Our Kids Play Hockey

💭 Do you ever feel guilty for missing hockey? Missing a practice for school. Saying no to a tournament. Choosing family time, another sport, or just a much-needed break. If that knot in your stomach feels familiar, this episode is for you.In this powerful conversation, Lee Elias and Hayley Scamurra tackle a topic that players, parents, and even coaches experience — but rarely talk about out loud: the guilt of not always being at hockey.From youth hockey pressures to elite-level perspective, Lee and Hayley unpack why this guilt exists, where it comes from, and how it can quietly lead to burnout if left unchecked. They also share practical advice for players and parents on how to communicate with coaches, recognize signs of overload, and create healthier expectations around commitment and balance.✨ In this episode, we cover:Why missing hockey doesn’t mean you care lessThe difference between commitment and burnoutHow family, school, and other interests actually help developmentWhat healthy communication with coaches really looks likeSigns your player may need rest — physically and mentallyWhy guilt shouldn’t be the driver in youth sports decisionsThis episode is a must-listen for families navigating packed schedules, emotional pressure, and the belief that hockey must always come first. Because sometimes, the healthiest choice is stepping away — and that’s okay.🎧 Listen in, reflect, and let us know what resonated with you.📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: Is It Okay to Miss Hockey? Navigating Guilt, Balance, and Burnout in Girls Hockey📩 Have a topic you want us to tackle? Email us at [email protected] or click the link in the show notes to submit your question.#OurGirlsPlayHockey #YouthHockey #HockeyParents #GirlsHockey #SportsParenting #AthleteWellbeing #HockeyLife #AvoidBurnoutClick To Text The Our Kids Play Hockey Team!Our Kids Play Hockey is powered by NHL Sense Arena! 🏒🥽Heading into 2026, hockey families are asking: How do we get better? More ice time isn’t always realistic — but smarter training is. Sense Arena uses VR and mixed reality to build hockey IQ, confidence, and decision-making for skaters and goalies at their own pace.🎯 Visit SenseArena.com/OKPH and use code OKPH to get 50% off plus $25 off an annual plan or headset bundle.Have A Topic You Want Us To Cover? Let us know!Please Be Sure To Subscribe & Leave A Review For Us On Apple Podcasts, doing so helps our show grow!Follow Us On Social Media: Facebook Group X Instagram LinkedIn YouTube

🧠 What if your thoughts and emotions were actually your biggest teammates?On this episode of The Ride to The Rink, hosts Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli are joined live from Sweden by sports psychology experts Johan Fallby and Henrik Cronebäck for a powerful conversation just for young hockey players.Together, they break down simple, practical mental fitness tools kids can use:On the way to practice 🚌Before a big game 🏒Even before a test at school 📚💡 You’ll learn why feeling nervous is completely normal — and how to use those feelings to your advantage instead of fighting them.🔑 Key takeaways for players:Why thoughts and emotions are your friends, not something to avoidThe SOAL method (Stop, Observe, Accept, Let Go) for managing nerves and pressureHow mental training is just as important as skating, shooting, and puck skillsA simple “Top Three” nightly habit that boosts confidence, well-being, and sleep👨‍👩‍👧 Parents, this one’s for you too — these tools work for kids and adults.🎒 Two golden nuggets. One short ride. Tools you can use for the rest of your hockey journey — and life.🏒 No matter where you’re at on your journey, we believe in you. You should too. Skate hard. Get better. Have fun.📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: Mental Strength for Young Hockey Players: Simple Tools to Build Confidence Before the Game#TheRideToTheRink #MentalFitness #YouthHockey #HockeyMindset #MentalStrength #SportsPsychology #GrowthMindset #HockeyKids #ConfidenceBuildingClick To Text The Our Kids Play Hockey Team!Our Kids Play Hockey is powered by NHL Sense Arena! 🏒🥽Heading into 2026, hockey families are asking: How do we get better? More ice time isn’t always realistic — but smarter training is. Sense Arena uses VR and mixed reality to build hockey IQ, confidence, and decision-making for skaters and goalies at their own pace.🎯 Visit SenseArena.com/OKPH and use code OKPH to get 50% off plus $25 off an annual plan or headset bundle.Have A Topic You Want Us To Cover? Let us know!Please Be Sure To Subscribe & Leave A Review For Us On Apple Podcasts, doing so helps our show grow!Follow Us On Social Media: Facebook Group X Instagram LinkedIn YouTube

Happy New Year, hockey friends and families! 🎉We’re kicking off 2026 by reflecting on how far Our Kids Play Hockey has come, thanking the incredible community that made it all possible, and sharing a few important updates as we head into our sixth year of the show.In this special New Year’s episode, Lee, Mike, and Christy talk about the growth of the podcast, the lessons learned along the way, the amazing guests and topics that continue to shape the show—and why listener feedback has always been the fuel behind it all. We also look ahead to a huge milestone year, including our march toward Episode 500.📣 Programming Update for 2026:• Main Our Kids Play Hockey episodes will now release on Thursdays• The Ride to the Rink moves to Saturdays, perfect for weekend drives to the rinkWe also share why our annual stats recap is coming a little later this year and how Buzzsprout is helping us tell that story in a new way.Thank you for being part of this journey—from first-time listeners to families who haven’t missed an episode. We’re excited, grateful, and ready for everything 2026 has in store.Happy New Year. We’ll see you on the next episode of Our Kids Play Hockey. 🏒💙Click To Text The Our Kids Play Hockey Team!Our Kids Play Hockey is powered by NHL Sense Arena! 🏒🥽Heading into 2026, hockey families are asking: How do we get better? More ice time isn’t always realistic — but smarter training is. Sense Arena uses VR and mixed reality to build hockey IQ, confidence, and decision-making for skaters and goalies at their own pace.🎯 Visit SenseArena.com/OKPH and use code OKPH to get 50% off plus $25 off an annual plan or headset bundle.Have A Topic You Want Us To Cover? Let us know!Please Be Sure To Subscribe & Leave A Review For Us On Apple Podcasts, doing so helps our show grow!Follow Us On Social Media: Facebook Group X Instagram LinkedIn YouTube

⏰ This is it. The final reminder.In this short but important episode, we’re officially in the last 24 hours of our massive year-end Wraparound Roundtable Grand Prize Giveaway—and we don’t want a single hockey family to miss their chance.🎁 One lucky family will take home an unreal prize pack, including:• A Sparx Skate Sharpener• Personalized hockey puck lamp• Heads Up Hockey lifetime subscription• Helios Hockey Core Sensor• BladeTech custom blades + swag• NHL Sense Arena $50 credit• Team Clix hockey sunglasses• Hockey Wraparound prize pack (Wraparound, pucks, MYBALL, and more)• Team set of Extinct Bomb deodorizers• Best Damn Tape sampler set~✔️ Entry is 100% free✔️ Giveaway closes in 24 hours✔️ Winner announced immediately after~👉 Head to HockeyWraparound.com, find the Wraparound Roundtable button, and enter now. This is truly the last call!Click To Text The Our Kids Play Hockey Team!Our Kids Play Hockey is powered by NHL Sense Arena! 🏒🥽Heading into 2026, hockey families are asking: How do we get better? More ice time isn’t always realistic — but smarter training is. Sense Arena uses VR and mixed reality to build hockey IQ, confidence, and decision-making for skaters and goalies at their own pace.🎯 Visit SenseArena.com/OKPH and use code OKPH to get 50% off plus $25 off an annual plan or headset bundle.Have A Topic You Want Us To Cover? Let us know!Please Be Sure To Subscribe & Leave A Review For Us On Apple Podcasts, doing so helps our show grow!Follow Us On Social Media: Facebook Group X Instagram LinkedIn YouTube

🟦 Feeling tired, burned out, or just plain stuck halfway through the hockey season? You’re not alone.This episode lands right in that in-between space — after the early-season excitement fades and before playoff hockey really begins. The skates might be hanging in the garage, the coffee intake is way up, and families everywhere are wondering how to make the final stretch of the season actually matter.In this conversation, Lee, Christie, and Mike dig into how players, parents, and coaches can reset, refocus, and rekindle their hockey experience heading into the most important months of the year.💡 In this episode, we cover:Why reflection matters before pushing forwardHow coaches should redefine roles, standards, and “wins” mid-seasonWhat parents can do when their child is on a losing team — or feeling burned outWhy records don’t define development (and never have)The importance of communication, confidence, and cultureHow to make January and February feel like a fresh start, not a grindSimple mindset shifts that help kids love the game again❤️ Whether your child’s team is winning every weekend or struggling to find momentum, this episode is a powerful reminder that youth hockey is about growth, connection, and long-term development, not standings.🎧 Listen now, reset your perspective, and make the rest of this season one your family feels proud of.📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: Reset, Refocus, Rekindle: How Families Can Make the Second Half of the Hockey Season Matter📩 Have a question or topic you want us to cover? Email us or tap the link in the episode description — many of our episodes start with you. #OurKidsPlayHockey #YouthHockeyParents #HockeyDevelopment #HockeyMindset #YouthSports #HockeyCoaching #HockeyParenting #LoveTheGame #PlayerDevelopmentClick To Text The Our Kids Play Hockey Team!Our Kids Play Hockey is powered by NHL Sense Arena! 🏒🥽Heading into 2026, hockey families are asking: How do we get better? More ice time isn’t always realistic — but smarter training is. Sense Arena uses VR and mixed reality to build hockey IQ, confidence, and decision-making for skaters and goalies at their own pace.🎯 Visit SenseArena.com/OKPH and use code OKPH to get 50% off plus $25 off an annual plan or headset bundle.Have A Topic You Want Us To Cover? Let us know!Please Be Sure To Subscribe & Leave A Review For Us On Apple Podcasts, doing so helps our show grow!Follow Us On Social Media: Facebook Group X Instagram LinkedIn YouTube