Champs App Podcast

On today's episode we welcome back Max Gavin, the new head coach of Lindenwood women's hockey. Max was last on the show in Episode 122 as an assistant coach at Boston College, and this June he was named head coach at Lindenwood, his first head coaching job in Division I. Max shares his plans for Lindenwood, from why a phone call out of the blue turned into a move to St. Louis, to why year one is about learning the program and establishing a process, to the fast, physical "hunt mentality" he wants his team to play with. We get into his recruiting strategy, including why he wants to retire the phrase "non-traditional market," how he is building chemistry on a roster from twelve countries, and what he looks for in a player: passion, competitiveness, hockey IQ, and doing the extra work when no one is watching. Max also gives his read on the new 5-for-5 eligibility model and the questions still unanswered, and his advice for families in the recruiting process right now: take every opportunity seriously at every level, because spots are limited, and be patient.Follow Max on Instagram: @mgavin89Follow Lindenwood Women's Hockey on X: @LU_Hockey and on Instagram: @lu_whockeyLearn more about Lindenwood women's hockey: https://lindenwoodlions.com/sports/womens-ice-hockeyConnect with Max on Champs App: https://profile.champs.app/h/max-gavinHear Max's full background on Episode 122: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgyRwQDJmu8============================Champs App is your recruiting and development copilot. We help athletes, coaches, parents, and agents/advisors navigate the youth sports landscape. Create a free Champs App account to build a beautiful hockey profile and unlock free, high-quality content focused on recruiting and hockey player development.⁠⁠Download Champs App for iOS in the Apple App Store⁠⁠⁠⁠Download Champs App for Android in the Google Play Store⁠⁠===========================================Champs360 is the all-in-one recruiting and development copilot for players, parents, and coaches. It gives families the clarity and tools to navigate the recruiting process with less stress and more confidence.At its core, Champs360 brings everything together in one organized system. The College Search tool lets families filter and explore every school by size, location, admission scores and tuition. My Shortlist makes it easy to save and track the programs you care about, and for every school on your shortlist, the Team Dashboard delivers deep program intelligence: rosters, coaching staff, recruiting data, upcoming events, and school-specific articles and videos, all in one place.Communication is central to recruiting, and Champs360 makes it faster and more professional. The Messaging Center, completely redesigned for this release, lets players email coaches directly, receive replies, schedule messages, send to multiple recipients, and save drafts, all from one organized dashboard. Every Champs App user also gets a free professional recruiting email address through ChampsMail, choosing between @champs.email or @champsmail.com. Coach replies forward automatically to the player's personal inbox, or a parent's inbox. With Champs360, players can also send emails to coaches directly through their ChampsMail address. ===================================Want honest feedback on where your game stands today? ChampsEyeQ delivers an unbiased evaluation of your potential. Submit at least ten minutes of edited game shifts (for skaters or goalies) and receive an objective, data-driven analysis from expert scouts. ChampsEyeQ is also available as a gift card, making it a great gift for motivated players. ChampsEyeQ evaluates players across 15+ attributes (skating, hockey IQ, compete level, intangibles, and more) and provides: An overall rating (1–10)A projection of NCAA Division I potential Clear insights on strengths, weaknesses, and development priorities. Visit www.champseyeq.com See a ⁠⁠Sample Submission⁠⁠View a ⁠⁠Sample Report⁠⁠

On today's episode we talk with Alex Gettens, the new head coach of the University of Maine women's ice hockey team and the eighth head coach in program history. Alex grew up in Concord, New Hampshire on the campus of St. Paul's School, and he is the first to tell you his playing career as a goalie was nothing to write home about. He was a career backup who started coaching at eighteen, and he explains how watching the game from the bench taught him to read people and team dynamics in a way that shaped him as a coach. We trace his path from volunteer and student assistant at Vermont, to a single season at Maine as an assistant working with the goaltenders during the most successful season in program history, back to Vermont for six seasons where he was promoted to associate head coach, and then two seasons at Colgate that helped the nationally ranked Raiders earn an at-large bid to the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Alex explains why he calls Maine the best kept secret in women's college hockey, what the renovated Alfond Arena and the university's investment in athletics mean for the program, and the up-tempo, aggressive style he wants his team to play. We also get into the new age-based five for five model and the squeeze it is putting on the class of 2028, what he looks for when he recruits, and his advice for families in the middle of the process right now: be proactive, own it for yourself, and remember that everyone's path is uniquely their own.Follow Maine Women's Ice Hockey on X: @MaineWHockey and on Instagram: @mainewhockeyLearn more about Maine women's ice hockey: https://goblackbears.com/sports/womens-ice-hockeyConnect with Alex on Champs App: https://profile.champs.app/h/alex-gettens==========================A ChampsEyeQ scout will be at the Pittsburgh girls tournament, September 4 to 6.One of our ChampsEyeQ scouts will be there all weekend and can evaluate players live from their games.Normally a family submits edited game video, which is the part most of them find hardest. Not this time. You tell us the player name, team and division, and jersey number. That is it.What she gets: ✅ A 1 to 10 score on each of 18 attributes, with written reasoning behind every one ✅ Where she stands measured against what NCAA Division I programs look for ✅ The specific things to work on this season, and how to work on them$75 per player. Skaters only. 14U, 16U and 19U.Reserve a spot: https://sports.champs.app/champseyeq/laborday============================Champs App is your recruiting and development copilot. We help athletes, coaches, parents, and agents/advisors navigate the youth sports landscape. Create a free Champs App account to build a beautiful hockey profile and unlock free, high-quality content focused on recruiting and hockey player development.⁠⁠Download Champs App for iOS in the Apple App Store⁠⁠⁠⁠Download Champs App for Android in the Google Play Store⁠⁠===========================================Champs360 is the all-in-one recruiting and development copilot for players, parents, and coaches. It gives families the clarity and tools to navigate the recruiting process with less stress and more confidence.At its core, Champs360 brings everything together in one organized system. The College Search tool lets families filter and explore every school by size, location, admission scores and tuition. My Shortlist makes it easy to save and track the programs you care about, and for every school on your shortlist, the Team Dashboard delivers deep program intelligence: rosters, coaching staff, recruiting data, upcoming events, and school-specific articles and videos, all in one place.Communication is central to recruiting, and Champs360 makes it faster and more professional. The Messaging Center, completely redesigned for this release, lets players email coaches directly, receive replies, schedule messages, send to multiple recipients, and save drafts, all from one organized dashboard.

On this episode we welcome back Brian Idalski, the new head coach of the Syracuse women's hockey team and head coach of the Czechia women's national team. Brian was last on the show in Episode 85, when he was in his second year at St. Cloud State, and a lot has happened since. We start with the NCAA 5-for-5 rule change, the pending senior class lawsuit, and what a 26-player roster cap means for the 2027 and 2028 recruiting classes, something Brian calls "COVID 2.0." Brian gives an honest accounting of the Vancouver Goldeneyes' inaugural PWHL season, including the toll of constant time zone changes and the Olympic break, and shares how he came to lead Czechia. We also discuss his plans for rebuilding Syracuse, why he builds programs around "solid B kids with A work ethic," how moving from the WCHA to AHA changes his measuring stick, and his advice for families stuck in an unpredictable recruiting cycle: it is our job to find you, so focus on becoming the best version of yourself.You can connect with Brian Idalski either on the Syracuse women’s hockey website or via Brian Idalski’s Champs App profile============================Champs App is your recruiting and development copilot. We help athletes, coaches, parents, and agents/advisors navigate the youth sports landscape. Create a free Champs App account to build a beautiful hockey profile and unlock free, high-quality content focused on recruiting and hockey player development.⁠Download Champs App for iOS in the Apple App Store⁠⁠Download Champs App for Android in the Google Play Store⁠===========================================Champs360 is the all-in-one recruiting and development copilot for players, parents, and coaches. It gives families the clarity and tools to navigate the recruiting process with less stress and more confidence.At its core, Champs360 brings everything together in one organized system. The College Search tool lets families filter and explore every school by size, location, admission scores and tuition. My Shortlist makes it easy to save and track the programs you care about, and for every school on your shortlist, the Team Dashboard delivers deep program intelligence: rosters, coaching staff, recruiting data, upcoming events, and school-specific articles and videos, all in one place.Communication is central to recruiting, and Champs360 makes it faster and more professional. The Messaging Center, completely redesigned for this release, lets players email coaches directly, receive replies, schedule messages, send to multiple recipients, and save drafts, all from one organized dashboard. Every Champs App user also gets a free professional recruiting email address through ChampsMail, choosing between @champs.email or @champsmail.com. Coach replies forward automatically to the player's personal inbox, or a parent's inbox. With Champs360, players can also send emails to coaches directly through their ChampsMail address. Champs360 also makes it easier for families to work together. Players can share access with up to two parents, with full control over what each parent can see and do across six areas of the platform. Players always keep final control, even if a parent owns the subscription. ChampsGPT, Champs App's AI recruiting assistant.===========================================Want honest feedback on where your game stands today? ChampsEyeQ delivers an unbiased evaluation of your potential. Submit at least ten minutes of edited game shifts (for skaters or goalies) and receive an objective, data-driven analysis from expert scouts. ChampsEyeQ is also available as a gift card, making it a great gift for motivated players. ChampsEyeQ evaluates players across 15+ attributes (skating, hockey IQ, compete level, intangibles, and more) and provides:An overall rating (1–10)A projection of NCAA Division I potentialClear insights on strengths, weaknesses, and development prioritiesVisit www.champseyeq.comSee a ⁠Sample Submission⁠View a ⁠Sample Report⁠

On this episode we talk with Courtney Kennedy, the new head coach of the Merrimack College women's hockey program and head coach of the USA U18 women's national team. Courtney shares her journey from Massachusetts to becoming a two-time Olympian and a two-time All-American defenseman at the University of Minnesota. We discuss her 17 seasons at Boston College, her philosophy on recruiting and player development, leading Team USA gold at the 2026 U18 World Championship, and why she jumped at the opportunity to lead Merrimack. Courtney also shares what she looks for in recruits and her advice for families navigating the recruiting process.Follow Courtney on X: @CocoKennedy3 and on Instagram: @cocokennedy3You can connect with Courtney on the Merrimack website: https://merrimackathletics.com/sports/womens-ice-hockey/roster/coaches/courtney-kennedy/1780 or via Courtney Kennedy's Champs App profile: Follow Merrimack Women's Hockey on X: @MerrimackWIH and on Instagram: @merrimack_wih Learn more about Merrimack women's hockey============================Champs App is your recruiting and development copilot. We help athletes, coaches, parents, and agents/advisors navigate the youth sports landscape. Create a free Champs App account to build a beautiful hockey profile and unlock free, high-quality content focused on recruiting and hockey player development.Download Champs App for iOS in the Apple App StoreDownload Champs App for Android in the Google Play Store===========================================Champs360 is the all-in-one recruiting and development copilot for players, parents, and coaches. It gives families the clarity and tools to navigate the recruiting process with less stress and more confidence.At its core, Champs360 brings everything together in one organized system. The College Search tool lets families filter and explore every school by size, location, admission scores and tuition. My Shortlist makes it easy to save and track the programs you care about, and for every school on your shortlist, the Team Dashboard delivers deep program intelligence: rosters, coaching staff, recruiting data, upcoming events, and school-specific articles and videos, all in one place.Communication is central to recruiting, and Champs360 makes it faster and more professional. The Messaging Center, completely redesigned for this release, lets players email coaches directly, receive replies, schedule messages, send to multiple recipients, and save drafts, all from one organized dashboard. Every Champs App user also gets a free professional recruiting email address through ChampsMail, choosing between @champs.email or @champsmail.com. Coach replies forward automatically to the player's personal inbox, or a parent's inbox. With Champs360, players can also send emails to coaches directly through their ChampsMail address. Champs360 also makes it easier for families to work together. Players can share access with up to two parents, with full control over what each parent can see and do across six areas of the platform. Players always keep final control, even if a parent owns the subscription. ChampsGPT, Champs App's AI recruiting assistant.===========================================Want honest feedback on where your game stands today? ChampsEyeQ delivers an unbiased evaluation of your potential. Submit at least ten minutes of edited game shifts (for skaters or goalies) and receive an objective, data-driven analysis from expert scouts. ChampsEyeQ is also available as a gift card, making it a great gift for motivated players.ChampsEyeQ evaluates players across 15+ attributes (skating, hockey IQ, compete level, intangibles, and more) and provides:An overall rating (1–10)A projection of NCAA Division I potentialClear insights on strengths, weaknesses, and development prioritiesVisit www.champseyeq.comSee a Sample SubmissionView a Sample Report

On this episode we talk with Greg Fargo, head coach of the New York Sirens in the PWHL and founder of Fargo Hockey. We discuss Greg's journey from playing goalie at Elmira College to building Colgate's women's hockey program into a national powerhouse over 12 seasons, including four ECAC championships, two Frozen Fours, and a national championship appearance. Greg shares why he made the leap from college to the PWHL, his "We Play Free" coaching philosophy, and how he's building the Sirens for the future. We also dive deep into the recruiting process, what coaches are really looking for beyond the ice, the role parents should play, and what makes the Fargo Camp college recruiting experience unique.You can connect with Greg via Greg Fargo's Champs App profile: You can learn more about Fargo Hockey and the Fargo Camp here: Follow Greg on Instagram: @fargohockey and the New York Sirens on X: @PWHL_NewYork and on Instagram: @pwhl_sirens============================Champs App is your recruiting and development copilot. We help athletes, coaches, parents, and agents/advisors navigate the youth sports landscape. Create a free Champs App account to build a beautiful hockey profile and unlock free, high-quality content focused on recruiting and hockey player development.Download Champs App for iOS in the Apple App StoreDownload Champs App for Android in the Google Play Store===========================================Champs360 is the all-in-one recruiting and development copilot for players, parents, and coaches. It gives families the clarity and tools to navigate the recruiting process with less stress and more confidence.At its core, Champs360 brings everything together in one organized system. The College Search tool lets families filter and explore every school by size, location, admission scores and tuition. My Shortlist makes it easy to save and track the programs you care about, and for every school on your shortlist, the Team Dashboard delivers deep program intelligence: rosters, coaching staff, recruiting data, upcoming events, and school-specific articles and videos, all in one place.Communication is central to recruiting, and Champs360 makes it faster and more professional. The Messaging Center, completely redesigned for this release, lets players email coaches directly, receive replies, schedule messages, send to multiple recipients, and save drafts, all from one organized dashboard. Every Champs App user also gets a free professional recruiting email address through ChampsMail, choosing between @champs.email or @champsmail.com. Coach replies forward automatically to the player's personal inbox, or a parent's inbox. With Champs360, players can also send emails to coaches directly through their ChampsMail address. Champs360 also makes it easier for families to work together. Players can share access with up to two parents, with full control over what each parent can see and do across six areas of the platform. ChampsGPT, Champs App's AI recruiting assistant trained on five-plus years of expert content, received a major update alongside this release, providing smarter, more personalized guidance throughout the recruiting journey.===========================================Want honest feedback on where your game stands today?ChampsEyeQ delivers an unbiased evaluation of your potential. Submit at least ten minutes of edited game shifts (for skaters or goalies) and receive an objective, data-driven analysis from expert scouts. ChampsEyeQ is also available as a gift card, making it a great gift for motivated players.ChampsEyeQ evaluates players across 15+ attributes (skating, hockey IQ, compete level, intangibles, and more) and provides:An overall rating (1–10)A projection of NCAA Division I potentialClear insights on strengths, weaknesses, and development prioritiesVisit www.champseyeq.comSee a Sample SubmissionView a Sample Report