by posted 01/27/2012
 
LTP Session TWO Registration NOW Open.
This will be a Seven week program, held on Sundays.
Program will begin 2/26/12

Thank You
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by posted 01/26/2012
 
We have posted a questionnaire for girl hockey players and the upcoming season.  Please take a moment to answer.  All feedback will assist us in putting together another great program in the coming season.

Thank You
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by posted 01/19/2012
 
March is soon approaching and that means it’s time for our annual calendar fundraiser.  Calendars will be handed out to families beginning the middle of February and must be submitted before the end of the month to be eligible for the first weeks drawings.  The cost of calendars is included in your child’s registration (Buzzers $50/Mite - Bantam Level $100).  For Families with more than one child the calendar fee was included in only one child’s registration based on the highest level in the program.  You can choose to fill all of the calendars in with your information or you can sell each calendar for $5.  More information to come soon.
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by posted 01/15/2012
 
Wilmington Youth Hockey BOD is in the process of creating a questionnaire for future girl programs in our organization.  This should be going out to all current and prior players of our organization.

Your input is crucial to us implementing a successful new program.  

Till it is published we ask that you submit any questions in regards to these Girls teams via our website's "ask a question" link.

Stay Tuned


Thanks,

WYHA
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by posted 12/18/2011
 
WYHA Members,


We have received the game schedule from Valley League for the period of:  12/12/2011 - 02/12/2012.  This has now been posted to our site.  We are now working on adjusting the practice schedule and should be posting this within the next few days.

Thank You

Some Tips on how to check your team's schedule are added below.

You can check your team's schedule by going to your team's webpage:
http://www.wilmingtonyouthhockey.org/Bulletins.asp?snid=jLJ%40%5E%3EM%3E%5D&org=wilmingtonyouthhockey.org


You can subscribe to our calendar, for instructions visit:
http://www.wilmingtonyouthhockey.org/Page.asp?n=57282&snid=jLJ%40%5E%3EM%3E%5D&org=wilmingtonyouthhockey.org


To visit the Master Schedule page, please go to:
http://www.wilmingtonyouthhockey.org/MasterGameSchedule.asp?n=57276&snid=jLJ%40%5E%3EM%3E%5D&org=wilmingtonyouthhockey.org

You can make sure you turn on email notification to your profile to receive automated emails when a schedule is changed.





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by posted 12/15/2011
 
Attention WYHA Members and the Wilmington Community

WYHA is working with a call center on a fundraiser in which random calls are going out to the community:  commercial and residential (similar to what is done with the Policeman's Association).  We do not provide anyone's contact information, they go off public records.  Donations made and money earned will be used to offset the increase in ice fees the organization has incurred. By offsetting some of the ice cost, we have a better chance of minimizing the increase of tuition fees for the individual player going forward.  All sponsors will be acknowledged in a yearbook that will be provided to all the players and coaches of WYHA by the marketing company.  This is a great opportunity for the program in which we are able to raise money and the players will receive a memory of the season in the form of a yearbook at no additional cost to the player.

Thank You
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by posted 11/16/2011
 

Our society tends to put scoreboard results ahead of everything else. Responsible Coaches care about the scoreboard, but they care even more deeply about instilling a Mastery approach in their athletes, which will help them win throughout their lives.

A simple way to remember the three keys to the Mastery approach is the acronym, ELM, where ELM stands for Effort, Learning and Mistakes:

1. Effort -- always give 100%
2. Learning -- improve constantly as you gain more knowledge
3. Mistakes are OK -- mistakes are how we learn.

Research shows that when coaches focus solely on the scoreboard, players' anxiety increases. Athletes spend more of their precious emotional energy worrying about whether they will lose. Higher anxiety causes them to make more mistakes because they play tentatively and timidly.

Ultimately, anxiety undercuts self-confidence, which affects performance and takes the joy out of sports.

Why does the focus on the scoreboard increase anxiety? Because players can't control the outcome on the scoreboard! And players become anxious about things that are important to them that they can't control. A win on the scoreboard depends a great deal on the quality of the opponent, which is outside of the control of the athlete or team.

Sports psychology research shows that teams and athletes who take the ELM Mastery approach (giving 100% effort, constantly learning, and bouncing back from mistakes) consistently win more contests. By moving your team's focus off their scoreboard results and on to their effort, you'll have happier, more self- confident players, and the wins will come.

http://www.responsiblesports.com/common/images/signup_icon.gif

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by posted 11/03/2011
 


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by posted 10/20/2011
 
I read an amazing article recently that explained in great deal
why hockey is the smartest game in the world.

To be honest, it's a very nerdy article. That's probably why I liked it so much.

It basically talks about 2 of the key components of what we typically call
"GAME SENSE" and how they are more important in hockey than in
any other sport.  

Those components are:
::: Spatial intelligence
::: Situational awareness

Spatial intelligence is the ability to take in all the things that are
happening in a particular time and space on the ice and anticipate
what might happen next.

This kind of split-second decision making is made at every position.
We see it in defensemen trying to read what the opponents are going
to do in a 2-on-1.  We see it with goalies trying to stop a breakaway
and with forwards trying to read what the goalie is giving them on
said breakaway.  Those are just a few basic examples of spatial intelligence.

Keep in mind that these decisions are being made in reference to all the
other players on the ice, where they are and what they are doing.
Not to mention the fact that you're standing on knife blades, people are
probably yelling at you and someone is likely trying to hit you.

The best example of a player who excelled at spatial intelligence
would be Wayne Gretzky.  He seemed to have eyes in the back of his
head and knew where he wanted to put the puck before he even got it.  
He had an amazing ability to read the game and make decisions that
no one else on the ice had even dreamed of making.  

Situational awareness is very closely related to spatial intelligence.

While spatial intelligence boils down to knowing everything that's going
on around you, situational awareness centers more on being conscious
of all that's going on in the context of the what the other players intend to
do and anticipating their next move.  

Have I lost you yet?

To simplify it even further:

Spatial intelligence is knowing what's going on all around you.

Situational awareness is understanding how the intentions and actions
of those around you effect what's going on around you.


The players with the best "game sense"  excel at both of these.
When you couple these high-level mental components with
tremendous individual skill, you get a fantastic all-around player
who can both skate and think the game at high speeds.

Now to the untrained eye, hockey appears to be a game of
wild improvisation.

We know better.

That's why coaches put systems and tactics in place.
To bring some degree of order to the chaos.

We put these in place not because we want players to do everything
"to the letter" every time.  The systems and tactics are simply a framework
for the game - a starting point for execution of a game plan and something
to come back to when things get messy out there.

What every coach wants are players who can take what they've learned
about systems and tactics in practice, couple that with their individual skills,
and also be able to "think" the game at high speeds.   Spatial intelligence and
situational awareness are 2 of the toughest things to teach players.  
That's why those who posses those traits are so valuable out on the ice.  

Needless to say, to have a group of players with great spatial intelligence
and situational awareness, along with great skill, attitude and work ethic,
would be a coach's dream.

By: Kim McCullough
http://totalfemalehockeyclub.com/2011/10/hockey-sense-101/ 

 
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by posted 10/12/2011
 
A Message from our Skills Coaches:

 
Hope you are all doing well and the school year is going well for your children.  We wanted to invite you to our skills sessions that will run through the Winter at the Burlington Ice Palace.  It starts at 1:20pm and is open to all ages.  It's a pay as you come session so there is no commitment.  Cost is $20 per skater for the hour.  As usual, we will focus on edge work, puck control, shooting, and all other skills required in the game of Hockey.  Please come join us if you can!!
 
Mike and Chris
 
Burlington Ice Palace
Every Saturday @ 1:20pm starting 10/8/11
$20/skater for each session
ALL AGES WELCOME



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by posted 09/13/2011
 
Please take a moment to read a quick message from the WYHA President. 
Go to the left tab of the page, under "President's Message"

Thanks
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by posted 09/09/2011
 

WYHA Skills is BACK, better than ever, featuring Mike Pandolfo and Chris Dyment!

 

WYHA is pleased to announce that we will be providing a weekly skills session for all players.  Skills begins this Sunday, September 11th at 4:15.  This is a great opportunity for all WYHA players and we hope all can attend as much as possible.

(The program should run every Sunday, with the exception of Super Bowl Sunday.  The Web Site will reflect all times for this event)

Mike Pandolfo
A native of Burlington, MA, Pandolfo spent four years skating for the Boston University Terriers. While at BU, he helped the Terriers capture three Beanpots and made two trips to the NCAA tournament. During his senior season, Pandolfo Co-Captained (along with Chris Dyment) the Terriers while taking home the best defensive forward award. As a Terrier Pandolfo joined the 100 Point club with 64 goals and 45 assists.
 
A third-round draft pick of the Buffalo Sabres in 1998, Pandolfo's draft rights were traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets where he signed after graduating BU. He spent three years playing for the Syracuse Crunch, the minor league affiliate of the Blue Jackets, as well as skating for the Blue Jackets in the NHL. The following year, Pandolfo spent the season playing for Munich in Germany. After that season, Pandolfo headed back to the states and played for the Trenton Devils of the ECHL. During that year, Pandolfo broke Trenton's record of goals scored in a single season. The following year Pandolfo came back home and played for the Lowell Devils of the AHL. With six years of professional hockey experience, and nearly 400 games played, Pandolfo brings a wide variety of talent and knowledge.
 
Chris Dyment
A native of Reading, MA, Dyment spent four years anchoring the defense for the Boston University Terriers. While at BU, he too helped the Terriers capture three Beanpots and made two trips to the NCAA tournament. Dyment served as the team's Assistant Captain as a junior and then Co-Captain as a senior (along with Mike Pandolfo). Dyment amassed 72 points as a Terrier with 20 goals and 52 assists.

A fourth-round draft pick of the Montreal Canadiens in 1999, Dyment played professionally for seven years in nearly 300 professional games at the AHL, ECHL, and International level including time with the Houston Aeros, Springfield Falcons, Providence Bruins, Albany River Rats, Florida Everblades, Trenton Devils, and Cortina SG (Italy).

WYHA is fortunate to have the experience and background that Mike and Chris bring to the skills program this season.

We hope to see you at the rink enjoying this great opportunity,

Thanks,

WYHA Board

 

We hope to see you at the rink.

Thanks,

 

WYHA Board

   

We hope to see you at the rink.
Thanks,
 
WYHA Board
 

We hope to see you at the rink.

Thanks,

 

WYHA Board 

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by WYHA posted 06/22/2011
 

USA Hockey Board of Directors Approves All Points of Progressive Checking Skill Development Program

June 11, 2011 COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - USA Hockey's Board of Directors overwhelmingly passed all aspects of the Progressive Checking Skill Development Program today during its 2011 Annual Congress. The program includes the following elements: It encourages more body contact in the pre-body checking age categories by providing more training and support for coaches and referees; and encouraging more legal body contact in the pre-body checking age categories through “Point of Emphasis” rule #1 passed by the Board. It tightens the standard of play for intimidation hits in the legal body checking age categories. Beginning in the 2011-12 season, legal body checking in games will begin at the Bantam age level (ages 13-14). Beginning in 2011-12, each USA Hockey coach will be required to take an age-specific training module which will provide training information consistent with long-term athlete and childhood development principles for the age category the coach will be engaged with. Each module will include training information for body contact and checking. Each season, USA Hockey officials attend clinics that review points of emphasis relating to the standard of play. These 2011-12 clinics will focus on allowing more body contact consistent with the rules in pre-checking age categories and a tighter standard of play for roughing, cross-checking, boarding, charging, high-sticking and other intimidation hits in the legal body checking divisions. USA Hockey will monitor the on-ice management of games with regular reports from local referee-in-chiefs, coach-in-chiefs and Association Coaching and Education (ACE) administrators to USA Hockey's national office staff in Colorado Springs. USA Hockey will conduct research on the effect of the Progressive Checking Skill Development Program on risk reduction and skill development. The results of the research will be published when completed. The Board also passed rules that prohibit any check that comes in contact with the head or neck. The goal of this rule is to make the player more responsible for actions that make contact to the head or neck similar to rules now in place for stick infractions to the head.   A goal of the Progressive Checking Skill Development Program is to enhance skill development consistent with the American Development Model and its long-term athlete development principles. Another goal of the program is to improve on-ice management of the game to help reduce potential risks in the sport. "This program has taken several years of research and discussion to formulate," said Ron DeGregorio, president of USA Hockey. "USA Hockey has the training and support elements in place for our coaches and referees. Parents should know that this program will better prepare their children for the physical part of the game. It should produce less risk since we will be training players in body contact at an earlier age in a progressive manner. We'll also be tightening up the standard of play for intimidation hits in the youth checking divisions. "There's a lot to like about USA Hockey and particularly today, as our Board has taken a bold step forward in doing what is right for children. We are, at our core, a youth sports organization and doing what's right for children must always be at the heart of our decisions." "The big winner today is our children," said Tom Chorske, former NHL player and current member of USA Hockey's Board of Directors. "I support all facets of the Progressive Checking Skill Development Program." "With the knowledge base we have on child development, this is without question the right way forward," said Bret Hedican, former NHL player and two-time Olympian. "Today is a significant one for our sport." For more information on USA Hockey's Progressive Checking Skill Development Program, visit usahockey.com/bodychecking.

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by WYHA posted 06/22/2011
 

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by Peter K posted 03/24/2011
 

My 13 simple rules for hockey parents everywhere

By John Buccigross
ESPN.com
Archive

Women and men used to gaze up at the stars, awed at the sight and size of the universe, much like Detroit Red Wings fitness trainers used to be in awe at the sight and size of Brett Hull's butt during his final Motor City days.

My understanding of the sky's map is limited to the Big Dipper (good nickname for Buffalo's Tyler Myers, by the way) and the constellation Orion. Orion is located on the celestial equator and can been seen across the world, much like Pat Quinn's head. Its name, Orion, refers to a hunter in Greek mythology. Since my late teenage years, whether I am in Mingo Junction, Ohio, or Vancouver, British Columbia, I always look up and locate Orion. It's my satellite to home and youth.

I first became aware of Orion from the now bankrupt movie production company Orion Pictures Corporation, which made movies from 1978-1998. I remember the company's animated intro prior to the start of a movie: stars from the constellation would twirl into the letter "O" before the entire word "Orion" was spelled out.

It seemed as if 46 percent of movies produced in the late '70s and early '80s, my HBO sweet spot years, were produced by Orion. I am sure this number is probably much lower. "Back to School," "10," "Hoosiers," "Platoon," "No Way Out" and others all began with the animated Orion logo. I would like to publicly thank the now defunct movie company and HBO for my astronomy acumen and the indelible image of Bo Derek jogging on the beach with wet, braided hair. ("Before the Internet, there was HBO." Now there is a slogan to believe in.)

Today, kids, teenagers, adults and Sean Avery don't so much stare up to the trees, clouds, airplanes, stars and 6-foot-9 NHL linesman Mike Cvik as much as they used to; now, most stare down at their cell phones and personal digital assistants (Jim Balsillie's PDA BlackBerry, yo). As a result of all this "looking down," we miss so much up in the heavens. We even look down at these things during dinner, hockey games and Heisman Trophy presentations. People even look down at their PDAs while they drive. Who needs a moon roof on a clear summer night when I can play Tetris on I-95 while I soar through the E-ZPASS lane?

This is my gigantic preamble to why you should one day sign up your young son or daughter to play youth hockey at a local rink near you. If nothing else, it gets them away from electronics and teaches them a small slice of humanity that they can take forward through life, a life with more heart and less battery power. The rink's cold robs electronics of their battery power and signal reception, anyway.

So, if you are a first-time hockey parent, or dream of one day spending more than $10,000 and sacrificing weekends for a decade of glamorous youth or "minor" hockey, here are 13 important things you need to know about the youth hockey universe -- and hockey in general -- to help speed up the assimilation process in joining the "Congregation of Independent Insane in the Membrane Hockey Community Union" or COIIITMHCU. If you move those letters around you eventually get Chicoutimi. A miracle from the star-filled heavens above. (I'm sure my fellow COIIITMHCU members will offer even more, and we can post next week.)

1. Under no circumstances will hockey practice ever be cancelled. Ever. Even on days when school is cancelled, practice is still on. A game may be cancelled due to inclement weather because of travel concerns for the visiting team, but it would have to rain razor blades and bocce balls to cancel hockey practice at your local rink. It's good karma to respect the game.

2. Hockey is an emotional game and your child has the attention span of a chipmunk on NyQuil. The hockey coach will yell a bit during practice; he might even yell at your precious little Sparky. As long as there is teaching involved and not humiliation, it will be good for your child to be taught the right way, with emphasis.

3. Hockey is a very, very, very, very difficult game to play. You are probably terrible at it. It takes high skill and lots of courage, so lay off your kid. Don't berate them. Be patient and encourage them to play. Some kids need more time to learn how to ride the bike, but, in the end, everyone rides a bike about the same way.

Your kids are probably anywhere from age 4-8 when they first take up hockey. They will not get a call from Boston University coach Jack Parker or receive Christmas cards from the Colorado Avalanche's director of scouting. Don't berate them. Demand punctuality and unselfishness for practice and games. That's it. Passion is in someone, or it isn't. One can't implant passion in their child. My primary motive in letting my kids play hockey is exercise, physical fitness and the development of lower-body and core strength that will one day land them on a VH1 reality show that will pay off their student loans or my second mortgage.

4. Actually, I do demand two things from my 10-year-old Squirt, Jackson. Prior to every practice or game, as he turns down AC/DC's "Big Jack," gets out of the car and makes his way to the trunk to haul his hockey bag inside a cold, Connecticut rink, I say, "Jack, be the hardest, most creative and grittiest worker ... and be the one having the most fun." That might be four things, but you know what I mean.

5. Your kids should be dressing themselves and tying their own skates by their second year of Squirt. Jack is 67 pounds with 0 percent body fat and arms of linguini, and he can put on, take off and tie his own skates. If he can, anyone can. I don't go in the locker room anymore. Thank goodness; it stinks in there.

6. Do not fret over penalties not called during games and don't waste long-term heart power screaming at the referees. My observational research reveals the power-play percentage for every Mite hockey game ever played is .0000089 percent; for Squirts, .071 percent. I prefer referees to call zero penalties.

7. Yell like crazy during the game. Say whatever you want. Scream every kind of inane instruction you want to your kids. They can't hear you. In the car ride home, ask them if they had fun and gently promote creativity and competiveness, but only after you take them to Denny's for a Junior Grand Slam breakfast or 7-Eleven for a Slurpee. Having a warm breakfast after an early morning weekend game will become one of your most syrupy sweet memories.

8. Whenever possible, trade in your kids' ice skates and buy used skates, especially during those growing years and even if you can afford to buy new skates every six months. Your kids don't need $180 skates and a $100 stick no matter what your tax bracket is. They will not make them better players.

9. Missing practice (like we stated above) or games is akin to an Irish Catholic missing Mass in 1942. We take attendance at hockey games very seriously. Last week, the Islanders' Brendan Witt was hit by an SUV in Philadelphia. Witt got up off the pavement and walked to Starbucks for a coffee, and then later played against the Flyers that night. Let me repeat that: BRENDAN WITT WAS HIT BY AN SUV ... AND PLAYED THAT NIGHT! Re-read that sentence 56 times a night to your child when they have a case of the sniffles and want to stay home to watch an "iCarly" marathon. By, the way Philadelphia police cited Witt for two minutes in jail for obstruction. Witt will appeal.

10. Teach your kids not to celebrate too much after a goal if your team is winning or losing by a lot. And by all means, tell them celebrate with the team. After they score, tell them not to skate away from their teammates like soccer players. Find the person who passed you the puck and tell him or her, "Great pass." We have immediate group hugs in hockey following a short, instinctive reaction from the goal scorer. I am proud of my boy for a lot of things, but I am most proud at how excited he gets when a teammate scores a goal. He is Alex Ovechkin in this regard.

11. There is no such thing as running up the score in hockey. This is understood at every level. It's very difficult to score goals and unexplainably exhilarating when one does. Now, if we get to 14-1, we may want to take our foot off the gas a tad.

12. Unless their femur is broken in 16 places, Mites or Squirts should not lie on the ice after a fall on the ice or against the boards. Attempt to get up as quickly as one can and slowly skate to the bench.

13. Do not offer cash for goals. This has no upside. Passion and love and drive cannot be taught or bought. I do believe a certain measure of toughness and grit can be slowly encouraged and eventually taught. Encourage your kid to block shots and to battle hard in the corners. It will serve them well in life.

Enjoy the rink. Keep it fun, keep it in perspective and enjoy the madness. In this digital world of electronics, you may find hockey to be the most human endeavor you partake in. Cell phones run on batteries. Hockey players run on blood. Blood is warmer. Welcome.

John Buccigross' e-mail address -- for questions, comments or crosschecks -- is .

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