Category Archives: Columns
Taking Liberties With… Blake Weyrick
May 21st, 2016BLAKE WEYRICK Position: Goaltender, Janesville Jets (NAHL) Committed: Canisius College (Atlantic Hockey) Hometown: Malibu Youth programs: Channel Islands Riptide, Anaheim Jr. Ducks, L.A. Selects California Rubber: You committed in early March to play your college hockey at Canisius – what did you like about the program? Blake Weyrick: I really love the coaching staff. They…
Chalk Talk: Persistence – a useful life skill developed through hockey
May 12th, 2016What are the keys to success in hockey and how do we translate those to essential life skills? The exponentially increasing demands of ice hockey as a player advances through age levels presents new opportunities for growth. When I speak to athletes and parents about what it takes to stay in this game, I feel…
Taking Liberties With… Eric Comrie
May 10th, 2016ERIC COMRIE Position: Goaltender, Manitoba Moose (AHL) Age: 20 Hometown: Newport Beach (Born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) Last Amateur Team: Tri-City Americans (WHL) Youth Teams: LA Hockey Club/LA Selects California Rubber: What is your favorite hockey memory growing up? Eric Comrie: Winning two national championships with my (youth) teams. CR: What is your favorite memory…
Industry Profile: A.J. Boldan, PAC-8 Hockey
May 5th, 2016A.J. BOLDAN Hometown: Rochester, Minn. Resides: Salt Lake City, Utah Age: 36 Position/Organization: Executive Director, PAC-8 Hockey; President/GM/Assistant Coach, University of Utah Hockey California Rubber: What’s your background in hockey, and how did you get to where you are today? A.J. Boldan: I went through the youth program in my hometown in Minnesota and graduated…
Chalk Talk: Learning to play ‘honest tough’ can make a difference
April 27th, 2016What does it mean to be honest tough? My coach Mark Morris said it the four years I played for the Manchester Monarchs of the AHL. Honest tough for hockey is when players finish their checks cleanly every opportunity, keeping your stick to your self, keeping your mouth shut, going to the net to finish…
Industry Profile: Ty Gretzky
April 1st, 2016TY GRETZKY Hometown: Los Angeles Resides: Los Angeles Age: 25 Position/Organization: Owner, Gretzky Hockey School Ty Gretzky laughed when asked about the text on his website proclaiming Gretzky Hockey School as the “greatest hockey school in the world.” While the superlative might seem an obvious play on his father Wayne’s nickname, even The Great One…
From The Trainer’s Room: What offseason goals for hockey players should entail
April 1st, 2016For most hockey players, the season has ended. It’s time to get a little rest and let the body and mind recover. The season can be a grind with lots of games, practices, lessons and travel and taking some time away from the ice can do a ton of good. For teenage hockey players, I…
Taking Liberties With… Taylor Aronson
March 24th, 2016Taylor Aronson Position: Defenseman, Milwaukee Admirals (AHL) Drafted: Nashville Predators’ third-round pick (78th overall) in 2010 NHL draft Hometown: Placentia Youth Programs: Ontario Senators, California Wave, Los Angeles Jr. Kings California Rubber: What is your favorite hockey memory growing up? Taylor Aronson: The competition. We always had strong competition and that made it more fun…
Chalk Talk: To make it in hockey, one must be ‘good enough’
March 22nd, 2016“Hey Coach, so what does it take?” You have to be good enough and you have to make the commitment and sacrifice to reach your goals. I step off the ice to begin the familiar walk back to the coaches’ room. It’s during this friendly stroll that I am approached by a hockey parent with…
From The Trainer’s Room: Letting the brain heal after a concussion is paramount
March 1st, 2016Once your athlete is a diagnosed with a concussion, what are the next steps? Hopefully, your physician is experienced with sports-related concussions and will give you guidelines as to what you can do and what you cannot do. Physical and cognitive rest (yes, may mean missing school) is prescribed with no computers, TV, cell phones,…