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.
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: Hockey Holidays: Balancing Family, Rest, and the Rink
🎙️ Hockey friends and family — Happy Holidays from our team!
In this special, lighthearted holiday episode, Christie Casciano is joined by her two favorite cohosts, Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli for a festive check-in with the Our Kids Play Hockey community.
Between laughs, movie references, and holiday banter, the trio delivers an important reminder parents and players often need to hear this time of year: it’s okay to step back, say no, and simply enjoy the season. Whether your family is skating through tournaments, navigating three-on-three invites, or choosing rest over ice time, this episode reinforces that balance matters — especially during the holidays.
🎁 In this episode, we talk about:
- Why the holidays don’t have to revolve around hockey
- Giving yourself permission to skip extra skates and tournaments
- Finding joy, rest, and perspective during a busy season
- A sneak peek at upcoming episodes focused on the final stretch of the season
- Ending the year with gratitude, humor, and hockey community spirit
As the calendar turns and the season heads toward its final push, this episode is a warm reminder that hockey is important — but family, fun, and well-being always come first.
🏒✨ From all of us at Our Kids Play Hockey — happy hockey holidays!
#OurKidsPlayHockey #HockeyParents #HockeyHolidays #YouthHockeyLife #HockeyFamily #HolidayBalance #RinkLife #HockeySeason
Click To Text The Our Kids Play Hockey Team!
Our Kids Play Hockey is powered by NHL Sense Arena! 🏒🥽
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Hockey friends and family. I'm Christie Casciano along with my two good friends,
Lee Elias, aka Buddy the Elf, and Mike Bonelli, aka The Grinch.
And welcome to our kids, but he's a mean one. It's the holiday.
It's Christmas. Christmas!
Yes.
and not Christmas, but Christmas was the word that I had to use there. Well, I'm a
big geek, so I have to do that. And then from another movie standpoint, you know,
for all of you out there, this holiday season, whether you're playing or not, it's
okay. That's my message to you today. For example, another movie movement, my club
has a three -on -three tournament going on over the holiday. And like Captain America
at the end of end game, they go, Lee, do you want to be involved in this? I go,
no, no, I don't. And I'm okay with that.
holiday and just quick programming notes for you again this Saturday we are going to
be coming out with a great episode for you about what mike said the second kind of
half of the season it's really not the second half it's the it's the last kind of
final run right it's getting into the playoff time period and ending the season and
then yeah we're going to have a happy new year for you too soon amongst other
things so christie you started why don't you close it out because i'm rambling
everybody. On behalf of the Grinch, Mike Bonelli, and Buddy the Elf, Lee Elias.
Hockey holidays, everybody.
Lee MJ Elias
Host
Christie Casciano Burns
Co-host
Mike Bonelli
Co-host
Katelynn Reiss
Producer
Xavier Cruz
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