Our Kids Play Hockey | Hockey Stories & Teamwork Tips

🏒 How do you follow up a year that included an Olympic gold medal and a Walter Cup championship?For Hayley Scamurra, the answer isn’t about trying to “top” it.It’s about continuing the journey.In the first installment of Our Girls Play Hockey: Day in the Life 2026–27, Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli reconnect with Hayley as she closes one unforgettable chapter and steps directly into another—Team USA camp, World Championship preparation, a cross-country move, and the launch of a brand-new PWHL team in Las Vegas.Hayley reflects on the gratitude she feels for the year behind her while staying focused on what comes next. She shares what it was like to bring the Walter Cup home, celebrate with family, say goodbye to Montreal, and navigate the chaos of packing and moving across the country while still training at an elite level.🎧 In this episode:🥇 How Hayley responds to the question, “How do you top last year?”🏆 What it meant to bring the Walter Cup home to family and young players❤️ Why gratitude and forward momentum can exist at the same time🇺🇸 How she is preparing for Team USA camp and the World Championships🔥 Why winning again can be even harder than winning the first time🎯 How elite athletes handle the pressure of having a target on their back🚗 Inside Hayley’s cross-country move from Maryland to Las Vegas🐶 The road-trip plans with her husband Nick and their dog, Lexi📸 Why she is flying right back across the country for a PWHL photo shoot🏒 What excites her about helping build the culture of a new PWHL franchise🌟 How her role is changing as a veteran leader on a young team🎟️ Why Las Vegas could become one of the most exciting new hockey markets in the leagueOne of the biggest themes in this episode is simple:The journey is the goal.A gold medal is a moment.A championship is a moment.But the work, the relationships, the next challenge, and the opportunity to keep growing—that’s the real story.Hayley is entering a season filled with change, leadership, travel, pressure, and possibility.And once again, she’s bringing us along for the ride.📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: From Gold Medal to Las Vegas: Hayley Scamurra’s Next Chapter#OurGirlsPlayHockey #HayleyScamurra #PWHL #WomensHockey #TeamUSA #LasVegasHockey #WalterCup #GirlsHockey #OlympicGold #HockeyJourney #FemaleAthletes #PWHLVegas Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

🥅 What separates a goalie who keeps growing from one who gets discouraged?Sometimes it’s not size.It’s not skill.It’s not even the result of the game.Sometimes it’s belief.In this episode of The Ride to the Rink, Lee Elias, Christie Casciano-Burns, and Mike Bonelli break down some of the biggest lessons from their conversation with former NHL goaltender Andrew “Razor” Raycroft.The focus is simple: what can young goalies—and young hockey players in general—learn from someone who made it all the way to the NHL?One of the biggest lessons is that goalies need to develop the ability to bounce back.You are going to have bad games.You might even have a bad stretch.That does not mean you are a bad goalie.🎧 In this episode:🥅 Why mental toughness matters so much in the goalie position🧠 How to self-assess without beating yourself up📱 Why highlight reels are a terrible way to measure your development👀 Why watching full hockey games can build your hockey IQ💪 How belief can become a real separator as players develop📈 Why getting a little better matters more than comparing yourself to someone else🎯 How to identify what you did well and what you can improve📚 Why being a lifelong learner can make you a stronger player❤️ Why your hockey path does not need to look like anyone else’sAndrew Raycroft’s journey was not built around being the best player at every age.He simply kept moving forward.He kept learning.He kept believing that he was on his own path.That is the message for young players:Do not let someone else’s highlight reel become the standard for your game.Learn from what you see.Study the game.Ask questions.Evaluate yourself honestly.Then get back to work.Wherever you are in your hockey journey, keep learning—and keep believing in yourself.#TheRideToTheRink #YouthHockey #GoalieMindset #YouthHockeyGoalie #AndrewRaycroft #HockeyIQ #GoalieDevelopment #HockeyConfidence #MentalToughness #HockeyKids #PlayerDevelopment Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

🥅 What really separates a great young goalie from everyone else?According to former NHL goaltender, Calder Trophy winner, coach, and analyst Andrew Raycroft, it is not just size, technique, or flashy saves.It is perseverance.It is skating.It is belief.It is learning how to handle failure.And sometimes, it is being just a little bit delusional.In this episode of Our Kids Play Goalie, Lee Elias, Mike Bonelli, Christie Casciano-Burns, and Andrew Raycroft dive into what young goalies and their parents should actually focus on as they develop.Andrew shares lessons from his own journey from minor hockey to more than 100 NHL wins, explains why he worries that youth hockey sometimes prioritizes size over skill, and talks about why smaller, athletic goalies still deserve real opportunities.The conversation also goes deep into the mental side of the position: how goalies respond after bad goals, why resilience matters, what parents should do during tough stretches, and how social media can quietly destroy confidence by making every other goalie look perfect.🎧 In this episode:🥅 Why perseverance may be the most important goalie trait⛸️ Why skating ability stands out immediately in young goalies📏 Why coaches should not automatically choose the biggest goalie🧠 Why some goalies naturally handle failure better than others💪 How to build resilience after rough games and difficult stretches🚫 Why parents should avoid overanalyzing the car ride home📱 How social media creates unrealistic comparisons for young goalies🔥 Why belief and even a little “delusion” can be powerful🎯 How to judge your performance beyond just the final score👀 Why hockey IQ becomes a major separator as goalies get older📺 How actually watching full hockey games can improve goalie instincts❤️ Why parents should focus less on outcomes and more on whether their child still loves coming to the rinkOne of Andrew’s most important messages is simple: you cannot force the path.One kid may develop faster.Another may be smaller.Another may struggle for a month and then take a huge step forward.The goal is not to compare your child to every highlight clip online.The goal is to help them keep showing up, keep learning, keep believing, and keep enjoying the position.Because the lessons a goalie learns in the crease—resetting after failure, owning mistakes, competing through adversity, and believing in yourself—go far beyond hockey.📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: What Really Makes a Great Young Goalie? Lessons from Andrew Raycroft#OurKidsPlayGoalie #AndrewRaycroft #YouthHockeyGoalie #GoalieDevelopment #HockeyGoalie #GoalieParents #YouthHockey #GoalieTraining #HockeyMindset #GoalieConfidence #HockeyIQ #HockeyParents Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

🏒 What happens when a young player still loves hockey—but the schedule is starting to wear her down?In this episode of Our Girls Play Hockey, Lee Elias, Mike Bonelli, and Olympic gold medalist and Walter Cup champion Hayley Scamurra respond to a powerful parent email about a 12U player facing three practices a week, dryland, video sessions, and roughly two hours of driving for every practice.The player still loves the game.But she and her parent are exhausted.So the question becomes: Is more hockey always better?Hayley reflects on her own youth and high school experience, including long drives, missed practices, school commitments, and the importance of doing what was best for her overall development and well-being. Mike and Lee add the coaching perspective, discussing commitment, communication, age, team expectations, multi-sport participation, and the difference between occasionally needing space and consistently avoiding responsibility.🎧 In this episode:🏒 When missing a youth hockey practice can actually be healthy🚗 Why travel time should count as part of a player’s workload🔥 The difference between schedule fatigue and true hockey burnout❤️ Why protecting a player’s love of the game matters more than squeezing in one more practice🗣️ Why honest communication with the coach is essential💪 How young female athletes can learn to advocate for themselves⚖️ Why age and competitive level should change expectations🏃 Why playing multiple sports can support hockey development📆 How families can experiment with a lighter schedule without locking into a full-season decision🎯 Whether doing less means another player will “pass you”🤝 Why accountability still matters when a player misses practice🧠 How coaches can create environments players actually want to show up forOne of the strongest messages in this conversation is that a 12-year-old should not feel like an entire hockey season is something she has to “grind out.”Competing hard in a difficult game is one thing.Grinding through an exhausting schedule for months at a time is another.If a player still loves hockey, protect that love.That might mean taking a night off.It might mean choosing another activity.It might mean changing teams.It might mean having an uncomfortable but necessary conversation with a coach.And it might simply mean giving a young athlete enough space to miss the rink—and want to come back.There is no single perfect answer for every family. But communication, health, accountability, and joy should always be part of the decision.📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: When Youth Hockey Becomes Too Much: Burnout, Travel, and Protecting the Love of the Game#OurGirlsPlayHockey #GirlsHockey #YouthHockey #HockeyBurnout #TravelHockey #HayleyScamurra #WomensHockey #HockeyParents #YouthSports #MultiSportAthlete #PlayerDevelopment #HockeyBalance Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

🏒 What does being “coachable” actually look like during a hockey game?In this episode of The Ride to the Rink, Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli speak directly to young players about how to listen, learn, and stay engaged when coaches are talking to them on the bench.Being coachable is not about blindly agreeing with everything you hear. It’s about being present, being willing to receive information, and looking for something useful that can help you on your next shift.Mike shares a few simple habits coaches notice right away: sitting with your linemates, encouraging teammates, making eye contact with your coach, listening when someone is trying to teach you, and staying mentally connected to the game instead of drifting into unrelated conversations.Lee adds an important reminder: coaching is not judging.When a coach tells you what they want to see differently, that does not automatically mean they think you are a bad player or that you ruined the game. Most of the time, they are simply trying to help you improve.🎧 In this episode, young players will learn:🏒 What coaches notice when players come back to the bench🤝 Why positive communication with teammates matters👀 Why eye contact and attention show coaches you are ready to learn🧠 How to pull one useful takeaway from coaching instructions🎯 Why staying present matters in a fast-moving game📈 How every mistake can become a learning opportunity💬 Why coaching feedback is meant to help—not blame⭐ How being coachable builds trust with coaches and teammatesThe goal is simple: every shift, try to learn something.Maybe it’s finding more open ice.Maybe it’s making a better pass.Maybe it’s supporting a teammate.Maybe it’s just being more aware.You do not have to become a perfect player in one shift. Just try to become a little better each time you step onto the ice.Stay engaged. Stay curious. Help your teammates. Listen for the lesson.📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: How to Be More Coachable—and Learn More From Every Hockey ShiftAnd remember: we believe in you—but you should believe in yourself too.#TheRideToTheRink #YouthHockey #HockeyKids #BeCoachable #HockeyDevelopment #HockeyMindset #YouthHockeyPlayers #HockeyCoaching #HockeyTeammates #PlayerDevelopment Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.