Developing super young defensemen

[forbin]

12 hours ago, BeaverFalls said:

Here’s the winning scenario. Take that 10k a year and use it on hell, even private lessons.  Have your kid obliterate PIHL and be the BMOC. Watch as he shares the ice in ACHA with some kid who played “AAA” since squirts. 

On that note, who's the best local coach offering private lessons?

[miked]

1 hour ago, forbin said:

On that note, who's the best local coach offering private lessons?

i think this is where a lot of people get things wrong with younger kids. it's not the coach as it is the way the coach and the player get a long.  Your kid might be excited to work with a Stanley Cup winner in TK, but if TKs teaching style or personality doesn't mesh with the kid, it's not going to work out very well.

When my son was younger we went through 3 or 4 skating instructors. he said he wanted to take skating lessons but then he would say he wasn't having fun and the instructors would start to tell us he didn't pay attention or listen. We decided to give it one more try. I'll never forget the look on his face when she made him do a drill and when he finished, instead of giving the typical "oh what a good job you did!", she just blankly stared at him and skated to the other side of the ice. he just stood there confused until she SCREAMED, "let's go!"

she skated him up, down, and all around, and when she finally said, "hey that wasn't too bad" he lit up. she made him work hard for her approval and when he would get it, it meant something to him. he absolutely loved her and his skating improved dramatically.  other kids would work with her once, and never come back because she was mean, but it's what worked for my son. he didn't want coddled. 

like everyone keeps pointing out, if the kid isn't having fun, then they aren't going to improve, but every kid has a different idea of fun and only you and them can figure this out. 

i see so many parents dragging miserable looking kids in and out of ice rinks, don't be them. a 9/10 year old could learn a lot from playing one on one with a varsity player and have a blast doing it. 

[forbin]

5 minutes ago, miked said:

a 9/10 year old could learn a lot from playing one on one with a varsity player and have a blast doing it. 

Great post and excellent advice. Thank you!

Your last sentence is pretty much the exact scenario that I think my son would learn the most from, and that never really occurred to me until just now. 

[HSFBLJ]

Send $15,000 cash to po box 665 and I will post the secret here for all to see!!!!!!

I will post it on other threads for an additional $15,000 sent to the same po box

[hockeyisgreat]

7 minutes ago, HSFBLJ said:

Send $15,000 cash to po box 665 and I will post the secret here for all to see!!!!!!

I will post it on other threads for an additional $15,000 sent to the same po box

Cash is on the way!!!! I'd rather spend it on you than some AAA teams.