ADM Kids

Q: Where does outdoor hockey fall within the ladder of development?

A: Outdoor hockey, whether on a pond or at a community rink, still gives players a special feeling, and it’s not just frostbite (or road rash, if it’s street hockey). There are many unique benefits to playing outside, from the fresh air and low cost to tangible development opportunities. So as the season hits full throttle for hockey players on the friendly confines of nicely groomed indoor ice, let’s examine where outdoor hockey — including street hockey — comes into play as it relates to the ladder of development.

We all know one thing for sure that comes from outdoor ice hockey: a trip to the local sporting goods store for skate sharpening. But what else?

I recently attended two great events. The first, hosted by Saratoga Youth Hockey, included RPI head coach Seth Appert. The other was hosted by the New York Rangers and included Martin St. Louis, currently No. 5 in career points among active NHL players. St. Louis discussed player development and his long road to the NHL. One commonality in both Appert and St. Louis’ comments is that they emphasized the importance of developing a passion for the game and competitiveness in our young athletes.

This made me think about the many NHL players who shared stories of their childhood with me over the years. In those conversations, there was usually one common theme: passion for the game.

St. Louis remembered his dad coming home after working the late shift, and when most parents just wanted to go to bed, his dad took him down to the local pond in order to play with whoever showed up that day. The rules could change. No players were excluded. Older kids played with the younger kids, good players played with weaker players and everyone left smiling, with the exception of someone who took the occasional high stick or puck to the shins. These were fond memories, but the most striking point I took away from St. Louis’ talk came when someone asked if he remembered winning any special tournament or games as a child. He said, “No. I just remember having fun.”

It makes you wonder if all the emphasis placed on organized youth games and tournaments and their outcomes might be a little misguided.

So correlating this all back to outdoor hockey and the ladder of development, it’s important to remember that there are many components that go into developing a great hockey player. Some are very obvious, like skating ability, a quick shot or good hands. Others are a little more subtle, but no less important. Thinking back to Appert and St. Louis’ comments, and those of my former NHL or NCAA teammates, I realize that passion for the game is every bit as important to one’s development. Without it, there’s very little to fuel a player’s drive to hone their skills, compete and sacrifice in pursuit of a goal. And if anything can help instill a passion and deep love for the game, it’s playing outdoor, unstructured hockey. It’s just so much fun. Another key component to elite-level development is creativity, and outdoor hockey is perhaps the ultimate teacher of this intangible (but invaluable) trait.

So yes, outdoor hockey absolutely fits into the ladder of development. It provides unstructured, self-governed play, often in tight spaces, which research tells us is very good for our kids (as hockey players and as people). And while coaches use a lot of these outdoor-esque elements in their formal practices to teach players to play in small spaces and win puck battles, sometimes there’s still a tendency to over-coach, when in the long run,  children may benefit from more opportunities to figure it out for themselves. Outdoor hockey can be the best place for that, and it’s where the last generation of hockey players made some of their fondest childhood hockey memories, building the passion that carried them to their full potential. Plus,  kids get a great leg workout while trying to shovel the two feet of snow that just fell. But most importantly, outdoor hockey allows kids to be kids and play the game without adults telling them what to work on, where to stand or how to divide the teams. And just maybe playing outside will help stoke a passion and love of the game that will last a lifetime.