Our Girls Play Hockey: Strong Looks Different on Everyone: A Conversation on Body Image Artwork

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.

All Episodes

Our Kids Play Hockey

Our Girls Play Hockey: Strong Looks Different on Everyone: A Conversation on Body Image

January 27, 2026 • Our Kids Play Hockey • Season 1 • Episode 474

💥 This is one of the most requested topics we’ve ever received — and for good reason.

Body image. Confidence. Strength. These are conversations that affect almost every girl hockey player and family at some point… yet they’re rarely talked about openly.

In this powerful and honest episode of Our Girls Play Hockey, Lee Elias and former Olympian Hayley Scamurra dive deep into the evolving definition of strength in girls hockey — from youth levels all the way to the pros.

Together, they unpack:

The body image pressures female athletes face (often starting way earlier than we realize)
Why the number on the scale is not a measure of performance or worth
Strength training myths — including the fear of “getting too bulky”
How social media fuels comparison (and how to protect confidence in a scroll-heavy world)
Why reframing strength as what your body can do changes everything

Hayley shares her own journey — from struggling to fit into jeans as a kid, to embracing her physical strength as one of her greatest assets on the ice. Lee brings the perspective of a coach, parent, and lifelong hockey advocate, challenging outdated narratives around health, fitness, and confidence.

💬 This episode isn’t just for players.
It’s for parents, coaches, and hockey dads who want to support girls the right way — with empathy, education, and leadership.

📩 We want to hear from you.
If this episode resonates, email us at team@ourkidsplayhockey.com
or use the text link in the show notes to share your thoughts or questions.

Have fun, work hard, get better — and remember: strong looks different on everyone.

#OurGirlsPlayHockey #GirlsHockey #Confidence #BodyImage #FemaleAthletes #HockeyParents #StrengthTraining #YouthSports

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Our Kids Play Hockey is powered by NHL Sense Arena! 🏒🥽

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