Our Kids Play Hockey
Our Kids Play Hockey is a podcast that focuses on youth hockey, offering insights, stories, and interviews from the hockey community. It provides valuable advice for parents, coaches, and players, covering various aspects of the game, including skill development, sportsmanship, teamwork, and creating a positive experience for young athletes. The show frequently features guests who share their expertise and personal experiences in youth hockey, both on and off the ice.
The show features three hockey parents, who all work in the game at high levels:
- Christie Casciano-Burns - USA Hockey Columnist, Author, and WSYR Anchor
- Mike Bonelli - USA Hockey Coach and Organizational Consultant
- Lee M.J. Elias - Hockey Entrepreneur, Author, and Team Strategist
In addition to the main podcast, there are several spin-off series that dive into specific aspects of youth hockey:
1.Our Girls Play Hockey – This series highlights the growing presence of girls in hockey, addressing the unique challenges they face while celebrating their accomplishments and contributions to the sport. Each episode of Our Girls Play Hockey is also hosted by Sheri Hudspeth who is the Director, Youth Hockey Programs and Fan Development for the Vegas Golden Knights.
2.The Ride to The Rink – A shorter, motivational series designed to be listened to on the way to the rink, offering quick, inspirational tips and advice to help players and parents get into the right mindset before a game or practice.
3.Our Kids Play Goalie – This series is dedicated to young goalies and the unique challenges they face. It provides advice for players, parents, and coaches on how to support and develop young goaltenders, focusing on the mental and physical demands of the position.
Together, these shows provide a comprehensive platform for parents, players, and coaches involved in youth hockey, offering insights for all aspects of the sport, from parenting, playing, or coaching to specialized positions like goaltending.
Our Kids Play Hockey
The Ride To The Rink - Supporting Yourself & Your Teammates with Kendra Fisher
Hockey is more than just a game—it’s a team, a family, and a place where players support one another both on and off the ice. In this episode of The Ride to the Rink, we welcome world-class hockey player and mental health advocate Kendra Fisher to talk about an important part of the game that doesn’t always get enough attention—the mental side.
Kendra shares her own journey with mental health, offering powerful advice for young players who may be struggling. From learning how to ask for help to being a great teammate for those who need support, she breaks down what it means to create a culture of trust, connection, and understanding in hockey.
🎧 Key Takeaways:
✅ You don’t have to go through struggles alone—asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.
✅ Being a great teammate goes beyond passing the puck—it means checking in, being present, and showing kindness.
✅ Leadership isn’t just about skill—it’s about making those around you better, both on and off the ice.
✅ Adults play a role too—coaches, parents, and mentors can create a safe environment for kids to open up.
💡 Whether you’re 8 or 18, mental health is part of your journey, and knowing how to navigate it—both for yourself and your teammates—makes all the difference.
Listen now and take the first step in becoming a leader who lifts others up. 🎙️🏒 #RideToTheRink #MentalHealthMatters #HockeyFamily
Click To Text The Our Kids Play Hockey Team!
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Lee MJ Elias [0:08 - 0:11]: Skaters and goalies around the world. Welcome back to another edition of the.
Lee MJ Elias [0:11 - 0:14]: Ride to the Rink. We've got someone special with us here today.
Lee MJ Elias [0:14 - 0:16]: She's a world class hockey player and.
Lee MJ Elias [0:16 - 0:20]: A mental health advocate, a person involved in that. And her name is Kendra Fisher.
Lee MJ Elias [0:20 - 0:50]: And we're going to talk to you kids today a little bit about the mental side of the game. Right. Some of you may be experiencing some mental lows and I want to make sure that we address that. And I also want to talk to the kids out there listening about what to happen. What happens when you see maybe a friend going through something like that or you suspect something like that. What can you do as a, as a good teammate to be involved with that person? So, Kendra, I'm going to throw it to you about. Let's just start with the first topic of, you know, to the listeners out there, maybe they are going through a hard time. What's your advice for them?
Kendra Fisher [0:50 - 1:58]: Don't do it alone. I mean, 100% of the time, don't do it alone. I feel like we have this belief and we're made to think, especially as athletes, especially when we're playing sports, you know, we're told to just kind of work hard at it and get through it. And I think a lot of the problem that comes from that is we end up fighting a lot harder than we need to to get through things that would be far easier if we shared the weight of it. And a lot of times when it comes to mental health, when it comes to dealing with, you know, mental performance or stress or really things outside the rink, just the things that we're finding hard in day to day life, we tend to hold those things close. We don't share those things. We, we, we don't mind fighting to get a better shot. We don't mind fighting to figure out how to make the perfect save. But something about telling people we're not feeling okay, that still hits us differently. And as somebody who lives with mental health struggles, 100% of the time, it's been made easier to get through those moments when I choose to not do it alone and to allow other people to support me and allow other people to help me to learn how to carry that weight better.
Lee MJ Elias [1:58 - 2:03]: And let me ask you this too. So for the kids listening, there's no age limit on this.
Lee MJ Elias [2:03 - 2:06]: If you're 8 or 18 or even.
Lee MJ Elias [2:06 - 2:09]: Younger and you're feeling something, you should acknowledge that.
Lee MJ Elias [2:09 - 2:10]: But Kendra, I wanted to ask this.
Lee MJ Elias [2:10 - 2:12]: Too, and you talked about this on our longer episode.
Lee MJ Elias [2:13 - 2:14]: Let's Say a kid heard you there.
Lee MJ Elias [2:15 - 2:17]: I. I do want to talk to someone who are the type of people.
Lee MJ Elias [2:17 - 2:20]: That they should search out, because sometimes it can be teammates.
Lee MJ Elias [2:20 - 2:20]: But.
Lee MJ Elias [2:20 - 2:23]: But you talked before about grownups being important in this process.
Lee MJ Elias [2:23 - 2:24]: Process as well.
Lee MJ Elias [2:24 - 2:24]: Yeah.
Kendra Fisher [2:24 - 3:44]: I mean, if you're younger and even if you're in your teenage years, I mean, yes, we have this desire to. To draw closest to our peers and to draw closest to the people that we feel safest with because we fear the way people are going to respond. We fear not knowing how they'll respond. And I get that that can be hard. And one of the ways that it's very useful to turn to a friend is to. To simply find somebody who's an ally, find somebody who is willing to maybe approach an adult with you. And it always helps. It always feels a little bit more comforting to know that you're not doing those things alone. But ultimately you want to be involved with somebody who can help you to understand what you're feeling, help you to access different resources, tools, strategies that could help you in the long run. So whether that's a parent, if a parent is an option for you, whether it's a coach, whether it's a responsible adult at your school, somebody that you know, really just anybody you would identify as a safe adult in your life, a relative, or if it's a friend of the family that you trust and that you know that responsibly is trustworthy, it doesn't have to be specific. It doesn't have to look the same for everybody, and it rarely does, because ultimately, what it is, is expressing that there's an issue and finding a support team to help you figure that issue out.
Lee MJ Elias [3:44 - 4:09]: I love that. And I'll say this too. As a member of a team, you might feel great, right? But it doesn't mean that always. That your teammates are in that boat. And here's another quick misconception. When someone's acting off, that can be a pretty big tell that something's going on and they might need support. But it's so important to know kids that someone might be acting completely normal from your point of view, and they're not feeling okay. And this is why it's so important.
Lee MJ Elias [4:09 - 4:19]: That you're a trusted teammate, a trusted friend, and that you put yourself there to. To be in a position to help your teammates. And look, that's not also the easiest thing to do.
Lee MJ Elias [4:19 - 4:21]: So, Kendra, I'll throw it back to you.
Lee MJ Elias [4:21 - 4:32]: What can teammates do? Or what can. Can some of the listeners do to kind of Be aware or. Or be, you know, have their ear to the ground for that kind of behavior. And then what should they do if they. If they feel like there needs to be something done?
Kendra Fisher [4:33 - 6:56]: Yeah, I think that it's. It's really tough, and especially when you're dealing with, you know, the younger population, because we want to help and maybe we don't know how or we think something's up and we don't know how to approach it. And one of the ways that I've always tried to normalize this is through action. It's a lot easier to follow what you see than it is to do what you hear. And so be somebody who's open, be somebody who communicates openly, share with somebody else maybe that you're not doing great or something that you struggle with. And that allows a feeling of safety, that allows for an environment of safety where then they may be able to be able to talk to you about those things or to mention to you or feel that it's safe to trust you with what they're feeling. And direct questions are allowed. And you need to understand two things about this. One, offering to help somebody doesn't mean you have the answers. Offering to be a support to somebody doesn't mean you have the answers. In fact, I suggest going about it exactly like that. You know what? I might not have a clue how to help you, but I want you to know you're not alone. And I am totally happy to help you figure out maybe where the best place to go with this is. But most importantly, you know what? I've really noticed something seems to be bothering you. And if I'm wrong, all good. But, you know, is something up? Is there something you need to talk about? And posing it in a way that isn't threatening, that is accepting, that is safe and is inclusive of your involvement. And to me, that's the biggest one. Don't go to your friend and say, you know what? I can tell that you're. You're really anxious lately. I think you should go for a run. I think you should get out of the house and go have a coffee. I think you should eat better. Wrong way to go about it. Telling somebody who needs support to go do something on their own. It doesn't feel helpful to them, but what does. Hey, friend, you know what? I've noticed you seem to be pretty anxious right now. Do you want to maybe plan on going for a walk with me each week and we could just kind of, you know, talk, or not even talk, just go for a walk. Together. Do you want to go grab a coffee with me? Because what changes is all of a sudden you have expressed care. You have offered the greatest gift there is, which is presence and time.
Lee MJ Elias [6:58 - 7:12]: I love that, Kendra. And I'll tell you too, kids, listening. It can even be as simple as when you get on the ice, just having a pass with someone and just let them know, you know, they're there. You know, one of the things I know from observing so much youth hockey is most.
Lee MJ Elias [7:12 - 7:17]: Most teammates want their other teammates to like them, to be friends.
Lee MJ Elias [7:17 - 7:17]: Right?
Lee MJ Elias [7:17 - 7:34]: You want to. You want to be a good, bonded group. And the truth is this. When I look back at my entire career, the. The players that I was and follow me here, kids, the players I was closest with and played the best with, with, excuse me, Share what Kendra's doing, I felt they cared about me and it was a mutual thing.
Lee MJ Elias [7:34 - 7:35]: Right?
Lee MJ Elias [7:35 - 7:46]: I cared about them. We did things together. We went out together. The day was always better when I was with that line mate or that person. And it transferred right to the game, right to the practice. Not that that's the. The main thing here.
Lee MJ Elias [7:46 - 7:46]: Right.
Lee MJ Elias [7:46 - 7:56]: But you can be that teammate for a lot of people. And again, we talk a lot about the word leadership. Leadership can manifest many different ways.
Lee MJ Elias [7:56 - 7:59]: Sometimes it's just how you play on the ice, how vocal you can be.
Lee MJ Elias [8:00 - 8:18]: This is, in my opinion, a form of great leadership. We always say on the show that the difference between a good player and a great player is that a good player will play really well, but a great player makes everyone around them better. This is, in my opinion, part of that. And it's not specifically on the ice now.
Lee MJ Elias [8:18 - 8:19]: Right.
Lee MJ Elias [8:19 - 9:02]: If you can connect with a teammate or anyone with for that matter. This goes so far beyond hockey, kids. Your ability to connect with others in an impactful and meaningful way, and to have that be part of your core self is so valuable. And hockey is a great vehicle to teach you that because A, you're going to face plenty of adversity against that, so you're getting a lot of practice. But B, the opportunity to connect to your teammates is always there. You have new teammates every year, so that's another thing that you can practice. And Kendra, I'll let. I'll let you have the final word on this one, but I just think this is tremendous advice. And again, whether you are feeling like you need someone or you want to be there for somebody, we all, as you say, in a community, play a role in that. And adults listening, you do too. Right? We should be encouraging this.
Kendra Fisher [9:02 - 10:20]: Yeah. I think for me, it's just all about learning how to be okay with things going wrong and things being uncomfortable, and we don't do that very well as people. Something that we shy away from is not feeling good. We would much rather feel good. So if you are questioning becoming a support to somebody, if you want to show up and you don't know how to. One of my questions is often for myself. You know, am I not showing up or am I not asking this because I don't want the answer? And same as the experience for the person who's struggling. We don't want to feel like a drag. We don't want to feel like we're pulling people down. We don't want to face the potential of somebody turning their back on us or not showing up. And I just want to say there's so much adversity out there, and hockey is a beautiful vehicle for connection. Hockey is a beautiful vehicle to have a second family that a lot of people don't get the opportunity to connect with. And 100% of the time, when you lead with kindness, when you lead with the potential of just being decent and understanding and creating space for other people, your ability to succeed on and off the ice is just. It's limitless.
Lee MJ Elias [10:20 - 10:20]: Yeah.
Kendra Fisher [10:20 - 10:43]: And at the end of the day, somebody with a very complex mental health journey, what's made it so that I'm here today sharing these words with you? It was all of the people who were willing to fill those spaces with me, all of the people who were willing to sit in those rooms with me. They didn't have to have the answers. I just needed to know I wasn't alone.
Lee MJ Elias [10:44 - 11:02]: I love it, Kendra. And kids, you can be the ones that change this for all of us, right? Adults like to talk about change, but it really. You're the ones who can lead us. So, kids, remember, wherever you're at on that hockey journey, we believe in you. You should, too. All right, Enjoy your time on the is. Enjoy the time with your teams. Enjoy their time generally. We'll see you on the next ride to the rink.
Lee MJ Elias [11:02 - 11:03]: Everybody skate on.
