284 Parents: 5 tips on how to get the most out of this holiday season and keep your young goalie sharp over Christmas.

Oh, adjusty. The parent segment presented by Stop It Goaltending U the app. This is awesome stuff. The plan for the holidays gives everybody some downtime, and you're offering something to work for. We'll get into that after a message from Stop It Goaltending U.

Well, speaking of plans for the holidays, Stop It Goaltending U has some good ones for you. Another one of our presenting sponsors that would make the ideal Christmas gift for the goalie in your life because, a, it's instant, downloadable, and deliverable on last minute notice. But b, it also comes with the first item we talked about, a subscription to InGoal Magazine. And it will give you something to do over the holidays for you and your goaltender. It's the beauty of the Stop It Goaltending U, the app.

It comes with twenty five years of knowledge from one of the biggest schools in North America led by Brian Daccord, who's been the goalie coach for the Boston Bruins, the goalie director for the Arizona Coyotes, run the school, sons in the NHL, just so much knowledge from him and his staff all packed into the app, and it's packed in there in a way you can digest your choice. One minute quick hits every day, five minute videos heading into the weekend, or twenty minute longer feature videos. Get in there for a couple minutes a day, get in there for long sessions on the weekend, Get go down the rabbit hole and watch all the old archive footage, drills, how goalies play, tactical advice. It's all in there. You can spend thirty minutes a week, and you will become a better goaltender.

Thanks to Stop It Goaltending U the app. But if you got extra time on your hands over the holidays, you could probably spend thirty hours in a week going through it and just digging into all the content, especially when you add in the InGoal Magazine premium subscription that comes with it. So perfect gift idea for the goalie in your life. Stop It Goaltending U, app, in partnership with InGoal Magazine and InGoal Premium.

So proud of our relationship with Brian and, and what we've been able to do, between InGoal Mag and, Stop It Goaltending U. Hutch.

Let's see where the Stop It Goaltending U the app would fit into my five tips for goalies and their families over the holidays. You may be a family who's new to the sport. Maybe you're new to competitive or rep hockey or maybe you're just a little bit worried that your son or daughter is gonna fall behind as a goaltender over the holidays. Even if you're more experienced and you know what you're up to, going into this holiday with a plan is probably a good idea. So a lot of people, this is sort of like a mini off season right now.

You might be getting a week off, you might be getting three weeks off and it's really the first thing I want to say is that it's an important opportunity to reset physically and mentally. Rest and recuperation are tools just like training hard and you should make use of this opportunity to have your young goalie ready to hit the ice with enthusiasm in the new year or whenever they'll next be on the ice. Honestly, guys, healing, nagging injuries, and getting rid of some of the feelings of maybe mild burnout that can come after a long grind, just letting your body get back to normal will set you up for a better season this spring. You're gonna have more energy on the ice and you're gonna want to go to the rink. So with that in mind, here are my five thoughts.

Number one, sleep. Kids need sleep. They need more than the seven, eight or eight hours that, we need. Nine, ten, maybe more. And how you manage this, of course, as a family is up to you.

But I would encourage you to keep some sort of routine for as much of the break as possible. Late nights playing video games followed by sleeping till noon might still get you the required hours of sleep, but you're gonna be in trouble when it's time to go back to school and back to hockey. You're gonna end up undoing a lot of the good that you've done over the break. So little bit of routine for sleep would be a great idea, everybody. Number two would be nutrition.

The same kind of advice. There's gonna be lots of treats on the break, of course, but some moderation and healthy eating is a key part of your recuperation over the break as well. So have some candy canes, Woody.

But a fan. Not a fan.

Healthy meals and avoid the junk food where you can. In Woody's case, we just need to remind him to eat because when he gets working hard, he does forget to do that. Woody, fruits and veggies are your friend and are gonna help you stop more pucks. Number three, stay in touch with the game. NHL goalies and coaches that we talk to all agree kids don't watch enough hockey.

And we mean games, not highlights on social media. I would encourage you to encourage your child to watch with a purpose. What do you like about this particular goaltender? How are they playing things compared to what the goalie at the other end of the ice is doing? Is the guy you're watching tonight doing what your goalie coach wants you to be doing, or do they play a little bit differently?

Give you a quick story, boys. My son, Maddie's team, after their last game of December before the break, They had a community skate, couple of 100 kids and families on the ice with them just for a meet and greet after the game. And one young goalie who I wish I had met, Maddie told me at no more than 10 years old, came up to and said, why are you playing so deep in your crease tonight? My coach wants me to play way out at the top of the crease. Seriously, for a kid that age, awesome question, awesome observation.

And there was a goalie who was watching the game that day with a purpose. Really cool. Oh, and watch some pro reads because they're easily digestible for kids. You get to watch a save by an NHL goalie. They get to think a little bit about it guided by the article, and then they get to listen to a few minutes of an NHL goalie explaining what they saw and what they did.

So one pro read, maybe five minutes, you get a mini goalie lesson every day. Number four, stay fit and stay ready. Lots of goalie schools have camps at this time of year. If that's a refreshing thing, if it's a fun change of pace for your kid, if it's a chance to maybe touch base with a coach they love after half a season with not a lot of goalie coaching on their team, then by all means, go for it. But if it's not in the cards for your family for whatever reason or your goalie just wants a break, that's okay too.

Don't feel guilty. You're not going to fall behind. I don't think our son went to a Christmas goalie camp once as he was growing up through minor hockey. And that's okay. But do stay physical.

If your team only gets a couple of days off before they're heading to a tournament or something, I guess it's not a big deal. But otherwise, let's try and get some mobility work in and let's try and get some exercise in. Maybe go check out Maria Mountain's links in our Christmas article for some mobility work you could be doing. Go for a run. Go for a bike ride if you're somewhere where you can do that like Daren is.

Cross country skiing. I would suggest maybe some mobility work on almost every day of the holiday and try and get something aerobic in for half the days or so, and you're gonna be ready to hit the ice having a great time in January. Last one, have fun. Ping pong, shoot some hoops, go to stick and puck, especially as a forward. Borrow a stick and some gloves and go have some fun out there.

Just about every sport you play is gonna have some benefits for you as a goaltender. And more importantly, we want them to have a smile on their face this holiday. Still excited to get back on the ice when it's time. That's it for me everybody. Enjoy the holiday.

Goalies, parents, Kevin and Daren, best of luck in the new year.

I was going to enjoy the holiday, but you talked about candy canes.

Yuck. Oh, you don't like candy canes? Yeah. Oh, what okay. What's your treat of choice over the holiday?

Well, I can't have it this holiday because I don't want to gain 30 pounds, but shortbread. Moderate. Christmas don't when it comes to shortbread in me, there's no like two things that I can't do in moderation. Shortbread and nibs.

Wait till I bring you my father's shortbread. I will do that. He makes Scottish shortbread, which is just a little different than the English stuff, and I really love.

I have Scottish roots in my gran that you're bringing back memories and perhaps a tear to the eye, Hutch, because I that I know it well. I know it well.

How much shortbread are you eating?

I have I have a problem, Daren.

Like, one or two cookies. But

Yeah. I was the kid that mom had to hide them from because one or two turned into the whole box. I

got Really?

Sugar's a bad thing for me. Shortbread and my my my my kryptonite is nibs. That stuff's like crack to me.

So one of my five things is all about moderation and nutrition, and now we're riffing off on

Well, don't be me.

Sweets. That's bad.

Yeah. There's a reason there's a reason that I'm playing in beer league, folks. If you want to not be the old man beer leaguer, then

Well, you also didn't start playing goal until you were in your thirties. Yeah. But let's be honest, it didn't matter.

You put yourself behind.