Off-Season Training Tips

off-season training tips

The buzzer sounds and a bittersweet expression crosses your face. It’s the end of the season, and you are just about ready to "hang ’em up." You’ve invested your hard-earned dollars in hotels, equipment and meals on the road and finally have the opportunity to put your feet up at night. Your hardworking young athlete finally gets to spend some time with long-lost friends and, if you’re lucky, spend "a little" more time on homework.

For many, the off-season means the beginning phases of the next season. Tryouts become much more competitive, and that opportunity to play on the select team sounds really appealing. Your child is getting older and is starting to look like he or she is getting serious about hockey.

So what should your child be doing from March to August to maximize potential for success in the following season and years to come?

• Take a break. The off-season means exactly that, so it is important that the early spring be devoted to rest and time away from the sport altogether—both physically and mentally.
• Play another sport. In keeping with the recommendations of the Long Term Athlete Development plan and the objective of being "active for life," it is important young athletes partake in a wide variety of athletic endeavours to develop all-around athleticism and prevent burnout.
• Develop physical literacy. Most sports require a minimum foundation of movement and sport skills for success. Skills such as agility, balance and coordination can be achieved by engaging in both planned and unplanned activities appropriate for the age of the athlete. Enroll your child in a multi-sport program such as summer camp or, better yet, spend plenty of time on family-based activities such as hiking and biking.
•  Have fun. Finally, all young athletes should place "fun" at the top of their priority lists each off-season. The regular season can be quite stressful, so any activity that emphasizes this three-letter word, regardless of its relation to our national pastime, will prove beneficial for the success of your child for the upcoming season and for the rest of his or her "hockey career."