Buying New Skates

As the season has come to a close and the spring is upon us, many hockey stores will begin to roll out their big spring equipment sales. For many, this is a great time to find a good bargain on a new pair of skates! Let’s take a look at some things we should look for when searching for our next pair of skates:

​Skate size: the most important component when buying new skates is obviously the size of the skate. For those who are still growing, it is important to leave enough room to grow when sizing up your skate. After all, skates are expensive! A little extra toe room is a smart call for comfortability and growth reasons.

Comfort: this is a major component when choosing the right pair of skates. You must ensure that your feet are comfortable in the skate boot. It’s okay if your feet feel a little pinched, as that will go away after a few uses. If the skate feels as if it fits like a shoe, that’s the perfect feeling you’re looking for!

​Pricing: top of the line skates can cost upwards of $1,000 at your typical retail hockey store. The secret these hockey stores won’t tell you is that unless you’re an elite-level player, you don’t need the top-of-the-line skates! The pair that is $300 to $400 will treat you just as nice as the pair that is $1,000.

​Skates are absolutely an investment and an important one! Make sure you take the time to do your research before purchasing. And remember, it’s okay to try skates on at the store and not buy them that day!

Boosting Our Self Confidence

With the season wrapping up and tryouts being right around the corner it is important to maintain a high level of self-confidence. Maintaining the proper level of self-confidence can make or break a player. With self-confidence, a player has the ability to make plays and try different things that they might not have done otherwise. Here are a few ways you can help boost your self-confidence and make you a better player:

1.) Let go of Fear – Most of our failures in sports are rooted in fear of failing. Once you are able to understand that fear is simply a mindset, you will be able to make plays that you thought you may never be able to make

2.) Make no comparisons – If you maintain focus on yourself, rather than what others are doing, you will find yourself more comfortable than you’ve ever felt before. 

3.) Play for yourself, not others – There is a great value in doing things for you, and only you. When you are focused on pleasing others you are left in a difficult position. Focus on making yourself happy, then the rest will fall into place!

4.) Strive towards progress, not perfection – When we focus on taking our game step by step we will feel much more gratitude and appreciation for our work. If we are constantly focused on perfecting our game, we will never be satisfied with our effort and progress!

These are a few of the many tips and tricks to maintain confidence within ourselves. If you had a season that didn’t necessarily live up to your expectations, that’s okay! Time to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and be confident in your abilities!