Podcast Segment for Parents – Episode 251

Yeah. And it's, for me, it's a bit of a strange one, but I know there's a lot of organizations that are doing their tryouts now. They wanna get this all in place early ahead of the, the hockey season in the fall. I was always a a fall tryout guy when I was growing up. So it's a bit strange to me, but at the same time, it is happening and so we got a lot of parents thinking about it and I wanted to talk a little bit about how we can help our kids as parents in tryouts.

And I have a couple of things boys to talk about. One of them is how are we gonna keep our kids focused on being themselves out there and not focusing too much on the outcome? And that's that's a tough one. It's a really tough one. But I think it's really important with everything in goaltending that we're focused on the process and what we're doing out there.

And it's it's tough when you really wanna make a team and you wanna be at a new level or you wanna be with your buddies or or whatever it might be. But at the end of the day, I think it's important as parents that we help the kids understand that you can only do your part. There's other things at play here from the coaches doing the evaluations to the other people who are part of the tryouts and so on that you have no control over whatsoever. And for me, it's about not today, but it's just an ongoing conversation throughout the the weeks and months leading up to tryout season reinforcing that that you've only got control over a certain piece of this and let's just focus on that. It's it's not easy.

I understand that. But one of the pieces that relates to that for me, guys, is so many people talk about great goaltenders being people who can take every game exactly the same. You've heard quotes from guys who've won huge games in the Stanley Cup playoffs, in the Olympics, a world championship, and you've heard them say things like, yep. I just I took it like it was any other game. I know it's a big moment, but once the puck drops, it's still hockey.

Nothing's different. How can we help our kids create that feeling in themselves for the big games or in this case for the tryouts? And for me, what I say to parents around that is if you want your kids to treat it like it's just any other day, you need to treat it like it's just any other day. How many of us are guilty as parents of getting all excited about the tryouts? Asking our kids, are you excited about the tryouts?

Oh, it's a big weekend coming up. How are you feeling about that? I know you're excited, but you're creating a different atmosphere for your kids, probably creating a little bit of anxiety around that. How many of us have said to our kids, you should probably get to bed early tonight because tomorrow's a big day? Or let's make sure we're eating our vegetables tonight because you've got to try out tomorrow.

All sorts of different things that subtly we can do around tryouts or championship games or tournaments where we end up treating it differently as parents and quietly teaching our kids that something different is happening tomorrow. So how about we treat it like any other game? And look, if for you, there's some really important preparation that you take for all of your games, for sure, carry on with it. I'm not saying take it too lightly. I'm not saying ignore it.

But I think the first exhibition game of the season, the fifth game of the season, the championship game, the tryout, you need to have the same routine around all of it, both as parents and as goaltenders. And Daren, to answer your question from before, for me, that also means gear. I really don't think you want to be hopping into a new set of gear for tryouts if you can avoid it. And I know around that question about fall tryouts that makes things a little bit different because little Johnny could well put on six inches between the end of the season in March and the beginning of the season in September. So we've got some things we gotta work with there.

But maybe let's get the gear in the summer so that they have some time to make it their own. But, yeah, for me is let's just treat this like it's any other day. Let's mentally be prepared to go out there and treat it like it's any other day. And as best we can, not focus on the outcome. Just try and be the best goalie you can when you're out there.

So downplay it? Or because it it does feel like a special time.

It is, but just play it the same. Like, you can't do anything different. It's it's not downplay it. It's not, we're just going. It's no big deal, whatever.

I mean, maybe maybe there is something about that if you can. But I think if you can find a way so that you could be yourself, then you're going to be yourself when you play on the ice.

Makes sense, Woody?

Yeah. I'm gonna send this to one of my beer league teammates. Every time we have a big game, he sends us like the slapshot speech, biggest game of your life, boy. So and then I get all riled up and I suck. So maybe that's the whole key.

I think that's it.

Yeah. Or or, you know, the Friday night light speech or whatever it is or like but those are sports to go back to your column from last week, Woody. Those are sports where you can try harder and do better, but you can't as a goaltender. Yep. Right?

The whole idea that that we're this is one of the the few things in sport where trying harder doesn't help. So we get really gotta we really gotta just be ourselves and go out there and play. Because you can't you can't play your game if you are too focused on trying. If you are too focused on, I'd better make the next save. And and by the way, it's okay if a puck goes in and tryouts.

The whole idea that that we're this is one of the the few things in sport where trying harder doesn't help. So we get really gotta we really gotta just be ourselves and go out there and play. Because you can't you can't play your game if you are too focused on trying. If you are too focused on, I'd better make the next save. And and by the way, it's okay if a puck goes in and tryouts.

It's gonna happen. Just relax. Get out there and and play your game and be yourself and and have fun. I dumped my kid at the curb for probably the biggest tryout of his life when he was about 14 years old at the time. And I just looked at him and said, well, try and keep it under 10.

Go have fun. And that was the extent of what we did differently.

I like it. I like it. Yep.

Woody and I, our teams look at us and go, try and keep it under 10, but it's a legitimate question. Alright. Yeah.

I've been there too. I've been there too. Yeah. I played on a new team one time in a a pretty high level men's league and all the guys were twenty years younger than me. And I looked at him, I said, so can you just tell me what a good night would be like here?

One of them looked at me and said, well, if you keep it under 12, you're doing better than our last guy. Yeah. Can do that.

Let's let's let's do that.

Stop It Goaltending U the app. Put it in search and download it, and it's got a wonderful, wonderful multiple levels of awareness and encouragement and tools to make you a better goaltender.

And you know what it has now? It comes with an InGoal Magazine subscription.

Oh.

Oh, he buried the lead again.

Yep. That's me. I forgot about the I listen. They've developed a hell of a tool. So I don't wanna say that we're the most important part of it, but we are a very nice added bonus as part of our new partnership with Stop It Goal Tending and the Stop It Goaltending U app.

Make sure you check it out, download it, and you will have the option coming up to get a subscription to InGoal Magazine included. You know what I was thinking as we're going through the parent segment? Like, what a perfect segue because he actually went to Stop It Goal Tending with Joey Daccord, made 49 saves, only gave up one goal and a win against Joey Daccord in the Seattle Kraken. So that's, I guess, the only downside is that he beat Joey the other night, had his first win in the NHL five days before that. And you wanna talk about a stay in the moment quote?