Hockey IQ, Skills & Player Development
A hockey parent's guest post on tracking the invisible effort stats — backchecks, forechecks, battles [...]
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Athlete Nutrition
A parent-friendly introduction to Grit Kore's Athlete Nutrition series: the color-coded fuel guide, daily nutrition [...]
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Hockey IQ, Skills & Player Development
As a curious observer, I’ve always found it fascinating to watch how athletic development unfolds [...]
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Hockey IQ, Skills & Player Development
If you’ve ever found yourself in the lobby of a three-star hotel during a hockey [...]
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Ice Size, Training Systems & Global Lessons
Why Canada Produces More NHL Players U.S. hockey development is at a crossroads. With the [...]
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We’ve all done it. Pretended to be our favorite athlete—driving to the hoop, scoring the goal, making the big save. For most of us, it stayed a game. But sometimes, it becomes something more. Lately, we’ve also seen youth sports become more intense. Bigger goals, earlier pressure. The issue isn’t ambition. It’s when the goal […]
Why Small Intentional Decisions Matter. We’ve all been there. A tournament 45 minutes outside a third-tier city. Three-star hotel. Rink. Lobby. Repeat. Vacation days disappearing faster than expected. The parent playdate goes a little too long. The next morning…the idea of the gym, reading, or anything beyond breathing and blinking feels like a stretch. A […]
In a world of constant comparison, identity is under pressure, and grit is what holds it together. We’ve all heard it: “Kids these days aren’t built like we were.” And honestly… that’s true. But not for the reason people think. It’s not that kids are softer. It’s that they’re growing up in a completely different […]
As participants in the hockey community, there are moments where we, as coaches, observe parental behavior and try to reconcile it with our own sense of reality. This week felt like a live experiment. Daryl Jones — a.k.a. Jonesy, a.k.a. the real most interesting man in the world, a.k.a. The Gold Coast’s Most Eligible Bachelor […]
Every season we try to anchor our team with a theme—something that captures how we want to play and who we want to be. A few years ago, that word was grit. It fit the game perfectly. Hockey is a little grimy. A little chaotic. It rewards the player who keeps going when things aren’t […]
Youth hockey tryouts in Fairfield County reveal something fascinating every year. Parents become anxious, conversations become tense, and behaviors sometimes emerge that seem… out of character. Which raises a strange question. Why are parents so emotionally invested in something they are not actually participating in? The players are the ones trying out. Not the parents. […]
A lighthearted guide to surviving hockey tryout season If anxious energy could be measured with a thermometer, Fairfield County would be in the middle of a heat wave. It’s hockey tryout season. The nervous chatter. The heightened gossip. The speculative “I heard they’re taking six forwards from the A team…” All hallmarks of tryout uncertainty. […]
This post is the origin story behind why Grit Kore exists. For the current free program, resources, and how to join, visit the Grit Kore Project page. In today’s high-pressure youth sports environment, mental toughness and emotional resilience are often left behind in the race for rankings, trophies, and scholarships. But what if we could […]
Some players bring fire every shift; others skate flat. Why? It often comes down to passion, and that’s built not just on love for the game, but on the security to risk failure. Parents can help by focusing less on stats, and more on connection. As a coach and a curious observer, I’m often standing […]
Hey hockey‑parents, this week let’s talk about: “The Ever‑Shrinking Grit Score.” I promise it’s relevant to your rink‑runs, drive times, and weekend tournament wars. Let’s lace up. We used to talk about grit like it was baked into the game, into life. You earned it through sweat, setbacks, and showing up when nobody else wanted […]