Hockey Edge Newsletter: Psychological Recovery from Injury

This post comes from Dr. Dana Voelker sport psychology consultant and professor at Brockport State University.  Dr. Voelker provides a great recap of her own injury experience and what both players and coaches can expect.

My Injury Experience

I have always loved ice hockey and was fortunate enough to have played for the Penn State Lady Icers between 2003 and 2007. During all my years in competitive sport, I never sustained an injury that completely rocked my world. I had come out of years of lifting, running, mountain biking, skiing, competitive figure skating, and ice hockey without any major injuries – lucky me. Unfortunately, that came to an end a year following my last season at Penn State while instructing a college hockey class at Michigan State. What an unlikely scenario.

Hockey Edge Newsletter December 2012: How the Kings Regained Momentum Just in Time to Win the Stanley Cup

The 2012 Stanley Cup Finals looked like a rout. The Los Angeles Kings were dispatching easily of another opponent; this time it was the New Jersey Devils in the way of the Kings' destiny with the Cup. After taking a 3-0 series lead and then losing two potential clinching games, it was "sweaty palm time" for the Kings. Momentum was flowing against them and the Devils seemed to grow more and more confident.

Coming home for Game 6 after being up 3 games to 0 had to have the Kings feeling the heat. Certainly they did not want to have it come down to a Game 7 in New Jersey. So, Game 6 at home was a must-win to avoid a huge collapse.

In Game 6 at Staples Center the Kings finished ferociously just when the sixth-seeded Devils appeared to have a chance for one of the biggest comebacks in finals history. How were the Kings able to change the course of the Finals?

Hockey Edge Newsletter April 2012 is available

Hockey Edge Newsletter April 2012

The latest Hockey Edge Newsletter is available. In it you will find information on how to manage emotions in pressure situations, be resilient when things are not going well, and close out a series.

Coaching Character and Performance, Hockey Edge Newsletter February 2012

Do superstar hockey players need to be characters and not brimming with character? Many coaches may think that the most talented players may also be the biggest characters. This is reinforced by images we see of Terrell Owens’ antics, for instance. But, I do not believe this is the case, especially in hockey. In my local area the Red Wings have had two exemplary captains the last two decades; Steve Yzerman and Nik Lidstrom. Both are hall of fame players with great character.

These are just two examples, but I am sure you can come up with others. Recent captains like Sakic, Messier, Niedermayer, and Brind’Amour were quality people who were great leaders and players. So, it is my opinion that character and performance can co-exist and should. As coaches we need to be teaching character not only to develop better people but also to enhance individual and team performance.

Hockey Edge Newsletter February Issue 2012 Locking in on the Moment

The ability to engage in and focus on a task in the present time, or as I say “lock in on the moment”, is absolutely necessary for performing well in big moments. Mario Manningham gave us a shining example of being locked in. For three quarters of Super Bowl XLVI Manningham was not noticeable. Eli Manning, quarterback of the New York Giants, had not thrown Manningham’s way much, if at all. Giants’ receivers had not taken charge of the game by making big plays down the field despite the predictions that they would be the difference in the game.

What transpired in the fourth quarter can be chalked up to being prepared and locking in on the moment. Manningham went from forgotten to the center of Manning’s attention. He was ready. Manningham stayed engaged in the game so that when the most crucial moments arrived he was ready to capitalize on the opportunity. Manningham’s circus catch on the sideline during the Giant’s final drive to take the lead was eerily familiar to David Tyree’s “helmet-grab” in the game-clinching drive of Super Bowl XLII. Manningham being ready to play and locked in allowed the Giants to win the Super Bowl.

December Hockey Edge Newsletter Available

In the latest Hockey Edge Newsletter I took the Pyramid of Confidence and put all five posts from this blog into one newsletter. This is a great way to give your players or a coach you know all the information on building confidence in one place.

The December edition of the Hockey Edge Newsletter is available by clicking on the link on the right sidebar or going to the Southeastern USA Hockey coaches page.