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 - Should You Play Spring Hockey? 🏒
Spring is here! As the temperatures rise and the ice starts to melt, you might be wondering: Should I keep playing hockey in the spring, or is it okay to take a break?
In this episode, Lee MJ Elias, Mike Bonelli, and Sherry Hudspeth tackle one of the biggest questions young hockey players face: Do I need to play year-round to get better? Spoiler alert: You don’t.
✅ Why taking a break from hockey can actually make you a better player
✅ The benefits of playing other sports (or even picking up an instrument!)
✅ How to avoid the pressure of year-round hockey and focus on overall development
✅ Why your parents (and their wallets) need a break too!
Whether you’re lacing up for lacrosse, swinging a baseball bat, hitting the golf course, or just enjoying some downtime, remember—be an athlete, stay active, and most importantly, have fun.
🔗 Got questions about your spring hockey plans? Reach out to us! Click the link in the episode description or email team@ourkidsplayhockey.com.
#Hockey #SpringHockey #MultiSportAthletes #HockeyDevelopment #OurKidsPlayHockey
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Lee MJ Elias [0:07 - 1:47]: Hello, hockey skaters and goalies around the world. Welcome back to another edition of the Ride to the Rink. It's Lee with Sherry and Mike today. And spring is upon us. My friends, when you're listening to this, the weather, wherever you are, should start to break soon. The cold depths of winter, the freezing temperatures, hockey weather is departing and making way for the rains and the breezes and the birds of spring coming back to us. As I try and end this poetic juncture that I'm doing right now. And what that means is the grass is going to start growing and spring sports are coming. And kids, we want to talk to you for a few minutes about two things. Primarily, it's okay if you don't play hockey in the spring. The show is called the Ride to the Rink. We're all hockey coaches. We all are in the game. And all three of us are telling you right now that if you don't want to play hockey this spring, no matter what anyone's telling you, it's absolutely fine. It's absolutely fine to take off the spring adversely. If you want to play spring hockey and you enjoy that, I'm not telling you that's a bad idea, too. But I think, kids, that there's so much pressure on you to continue to play year round, and we're trying to tell you, take a break from the ice, play another sport or an instrument or something, go for a walk, but maybe get away from the rink for a few months. You need the break. Your parents need the break, your coaches need the break. The only thing that doesn't break in the spring is this podcast. We're year round. All right, but let's, let's go around the horn here. Mike or Sherry, let's talk about spring sports. They're upon us. And the kids play. It's, it's, it's, it's legit important that you play other sports.
Sheri Hudspeth [1:49 - 2:20]: Yeah, I think you have to take a break, I think, mentally, right? You got your fall season, you have your spring season. Take June and July, you know, maybe do one or, one or two hockey camps, but like, do something else. Like my parents, we had a cottage in the summer, we were big on water skiing, just different sports. Played soccer, played basketball, played rugby. Play something different, become an athlete, right? You're going to meet different teammates, different coaches, different ways of thinking and just, I think really just taking the mental break from hockey is going to pay off. And if you really want to do.
Mike Bonelli [2:20 - 4:19]: This long term, I think it's, I think the theme has to be Be an athlete this spring and you have to, you know, you can do your ice hockey. And I, I get it. You're, you can, you know, but I think this is the time of your development where you have the most influence and control over. And if you could get into, I mean, I definitely love the instrument piece and the off athletic piece just to kind of, kind of calm your mind and meet new people and find other ways to use your time that's not on a device like learn different things. It's a great opportunity where the, the schedule is hopefully a little muted. I mean, even in the, the craziest baseball and lacrosse seasons and it's still not hockey. It's still not, you know, you're, you're still, you're still in a, in a, in a, in a place where you have more opportunity as a player. Player to improve on so many aspects of your game. I don't think anybody in the, in the, in the hockey world is saying, never strap on a pair of skates in the spring. But find a way to use that to the best of your development. Don't get influenced that you have to be on a select spring team. Don't think that you need to go to any showcase events. There's no coaches, none that are watching you in the spring in the showcase events. They're just not doing it on vacation. You know, use the opportunity to find ways to make yourself a better athlete. You know, if you've never played tennis before, learn how to play tennis. If you've never golfed before, learn how to golf, lacrosse and, and, and baseball and, you know, other sports that allow you to diversify what you can do athletically, but also to relieve the stress on your body. You give yourself an opportunity to do other things with your family and, you know, and just find a way. If you love hockey, if hockey is your number one. I love hockey. I, I want to be there every day. I want to be the best player I can be. And if you do that, what you'll do is less hockey in the spring. You're going to be a great, you're going to, you're really going to benefit it from it later on.
Lee MJ Elias [4:19 - 5:48]: You know, I'll say this too, kids. You know, I think the key is, and, and both Mike and Sherry and myself are saying, yeah, be an athlete. But how about this? Be active. Just be active, right? This doesn't have to be on the ice. And again, whether there's art, music, writing, whatever other hobbies you have, you can maintain being active while doing those Other things. But just try and get your mind away from the ring. Kids, I hear a lot of you say, oh, but spring hockey, that's fine. Just once a week. It's just once a week. Look, I'm not going to say not to do it, but it's just once a week, right? You're still there. It's important to get yourself separated from that ring. And I think that if you'll find. If you do this and stay active, you will be extremely refreshed for the summertime or. Or the fall. If you know, I don't have a problem with summer hockey, that is just once a week. Right. But you got to find the things that work for you. But kids, what we want you to know is this. Do not feel the pressure that you have to play year round. It is proven in every single study that you need to be a well rounded athlete. If you want to do anything in any sport. You can't just be a one sport athlete. And if you love hockey, which we all do here, we get it. Sometimes you got to take a break from the things you love. All right? And. And the love only grows from there and gets bigger and bigger and bigger. And listen kids, I'll tell you this too. Your parents are there with you. They need a break. Parents need a break too. Their wallets need a break. They need a break. You need a minute away from the rank. Trust us. Okay. Any final thoughts, Mike and Sherry? Or do we nail this one?
Sheri Hudspeth [5:48 - 5:49]: Nailed it.
Lee MJ Elias [5:49 - 6:27]: Awesome. A great gonna do it for this ride. Not to the rink, the ride to the park, the ride, the field, whatever you want to call it. The ride to the Gym of of this episode of the Ride to the Rink. Lee, Mike and Sherry here with you kids. Thanks so much for listening. Again, we say it every episode. Remember, we believe in you. You should too. You have any questions for us even about what do I do in the spring? Click the link accompanying this episode. You'll text us right away or jump on your parents email team atourkids playhockey.com. kids, we love hearing from you but without further ado, we will escort you into the end of the season. Have a wonderful, wonderful time. We'll see you on the next ride of the rink. Everybody skate on.
