Between Games

iTunes 10.5.3

2012-01-20T07:14:00.001-05:00

Keep your Mac apps up to date. Apple has updated iTunes to 10.5.3.

Take a moment to run the update to get the latest features.

While you're at, update the iBooks app on your iOS device. Apple has introduced iBooks 2 that allows you to purchase and read textbooks.

MacPherson Tournament

2012-01-13T19:30:00.001-05:00

Watching the action in Aurora, ON. SAC vs St. Francis.

Coaching is a Balance Between Fun and Being Competitive

2012-01-03T21:50:00.001-05:00

I was cleaning up my Stickies on my Mac today and came across the note I had written two years ago to prepare my Minor Atom AA team for the semi-final round of playoffs. Ironic and a coincidence that on this day Team Canada and Russia are in a semi-final game of the World Juniors.

I always told the players that they don't play for me, they play for each other. At this point in the season, it was a time for winning in order to move onto the finals. I wanted to be careful that I didn't take the fun out of the experience either.

So here's what I wrote:

Thinks we do well:

- positioning

- forechecking

- backchecking

- face-offs

- penalty kills

- passing; shooting

- goaltending

We need three wins to move onto the finals.

If we lose, nobody is going to remember who scored or what big save was made; nobody will care; they will just remember that we lost. You will feel sad, upset, angry and you will wish you had tried harder.

If we win, nobody may remember who scored or how many shots you stopped; they will remember how hard the team worked together. You will feel happy and good about yourself and the effort that you put into the game.

Do it for your team;

- Heart (winning is the only thing that matters; you will do anything to help your team (block shots, take a slash; get knocked down; USA didn't play final game hoping for a silver medal)

- Mind (Think about winning the series; think about what to do with the puck before you get to it or it gets to you; think about your team mates that are on the ice with you)

- Muscle (Race for the puck; battle for the puck; keep the puck; forecheck hard; backcheck harder; game speed; short shifts)

Do it for your team:

Not going to make excuses for losing games. We pull goalies for not stopping pucks; think about if we pulled you for not handling a pass or not making a pass or shooting on net when you had the chance. We will coach to win.

Do it for your team:

You may never get another chance to play in a semi-final play-off series ever in rep. Use this opportunity to win and move onto the finals.

Do it for your team:

Who will win this series? The team that plays to win. Don't have a fear of losing, have a fear of not trying hard enough.

(My reference to USA is to both Team USA hockey teams in the 2010 Winter Olympics.)

Well for a bunch of 10 years olds, they won the series and made it to the Finals. I can't say that my pre-series talk had everything to do with it. Having a great coaching staff and players who discovered their ability as a team really helped too.

A Family First in a Long Time

2011-12-31T09:27:00.000-05:00

December 30, 2011: No hockey for the kids and no Team Canada game on tv or iDevice. All five of us went to see "We Bought a Zoo" at the theatre. It was great to spend the time together and the movie was geared towards the whole family. There was something for everyone.

I hope every hockey family gets a few breaks like this and uses it to spend a few hours together away from the house and away from the rink.

Richard Bell Tournament in Oakville

2011-12-29T16:34:00.001-05:00

One hour until my son's Minor Peewee AA team hits the ice at Sixteen Mile Creek for the championship game.

Walked around and found a 0-0 game with 4 minutes to play in the 3rd. Hoping for overtime excitement.

10 minute 5 on 5 OT just started. Blue team wins on a PP goal.

Some good action at hockey tournaments can be found.

2011 Best and Worst Hockey Arenas: Nominate

2011-12-26T21:05:00.000-05:00

Hockey Science & Technology is looking for the best and worst of ice hockey arenas of 2011 in Canada and the USA. There are several categories. You can provide a nomination for any of the categories.

The survey will close on January 31, 2012 and results will be published in March 2012 in the following media:
-The Hockey Season app for iPhone
-The Hockey Season Facebook Page
-HockeyGPS Pro app for iPhone
-HockeyGPS Facebook Page

A future issue of The Hockey Season magazine will also list the results.

Nominate your best and worst ice hockey arenas here.

You can be eligible to receive a $50 iTunes gift card from Hockey Science & Technology. One follower on the @TheHockeySeason twitter account will be selected on February 15, 2012 to receive the gift card (no cash value).

2011 Best Hockey Training Companies: Nominate

2011-12-26T20:50:00.000-05:00

Hockey Science & Technology is looking for the best ice hockey training of 2011 in Canada and the USA. There are several categories. You can provide a nomination for any of the categories.

The survey will close on January 31, 2012 and results will be published in March 2012 in the following media:
-The Hockey Season magazine
-The Hockey Season app for iPhone
-The Hockey Season Facebook Page
-80 Hours Hockey Skills app for iPhone
-80 Hours Hockey Skills Facebook Page

Nominate your best ice hockey training company here.

You can be eligible to receive a $50 iTunes gift card from Hockey Science & Technology. One follower on the @TheHockeySeason twitter account will be selected on February 15, 2012 to receive the gift card (no cash value). Details here.

VIDEO: HockeyGPS Pro User Guide

2011-12-23T07:16:00.001-05:00

Get the most from your HockeyGPS Pro iOS app by Hockey Science & Technology. Watch this video to learn about many of the app features. Video is based on app version 4.3 used on an iPhone 4 running iOS 5.0.1

I'll post videos of more tips and features on the HockeyGPS Facebook Page as well.

The video can also be accessed from The Hockey Season app in the Services menu under Websites

App Ethics

2011-12-23T00:19:00.000-05:00

Many App developers have manipulated the App Store environment to artificially posture their app rankings. Rankings can certainly turbo boost unit and revenue sales in a market where app discovery can be difficult.

Image via Wikipedia

Some developers where caught using their allotted promo codes for paid apps being sent to employees and friends in return for 5 star ratings and glowing comments about the app. This would be done every month by simply making a minor change to the app and pushing it up to the App Store thereby reloading the allotted promo codes. The positive ratings and comments influenced other iOS users to buy the app. To compound this, existing users of the app would update their app every tiem the developer issued a new version. Apple would track the installed updates and move the developer's app up the rankings list thereby giving the app more exposure. Many developers that used this system were removed from the App Store.

Today, some developers are issuing false 'bug fix' updates so that their app appears in the recently released section of the first page of each app category. App development is challenging and there are many legitimate bugs that go undetected through pre-release testing by the developer and even Apple. One developer in the hockey space recently issued a 'bug fix' update to three of their apps at once. Questionable.

When I first learned of App Store manipulation, I came up with our own App Ethics guidelines. These are available in each of our app descriptions on the App Store.

1. We do not post our own reviews of this app on any app review site. 2. We do not pay others to write a review of this app on any app review site. 3. We do not purchase our own app to artificially increase our rankings. 4. We do not post reviews of competitors' apps.

We should add a fifth. "We do not issue false 'bug fix' updates."

Hockey Memorial on Facebook

2011-12-20T15:37:00.002-05:00

It's very sad news to learn about a hockey teammate, coach or parent who has passed away. It happens in my community and hockey communities across the country every day. Reading the news articles about those young and old who have lost their life is heart wrenching. Their passion for the game and what they have contributed to the game stands out every time though. They should be recognized for that.

I've been wanting to do something about this for a few years now. I created a page on the TheHockeySeason.com site so that permanent memorials could be added. It's hard to approach someone to 'join' under the circumstances however. I have now turned to Facebook to have people share memorials about their loved hockey stars on the Hockey Memorial page. I encourage parents to include links to foundations that they have set up or support on behalf of a loved one. Hopefully the page will bring comfort to family and friends and become the central location for those who loved the game.

Apple TV has something new for users in Canada

2011-12-17T09:16:00.002-05:00

Up until a week ago, Apple TV users in Canada did not have access to purchase TV shows. You will notice the menu is now on your main screen. Lots of your favourite shows and some content that you may have not known existed is in there. Buy this show for the kids: Ice Age - A Mammoth Christmas.

Also, you'll notice a Music menu on the main screen. If you’re an iTunes Match subscriber, you can access your entire music collection from iCloud — including songs you’ve imported from CDs — right from your Apple TV. Play them on Apple TV or any iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or computer for just $27.99 a year. iTunes Match has an amazing scan-and-match feature — all the songs in your iTunes library are scanned and then matched with those available on the iTunes Store. Matched songs are instantly added to iCloud with no uploading needed. Any remaining songs are automatically uploaded from your computer to iCloud.

To activate iTunes Match, open iTunes from your computer, click on the Store menu and select Turn On iTunes Match.

While you're admiring these new features, make sure your iOS is up to date. The latest iOS update is 4.4.4. Go to Settings > General > Update Software

iTunes Match requires iOS 5.0.1 on iPhone 3GS or later, iPod touch (3rd and 4th generation), iPad, or iPad 2, or a Mac or PC with iTunes 10.5.1. Limit 25,000 songs. iTunes purchases do not count against limit. Access to some services is limited to 10 devices. Second-generation Apple TV with software version 4.4 or later required.

Green Hockey initiative now on Facebook

2011-12-15T08:21:00.000-05:00

The Green Hockey initiative is designed to help reduce hockey related damage to the environment during the hockey season. Since 2009, this service by Hockey Science & Technology identifies companies and products that are good for the environment.

The initiative is now on Facebook. Members and suggested 'green' habits can be found in the Notes section. Fans can also share their green hockey season habits that help the environment by posting on the Wall.

Are you a green company, product or service? Join the initiative today: http://tinyurl.com/y2dy69v

Leaf fans love their country

2011-12-13T19:11:00.001-05:00

National anthem just finished at the #Leaf game. The fans cheer loud and proud.

Ironic that former Toronto Maple Leaf goaltender Peter Ing just called me while typing this post.

iBooks updates to version 1.5

2011-12-08T14:51:00.001-05:00

Image via Wikipedia

Apple has updated their iBooks app for iOS devices. Apps can be updated in iTunes or in the App Store app on the iOS device.

iBooks is a good source for hockey e-books.

iBooks 1.5 adds the following new features as well as some stability and performance improvements.

• Nighttime reading theme makes reading books in the dark easier on the eyes.
• Full-screen layout lets you focus on the words without distraction.
• iBooks now features an improved selection of fonts, including Athelas, Charter, Iowan, and Seravek.
• Beautiful new classic covers for public domain books.
• A redesigned annotation palette makes it easier to choose a color for your highlighted text.

Edge Again skate sharpener promotion by SkateAnywhere.ca

2011-12-07T08:38:00.000-05:00

The Edge Again is a must have for the player or goalie serious about their game performance. Pack it in the hockey bag and use it on the bench, at tournaments, at home for backyard rinks and your synthetic ice rink. Sharpen your skates on the fly to ensure player performance is at its best.

Reasons to have your own skate sharpening device:

Open on Sundays
Open on Holidays
2nd period, pro shop is closed and you have lost an edge
You did not fall on that breakaway
You lent it to the player who scored the winning goal

The devices touches both sides of your edges. Most hand held devices just touch the outside. The Edge Again will not touch your hollow or change your profile. Use Edge Again between professional sharpenings. You will get 30 sharpenings with each tusk.

Promotion:
a. Get $10 off when you order both the Edge Again manual Player device (EA-4MH) and a Player Replacement Tusk (EA-TSK-P1)

b. Get $10 off when you order both the Edge Again manual Goalie device (EA-4MG) and a Player Replacement Tusk (EA-TSK-G1)

-Each device includes 1 diamond coated tusk.
-Online orders at www.SkateAnywhere.ca only
-Promotion is calculated at Check Out
-Pricing and promotion in $CAD.
-Applicable taxes and shipping are extra
-Allow 1-2 weeks for shipping
-Promotion ends January 31, 2012

PM2AM Sports app for iPhone on Sale

2011-12-06T08:16:00.001-05:00

The PM2AM Sports app for iPhone by Hockey Science & Technology is on sale until December 31, 2011.

This app is great for hockey tournaments and other sports. Your overnight sports travel organizer.

Put all of your tournament or series details into one place. No more searching through emails for dates, maps or hotel information.

Tournaments and series at a glance. The summary page shows tournaments in order by date for each family member.

Each family member has their own colour code to make it easy for you to locate their tournament details.

Create a record to input tournament, hotel and flight details. Making plans for a team dinner? Input the restaurant details so you are not left trying to find out where everyone is going. Plan on shopping with other parents? Add popular destinations ahead of time. Unexpected illness of a family member while away? Have the hospital details ready. Bringing your pet on the trip? Add local veterinarian details just in case.

Room assignments. Easily keep track of teammates’ room numbers. No wasting time phoning around to locate where everyone is. Once the team roster is created for the first time, you can reset the hotel room assignments for the next tournament.

The app is on sale for $0.99 from the App Store. Regular price is $1.99.

HockeyGPS app version 1.02 set to retire

2011-12-02T09:01:00.001-05:00

With the introduction of HockeyGPS Pro on November 22, 2011 the original version of HockeyGPS 1.02, which was launched on January 2, 2009, will retire on January 2, 2012. Location information will no longer be available when searching for arenas or other hockey related locations after this date

Users are encouraged to upgrade to HockeyGPS Pro version 4.3. This app has new features, new graphics and improved search functions.

Between Games is the official blog of Hockey Science & Technology. Get hockey apps and services at TheHockeySeason.com. "What are you bringing to the game?"

Arena PA Proclaims December as Holiday Hockey Music Month

2011-11-30T07:15:00.001-05:00

You hear them on the radio, in the malls in the elevator and on on-hold recordings. For the month of December, we ask all 'audio engineers' (aka hockey parents and player siblings) to play at least five holiday songs at each of their hockey games. Keep the holiday spirit going with your selection of fan favourite holiday music to play during stoppages in play, intermission and penalties. The fans will love it. Share your playlist on the Arena PA Facebook Page.

The Arena PA app is used by hundreds of people around the world to manage their game-day music and recordings using their iOS device.

Between Games is the official blog of Hockey Science & Technology. Get hockey apps and services at TheHockeySeason.com. "What are you bringing to the game?"

HockeyGPS - An App Success Story

2011-11-23T22:37:00.001-05:00

HockeyGPS was first launched as a web service in September 2008. On January 2, 2009 the service became available as an app on Apple's iTunes App Store. The App Store was only launched by Apple six months earlier.

HockeyGPS was our first test in this new digital space. Since we were still building the database of arenas around North America, we made the app a free download.

Over its three-year history, HockeyGPS never posted an updated version. That alone has to be a record in app history. Other than a couple of server issues and a recent issue that caused the app to crash, it just worked. It received 556 ratings in Canada and 887 in the U.S. In January 2011, Apple reported that HockeyGPS ranked 3,447th out of 102,000 of free apps in Canada.

As a hockey company, we needed to monetize this success. We ran ads through Admob hoping that a high click- through rate would generate revenue. We like the Admob platform but minor hockey parents don't click on "find singles" ads...that often. We pursued sponsorship from large corporations but the whole app space was still young and hard to fit into their advertising budgets. In the meantime, we were using resources to manage and maintain the HockeyGPS system. The database has grown to over 6,000 locations worldwide.

As Apple released iOS updates, new functions and features in these updates had us developing HockeyGPS Pro in 2010. Moving to a paid model with subscription to the database was the only option. We hope that HockeyGPS Pro will be a success so we can develop it even further.

The adaption of apps in general, has reduced the amount of time a person spends on traditional web use. HockeyGPS was accessed on the web less than 10% of total access. With the introduction of HockeyGPS Pro, we have removed web browser access to the HockeyGPS system.

On November 23, 2011, we removed the original HockeyGPS app from the App Store. We will retire the app on January 2, 2012. Users will not be able to access the arena database but are encouraged to upgrade to HockeyGPS Pro for new features and new search functions.

Between Games is the official blog of Hockey Science & Technology. Get hockey apps and services at TheHockeySeason.com. "What are you bringing to the game?"

HockeyGPS Turns Pro

2011-10-31T09:06:00.001-04:00

The first, most popular and highly rated hockey specific navigation tool for your iOS device since January 2009 turned Pro on November 22, 2011. With new features, new graphics and improved search functions, this app continues to be a must have for minor hockey parents, coaches, refs and other arena sports participants.

HockeyGPS Pro provides gesture mapping and keyboard searches of hockey arenas, skill development training centres and hockey retail locations in North America and other parts of the world. All of the data is managed and maintained on the Hockey Science & Technology system which means location accuracy and regular updates on new arenas and arena name changes.

HockeyGPS Pro navigation app

HockeyGPS is recognized as a Green Hockey initiative product. By knowing your destination, the amount of time it will take you to arrive and using turn-by-turn directions, you will save on gas consumption. Good for the environment, good for your wallet.

The app is available on the App Store by searching for "HockeyGPS Pro" or you can use this link to purchase and install the app.

Between Games is the official blog of Hockey Science & Technology. Get hockey apps and services at TheHockeySeason.com. "What are you bringing to the game?"

Transitioning from MobileMe to iCloud

2011-06-25T08:24:00.000-04:00

Image via CrunchBaseApple has just posted an FAQ regarding this transition. Many of our customers are MobileMe users so we thought this would be useful information for you.

Here's the link: http://www.apple.com/mobileme/transition.html

Mac OS X Update

2011-06-23T17:48:00.000-04:00

Apple posted an update for Mac OS X today.

The 10.6.8 update is recommended for all users running Mac OS X Snow Leopard and includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility, and security of your Mac, including fixes that:

Enhance the Mac App Store to get your Mac ready to upgrade to Mac OS X Lion
Resolve an issue that may cause Preview to unexpectedly quit
Improve support for IPv6
Improve VPN reliability
Identify and remove known variants of Mac Defender

For detailed information on this update, please visit this website:http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4561.

For information on the security content of this update, please visit:http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222.

If you have never done an update, click on the Apple icon on the top left of your screen and select "Software Update..." It will take you through the simple steps to update your Mac.

Vancouver Has Class

2011-06-18T14:04:00.000-04:00

Image via WikipediaDon't let the recent violence and destruction change your views about Vancouver. A bunch of hooligans ventured into the hockey culture uninvited for personal attention at the expense of a great sport. They tarnished the image of Vancouver Canuck fans who respect competition and congratulated the Bruins on their Stanley Cup win. These low-life's don't know what an offside or icing is but would probably develop discipline and respect if they spent a few years playing the game and learning these life skills and more.

Vancouver is a huge hockey city and a great place to live or visit. Having been there many times, there is so much to do and enjoy. Go there sometime in your life. See Stanley Park, Granville Island, Grouse Mountain, shop along Robson street, stroll around Coal Harbour or catch a CHL Vancouver Giants game.

Sponsorship Intro Text

2011-06-02T21:01:00.000-04:00

Many hockey teams have started their fundraising activities for next season. Here's a great intro that you can use for your hockey fundraising emails.

It is easy to consider the cost of Rep hockey as our choice and a luxury we can afford - and from here, if we consider asking people for money it makes us feel like it’s a way to lighten our load. This is true from one perspective. However, it’s more than this. What we need to consider is the community rallying around our collective belief that participation in competitive team sports are a healthy lifestyle, good for society, build character in kids as they grow into adults, and keep our society as a whole stronger, inspired and more creatively constructive. We are sending our kids to represent our town in other towns. We are driving responsible behaviour, discipline, goal-oriented long term achievements and accomplishment based thought patterns. The cost of this burden can’t fall only on the parents of the kids in this age category but on the town we represent. It takes a society larger than 17 families to drive these goals forward.

Remember to post your sponsorship needs on www.iSponsorHockey.com

Off-Season Trash

2011-05-31T17:06:00.000-04:00

With the kids not having an on ice schedule that involves 6 days of each week and some down time between NHL playoff games, we get to spend more time cleaning our yards, basements and garages.

Already, I've seen two roadside trash dumpings this week. One was on the curb of a main road leading to a large shopping centre. Someone obviously went out of their way (I'm assuming at night) to drop off household waste. The other incident happened right in front of me. A man was returning to his vehicle after walking his dog in a local park. He got into his van, turned the vehicle around, drove a few yards, stopped, got out, opened the back hatch, pulled out large cardboard boxes, threw them into the woods, got back in the van and drove off.

How convenient. These two incidents occurred minutes away from a local waste depot. Meanwhile, hundreds of other hockey families have taken the time to properly dispose of their household waste. The Green Hockey initiative now applies at home too. Don't be one of those people. Most waste depots don't charge for dumping certain items. In some cases, you will drive your vehicle on a weigh scale and have to pay anywhere from $7 to $20.

Take a moment to go online and search for waste depots or hazardous waste depots near you. Have a look at their hours of operation and map their location. You'll feel good about getting rid of the junk properly and you will be setting a great example for others.

Server Outage

2011-04-20T16:07:00.000-04:00

One of those days. The server hosting our TheHockeySeason.com website is down. Likely for another 24 hours. This means interruptions for iSponsorHockey, Hockey On Demand, 80 Hours Hockey web services. All apps are working fine.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

Arena PA App in Action

2011-02-26T08:31:00.000-05:00

We posted this video on YouTube to demonstrate some of the key features of the Arena PA app. You too can entertain the crowd like a pro. You can download it from the App Store. We've also posted a User Guide video that provides detailed instructions on how to customize the app with your own personal preferences.

The Hockey Season magazine

2011-02-26T08:21:00.000-05:00

Our first issue of The Hockey Season magazine is out. You won't see it on the newstands or in your local arena though. We've made it really easy for you to access it...from anywhere.

If you have an iPad, simply use the MagCloud app and search for The Hockey Season. Within seconds you'll have access to great articles.

From your Mac, PC or mobile device, download the PDF version and enjoy.

The print version is a nice touch for your coffee table, skill centre or skate shop for your customers to read. You can purchase the print version online.

Feedback is always welcome.

The Hockey Season Daily

2011-02-13T09:15:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Paper.li, we have a way to put our services', sponsors', advertisers' and content resources' tweets into one easy to read format. The Hockey Season Daily gets posted every day at 8 a.m Eastern.

Like it and don't want to miss an issue? Click the Subscribe button and enter your email address. We don't collect this information. The Paper.li service handles this.

The service posts tweets (auto-randomly) from the twitter accounts that we follow in our Roster list dubbed "Contributors to this great game". We currently follow 22. Watch as this list grows over time.

We first heard about this service from a Globe & Mail article.

Enjoy.

Synthetic Ice Buyer's Guide

2011-02-06T09:51:00.000-05:00

We'd like to thank Global Synthetic Ice, makers of Super-Glide, for sponsoring our 80 Hours Hockey Skills app.

If you've already decided that synthetic ice is the right choice for your town, training facility, home, office or entertainment needs, you'll want to know what your return on investment will be depending on which synthetic ice brand you choose. Using a synthetic ice product that is not up to spec and not preferred by the end-user will be a waste of your investment.

Here are the questions you need to ask your supplier to make sure you are getting a product that suits your needs.

How many years have you been in business?
You should really ask ‘how many years will you be in business’? Synthetic ice has been around for decades and mainly sold by 3 or 4 companies. But new technologies and popularity of the product is bringing in several new so-called synthetic ice companies with little experience with this product. Perry Boskus, owner of Global Synthetic Ice, makes Super-Glide synthetic ice and has over twenty years experience in this market.

Why does the price vary so much from synthetic ice suppliers?
You need to ask what material is being used and how the panels are manufactured. While some so called synthetic ice products seem to be priced less than others, be careful as you are likely being over charged for the quality of product they are selling to you.

What material do you use?
Polypropylene – retails for $167.00 (4ʼ X 8ʼ X 1⁄2” stock) Shiny, and smooth on both sides, this is the cheapest plastic sheet material made. It has been around since the 1960ʼs and is considered very hard to skate on.
Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) – retails for $290.00 This can be sticky and is not considered good for skating.
High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) - retails for $175.00 This material can be skated on.
Ultra High Molecular Weight (UHMW) - retails for $547.00 Because of its high price, synthetic ice companies do not purchase this material, as it is virtually impossible to sell competitively, with such a high raw materials cost. However, it has been found to be the best plastic sheet material to skate on. Super-Glide is made of UHMW and uses an extrusion process.
Note: prices are in US dollars based on recent retail prices of base material.

Where do you buy your material and where are you on the supply chain?
Most synthetic ice companies buy their plastic from the same manufacturer and then put their own name on it. The manufacturer also produces the same plastic for other industries and applications. The synthetic ice companies usually are near the bottom of order fulfillment. Super-Glide synthetic ice is made from it’s own facility in Georgia, USA and readily available. The product is not marketed or resold under any other name.

How does the hurricane season affect the cost of the product?
Hurricanes increase the price of oil. Oil is used to make plastic. The manufacturer increases their price and the synthetic ice companies constantly change their consumer prices up and down. Global Synthetic Ice’s raw material purchasing behaviour minimizes the effect of changing oil prices.

What is your delivery time?
The information in the previous two questions will impact the delivery time of your rink from the synthetic ice companies. Some customers with a deadline have had to go to other suppliers to get a rink because the manufacturer was not supplying panels. Super-Glide panels are generally shipped within two to five weeks.

How do the panels connect?
Super-Glide uses patented interlocking seamless technology. After using a rubber mallet to connect the panels, the surface appears as one sheet of ice. Some products on the market still require you to use other parts with a sledgehammer and crow bar to install.

How much will my rink expand and contract during temperature change?
We can’t change science. The physical properties of plastic will cause the surface to expand in the heat and contract in the cold. It’s important to get a calculated measurement to make sure the rink is free of obstructions (rink board supports, posts, curbs, etc.). Now you need to think about how the weight of the rink moves without the panels buckling or separating. Large rinks require the weight of the ice to transfer horizontally across the base surface. Global Synthetic Ice has a proprietary sub-floor that allows your rink to move freely.

What is the life span of the panels?
Super-Glide Heavy Duty panels will last 15 years under frequent use. When calculating your cost of the synthetic ice, use this formula to compare synthetic ice products: cost per square foot per lifespan ($/sq. ft/years).

What’s the warranty on the panels?
More like ‘What’s the quality control of the manufacturing process and will you stand behind it?” There is a 10-year warranty on the Super-Glide commercial panels.

Can I try your ice?
You really need to do this. You should have a sample of your user group try it too (i.e. goalies, figure skaters, hockey players, general public). Have both weaker skaters and stronger skaters try it as well. Put them through a variety of drills to test for glide, stopping, tight turns, pivots and puck behaviour. How much dust has collected on your gear and clothing? Many users of synthetic ice over the years are unhappy with the overall performance of the product and are looking for facilities that have invested money in high quality Super-Glide product for a better user experience.

Where have you sold it?
Get a variety of references. Government, skill centres, businesses, event organizers and many homeowners have used Super-Glide.

What's the largest rink that you have built?
Not everyone needs an NHL sized rink nor do you need a rink this size to effectively train hockey players. However, large rinks are a great testament to the technical strengths of the synthetic ice product. Do the panels stay connected during temperature change? Super-Glide Canada recently installed a full size rink (80' x 180') in Fort Chipewyan, Alberta (October 2010). The rink includes embedded goal creases and lines. This is the first of its kind in the world.

How much silicon or glycol do you need to apply?
All synthetic ice surfaces require some glide assistance. The area, amount and frequency adds cost to your maintenance and impacts the end user experience. While Super-Glide has glide material built-in to the ice, Skate Enhancer is available to apply based on the user’s preference.

Are you insured?
The distributor or manufacturer should carry liability insurance. Very much like a play structure or bicycle, users could get injured. How they get injured, the extent of the injury, who is liable and if damages are sought is why coverage is a good idea.

What do you think about Super-Glide synthetic ice?
All synthetic ice companies know Super-Glide very well. A good competitor will try to sell on the strengths of their product. Others who fear Super-Glide and have a lesser quality product will try to find a fault in the Super-Glide product.

Sharp Sk8s App Launched

2011-01-30T17:08:00.000-05:00

Your competitive edge. An app for players and parents.

Keep track of your skate blade ice time so you know when to get them sharpened. Use the digital punch card to keep track of your pre-paid sharpening purchase. Set the built-in alarm to remind yourself when to pick-up your skates from your local pro shop. Avoid the embarrassment of forgetting a piece of hockey equipment by using the hockey bag checklist to pack before you leave home.

Full user guide at SharpSk8s.com

Happy 2nd Birthday HockeyGPS

2011-01-03T10:10:00.000-05:00

The HockeyGPS iOS app has been getting people to hockey arenas for two years now. Version 1.02 was available on the App Store on January 2, 2009. We have never released an updated version. It just worked well the first time and for a long time. Thanks to the hockey community for contributing thousands of locations to the database and for the feedback on the app.

I suppose its time for an updated version. Many good things in 4.0 iOS.

MyTeamLineUp.com

2011-01-02T17:49:00.000-05:00

More sounds of hockey. We discovered more value that you can add to the Arena PA app and add more fun to your hockey games. Have a professional announcer record your team roster to play at home games. Just add the MP3 file to your "Arena Sounds" iPod playlist and link to it from the Arena PA app. Contact www.MyTeamLineUp.com for details. The kids will be thrilled to hear their names over the sound system.

Play it loud!

Arena PA review from Jiggy tup

2011-01-01T12:49:00.000-05:00

We appreciate the time people take to post a review about our apps....positive or negative feedback.

We agree with Jiggy tup's review on the App Store. Yes you can plug in any MP3 player and a mic into the arena sound system and try to entertain the crowd. I've connected my iPod and Mac myself for years at my sons' hockey games (no mic though).

The improvements that the Arena PA app has made over the traditional method is:

Not everyone has access to a mic and the correct connection cable. The mic function is built into the app and shares the connection cable with the audio output (one device and one cable is better than two devices and two cables).
Finding the right song or sound effect takes time to scroll or swipe through playlists. Arena PA makes it easier to organize your audio files for fast access for every game situation.
The goal horn sound effect takes time to find and play. The ref is ready to drop the puck and you've just found the goal horn audio (the crowd laughs at how long it took you). Arena PA allows the user to play the goal horn sound effect as soon as the puck crosses the goal line (you build on the excitement of the crowd).

Our descriptions are very clear about what the app does. Please make sure you read these before you purchase the app. A user guide is also available at www.ArenaPA.com

Arena PA Launched

2011-01-01T12:43:00.001-05:00

This is our first paid app available on the App Store. It also signifies our commitment as a HOCKEY company to deliver quality and useful apps for the hockey community to use.

With the great success we've had with the HockeyGPS app over the past two years, we will continue to bring new hockey apps to the App Store. Some will be free and some will be paid.

The Arena PA app lets you entertain your hockey game fans like a pro.

Just connect your iOS device to the arena sound system and you own the show with this entertaining and versatile iOS App (see requirements in the description on the App Store). It's super easy to use during a hockey game with minimal user interaction so that you can keep focused on game play.

Get the details: www.ArenaPA.com

App Ethics

2011-01-01T12:06:00.002-05:00

Image via WikipediaIn the app development space, there are stories about under handed practices that artificially raise the ratings and rankings of apps by the developer. App buying behaviour for some might be solely based on ratings (5 star system), written reviews and rankings within the App Store. There are many great apps in the store of over 300,000 apps that have no ratings or reviews and are being purchased and enjoyed by the user.

There are many other ways to learn about new or effective apps. Word of mouth is an excellent endorsement for apps. You know this already if you are one of the many hockey parents with an iOS device in a huddle in the middle of the arena lobby. Building a social relationship with the developer helps you to trust the quality of material being produced from the seller. Reputable app testers like tech writers for major newspapers or magazines are credible sources as well.

Hockey Science & Technology has decided to make an 'App Ethics' statement in all of its app descriptions on the App Store. We've had great feedback on the HockeyGPS app over the past two years and we want you to know these are genuine.

Here's the statement:

App ethics: 1. We do not post our own reviews of this app on any app review site. 2. We do not pay others to write a review of this app on any app review site. 3. We do not purchase our own app to artificially increase our rankings. 4. We do not post reviews of competitors' apps. (point 4 added Jan 3,2011)

80 Hours Hockey Skills

2011-01-01T11:37:00.000-05:00

We are happy to bring this service to the iOS platform. It hit the App Stores on December 15, 2010. Hockey skill development is important to us and this is our contribution.

The app allows the parent or player to keep a record of activities, a training log, a journal, a session tracker and a way to rate over 40 hockey skills. It's designed to work in conjunction with any hockey skill development business that offers camps and clinics.

The web page service allows members of the hockey community to search for skill development locations. Hockey skill centres can post for free.

The 80 Hours icon is a centre ice graphic representation. We tried at first to come up with an image that represented the hard work and emotions that players put into developing their skills. Sweat came to mind and so did a tear drop. Having coached hockey and with two boys in rep hockey, the amount of time spent on skill development became very clear. I added up the hours of practices, third party training and dry-land training for the year. The result was between 75 to 79 hours. With some rounding, we ended up with 80 hours.

The app can be downloaded for free at http://itunes.com/apps/hockeyskills

Think Recycle has joined the Green Hockey initiative

2010-10-28T08:39:00.000-04:00

Think Recycle is a 100% cost and hassle-free environmental fundraising program offered to schools, non-profit organizations, charities, teams and clubs across Canada and the United States. They currently work with over 20,000 organizations!

Members earn up to $100 for every cell phone, inkjet, toner cartridge and digital camera collected for recycling. To-date they've awarded over $5 million dollars in funding! They provide you with everything you need to launch and run the program including pre-made marketing materials and pre-paid shipping labels. Fundraising has never been so simple!

It's good for the environment and good for you. They even donate funds to have trees planted for every 24 qualifying electronics that members collect. Members have contributed to the planting of over 50,000 trees.

By participating in the Think Recycle program, members help to divert thousands of pounds of electronic waste from entering local and international landfills. E-Waste is the fastest growing waste stream world-wide and the majority of people do not know how to safely and responsible dispose of their products.

By collecting electronics for recycling, refurbishment and reuse, Think Recycle is effectively reducing potential contamination of land, water and soil from product decomposition in landfills. The company is ISO 14001 certified and follows a strict zero-landfill policy which ensures no products sent to their facility end up in a land fill.

The Green Hockey initiative is designed to help reduce hockey related damage to the environment during the hockey season.

2010 Hockey Stories

2010-09-09T07:47:00.000-04:00

We're looking for your 2010 hockey season story.

It can be about anything that is hockey related. Your best tournament, team fun at the hotel, teammates, winning or losing the championship game, what's it like to be a coach, your first pro hockey game as a player or spectator, success stories from your skill development centre or camp, finishing first place or last place in your league, best moments, worst moments even predictions.

Stories can be from anyone of all ages in the ice hockey community: players minor to pro, parents, referees, arena operators, hockey retailers even mascots.

We'll consider publishing it on our Blog in our Magazine or even a Book. If your story is published and selected in our draw, a $250 donation will be made to a charity or hockey organization of your choice.

Get more details at: http://tinyurl.com/hockeystory2010

Skate Anywhere USA

2010-09-03T11:02:00.000-04:00

The Green Hockey initiative welcomes Skate Anywhere USA distributors of Super-Glide synthetic ice.

Synthetic ice itself is green because running a standard ice rink takes a big toll on the environment. The synthetic panels are recyclable and last 10-20 years. Their fleet of trucks will all be highly efficient as well as the logistics planning. Some profits will be donated toward environmental causes.

The more backyard rinks people have, the less they have to travel to practice their skills. Less travel=less emissions. Synthetic ice requires no emission heavy ice resurfacers.

Fresh Gear

2010-08-26T16:49:00.000-04:00

The Green Hockey initiative welcomes Fresh Gear.

Fresh Gear has been disinfecting sports equipment since 2005 and is so effective that it is used by NHL teams. They have 120+ locations across North America. Headquarters located at 3393 County Rd 42 Windsor, Ontario, Canada.

Mission:
Good health shouldn't be a luxury. That is why we have created an affordable method to disinfect and freshen your nasty sports gear. Using Fresh Gear services regularly helps: (1) eliminate odour-causing bacteria (2) reduce the risk of infection and (3) prolong the life of your sports gear. It's one of the best decisions an athlete can make. In as little as 20 minutes, sports gear can be properly sanitized using a patent-pending process that does not require any special oils, detergents or chemicals.

Products:
The Fresh Gear C40 and Cyclone: Kills bacteria 3,000 times faster than bleach and leaves gear smelling great!

How does Fresh Gear help the environment?
They provide all natural, organic, disinfection and odor reduction of sports equipment and many other items. No water, chemicals, detergents, etc... AND it only requires approximately 2 cents of electricity to operate! Utilizes the naturally occurring power of ozone to destroy bacteria and leave your hockey gear smelling great!

The Hockey Season Weight Loss Challenge

2010-08-25T20:30:00.000-04:00

Why wait until January to start to losing weight? When you're at the rink, talk about nutrition and exercise. Challenge other parents to join your weight loss team and track your rankings online. The Challenge ends on December 31, 2010.

THS Survey 1

2010-08-20T09:50:00.001-04:00

When does the hockey season start for you? Take the survey now. See the results.

8-20-10

2010-08-20T09:44:00.000-04:00

8-20-10 is the month, day, year that we updated TheHockeySeason.com to provide you with more digital services through Apps, Websites and soon...a Magazine. Have a look around and try many of the services available.

Gggggggggggoal!!!!

2010-06-11T07:38:00.000-04:00

From one great event to another.

Congratulations to the Chicago Blackhawks on winning the Stanley Cup. What a party they are having in the streets. It has to be a great feeling for the fans that should last a long time. Congrats to the Flyers fans who showed their respect to the Blackhawks. Like true hockey fans, win or lose, they know how to applaud great hockey.

Fan fever continues with the 2010 FIFA World Cup. It's great to see many cars with the flags of the country they are cheering for. Some vehicles have more than one flag. What's great is that everyone in the cities get along no matter who wins. They must be hockey fans too.

Twittered Out

2010-04-30T09:49:00.000-04:00

It appears that we cannot follow more twitters once we follow 2,001 accounts. There's an undisclosed ratio of following to followers that will allow us to add more. Our option is to remove some of the folks that we are following or get more followers. We think that everyone we follow are great members fo the hockey community so we don't want to unfollow them.

For those that are following The Hockey Season, thank you. We'll follow you as soon as we can.

Arena P.A. - Big Wally's Coliseum

2010-04-26T08:53:00.000-04:00

We're working on a new project and one of the features has to do with music. We want to give you a taste of this now.

I interviewed Darrin Cranney about his song "Big Wally's Coliseum" featured on the Echoes of Voices album.

The inspiration came from Roy MacGregor’s December 22, 2007 Globe & Mail article “When Backyard Dreams Melt”. It revisits the Brantford, Ontario location and memories of Walter Gretzky’s backyard rink that he built for his children and the one that produced Wayne Gretzky for the hockey nation. It also touches on how the changes in Ontario winters don’t allow for rinks like that anymore.

It’s a song about Walter Gretzky’s dedication as a parent and his incredible memory. Darrin says “he is a true Canadian treasure”. Darrin wanted to find the balance between his own artistic ability and a hockey great. He managed to do so all in 3 minutes and 52 seconds.

The full interview will be out soon.

In the meantime, Darrin will be launching the CD on April 29, 2010 at Clinton's on Bloor in Toronto and in his hometown on April 30, 2010 at the Mariposa Inn, Orillia, Ontario.

Visit Darrin Cranney at www.darrincranney.com and download Big Wally's Coliseum from iTunes

Green Hockey initiative welcomes PowerSkatingCoach.com

2010-04-26T08:12:00.000-04:00

encourage all players to recycle their waters rather than just throw them in the trash.
encourage all players to reuse their water bottles several times not just once.
encourage the use of velcro straps on shin pads as compared to using tape.
encourage the use of wax on the stick blade to prolong the life of a taped stick.
encourage the rinks not to do an ice cut if the ice surface is not in too bad a condition before you start.
encourage players to commute to practice and games to conserve gas.

The result:

Fewer plastic bottles in land fills.
Less tape waste in landfills.
Water and electricity conservation by doing less ice cuts.
Fuel conservation.

Visit PowerSkatingCoach.com

Green Hockey initiative welcomes Michigan Sani Sport

2010-04-26T08:01:00.000-04:00

Michigan Sani Sport uses ozone to sanitize your hockey gear. While ozone doesn't sound very environmentally friendly, Michigan Sani Sport's equipment causes the ozone to convert to oxygen before it is released into the environment. The entire process kills 99 percent of the bacteria living in your gear without the use of harsh chemicals. In short, we are able to make hockey gear healthier and safer with a minimal impact on our environment. Oh, and it smells better when we are done!

No soaps or artificial chemicals are used so there is no release of pollutants into our water supply. Oxygen is converted to ozone, pumped into the gear, and allowed to convert back to oxygen meaning that there is almost no ozone released when the machine is opened.

Visit Michigan Sani Sport

Spirited

2009-12-03T09:29:00.000-05:00

December's hockey trait is SPIRITED: displaying animation, vigour, energetic or liveliness. Share your comments or pics. Follow us on Twitter or Facebook

Big Wally's Coliseum

2009-12-03T09:22:00.000-05:00

We found a new hockey song. It's about Walter Gretzky. Darrin Cranney - Big Wally's Coliseum

Delay of Game

2009-11-05T08:55:00.000-05:00

Have you had to reschedule a game due to H1N1?

Some hockey associations are allowing games to be rescheduled due to a shortage of healthy players. Other associations or governing bodies are telling teams they must play and have a minimum of 6 players. What are your thoughts?

H1N1 tips

2009-10-28T17:31:00.001-04:00

Here's some ideas from the hockey community:

Suggested that each player have hand sanitizer with them and parents wipe down door handles, locks, hooks and the bench area where they will be seated. You don't know who was in a room before you and I can assure everyone that arena custodial staff are not disinfecting dressing rooms after every event. By being proactive with our own kids it will go along way to keeping a healthy environment and not just for hockey.
Individual water bottles with name and jersey number, filled and cleaned at home for both games and practices
If your child is not feeling well, keep them at home.
No more 'gloves off' hand shakes with teams. Glove 'taps' are okay.

H1N1 vs. Hockey

2009-10-28T17:14:00.000-04:00

Many emails are being traded between hockey associations and hockey teams about changes in their routines in an effort to reduce the exposure of the H1N1 virus. We'd like to get your thoughts and ideas about what your team is doing. We'll post them on this blog and on Twitter.

The Hockey Season - Now Open

2009-10-10T17:27:00.001-04:00

The need for player development, team management, travel, funding and finding availability of hockey related products and services combined with the intense passion that the hockey community has for this sport has inspired us to present The Hockey Season (.com).

TheHockeySeason.com is a source for the hockey community to locate smart phone applications and web sites that provide navigation support, sponsorship and fundraising opportunities, skill development resources, availability searches, games, news, blogs and more.

The website features a live feed of hockey related Twitter posts from around the world and many ways to connect to 'The Hockey Season'.

This is just the beginning. We're adding more categories and service providers to make this your primary resource during the season. We hope you enjoy it.

Coming Soon...The Hockey Season (.com)

2009-10-05T11:28:00.002-04:00

We've been busy working on The Hockey Season website to launch this month. More details to come.

Snow Park Niagara

2009-06-10T10:44:00.001-04:00

Full size Super-Glide rink at Snow Park Niagara, NY.

Green Hockey initiative

2009-05-26T07:51:00.004-04:00

We have launched the Green Hockey initiative to help reduce hockey related damage to the environment. Visit www.greenhockey.ca for more details. Become a Green Hockey initiative member for $29.95. Follow the Green Hockey initiative on Twitter.

HockeyGPS on Twitter

2009-05-12T16:33:00.002-04:00

HockeyGPS is now on twitter. Join us for updates, tips, surveys, promotions and more.

http://twitter.com/hockeygps

HockeyGPS featured in Chill

2009-05-05T14:24:00.004-04:00

Thanks to the folks at Chill Magazine for featuring HockeyGPS. With almost 5000 hockey related locations in our database, families are finding their way to arenas and more with ease.

HockeyGPS - update

2009-03-03T22:59:00.000-05:00

March is a busy month for NHL players who have to relocate and for minor hockey players who are traveling to tournaments and to out of town playoff finals. Many of them are using HockeyGPS to easily find and navigate to arenas.

Thank you to those who have contributed locations to HockeyGPS. We have some interesting places in our database of over 4,500 locations. For example, use the keyword "fame" to search for the Hockey Hall of Fame locations in Canada and the United States. Did you know that there is a hockey arena in Dubai? Want to build your own rink with synthetic ice? Search for a "Super-Glide" location.

If your local arena is not in our database, please use the '+' button on the iPhone or iPod Touch App to contribute or go on-line to add a location. Please provide as much detail as possible. Alternatively, you can send us an email with the information. We try to use the main driveway entrance as the point of reference. As well, if you come across any inaccuracies, please send us a note. We approve new contributions and changes within 24 hours.

Thanks to those who have taken the time to post a review in the App Store. The feedback is great. We've been asked about how to change the unit of measure or the number of results. Simply go to your iPod or iPod Touch Settings, find the HockeyGPS App and customize your preferences. For other tips and more, please visit our blog at www.betweengames.ca

www.HockeyGPS.com

The Magic Hockey Helmet

2009-03-03T22:54:00.002-05:00

Talk about this YouTube video has been making the rounds at local arenas. Posted since June 2008, it has been viewed almost 220,000 times. A great reminder during these exciting playoff times.

View the video here:

Best Arena Fries

2009-02-12T09:18:00.002-05:00

We know your mouth waters with just the mention of arena fries. It's usually the first thing that you smell when you enter the arena before you hit the aroma of the change rooms (perhaps a survey of it's own).

The votes are in.

Here's two ways to get the answer (and driving directions):

1. From your HockeyGPS App on your iPhone or iPod Touch, turn the "Locations Nearby" option to OFF, and then search for the word - fries.

2. Using your web browser, go to www.HockeyGPS.com. In the "Name" field, enter the words - best arena fries and then click on the Search button.

We've called ahead to let them know you're coming.

Another survey will be coming soon.

HockeyGPS - settings

2009-02-11T07:44:00.002-05:00

If you need to change the unit of measure from kilometers to miles or to change the number of results, simply go to your Settings on your iPhone or iPod Touch.

Zach Millar 'Puck Toss' update

2009-01-17T08:56:00.002-05:00

On January 11, 2009, the York Simcoe Novice AAA team raised $2,000 at their fundraising event.

HockeyGPS - update

2009-01-17T08:04:00.002-05:00

Thanks to everyone in the hockey community who has downloaded HockeyGPS from the iTunes App Store. Also, thanks to those who have contributed hockey related locations. Our database across North America and even some parts of Europe is growing rapidly.

New contributions are reviewed prior to being available to the public. We post valid locations within 24 hours.

Please feel free to send us your feedback as well.

Zach Millar

2009-01-11T08:28:00.002-05:00

A member of the hockey community could use your help.

There will be a 'puck toss' fundraiser for Zach Millar of the Ajax/Pickering Novice AAA Raiders on Sunday January 11 6pm at the Ray Twinney Complex in Newmarket.

8 year old Zach was diagnosed with Leukemia in mid December and he is in the early stages of treatment. The hope and wish is that Zach will fully recover and return to his regular life and routine. The funds will be used towards his treatment and recovery.

The contest is being run by the York Simcoe Express Novice AAA team after the second period of their game on Sunday night against the Raiders.

The winner of the contest will receive 4 tickets for the Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Carolina Hurricanes game in Toronto on Monday January 19, 2009 at 7:30 pm. The seats are in section 103 in the Air Canada lounge. Approximate value is $160 per ticket.

Pucks are $5 each.

If you would like to participate, please attend the event or you can purchase a puck online using the link below. Hockey Science & Technology has made arrangements with the team organizers to facilitate your entry. The cut off time for online sales will be 2pm Sunday January 11, 2009. All sales will be passed onto the event organizers to give to Zach's fund.

The HST Shop

2009-01-09T15:02:00.008-05:00

Kick off 2009 with an 80 Hours t-shirt!

Available on-line at The HST Shop at TheHockeyLab.com

HockeyGPS

2009-01-03T10:37:00.007-05:00

Hockey Science & Technology is pleased to announce the official release of the HockeyGPS App for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

This is a free download from the iTunes App Store.

Easily find and navigate to hockey arenas, skill development and training centres or retail locations selling hockey equipment, skate sharpening services, hockey memorabilia and so much more.

You can also use HockeyGPS on-line by visiting www.hockeygps.com. Here you can upload locations to your GPS device or view and print maps using Google Maps.

Here's some screen shot examples:

Do you want to see what hockey resources are around you? Leave the search field blank, set the 'Find Locations Nearby' to ON, and press Search. You will be provided with 100 locations sorted from nearest to furthest from your location.

If you own or operate a hockey related facility, you can add locations by clicking the '+' symbol in the application. Let the hockey community find you with ease.

Contributions will be approved within 24 hours.

We welcome your feedback and input on this application.

Don Sanderson

2009-01-02T22:06:00.003-05:00

"What a great hockey story!!! (A Blackhawk Farewell)

2008-12-26T09:13:00.002-05:00

This story does exemplify the spirit that hockey teams do have. It was sent to me via email and like most stories, I go to www.snopes.com to see if they are true. I was surprised at how recent and accurate the email story was. Read about the whole real story here.

Arena Fries

2008-12-17T08:18:00.002-05:00

What hockey arena serves the best french fries?

Click here to send us your vote

This survey will close on January 15, 2009.

We're surveying the hockey community to find some of the best things that hockey and hockey related locations has to offer. Each month, we will feature a new question. Check back here for answers from previous surveys.

Coming Soon

2008-12-15T17:42:00.001-05:00

Curtis Joseph "2001" Invitational Hockey Tournament

2008-12-15T10:27:00.003-05:00

Hockey Science & Technology is pleased to announce that it is a sponsor of the Curtis Joseph "2001" Invitational Hockey Tournament. This great event is being hosted by the Newmarket Redmen Tyke Select team. The tournament runs from January 9 to 11, 2009 and features 16 teams from Canada and the United States.

Most participants will be using our HockeyGPS service to easily navigate to the tournament venue and our AwayGame service to reduce hotel and wireless long distance charges during their stay in Newmarket.

We wish all teams the best of luck. If you are in town, drop by and cheer the young hockey stars on. Details can be found at www.cujo2001.com or go to www.HockeyGPS.com and key in "Magna Centre" or "Curtis" to get directions.

Thank You

2008-11-11T07:22:00.003-05:00

iTRAINHOCKEY.com

2008-11-01T09:05:00.000-04:00

I caught up with Sean Walker and his iTRAINHOCKEY.com tour in Newmarket, Ontario this week. He was on the ice with the Novice AA team teaching them stick handling and team passing skills.

He made the best use of the hour. During the flood, the players were briefed on each drill set-up and execution. On the ice, the high paced running of the drills and shifting to the next drill wasted little time. The players were constantly working on their visual and listening skills (two skills that get overlooked in most development activities and under utilized in most games).

Sean’s powerful voice commanded the attention of the whole group during each element of the drills. The mechanics of the skills were broken down for each player to try in a stationary stance and then put together in skating motion. Success of performing these particular skills was measured based on the sound of the stick making contact with the puck. The less noise the better the skill was being performed.

He was able to demonstrate the benefit of each skill when done to its fullest range. I could see how much more stronger the players and team could be in games if they were able to improve these two skills. So the message from Sean to the players was practice this at home and you will get better at it.

I would recommend iTRAINHOCKEY.com to all coaches. It’s good for the players to meet different hockey experts and have variety in their development activities. The attention the players get from their coaches and other instructors, like Sean, help them see the importance of their role on the team and find their full game-potential.

About Sean Walker

Sean Walker has become one of the Greater Toronto Area’s most sought after experts in the hockey training business. He has over eighteen years of hockey experience, developing and enhancing his training method and philosophy through a combination of private, skill and team training, designing programs for today's game.

Sean’s hockey training career began as he started privately training players and teams from the age of 15 in Toronto. Through years of hockey experience and education, he has earned himself a list of elite level clientele, personally training OHL, QMJHL, NCAA, and Pro players, and teaching programs to the likes of many Canadian rep level teams. His classes focus on the individual’s and combine the breakdown of mechanics, high-intensity, and unique fundamental drills creating an experience for achieving personal and team-based goals.

Sean has played in the Ontario Provincial Junior "A" Hockey League and is certified through the Ontario Minor Hockey Association’s National Coaching Certification Program and the Greater Toronto Hockey League’s Competency Based Educational Training- Development for the ‘AAA’ level. He has head coached and assistant coached AAA team's in the GTHL and OMHA.

Happy Hallowe'en

2008-10-31T09:12:00.002-04:00

Player Development

2008-10-30T15:26:00.003-04:00

As members of the hockey community, we all enjoy going to the rink to watch the kids play their hockey games. The ice is their stage and we get to see their performance. One of the best things about hockey is that the performance is always different each game.

Having watched many games, I concluded that players do not learn or develop skills in the games. They just execute what they have been trained to do to the best of their ability. On-going training or skill development activities are important as it brings more fun and enjoyment for the players when they play games. There are more than 40 individual skills that a player can use in a game. Being able to do these skills or improve on the skills they know will build their confidence and help them find their full game-potential for their age.

Games are also opportunities for the coach to evaluate their players’ skills and think to them self, “what are you bringing to the game?” Coaches constantly evaluate the team performance during games and then design practices to correct or progress on plays and skills. However, it's hard to devote the high cost of ice time to teach specific skill techniques and practice them. While many skills are incorporated into drills, coaches would rather not work on wrist shots, as an example, for the whole team when only 5 of 15 players need help with this. Another example would be teaching face-offs. These skills and many others can be taught in smaller lower cost facilities. (Side note: all 15 skaters should take 100 wrist shoots at home each day regardless).

The availability of player development services is growing. Growing to a point that the future of player development will go beyond the traditional practice at all levels of minor hockey. The term ‘practice’ itself will be replaced with a more defined name or objective. ‘Hockey development’ or ‘hockey training’ or maybe one day ‘an 80 Hours activity’ will be used more commonly.

Development will include:

association assigned and team purchased ice time for coaches to run drills
association assigned and team purchased ice time for hired instructors to run drills for players and/or goalies
local independent training facility sessions that feature hockey skills, muscle conditioning and nutrition guidance.
association designated physician, therapist, and nutritionist that the members can access (made possible through the insurance companies that represent the association).

Associations will allocate fewer dollars to ‘practice ice’ and more to independent training facilities in an effort to raise the skill level of its participants. This in turn will free up municipal ice time for other user groups or add more games to existing minor hockey programs.

Much of this change will be driven by coaches, parents, established minor hockey associations, new associations and governing bodies of minor hockey and of course the players’ desire to improve their skills.

The role of the coach is already making change. At the rep level, the coach is more of a GM. Most commonly, they select parents or other hockey community volunteers to manage scheduling, budgeting and accounting, communications and marketing (sponsorship and fundraising). They select parents to coach forwards, defence, and goalies and have a trainer and on ice instructors.

Soon, many coaches will select someone to be in charge of player development or play more of a fundamental role in player development. The player development role will evaluate the skill of each player and then source skill development training facilities and even hire instructors to run or design a few on ice hockey development activities. Some coaches might hire a team consultant to assess the competitive nature of the team and make recommendations for improvement.

The importance, benefit and participation of hockey skill development activities will be so strong that the young hockey stars will not only be bragging or proud of their wins, goals, assists, shut-outs or which team they play for, they will also compare and boast to other players about where or who they get their skill development from.

Between Games

iTunes 10.5.3

MacPherson Tournament

Coaching is a Balance Between Fun and Being Competitive

A Family First in a Long Time

Richard Bell Tournament in Oakville

2011 Best and Worst Hockey Arenas: Nominate

2011 Best Hockey Training Companies: Nominate

VIDEO: HockeyGPS Pro User Guide

App Ethics

Hockey Memorial on Facebook

Apple TV has something new for users in Canada

Green Hockey initiative now on Facebook

Leaf fans love their country

iBooks updates to version 1.5

Edge Again skate sharpener promotion by SkateAnywhere.ca

PM2AM Sports app for iPhone on Sale

HockeyGPS app version 1.02 set to retire

Arena PA Proclaims December as Holiday Hockey Music Month

HockeyGPS - An App Success Story

HockeyGPS Turns Pro

Transitioning from MobileMe to iCloud

Mac OS X Update

Vancouver Has Class

Related articles

Sponsorship Intro Text

Off-Season Trash

Server Outage

Arena PA App in Action

The Hockey Season magazine

The Hockey Season Daily

Synthetic Ice Buyer's Guide

Sharp Sk8s App Launched

Happy 2nd Birthday HockeyGPS

MyTeamLineUp.com

Arena PA review from Jiggy tup

Arena PA Launched

App Ethics

80 Hours Hockey Skills

Think Recycle has joined the Green Hockey initiative

2010 Hockey Stories

Skate Anywhere USA

Fresh Gear

The Hockey Season Weight Loss Challenge

THS Survey 1

8-20-10

Gggggggggggoal!!!!

Twittered Out

Arena P.A. - Big Wally's Coliseum

Green Hockey initiative welcomes PowerSkatingCoach.com

Green Hockey initiative welcomes Michigan Sani Sport

Spirited

Big Wally's Coliseum

Delay of Game

H1N1 tips

H1N1 vs. Hockey

The Hockey Season - Now Open

Coming Soon...The Hockey Season (.com)

Snow Park Niagara

Green Hockey initiative

HockeyGPS on Twitter

HockeyGPS featured in Chill

HockeyGPS - update

The Magic Hockey Helmet

Best Arena Fries

HockeyGPS - settings

Zach Millar 'Puck Toss' update

HockeyGPS - update

Zach Millar

The HST Shop

HockeyGPS

Don Sanderson

"What a great hockey story!!! (A Blackhawk Farewell)

Arena Fries

Coming Soon

Curtis Joseph "2001" Invitational Hockey Tournament

Thank You

iTRAINHOCKEY.com

Happy Hallowe'en

Player Development