EARLY MORNING WAKE UP CALL FOR THE THUNDERBIRD U-15 TEAM AS THEY PREPARE FOR BATTLE!
GRRRRRRR...... WHERE ARE THE FROOT LOOPS??
WISHING YOU GREAT SUCCESS ON THE ICE!
THE WILL TO WIN
Game Day Preparation:
via:builtforhockey.com
Visualization: Visualization is said to be a very important tool for preparing for big events. Many successful Olympians swear by visualization, and there’s no reason why you shouldn’t, too.
Before a game, take a few minutes to relax, close your eyes, and see yourself doing good things. See yourself controlling the puck, making accurate passes, taking nice shots, and scoring big goals. Go over certain situations in your head. If you’re a winger, see yourself taking a hit to make a play in your own zone. If you’re a D-man, see yourself making that first pass on the tape over and over again. If you’re a goalie, see yourself staying calm and covering all your angles.
The possibilities are endless. Be creative, and see yourself in all kinds of situation. That way, when it happens in the game, you’ll be ready to make the right play.
Visualization can be a powerful asset to any athlete. It just takes a lot of practice. Take a look at how Mike Cammalleri does it; it’s pretty funny, but it works for him!
Activation: To be ready physically, you need to be warmed up. Simply stretching is not enough. You need to get your heart pumping and your blood flowing. Go for a light jog and then follow up with a light stretch. After that, get your legs pumping by doing some short sprints, lunges, body weight squats, or rocket jumps. Just do a few; your goal isn’t to make a workout out of it…it’s to wake up your legs. When you’ve sweated a bit and your legs feel awake, then you can stretch it out a little more.
This will help you hit the ice in full force. Too many players take activation lightly, and they always get off to a slow start. You want to be ready when the puck drops, not when there’s only twenty minutes left in the game. Make your warm up count!
Routine: Hockey players are definitely one of the most superstitious kinds of people. I personally have an exact routine that I follow to a tee. Why? It makes me feel comfortable. I’ve had good performances with this routine and I know that if I follow this same routine again, there’s a good chance I’ll have another good game. It’s a mental thing more than anything. There’s no way tying your left skate before your right skate makes a difference in your game, but believe it or not, at the psychological level it does.It’s not only what you do at the rink 2 hours before the game, but also what you did the night before, the food you ate, and the music you listened to.
Having a routine puts you in control. It takes away that feeling of not knowing how the game will go. When you stick to your routine, you feel ready for anything because it’s the same thing you did that game you scored 3 goals.
You need to find that routine and ride its success until you hit a slump. It sounds silly right? But it works! Give it a shot.
Find your energy level: Not all players are the same. I for example, am one to always be pumped up before a game. Sometimes even too pumped up. This means that sometimes I get on the ice and I’m too anxious. This causes me to be impatient and make quick plays, rather than being calm and using the time I have to make the right play. Before a game, I try to relax and calm down with 15 minutes left before the game. This helps me play with much needed poise and allows me to make smarter plays because my emotions are in check.
If you’re the opposite, and you have a softer personality by nature, you need something to wake you up. You need to get fired up one way or another. You don’t want to come out flat. Do whatever it takes; take a cold shower, blast the music in your headphones, or do what this guy does and get a friend to slap you!
Game On. Mentally Preparation. Think to Win.
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