California Rubber

California’s and Nevada’s Authoritative Voice of Ice and Inline Hockey

Category Archives: Columns

Behind the Bench: Work hard and smart, get results

May 5th, 2023

Years ago, I was helping a young athlete with an off-ice workout program. Part of the training was running a course we did at Notre Dame called the Gauntlet. It’s brutal. Run 1 mile in under 6 minutes. 3-minute breakRun ½ mile in under 3 minutes. 1:30 breakRun ¼ mile in under 1:15.Done. It’s tough….

From the Trainer’s Room: It’s all in the hips

April 27th, 2023

I once heard a world-famous sports coach tell his pupil, “It’s all in the hips.” Of course, this was fictional golf legend Chubbs Peterson during the movie “Happy Gilmore” in 1996. Although a comedy about golf, these are wise words when it comes to hockey skating performance. The hockey player’s hips are their engine, but…

Behind the Bench: Do you work hard? Think again!

April 27th, 2023

After graduating from Notre Dame, I thought I knew what hard work was.  Then I learned better. I was watching Quinnipiac play Minnesota for the college hockey championship a few weeks ago.   Quinnipiac has a player with the last name Brind’Amour. That brought back a memory, and then the camera panned to show Rod Brind’Amour –…

From the Trainer’s Room: Balancing your offseason

April 18th, 2023

We have reached an exciting time of year. The NCAA Frozen Four produced wonderful games. Major inline tournament circuits are in full swing. The NHL playoffs are just beginning, and the draft is just around the corner. Unless you are living under a rock, every hockey fan probably knows who is expected to be drafted…

Behind the Bench: The work, the grind, the effort

April 13th, 2023

In my last column, I talked about having perspective and appreciating where you’re at while accepting what you actually want to accomplish (and be OK with that). Today, let’s assume you want to be the best and you are taking action to be the best.   What does that look like?  Are you really paying the…

From the Trainer’s Room: Off-ice training for goalies

April 12th, 2023

Off-ice training plays a vital role in the development of hockey players. USA Hockey follows the Long Term Athletic Development principles as the basis of their program. These principles will assist in creating a more consistent training regimen. Today’s training programs should not be based on how hard the program is, but by what goals…

Behind the Bench: Enjoy the ride, have perspective

April 7th, 2023

It’s a fun ride coaching youth hockey.  After a decade, I have seen and heard a lot. My favorite question I often receive is, “When do you think you will coach at the higher levels?” Internally, I’m thinking no chance I would ever want to go after the NHL.  I am not that into coaching…

From the Trainer’s Room: Improving your speed

April 4th, 2023

The time for offseason hockey training is upon us. At this point of the year, the focus should shift to how we can improve and make gains for next season. Almost every hockey player I work with wants to get stronger and get faster. Following a proper training plan designed by a professional coach can…

From the Trainer’s Room: 5 reasons adults should exercise

March 28th, 2023

Let’s chat about exercising as an adult. It’s not just about losing weight or changing how you look. That may be one of the many benefits, but let’s break down five top reasons why adults should exercise or include fitness in their daily lives. As we age, our body naturally loses muscle and strength. To…

From the Trainer’s Room: Preventing groin injuries in hockey

March 22nd, 2023

A successful hockey season filled with wins, goals, assists and enjoyment can be easily derailed with a groin strain. The groin musculature or adductor group is located on the inside of the thigh and brings the thigh back into the midline of the body. This is an important group of muscles during skating as they…

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