5 Tips to Keep Your Hockey Athlete Motivated 

It’s been a few weeks away from the ice, and staying motivated while we are all staying at home is not easy everyday. However, this is a great opportunity for our favorite athletes to learn to adjust their daily routines and implement at-home activities and training that will keep them engaged. So while we patiently wait to collectively get back to the rink, these 5 tips will help your kids to stay motivated and prepare to return to the sport they love so much. 

1. Create a routine 

Now that we are all facing a new normal, it has become obvious that setting routines and plans is helping us to stay productive and keep things together. Well, kids are not different! Bringing structure, routines and plans into their day-to-day will keep them accountable and motivated, especially since we are ramping up to get back to hockey. Get them into the habit of calendarizing their week with school tasks, house chores, and at home training. Give them as much flexibility to figure out what cadence works best for them and keep things interesting with new activities and family events.  

2. Teach them goal setting 

A great way to stay motivated is by showing them setting SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time Bound). Together set the big goal with a deadline to achieve and break it down into smaller short term goals that they will implement into their new routine. Weekly challenges like “ Do 100 sit ups and push ups a day” or “ Run 20km a week” will inspire them to improve their skills and still feel connected to the sport they love. 

3. Tune in for some inspo 

If your athlete is having a difficult time getting motivated on it’s own, tune in to our favorite content creators on social media to get inspired and practice some off-season drills at home. The great thing about quarantine is the amount of content that has been created, there is a drill for every kind of player. Some of our favourites include: 

• On Youtube and Instagram, Coach Pavel Barber for How-tos moves and stickhandling hacks and drills. 
• On Instagram, Sean Walker (@iTrainhockey) for world renowned hockey training videos and development tips
• On Instagram, Global Hockey Academy (@ggs.hockey) for specialized skill and skating development
• On Instagram, Stretch Hockey (@stretchhockey) for Stickhandling drills 

4. Make it a group effort. 

Now, we all know that working out can be a hefty mission on low-energy days, especially when we are doing it on our own. Make things dynamic by involving the entire team in organizing weekly activities to keep each other accountable. Try the Puck Challenge, the way it works is every team member records how many shots they’ve taken each week. 

5. Try something new 

Sometimes, the best way to get back on a good motivation mojo is to try something out of our comfort zone. Encourage your athlete to explore new activities and implement them in their weekly routine. Let them have fun with new dance routines (after all aren’t we all sporting Tik Tok dance routines at the moment?), backyard soccer drills, yoga sessions or even involve the entire family in an outdoor ball game. There is no right or wrong here, discovering new hobbies will help them to feel motivated to keep moving.