I don't use these pages to sell things to my CoachChc.com members, and that's not my purpose in this posting.
That said, I do have to show you a video I've been getting around to others, mainly because there's some important stuff in it I'd like you to know.
So, right after you watch the video, let's have a conversation about a game you may or may not have heard about.
-- Dennis Chighisola
(Re-)Introducing "Box Hockey"
Although that game -- box hockey -- may be new to you, you should have discovered that it's actually been around for about 100-years. Only recently has there seemed to be a re-emergence, maybe because several companies have decided to mass produce nice looking game boards like the one shown in that video. As for me, I stumbled across the game some 15 or so years ago -- and I can't for the life of me remember how that came about. Anyway, at a time when my hockey schools were booming around the New England area and beyond, I carried a trailer full of unique training equipment to each venue. I had wild off-ice gear, equipment to run two different video stations, and even a ton of on-ice stuff that I occasionally try to show my members. Better than a decade ago, then, I built my own box hockey game that we used in an outdoor station. And, let me tell you, kids of all ages fought to get their turns on that. My kids' enthusiasm for that game wasn't the only thing I noticed, however. No... For, what I saw each day was kids really battling -- I mean REALLY battling -- to move the puck up the box hockey surface. And I'd stand back to be really fascinated by how much that game encouraged aggressiveness. (Actually, my grandson was only a young Mite when we used that gadget a lot, and I now have to wonder how much that had to do with him being so aggressive for the puck through his older youth, high school, prep and college years.)
As an aside here... You can imagine how many questions I get from hockey parents and coaches over the course of any given week. What you really need to know, though, is how helpless some moms and dads sound when it comes to dealing with their kids' lack of aggressiveness. I mean, I feel badly for them -- partly because they usually live too far away for me to personally help, and partly because the only thing that would really help is if a coach ran some drills that specifically encourage the youngster at that. Even with all the troubleshooting I've done for such things, I can't for the life of me think of a drill that can be done at home to help that area of a kid's game.
Hopefully, you can picture how excited I was when I connected with the people at HBox. I mean, I knew that game would help anyone who wanted to instill a hunger for the puck in their youngster. And now, I am able to point them right to the gadget that will help get that done.
As yet another aside... My homemade box hockey board was busted a few years ago by some workers who had access to my equipment storage room (Grrrrrrrrrrrrr!). Fortunately, I have a new HBox version right now, and I'm itching to use it. I've just picked my new AA Mite team for next year, and I'm just beginning to design plans for our off-season and beyond. And I'm just thinking, how difficult my little guys will be to deal with, IF they all get lots of work at that game. I'm talking about all of my kids here, too, top of the roster to the bottom, being willing to fight you tooth and nails for the puck. Oh, and I'm also thinking something else... I know it's always difficult to get everyone to practice on time. However, if they have the incentive to play box hockey before each on-ice practice, I have a feeling my little guys will be driving their parents nuts to get them to the rink rather early! :D