Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Woman and girls have respect for the game

Women have taken to ice hockey in unprecedented numbers since the early 1990s. Female leagues and co-ed programs have changed the face of the game in many places. But women's hockey is hardly a new game. Women and girls have been fore checking, back checking and crashing the crease for over a century. The first recorded women's hockey game took place in 1892 in Barrie, Ontario. Women's hockey teams were playing in standard uniforms including long wool skirts, turtleneck sweaters, hats and gloves. Very different from what you will see us in now. This first era of women's hockey started in the 1920s and 1930s, with teams, leagues and tournaments in almost every region of Canada and a few areas of the United States. Some of the best Teams Still at this point in hockey comes from Canada. Most girls wanted to join boy’s teams, but they were rejected because they were girls. Girls didn’t have much respect as men did for the game, but women's hockey slowly gained ice time, and as the new players grew up they got a chance to play at colleges and universities. Today the number of female hockey teams and leagues is at an all-time high. Mixed gender teams are also more common, especially in youth hockey. There are still some teams that won’t let girls play, but over the years it has gotten much better.

Monday, March 19, 2012

Girls coaching “It's not a secret that the number of female players in Canada and the U.S. has skyrocketed since the first ever IIHF Women's World Championship tournament in 1990. Since that year, the number of girls in Canada has increased from 11,341 to over 85,500 and the U.S. the number has gone from 10,000 to over 65,500 girl hockey players. “ As girl’s hockey becomes more popular all over the world it's important for coaches to focus on developing their female players. When it comes to coaching girls, there are many important things to keep in mind. Coaches should always be encouraging and focus on one-on-one instruction. Girls always work better with one-on-one coaching. Also girls love to chat, I mean before the game, after the game, and even on the bench. To girls chatting with their friends is important and coaches need to know that just because there chatting doesn’t mean it’s not about the game. Coaching girls really isn't much different than coaching boys. Girls know what they are getting into when they join a hockey team and they expect to be challenged just as much as guys are, so coaches shouldn’t shy away from challenging girls. Girls don't want to be babied."I've played hockey with guys all my life, but I have played a game or two with girls. Being babied by guys on your team isn’t a good feeling. I can say “I hate it!” It makes you feel like you’re not as good as them and you’re not a part of the team. So for any guys out there “Don’t Baby us!” “You have to enjoy the sport to be good at it. “That’s what I tell my friends when they ask why I am so good. I don’t like to brag about my hockey skills or anything, but when people stop me after my games and say “you’re really good,” It makes me feel good and sometimes I need to brag about it. I guess there’s a limit to bragging about you’re skill level, but when something makes you feel good you need to share it with the world. Quotes: ”Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking your potential.” - Liane Carlos ”The will to win is important, but the will to prepare is vital.” - Joe Paterno The link below has some other good quotes: http://hockeytribute.com/77-famous-ice-hockey-quotes.shtml

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