The Grind…It’s Real
You don’t need to tell us here at Elite Amateur Sports that the hockey season is a grind. We just completed 5 amazing weeks of tournaments. For all of the hard work that goes into producing an amazing product, it has been paid back 10-fold after seeing all of your smiles. We can’t wait to get back at it in Muskegon with our upcoming Girls Showdown . Maybe you are feeling it too. Everything gets tougher when the days get shorter, and that cold wind howls.
It is mid-November and we have hit the heart of hockey season. Right around now, it starts to become apparent how your team will unfold. A few weeks ago, we talked about how winning and losing doesn’t define a season, but players should have noticeably developed at this point. Keeping kids excited going to the rink and being around the team may become increasingly difficult if the season isn’t going as planned.
For as much as going on the road and competing in a hockey tournament in Michigan is, maybe you need some fun teambuilding exercises to do at home. Whether it’s having a team “Friendsgiving” dinner, having a holiday party in December, or having a team outing at a high-level hockey game is always fun. Here in Michigan, there are plenty of options for the latter. The Redwings are a young team on the rise in the NHL, University of Michigan is one of the most thrilling teams in the NCAA, and there is a slew of Junior A teams all across the state. It is a fun way for coaches to get together with the boys or girls and show them good hockey play and habits that can be used when they get back on the ice. We have even partnered with the K-Wings of the ECHL in the past so players can experience the fun of professional hockey at a reasonable price.
Watching the higher levels is also a great way to supplement a film session with your team. Elite players doing the small things on the ice in a pro game is a great way to help kids relate to plays they make on a daily basis as well. Once your team is in high spirits, we would love to host you at our Mid-Winter Shootout in January. Check out our website or Facebook for more information regarding this or any of our other tournament offerings, and we hope to see you soon!