Episode 89: Is Your Kid on the Wrong Hockey Team? w/ Islanders Hockey Clubs' Mike Busconi
Crazy Hockey Dads PodcastShow Notes
The best team isn't always the best place for your kid to develop.
Scott and Jamie sit down with Mike Busconi, Islanders Hockey Club - East Director and coach at The Winchendon School, to talk about youth hockey development, team selection, and the increasingly competitive road to higher levels of hockey. Mike explains why being a bottom-line player on a top AAA team isn't always the best situation, especially when kids aren't getting enough puck touches or meaningful reps in practice. He also gets into parents chasing status over development, the pressure of year-round hockey, and why sometimes taking a step back is the smartest move. The conversation also covers AAA hockey becoming watered down, navigating tryouts and getting cut, the benefits of prep school, and why families need to look beyond Division I when considering their child's hockey future. In this episode: Why the best team isn't always the best fit Why AAA hockey is becoming watered down Navigating tryouts, cuts, and crazy hockey parents Prep school, D1, D3, and alternative hockey paths This one is a reminder for hockey parents: the goal isn't to get your kid on the best team today. It's to put them in the best position to keep getting better.
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The pressure meant to help a young player succeed may be the very thing holding them back.
The best development does not always come from the best team, the most expensive lesson, or the loudest car ride home. Recorded live at The Hockey Barn in Atlanta, Scott and Jamie sit down with founder and longtime coach Kyle Kinze. Kyle explains how a pulmonary embolism ended his playing career at 19, why he turned to coaching, and why he built a place centered on access, creativity, free play, and community. Kyle gets honest about growing up with a perfectionist father, changing the car ride home with his own kids, and learning that coaching a player starts with understanding the person. Scott and Jamie add their own hard-earned mistakes about expensive training, chasing higher-level teams, and pushing kids toward a version of hockey they may not want. The conversation also tackles choosing the coach over the jersey, valuing puck touches and ice time, watching for burnout, and giving kids enough room to fall in love with the game on their own terms. In this episode: Why free play and creativity are essential to development Better questions for the car ride home Choosing the right coach over the best team Building The Hockey Barn around training, competing, and belonging Live questions on speed, endurance, coachability, and tournament hockey Coach the human, protect the love of the game, and let development follow. The Hockey Barn: https://thehockeybarnatl.com/ The Hockey Barn IG: https://www.instagram.com/thehockeybarnatl/ Partners: https://www.pacificrink.com/ https://hockeytraining.com/ https://sparxhockey.com/ https://www.instagram.com/bigjohndangles/ https://www.titanbattlegear.com/crazyhockeydads https://howieshockeytape.com/ https://www.athleticperformanceinsight.com/ Socials: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@crazyhockeydadspodcast X: https://x.com/Crazyhockeydads Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crazyhockeydadspodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Crazy-Hockey-Dads-Podcast/61578631923150/
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