BEFORE YOU PLAY

Yes. Just like a race car you can't expect to win an Indianapolis 500 without the right fuel in your tank. Unfortunately, everyday hockey players around the world run out of gas in the middle of a game and struggle just to finish simply because they forgot to re-fuel before they played.

Two hours before a game or practice you should have a small pre-game snack.

Complex Carbohydrates that will digest slowly and provide long term energy like bagels, muffins, toast, cereal as well as fruits like bananas and oranges. Sports nutrition products can also be an excellent source of energy and can be part of your pre-game snack. These products are designed to give you the right balance of nutrients as well as digest properly for athletes."

You should try to avoid foods that either upset your stomach or may give you short term energy. Things that upset your stomach include milk and spicy foods. Chocolate bars, candy may give you a short term energy boost but tend to cause a real energy drain within a short time and actually hurt your performance more than help it.

Yes. Even a small loss of 2% body fluid from sweating during a game can have a significant impact on your performance. They key is to drink approximately 14 – 20 ounces (or 400 - 600 mls) of fluid before you play to give yourself some insurance against dehydration during the game.

You should start your pre-game hydration routine two hours prior to the start of your game or practice. Over the course of first hour you should try to consume 14 – 20 ounces (or 400 –600 mls) of fluids such as sports beverages, fruit juices and water. You should stop consuming fluids in the immediate hour before you play. DO NOT DRINK A LOT OF FLUIDS IN THE HOUR IMMEDIATELY BEFORE YOU PLAY. The problem with drinking extra in the last hour is that your kidneys will be stimulated and your urine production will be increased. This will make you go to the bathroom a lot and can actually de-hydrate you.

As part of your pre-game hydration routine, you should try to have a glass of fruit juice or a sports beverage approximately two hours before you play. Although there is nothing wrong with drinking water, fluids like sports beverages and fruit juices, which contain a small percentage of carbohydrates, have been shown to help accelerate the absorption of fluids into your system and help prevent dehydration.

You should try to avoid fluids like soda pop (can cause intestinal cramping), coffee and alcohol. These fluids also tend to increase your urine production. This will cause you to go to the bathroom more and can lead to dehydration.

I have a couple of additional tips:

Sticks:
Sticks that are too long do long term damage to young players. As coaches and instructors, we are constantly telling the kids to keep their hands in front of them. If the sick is too long, then they can't control the puck because only the heel of the blade is on the ice, or the puck is so far out in front of them that they are uncomfortable. A little trick I learned from Barry Smith of the Red Wings:
Check the tape on the blade of the stick. If the tape is worn all the way from the heel to the toe, then the blade is on the ice with maximum contact. If only the back is worn, then the toe is too far off the ice, and the player is only using a fraction of the available blade, limiting their stick handling ability and control.

Skates:
As a coach, you have to be very cognizant of skate fit. Too big, and the kids won't feel comfortable. Too small, and they are in pain. There are several ways to check the fit. I loosen up the laces, or completely remove them to do all of them. One of these methods will be enough. I checked all of my skaters for fit at the beginning of the season, again just before Christmas break, and again at the end of the season. I also did it for my spring league kids.

Back Check:
Have the skater lie on his/her stomach, and push their toes to the front of the skate. If you can fit more than your index finger behind the heel,the skates are too big.

Front Check:
With the player on a bench or seat, have them bang the heel of the skate on the floor, driving the heel all the back into the skate, Pull the tongue of the boot forward, and stick your index finger in front of the big toe, If you feel more room than a finger tip width, the skate is too big. Can't get your finger in? too small.

Insole Check:
(My favorite) New skates: Bring the insole from your old skate with you, and remove the insole of the new skates. Check the width and length of the foot impression of the old insole versus the new ones to make sure that they look like they'll fit. This works especially well if the skater has wide feet, or the skater can't be with you when you buy the skates, or you buy them on-line. Old skates, look at the insole, if the toe impressions are at the end, guess what...too small.