Kids' Hockey: The Parents Guide - Softcover

Abraham, Dr. Gary; Smith, Michael

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9781552095454: Kids' Hockey: The Parents Guide

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1552095452 ISBN 13: 9781552095454

Publisher: Firefly Books, 2000

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Does your son or daughter want to play hockey? Are you worried about the big commitment of time and money? The violence on the ice? The long hours at the rink and the environment to which your child will be exposed? Or maybe you're concerned because you don't know an offside from icing, don't know how sharp a skate should be, how a helmet fits or how to tell whether a coach is competent and fair.

Whatever your concern, you will find it addressed in Kids' Hockey. It is written by a medical doctor who is a specialist in sports medicine. He's also a hockey parent, a Peewee coach and a teacher at his own hockey school. It is this unique background - a life-long love of the game combined with medical experience - that gives Gary Abraham the edge on other writers. From finding a team to buying equipment to bandaging a bruise, from skill drills to skate guards, and from rules to referees, he covers everything you need to know to be a confident hockey parent.

Kids' Hockey covers:

As a coach, Dr. Abraham has a fine sense of what kids need to play well and play safely. He even gives some tips on how to talk with the coach if you're worried about your child's role on the team.

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About the Author:

Gary Abraham played hockey as a child and finished as a winger at university. After taking his medical degree he decided to specialize in sports medicine and now practices in Brampton, Ontario. As a part owner of the Sports Medicine Specialists, he is affiliated with the Toronto Maple Leafs and he is team physician to junior-A teams. He also owns and operates the Albion Hills Hockey School where, instead of simple competitiveness, the focus is always on fun and self-esteem for young players. He is the father of three young children who all play the game.

Excerpted from the Introduction - Hockey is Good for You

Hockey is fun, fast and it's great exercise. Played the right way, it's exciting and it's safe. As a doctor and a parent, I believe all children should play sports. Why? Well, it isn't just because of the coordination and physical well-being that sports help to develop. Equally important is the fact that team sports like hockey are a great way for your child to develop his or her social skills and to build self-esteem. Children with good self-esteem and who feel confident about themselves are more likely to become successful adults. As parents we all want to see our children succeed in life. Our job is to get them into adulthood with as solid a base as we can provide them. This includes the support and care they need at home as well as experiences like team sports outside of the home.

The great thing about hockey today is that it's a sport for both girls and boys. Young girls and boys often play on the same team nowadays. And if you happen to live in a community where there are enough kids, there may even be an all-girls league. In Chapter 1, along with a brief history of the game, I discuss how children's hockey is organized. I also give a complete review of the rules of the game in Chapter 2 so you'll know what is happening on the ice and what those signals mean that the referee keeps making. In fact, although this book assumes you don't know anything about the game, even experienced hockey parents will find a lot of useful information here. Do you know how to make sure skates fit? How to tape a stick? How to properly size a goalie stick? Why some penalties are "good" and others aren't? If not, then read on - you'll find that information and much, much more.

If you have some reservations about your child playing ice hockey, don't feel alone. It's our job as parents to worry. But by reading this book you'll have taken great strides to becoming a very confident hockey parent. I have been involved in hockey for 30 years. I know that played the right way hockey is safe and I have yet to meet a child who doesn't enjoy the game. Not only that, hockey is a great and exciting sport for the parents to watch. It's full of end-to-end action.

If you're concerned about safety, I will teach you all about the equipment and how to outfit your child correctly - from the right helmet to properly fitted skates. If you're a parent who has already played the game, I know you will find some useful tips here, particularly in the Equipment section. Believe me, the game and the equipment are very different from when we played as kids. Is your child a goalie, or thinking about playing goal? I've devoted a whole chapter to the equipment and the special role this player has on the team.

But this book is not only about equipment and safety. Basic hockey skills and how to teach them form a substantial part of my approach to hockey. I'm a big believer in basic skills over complex strategy - particularly when the kids are just starting out. Even if you've never worn a pair of skates, I'll show you ways to help your child improve. I've included lots of exercises and basic skills that can be practiced on and off the ice. If you're thinking about sending your child to a hockey school but aren't sure how to go about it, I talk this in Chapter 9. 1 even give you my secret formula for how to build a backyard rink. In the appendixes, I've included lists of resources on children's hockey organizations as well as lots of other great stuff - from educational websites to videos on puck handling.

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