PowerTech Development Podcast

In this episode, Coach Eric and Coach Andy continue their thread on tryout-related topics. They cover how young players consume hockey content, trying to learn from hockey highlights, the role of motivation in your practice, NHL player habits to emulate, creating an off-season plan, and more! Support the show by becoming a MEMBER in the PowerTech Community! Take advantage of our s

Building on last week's episode on tryouts, Coach Eric and Coach Andy discuss some of the key elements that players should focus on to “get noticed”. They use several examples of current players to walk through the concept of grit, what it means to ‘have good details’, how coaches can support learning, specific details of your game in each zone, and more! Support the s

With team tryouts and training camps upcoming, Coach Eric and Coach Andy take a deep dive into the process of building a team. They discuss the timing of tryouts, the evaluation process of players, the A/AA to AAA jump, the ‘extras’ that may or may not be required, and other topics! Support the show by becoming a MEMBER in the PowerTech Community! Take advantage of our skill d

In this episode, Coach Eric references a USA Hockey article and corresponding X thread to discuss the skew towards early specialization in hockey. He and Coach Andy use this to explore why the long term athletic development model is key for youth and long-term hockey success. Similarly, they discuss specializing in a certain position as a hockey player and how the game is trending

In this episode, Coach Eric reads a note sent in from a university hockey coach about using hockey as a vehicle for life success. The boys cover in detail the importance of preparing for life beyond hockey, and ensuring you are ‘checking the boxes’ along your hockey journey. Preparing yourself for life alongside pursuing hockey does not take away from your sport focus, but enha

In this episode, Coach Eric and Coach Andy discuss the process of taking advice along your hockey journey. They cover how to evaluate sources of information coming from other parents, other players, coaches, scouts, and agents/advisors. Support the show by becoming a MEMBER in the PowerTech Community! Take advantage of our skill development video library, consultation calls, disco

In this episode, Coach Eric and Coach Andy go through a client email they received outlining some common issues that parents might find in youth hockey. They start out on over the top parent behavior before moving into boundaries around youth teams, teaching kids HOW to work hard, the idea of ‘sacrificing’ for your goals, being a good player early in development, academy system

With Coach Eric's recent trip to watch NCAA DI hockey, he and Coach Andy take a deep dive into the college game. They analyze the structure of college style of play and contrast it with the younger CHL game, discuss the extended development timeframe for college bound players, some of the lesser appreciated but key qualities of division I hockey, and where to focus your attenti

In this episode, Coach Andy and Coach Eric share their thoughts on some common development questions they continue to hear in the hockey world. They discuss the insistence on playing ‘best’ competition, how much the draft matters, balancing game vs practice time, what happens when players get too much ice, and other topics! Support the show by becoming a MEMBER in the PowerTe

In this episode, Coach Andy and Coach Eric discuss common issues through the lens of a coach. They cover the major topics of coaches swearing on the bench and the appropriateness of benching players in youth hockey. This episode is a great window into how coaches think about different situations with their players. Support the show by becoming a MEMBER in the PowerTech Community!