Our Kids Play Hockey | Hockey Stories & Teamwork Tips

🏒 Raffle tickets. Chocolate bars. Coupon books. Car washes. Poinsettias. If you’ve spent enough time around youth hockey, chances are you’ve been asked to sell at least one of them. But does fundraising still have to work that way?
On this episode of Our Kids Play Hockey, Lee Elias, Mike Bonelli, and Christie Casciano Burns sit down with Ryan and Justin from Hero Picks to explore how technology could reshape fundraising for hockey teams, charities, and communities.
Hero Picks was created around a simple question: What if fundraising felt less like asking people for money—and more like inviting them to be part of something?
Ryan and Justin explain how their platform combines fundraising with prediction games, friendly competition, leaderboards, prizes, unique experiences, and social engagement. Instead of simply sending another donation link to the same friends and relatives, teams can potentially create an experience that gives supporters a reason to follow along, participate, and stay connected.
🏒 In this episode, you’ll hear about:
Why traditional youth sports fundraising can create donor fatigue
💡 How Hero Picks is trying to make fundraising more interactive
Why community and connection may be just as important as the money raised
How individual players and families can participate through personalized fundraising links
How leaderboards, prizes, and unique experiences can motivate participation
The difference between sports betting and Hero Picks’ prediction-based fundraising model
How supporters can potentially engage with a team even when they live across the country
Why transparency matters when teams are collecting and distributing money
How technology and AI can reduce administrative work while keeping a human element
Ways teams can raise money not only for themselves, but for charities and access-to-hockey initiatives
Why Ryan and Justin believe fundraising could become far more experiential in the years ahead
The conversation also goes beyond hockey. Ryan and Justin share how the same model is being explored with veterans, first responders, nonprofits, combat sports, and other charitable efforts—and why they believe experiences people can’t simply buy may become an increasingly powerful fundraising tool.
And yes, the group also asks the most important question of all:
Can we finally retire the poinsettia fundraiser? 🌺
🎧 Listen now for a conversation about innovation, community, youth sports costs, and what fundraising could look like when the experience becomes part of the reason people participate.
📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: Prepare, Believe, Reset: Is There a Better Way to Fund Youth Hockey?
If your hockey organization is looking for new fundraising ideas, this episode may give you a very different way to think about the possibilities.
#OurKidsPlayHockey #YouthHockey #HockeyFundraising #YouthSportsFundraising #HeroPicks #HockeyParents #YouthSports #HockeyCommunity #SportsTechnology #HockeyTeams #NonprofitFundraising #FundraisingIdeas
Click To Text The Our Kids Play Hockey Team!
Hockey IQ: Scanning the ice, recognizing pressure, anticipating what happens next, making the right decision faster. Research shows these perceptual and decision-making skills can actually be trained. With NHL Sense Arena, kids can get extra game-like reps at home, working on hockey IQ, reactions, real stick-handling for skaters, while goalies can train reads and tracking. Save $25 on an annual plan with code OKPH at http://hockey.sensearena.com/okph
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 separates a good hockey player from a great one—and what can young players start doing right now to improve?
In this special Q&A edition of Our Girls Play Hockey, Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli put Hayley Scamurra in the hot seat with questions submitted by young players, parents, and coaches.
From starting hockey at just three years old on a backyard rink (with a little help from M&Ms!) to competing at the highest levels of the game, Hayley shares the lessons that shaped her development—and many of them have less to do with flashy skills than you might think.
🔥 In this episode, we explore:
🏒 Why work ethic and hockey IQ can separate players as much as individual skill
💪 What young athletes can do every day to keep improving
🧠 What it really means to be a coachable player
📈 Why players should develop weaknesses and continue building their greatest strengths
👀 How Hayley identifies areas of her own game that still need improvement
🎯 How visualization and routines can help athletes prepare mentally for competition
🥅 Why goalies may need a different approach to staying focused during games
❤️ How injured players can stay connected to their team and continue developing
👨‍👩‍👧 What parents can do when their child is sidelined by an injury
One of the biggest lessons from this conversation? Development never really stops. Even at the professional and international levels, players are still identifying areas to improve, learning what makes their game unique, and finding ways to become better teammates and competitors.
Whether you're a young player trying to make the next team, a coach looking to develop the person behind the player, or a parent supporting your daughter through the ups and downs of hockey, this episode is packed with practical perspective you can take straight to the rink.
And this is only Part One of the Q&A with Hayley Scamurra—more listener questions are still to come!
📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: Prepare, Believe, Reset: What Really Makes a Great Hockey Player? Lessons on Development, Coachability and Mental Toughness with Hayley Scamurra
🎧 Listen, share the episode with a hockey family who could use it, and keep the questions coming for Our Girls Play Hockey.
#OurGirlsPlayHockey #GirlsHockey #WomensHockey #YouthHockey #HockeyDevelopment #HockeyIQ #HockeyTraining #HockeyParents #HockeyCoaching #FemaleAthletes #MentalPerformance #HockeySkills #HayleyScamurra
Click To Text The Our Kids Play Hockey Team!
Hockey IQ: Scanning the ice, recognizing pressure, anticipating what happens next, making the right decision faster. Research shows these perceptual and decision-making skills can actually be trained. With NHL Sense Arena, kids can get extra game-like reps at home, working on hockey IQ, reactions, real stick-handling for skaters, while goalies can train reads and tracking. Save $25 on an annual plan with code OKPH at http://hockey.sensearena.com/okph
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

🥅 Your goalie isn’t playing alone—and keeping the puck out of the net is everyone’s responsibility.
In this episode of The Ride to the Rink, Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli speak directly to young hockey players about something every great teammate needs to understand: your goaltender is one of six players on the ice, not a separate part of the team.
After hearing hundreds of comments from hockey parents about what they wish others understood about goalies, Lee and Mike bring those lessons straight to the players.
For goalies, there’s an important reminder: you’re seen, supported, and appreciated. The pressure of playing in net can sometimes make you feel like you’re on an island, but there are teammates, parents, coaches, and hockey families who understand just how demanding the position can be.
And for the skaters? There’s a responsibility that comes with being a great teammate.
🏒 In this episode, players will learn:
Why goals against are a shared team responsibility
How skaters can help limit shots, clear rebounds, and avoid screening their own goalie
Why communication with your goaltender matters
How to safely take shots around a goalie during warm-ups
Why you should never shoot when your goalie’s back is turned
Why pregame warm-ups aren’t the time for breakaway moves and highlight-reel dekes
How shooting accurately to the glove, blocker, and pads actually helps your goalie prepare
Why supporting your goalie can make the entire team stronger
🔥 The big message? Warm your goalie up—don’t try to beat them.
A three-minute youth hockey warm-up isn’t a skills competition. It’s a chance for everyone to get comfortable, feel the puck, get their body moving, and prepare together.
Whether you wear goalie pads or skate in front of the crease, remember: it takes all six players working together to defend the net.
Work hard. Have fun. Be a great teammate. And wherever you are in your hockey journey—believe in yourself.
📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: How to Be a Better Teammate to Your Hockey Goalie
🎧 Want to hear the full conversation with hockey parents that inspired this episode? Check out the corresponding Our Kids Play Hockey episode for even more insight into what goalie families experience.
#TheRideToTheRink #YouthHockey #HockeyGoalie #GoalieLife #HockeyKids #HockeyTeamwork #YouthHockeyPlayers #GoalieWarmup #HockeyDevelopment #BeAGoodTeammate #OurKidsPlayHockey
Click To Text The Our Kids Play Hockey Team!
Hockey IQ: Scanning the ice, recognizing pressure, anticipating what happens next, making the right decision faster. Research shows these perceptual and decision-making skills can actually be trained. With NHL Sense Arena, kids can get extra game-like reps at home, working on hockey IQ, reactions, real stick-handling for skaters, while goalies can train reads and tracking. Save $25 on an annual plan with code OKPH at http://hockey.sensearena.com/okph
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 do goalie parents wish every skater parent understood? Apparently… a lot.
When we asked that question on social media, we expected a handful of responses. Instead, more than 210 goalie parents jumped into the conversation—and their answers opened the door to a discussion every hockey family should hear.
In this episode of Our Kids Play Goalie, Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli dig into those responses and unpack the things skaters, parents, and coaches may never fully appreciate unless they’ve experienced life between the pipes.
From the right way to warm up a goalie to the emotional pressure that comes with having every mistake potentially show up on the scoreboard, this conversation is about creating more awareness, better teammates, and healthier hockey environments.
🏒 In this episode, Lee and Mike discuss:
🥅 Why a goal against is rarely the responsibility of one player
🔥 Why warmups should prepare your goalie—not become a breakaway competition
🚨 The safety rule every young player needs to learn: if the goalie isn’t looking, don’t shoot
👀 Why skaters need to listen when a goalie says, “I can’t see!”
❤️ Why some goalie parents are quiet during games—and why it probably isn’t personal
🧠 The enormous mental challenge of giving up a goal and immediately preparing for the next shot
🤝 Why rebound control is a shared responsibility between goalies and their teammates
📊 Why save percentage and goals-against average rarely tell the whole story
🗣️ How communication between goalies, defensemen, forwards, and coaches builds stronger teams
🏒 Why coaches must deliberately include goalies when designing practices
💪 How confidence from teammates can help a young goalie develop confidence in themselves
One of the biggest reminders from this conversation? A skater can make a mistake and the game keeps moving. When a goalie makes one, the horn may sound and the scoreboard changes.
That doesn’t mean goalies should be protected from accountability. It means hockey families need to understand the position, recognize the shared responsibility of a team, and help young goalies learn from mistakes instead of making them feel defined by them.
And for the skaters listening: your goalie wants to be part of the team. Talk to them. Protect them. Listen to them. Clear rebounds. Give them a proper warmup. And remember that when the puck goes in, they probably don’t need anyone reminding them.
📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: What Goalie Parents Wish Every Hockey Family Understood
🎧 Listen now and share this episode with a skater parent, coach, or teammate who wants to better understand the person behind the mask.
This episode is powered by NHL Sense Arena. You can also find current offers from NHL Sense Arena, Hockey Wraparound, books from the Our Kids Play Hockey team, and more at ourkidsplayhockey.com/deals.
Keep supporting the goalies who support your team—and keep building better hockey environments together.
#OurKidsPlayGoalie #YouthHockey #HockeyGoalie #GoalieParents #YouthHockeyParents #GoalieLife #HockeyParents #GoalieTraining #HockeyCoaching #YouthSports #HockeyDevelopment
Click To Text The Our Kids Play Hockey Team!
Hockey IQ: Scanning the ice, recognizing pressure, anticipating what happens next, making the right decision faster. Research shows these perceptual and decision-making skills can actually be trained. With NHL Sense Arena, kids can get extra game-like reps at home, working on hockey IQ, reactions, real stick-handling for skaters, while goalies can train reads and tracking. Save $25 on an annual plan with code OKPH at http://hockey.sensearena.com/okph
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 does your player know before they ever touch the puck?
That question is at the heart of hockey IQ — and in this special edition of Our Kids Play Hockey, Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli are joined by former NHL defenseman Andrew “Albe” Alberts, who played more than 450 NHL games and now works with the NHL Sense Arena team, to break down one of the simplest and most important habits in the game: shoulder checking.
It may sound basic, but knowing what’s behind you before you get to the puck can completely change what happens next. A good shoulder check helps players recognize pressure, identify open ice, protect themselves, create more time and space, and make a better first play.
And as Albe explains, this isn’t just a skill for defensemen — or even just for older players. It’s a fundamental habit that can help players at every position and every age become faster thinkers and more confident decision-makers.
🔥 In this episode, you’ll learn:
👀 Why shoulder checking is one of the foundations of hockey IQ
🧠 How scanning the ice helps players create more time and space
🏒 The three key steps young players can use when retrieving a puck
⚡ Why knowing your next option before touching the puck speeds up your game
🛡️ How shoulder checks can help players protect themselves from pressure
🎯 Why repeatedly throwing the puck away often starts with a lack of information
📈 How coaches can progressively teach puck retrieval and awareness
🔁 Why repetition is essential for building good habits — and breaking bad ones
🥅 How NHL Sense Arena creates game-like reps for scanning, reading pressure, and making decisions
One of Albe’s biggest messages for young players is also one of the easiest to remember:
Shoulder check more than you think you need to.
The habit of looking before you arrive at the puck gives you information — and information gives you options.
This episode launches a monthly hockey IQ series powered by NHL Sense Arena, designed to give hockey families one practical concept at a time that players can understand, practice, and take directly into their game.
🎧 Listen together with your player, talk about what they see on the ice, and challenge them to start building the habit of looking before the puck arrives.
Learn more about NHL Sense Arena at hockey.sensearena.com/OKPH.
📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: The Hockey IQ Habit Every Young Player Should Learn: Why Shoulder Checking Changes the Game
If this episode helped your hockey family, make sure to like, subscribe, and share Our Kids Play Hockey with another parent, player, or coach.
#YouthHockey #HockeyIQ #HockeyDevelopment #HockeyParents #HockeyTraining #ShoulderCheck #HockeySkills #SenseArena #NHLSenseArena #HockeyCoaching #PlayerDevelopment #OurKidsPlayHockey
Click To Text The Our Kids Play Hockey Team!
Hockey IQ: Scanning the ice, recognizing pressure, anticipating what happens next, making the right decision faster. Research shows these perceptual and decision-making skills can actually be trained. With NHL Sense Arena, kids can get extra game-like reps at home, working on hockey IQ, reactions, real stick-handling for skaters, while goalies can train reads and tracking. Save $25 on an annual plan with code OKPH at http://hockey.sensearena.com/okph
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