USA Hockey Magazine

March 2013

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line change advice for parents, refs and coaches When Hockey Is Not A Family Affair By Christie Casciano Burns As soon as my daughter could walk, she wanted to skate. She had been to every one of her brother's hockey games, sometimes with her nose pressed up against the Plexiglas, clapping and yelling as soon as Joey stepped out onto the ice. She couldn't wait for it to be her turn. It didn't take long for her wobbly little penguin-like struts to turn into quick, confident strides. She suited up at the tender age of 3 as a Mini-Mite and eight years later is still going strong chasing a puck around with hands firmly planted on a stick. We have become one united happy, hockey family. Still, I often wonder how other parents strike that happiness balance with their children who don't play hockey. Sometimes affectionately called rink rats, you spot them running around the arena, or begrudgingly tagging along, forced to watch a sister or brother on the ice, when they openly admit they would rather be anywhere else. Onondaga (N.Y.) Thunder hockey dad and coach Marty Sicilia admits it's not easy, but he and his wife make every effort to give each of their children's 12 MARCH. 2013 interests an equal amount of attention. His daughter is a goalie. His son is an actor, singer and dancer. Marty grew up as a jock and his comfort zone is an ice rink. His son's theatrical world is foreign to him, but he takes the time to learn. "It's been eye opening for me and really pretty cool. I've been to the New York City ballet. Who could have imagined? As long as my kids are happy and healthy, I have nothing to complain about." Other hockey parents use instant gratification tactics to keep a kid from feeling tortured during tournaments and having meltdowns in rinks. They might buy him or her a new toy or head to the nearest mall during an out of town trip. While that may keep the whining down, licensed psychologist Tanya Gesek from Syracuse, N.Y., cautions parents not to go too far to try to make things equal and give in too much to "make their kids happy." "Fair is never really equal," Gesek said. "Learning that lesson early is not a bad thing. Sibling rivalries can be healthy in moderation and help kids develop very important coping skills to manage frustration and challenge as an adult. It is more than okay to allow our kids to deal with not being happy and a little bored once in a while without a lot of 'stuff' or instant entertainment. In order to manage uncomfortable feelings, we have to feel them occasionally." Parents may end up feeling the pain, but these growing pains are all a part of raising good kids who learn how to respect each other and each other's interests. USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM Local Coach Stands In For Rangers' Tortorella Chris Cosentino may not be on the New York Rangers payroll but that didn't stop the 30-yearold coach from Queens from doing his best John Tortorella impersonation. The head coach of the New York University club team put the Broadway Blueshirts through several days of grueling on-ice workouts in preparation for regular training camp once the NHL lockout was lifted in mid-January. "I did my best Tortorella impression to make sure they were ready for him," Cosentino told the New York Daily News, referencing the American-born head coach of the Rangers. "It is such a great group of guys. They made it so much easier for me. I'm just grateful for the opportunity to help the team." Cosentino became friends with Tortorella during a charity dog walk during the offseason designed to raise money for one of the head coach's favorite charities. Tortorella later visited NYU to speak to Cosentino's players. "It was something I'll never forget. I learned so much from him," said Cosentino, a USA Hockey Level 4 coach. Captain Ryan Callahan presented Cosentino with a Rangers jersey signed by the players to thank him for pushing them on the ice. "He pushed us hard," Brian Boyle said after a practice. "Quick pace. Quick tempo." Helping Your Young Athlete To Avoid Illness By Dave Ellis The shorter days that come with the winter months of a hockey season mean lower Vitamin D exposure from the sun, and that along with changing weather, sets the stage for a vulnerable immune system. The coaching points for winter sport athletes must focus on the value of sleep, antioxidant intake from fresh produce and adequate Vitamin D from food and supplement delivery to counter the seasonal challenges these athletes face. For the picky eater soup is a great way to get a cocktail of cooked vegetables into athletes, as are smoothies for a variety of fruits. Because Vitamin D is a fatsoluble nutrient it's not hard to find an Omega-3, Vitamin D combination product to incorporate into an athlete's daily diet. The Omega-3s might have an emerging role for athletes with fragmented sleep patterns as well as some protective benefits for concussions. More advanced seasonal immune interventions for athletes that are gaining traction involve something commonly found in egg yolks. Something like beta-glucan that comes from baker's yeast can also prime the immune system. It's often not the most talented team that wins the championship at the end of a long winter, it's often the team that minimizes unnecessary downtime due to illness. Healthy teams have deep rosters that can spread the beating out over the course of a long season vs. running a few healthy athletes into the ground because of a short bench. Dave Ellis is a sports dietitian and strength coach who has spent more than 25 years training collegiate, Olympic and professional athletics. More information about Dave and sports nutrition can be found at fuelingtactics.com. Photos courtesy of Cory Portner; N.Y. Daily News/Getty Images

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