Tag Archive: news
April 5, 2022 3:53 pm
Published by Russ Sinkewich
Often, you’ll hear the phrase “be a student of the game”, but does your athlete truly understand the meaning of this. The impact of living this this idea to its fullest can be profound! No different than our effort and application in the classroom at school the same needs to be done around the sport.
- “Listen” don’t “hear”
- Take the coaching and apply it! Listen and embody the lessons being taught, don’t just hear the coach and settle back to your ways. Coachablity is KEY!
- “Watch + learn” don’t “space out”
- Be totally engaged in the process of learning. When a drill is being done by others watch it like a hawk. The amount of growth that can be done simply by watching and learning from others positives and negatives is a difference maker in your development.
- What are you doing when no one is watching?
- The commitment to your craft cannot be a part time thing. If you have sincere goals about achieving great things in the sport then your commitment off the ice needs to be as sincere as those goals. Shooting-stick handling at home daily, a healthy diet, working on your athleticism, constant self-reflection; not only on your goals but with your mindset and mental approach to your growth.
There is NO better than moment than right now to develop your off-season plan and lay the foundation to become an “A” student of the game!
March 19, 2020 3:10 pm
Published by Russ Sinkewich
Within the current state of slowing down and staying in, we’re finding ourselves with a lot of idle time. Stay accountable and use the off time to your advantage! Lock in on your nutrition and physical activity! Here’s some simple aspects to work into your home training regimen!
- Speed
- Agility foot speed ladder
- Sprinting – focus on short bursts
- Agility cone drills – focused on aggressive, cutting patterns.
- Jump rope
- Power
- Body weight pushups, squats
- Any type of jumping exercises
- Squat jumps, tuck jumps, single leg jumps, lateral jumping
- Single leg balance exercises
- Hill or Stair running
- Band resistance exercises.
- Conditioning
- Jogging for distance +/or time
- Rollerblading/Bicycling
- Burpees + Jump Rope
- Core Strength
- Countless number of ab and core exercises.
Outside of the physical activity, be sure you’re matching your efforts in the kitchen – focusing on your nutrition too! Keep up to date on all our Instagram and Facebook Stories! We’re having fun with the #CoachRussChallenge! Our goal is to keep our OHP Families mentally and physically healthy during this time
October 29, 2019 4:54 pm
Published by Russ Sinkewich
When one of the most exciting parts of the game presents itself – “the breakaway”, don’t waste this one on one opportunity to light the lamp! Whether you’re watching a game on TV, or a youth practice or game, here’s some next level secrets that will make all the difference!
- Speed
- Your attack speed is a vital element on your side. Understanding when you should be skating at full speed to push a goalie back in their crease, or when to slow down (time permitting) to allow you to out wait the goalie. The speed and timing of your approach is crucial!
- Deception
- This features your stick handling ability, as well as your lateral (side to side) movement with your head and shoulders. The sneakier the better! Remember, when stick handling, its the top hand that drives each cradle of the puck!
- Angles
- If possible, take an angle in your approach to the net. This will challenge the goalies positioning in net. The more you’re able to get a goalie moving side to side, the more holes will open.
Have a safe and fun Halloween!
October 14, 2019 1:21 pm
Published by Russ Sinkewich
As a player, you work your tail off to put yourself in a position to get a shot on net. Be sure to make each and every shot count! Here’s a few pro tips that should be racing through your head just before you take that picturesque shot:
- Use Key Fundamentals
- Flex. Let the flex of your stick do the work. This is what adds speed and power. Your top hand “pulls” at the same time your bottom hand “pushes”.
- Blade Positioning. Your blade needs to ALWAYS stay closed (and cupped) over the puck. The second the face of the blade opens; a bad shot will follow.
- Follow Through. Turn your wrists over at the end of your shot allowing an accurate, powerful follow through.
- Total Body. Its not just your arms. Engage your legs and core muscles to add power to your shot!
- Heads up – Placement Matters!
- The hardest shot in the game still won’t go through a goalie! Take that split second and pick up your head to lock in your sights on where you’re shooting! When in doubt, keep the puck low to allow a rebound for a teammate driving the net!!!
- Release Speed
- You shouldn’t be counting out “Mississippi’s” during your shot release. Get the puck to your loaded position at the back of your stance ASAP, then trust your fundamentals to drive that shot from the loaded position to the final point of the release as quickly as humanly possible!
We can’t wait to watch the goals pour in this season!
September 9, 2019 4:38 pm
Published by Russ Sinkewich
A new season! A fresh start, a clean slate! You only get one first impression – Make the most of it! Start the year off the right way:
o Some short term, easily attainable, others, big picture and months away from achieving. Speak them into existence!
o What better time than TODAY to take action! Don’t ease into the year, get after it early!
o Success will always follow preparation. Set your athlete up to be as successful as possible this season! Academics, Practice + Games, Nutrition, and Rest + Recovery should all be highlighted in the game plan!
Let your off-season training take over this fall! We’re so excited to watch everyone’s growth and goal crushing efforts this season!
April 21, 2019 1:20 pm
Published by Russ Sinkewich
Just because you’re not on the ice as much as you would be in season doesn’t mean you can’t be putting in the work in other parts of your game! For all of our athletes not yet in a gym consistently or working with performance training specialists here’s some simple key factors to work into your home training regimen!
- SPEED
- Agility foot speed ladder
- Sprinting – focus on short bursts
- Agility cone drills – focused on aggressive, cutting patterns.
- Jump rope
- POWER
- Body weight pushups, squats
- Any type of jumping exercises
- Squat jumps, tuck jumps, single leg jumps, lateral jumping
- Single leg balance exercises
- Hill or Stair running
- Band resistance exercises.
- CONDITIONING
- Jogging for distance or time
- Rollerblading
- Burpees
- Join Mom at a spinning class!
- CORE STRENGTH
- Countless number of ab and core exercises.
Don’t worry about getting too hung up about “hockey specific” workouts. Focus on improving athleticism, with some added attention on speed and power. The main mission is to build a foundation, so when you’re throwing around weights in the years to come your body is prepared to make some serious gains!
Looking for some extra professional guidance? Let us know! We’ve got some awesome industry contacts!
February 26, 2019 9:15 pm
Published by Russ Sinkewich
Being a “bubble” player… To the many young players living in the bubble, rest assured, you’re not alone. I spent many of my formidable years in this frustrating space – being good, but often times falling short of the end goal. Here’s some key concepts that will help burst that bubble and lead to future successes.
- Persevere
- No matter what, there can never be any quit! Every NO, gets you that much closer to the YES you’re looking for! Valuable lessons are learned with falling short of your goals!
- Jump off the page
- You MUST compete with an extremely high level of desperation! Make a panel of evaluators say, “Wow, who’s that?”OR “We love that kid’s heart and hustle!”
- Find Your Role
- An extension of “Being A Swiss Army Knife”… What role or series of contributions can you make to a specific team that will make you a desired player?
Looking back on my career, life in the bubble (where I spent A LOT of time) was the best thing for me – I’d take that over life on “easy street” any day! The adversity shaped my character and put the growth of my mental toughness into hyper drive!
December 3, 2018 3:46 pm
Published by Russ Sinkewich
One of the many incredible “life skills” hockey teaches us, is leadership. As we know there’s many types of leadership; from the vocal captain encouraging teammates, to the silent, more reserved player just consistently going about their business in order to help team success. Leaders do not have to be Captains, or the most talented player on the team. Anyone and everyone has the opportunity to take steps to becoming a leader! Leadership ultimately comes from a few simple acts:
- Action
- Whether you’re up on the bench shouting words of encouragement, or you’re quietly putting in the work. Leadership always starts with the DOING!
- Accountability
- The absolute BEST leaders are the most accountable players on the team. You’ve got to put in the work and be a role model with your actions.
Remember leadership never ends! Take the same desire to lead from the ice and locker room and apply it everywhere; the classroom, your nutrition and off-ice preparation habits, even among other social groups or amongst siblings!
November 13, 2018 4:49 pm
Published by Russ Sinkewich
Feeling frustrated is inevitable. Throughout your hockey journey the root itself may change from season to season, however, dealing with frustrations and setbacks is one of the unique, challenging keys to team success. As hard as this concept is to fully appreciate, remember frustration means you care – which is a great thing!
With frustration always comes action! Embrace the frustration, then from that motivated state of mind, think of one immediate step you can take in a positive direction. Working harder, communicating clearer, acting more selfless, etc. We all make the choice to either let challenging times bring us down – OR – reveal what our true character holds!
We can’t wait to watch you take your challenging times and make them in to positive turning points for your future!!!
November 1, 2018 5:42 pm
Published by Russ Sinkewich
Is your athlete growing like a weed! Rest assured you’re not alone! With some prime holiday shopping opportunities right around the corner, here’s some simple, helpful reminders when sizing up replacement equipment.
- Sticks
- Once you’ve determined your preferred brand/pattern. Prioritize a stick’s flex. When your athlete leans on it, make sure it bends. When cutting it down to size think “chin to nose” in skates as a rough measuring stick! I always think top lip is a good guide.
- Skates
- As painful as this big expense can be… Skates are the most important part of the equation. You don’t need to buy top of the line… BUT, whatever skates you do select for your all-star they need to fit appropriately otherwise agility and stride quality are greatly compromised. Your athlete should be able to wiggle their toes in their skate, and very gently feel the inside tip of the toe cap with their big toe. Remove the insole and have them stand up in their socks. You should see about a half inch of space at the end of the insole.
- Protective Gear
- Pants – should be right about knee cap to the top of the knee.
- Shoulder pads – should be form fitting, but avoid going too large as this will greatly hinder stick control and limit upper body movement.
- Elbow pads – should fully cover the elbow and go to mid upper arm and mid forearm. Often times you’ll find better luck looking for an elbow pad that’s a 2-part construction along the under arm, versus a 3-part construction with a moving cap just on the elbow.
- Shin pads – Be sure there’s no major space from the bottom of the shin guard to the top cuff of the skate.
Best of luck in the equipment search! Remember, especially for the younger athletes out there, saving a few dollars here and there with recycling gently used gear is always a great play!