Q: My 12-year-old is a hockey nut. How much spring and summer hockey is appropriate at that age? We don’t want to fall behind.
A: That’s a great question. The first thing I will tell you is this: There should always be an OFFseason. If professional athletes need time off, then a 12-year-old also needs some time away from hockey.
There are many reasons to take some time off, but in my opinion, the two most important for a 12-year-old are these:
With all of that being said, some hockey in the spring and summer isn’t a bad thing. It’s OK to drop into the rink to skate, handle and shoot some pucks. A week of hockey camp can also be a good thing. Much like a good in-season hockey program, a good summer hockey camp should feature station-based practices and small-area games in which kids are working on skills and decision making.
What you want to avoid in the offseason is playing in showcase after showcase in order to “be seen.” Twelve-year-olds don’t need to “be seen,” they need to broaden their athletic base and focus on skill development. As part of that, this is also around the age where off-ice training can come into play, as long as it is done in an age-appropriate manner. The off-ice component is a great thing for 12-year-olds to invest their time in during the offseason. Remember, we should be building athletes first, hockey players second!
The author, Kenny Rausch, began his coaching career in 1996 with Boston University, his alma mater. As a player, he earned Beanpot Tournament MVP honors and was named a Hockey East Distinguished Scholar.
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