like what was that like for you?
Scott:And, and, and to just kind of piggyback off of that, like at what point did you start to really take it seriously?
Alec:Yeah. You know, I don't think I made my might team my first year. I have a really good memory and I'm pretty sure I didn't make it. And I think I played like might be, not that might really matters, but to some people nowadays does, but yes, that's true. Yeah.
Alec:But no, I think the biggest steps I think I took were I played tier one my whole my whole life. The biggest steps I think was like my like thirteens 12 to 15 age fifteen sixteen age those puberty years. Yeah. I think those really start to change players and kids. And I have this conversation with families and stuff all the time.
Alec:Like, you once a kid goes to high school, everything changes. Once they get into that in that realm where they're the youngest of the group and girls get involved and it's a lot different landscape and you really start to separate yourself. I was really dedicated to it. I I spent the summers training and, you know, you you you give a lot with the sport and you you miss out on a lot. But if you're doing it for the right reasons and you enjoy it, it's it's worth it in my eyes.
Alec:So
Scott:Yeah. So so as you as you were playing tier one, you know, your your entire career, what type of, like, out of the normal, like, practices and games, like, were you doing between skills coaches, you know, like extra clinics, like, were you always trying to get on the ice? Was this or this was something like you would take your summers off? Like, what was that like for you in terms of like all like the quote unquote extras that people are seeking out like regularly?
Alec:Yeah, I mean, I love this because I say this and I think Jamie probably knows because he's talked to Bryce before but like, there's there's a nobody wants to be an athlete anymore, which I think is kind of crazy. And and I say that because, know, a lot of kids dedicate this full year round. I wasn't one of those kids. A lot of my buddies who are really good players also weren't one of those kids.
Jamie:I
Alec:played lacrosse in the offseason, really stepped away from it, maybe played a tournament or two. You know, I think once you get to that 16 seventeen year, you know, that's kind of when you got to kind of dial it into one sport. And that sport doesn't need to be around, you know, like, you know, spend your summers away from the rank, like gets you a little bit of a hunger, hunger wanting to come back. And that was kind of something I did. I would take a break from it.
Alec:You know, I'd still shoot pucks and train and you know, I just wouldn't be on the ice as much. You know, I spent a lot of my summers when I was playing lacrosse and my training honestly was like putting rollerblades on and I'd roller rink down the street and I'd go down there and I'd play for you know, five seven hours and have some fun with that and you know, that's like the best way and those were always a good times. But you know, like I would I would do that more than probably anything else. You know, I wasn't and I wasn't going to skill sessions. You know, I wasn't doing all that.
Alec:Also it's a lot different nowadays, because it was back then there's not as many guys, you know, that want to get back and run it and do that kind of stuff, which I think is great. I think that's why you see the game so much better now than it used to be. You just have so many guys who played at such high levels that want to give back to the game and stay involved. And I think that's why you know, the game has gotten better.
Jamie:That's interesting. Because all the skills coaches that are out there now.
Alec:Yeah, I mean, like, you know, you got you, you know, you've worked with top line before and you've worked with those guys and like, you know, booze, boo and Salmon were hell hockey players and yeah, but he got some in college and they were great players and, you know, they have some other guys that are there that, know, Sam Sternshine, who I played with, who was my stallmate in in at Penn State, and he's a hell of a hockey player and he's, you know, he's getting involved now. And, you know, there's a lot of guys that are doing that, which I think is really great. You know, there there some people say there's probably too much now, but, you know, it's there's a market for it. So I think, you know, there why not?
Jamie:Yeah. There is a market for it. Isn't that true?
Scott:Yeah. So another question just about like, what were your parents like growing up? Were they like really competitive? Were they pushing you to always like, you know, be a top athlete? Like, what what was that like for you?
Scott:And like, even if you could dive into, if you remember, like, even the car rides home, like after
Alec:a
Scott:good game or a bad game.
Alec:Yeah. Yeah. No. I mean, we were it was a competitive household. You know, it was my dad was hard, Stern, but it was great.
Alec:It was for the betterment. And I think a lot of that stuff you don't realize until you kind of get older, and you start seeing it firsthand. But yeah, like, know, I would know when I played bad and I would know when I played good. Player knows it. You know, there was things that I used to do.
Alec:I remember, you know, when I was younger where it'd be like, I think my mom did this. And you know, it was like, we put up a poster board on like a refrigerator. And it was like, you know, keeping track of like, shots and goals and like all those little things and like adding stickers to it. And like, you know, like keeping you kind of engaged in it all the time, which I thought was really good. And you know, like in the garage in the garage, I you know, I'd shoot pucks and I keep tallies on the wall.
Alec:And, you know, I think the one summer I you know, I needed a new computer. I needed a computer for school for going into my freshman year, and it was my dad and I you know made a deal with me and you know, Jamie's not not not afraid of this. But you know, you shoot you know, I don't remember was like $25,000 or $50,000 or something, something insane. And, you know, I'm sitting out there shooting $1,000 and she gets the point where just flipping it at the net and counting it. Nobody's watching.
Alec:So it is what it is. But, you know, I keep telling you that and, and those aspects and then, know, I always did the same thing when I played in junior and played and when I first moved away from home and when I played in, in college and when I played in pro like, you know, I always call my parents after I was held game. You know, I take a I take a good ten minutes of my right after I walk out of the rink and always call them and because they watched everything. A little bit different in England, obviously, because the time changed everything like that. But, you know, they would let me know my dad would let me know if I played good or if I played bad or, you know, most of the time, it's just about my work ethic more than anything.
Alec:It's not about, you know, scoring, it's just about competing. You know, it's gets harder and harder to score as you get as you get higher levels. You know, I would say that most of it was just about, know, work ethic and and competing
Jamie:level and stuff like that every level.
Alec:Yeah, because I mean, you know, you can you can't you can't fake effort. And you know, nobody knows it better than the person that's watched you every day since you put the skates on for the first time. So, you know, you get older though, and you realize that you might know a little bit more because you actually played than your parents do. But, you know, it's, it's good to hear from them because, you know, they're the only they'll tell you the most honest about it.
Scott:Well, that's Jim. Sorry. I just, I just wanted to ask another question, but so we, we talk about the effort, you know, all the time, all the time. It's not about necessarily, you know, like you said, like the staff. It's not
Jamie:about points.
Scott:It's about your effort and, you know, you can come down on your kid for effort fine. But like, in your opinion, what what's a good way about, like how to go about that with a kid? Now, like my kids at twenty fourteen, he's 10 going, he's almost 11, Jamie's kid's 13. So, the, like, younger kids, not necessarily talking about high school age yet, but like for for parents of younger kids and even like up to high school, like, what would you say is a healthy way to go about having that conversation? And, you know, obviously, everyone's got a different brand of what that's gonna look like.
Scott:You know what I mean? But, you know, just from your own personal experience, what do you what do you think is a good way of communicating when a kid like their effort sucks? That like, call it what it is, dude, that sucked? Or you
Alec:know, like, honestly, I think it was different for me, like as a coach, because I was younger, and that aspect of it. So I can kind of be a little bit more familiar with the way I talk to them, because I kind of understand the way that kids operate now at age, and it's a little bit different. But you know, like, honestly, like the one thing that I always I always tell Mike, Mike, the teams I've coached, and I've coached 12 year olds, I've coached, you know, 20 year olds and now I'm coaching 24 year olds. The biggest like the one thing I would say is like you have to like enjoy the thrill of competition now like that's not something that you really say to it to a twenty fourteen because they have no idea what that means. But what I would say to them is like, you know, you look at you break the game up and doing a bunch of small battles.
Alec:I like learned this when I was like a mite and the game's made up of, you know, a bunch of one on one battles. And you just want to win as many one on ones as you can, you know, whether that's, you know, winning a loose pucker, you know, in a if it's a if it's a pile in a corner coming out with it first, you know, beating a guy one on one wide, you know, beating a guy putting him on YouTube, whatever you want to call it. But I just the way I kind of looked at it was, you know, like you just want to try to win as many one on ones as you can because then you start feeling confident in yourself and the one on ones aren't scoring goals against the goalie. The one on ones are like I said, winning a small battle or, you know, getting a puck out through a defenseman or, you know, making a nice first pass through a guy's feet or around a guy, you know, like the more you can kind of do those little things, then everything kind of gets involved. And, you know, one thing for me that was like funnier as like, was a kid growing up is like, I needed to get rocked every once in a while to like, wake up, take a big hit, like, like, like engaged, like, know, like some kids takes a little bit more to get engaged.
Alec:But if you can find them, like the smaller things, if you can really like simplify it as much as you can, then they're like, Oh, okay, like, that makes sense. Like, that's more fun. Like, you just got to kind of keep it fun with them and challenge them a little bit.
Scott:Yeah, that's interesting.
Jamie:You know, it's funny, you know, we live we're talking about effort now we're talking about like your dad making deals with you, right? Yeah. So Nancy always tells me she's like, Jamie, it's not a good idea. Don't make a deal with him. Because if it doesn't work out, he's gonna be bent out of shape.
Alec:Yeah.
Jamie:So he gets we got out of the car today. And he goes and he's wanted this mountain bike for a while now. Right?
Alec:Yeah.
Jamie:So he he's like, Hey, dad, he's like, how about this? Because he saw he first he asked me for like little jobs around the house. Like how much you gonna pay me? I'm like, I'll give you like $20 an hour. He started adding up.
Jamie:He's like, it's gonna take me forever to get this mountain bike. So he gets out of the car and he goes, he goes, I have a better idea. Dad goes, how about the percentage of effort that I give this weekend? You put that percentage toward my mountain bike. That's what he says to me today.
Jamie:Right? I'm thinking about I'm like, it's not the worst idea.
Alec:Yeah, that's one way to do it. That's one way to do it. Yeah. I mean, I like the one story I have my dad has told probably a million times. Like, I wanted to sleep over a buddy's house.
Alec:And this was when I was like 13 or 12. I want to sleep over a kid in my team's house. And, you know, we we would do our testing when we were back then was like running miles and like, know, you had to run like a sub 30 mile. And then we did a three mile testing with like, weight vests on and like, that was kind of like what we did. Did like long distance running.
Alec:I know that's kind of like falling out of the game. Everything's, you know, short intervals and stuff like that. But, you know, we used to run off lacrosse anyway. So I was pretty good runner. And I, know, kept asking if I could sleep over sleepovers that you gotta run the morning, we would go to the track on Saturday mornings and like, I'd go run Saturday mornings, and do the bleachers and stuff like that.
Alec:And he was like, alright, like, I'll see you in like, thirty minutes. So he drives up to my my buddy's house. I was in Morristown and he drives up there and he picks me up and he says like in the car and I was like, alright, so like I get in the car and he's like, he drives me a mile down the road exactly a mile And he says, get out,
Jamie:he made you run.
Alec:And he said, you gotta be back at the house by like, sit, whatever we're supposed to get it under 06:15 06:30, whatever it may be.
Jamie:That's
Alec:an intro back. He drove back and he waited at the kids driveway. And he was like, they're like, Where is he? And I was like, you'll see and like, he's and I was like sprinting over the top of the hill. Went down his fastest mile that I ran in my life.
Alec:But yeah, like that was the type of stuff that
Jamie:I know. Great move by your dad.
Alec:He'll love that story. He listens to this. I'll be smiling or hear about that. But yeah, like that's just like, you know, the discipline side of it as well. But yeah, I mean, that's, that was, that's an all time classic Greg Marr story.
Jamie:Unknown I I give a lot of I've never I know you listen, your mother's one of my favorite people, you know, you know, I've never met your dad, but I've heard stories. That's awesome. By the way, I have never heard that story shockingly. I've never heard
Alec:he used to race guys on our team. Like he would always guys that would be like, I'm faster than you. And I'd be like, man, I'm telling you guys are not faster than I'm like, they're like, no, like, let's go like, let's race. And like, we would do like sprints outside before practice and stuff. And was like, I'm telling you guys, like, you're not faster than I'm.
Alec:Guys out of the water. Like, he's quick. Not anymore. But he's quick.
Jamie:Now your uncle your uncle played to it was your dad remind me
Alec:my both my dad played high school I believe and they played mentally together him my uncle and my dad's been playing a couple years though. And then my uncle played high school hockey in Bridgewater. Played a little bit of travel growing up, but he was a football guy. Okay. Yeah, he was a football guy.
Alec:So but yeah, that's how I got into it. They both got me into it when I was young. So I used to shoot pucks in the in the basement and before it was done and everything like that.
Jamie:Nice.
Alec:Yep. Love it.
Scott:So as so you mentioned Del. So part of what you've been doing, obviously, is recruiting. Yep. And I'm assuming you did the same when you were in the youth space. When when you're recruiting and looking to bring players, you know, to your team, like, what what are some of, the the key the key attributes you're looking at?
Scott:Is there anything in particular that you're looking at that maybe, I don't know, that is more important to you that maybe isn't important to other coaches? We're just trying to give our listeners, like, a sense for, like, when their kids go into tryouts or, you know, during the course of the season. Like, what what is it that you're really, like, zeroing in on?
Alec:Big thing for me, and, you know, a lot of coaches are kind of the same way, but it's kind of what you do, you know, like, obviously, the simple things are, know, like, you know, how many plays you're making when you're out there? How many chances are you creating? You know, the skill stuff, it's getting it's getting thinner and thinner because everyone is so good. But really, like the kind of things that separate guys are just like the little details and like, you know, stopping on pucks and you know, second efforts and you know, like what kind of happens after you make a mistake or what kind of happens, you know, after a bad shift. Those are pretty big things in my opinion.
Alec:You know, no one's playing perfect games. It's not realistic. You know, I can't say I've ever done it. Nobody can say they've really ever done
Scott:it. Sure.
Alec:You know, but it's really the things you do away from the puck in the in the in the minor details of the game are really important. You know, stops and starts to come puck finishing your checks. You know, winning your races, you know, touching first on pucks is really important as well. But those little things really matter. And then you know, you you know, if you can score goals, you score goals.
Alec:I'd say the biggest thing for, for for kids that are listening or parents or whatever that are preaching to their kids like don't go in tryouts and try to be somebody that you're not, you know, don't go if you're a if you're a goal scorer, like make sure you know, you're shooting the puck in the net like play to your strengths as much as you can because I think that kind of goes out the window. So many players are trying to perform to what an ideal model is the the better you play to your strengths, better you know, you are, you know, when you start getting out of your comfort zone for a tryout, it's when things go south. So, you know, do what you do better than anybody else.
Jamie:Because there are roles. I mean, there's roles that have a play, especially when you get the upper ages, right? Like you said before, not everybody puts a puck in the net, especially as they get older.
Alec:No, I mean, it's my colleges will recruit guys that fill roles, you know, it's it's hard to replace, you know, a 50 goal scorer every year. It's not realistic, you know, those don't happen very often. So, you know, can we get, know, two guys that play the right way and, you know, score 20 or score 15? You know, it's it's it's more of that, I'd say, than it's just, you know, trying to go outside the box on everything.
Scott:As far as the roles, like, at what age would you say that those really start to become clear to players and when should they really start kinda, you know, dialing in on those? Maybe like if if if you're, I don't know, more of a physical guy. Right? Maybe you're, you know, like when when you're going to focus more on perfecting those parts of your game and worrying less about some of the skills that are not your strengths?
Alec:I would say like role of like being role defined, I think really starts you really start to see at the junior level. I think that's really when you first see it. It's different in college because to really say guys are role defined in college like that it is there. But it gets hockey gets so structured at that age. And at that point, that like everyone is kind of, you know, playing in it and you know, like it's really hard to find guys that can play one through 12, which is, you know, top six role in a bottom six role.
Alec:Those guys are really really special and those are guys that we look for here. But, you know, I'd say the junior level is when you really start to see guys really, like, solidify what type of players they are because, you know, when colleges come to watch them, like, you know, they're looking for those pieces. Like, if a guy's a really good pony killer, a guy's really good special player on the power play. You know, a guy's a guy that can go out there and, you know, win face offs. Like, you know, that's an underrated skill that, you know, a lot of people probably that are minor hockey don't really think about.
Alec:My senior year, we, you know, like, we recruited, the number one face off guy. We were one of the worst teams in the big 10, I think, for face off percentage. So we went out and we got a transfer student from Merrimack who is my roommate, and, you know, he was the number one face off guy in in college hockey that year. So you know, there's there's, you know, there's there's roles that need to be filled and that's kind of the age I think that it kind of starts filling it.
Jamie:Sure. And so and so would you do kids go right into college now now or they have to play juniors now? And then what? Yeah, I mean, it three division one. Does it matter?
Alec:Yeah, mean, like there was some when I played a little bit, there was some guys from Minnesota high school that would come straight out, or maybe there were some guys that PG that prep, that would go straight to college now with the rule changes with the CHL and all that stuff that's changed. Everyone will be playing junior hockey before they're playing college.
Jamie:So you're going to get those 21 year old freshmen. Mean,
Alec:you're still going to get the older guys and you know, like we're recruiting those 20 year olds here and you know, colleges are still recruiting those 20 year olds everywhere. Think now you're seeing because it's the first year everyone's in a sprint that they need to be engineers at 15, 16 years old. You don't need to be engineers at 15, 16 years old. You're maybe not physically developed already yet for sixteen years. I played with guys who came in at 20 years old and those guys played at the NHL.
Alec:It's when you're ready. It's not always you could push the pace as much as you want, but you might not be ready physically. You might not be ready mentally. But you know, it's everyone's playing juniors now for the most part, I'd say,
Jamie:right? Everybody's path is different.
Alec:Really is. Yeah, everyone's path is completely
Scott:different.
Jamie:There's no like, you know, like cookie cutter way, you know, to get what you want to get. Right? No. And I think that's
Alec:the other thing too, is that like so many people are always like, well, you know, he's at he's there at 16 or he's there at 18. And like, you know, that's where my kid should be at at that age. It's like, not really like, you know, it's why you got four years of juniors. Like, you know, like if some guys need it, some guy I played three, you know, a lot of guys played three that I played with that are playing in the National League. So, you know, it's everyone's different.
Jamie:What would you have done differently throughout your like high school junior college career if you had to do it all over again? I'm just curious since we're on that kind of that that age bracket.
Alec:Yeah. I think I think I played a I think I had a long junior career. I think I didn't need to go out there at 16 years old. You know, I not that it was the right or the wrong move. Know, you it's great to practice against better players.
Alec:And, you know, it's there's something to be said for that and the and the office and you know, you're competing against nineteen twenty year olds every single day, which I think is really good. And back then the leagues were a lot of the league was a lot older. Started to see that turn is like my third for the third year I was there were starting to get a little bit younger where those young guys were really good. Right? You know, I I think maybe I could have probably stayed home and played another year junior at home.
Alec:I played junior at home and then came in and played a regular role. But I mean, you never know. Like, if I did that, maybe I would have not played a regular role. Maybe I would have to put my time in or, you know, vice versa.
Jamie:Right.
Alec:You know, I, it's tough to tell. Like, I thought I was, you know, I thought it was fast, but I thought I was ready. I 16 and you know, they took me because they thought I was ready. So, you know, maybe that could have been different. But other than that, like, you know, I don't look back at it like that.
Jamie:That's right. You left the house at sixteen.
Alec:Yeah. I mean, that's the other thing too. Is that like, you know, are you physically are you mentally mature enough to be on your own at that age? Was I I don't know. Maybe
Jamie:it's not gonna be.
Alec:Yeah, like, maybe I was like, I had great billets. Had a great roommate who actually ran into this weekend. He went to Butter Dame and he's coaching there now at Notre Dame. Hockey. Yeah, yeah.
Alec:He's coaching hockey.
Jamie:Notre
Alec:Dame. He played there and I played against him in college. And then you know, he's a captain there and then he's he's coaching there now. But yeah, I mean, he he played in the league at sixteen two and he struggled for his first two years and, you know, he went to Notre Dame and he turned into a hell of a hockey player. Yep.
Scott:Wow. It's awesome. As as far as, like, skill development, you know, I don't know if you you can kinda bucket, like, there's, like, hard skills, soft skills, like IQ, etcetera. If what are some of the things that you think players at the younger ages should is there anything they should focus on more and they have got time on their side to kinda develop other things? Or, you know, are there what are the things that, like, if you don't really I don't wanna say get good necessarily, but if you don't put in the time earlier on, it's hard to catch up later.
Scott:Yeah. If there are any things, I well, I mean, that's that's the first that comes to my mind, obviously. Yeah. But just be, you know, be beyond that, you know, like, I don't know. Let's just take either hockey IQ or even just like, you know, shooting accuracy or, you know, physicality.
Scott:Like, are some of are some of those things, like, easier to catch up on later versus what are some of the things that are better much better served to, like, figure out earlier?
Alec:Yeah. That's a great question, actually. I, you know, I've talked about this before, to parents, but, I think the thing that really goes like under, you know, under looked or I don't know if that's the right word to say it, but, I don't think kids nowadays watch the game.
Jamie:They don't 100%.
Alec:What I mean by that is like when I was younger and you know, like, you know, I don't know if you guys are, you know, football fans or if you would have whatever sport you liked growing up, you know, but it could not have been hockey or it is hockey. But I remember like, when I was growing up, I like, you know, like, I'd come home and I watch games. And you know, like your different times, obviously, now with phones and, you know, Instagram and all that shit. But, you know, a lot of kids are just looking at the skill component, which is, you know, which is great. There's a place for it.
Alec:But I don't think there's many people that really watch the game. And, know, when you we always say, like, want to be a you want to be a bigger student of the game, because it makes you a better player. But you know, like, for example, like, I don't love when kids are always like, well, you know, like, who do you what type of player do you do you model your game after? And they're like, well, you know, like, I like Jack Hughes, or like, you know, like, McDavid or Crosby, and it's like, you hear them say those names, and it's like, okay, well, they're the one in 10. Right?
Alec:Whatever ten years, the generational, you know, let's start somewhere else. We'll start with like a Matthew knives on Toronto, or let's start with like a, you know, I don't know who else I played with growing up, or played against growing up, but, like those types of players. I mean, I loved Ryan Callahan when I was younger. I thought he did everything right. He played hard.
Alec:I'd say, you know, like he, he played the game the right way. You know, I think that's the one thing that really kids miss. I think skating is gigantic in the game. Now, if you can't ski, you can't play. You know, you can develop your shot, you can develop your hands, you know, you work on those things, you can develop skating, but it gets harder as you get older and you get bigger and you get more fitted into your body to really continue to develop on your skating.
Alec:That's something that I think, you know, it's, you know, if you could do, you know, fifteen minutes before every practice, you know, if you're on the ice and work on your edges, work on your stride, you know, those things just, it'll help you so much when you get older and you start to grow into your body. I I think it's the most important piece probably of the game. But to develop IQ, like I said, like, I just there's not enough kids that just sit down and just, like, really, like, watch hockey.
Scott:Yeah. You know, you mentioned something earlier, and and I was the same when I was a kid. I was always on rollerblades. Yeah. You know, I it was just a different time in the mid nineties trying to play ice hockey.
Scott:And, so rollerblades dude, I'm I'm I'm so old that I remember when rollerblades came out. Yeah. I mean, they're they're
Alec:great now. Like, I, my dad got me a, like, when I I don't remember what was. So during COVID or something, he, like, bought a pair of rollerblades or something. And, I have I've used them, like, 10 times probably total. But,
Scott:Yeah.
Alec:But they're, like, way more they're way better now. I mean, I've watched a video with some guys playing, like, these guys stop on a dime and, like, I'm, like, these guys are But,
Scott:like, in terms of, like, skating development, like, the like, there's there's total transfer skill set there, like from roller to ice. Right? Like would you would agree with that or?
Alec:Yeah. Oh yeah. I think like those Mars blades, like there's a reason why, like all those guys use them. I think they kind of died out a little bit. You know, I think they were really big because of COVID and, you know, people were inside and they really took that time to promote it and they did a really good job with it.
Alec:Yep. But like, I think, you know, it's still a really great, like great way to get better. You know, it's, it's a completely different feel. They're heavier. You know, they get you stronger physically, you know, the puck slides differently.
Alec:It's it's a whole new game. I remember like I took a couple years off and I played in a roller hockey tournament maybe my sophomore year in college and I hadn't played roller hockey since before junior probably. And I was I was like, I should be like, really good. Like, play college and
Scott:like, right,
Alec:bulldoze.
Jamie:It's almost like a totally different game.
Alec:Guys are tooling me around out there. I was just like, Jesus, like, it's a different game. But yeah, like there's, it's, it's incredible skill set to be really good at that. Like, that's why you see guys like, you know, like the Bedard who played roller in the summer. And, know, like those guys and Ken Johnson and those videos like those, you know, those that's, get a lot better from that.
Scott:Yeah. Because we always hear people about it, you know, talking to, like, you know, at the rink, like, teammates, parents, and, like, whatever. And it's always like, what clinic power skating, blah blah blah. Yeah. No one no one's talking about, like, where you going rollerblading.
Scott:And not not to say that, like, it's the equivalent, but it's just like, I never hear people talking about practicing their skating skills.
Alec:Yep.
Scott:The rollerblades like that.
Alec:It's a fun way to like, it's different. Like, it's, you know, like, you don't have to always be on the ice to do it. Like you can do it at any point, which I think is great. Yeah, I think it's it's probably not used as much as it should be. But yeah, it's a great way to get better.
Alec:Yeah.
Jamie:All right. So I'm going to take this in another direction. Just I'm curious to hear some thoughts. Is the the most hostile? Building you've ever played in or coached in?
Alec:Hostile building I ever played in
Jamie:assuming it's a college or maybe not. Actually, I think that back,
Alec:you know, when I was my first year in the USHL, the it's a it's a different feel and junior than it is in college, right? Like the student sections are really cool. But you're older. So, you know, like you're kind of used to it at that point. You don't really you don't really notice it as much.
Alec:Like, yeah, like you look up in in in Wisconsin and you see, don't remember what the name of their student section is, but it's right behind our goal. And they get you know, they get a ton of fans that show up in a ton of students that shop and, you know, Minnesota was pretty similar. And so is Michigan. You know, Michigan was probably the hardest place to win in. Yeah, we did we went on seven there.
Alec:We didn't win one time like four years. Yeah, but I my personal thing when I was younger, when we played in Lincoln, in the USHL, that was a tough place to play. The fans are nuts. Their teams are always were their teams are really tough, like real tough. And like that was a hard building to go into and play.
Alec:And like that was that was the hardest. That's the hardest building I've wanted to play it in. It's by far. They're they're lunatics. I mean, like your scratches get beers Port Autumn and stuff like it's Wow.
Alec:Yeah, like, serious fans over there. It's like young blood. Yeah, like they're nuts. Like it's, it's crazy. College is probably Yoasto Yoasto is a tough place to play really hard.
Jamie:Yeah, that doesn't surprise me.
Alec:Yeah, we went my the year that we won the Big 10. We actually got swept in their building before we played the tournament. And then we played them the first game of the tournament and we beat them. So it just, you just couldn't win in that rank. It's just unbelievable.
Scott:Wow. Yeah. That's so interesting.
Jamie:Dominic still talks about your big 10 ring that you showed him.
Alec:Yeah. I think it's pretty cool. I have it with me still here. Take it with me everywhere.
Jamie:I'm sure you do as you should. Alright, I another good one. Give me the the craziest hockey parent story. Dad or mom doesn't matter from either coaching or playing days, the craziest hockey parent story.
Alec:I mean, there's been a few or cows have been called.
Scott:No, wow.
Alec:Trying to think, you know, craziest. I don't know. There's, there's, I try to remember a lot when I was younger, but, I don't know what the decrees would be. Couple objects flying from the stands.
Jamie:Yeah. About right.
Alec:Yeah. I don't know what the, what the craziest one would be.
Jamie:No parents tried to get on the ice or anything like that.
Alec:Oh, no parents. So I got on the ice two parents waiting for coaches after games to let them know and throw a couple throw a couple jabs. But I know when you get all when you from coaching, I haven't seen anything really that bad.
Jamie:Interesting. Okay.
Alec:Yeah. Like, you know, I've, I think coaching where I did and with who I did was a big part of it. I think that's true. But I honestly like nothing really that like some of the stuff I see from some of it is just crazy to me. It's just you're too invested in it.
Alec:It's like, to rest. It's it'll be okay. Yeah. They'll be alright.
Scott:Well, let let me ask this though. So but have you have you not taken players on any of your team because of the family?
Alec:There's yeah. There's definitely there's definitely been players that we haven't taken because of parents before for sure.
Jamie:Interesting.
Alec:Yeah, I mean, culture is really important. You know, they've turns into a distraction. You know, it's the, you know, you feel for some of the kids, but also to like, like, get it like your parents want like they want it for you. But there's definitely a time where you need to take step where you need to take steps back. Sure.
Alec:And then there's definitely been times.
Scott:And those parents or families, like, what does that look like? Just like parents that like won't leave you alone that just are like negative amongst like the other families that are on the team?
Alec:Yeah. I mean, you use the term like cancerous sometimes like, you know, they're, you know, they're, you know, they're
Jamie:not sick.
Alec:Yeah. It's toxic. Right? Like it gets, it gets to the point where like, you know, you're just hearing it every weekend and, you know, like, it's like, you know, the team's not doing well and you're just tired of it.
Scott:It's right.
Alec:You know, they're they're thirteen fourteen fifteen year old kids. Like they don't know anybody. They just want to go play with their buddies and they want to have a good time and you know, winning's a winning's a bonus. And all of them are happy when they win regardless of how much they play, you know, and it's it is what it is, but that'll never change. That'll always be that way.
Alec:Yeah. Unfortunately, think that's. Yeah, unfortunately. Yeah. Yeah.
Alec:Totally.
Scott:What else? So the I'm just looking at as a coach. We had a high school coach on couple weeks ago, a buddy of Yeah. Like what had had few kind of like rapid fire questions for him. And, Jim was gonna go for a few.
Scott:Have you, ever had to cut a kid whose parent was a friend or maybe you're not old enough at that yet?
Alec:I don't think I'm old enough for that yet.
Jamie:Yep. Luckily, Dominic didn't have to play.
Alec:Yeah. Mean, I've I will say I've for you know, I don't know. I've made good relationships with all the kids that have families that I've coached. Yeah. You know, I make it pretty important that I'm involved with the families.
Alec:Because, know, this is such a commitment that if they're not hearing from you, and you're not having those conversations frequently, then, you know, that's not they're not as engaged, they're not as involved. But you know, I, I, I'm not yet for me. Yeah. Hopefully, hopefully not ever.
Scott:Yeah. No. All right. So next one is what's the hardest conversation you've had as a coach?
Alec:Definitely cutting kids is hard. You know, it's, not easy. I've been there as a player, so I know how it feels. They're tough conversations, but also, I try to make sure that they understand the reasoning why. It's just sometimes it's just the way it is.
Alec:Sometimes, you know, you may just not be good enough. But most of the time, it's just because you want kids to go to places and play, you know, like, I've I've had some really good teams that I've coached. But you want place kids to go to places where they're gonna play. And, you know, if I don't want kids ever to, you know, feel like they're especially at these ages where I was coaching that, like, you're getting their development hindered because they're not getting, know, regular ice time. And that's kind of a lot of the problems that you run into.
Alec:And I've, like I said, I think at the very beginning, like, I've had conversations with parents at tryouts where I'm just like, look, like, come back in a year, like, go play in a place where you're gonna be the best player, and you're gonna come back and your kid's gonna develop more than some of the kids that are I'm coaching right now because they're not going to get it. And you know, it's going to benefit them in the long run. You know, I think there's, you know, I think there's something to be said to have those hard conversations, but they're never fun. But you know, most of the time when you when you have an honest conversation with the people, they understand it.
Scott:Yeah. And as before I ask the next rapid fire questions, I was gonna be not so rapid, but just a just a question about so in from your time as a coach and seeing like the younger ages, you know, both Jamie and I, our kids have played tier one. My son, like, went down to tier two this year, Jamie's son last year. But in terms of like that, you know, we talked about the dilution of tier like, a lot of the orgs and the number of tier one charters, but just like kinda like what's your for any parents that might be concerned about like you and you had just said, you know, you want your kid to go on a team where they're gonna get playing time or be the best player at some point for competence, etcetera. But like going down from tier one to tier two, I think that might be a tough pill for parents to swallow.
Scott:Yep. Have you had experiences where you've had kids coming up from tier two to one of your tier one teams? And and is that jump Like, is is that something that it might seem impossible to some parents? Like if they go down, they'll never get back up. Like, what would you say to any parent that feels that way?
Alec:I've taken so I coached three years with the o nine birth group. Every year, I've taken a kid from a from a double a team. And it's, I think it's overlooked because everyone is try and I'm not saying that I'm reinventing, we were reinventing the wheel by doing it. I think it's overlooked because everyone just chases the super team status and as many good players as you can on one team when there's, you know, in New Jersey, there's so many there's so many players. There's so many good players and kids get hidden away.
Alec:And some kids are really good players that play tier two just because they can't afford tier one or they played tier two because the hockey is not that serious for them yet. And then, you know, they get the first taste of it, and they realize, you know, the families that their kids are pretty good hockey players, and this is something that they really want to start getting into and really take seriously. And I've had some really good players that I've taken from tier two. And they've turned out great. And they're great kids.
Alec:And the best part about it is that, know, for the most, like, for all of them, like, the families are super appreciative. And they love the opportunity. And they understand that where their kid is and they, they just, you know, they're happy that their kids involved and they could be involved and I've met some great people from it. And I, I think it's, I think it's really important. I think it gets a little bit overlooked, but, yeah, a 100%.
Scott:Awesome. All right. So back to rapid fire. So what's, what's the one thing that you've gotten wrong as a coach, but learned from?
Alec:One thing that I've gotten wrong as a coach, but I've learned from, that's a great question. One thing that I've gotten wrong as a coach, but I've learned from,
Scott:or in the process of getting better of. Yeah. Reframe it potentially.
Alec:Yeah. I think the one thing I've learned is that and we kind of talked about a little bit earlier, but the best players aren't always the right players. And that you need the culture, that culture matters. And I think that's something that from where I played and I know that but when you're playing in my first, you know, first few years at it, you know, coaching younger teams, you know, like you want to always find the best players possible, of course, but that doesn't mean they're the right ones. And I've had some good players that I've actually, you know, let go of over the time because I've realized that, you know, what we're doing is not for them.
Alec:So, you know, I think that's something that's a learning lesson for a lot of people is that you can get 20 great players, but there's one puck out there. So I think that's, that's something that's still I'm still learning too now with, you know, Hobart being a great program too is, know, we're looking for the right guys as well.
Scott:Awesome. Alright. Well, those are my rapid fire questions. James, what what do you got to follow-up?
Jamie:I'm gonna add to your rapid fire.
Alec:Go ahead.
Jamie:If you had one piece of advice to give to a 10 year old Alec Marsh, would it be? Enjoy it. Goes by fast. Right?
Alec:No, it's great. Enjoy it. I'll tell you the one thing that you miss when you're don't play anymore. It's just be in the locker room every day. And that's the stuff you really miss.
Alec:Like we say it all the time. Like you're not gonna know the wins and losses. Like you're going to remember that. And you know, those, that stuff's funny, but it's, you know, it's the twenty other hours outside of it every day when you're with your buddies that you kinda you don't you don't realize and, you know, you don't realize that it is just a game, and it's fun and it should be fun. So, you know, just enjoy it as much as you can.
Jamie:Nice. All right. And what are the prospects for Hobart this year?
Alec:Let's see. Prospects.
Jamie:Yeah. Like, like, like, like what's the obviously, I mean, you guys won a championship last year, right? I'm assuming there a repeat is kind of the goal.
Alec:Yeah. I mean, they've I mean, you know, we've won three in a row here.
Jamie:Oh, I didn't realize there's three in a row. Oh, okay.
Scott:That's awesome.
Alec:So I got some tough shoes to fill here.
Jamie:I see that
Alec:this year, but Mark Taylor, who's the head coach. He's been here for a long time. He's an awesome guy, You know, learn a lot learning a lot from him. You know, he's really well respected at what he does, and he he does a really good job. And he's another guy too that just like preaches culture.
Alec:And, you know, that's how winning foundations are made. And that's why, you know, they've been fortunate enough to have three in a row. Pressures on for four, obviously, but take it out of take it a day at a time just to get 1% better every day.
Scott:That's
Jamie:awesome. Did do that. Thank you so much for taking the time
Scott:to talk to us. Awesome.
Jamie:I can't wait to hear this tomorrow morning.
Alec:Yeah. Absolutely. No, this is great.
Jamie:It's it's we're gonna have time you on again, dude, especially
Alec:when the season's over or summer halfway through the year, we'll do it again.
Jamie:All right. I like it, man. Again, Alec, thank you, bud. Is awesome.
Scott:Best of luck with everything.
Jamie:And we are back from our interview with, Alec Marsh. I mean, need I say more?
Scott:That was awesome.
Jamie:Guys fucking all. He's a rock star.
Scott:Yeah. Solid.
Jamie:You know, he's, he's got a lot of really cool insight. I hope that was helpful for all of our listeners. Maybe to get a little, you know, all information on juniors and college and pro and you know, what college coaches look for.
Scott:Right. You know, one of the things I've been thinking about since is that like we talk often about like, you know, like being positive, right? And I don't want to talk out of both sides of my mouth. Right? But like being positive, like not necessarily being like beating your kid over the head, like the car ride home.
Scott:Yeah. Maybe you don't have to say anything. And he was like, I knew it when I played well and I knew it when I didn't, you know? Oh, it's
Jamie:he's a 100% right. Our kids know.
Scott:No. I I I know. I I understand that. But I I think I think what started coming up for me or bubbling up is that they're they're I guess I get concerned that I'm trying to be overly positive, which takes away from being giving him like being direct. You know what I mean?
Scott:And I don't lie to him. This, this, that, that, this, this, that, that. You know what I mean? It was more of like just silent and like he knew I wasn't happy. Right?
Scott:Yeah. So maybe that's just enough. You know what I mean? But like just listening to him, clearly, he's been a high achiever and everyone is, you know, people are all cut from different cloths. You know, I think I just want to say that despite our conversations about like being positive and all that stuff, it doesn't mean you can't be, you know, let your kid know that they didn't have a good game.
Scott:Right? Like, it doesn't mean just, oh, you need to omit it. Right? Like, maybe it's just not in the car ride home afterwards. Maybe it's twenty
Jamie:four hour rule, maybe.
Scott:Yeah, like a twenty four hour rule. And, you know, like and maybe we've said these things. And I just I guess I just wanted to make sure that, you know, that there is a time and place for that negative constructive feedback. And I think for what we try to do is talk more about like how we deliver that as opposed to like, we're not saying don't deliver that information. You know what I mean?
Scott:Am I right on that, James? Like
Jamie:Well, I see what you're saying. Listen, you know, I think Alec mentioned during the interview, like his dad was stern. Stern.
Scott:You know
Jamie:what I mean? You know, think that's the word he used was stern. And he also said like, you know, your kid knows when you're not happy. He knows when he didn't play well, you know, piling it on is is is, you know, listen, it's tough, you know, tough.
Scott:And I'm saying all this because I had a hard time with it this weekend and I go back and forth on this emotional roller coaster of like, seething and like being super upset and being frustrated. Then it's like, what do I do with those feelings? Then I think that's what I've been trying to work on. What?
Jamie:Phone a friend.
Scott:Phone a friend. Yeah, no. But I mean, like, real, helps because sometimes like our insanity is not rooted in like things that are Logic? Logic, right? Like it just it could be other stuff.
Scott:Emotions. Yeah. But like at the same time, it's like, I don't know, I'm just basically saying in a lot of unnecessary words that it's hard.
Jamie:Listen, it's not. Yeah. I mean, I think you say a lot of the times it's simple, but hard, right?
Scott:Simple, but not easy. Yeah. Sorry. Yeah. No, no, no.
Scott:But yeah, same thing.
Jamie:It's it's hard to check your emotions, especially when you have a lot invested in it, you know, like we do as parents. It's hard. It's it's, you know, so I think, you know, the way Alec described his dad was, you know, stern, I think is is is appropriate. I think it's a good way to kind of and listen, there's probably a time and place to to to lay that on your kid, right? You know, I don't I'm not sure if there's one size fits all, but my guess my guess is, is that, you know, when they're feeling shitty in the car ride home, you know, maybe not the best time to kind of unload on them at that moment.
Scott:Sure.
Jamie:Sometimes it's better when. When the later on, when the emotions have died down, it's probably a more productive time to have a conversation.
Scott:Yeah. Well put better put than my ramble.
Jamie:Right. You know, I do. And listen, I could just speak for my child. You know, I talking to him in the car right on the helm is not good. Right.
Jamie:You know, it doesn't. He's not happy, you know, it's always better later on after like a hug and a high five and like, hey, listen, bud, you'll get them next time. Don't be so hard on yourself type stuff,
Scott:you know? Right.
Jamie:Yeah. Even though sometimes we want to blow our stack, you know, you got to again, simple, but simple, but not easy.
Scott:Yeah. So anyway, super interview. I hope to have him on again. And I'm looking forward to watching his team play.
Jamie:Yeah. Hobart Shatesman, man.
Scott:Yeah, no doubt.
Jamie:Yeah. Yeah. They're yeah. Four peat is not easy, dude. I
Scott:Once I'm sure isn't easy. Twice.
Jamie:Yes. Yeah, literally. So I didn't realize they were going. I thought they were going back to back. I was wrong.
Jamie:They're going for a four
Scott:they're not the so, so college is on the horizon. We've got NHL has kicked off, dude. NHL switching gears a little bit preseason. Yep. You know, I I've seen a little bit here and there, you know, but the I think the most exciting thing is that is back.
Scott:Right. And it's back. There's a lot of go ahead.
Jamie:No, no, I was gonna say I think that's a season starts if I'm not mistaken in the first or second week in October.
Scott:Is right? October, is it eighth?
Jamie:Seventh date, something like that. Yeah, I know. It's I think you're absolutely right. It's something like that. And Luke Hughes still is not signed by the New Jersey Devils.
Jamie:Way to go, guys. Way to go.
Scott:October. They're doing. Yeah. Oh, well, how about this? You got there's three games.
Scott:You got St. Louis versus Seattle, 04:30 Eastern. Is the kickoff games? Yeah. Opening night.
Scott:Opening night. Then you have, Boston, Florida. Let's go Brad Marchand.
Jamie:In Florida or in Boston?
Scott:Florida.
Jamie:Okay.
Scott:Nice. And then you have Blackhawks, Utah. Oh, this is interesting. This is a this is a mess up. This still says Utah hockey club.
Jamie:Aren't they the the Mammoths now? Yeah.
Scott:Yeah. It looks like a mess up on ESPN.
Jamie:I got to tell you, I much prefer the Utah Yeti.
Scott:Yeah, but they couldn't do it.
Jamie:I know. But I much prefer.
Scott:Well, find the suggestion box.
Jamie:Exactly. A lot of fucking good that's gonna do me.
Scott:Yeah. Well, yeah, this is gonna do zero good.
Jamie:Zero. Yeah. Zero. Yeah. And then, so that's interesting that they're they're playing on, an opening night.
Scott:Okay. Three games, 04:30 Eastern, seven Eastern, and then 10PM Eastern.
Jamie:Okay. That's cool. I like that.
Scott:Let's go
Jamie:get it I'm assuming the Utah game is the late game?
Scott:Yes. And like, dude, you saw Ka'Chucks out, Matthew out until like December. It looks like.
Jamie:I did not see that. He just he just did college game day the other day.
Scott:Yeah. But he's He definitely didn't do that while playing hockey. He's out until December.
Jamie:No shit. What happened to him? I did not see that.
Scott:He's think he's still recovering from the injury sustained, from four nations.
Jamie:Oh, his groin? He's still
Scott:bad Torn adductor. Something
Jamie:like that. Right?
Scott:Some stuff. But yeah, December is what they were saying.
Jamie:Oh, no shit. I did not hear that.
Scott:Yeah. So he's out for a hot minute.
Jamie:Oh, that's a bummer. I did not realize that. That's going to be interesting if they can actually like hold the line while he's getting better, you know? Pretty sitting roster, though. Mean,
Scott:shit. Yeah. Yeah. So the thing. Right.
Scott:Gotcha. So he's not gonna be there on opening night and for a couple of weeks thereafter. Yeah. Yeah, no, look, who's what are the what I see the other day that was an exciting game. The was it the penguins game?
Jamie:Rangers, Devils?
Scott:No, I didn't watch. You watched?
Jamie:You don't want to watch. Trust me.
Scott:Okay.
Jamie:Yeah. Devils are not even though they're young kids, you know what I mean, that are playing. Yeah, it didn't look good.
Scott:I was like Pittsburgh. Montreal went to a shootout. I was exciting.
Jamie:I need to go YouTube the highlights. I didn't see that. I mean, I'm like a closet Montreal Canadiens fan.
Scott:I'm not the only one.
Jamie:Lot of young talent there, Like, doubt. A lot of young talent.
Scott:Yep. You
Jamie:know, we need to do our picks.
Scott:We need to do our picks. Maybe we'll do that next episode
Jamie:before this. Yes. We're going to our picks.
Scott:That doesn't have to be, but
Jamie:that's the idea because then the following episode, we're gonna have my buddy Ben DeBlock on who's a very funny bastard.
Scott:Ben?
Jamie:Very funny bastard. So, you know, look, look forward, not not episode 34, but 35. We're gonna have Ben on. He is a he is a very interesting hockey dad. Crazy.
Jamie:Like I said, he's a crazy bastard. That's Yeah. Yeah. Sweet.
Scott:Fun. Yeah. What else? What else to kind of tidy up this this episode? Anything?
Jamie:Think that's really it. Think that's really it, man. You know, I hope everybody enjoyed our interview with Alec Marsh. I think you guys are to get all, know, a lot of good
Scott:this point.
Jamie:Well, right. But I think moving forward, you're going to take what he said. And if you pay attention to it, I mean, he lays out a lot of really, really smart things for, you know, for kids developmental wise, mental wise. You know, I love the story about his father making him run the last mile to his buddy's house. That was fucking phenomenal.
Scott:That was good.
Jamie:Like, I'm totally going to have to drop Dominic off a mile away from the house and have him fucking run home.
Scott:That's awesome. So good.
Jamie:Yeah. Yeah. So yeah, man, it was a, it was an awesome interview. I'm glad we did it. Look forward to our picks and some good interviews moving forward.
Jamie:Thank you to our new listeners. Thank you to everybody who's writing into us. Yeah, man.
Scott:It's a wrap. Think that's a wrap dude.
Jamie:There we go. I like it, bud.
Scott:So I'll
Jamie:see you in the next episode.
Scott:That's it.
Jamie:All right, bud.
Scott:All right. Take it easy
Jamie:later. Homeboy.