Our Kids Play Hockey

🍁 This week, we’re giving thanks — for YOU, our listeners, our incredible hockey community, and the five amazing years of Our Kids Play Hockey! Join hosts Lee Elias, Christy Casciano-Burns, and Mike Bonelli for a heartwarming Thanksgiving special that’s all about gratitude, laughter, and celebrating how far this podcast (and our hockey families) have come. In this special holiday edition, the team shares: ✨ Reflections on five years of growing the OKPH community ✨ Heartfelt gratit...

This week, Our Kids Play Hockey is taking a brief break from the Wraparound Roundtable giveaway series to celebrate the holiday season and encourage our community to support small and medium-sized hockey businesses. While there’s no weekly giveaway this week, the grand prize is still on its way, and the full series continues soon! 🎁 Holiday Shoutouts: HockeyWrapAround.com – The original wraparound blade protector.TwigBiscuit.com – Our brand-new youth book series, perfect for new hockey fami...

🔥 Is “a hockey-life balance” even real—or is it just about priorities? This week on Our Girls Play Hockey, Lee Elias, Mike Bonelli, and PWHL star Hayley Scamurra dig into one of the biggest questions families face: how do young athletes juggle hockey, school, family, and downtime without burning out? From missed school dances and long road trips to the reality of puberty and injuries, Hayley shares her honest experience growing up in hockey—and what she wishes she knew about balance, rest, an...

🚗 Every hockey parent has been there. The game ends, emotions run high, and before you know it — the “coaching” starts before the gear’s even off. In one of our most revisited and requested topics, Lee, Mike, and Christie return to a fan-favorite message: the car ride is STILL not for coaching. In this heartfelt follow-up, the trio breaks down why post-game analysis in the car can damage your relationship with your player — and what to do instead. From anxious parents to over-enthusiastic dad...

🧠 Ever wonder what separates good hockey players from great ones? It’s not just skating or shooting — it’s how they see the game. In this quick but powerful mini-episode, Lee and Mike dive deep into one of hockey’s most underrated superpowers: situational awareness. From blue-line turnovers to risky rushes, goalie decisions to smart dump-ins, this episode breaks down how learning to “zoom out” and see the full 200x80 sheet can transform a young player’s game — and make coaches trust them more...

Welcome to another Wraparound Roundtable — our holiday special series where we spotlight the biggest creators in the game and give away major prizes! This week, we’re joined by the one and only Pavel Barber — stickhandling phenom, skills coach, and one of the most recognized names in online hockey content. 🎁 Giveaway Alert: Every episode = a chance to win a Green Biscuit + Puck AroundThis week’s multiplier: A Goalie Wraparound (Pavel’s pick!)🔗 Head to HockeyNeverStops.com and enter now!📌 In t...

This week on the Wraparound Roundtable, we sit down with one of the most colorful personalities in hockey — literally. Known online as RSpike20, the Purple Goalie has taken the beer league world (and Instagram) by storm with his hilarious skits, mic’d-up moments, and genuine love for the game. 🎧 In this episode, we dive into: How a love for the Lightning sparked his late start in hockeyWhat it’s like learning to play goal as an adult — and turning that journey into contentHis creative process...

✨ Do young girls take coaching more literally than boys? That’s the big question we dig into on this week’s episode of Our Girls Play Hockey! Lee, Mike, and Team USA’s Hayley Scamurra share their coaching insights and personal experiences on how language, confidence, and context impact the way girls receive and process feedback compared to boys. From locker room dynamics to building trust, the panel gets real about what works (and what doesn’t) when helping young female players thrive — and w...

💭 Feeling the weight of being a hockey parent? You’re not alone. In this heartfelt and honest episode, Lee Elias, Christie Casciano-Burns, and Mike Bonelli open up about the mental and emotional load that comes with youth hockey — the long weekends, the money, the pressure, and the expectations we quietly carry. 🔥 In this conversation: Why so many parents tie their own worth to their kids’ performance 🧠The guilt, stress, and second-guessing that come after every gameHow money, time, and compe...

🎙️ “Okay.” “K.” “👍.” Sound familiar? In this week’s episode of The Ride To The Rink, Mike and Lee tackle one of the sneakiest challenges facing young hockey players today — texting instead of talking. From locker room group chats to misread messages, they break down why communication has become so complicated — and how simple face-to-face conversations can make you not only a better teammate, but a better person. 🔥 Highlights include: The hidden dangers of texting tone (and why emojis don’t ...

On this episode of The Wraparound Roundtable, we roll into an incredible conversation with Hintsyy, a roller hockey creator who’s grown a community from the blacktop to the controller — and has become one of the funniest, most creative voices in hockey content today. 🎮 Known for breaking Chel (EA Sports NHL) in the most hilarious ways and building up the roller hockey scene online, Hintsyy shares how he transitioned from ice to inline during the COVID lockdown — and how it turned into a passi...

This week on The Wraparound Roundtable, we kick off the official 2025 season with content creator and rising hockey influencer Kazxi — and trust us, this episode is an inspiration for hockey dreamers of all ages. 🌟 Kazxi’s story is unlike any other: From discovering hockey during the Tampa Bay Lightning’s back-to-back Stanley Cup runs to picking up a stick just before his 24th birthday, he’s proof that it’s never too late to fall in love with the game. Starting out by streaming video games an...

Ready to revolutionize your young hockey player's mindset? 🏒💪 "The Ride to the Rink" serves up a game-changing episode packed with insights from PWHL star Hayley Scamurra and Coach Nick Stoop. They tackle the tough questions: How do you keep the love for hockey alive? What's the secret to performing under pressure? And why is positioning more crucial than points? 🔑 Key Takeaways: Recognizing when it's time for a team changeThe power of self-awareness in youth sportsShifting focus from scoring...

💬 “If your kid’s frustrated about ice time, this episode is your playbook for turning conflict into connection.” Today, Lee and Mike sit down with Jen Fry — a sports educator, inclusion consultant, and communication strategist who’s worked with organizations like the NCAA, ESPN, and the NFL — to tackle one of the hardest parts of youth sports: communication. From locker room dynamics to late-night parent frustrations, Jen shares how families, players, and coaches can build trust, transparency...

🎙️ Tournament season is here — are your kids really getting the most out of it? This week on The Ride To The Rink, Lee, Christie, and Mike unpack one of youth hockey’s biggest opportunities (and challenges): tournament weekends. From nerves and hotel boredom to team bonding and leadership, this episode is your playbook for making every trip unforgettable — for players and parents alike. 💡 In This Episode: 🏒 Christie shares how to turn nerves into excitement and creativity on the ice.&nb...