As a coach who works with girls hockey players both on and off the ice, I help players develop the skill and athleticism they need to take their game to the highest level possible.  But there is one thing that a player absolutely MUST have if they want to realize their hockey dreams – and it’s the one thing that I, and every other coach out there, CAN’T teach.

We can teach you all the skills you need to play at the elite level… But we can’t teach you PASSION.

We can show you all the systems and strategies…But we can’t teach you how to be committed or dedicated.

That has to come from inside YOU.

The difference between good players and great female hockey players is very, very small.  Players who can skate, shoot, pass, save and stickhandle are a dime-a-dozen, but players who have the uncommon level of desire to become the best are very rare.

You have to be willing to do things that other players aren’t willing to do in order to separate yourself from the competition.  Because it’s those things you choose to do when no one else is watching that will make you stand out from the crowd.

Great players choose to be excellent every day. 

They don’t just show up for the big games.  They put in the same level of effort, whether it is the championship game of a tournament or a normal weekday practice.  They finish every single drill as hard as they can, even if their teammates are slacking off.  They set goals for themselves before they hit the ice so that they can stay laser-focused on what they want
to achieve.  They also put the same level of commitment and dedication into what they do off the ice.  They train off the ice all year around and they stretch before they go to bed each night.  They make healthy nutrition choices and make sure they are drinking enough water.  They spend ten extra minutes working on their stick-handling and shooting every night.  They work as hard in the classroom as they do on the ice.

Let’s be honest – this stuff isn’t “sexy”.  It’s much more fun to go to practice or play games.  And it’s much easier to be motivated when there are 15 other players chasing after the same goal.

But great players don’t make the easy choice.  They make the HARD choices and hold themselves to a higher standard.

Because if making it to the next level was easy, everyone would be there.

There is a huge difference between saying that you want to be the best and actually taking the action necessary to move closer to your dreams.

If you want to be the best, you have to choose to be excellent every day.

Because that just what elite female hockey players do.

Excellence doesn’t just happen when you are out on the ice.  It happens as a result of all the little choices you make on and off the ice each and every day – when no one else is watching or keeping score.

Keep Working Hard, Dreaming BIG and Taking ACTION.

~ Coach Kim
Director, Total Female Hockey