Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
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 31 of the Crazy Hockey Dads Podcast, the unfiltered podcast for hockey parents. No politics, no sugarcoating, just real talk for hockey parents in the trenches.
Jamie:Fucking trenches.
Scott:Yo. That's what's up. What is that? Oh, man. Dude, as Yeah.
Brad:As soon as we
Jamie:start Happened last episode too. Do you know what that is, by the way?
Scott:Yeah. It's the timer?
Jamie:You're in my timer to meet and go over stuff.
Scott:Jesus Christ. I'm gonna What
Jamie:the fuck?
Scott:You need to go to, It's I don't know, not TechEd.
Brad:I need
Jamie:a new phone. That's not gonna make
Brad:a difference.
Jamie:Yes, will.
Scott:It does, it will. It will. You don't know
Brad:how to
Jamie:use This phone has a mind of its own.
Brad:If you don't know how to
Scott:use a phone, it's not gonna work.
Jamie:No, I do not use
Scott:a Anyway
Jamie:This one is fucked up.
Scott:Okay, yeah, okay. Yeah, know it is. All right, good job.
Brad:Shall we?
Scott:Yeah, let's get going. So dude, '31.
Jamie:'31.
Scott:'31, the hockey season. '31. Listen, last week it felt good just to start talking about things. You didn't even have a game this weekend.
Jamie:Sucks.
Scott:I did so You practice. I just came back from my game.
Jamie:Yeah, where Otto scored like
Scott:nine hat tricks. No. Jesus Christ. You one only hat trick.
Jamie:At five points.
Scott:Yes. It's huge. It is huge. Huge. Huge.
Scott:And I don't wanna take anything away from him
Jamie:Me leading scorer, here we come. What? I said, me neither, leading scorer, here we come.
Scott:Oh, please. That's not that's so not on the radar. Listen. I will It happens. Say But the truth about this is is going down to play tier two, my my thoughts were that he would be one of the better players on the ice.
Scott:And that was true. His sample size is small.
Jamie:Right, okay fair.
Scott:It's early indications continue to point to yes. That said, there's still a ton to work on and I also don't wanna make it seem like that there isn't because there always is, the idea, I always say this to him and he doesn't, I don't even, he just rolls his eyes but I like, dude, I'm like eternal white belt mentality.
Jamie:Yes, agreed.
Scott:And yeah, I think he forgets what it means every time I say it.
Jamie:Yeah, no, it's true though, it's good advice.
Scott:No, but at the same
Jamie:time Why don't you explain that for our listeners in case somebody doesn't know what you mean by that. I know what you mean by that but in case anybody else does. Because we do have ears that are listening, not just you and I.
Scott:Ears? Ears. Yeah, so eternal white belt. Doesn't everyone listen with their ears?
Jamie:Fucking obviously.
Brad:I'm
Jamie:saying but we have ears listening like other people other than you and I sitting here at this table.
Scott:Oh, got it.
Jamie:Like other people. Oh, okay. There are 26 countries, other people.
Scott:Oh, copy. Right. So Eternal White Belt in martial arts, You start as a white belt. It's the most beginner belt one could have in martial arts. And it's just an expression to say you're in a constant state of learning.
Scott:And the moment you stop, you think you don't need to learn anymore
Jamie:is the
Scott:day you stop getting better.
Jamie:You know what mean? Funny, when Dominic was younger and I would tell him when he was probably like,
Brad:I don't
Jamie:know, call it eight years old, seven years old, I'm like, Dominic, we're gonna go to a power steering class. He's like, dad, I don't need to go to a power steering class. I already know how
Brad:to skate.
Scott:Oh, you've said this before.
Jamie:Yeah. I'm like, okay. I'm like, okay.
Scott:Yeah. Well, so to combat that
Jamie:I don't need to go. I already know how to
Scott:skate. I already know it.
Jamie:Oh, do you? So the pros that constantly practice when
Scott:they're in the
Jamie:professional ranks, they're doing it just because, oh, I don't know, they really If like
Scott:the pros need to practice, think you do too.
Jamie:Thank you, exactly.
Scott:Right, if the pros have skating coaches,
Jamie:Maybe you should as well.
Scott:Just a thought.
Jamie:Just saying.
Scott:Yeah, saying. But yeah, so in any event, so he had a good game.
Jamie:It's great man.
Scott:The team pulled out a good win. It was exciting back and forth, blah, blah, blah. But yeah, man. It's good. Yeah.
Scott:Things are good.
Jamie:Sounds good. Sounds so far. Sounds great.
Scott:Yeah. Yeah, man.
Jamie:Good. I love it. Listen, I hope so you guys had one game this week.
Scott:Just one.
Jamie:Yeah, we had zero. Ours got turned into a full practice, which was good. Not going
Scott:to lie. What? Did you watch? And I'm not saying this to put
Brad:you in
Scott:the hot No, seat about our
Jamie:I did not.
Scott:I was just curious about the full ice practice and how it was run and if you got a sense for what the guys were working on.
Jamie:Honestly, have no idea because I didn't look in. Was sitting in the lobby chatting all time. And at Summit, they all walked in for the last a bunch of people came out and they're like, oh, they're in a scrimmage for the last twenty minutes. So when I walked in, I walked in, it was way too cold. Walked right out.
Scott:Way too cold. You what? You need gear. Need rink gear.
Jamie:It was like 87 degrees yesterday, 86 degrees yesterday. Rink gear, you say?
Scott:You do need So rink
Jamie:you think that if I had the proper brink gear attire that I would've been warm?
Scott:I think so.
Jamie:Interesting you say this.
Scott:Yeah, I will look, I'll find something for you.
Jamie:You know what, I have a feeling you will find something for me.
Scott:No doubt.
Jamie:Coming soon, people. Coming soon. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Scott:I wore my sweatshirt at the ring today.
Jamie:Did you now? Yeah. Oh, you did?
Scott:So I was warm.
Jamie:Oh, interesting. Yeah. So I was in shorts and a long sleeve yesterday, so I was cold
Scott:And flip flops. And flip flops. Okay. All
Jamie:right. And that left rink is abnormally cold compared to the right rink.
Scott:Oh, it? Yeah.
Jamie:That right rink shockingly was empty. Not really sure why.
Scott:Oh. But there
Jamie:was nobody on the ice on a Saturday evening.
Scott:I had a conversation about that.
Jamie:Did you? I'm sure you did. Isn't that strange though?
Scott:Anyway, so we were back in the saddle this weekend. You were not
Jamie:Was not. Next week. Yeah.
Scott:Okay, good. And then And
Jamie:then it starts kind of Fast and Furious after that.
Scott:Yeah, awesome. Looking forward to
Jamie:it.
Scott:All right, good stuff.
Jamie:Yeah, hope everybody who played this weekend, I hope your kids did well. I hope you parents didn't blow any gaskets. Right, we don't want blow any gaskets, especially this early in the season if we can help it. But yeah, no, so I hope everybody had a good weekend.
Scott:Yeah, we'd love to hear. Really encourage people to write in. We've had a few, just haven't had a chance to read them yet. We'll get back to everyone. But yeah, no, please write in.
Scott:We'd love to hear more stories. Yes we would, that's Because we actually had a call with a guy Mark out in Illinois. Shout out Mark.
Jamie:We did, yes Mark. Thank you for taking the time to chat with
Scott:us. Yeah, was awesome. Nice dude. Yeah, good conversation.
Jamie:Keep listening, Mark, keep listening.
Scott:He's out in Illinois and just was talking about some regional differences.
Jamie:That was cool actually to hear.
Scott:100%. So it would be great to hear from more folks in different parts of the country that just have different things going on that perhaps we're not touching on.
Jamie:Yeah, things definitely do kind of change a little bit depending on where you are in The US.
Scott:No doubt.
Jamie:That's for sure. Just because we are here in the Northeast, it definitely doesn't mean that things are exactly the way we do it.
Scott:Well, they're definitely not.
Jamie:No, they're
Scott:definitely not. But listen, real quick, before we get going any further, let's just shout out partners, Howie's Hockey, Crazy ten. Use the discount code, get 10% off your order. Prostride, elite skating. C h d ten.
Scott:Yep. Angelo Serce. You know, it's so I got in I got an email from Eric Nates Skating or the Euro well, I forget the full the name
Jamie:of it. Eric Nates Euro Skating or something like that?
Scott:Yeah, Eric Nates, but he's already putting out emails for Thanksgiving clinics. Not shocked. So there's folks take a look at Angelo Surz's
Jamie:During Thanksgiving break.
Scott:Yeah, pro side skating, look for holiday clinics, etcetera.
Jamie:Yeah, he's a sick power skating coach. If the New Jersey Devils trust him, maybe you should too.
Scott:Doubt. Chick Sion. That's a feather in the cap if you're
Jamie:Chick Sion.
Scott:Then He's smart. Athletic Performance Insight API. Eric. Again, yeah, anyone that's looking or thinking about video and analytics for their team and haven't done anything yet, definitely reach out to him. I actually spoke to him and I You did?
Scott:Were looking at it maybe. So this past week, got a text message from the HC just saying that they were gonna have video review.
Jamie:Oh, you guys are
Scott:gonna I in hadn't spoken to anyone about it and I was like, oh, funny you mentioned that because I happen to know a guy.
Jamie:Interesting. So you guys are gonna think about Yes. Using You guys are in conversation?
Scott:In conversation. Hopefully that works out because it's a Yeah. Great So yeah, please, anyone that's interested, reach out to Eric. Visit athletic performance insight for more information and use the contact form to request a demo. They will even tag one of your games for free and new users get 10% off a season subscription by mentioning crazy hockey dads.
Scott:A $100 value right there. Oof, you are a math wizard.
Jamie:I know. And I don't even have a calculator. That's amazing. I know, I can't help it.
Brad:Is what
Scott:it is. You're the brains, I'll be the bronze. Okay, so those are our partners.
Jamie:Yep, sure is.
Scott:What else?
Jamie:What else? We took care of all the Oh, so we added fucking Delaware. Delaware, let's go. Finally, fucking Delaware, dude. Yes.
Jamie:I mean, so now we are 40, Jesus!
Scott:Yo, my God.
Jamie:I'm telling you.
Scott:Instead of just turning it, like swiping up, can you just turn it off? I can. But you don't know how.
Jamie:I do.
Scott:Oh, so what do No, I do. You wanted to just go off again?
Jamie:I didn't want to screw up our camera here. If I swipe up, will I screw up our camera?
Scott:I don't know.
Jamie:Yeah, I'm trying not to screw up our camera.
Scott:Fucking brilliant. Seriously. Okay.
Brad:We just need
Jamie:to kill this segment within the next five minutes. Because the system's on. So talk quickly. Okay. So Yeah.
Jamie:I know of the interview, man. And here you go, folks. Enjoy the interview. Yeah. But god.
Jamie:What was I even what were we saying?
Scott:You were saying Delaware.
Jamie:Oh, yes. Delaware. So we finally got Delaware. So we are the entire East Coast Of The United States.
Scott:Let's go. So thanks to all the new listeners out in Delaware and in other parts of the country that might be listening for the first time in other states that we've already hooked. Welcome. And welcome to listeners abroad. Let's go giddy up.
Jamie:Yes, go do us a favor. If you like what you're hearing, go review us. It helps us with the algorithms. It is impossible to get reviews.
Scott:It's yeah, well, yeah.
Jamie:People listen and they write you and they say, wow, this stuff's great, but reviews Yeah. Are impossible
Scott:Well, listen, if anyone's willing, please would appreciate it. Yeah, please do. Then yes
Jamie:Scott and I will send you a nice little note if you do it.
Scott:Okay, yeah, we can do that. Sure, no doubt, 100%.
Jamie:And
Scott:what was I gonna say? So this week we have a guest, a good friend of mine who We I know from played together as youth hockey players.
Brad:Probably
Scott:Bantams Midget. Bantams and Midget, I played with him. He was my D partner. Nice. Brad Siegel.
Jamie:Now the head coach?
Scott:He's core head coach or assistant coach.
Jamie:He was the head coach for Mawa, then they merged with two other towns. They take the largest town, he was saying, and that person gets the head coach title, suppose.
Scott:Yeah, I think they were already But in any event, so he's been coaching public school varsity ice hockey for eleven years now. Got a ton of experience, has seen a ton. He played himself. He also played football. So we're gonna learn a little a lot from him and what he looks for in players at the high school level.
Scott:Yes. We talk about the landscape. And here in New Jersey, we have public high school hockey, and then the better hockey is generally the private and parochial schools. So we do touch upon the differences between public versus some of the local private schools and how that impacts the talent pool as well as, I guess it seems like dwindling numbers Hockey overall players. Of hockey players.
Jamie:We touched on that too, kind of how the registrations for all youth players is up substantially, but high school hockey seems to be suffering.
Scott:Yeah, he pointed out COVID-
Jamie:All these towns are merging.
Scott:Yeah, he pointed out COVID specifically as something that wasn't the only
Jamie:reason No, it wasn't that the drama. Didn't But yeah, I'm sure it did not help.
Scott:Right, so as a result, you have got multiple towns that are coming together under one team.
Jamie:They're merging because they don't have enough players to do it themselves.
Scott:Correct. It's
Jamie:crazy. Surprised, very surprised.
Scott:So yeah, no, this is great and I'm glad that we're also finally talking about some age groups older than our own Agreed. So that's really awesome.
Jamie:Yeah, because I'm sure a lot of you have questions. Even if you have kids that are younger than ours have questions about how it works when you're going to high school. So this you'll actually hear from a high school head coach exactly what they look for, what they don't want, what they do want, what they look for in kids. Exactly. Was a cool conversation.
Scott:Yeah, no doubt. And so we're going to get up to that in a second. Anything else just kind of paint the picture? Because I know we might have talked a little specific with him, but maybe it won't be so obvious to listeners. Is there anything else that
Jamie:I'm trying to think. Obviously, we touched on he mentions the Bandits during his the Bandits are a youth organization to give you guys a little bit of context. So he was a high school head coach of a town. That town merged with two other towns because like we said, they don't have the numbers to form teams anymore. So they have to do these mergers with other towns.
Scott:They call it co oping.
Jamie:Yeah, co oping, yes. Right. And that is happening a lot around us in North Jersey. So I'm curious if that's happening elsewhere. But other than that, I'm trying to think context wise.
Jamie:Other than that, I think you guys will all understand what you say, what we're talking about. But he's a good dude and he gives a lot of really good insight about people who have kids in middle school who are looking to play high school hockey. He maybe pulls back the curtain a little bit on the high school game and kind of what they look for and that type of stuff, which was neat. We even talked to high school goalies.
Scott:Yeah, and also It
Jamie:was a cool conversation.
Scott:And women? Women and
Jamie:girls We talked the game girls in high school, yeah. Touch upon that. Yeah, I forgot about that. You're absolutely right. It was a good conversation.
Jamie:I thought this was good. It was different than, not different, but it was kind of another, a different avenue that we normally go, right? Because it's like older kid hockey, which was good.
Scott:All right. So why don't we kick it over to Brad?
Jamie:Yeah.
Scott:And, I hope you guys all enjoy the interview.
Jamie:Yeah. Have fun, guys. See you on the other side. Cool.
Scott:Alright, everybody. Welcome to our next guest on Crazy Hockey Dads. We've got Brad Siegel. He's the assistant coach at Paramus Malwa Lynnhurst in New Jersey. I've been a varsity head coach and assistant coach for the past eleven years coming to us with tons of experience, tons of knowledge.
Scott:I've had the honor and pleasure of playing youth hockey with Brad. We were d partners. And, it's funny how it's a small world, the game of hockey, and many years later, we reconnected, play some men's league together. And it's just been great reconnecting with you, and thank you so much for joining us today, dude.
Brad:Thanks for having me, guys. I gotta be honest with I was kinda looking forward to this.
Scott:Yeah. You oh, you did.
Brad:I was I was. I was, like, I was honored and very much looking forward to this.
Scott:Oh, dude. You were one of the first people, I thought of when we started this when we decided to have guests on. Was like, I know a guy that's gonna be perfect. Well, because, honestly, you have a ton of experience, and and we don't talk so much about the high school age group as of yet just because our kids aren't there yet. So you're bringing a perspective that I'm sure a lot of our listeners are interested to hear.
Scott:You know? But, you know, just, you know, to kinda kick us off, Brad, you know, just briefly, you know, your your journey through hockey and and how you got to where you are.
Brad:I mean, I, you know, like you, played club hockey growing up, played for the saints. Unfortunately, we didn't have high school hockey at Maui High School. So, you know, it was just straight club hockey for me. So I was just a travel hockey player and very, very jealous of all the kids who got to play for, like, Suffern and Bosco and, you know, like those big those big time schools. To me, I just thought that was like the coolest thing in the world.
Brad:You know what mean? Yeah. And then I did actually I tried out for my division three college hockey team, but I, unfortunately, I did not make it. One of my biggest, like, you know, kind of regrets that I that I got cut from my d three hockey team. And then just after that was, you know, that's at Fairfield, by the way.
Brad:And then after that, just kind of played some men's league for a while. And then I took a break from hockey for, like, probably, like, eight or nine years because I just you know, you kinda get a little burnt out from it.
Scott:Yeah. Yeah.
Brad:And then I became a teacher. Yeah. You know? And I had the idea of starting to coach. And once I got the coaching bug, I was just, like, all back in on it.
Brad:You know? I love coaching. It kinda reignited the the love for the game for me. And then once I got the the varsity job, you know, I did, like, some some, like, youth youth teams and stuff like that for a while. And then and then I got the varsity job at Mawa in 2015, and I've been there.
Brad:I've been the head coach ever since. And then we had to merge with Primus Mawa Linhurst, and, you know, I'm kinda head coach on the Mawa side. But, you know, but we co op with them so they have, you know, the guy Jake Riser. He's really the head coach now. I'm kind of the the assistant for that.
Jamie:Oh, that's how they did that when you guys kind of were merged together. They they took two head coaches and kinda put them together. That's how they do it?
Brad:Yeah. Basically, you have the way it goes is like two towns join one town has to be the lead school and the other town has to be the partner school.
Jamie:I
Brad:premises hence the p as opposed to the PML. They're the lead school and we're the secondary school.
Jamie:Is that because they're bigger?
Brad:You know what? We're actually almost exactly the same size. Is that right? They had already had the co op in place. So it was kind of easy for us to hop in on it.
Brad:So otherwise, there's a lot of paperwork and a lot of approvals to be done for
Jamie:it. I gotcha. Interesting.
Scott:Yeah. So that you know, just in terms of, like, the cooping piece, you know, what's what's that, like, all about? And may I don't know how common it is across the country, but it seems like it's happening more and more around here. And I'm assuming it's just due to a lack of numbers. Like, kind of what's what's what's your take on that?
Scott:And, like, are peep are less kids playing hockey? Like, what are you seeing?
Brad:So it's, yeah, it's a great question. Kind of a loaded one too. We tried as hard as we could to not co op. You know? Like, we were like, let's let's stay Mawa.
Brad:You know? Let's let's stay it as long as we can. But the reality is, like, the numbers just aren't there right now. And and and it's not just us. We were actually probably the last schools to kind of really join.
Brad:Everybody else has has done it, you know, and it's really a numbers game. They like, I don't think a lot of kids as many kids are going into youth hockey, it feels like, or if they are, they're not staying in their hometowns, and that and that's kind of that's become an issue. It's a challenge, though. Like, it's it's got a different feel than what it was when it's just your homeschool. But when you have, you know, 13 kids on a team like that's just that's not a good feel either.
Brad:You know what I mean? Like we had a season last year. Had 19 kids and probably only like 11 of them were like, you know, really varsity kids or something like that. That's that's a tough. That's a tough road to go down when you're playing against triple a kids for, you know, eighteen eighteen new triple a kids and you got some kids out there who maybe shouldn't be there.
Brad:That becomes a tough road to go down. You know? So if you wanna compete, it's like join or die. That's pretty much what it comes down to. And, yeah, you know, and I always kinda felt like a little bit like, oh, like, we failed that way.
Brad:And then I also found out that, like, all high school is in Minnesota. They're co oping like crazy. And I'm like, if they gotta co op, that's nuts. Yeah. That you know, I don't feel as bad now.
Brad:You know?
Scott:Interesting. So that's so it's it's like a nationwide thing that you would Right. Say is happening with the co oping. Is it yeah?
Brad:Say that again? Sorry.
Scott:No. It's a it's a nationwide thing. It's not just a local nationwide thing. Yep. Interesting.
Jamie:So I I have a question, Brad. Kinda Yeah. Play play off of that. So, you know, it's funny. You you mentioned when you were talking just now, you mentioned about the the registrations for youth hockey being on the rise, and you we've talked about that on the podcast a couple times.
Jamie:Right? I mean, it's definitely on the rise. I'm curious. In the next couple years, well, maybe I don't know how I'd say maybe eight to ten years. Do you think that those those now registrations at the youth level will bump up the numbers for high school teams down the road?
Jamie:Do you think it kinda ebbs and flows up and down? Do you think that will kind of be down the road? That wave will come?
Brad:I do. I definitely do. Like, I feel like I think COVID was really bad for everything. Mhmm. COVID really killed a lot of that, hey, maybe I'll go try hockey.
Brad:Maybe I won't. Right. You know? Like, I think there were there was a window there of, like, two, three years where where kids just, like, weren't going into it. You know?
Brad:Yeah. So, like, we're trying to build it up from my wall. Like, we're try we're running, like, real bare bones clinics. You know? Like, we're getting, like we just want kids to just come out and just we're gonna put them in just, like, learn to play clinics.
Brad:Just get them out. You know? We're gonna subsidize that, make it affordable for them, and, you know, we want that to just grow. Because, like, I always feel like I just think high school hockey is a good product. You know?
Brad:Look. Not everyone's gonna get to play NHL. Not everyone's gonna get to play college hockey. You know? Agreed.
Brad:But if you could play high school hockey and you get to play in front of your friends, your family, your girlfriend, they all come out. Like, dude, there's nothing like it, man. You know what I mean? You're like a rock star, and, like, it's just it's so much fun. You know?
Brad:So I think it's a good product. I know it's not as good of a product. Like like, Scottie, you remember growing up. Right? Like, you had some of those high schools.
Brad:I remember going to see, like, one one of our buddies games, and I was like, this is, like, half the quality of, like, what what we played.
Scott:What we were playing. Right. Totally.
Brad:And and that's just and I get that. Like like, travel hockey is a better development tool with no doubt. Like, they're just you know, it's it's run well. It's a great great I love travel hockey, but there's something real special about high school hockey. I'm playing for your school, playing for your town.
Brad:It's just cool. You know what I mean? Like, it's just fun. It's cool. There's nothing like walking the halls and having your friends there and teachers come up to you and your name's on the loudspeaker.
Brad:We got kids on the wall, the wall of fame for it. You know? Like, that that's kinda special. You know?
Scott:Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No. I you know, as you're talking about that, I think the the one game because I only played two years for high school, and then I just played travel.
Scott:Right. Because the it was it was not good, and I didn't you know, I had a falling out with the coach, and that was all Right. The story for another time, maybe. I was
Jamie:gonna say, we that story definitely needs to come out one day.
Scott:Maybe one day. Anyhow, but, so I just played travel, but I I remember we played Indian Hills. I went to Rainbow Bow, and we played Indian Hills. And I just remember, like, over at Sporto at, like, the the rank what is it? It's TK now?
Scott:Right? Yeah. TK. Yeah. TK with the stands or whatever.
Scott:I just remember seeing, like, my friends from school, and, like, I played all these years of hockey, I it was just like my dad and, like, you know, whoever, parents, but it wasn't like you had, like, people cheering for you. You know? So I completely understand what you're saying and how it can be really awesome for kids that that's gonna be, like, the the pinnacle of their hockey journey. Yeah. And
Brad:And and you know what? The reality is, like, for the majority of kids, like, we're talking, like, 90%. That's gonna be the the end of their, you know, the the the pinnacle of their hockey journey. You know what I mean?
Scott:Right. So so let's switching gears just a little bit. Alright. So now you're a father of two.
Brad:Yep. Yep. Two boys. Yep. 13 and 10.
Scott:13 and 10. Wow. Dude, you are, like, so close. You have a teenager. Jesus.
Scott:Usually, Jamie. Jamie's got a twenty twelve also. Oh, nice. Yeah. So so their athletes, walk us through kind of like that, and they played hockey.
Scott:They're not playing hockey anymore. What's what's the story there?
Brad:So I had, like, my oldest one and, you know, learn to skate at probably four. You know, we did we did the whole thing. Learn to skate, learn to play. We did mites. We did we did, like, you know, instructional leagues, and we did and we did bandits.
Brad:And my youngest one as well, he kinda did everything as well, but they also played, like, soccer, baseball. They did everything. You know? And to be honest with they kinda liked everything. They really did.
Brad:Ever since a kid, my oldest one just loved baseball. Like, it's just in his blood. Like, I the first time he picked up a bat, like, was just you know, he he swings lefty and, like, he just there's just something about it that he just he loves. He he's like Bam Bam. Like, he walks around with a bat all day.
Brad:You know what mean? Like like, literally. Crazy. You know? And, like, only some only us old guys know who Bam Bam is.
Brad:You know what mean? Totally.
Jamie:It's a great reference.
Scott:Yeah.
Brad:Yeah. So, yeah, so he did that and, like, you know, so I knew that, like, he loved baseball a ton, and he played hockey. He's a good honestly, he's a good hockey player. Like, he played bandits. He liked it.
Brad:I think they're just kinda came. So he did, like, you know, one year he did soccer. He did bandits. He did and he does baseball. Right?
Brad:And then he also came to me at the end of the year, and he was like, I may wanna try football. I was like, that's alright. I said, you can do that. I know I played I played high school football growing up, and I, you know, I played football based in my entire life. And I was like, yeah, you can do that.
Brad:I was like, but you can't do both. Right. I was like, you you you got I was like, if you want, we could try football for a year. And I was kinda like, look. Let me let him try it.
Brad:Let's see how it goes. And he kind of just loved it, you know, not as much as baseball, but he loved it. And so now it's kind of transitioned into like a football basketball baseball kind of a kid and my younger one kind of just kind of just followed suit on that too.
Scott:Right.
Brad:You know, he he wanted to try football as well, he liked it liked it as well too.
Jamie:So it
Scott:was really it was, like, child led in terms of, like, the decision making there and what sports to play. Like, you expose them to all these sports, and then they gravitated towards certain ones, and you're, you know, you know, feeding those passions.
Brad:Exactly. Yeah. Exactly. It'd also be really hard now to, like like, financially, to be honest with you, like, to be doing both baseball and hockey. I mean, like, he plays on a club baseball team at thirteen u, and, I mean, it's almost hockey prices to to play for that.
Jamie:Yeah.
Brad:And to have all that to have, like, a a kid in baseball, you know, with with with club prices, and then you have hockey club prices. And then, I mean, financially, it's, like, almost impossible. And just kinda coming back full circle on that, Scotty too, is, like, hockey doesn't do itself any favors with the cost of it. You know what I mean?
Jamie:That's for sure.
Brad:Like, I was listening to spitting chiclets, you know, and, like, they had TJ Oceane. He was talking about That was the last one. Did you hear it?
Jamie:Yeah. That was the last one.
Scott:Yeah.
Brad:Yeah. He's talking about growing up in Minnesota, and, like, the rink owner would just leave him the keys. He's
Jamie:like, yeah.
Scott:It's crazy.
Jamie:Can you imagine that happening around here?
Brad:Bobby Biese, the owner of the ice fall There's no way. Sick the dogs on you.
Jamie:There's there's yeah. Exactly. He he'd have the cops there so quick. I mean, your head would spin.
Brad:Right? Oh, snipers the whole night. Yeah. Yeah.
Jamie:Yeah. 100%.
Brad:I mean, so like hockey does not do itself any favors that and that's kind of also a maybe a product of where we live as well, you know, but sure but the price to play is just become really astronomical and has become a really it kills me a little bit. Yeah. You know, that's also, by the way, why I think high school hockey is a good product. I mean, now it's like, I think we got it down to, like, $400 to play for the whole season.
Scott:Wow.
Jamie:That's not bad.
Brad:I mean, that's fantastic. I mean, you get it transportation to and from the rink. Get, you know, two two and a half practices because sometimes we do a third practice, right? Two and a half practices a week two games in the weekend. I mean, that's a, you know, for 30 games, that's a that's a great product.
Brad:You know?
Jamie:Yeah. Yeah.
Scott:Yeah. I mean, super affordable comparatively speaking.
Jamie:No question.
Scott:But let so let me ask you a question. Like, so just putting the hockey bit aside. So Jamie and I have talked, like, at length about, like, the early specialization, the early professionalization of children and how, like, the multisport athletes it's not like when we grew up where, like it sounds like your kids are getting more of a taste of what, like Yeah. We had growing up. My question for you is, like, in other sports, like, for baseball and football, like, to the to what extent are parents, families, children doing things outside of practice?
Scott:Like, you know, getting, like, special like, I don't I don't even know Private what lessons. Private lessons. Right.
Jamie:Right. Are you seeing that?
Scott:Is there a lot of additional expense outside? Because we've got families that we know, and ourselves included, that are taking our kids before school to go skate, and, like, you know, the cutting edge and, like, other places and just dropping money left and right to keep these kids, like, keep their skill level up. You know? Do you find that in other sports as well?
Brad:We do. You know what? And and going back to that, like like, I'll give you a perfect example. Like, we got a kid, you know, one of a friend, like, you know, he I think he gets hitting lessons three times a week. He gets, you know, instruction on it.
Brad:And, like, dude, that stuff's not cheap, man. You know? And, you know, people do it. They do it all the time. It's it's it's tough, man.
Brad:You know? It it it's it's kind of a loaded question too. You know what I mean? Because you're like, you wanna kinda, like, take a step back and say, alright. I'm not gonna do that.
Brad:But I guess at some point when you get to that thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, the specialization's gonna start to happen naturally because Yeah. If you wanna compete at that upper level, you know, I think up to, like, high school, eighth grade, play as many sports as you can. You know? Right. Get it in.
Brad:Skip a hockey game for a soccer game. Skip a whatever game for this game. You know what I mean? Like, get it in. And then when you get to high school, if you can maybe drop to maybe two sports, that would be, like, ideal, like a hockey and a lacrosse or hockey and baseball or Mhmm.
Brad:Hockey and soccer even sometimes. You know what I mean? Try to keep that second sport in there just to give your body and your mind a break from it, you know, because you just don't wanna get burnt out. I can't tell you how many kids I see get burnt so burnt out from hockey. You know?
Scott:Well and so do on on your team, like, we're talking about last year. I don't know if you have a full sense of this year's team, but were were mostly the hockey players on your team? Were they multisport athletes, or is hockey their only
Brad:Probably have maybe 50%, maybe 25% around there.
Scott:So, like, not necessarily the majority?
Brad:Not the majority. Correct.
Jamie:Interesting. Interesting. Yeah. I wouldn't I wouldn't have thought that.
Scott:And Yeah. So then when you talk about the burnout piece that you just mentioned, like so can you give, like, an example of, like like, how have you seen that kind of manifest itself? Like, kids that start as freshmen and then, like, have stopped or, like, yeah, what are you
Brad:I think it's like I'll I'll take one of one of my one of my players played for the Avs, played, you know, played triple a, played hitmen, whole nine. Probably did every possible clinic before school, after school, that whole nine yards. Really good player. Like, really, really good. Unbelievable hands, fast.
Brad:Had the opportunity to play in college, turned it down, and just wanted to focus on other things. Got through high school. Loved it. You know, like, love playing hockey. Got to call got to college.
Brad:Shut down. Done. Yeah. I'm out. I had another kid
Jamie:Yeah.
Brad:Went to the went to the Air Force Academy, and he was like, he was stunned. Like, stunned. No desire to even pick up a stick ever again.
Scott:Wow. Really?
Brad:Dude, and he was stunned, man. Like, you know what I mean? Like, could have played triple a, but he just played he played tier two. He played played double a bandits, the whole nine. Played also also was like an all state lacrosse player and was a, like, all league soccer player.
Brad:Just straight, like, savage. You know what I mean? Went to the I'm sorry. The Air Force Academy, and he could have played like club hockey easily. No desire to do it.
Brad:Wow. No desire to do it. Wow.
Scott:Interesting. And and and and and you from what you can tell is just from from being pushed to play, like, endlessly throughout his childhood?
Brad:Had enough. Yeah. I think he just kinda had enough and wanted to do and, like, I think some kids just wanna do something else. You know what I mean? I think they kinda get to that point, you know, and then they they just kinda let it go.
Brad:And then I will say, though, on the flip side, like, I've had in my eleven years, I've had let me think. I had one kid play division one college, and I had two kids play division three college, and a ton of kids play club hockey and they love it, you know?
Scott:Right. Right.
Brad:And they love it. So there are, you know, some kids just depends on
Jamie:the kid. Yeah.
Brad:Yeah. I think it really does depend on the kid. I really do. Right. So Right.
Jamie:I could see that. I could see certain kids kind of hitting high school and be like, you know what? I'm I'm good. I don't need to continue this. Yeah.
Jamie:You know? And go focus on other things. Yeah. I get it. I definitely
Brad:I I think it really does depend on the kid. You know? It's not a it's not a surefire thing that a kid's gonna be like, oh, I'm so good in high school. I'm gonna play in college guaranteed. Think it just depends on the kid on on how they feel it's a part of their life and how they want it to be a part of their their future.
Brad:You know what I mean? Because, like, it's a sacrifice. You gotta decide. Do I wanna am I gonna skip, like, going to parties and stuff? Or am I gonna Right.
Brad:You know, to to play hockey? Or am I gonna you know, or am I gonna or I'd wanna live that life. You know?
Jamie:Hang out, yeah, with your buddies. Yeah. No. There's no question about it. It's it's a trade off.
Jamie:Right? Yeah. It's definitely a trade off.
Scott:So the so what do you think like, when you're talking about, like, high school kids, to what extent are parents involved, if at all, with you or anecdotally through the kid? You know? And, like, what what do they get right? What do they get wrong? Like, you know, if you had if you had to give some advice to parents out there about, like, how to navigate, like, your kids', like, a high school athletic career?
Scott:Or is there anything that you've seen over the years that's just like a surefire fail and other things that, like, just are definitely, you know, better ideas?
Brad:Such a good question. So I feel like parents kinda get wrong. Here's one thing I think parents get wrong. I think depending on the coach, and this is one thing that, like, I I was telling you before. I was like, I suck my first three or four years.
Brad:Like, I look back, and I'm like, I don't even know what I was doing. Like, I I just didn't, man. You know what I mean? Like, I was, like, thinking about, like, stuff we used to
Jamie:do and whatever. You know what
Brad:I mean? And, like, and that's only something you kinda develop over time. You know what I mean? And, like and one of the things that I that really sucked at in the beginning was just not thinking about each kid and how you're gonna use each kid and how you're make make each kid feel special, feel seen, feel pushed, feel like they're getting better each day. You know what I mean?
Brad:Like, I don't think I did a very good job of that my first few years. I think I was too focused on, like, winning and you know what I mean? There's a there's definitely a big ego ego, like, aspect to it too. You know what I mean? And once you kinda get over that, you know, and you kinda, like, develop think about more about, like, developing relationships with all these kids and how to how to how to push them in their own way, like, then that that kind of stuff goes away.
Brad:But, like, some parents don't realize that, like, we are thinking about your kid all the time. You know what mean? Like, like, what I would do with my coaches that have I have two assistant coaches. We would literally talk about the lineups every single day. What did you see from this kid from practice?
Brad:How is he looking today? How is he looking today? What is he doing tomorrow? Should we put him in this spot? Should we put him in that spot?
Brad:Do you think he can handle this? Can you handle the power play? I don't know. Can you can you handle PK? Can you handle varsity?
Brad:Can you handle taking a hit? Can you handle the you know what I mean? Like, we think about that stuff all the time. And I think what parents don't realize is that, like, you see kids in every situation in practice. Right?
Brad:Whether it's a small area game, whether it's whether it's a drill, whether it's a a locker room, you see them all the time under a different magnifying glass, a different lens than what you see them in their house. Know what I mean? So, like, you actually you really see kind of who they are. And I think a lot of coaches really are thinking about, like, how can I use this kid? And, you know, and I think I was saying that before because, like, as you get more experience, you learn more.
Brad:I try to think about, like, having my own kids in it and what you know, and how I would wanna treat my own kid on the team. And that's where I think parents kinda get wrong. And they're like, sometimes it's like if they would just lay back, things will work itself out. You know? Like, I think life has a way, hockey especially.
Brad:Hockey is like like, you know, it's a no joke sport from from everything, from, like, schlepping your bag to the rink, from putting your equipment on, from getting up at 6AM, from, you know, digging pucks out in the corners, from getting lit up in center. You know what I mean? Like, it's a no joke sport. So, like, it has a way of working itself out. And if your kid was needs to be at a certain spot, I think it'll it'll seek it'll work its way out, you know?
Brad:So Right.
Jamie:I have I have kind of a follow-up on that, Brad. Sure. Scott and I talk a lot, and we talk about youth kids, how when they make a mistake on the ice, a lot of the times their eyes go to the stands and go right to their parents.
Brad:Oh, yeah.
Jamie:Most of
Brad:the time Yeah.
Jamie:So Right? Most of time, it's to their dad. Right?
Brad:Yeah.
Jamie:So Sure. So do you see that at the high school level? Do you still see players looking to the stands after a mistake or something like that?
Brad:You know, not as much.
Jamie:You don't? Okay. I hope not.
Brad:Know? I think they grow out of that by the time they get to about you're 12, you're 13.
Jamie:They just don't give a fuck anymore about their parents.
Brad:Kicks in, they're just like,
Jamie:fuck you. Yeah. Exactly. They're like, you know what, dad? Go fuck yourself, you know?
Jamie:Yeah. Yep. I'm not playing that anymore. Good. That's why I assumed that because because we talk about it all the time.
Jamie:You know, how, you know, parents are kinda overbearing sometimes to their kids, and immediately the kid looks to the stands. I mean, before he even looks to coach. Yeah. Yes. They go to the stands.
Jamie:You know,
Brad:it's Yes.
Scott:Yep. So so, like, on that thread, though, so, what would be, like, red flags that you've seen, like, you know, if you're screening for crazy from a distance? Like, I'm sure you've crossed, like, the paths of a ton of parents at this point. Like, are there anything that, like, you would I say
Brad:smell it from a mile away, Scott.
Scott:So so so what what is it? Like, if you were to say, like, hey, parents out there, listen. Here are a few things that, like, I advise against. Is it, like, overcommunication? Is it, like, giving your kid different advice than, you know, playing advice than what you're giving them?
Scott:Like, what are some of the things that just like, dude, parents, like, just cut it?
Brad:I tell the kids one thing because, like, I've I've had I've gone through so many bad pitfalls with this that I I feel like I've kind of figured out better ways to handle these things. Yeah. Every parent wants their kid to play, and every parent wants their kid to succeed. And I I completely understand that. You know what I mean?
Brad:I totally, totally get it. The thing is, like, what you should this is what I this is what I told my players. I'm like, we're thinking about you. If you want if you, like, if you wanna, like, have a talk about, like, where you're at, where what you wanna do, don't come and ask me, you know, coach, I I wanna play on the first line, you know, or don't don't come ask me, coach, I want more playing time. Don't don't like, because I know you do.
Brad:Come and ask me. Say, coach, what can I do to get better?
Jamie:What can I do to earn it? Yeah. Exactly.
Brad:Right. Coach, what what I love hockey. Coach, what do I have to do to get better?
Jamie:Yeah. You know
Brad:what I mean? And then and then we can have an honest conversation about, like, where you're at, like, what you need to work on to get that. And then we can start to see, like like, a lot of kids will be like, coach, what do do to get better? I'll be like, you have to work on your foot speed right now. Like, your foot speed is a little too slow for where it's at, and we have to work on that.
Brad:Coach, how do I develop my foot speed? Well, you have to really work harder in drills. Like, you have to work on getting your your first three strides to the corner faster than that other guy, and that only that that comes with working hard in practice to seeing that. You know? Like, things like that or, like, you have to work on your physicality.
Brad:You know? And, like so if I'm a parent, I would strongly encourage either, like, the kid to come up to the coach to ask that, which is a great opportunity, or even, honestly, even a parent can come to a up to a coach. Like, if the kid's too too nervous about it because I like, at, like, 10 years old, 11 years old, 12 years old, 13 years old, that's hard for a kid to do that. At high school, they can do that now. They they're, like, they get to that point.
Brad:But at a younger age, like, I don't see any problem with even a a parent going up to a coach and being like, coach, thank you for coaching. What do I what should my kid work on to get better? What does he have to do? And then then you can start to have a good, open, honest conversation. Work on his hands.
Brad:You know what I mean? Like, I noticed when he receives passes, like, sometimes the puck's popping off his stick. You know what I mean? Like, work on just small little things like that. That's, you know, that that's one thing I think parents don't really realize not like, why is my kid on first line?
Brad:He needs to be playing with this kid. You know what I mean? Like Right. Coaches wanna look, coaches wanna win. You know?
Brad:Like, they're gonna put the best kid out there. You know? Like, so they're not just, like, intentionally putting your kid behind. I mean, I've had kids I've had parents cursing me, throw water bottles at me, and you know what? As once they got their punishment, I'm still gonna probably put them out there because I, you know, like, I I wanna win too.
Brad:You know? Like Right. We're I'm not gonna, like, you know, forever, you know, punish some kid for those things. I you know, I got thick skin when it comes to that. So Alright.
Scott:Yeah. Wow. That's crazy. You've had water bottles thrown at me by parents?
Brad:I had a guy the parent throw a Gatorade bottle at us from, like, yeah, from, like, you know, like, behind the glass. Oh, he threw it of nowhere. Kidding?
Jamie:Yeah. Yeah. That's wild.
Scott:What what was that about? Do you remember?
Brad:I benched his kid because he sucker punched some kid in the back of the head, so he didn't
Scott:want it. And the the And
Jamie:the guy didn't like that?
Brad:He didn't like that.
Jamie:I would have been crawling over the glass to rip my kid off the ice. I wouldn't even need the coach to do it. I mean, like
Brad:He he didn't like that. He he, like, you know, he thinks just like the NHL, where, like, you can, you know, go out there and just, you know, like, you should have retribution and stuff like that. Like, dude, it's not the NHL. Like, you can't do that.
Scott:You know? You can't do that.
Brad:You can't
Scott:do that. Wild.
Brad:You're teaching you're teaching, you know, like, you first off, you're you're we had we were up, by the way, too. Would've had a power play, but he chose to do that, and now now we're even up now.
Jamie:Pretty selfish. You know? Yeah.
Brad:Right. So, exactly. So, in addition to getting your revenge, know what I mean? Like, now just now you hurt us. Now you hurt our chances, and we lost that game too.
Scott:Oh my god. That sucks. Yeah. Wow. So, just listening to what you were saying.
Scott:So in terms of coachability, it sounds like that's, like, the number one thing you'd recommend to, like, players out there who are looking to get more ice time or maybe get on special teams or just improve generally speaking. Like, don't necessarily wait for the coach to come and, like, say, hey, buddy, x y z, because you're coaching, like, a whole team. If anyone's got concerns, just, like, you know, talk to the coach about how they can get better.
Brad:Yeah. And and, right, like, coachability is, like, like, the number one thing. You know what I mean? Like, you have to be coachable because that's gonna set you up for success. You know?
Brad:Like, skills obviously, skills are important. Skills will get you get you skills will get you in the door, but you have to be able to be coachable to be able to be successful once you're there. You know? And, like, you know, and then when you're having an open dialogue, an open conversation with a coach about it, now you know what they're looking for too. You know?
Brad:Right. Everyone's gonna coach a different way. Like, hey. I need you to be harder on the puck when you're when you're you gotta be first on the puck down there. Like, you have to beat that guy to that corner, and if you're not beat like, that's where I need you to get better at.
Brad:So if I if I just told you that, now now the opportunity's there. Oh, let's see what happens. You like, whatever. Next shift, he might be down there. You know?
Brad:So, like, I just think communication is, like, is the most important thing. You know?
Scott:Interesting.
Brad:And that's, again, that's something I I don't know. I just feel like I learned over time more.
Scott:And and so, like so when we say coachable, in your words, how would you define a kid that's coachable? What are the what are the the things that they're doing saying?
Brad:If I if I tell a kid to do something, like like, so simple, like like, puck pops out of the zone, the defenseman goes back and gets it, I want him to run d to d as fast as he can. You know what I mean? Like, I want that puck being spread as opposed to pushing it back up back up the wall, back up to where it's jammed up on. Right? So, like, I'm gonna tell him, hey.
Brad:Next time that puck is back, I want you to run d to d as quickly as you can. Right? That's a coachable moment. I just gave him a task. I want him to see if he's gonna do that.
Brad:You know? Right. So instead of thinking about his own, like, you know, agenda, he's gotta think about my agenda. You know what I mean? The coach's agenda.
Brad:So that's really more about being coachable there. So you know? Or, like like I said, like, when you when you're on that forecheck, I need you to take an inside out angle. Like, get to his shoulder and push him towards the wall.
Jamie:Push him
Brad:on what's really, really important. Put your stick to the inside so you're not gonna force him that way. And when I see him do that, I'm like, oh, okay. Now we're communicating. You know what mean?
Brad:Oh, dude, you did a good job. And then it's like, did oh, great job on that. That was perfect. And now I can start getting on the second guy. Hey.
Brad:You weren't in the right spot right there. He just did his job there. Now now we can start on the second guy. You know what I mean? So that that's like being real coachable.
Brad:I'm like, that's how a good hockey team. Like, Florida Panthers, man, like, those guys are just so good.
Jamie:Yeah. It's awesome watching them.
Scott:Can I just tell you, like, interest because we're obviously we know each other from high school back in the day? We're talking about high school. So fun fact, a kid that I played high school hockey with at Ramapo
Brad:Yeah.
Scott:He went on to have, like, multiple careers. I including, like, as a professional poker player, like, as a musician. Like, fast forward, dude is the AGM of the Florida panthers. Shout out to Sonny Nathas. Sonny Nathas.
Scott:Yeah. Dude, I I mean, I'd love to connect with him because it's been a long time, but, yeah, dude, it's, like, wild this podcast. I know.
Jamie:That's what I said. We gotta get him on sale in
Brad:the body.
Scott:He he brought the Stanley Cup to Ramapo.
Brad:That's unbelievable. Unbelievable. Right? McLaughlin had it. I think McLaughlin went to go see it.
Scott:Oh, probably.
Brad:Yeah. Yeah. He's the current Rambo coach. He must
Scott:have been able go see it. Yeah. I saw him on
Brad:Facebook or something like that. Yeah.
Scott:Yeah. So that's a fun fact that there's a someone that I played hockey with has raised the Stanley Cup.
Jamie:So cool. What's what's McLaughlin's first name? The Remco coat. Does he have a brother, Glenn?
Brad:Yes.
Jamie:Oh, man. I went to school with him when I was younger. My goodness.
Scott:Yeah. Jeez. That's wild. Yeah.
Brad:They grew up in the area. Forget. They did, right? Yeah.
Jamie:Matter of fact, I played baseball with, I think do you know Eddie Scherer?
Brad:Of course, was. He's my assistant coach.
Jamie:So I so I thought I you know, I thought he might be he might be. So I played baseball at Indian Hills with Eddie.
Brad:Oh, did you really? I gotta tell him.
Jamie:He's a great dude. Great
Brad:dude. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. He was my assistant coach for the last couple years, and he's still on my stuff.
Jamie:I'm pretty sure he doesn't know that I have a we have a podcast.
Brad:Oh, nice. Nice. Will soon. He will now.
Scott:He will now.
Jamie:You can tell him, man. I'm sure he'll text me about it. I haven't spoken him, but he's a good dude, though. Good guy. Yep.
Jamie:He's great. Yeah.
Scott:Alright. So so now we got you've you've been coaching for eleven years, and now you've got kids. And while they're not playing hockey, what's it like being, like, a career coach and a dad, and how are you navigating that with younger kids?
Brad:I kinda like watching them. I gotta be honest with you. I like watching them. You definitely feel the other side now. You know what I mean?
Brad:Because, like, I was on the coaching side for so long, and now I'm starting to feel the other side in terms of, like, some playing time, some coaching decisions. You know what I mean?
Jamie:The dad's side.
Brad:The dad's side. Exactly. So I'm definitely trying to, like, like, think about how I would want parents to be, and that's how I'm trying to live. But look look, like, you know, truth be told, like, it's hard. It's completely hard.
Brad:You know what I mean?
Scott:Like Yeah.
Brad:You have to do the thing that you don't wanna do. Yeah. You know what
Jamie:I mean?
Brad:You wanna go have a conversation with a coach. You wanna go do it because you feel like it'll make you feel better. You but the reality is it's not. You know? So I I completely you feel all the emotions that you know?
Brad:And it gives you good perspective on it too. You know? So
Scott:But do you think like, I you're you coach older kids, and so you got a lot of tools in your toolbox in terms of coaching. It's not like you're just like you've been, like, a younger kid coach where you just maybe know the basics. Like, you know some, like, high level stuff.
Brad:And Yeah.
Scott:Like, when you're talking I'm talk that's hockey. Obviously, you played high school football. But I guess more to the point in terms of, like, being a coach, are do you do you feel like you treat them maybe By high school kids? No. No.
Scott:No. I'm talking about your own kids.
Brad:Okay.
Scott:So because you're you know, you coach older kids, like, are you able to put on a different hat, like, when you're giving like, you know, talking to your own kids?
Brad:You you kinda have to, I feel like.
Scott:Well, I know you have to, but not everyone can. And so and so let me let me, like, maybe give a little more context here. So, like, myself, like, when I started coaching, and it was only for a couple years, nothing, like, with the like, on your level, it was all youth hockey. But again, I was, like, coaching my kid also, and here I am, like, you know, wanting to give him all this feedback and, like, try to, you know, like, watch watch video and, you know, pointing out all the things that he could be doing better. And, like, at times, was a hard ass, and, you know, it was just not you know, I I wasn't very reasonable often.
Scott:And it took a little while for me to see that. And I'm just curious if, you know, in your household, like, are there you know, how how things have been going for you? Are you able to, like, rein in, like, your coaching instincts and just kinda let the kids, like, you know, be kids? Or are you on them being like, guys, listen. We gotta do this.
Scott:We gotta do that. You know? Blah blah blah.
Brad:If yeah. Like, that's probably part of my down my, like, you know, my downfall there is is I'll I'll bring that home a little too much sometimes. You know I mean? Yeah. Especially with my older one.
Brad:Like, I'll probably be I'm probably a little hard much I'm, like, much harder on him. You know what I mean? And, like, I think sometimes that does translate into it. That's hard. You know what I mean?
Brad:I just kinda like Yeah. You know? Yeah. That that is that's a hard thing to do, man. You know what I mean?
Brad:To kinda like to flip that around. You know I mean? And try to like like get that perspective and realize that they're just kids and they're, you know, and and like what they're doing. It's it's hard. Yeah.
Brad:I mean, look, I'm I'm definitely not great at it, you know? I mean, just kind of like we're all just trying to figure it out one day at a time and trying to, you know, trying to just do our best and have a good relationship with the kids. But at the same time, you wanna also push them because, like, you know, you need to they need to be pushed. Right? You need to be like
Jamie:You talk about all the time. Yep.
Brad:Yeah. Like like, you know, and like we're also not there to be their friends, right? They have friends, you know, like they're were there to be their their their parent, you know, and you want to have a good relationship with them. But but it but it's hard. You know I mean?
Brad:Like, yeah, when they slam their doors and go in the rooms and you know, like don't wanna listen to you about their cell phones and, you know, just Yeah. You know? Yeah. It's it's yeah. And they, you know, like, do take my advice on sports a little bit, you know, because they they at least they know that that I come from a background that way.
Brad:They'll take a little bit of my advice. Not so much in baseball as much because now, like, my older one definitely is, way better than I ever was. So, like, you know what mean? So they will take my advice on certain things, but we'll see how long that lasts for.
Jamie:Yeah. Sounds familiar.
Scott:Well, I I can only imagine what a balance that is. Just trying to find, like, the right the right amount of pushing versus overstepping. And I think that's, like, a constant theme that keeps on coming up. And for every family every parent with their own kids different circumstances all different, but you know, just it's it's hard. It's hard
Brad:because coaching's easier than than parenting. You know
Jamie:I mean? Oh,
Brad:yeah. Coaching is way easier than than parenting teaching is easier than parenting. You know what I mean? Like, it's just you parenting is hard. Parenting is really hard.
Jamie:Very good. No question about it.
Scott:Yeah. And your two kids, do they are they similar in terms of their personality and the way that you approach them, or do you approach them differently? I mean, I know age is there's an age fair?
Jamie:Yeah.
Brad:Yeah. I I try to definitely be, like, as fair as I can because they'll call me out on it all the time. You know what I mean? Like Oh, yeah. And I got two boys, and they they they fight like crazy.
Brad:You know what I mean? Like so I have to I have to try to be fair and try to navigate the waters of, like, know, who's right, who's not not wrong, who's wrong, whatever. You know what mean? It's just too hard, so I just send them both to the rooms usually. You know what I mean?
Brad:So, like, and that's just, you know, that that's just what what we do. You know what I mean? You're You're both going down because I can't figure it out. So you're both going down. Yeah.
Brad:Yeah. It's both your fault.
Jamie:Even if it's not, it is. Yeah. Exactly.
Brad:And then they work it out though. Do. They've been working it out a lot that way.
Scott:Nice. That's good. Yeah. There was a mom that we had on our team, like, two years ago, and and she was that was basically, like, if the kids don't figure it out themselves, they're all getting punished. Yep.
Scott:So, like, I don't wanna hear it. You guys figure it out. There's three boys. Yeah. And, like, you guys figure it out.
Scott:But if I hear one word from any of you, it's all being Yeah. Taken
Brad:Yeah. That's so true. It's the only way the only way to go about it because you try to play judge Judy, and it's just too hard. You know? It
Jamie:doesn't work. It doesn't because you don't know who to believe and yeah. No. It doesn't work.
Scott:Yeah. It's very true. Just kinda bring it back to hockey for a second. I'm curious, like, I know so with kids that are about to, like, get to high school or wanna play high school hockey, is there, like, any particular path that is important or you'd recommend for kids? And when I say path, that's probably the wrong way of putting it.
Scott:But, like, in terms of prerequisite, either skills or experience, you know, for any listeners out there that have kids that are, like, just getting into middle school or thinking about playing high school hockey, is there, you know, any anything like, what are you looking for in particular when, you know, you're at tryouts, you got kids that are, like, I'm assuming a wide range of skill sets. Right? So probably not everyone has a spot. But, like, what are some of, like, just, like, the the minimum things that a player needs to have in order to be considered to even make whether it's the JV or or varsity team?
Brad:Right. So most most schools, you by default, you're on JV. Like, you know, like, we're not gonna cut except for Bosco and maybe Saint Joe's and maybe Bergen. Like, even them, they're not even really gonna cut that much right now. So, like, you know, you're almost pretty much guaranteed a spot.
Brad:It's just gonna be right where you end up or you end up on varsity or JV or your second JV team. Right? And to go from, like, an incoming freshman, which could be, like, a 13 or 14 year old kid to playing against an 18 year old kid is a huge, huge deal. Like, you're talking about a boy who maybe hasn't even hit puberty yet, doesn't have you know, doesn't has not developed, is not, like, thick. You know what I mean?
Brad:Is playing against a kid who's like Yeah. A man. Right. Exactly. Who would like you know, who's probably a hundred and eighty pounds and Yeah.
Brad:And and squats, like, three hundred. You know what I mean? Like, kid you know, kids are kids are really strong nowadays. So, like, kids coming in, it's gotta be a very special kid for a freshman to play varsity. You know what I mean?
Brad:Like, because you're also kinda like they have to really be ready for that. They have to be ready to be able to take a hit because kids just head on. Know how it is, right? Remember. Like, years old, oh, I remember.
Brad:All I wanna do is light people up. You know what I mean? Totally. And that's what you have to be able to handle that. So a lot of parents will be like, you know, I want my kid on varsity.
Brad:You know? Like but you kinda don't right away. You know what I mean? Like, you you kinda don't right away. So, like, playing high school hockey is it's often just a very physical sport, so, like, you have to be able to handle that.
Brad:That that's really a big, big component. And what's Otto? Is he is he 12?
Scott:No. No. He he's he's 10. He's 10. Oh, he's 11 next month, and he's twenty fourteen.
Brad:Right. He's at twenty fourteen. Okay. So, like right. So he hasn't even hit checking yet?
Scott:No. But but Jamie's son, Dominic, just did just started.
Jamie:Just had his first weekend last weekend.
Brad:Oh, nice. Yeah. Yeah. And and I always feel like that's a big jump. You know, mean, there is like, it's a different game now.
Jamie:No question about it.
Brad:Yeah, right. Like it's a completely different game now.
Jamie:Absolutely. You saw kids that were, you know, that had a lot of angst going into the corner now, Right?
Brad:Yes.
Jamie:Where they didn't the last couple years because there wasn't anything that was gonna happen to you. Now you go into the corner and you're not looking over your shoulder and, you know, you know, they're coming.
Brad:You know?
Jamie:So, yeah, you're a 100% route.
Brad:Yeah. So I I, you know, like and, like, to parents, like, I know you have you guys have a lot of parents around that age, like and especially, like, you guys deal with a lot of travel parents. So, like, their kids are probably pretty good, and they're probably gonna, like, wanna be on that that side. But, like as a freshman, be okay with JV. I have so many kids who look back and like, oh, look back and like, I love JV.
Brad:JV was the best. There was no pressure, no nothing. Know what mean?
Scott:Right.
Brad:Because believe it or not, everybody says this. We had an alumni game the other day.
Scott:Did you play?
Brad:No. This was in January, actually.
Scott:Coached him.
Brad:No. They want me to coach him.
Scott:Come on.
Brad:I know. Listen. You could be a player
Scott:coach.
Jamie:I was just gonna say, give that a player coach, I suppose.
Brad:I know. I know. Right? Like, Yarmin Rager. Owner Like, player.
Brad:Looking back on it, they're like, you know, they're like, those games were like, you know, we had Mahwah Ramsey or whatever. They're like, we were all so nervous for that. You know? And, like, they felt that they feel the pressure from that because I'd never felt that before. You know?
Brad:So, like, that's another thing another thing that they have to deal with. So, like, you know, be okay with sometimes, like, just getting on that JV team and just dominating on that. You know? So, like and then it comes back to, like, you know, coachability. Skating is always number one.
Brad:Skating is skating is number one. Number number zero, number one, number two, number three. Skate. Yeah. That's all.
Jamie:I I agree with that. Yeah.
Brad:Right? Like, skating is
Jamie:you know what?
Brad:You Yeah.
Jamie:What's that? It has to be these days. Right? The level of skill. Everybody's a stud skater.
Jamie:We've talked about it countless times on the podcast already. Yeah. You know?
Brad:Yes. Skate, skate, skate, skate, skate. And that's what I tell everybody. Like, go to everything you can, get on your edges, you know, like, that is the most important thing. So, I mean, just the candling, you're passing, you're shooting, that that can all come with time.
Brad:You know what I mean? But, like, skating is number one. That's really what you look for in tryouts too was, like, how's it kid skate? You know? Right.
Brad:As you skate, I could you know, I could you could tell within thirty seconds Mhmm. Of their first couple strides. Right? Their first couple crossovers, their first
Jamie:look like. Yep.
Brad:They're like, you don't really pivot that good. Nope. No. Your crossovers aren't very good. Nope.
Brad:No. So Yeah. There's always somebody who's gonna surprise you, but Sure. For the most part, you could tell right away with skating. So, like, I would just tell you know, whatever.
Brad:Skate, skate, skate, skate all all all the time.
Scott:And and when you were talking about just the physicality of the the varsity game, so for anyone that's got, like, a kid in eighth grade looking for, you know, freshmen, you know, let's say they're they're aspiring to play varsity, and that's what they have their mindset on. Like, are are we telling these kids hit the weight room? Like, if you wanna is that something you would
Brad:recommend? I think I think by the time you get to eight eighth grade, you should be lifting.
Jamie:Know what
Brad:mean? Okay. Like You should be you should be you don't need to be, like, you know, Doesn't need to be power on
Jamie:marketing, but you need to be lifting. You need to
Brad:be lifting.
Jamie:Like that. Yeah.
Brad:Yes. And that's I don't know. I guess I always wanted to. Like, I always wanted to lift and wanted to get stronger. You know what I mean?
Brad:And like, so I hope the kids wanna do that. Mhmm. You know? And I guess maybe that comes back to, like, you know, talking about passion and and what they wanna do. But, like, you know, hopefully, they wanna do those things because and you you don't even you don't even have to do be doing a weight.
Brad:You can do so much body weight stuff, you know, but, like, yeah, like, how how strong you are is really helps you out with physicality. Like, you can tell who's gonna be able to take a hit and who who can't. You know? You can tell right away. So and especially at that freshman, even sophomore, man.
Brad:Like, sophomores, like, sometimes there's not a lot of growing between freshman and sophomore years. Usually, by the time you get to be a junior, kids are everything starts to even out. But freshman and sophomores, like, you know, you never know. Everybody grows at different rates.
Scott:Sure.
Brad:I would definitely definitely be on some type of a strength program by the time you're at like that, you know, thirteen fourteen, you know, 14, I would say, yeah, for 14 is to get. Yep. It's it's not.
Scott:Does does does PML, do they do you have weight room time?
Brad:We do. For the hockey team? All summer.
Scott:All summer.
Brad:Yeah. I do twice a week. We do twice a week in the mornings, and I have the incoming freshmen there. You know? And I, like, I modify the program for them.
Brad:So, like, they're gonna come in, and they're gonna do all body weight stuff. They're gonna make sure their form is good, you know, not push them too hard on that stuff. And then we have summer league once a night. So, yeah, we do it all summer.
Scott:That's awesome. Right? Yeah. That's awesome. So sorry, James.
Scott:Did I cut you off?
Jamie:No. No. No. If you I I I'm gonna change the topic, but so you let me know, and I can change the topic.
Scott:Well, I'm gonna change it a a little bit. Okay. But I just wanted to also ask because we actually have not yet, and that this is gonna be a first for us, I think, James. Correct me if I'm wrong. But what girls in the sport.
Scott:Right? Like, high school level, like That's a
Jamie:really good call. Yeah.
Scott:Yeah. I mean, we neither one of us have daughters that are playing, and so I'm not very familiar with girls' ice hockey. I mean, in men's league, I see more and more women playing, but it's not a lot. I know the women's game has grown tremendously, and there's a ton of talent there. No doubt.
Scott:Yeah. But what what's the have you seen a lot of girls come to your program?
Brad:Yeah. Yeah. We've had a we've had a couple girls. We had a girl goalie who was outstanding. She was out.
Brad:She was outstanding. We've had a couple girl forwards. We had a girl defenseman and they can definitely play like they they can definitely play the the biggest hurdle for them is just the physicality of it.
Jamie:Really. Thought you were gonna say. Yeah.
Brad:Yeah. The the biggest hurdle is the physicality. They can handle the physicality of it. They'll do just fine, you know, because a lot of them can skate. A lot of them can pass, and that can that can do a lot.
Brad:Like, I remember Lakeland had a really good really good defense from a girl. Like, she could she could shoot. She could shoot. She could pass. She made all the right plays.
Brad:You know what I mean? Right. It but, like, you definitely, like, just like the boys, like, you have to be able to skate and and pass and shoot of that level. You have to be able to to skate, you know, with a with a at least sound like a double a kind of a I always say, like, high school hockey is like a double a, you know, level, you know? So you have to be able to to compete at that level.
Scott:Yeah. The so but in terms of, like, coaching, does that change, like, the girls on the team? I mean, I I don't wanna sound, like, ridiculous either. You know what I mean? But I'm like, I haven't coached girls in this like a coed thing, and it's a very physical sport.
Scott:I I don't do. Do you have to change your approach with the way that you're dealing with women on the team than you do with like guys or it's
Brad:just Honestly,
Scott:I mean, I wouldn't think you would need to, but I'm just curious.
Brad:You know what? Not really. I mean, the the girls who come in the sport are are fantastic. Yeah. They're there because they love it.
Brad:You know what I mean? Totally. No one's really been pushed. Like, I would like we said before, right? Hockey is a tough sport.
Brad:You're not don't just, like, do it. Like like there's so much so many hurdles to jump over in hockey that you don't only you only do it if you love it. So the girls who come in are like pretty tough. They're hardcore.
Jamie:Yeah. Yeah.
Brad:Yeah. They're pretty hardcore. Like I give them a lot of credit too, man. Like they like, they're not changing the normal locker room. They gotta slap their stuff out to the other side and they gotta come back in.
Brad:They gotta they gotta deal with, like, a lot of stuff, you know? So I give them, like, a lot of credit. I'll definitely treat them the same, and I feel like you kind of owe it to them to treat them the same too. You know? Yeah.
Scott:That makes a ton of sense.
Jamie:I would think they wouldn't want to be treated any different. Right. You know?
Brad:Right. Exactly. Exactly. You know, like like maybe I'll maybe of like, you know, but but you kind of treat every player differently too, though. You know?
Brad:Like, there's certain players you can, like, completely joke around with. Some players you just get on all the time because they just bug the crap out of you. You know what mean? And they're, you know, and there's some players who are you're you're just, you know, it's just easy, you know? Yeah.
Brad:And the same thing is with the girls too. Like, you know, like, they're just some that are that are that are just awesome, you know, and there's some that are just that are tough and there's some that are, you know, you don't know how to get to them. So it's just like, how do you how do you reach all these kids at at, you know, so it's it's it's all just it's all just part of the challenge.
Scott:Yeah, that's awesome. Alright.
Jamie:So alright. So here's here's my big question that I've been kind of saving. So for for our listeners who are overseas and in and in other states. Okay? So here in North Jersey and kinda where you're situated, you have, like, five, like, major private schools within, like, five miles in all different directions.
Brad:Oh, yeah.
Jamie:Right? Right? Of you guys? So I guess numb do you guy do you lose a lot of a lot of kids to those to those hockey programs with those private schools? And how are towns supposed to compete?
Jamie:And is the shrinking and the kind of coming together of all these towns, like like you said, Paramus, Maui, Linhurst, is that adding to these talents having to consolidate teams because kids are going to play private more so than than they were in the past?
Brad:Yes. It it it is in my opinion, we're losing, like, your top two to three players. Maybe even, like
Jamie:In
Brad:those towns. Four. Right. You know what I mean?
Scott:Oh, shit. Yeah.
Brad:To probably I'm talking, like school. Maybe, like, one per grade, say. So you so you're you're talking, like, four
Jamie:or five kids over a yeah. You know, you're absolutely right.
Brad:And that's decimating. Like, straight decimating of a program. Like, you can absolutely kill a program. And conversely, if you keep them, it's everything. You know what mean?
Jamie:So what we we Then they become studs, kids. Right?
Brad:Absolutely. You know? Yeah. And it's hard. It it is a there are certain kids that from day one, they're going to Bosco or Yeah.
Brad:They're going to Bergen or they're going to Joe's, you know, and or we lost a kid to
Jamie:god. Saint
Brad:Peter's Andover Academy up in Massachusetts.
Scott:Oh, really?
Jamie:Oh, yeah. Oh, they went they went up to to play, like, prep school up there. Yeah. Sure.
Brad:Yeah. I as an eighth grader, I was so excited about this kid coming up. I was like, oh, yeah. I was like, he's like, no. I'm going to Andover County, Massachusetts.
Brad:I was like, what?
Scott:Oh, I was
Brad:like, oh my god, dude. Oh my god. You know?
Jamie:That's tough.
Brad:Yeah. And and, like, there there's a couple each year. Yeah. It it absolutely kills you. Like, and, like, for my first, like, seven or eight years, we lost, like, nobody.
Brad:We lost, like, one or two kids. You know?
Jamie:Right.
Brad:And that and that was really it. And we we were keeping everybody, which was awesome. And I think everybody was just kinda staying. I think that was kind of the trend, really. And that was that was really cool.
Brad:That was when, like, when I feel like high school hockey was at its, like, peak in, like, that 2014, 2015, 2016. You know? It was, so many schools. Everybody was nobody was co op. Right.
Brad:It was awesome. It was really, really, really awesome. And now it's kinda like, you know, you just they're just they're grabbing all the good ones. They're just grabbing the good ones, you know? But Yeah.
Brad:I I think people kind of start to see like, oh, maybe I should stay, you know? So Right.
Scott:Well, you you were sharing just before that there was the that there are some instances where players make u turns also.
Brad:Yeah. Yeah. So we we had a kid who left. He was with us freshman year, and then they they plucked him over to Bosco, and now he came back. So, like, we are, like, over the moon to have him back, and it's so cool to see him come back.
Brad:He played summer league with us this year, and it just you know, it's gonna be really exciting to have him back. So So
Scott:are there, like, from what you've heard, seen, etcetera, are there any, like, any advice you might give to parents that are considering or getting lured or have a carrot dangled by these, like, you know, private schools? Like and now, like, maybe they're saying, oh, you're gonna play this, play that, only to find out that they're not playing that. Like, you know, just because they're talking to you and your kid doesn't mean that it's ultimately gonna be an awesome journey for you. Like, are you just kinda like buyer beware? You know, is there
Brad:Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And it's, like, it's such an interesting question. Right?
Brad:Oh, and it's such a loaded it's just it's just such a such a tough topic. The only thing I can say is this. You're gonna be competing against, like like, those parochials. They'll have, like, 50 kids at 50 kids in their program. Right?
Jamie:So you're thinking have, like, 70 plus now, I heard.
Brad:Right. It used to be 90. Like, my first couple years. Oh, yeah.
Scott:Oh my god.
Jamie:Like Oh, no. Like Shit.
Brad:I didn't know. Basketball, I always have, like, 90 kids at tryouts. Oh, you know? Jesus. Oh, yeah.
Brad:And then so they'd have three teams of 20, and then they would cut past that. Now they're down to, like, 55, 60 kids at tryouts, so they don't cut, and they'll just kinda, like, take them. Right?
Jamie:Right.
Brad:So you're gonna get you're you're you're out, you know, like, you're gonna get on the team. You'll probably play JV. Great. First year, you know, sophomore year comes. Okay.
Brad:You know, maybe you'll you'll get a sniff. It's not even the kids in the grade that you're concerned with. It's the kids below you and the new kids that are gonna come in that you also have to be concerned with. So even if they think that you're like, you're like, oh, yeah. I got this spot.
Brad:You don't know that. Like, some kid from Russia might just, like, hop in. You know what I mean? Or some kid from whatever.
Scott:Like legit from Russia?
Brad:Oh, yeah. They had kids from, like, like, like
Scott:Get out of here.
Brad:Dude, I'm not no joke.
Scott:Nothing surprising anymore.
Brad:Yeah. So, like Jesus. You have to worry about the kids not only in your grade, but you gotta worry about the kids below you, and the new kids who are gonna come in. So, that's what makes it really tough, you know?
Scott:Right. So and because of that, kids will end up doing U turns because the hockey that they thought they were going to play, they're not. Yes. And so they wanna get ice time.
Jamie:That's right.
Scott:They're going back to the interesting. So we we so you said, like, I don't know how many kids not that it really matters, but, like, you know, you're talking, like, a handful of kids a year? Or
Brad:No. Like, maybe, like, one or two a year.
Scott:Not too many.
Jamie:That come back.
Brad:But the problem is, if you take that over four years, that's eight stud players.
Scott:Right. Yeah. Right.
Brad:Those are eight game changing players. That's your power play. That high school. Yeah.
Jamie:Right. Right. Yeah.
Brad:You know, and you need kids who can put the puck in the net, you know, and that's that's that's kind of where it comes from on that.
Scott:Interesting. Yeah. Alright. We're getting a little long. Yeah.
Scott:I did wanna I guess one one thing I just wanted to sneak in there and but goaltending. You know? Yeah. What's what's been your experience in terms of, like, you know, for any parents that are out there that have goalies, is there anything that is particular to goalies that you would wanna call out in terms of, like, advice, thoughts, feedback on that position? And, you know, would would you anything different for them and those families?
Brad:So it's funny. Like, I never ever appreciated a goaltender until you become a coach.
Jamie:Like, never right, Scotty?
Brad:Like, I like, I remember our goalies, but, like, I never really thought about it. You know what I mean?
Jamie:Right. Well, you don't have a good one. It's a big problem.
Brad:That that's correct. That's exactly right. Like, the goaltender is the most important person on the ice. You know? Like, literally, the most important person on the ice, and I never thought about that until I was a coach.
Brad:You know? Like and and they look. They got the weight of the world in their shoulders. Like, that's a really tough position. Like, they, you know, they live in a soft one.
Brad:Everyone's like, fuck it, guy. You know what I mean?
Scott:Like Right.
Brad:Like, goddamn it. You know what I mean? But, like, look, if as a defensive, we make a bad pass. Oh, well, you know, puck goes around. Yes.
Brad:True. Right? Puck goes around. Okay. Let's get up the night next time.
Jamie:Normally, it doesn't wind up in the back of the net. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah.
Brad:Right. Exactly. You know? So, like, the the goaltending position is, like, I don't know. I never appreciated it before.
Brad:I have, like, so much respect for for goalies, whether it's, like, slapping their pads around, what they have to deal with, like, popping up and down, like, whatever. That's a tough position. Yeah. Parents as well, it's even harder. I think it's probably harder on the parents than it is probably
Scott:the kid. Can imagine that. Yeah.
Jamie:Goalie parents are a special breed.
Brad:Yes. Absolutely. Like to be a goalie, gotta have I think like the most important thing with a goaltender honestly is is first off your your your mentality like how you have to deal with your your failures. You know? Like Mhmm.
Brad:How you have to reset yourself when you when a goal the goal could be your fault or not your fault. Doesn't matter. You still have to move on. Right. And to be able to, like I mean, this is such like a like a like a mindful exercise of, like, being able to let something go and reset yourself and play the next play and and, you know, get back in the crease and and and get back at it, you know, and not let it eat away at you for the rest of the time, you know?
Brad:Or not be pissed off that somebody didn't back check. You know what I mean? Or, like or somebody didn't cover the back door. Right? Like, I mean, that's, like, the majority of these things that happen here, you know, but, like, you have to just move on.
Brad:And that I mean, it's that's a really, really hard thing to do. And so I think that's probably the most important quality of a goaltender. And then and then it's after that, like, now I see goaltenders in a completely different light, but, like, I noticed their mechanics. Mechanics are definitely, like, the second most important thing. How their how they move and how they are where they are positionally.
Brad:Like, I was talking about that girl goaltender. She was probably, like, five, six maybe on a good day.
Scott:Oh, wow.
Brad:But but she was always in position. Right? Always. She was just like, you know what I mean? She would just, like, move, like, up, down, left, right, up, down, back, forward, in, out.
Brad:Like, that is, like Yeah. She made up so much ground for that. You know? So that was really I don't know. That's like the two that's the biggest thing I think for goalies.
Brad:It's just like your mindset and your mechanics, you know, and then and then, you know, the other things would kind of work its way out, but it's a tough tough you you couldn't convince me to prime those paths too.
Scott:Good. You don't have to tell me about that. I've never tried. Right? No.
Scott:Me neither. Alright, dude. Listen. Well, I think we'll let James, you got anything else on your end?
Jamie:I I I fired mine. My my big one was the was the private school, you know?
Scott:Yeah. Definitely an interesting topic.
Jamie:Yes. Yes. I was curious to see how they dealt with that stuff.
Scott:All right. So, got a few rapid fire questions for you. Hit me. You ready?
Brad:Do it. Go.
Scott:You sure? Yeah. Okay. Have you ever had to cut a kid of a friend?
Brad:Not cut because you don't cut, but I had to not play a kid of a friend, and it was tough. Similar.
Scott:Okay. Was really tough.
Brad:What was the the kid too.
Scott:You did? Did that yeah. Wow.
Brad:Yep. It went south. And, like
Scott:It went south.
Brad:Yeah. And, again, like, I I wanted I wanted him to to put him out there all the time as much as I could. You know what I mean? Yep. Like, I again, this goes back to, like, what you think about.
Brad:Like, I'm thinking about it, but you also have to put the right kids out there. You owe you owe the other kids something too. You know?
Scott:No doubt. Doubt. Okay. Yeah. What what was the hardest conversation you had as a coach?
Brad:Hardest conversation is just telling kids they're not ready to to to to play yet. They're they're not ready for varsity yet. They're not ready to be for this yet. You know? Like, that's a hard conversation.
Brad:Or when they or when kids think they're better than they are, and they should be here, and Those they're are hard conversations.
Scott:Okay. One thing that you got wrong as a coach and you've learned from.
Brad:I sucked my first couple years. Sucked. Terrible.
Jamie:We sucked our first 30 episodes, so it's all good.
Brad:Terrible, man. You know what I mean?
Scott:So what's, like, the is is there one thing, like, one player
Brad:in things?
Scott:Yes. What's the one thing?
Brad:Like, you gotta be yourself when you coach. You can't be fucking Herb Brooks. You know what I mean? Like like, you just have to be yourself. Like, you can't you can't be, like, I don't know.
Brad:Like, you just you just gotta be, like, like, know what mean? Like, I wish sometimes I could be like that, like, you know, hardo, but you can't. I I gotta coach from, like, a different perspective, from, like, a from a rapport, from a love perspective as you know? And, like, that's that that works for me, and you gotta do that. That's that that's what I think what that that's what I definitely got wrong in the beginning, but I think then I learned over time, and that's, you know, that's why I'm still doing it.
Scott:Awesome, dude. Well, those are my rapid fire questions.
Brad:Cool.
Scott:Yeah, dude. This was super awesome. I I think our listeners are gonna get take away a ton from this dude. Thank you so much.
Brad:Dude, my pleasure, man.
Scott:Yeah. And listen to that. You already got the when do when do you guys kick off, like, practice, like, in earnest?
Brad:Right before Thanksgiving. I think Thanksgiving weeks ago.
Scott:Have a little bit of time.
Brad:Yes. We got some
Scott:little bit of time.
Brad:I'm enjoying my time off right now.
Scott:Well, enjoy all of it. Enjoy with the kids. Good luck to football season.
Brad:Listen. Thanks, boys. Listen. Like I said, you guys don't suck, man. You guys are all right.
Scott:Dude, James, did you hear that? We don't suck.
Jamie:We don't suck. Hey, listen. We're making progress. That's all
Scott:that matters. Right? It's progress, not perfection.
Jamie:That's right. The idea.
Brad:You know what? That's a great 100%, live by that motto.
Jamie:You know, I get better every day. That's what
Scott:I'm If trying to we continue not to suck, maybe we'll have you back on.
Jamie:That's right.
Brad:Congratulations, dude. Appreciate you.
Scott:You got it,
Jamie:Brad. Take it easy.
Scott:Take it easy, dude.
Jamie:Nice job with you, man.
Brad:See you. Bye.
Jamie:And we're back from our interview with Brad Siegel, the co head coach of Mawa Paramus Linhurst. Paramus Paramus Mawa Linhurst.
Scott:PML. PML. Go PML. Let's go.
Jamie:Hope you guys have a good season. Yeah. No. That was great. He's a good dude.
Jamie:That was a lot of really good insight about high school players.
Scott:Dude, you know what I thought was maybe, like, the not surprising, but, yeah, maybe surprising was when he was talking about how much he thinks about his players.
Jamie:That was cool.
Scott:And how parents I
Jamie:hope all head coaches and the coaches do
Scott:There was like two things. It was that part when he was saying what parent we were talking about what parents got wrong. And he says that, you know, a lot of times parents probably minimize or don't believe that the coaches are maybe thinking about their players and what's the best spot for their player as well as how it impacts the team. No, it's cool to
Jamie:hear that.
Scott:I think about it all the time.
Jamie:Yeah, and how he can use that kid to be successful and what he can do with him. These coaches don't wanna not play players.
Scott:Right.
Jamie:They have relationships with these kids.
Brad:Right.
Jamie:As long as the kid's not a yo yo.
Scott:Yeah. But then they also have an obligation to the team at large. And so they need you know? And Sure. Not once did I hear him talk about, like, prior doing things to prioritize winning necessarily insofar as that Right.
Scott:Or should I
Jamie:say Yeah,
Scott:yeah. Winning at all costs. I didn't hear him talk about winning at all costs. They do prioritize winning. That's why they put certain players in
Jamie:Of certain course. But they really want to utilize their entire I didn't
Scott:say that very well.
Jamie:Yeah. No, I know what you meant. And listen, that was nice to hear because I think sometimes us parents can get I don't have a high schooler, but you see it on the youth level too. I think sometimes us parents get a little in our own heads about our kids' playing time or how the coach is using our kids and I think that our minds wander into a not good area where when you actually hear it from the other side that the coach is actually trying to again, as long as the kid's not a yo yo, they're probably actively trying to figure out how they can use your child.
Scott:And your kid is not getting the kind of let's say playing time is like the source of the aggravation. He's like, you know, have have Have
Jamie:them come to me. But but ask He even said, have the parent come to me.
Scott:But ask how how can I get better? Not I want this or I need that. It's like, how can I get better? And for him, it's like that opens up the door for an open and honest conversation. And it's from that point where you can start, you know, giving the player an opportunity to do things differently, to earn more ice time, to earn special teams, whatever it might be.
Scott:Yeah. And that's I think that's subtle, but, like, maybe it's even not so subtle. But it's like a very important distinction about how to approach a coach.
Jamie:Yeah. I know he mentioned you have the parent mention how their kid can get better, how they can earn more ice time. But I like having the kid go. We've talked about that, you and I.
Scott:Right,
Jamie:Have 100 the kid go and have a conversation between him and his head coach on what he can do to get better. I like the fact that the kid goes, especially at that age, high school kids, that I like. I like them going and having to advocate for themselves.
Scott:But think about it, even for him who's got eleven years of experience, he still has the door open
Jamie:For parents.
Brad:For
Scott:parents to come and talk to him. And look, every kid is gonna be, you know, is different. There are kids that are probably dealing with different things.
Jamie:They might make
Scott:it more difficult for them to talk to a coach or whatever So it I mean, good on him for having the door open to both player and coach. Know?
Jamie:No. That was cool to hear. That was very cool to hear.
Scott:Yeah. And the other thing I wanted to say that oh god. Now it's escaping me. Oh, the for players that have their eyes on, like, playing varsity Oh, jump, from from freshman year.
Jamie:From a as a first. Yeah.
Scott:Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. He's like, listen. You have a four year gap.
Scott:Maybe it could be even more between a freshman and a senior. And your kid needs to be able to handle the physicality of playing against someone that's four years. It's like a man versus a boy at A
Jamie:this young versus a
Scott:A young man, better
Jamie:part A young man versus somebody who is probably still going through puberty.
Scott:Right. And we've seen high school athletes, and some of them are pretty fucking big
Jamie:No question about
Scott:it. And strong.
Jamie:Yes. Yes. And he mentioned that. Said kids are so much stronger these days. Know?
Jamie:Listen, you have to be a special kid, I think, to play varsity as a freshman. It's not impossible. Right?
Scott:That's the other thing. Right? It's not impossible.
Jamie:Definitely not impossible.
Scott:But but playing JV is a good stepping stone. Listen. And it might be a shot to the ego for some players that might have the talent. Right. But once you start playing against kids that are that much bigger, stronger, faster
Jamie:Yeah.
Scott:You know, there's only so much talent's gonna do for you before you're getting, you know
Jamie:You might just not be ready physically yet, which is fine. Exactly. Right? That's okay. There's nothing wrong with that.
Jamie:Right? It it's, you know, there right. Like you said, it may be a shot to their ego, But you know what? Your time will come. If you're a good player, your time will come.
Jamie:Right. You know?
Scott:Yeah. And even if you're just not the best player yet, you know, use that opportunity to get better. Don't be discouraged. No. No.
Scott:Just, you know, go to
Jamie:the gym. As fuel. Go to the weight room. Yeah. Ask the coach.
Scott:What do I need to Try get
Jamie:to put on 20 pounds of muscle. Try to put on ten, fifteen pounds of muscle between year one and two. Why not, right? It's only going to help you in the long run.
Scott:If that's what the kid needs, no doubt.
Jamie:Yeah. No, that was good. Again, have not really delved into high school hockey much yet. So that was good. I know we've done youth and a little bit of middle school, right?
Jamie:So that was good because I'm sure a lot of our listeners have kids that are on the cusp of high school or they're looking to take the kid to a private high school or whatever it So I think that was some good insight from somebody who's in the throes of it.
Scott:No doubt. Yeah. No. That was great.
Jamie:Yeah. That was cool.
Scott:All right, dude.
Jamie:Was good, man.
Scott:Yeah. What else to wrap things up?
Jamie:What else to wrap things up? If you guys have anything that you want us to talk about, write us in. We're always looking for stories. We're always looking for conversations. If you guys think there's this topic that we have not touched on
Brad:Yep.
Scott:Write us. Let us know.
Jamie:Give us a heads up. Don't forget about our Howie's Crazy 10 Code, our ProShot Elite, CHD10, our API, mentioned Crazy Hockey Dads. Our partners are great. They've been wonderful to us.
Scott:Yeah, check them out. We'll have some more interviews coming up this month. We're trying to look forward
Jamie:to it. Every other week ish, something like that is
Scott:the plan. Two feels good.
Jamie:Right now that the season's kind of on its way, we're going to try to do and we'll try to bring you guys some really interesting people. This was cool. And next, we're working on a couple of things. But I think the next one's probably going to be that college coach.
Scott:Oh, that would be amazing. Yeah. So to Yeah. Yeah, that would be amazing.
Jamie:That's going to be pretty cool. So be looking for that one probably two episodes away ish. Perfect. Yeah, that'll be cool. So I think that looks like it's going to happen, which is awesome.
Jamie:So yeah, man, so here we go. We're in it again.
Scott:We're in it. Welcome back. Hockey season.
Jamie:You're not kidding. My goodness.
Scott:No doubt. Yeah.
Jamie:Hope you guys had a good weekend.
Scott:Yes.
Jamie:I hope your kids played well. I hope you didn't have
Scott:Any major meltdowns.
Jamie:Any meltdowns. Yeah. And we'll see you guys in episode 32. And that's it. That's a wrap.
Jamie:Crazy. We'll see you, boys.
Scott:Alright, dude. Later. Good one. Talk to you.