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: Why You Need To Play Your Role with Zac Rinaldo
What’s your role on the ice—and how can you lean into it, even if it’s not the one you wanted? In this Ride to the Rink, NHL veteran and current youth coach Zac Rinaldo shares real-world advice for players navigating team dynamics, finding their identity, and expanding their skillset.
From his own evolution through junior, pro, and now coaching, Zac breaks down how players can:
- 🔑 Understand and embrace their role
- 🧰 Build a versatile “toolbox” of skills
- 💬 Communicate effectively with coaches
- 🧠 Develop the mindset to grow through challenges
Whether you’re a first-liner or still figuring it out, this episode is packed with practical insights for becoming a more complete hockey player—and teammate.
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Lee MJ Elias [0:08 - 0:31]: Hockey skaters and goalies around the world. Welcome back to another edition of the Ride to the Rink. We got an NHL veteran today, 11 years in the league. Zach Ronaldo joins us. He also is a very, very good hockey coach and he is going to talk to you today about roles and about how to accept the role and how to build your toolbox. And my good friend Mike is here with me as well. And Mike, why don't you take it away for us today?
Mike Bonelli [0:31 - 1:06]: Yeah, Zach, I mean, you know, throughout your career, from youth hockey to pro hockey to now coaching ice hockey and you know, at all levels, I mean, one of the things that I think we talk about all the time with our players is their ability to play not only a role, but to have a lot of versatility in their game. Can you just talk to the players that would listen to this on your experience as a player and as a coach, on, on how to, you know, have a great, you call, we call it a toolbox. But expand their ability to play different roles at different times and have different expectations and, and how you would manage that as a player?
Zac Rinaldo [1:07 - 2:15]: Well, hockey is, hockey is a team game, number one. And I think you need to be able to play the game fully. You need to be able to pass, you'd be able to shoot and you'd be able to hit, need to be able to back check and play positions. So, so I think one thing is I ask the kids a lot of time, who's your favorite player? I hear Matthews, I hear Marner. And then I ask why? And they can't give me a real reason why. So I think number one is when you're watching your favorite player, watch them with the puck, watch them without the puck, watch them doing all different types of things, not just watching the highlights, not just watching them score goals, literally isolate them, follow them around the ice when you're watching the game and just pick apart the small details that they're doing away from the game. And then when you are on the ice, you know, do everything that you can to be a complete hockey player. Don't just be one dimensional trying to score all the goals and not do anything else. Don't just try to pass, shoot sometimes, but try to understand that the game is. Need to be, needs to be played as a complete game. A complete player doing it all at all times.
Mike Bonelli [2:16 - 2:51]: Can you just add, can you just say, also maybe mention. Because here's a lot of players are going to listen to this, like, well, I don't even know my role. Like I, I think My role is this. But, you know, how would you go about as a coach expecting a player to on, like, to help them? What would you say to a player? Like, get the coach to help you understand your role? Like, what kind of questions? Without being like, coach, you don't know what you're talking about. My dad says I should be doing this right. What could. What are ways that players can approach a coach to really find out, like, where do they fit in in a lineup and what can they do to align what they think their role is and what the coach think their role is?
Zac Rinaldo [2:51 - 4:04]: Yeah, I just think just be open and honest and go to your coach and politely ask him, what can I, Number one, what can I do better? Number two, how can I. If you're not expecting the ice time that you want or you don't think you're deserving of, how. What can I do to deserve more ice time? And is there anything I can work on at home? Is there anything that you need to see in practice that I need to do better of or more of or even less, less of to have a better opportunity in games so I can see more ice time so I can play the game? Just really show that you are trying to learn as much as you can from your coach. Me as a coach, I love players that come into my office that are thirsty and. And that want to learn about the game from all aspects of it. So the more that you can show that you're passionate about you as a player and getting your team to the best situation that they can, I think your coach will buy into helping you out a lot more than he has or give you honest feedback and honest answers. So just be honest and open with your coaches and ask what you can do better, what I need to do more of or less of, and hopefully you get some strong feedback.
Lee MJ Elias [4:05 - 4:33]: Hey, Zach, last question. This is great advice. I want to talk about the kid now who is nodding at everything you're saying and is maybe in a role that, hey, I don't love this or I don't want to do this. What is the mental approach that they should take? What are the, you know, the good thoughts? What are the combative thoughts that you think they should be kind of working through as a young adult to maybe get to a place where either they can accept it or understand it and perform?
Zac Rinaldo [4:34 - 5:31]: I think if you are put in a role that it's very challenging to accept, watch, watch hockey, watch other players that are in that role that are successful, and just understand that it's not if you get better. It's when you get better. It's when you get to somewhere where you think you should be. But in the meantime and in between time, accept what your coach has given your role to be and then embrace it. YouTube it, go on Instagram, find those things, watch hockey. Just become obsessed with what your role is and have fun with it and just, yeah, embrace it as much as you can. I know that's challenging sometimes. You're going to have hard days, you're going to have good days, but there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. So just stay with it, go through it, learn from it, grow with it, and try to have as much fun as you can with it.
Lee MJ Elias [5:32 - 5:51]: That's just a tremendous answer. And again, I think sometimes people forget the. The access that we have to the game today compared to 30, 40 years ago. You know, you. You can find that's just fantastic advice. Zach, I can't tell you how much we appreciate you coming on our big Our Kids Play Hockey episode and the Ride to the Rink this week. You're the best, man. Thanks for being here.
Zac Rinaldo [5:51 - 5:52]: Thanks for having me, guys. Appreciate you.
Lee MJ Elias [5:53 - 6:15]: All right, that's gonna do it for this edition of the Ride to the Rink. Kids, if you like this one, parents, if you like this one, send it to your coaches, send it to your teams, Let them know. And if you have a question, remember, you can email us team and Our Kids Play Hockey or click on the link accompanying this episode. You can actually text us questions that you have. But for Zach Ronaldo and Mike Benelli, I'm Le El. Thanks so much. Remember, kids, wherever you're at on your hockey journey, we believe in you. You should, too. Skate on. Have fun. We'll see you.
