What is the best way to set up the next generation of high performing athletes for success? Joining me today is Mark Fitzgerald, head coach for Kelowna High Performance + founder of Elite Training Systems in Ontario, who has spent the last 15 years working with athletes from a variety of sports at every level. We have an educational hour diving into long-term athletic development for youth hockey. We’ll unpack everything there is about coaching young hockey players, from the pitfalls of the “more is better” mentality to the current state of affairs and its future. Mark also shares his game plan for developing athletes, building team culture, and training for sustainable success on and off the ice. Whether you’re a coach or a parent, you’ll gain key information to best support your young athlete!

HIGHLIGHTS

00:00:00 Youth development: long-term process over short-term success.

00:04:00 How did you step into your current appointment?

00:11:35 How to build culture + relationships in a new position.

00:21:00 Building team culture then versus now.

00:28:50 How do you build trust with your athletes?

00:33:05 Reframing the “more is better” mentality in youth hockey.

00:45:45 The common pitfalls of coaching youth hockey.

00:52:30 How do you teach + train for long-term success?

00:59:45 The most consistent way to get results.

01:05:20 How can we make youth hockey better?

01:10:00 What advice would you give to young coaches?

01:17:50 The key to balance work, life, and relationships.

RESOURCES + LINKS

Check out Anthony’s Masterclass -

The High Performance Hockey Masterclass

Follow Anthony on Instagram | @anthonydonskov

Follow Anthony on Twitter | Anthony Donskov, PhD

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel | The HPH Podcast with Anthony Donskov

Follow HPH Podcast on Instagram | @hph_podcast

Follow HPH Podcast on Twitter | @TheHPH_Podcast

Learn more on our Website | https://www.donskovsc.com/

Check out Anthony’s Books

Physical Preparations for Ice Hockey: Biological Principles and Practical Solutions

The Gain, Go, and Grow Manual: Programming for High Performance Hockey Players

What is the secret formula for building a high performing team? This week’s special guest is Steve Spott, the Assistant Coach of the Dallas Stars. During his three years in Dallas, Steve has guided the club to back-to-back Western Conference final appearances over the past two seasons. Today, we’re diving into lessons from the coaches corner to talk life, hockey, coaching, and more. We’ll unpack the X’s and O’s of the game to see how they’ve evolved and what it takes to coach elite players towards victory. Steve also shares his advice to young practitioners + players, giving tips on achieving work-life balance and building a good team both on and off the ice. Let’s go behind the bench to discover how an elite coach takes his team to the next level!

HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 Why is everyone scared of developing optimized skating technique?

05:30 The transition from player to full-time coach.

11:30 What mentors changed the way you viewed the game?

14:05 How have the X’s and O’s of the game changed?

18:00 Advice for pre-scouting + teaching elite players.

24:50 What are the hallmarks of a good team on and off ice?

30:30 The key to balancing work and life during a busy season.

34:15 How has sports science evolved since you’ve been a coach?

37:25 How do you communicate sports performance?

41:30 What advice would you give to young coaches + players?

45:45 What do you want your legacy to be?

RESOURCES + LINKS

Check out Anthony’s Masterclass -

The High Performance Hockey Masterclass

Follow Anthony on Instagram | @anthonydonskov

Follow Anthony on Twitter | Anthony Donskov, PhD

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel | The HPH Podcast with Anthony Donskov

Follow HPH Podcast on Instagram | @hph_podcast

Follow HPH Podcast on Twitter | @TheHPH_Podcast

Learn more on our Website | https://www.donskovsc.com/

Check out Anthony’s Books

Physical Preparations for Ice Hockey: Biological Principles and Practical Solutions

The Gain, Go, and Grow Manual: Programming for High Performance Hockey Players

Let's talk about the global growth of Hockey. Hassan Saeed is the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for CSKA Moscow in the KHL, Russia's top professional hockey league. With over 12 years of experience working in the Russian hockey system, Hassan provides a unique perspective on the cultural differences, training methodologies, and coaching philosophies between North America and Europe. In this episode, we dive into Hassan’s transition from Canada to Russia as a strength coach, managing language barriers, and working collaboratively with European hockey coaches who have their own established training models. Listen in for this fascinating look at the global growth and evolution of hockey development.

HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 What mentors shaped your career?

07:45 How Barry Brennan connected Hassan to his first job opportunity in Russia.

10:00 The cultural and language shock of transitioning from Canada to Russia.

13:00 Differences in training methodologies and athlete preparation between North America and Russia.

18:30 How has the role of data analytics and sports science evolved in the KHL over the past 4-5 years?

22:30 Similarities in day-to-day in-season training approaches between the KHL and North America.

25:00 How did you build a positive team culture and rapport with players by learning the Russian language?

31:15 The importance of distinguishing between "interesting" and "important" data metrics.

32:00 The legendary status and influence of Anatoli Tarasov, the "father of Russian hockey."

36:15 What advice would you give North American coaches looking to gain experience in the KHL?

RESOURCES + LINKS

Check out Anthony’s Masterclass -

The High Performance Hockey Masterclass

Follow Anthony on Instagram | @anthonydonskov

Follow Anthony on Twitter | Anthony Donskov, PhD

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel | The HPH Podcast with Anthony Donskov

Follow HPH Podcast on Instagram | @hph_podcast

Follow HPH Podcast on Twitter | @TheHPH_Podcast

Learn more on our Website | https://www.donskovsc.com/

Check out Anthony’s Books

Physical Preparations for Ice Hockey: Biological Principles and Practical Solutions

The Gain, Go, and Grow Manual: Programming for High Performance Hockey Players

What are some of the biggest lessons we learn while in pursuit of high performance excellence? Today’s special guest is a good friend of mine, Andrew Hauser, who has worked in a variety of roles in the past 14 years as an Athletic Trainer and Strength & Conditioning Coach, before switching to the private setting with Continuum Performance. In this episode, we’ll dive into his years of experience, including the main takeaways from his most recent role as the Director of Performance Rehab for the LA Dodgers. He’ll share advice for putting together a high performance team, tips for integration and communication, as well as building gradual changes within a team. Then, we switch gears to discuss the pros and cons of the private sector + pendulum swings in comprehensive care and what we can do better as coaches for our athletes. Whether you’re in the professional or private sphere, you’ll gain new insight into high development and high performance!

HIGHLIGHTS

00:00:00 Meet the Swiss Army knife of professional and private sectors, Andrew Hauser.

00:02:45 Why did you choose performance psychology as your Masters?

00:05:20 Main takeaways from studying elite performance psychology.

00:12:55 What were your duties with the Dodgers?

00:15:00 How to integrate + put together a high performance team.

00:23:10 How do you build changes within a team?

00:27:10 The pros and cons of the private sector.

00:32:50 How to leverage your role and network.

00:36:45 What is your process for treatment assessments?

00:45:05 What metrics do you look at on the plate?

00:50:00 A new way to monitor athletes, curves, + outliers.

00:56:15 Where is the pendulum swinging in comprehensive care?

01:00:35 What qualities of the high performance sector need to expand?

RESOURCES + LINKS

Learn more about Andrew - https://www.continuumhp.com

Atomic Habits by James Clear

The Tyranny of Metrics by Jerry Muller

Check out Anthony’s Masterclass -

The High Performance Hockey Masterclass

Follow Anthony on Instagram | @anthonydonskov

Follow Anthony on Twitter | Anthony Donskov, PhD

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel | The HPH Podcast with Anthony Donskov

Follow HPH Podcast on Instagram | @hph_podcast

Follow HPH Podcast on Twitter | @TheHPH_Podcast

Learn more on our Website | https://www.donskovsc.com/

Check out Anthony’s Books

Physical Preparations for Ice Hockey: Biological Principles and Practical Solutions

The Gain, Go, and Grow Manual: Programming for High Performance Hockey Players

If you want to develop your players to the high performance level, we’ve got your guy. Today’s guest is the Development Coach for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Tommy Cross. Tommy played 12 seasons of professional hockey before retiring following the ‘22-’23 season, and now works with drafted prospects through the transition from college to pro. We’ll speak about development at the National Hockey League level, and his philosophies and coachings that help his athletes reach the ultimate goal of the NHL. We’ve got an educational hour in store for you as we dive into key metrics + non-negotiables for developing and growing young players both on and off the ice. Tommy also shares the challenges of current day player development as well as the future of development coaching as a whole. Everything you need to know about player development, all in one place.

HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 Meet the Development Coach for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Tommy Cross.

02:10 The importance of mentorship + leadership skills.

06:30 Perspective as a player versus as a coach.

08:00 What are your tasks as a development coach?

14:50 What is your coaching philosophy?

20:30 The principles + patterns for success.

26:35 Key metrics for developing young players.

31:10 Shared terminology + closing the gap with communication.

36:30 Coaching player transition periods + on and off ice.

41:10 Challenges for player development today.

44:20 What is the future of development coaching?

48:10 How do you want to be remembered?

RESOURCES + LINKS

Loose Pucks and Ice Bags by Dave King

The Coach’s Guide to Teaching by Doug Lemov

Check out Anthony’s Masterclass -

The High Performance Hockey Masterclass

Follow Anthony on Instagram | @anthonydonskov

Follow Anthony on Twitter | Anthony Donskov, PhD

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel | The HPH Podcast with Anthony Donskov

Follow HPH Podcast on Instagram | @hph_podcast

Follow HPH Podcast on Twitter | @TheHPH_Podcast

Learn more on our Website | https://www.donskovsc.com/

Check out Anthony’s Books

Physical Preparations for Ice Hockey: Biological Principles and Practical Solutions

The Gain, Go, and Grow Manual: Programming for High Performance Hockey Players

How do you become a teacher that ensures the future success of your players? Today, class is in session with Ben Eaves, the strength & conditioning coach for the Cleveland Monsters. Ben is here to share experiences from his background as both an elite player and development coach for high performing athletes. Our conversation will focus on his position and role as a strength & conditioning coach, from the important aspects like connection and development to his philosophy of the game and how it shapes his coaching. Ben shows us how to start from the scoreboard and work backward, fusing it with his strength & conditioning for his players to succeed. We also take a lens to skill sessions, the non-negotiables, training difficult tangibles + intangibles, and even more. Tune in to learn from one of the best coaches, teachers, and professionals in the game!

HIGHLIGHTS

00:00 Introducing Ben Eaves, strength & conditioning and skill coach for the Cleveland Monsters!

02:30 What was the impact your family had on you personally + professionally?

07:10 The tasks of a development coach with the Cleveland Monsters.

13:20 What is your overarching philosophy as a strength coach?

18:15 Elements to look at for on and off ice developmental players.

24:50 Skill session walkthrough + non-negotiables.

34:20 Pattern recognition + mindset at a high performance level.

37:15 The difficulty of training stride mechanics.

41:15 How do you communicate results as a strength coach?

44:20 How to put together the ideal performance staff.

48:00 What is the biggest lesson for young practitioners?

49:55 How do you want to be remembered?

RESOURCES + LINKS

Check out Anthony’s Masterclass -

The High Performance Hockey Masterclass

Follow Anthony on Instagram | @anthonydonskov

Follow Anthony on Twitter | Anthony Donskov, PhD

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel | The HPH Podcast with Anthony Donskov

Follow HPH Podcast on Instagram | @hph_podcast

Follow HPH Podcast on Twitter | @TheHPH_Podcast

Learn more on our Website | https://www.donskovsc.com/

Check out Anthony’s Books

Physical Preparations for Ice Hockey: Biological Principles and Practical Solutions

The Gain, Go, and Grow Manual: Programming for High Performance Hockey Players

What is the secret to assessing, training, and integrating technology with performance? Here to dive into the deep physiology of ice hockey is Brian Kozak, a respiratory & performance coach. Brian has dedicated decades to experimenting with cutting edge technology in pursuit of real time insights into each system’s limiters, compensators, and their implications for training, rehab, and recovery. Today, we have a fantastic conversation all about the technology and physiology behind high performance athletics. Brian shares his efficient training methods for utilization, delivery, breathing mechanics, and more. From measuring oxygen saturation to building capillary density, we’ll be discussing the best ways to train both body and mind. Tune in for an in depth lesson on the applied physiology of high performance hockey!

HIGHLIGHTS

00:00:00 What does Moxy technology show us?

00:08:00 How can we push players by using technology?

00:15:00 What is the physiology behind strides?

00:19:30 How to measure + read SmO2 and THb.

00:26:05 Tactics of training athletes in survival state.

00:35:00 Peripheral versus central adaptation.

00:44:05 How do you assess utilization or delivery?

00:53:35 The best way to build capillary density.

01:04:35 Methods for training delivery.

01:14:20 How do we teach proper breathing techniques?

01:21:40 How do you train the most important skill?

RESOURCES + LINKS

Check out Moxy Monitors -

https://www.moxymonitor.com/

Check out Anthony’s Masterclass -

The High Performance Hockey Masterclass

Follow Brian on Instagram | @brian_t_kozak

Follow Anthony on Instagram | @anthonydonskov

Follow Anthony on Twitter | Anthony Donskov, PhD

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel | The HPH Podcast with Anthony Donskov

Follow HPH Podcast on Instagram | @hph_podcast

Follow HPH Podcast on Twitter | @TheHPH_Podcast

Learn more on our Website | https://www.donskovsc.com/

Check out Anthony’s Books

Physical Preparations for Ice Hockey: Biological Principles and Practical Solutions

The Gain, Go, and Grow Manual: Programming for High Performance Hockey Players

If you’ve ever wondered how to approach coaching from an applied sports science POV, then you’re in the right place. Joining me on the podcast today is Dr. Josh Secomb, lecturer in Exercise & Sports Science at the University of Newcastle, and strength & conditioning coach for Ice Hockey Australia National Men’s team! We’ll be deep diving into the world of applied sports science to discover how an elite-level coach maximizes + optimizes his research. We speak on Josh’s teachings, duties, and roles as a lecturer and strength & conditioning coach, analyzing his upcoming presentation titled Optimizing the Utilization of Research to Enhance Athlete Performance and the article he co-authored with Matt Kelly, Associations Between Hip Pathology, Hip and Groin Pain, and Injuries in Hockey Athletes. We have a comprehensive discussion in-store to better understand the role of sports science researchers, applied sports science as a whole, and their relation to enhancing the game of high-performance athletes. Find out the steps to optimizing your research through the lens of sports science!

#DrJoshSecomb #AppliedSportsScience #HighPerformanceAthletes

HIGHLIGHTS

00:00:00 Introducing Dr. Josh Secomb, lecturer in Exercise & Sports Science at the University of Newcastle + strength & conditioning coach for Ice Hockey Australia National Men’s team!

00:05:35 Defining applied sports science, the roles of sports science researchers + the Texas sharpshooter fallacy.

00:16:35 How to teach critical thinking skills to young practitioners.

00:24:25 How did you get involved with Ice Hockey Australia and what are your current roles?

00:34:30 Check out the Physical Preparations for Ice Hockey + The Gain, Go, and Grow Manual!

00:35:20 Making research relevant to high-performing athletes.

00:41:10 Breaking down the four coactive elements from a coach’s POV.

00:47:30 What questions do you ask yourself when looking at other observational research?

00:55:00 What do you think is making hip injuries more prevalent in hockey players?

01:05:00 Simplifying FAI rehab for asymptomatic athletes.

RESOURCES + LINKS

Follow Josh on Twitter | @37seco

Follow Josh on LinkedIn | Josh Secomb

Associations Between Hip Pathology, Hip and Groin Pain, and Injuries in Hockey Athletes by Matt Kelly and Josh Secomb

The End of Average by Todd Rose

Check out Anthony’s Masterclass -

The High Performance Hockey Masterclass

Follow Anthony on Instagram | @anthonydonskov

Follow Anthony on Twitter | Anthony Donskov, PhD

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel | The HPH Podcast with Anthony Donskov

Follow HPH Podcast on Instagram | @hph_podcast

Follow HPH Podcast on Twitter | @TheHPH_Podcast

Learn more on our Website | https://www.donskovsc.com/

Check out Anthony’s Books

Physical Preparations for Ice Hockey: Biological Principles and Practical Solutions

The Gain, Go, and Grow Manual: Programming for High Performance Hockey Players