Hockey's Over. Lock Up Your Equipment until August.

Since the Leafs are now mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, and all minor hockey schedules are winding down, it should be time to change gears right?

I think so, but obviously most don't.

I looked through my local newspaper today, and had to laugh.  I used to get angry, but now realize that although I truly believe I'm right, most think I'm wrong (and that's okay). There was ad after ad trying to get parents to sign their kids up for summer hockey, and skill development camps.

Parents....kids....lose the equipment.  Lock it up if you have to.  Take a break, and get strong working out.

When you get cut in September, the braintrust will start blurting out why they made the decision they did.  "We want you to be 15 pounds heavier." "We want you to be stronger." "We want your feet quicker." "We don't think you're going to win the battles on the boards."

Everything that they tell you will have one thing in common: you should have worked out for 4-5 months over the summer, instead of playing hockey. I'm going to keep saying it, because I have seen hundreds of cases dealing with this.
Once you have achieved a reasonable level, and are into your teen years, you will go backwards by playing summer hockey. 

The only way that you will get gain weight, quicken your feet, and do all those other good things, is to get strong. You're leaving your improvement on the table by playing all year, and not working out.

Here is something to think about....
When a 5-year-old asks her dance teacher what to do for her "homework", the response was exactly what I was hoping to hear......
"keep doing your push-ups so you can sustain your movements longer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Great.  All I needed to hear.  Boy do I like this dance teacher.

A Chiropractor by the name of Dr. Hassard is now gathering some interesting information for me.  He is a great Doctor, who's opinion I truly value.  Take a look at this link, and see what you think.  Although it's not hockey based, it is about overtraining.  I urge you people to read the article.