Show Notes
Episode Description: Matt Herr, the NHL’s Senior Director of Youth Hockey and Industry Growth Fund, joins the USA Hockey Next Generation podcast to explain why the league is investing in Learn to Play and NHL Ready to Play. Hosts Lyndsey Fry and Drew Shore talk with him about the NHL and USA Hockey partnership, keeping the base of the pyramid wide, and why the real goal for parents is a kid who still loves the game. The episode also covers coaching, volunteering, street hockey, refereeing, and work ethic.Key Points from This Episode:0:06 Welcome and host catch-up3:10 Matt's playing career and path to the NHL5:44 How the NHL supports USA Hockey, including the Industry Growth Fund7:26 Why the NHL moved into grassroots and NHL Ready to Play9:27 Coaching every player differently, and why you don't want to be a player's last coach11:27 Parents who can't skate and the many volunteer roles12:54 Keeping the pyramid wide and the NHL's growth in new markets16:08 No rush:parent anxiety and the real ROI17:59 Street hockey and other ways to love the game20:16 Why Matt took up refereeing23:15 The funniest Learn to Play moment24:13 Playing in Germany and the NHL's international growth25:09 How parents and players can help their programs26:55 Hosts' takeawaysLinks:USA Hockey - https://www.usahockey.com Drew Shore - https://www.drewshore.com Lyndsey Fry - https://fryhockey.com/
More from USA Hockey: Next Generation
Episode Description: This episode is a wide-ranging conversation with formerOlympian, Harvard standout, and Princeton assistant coach Shelly Picard aboutyouth hockey development and the value of enjoying where you play. Drew Shore and Lyndsey Fry focus on a simple idea that comes through repeatedly: the best path is the one that helps a player grow, feel supported, and want to keepshowing up.
USA Hockey introduces its new Development League (DL) on this episode of the USA Hockey Next Gen Podcast. Host Dave Fischer is joined by Scott Paluch, who will serve as DL Commissioner, and Bob Mancini, Assistant Executive Director of Hockey Development, to discuss why the league was created, how programs were selected, and what its launch means for American hockey.
Episode Description: Lyndsey Fry and Drew Shore sit down with Rod Braceful,senior director of the USA Hockey National Team Development Program, to breakdown how the NTDP develops players, evaluates talent, and prepares teenagersfor hockey and life. The conversation also digs into how the changing collegehockey landscape is affecting recruiting, and why the program still emphasizescharacter, drive, and versatility over pure skill.
Episode Description: In this episode, Drew Shore and Lyndsey Fry sit down with Mike Garman, Associate Head Hockey Coach at Notre Dame and former head coach and general manager of the Chicago Steel, to discuss recruiting, player development, and the mental side of hockey success. They explore how young players can continue to improve, why versatility is such a valuable asset, and how parents can best support their kids throughout their hockey journey. Key Points From This Episode: 00:00 - Season 2 begins: what listeners can expect from thepodcast 01:36 - Why college recruiting and NIL make Mike’sperspective timely 02:39 - Lindsay’s recruiting path and the importance ofeducation 04:43 - Drew’s path through the national development programand University of Denver 05:31 - Why academics can narrow college hockeyopportunities 06:20 - Introducing Mike from Notre Dame 07:09 - How a temporary goalie-coach role became a coachingcareer 10:03 - What set elite USHL players apart beyond talent 11:32 - Balancing strengths with weakness development 13:22 - Teaching players to think the game and make the nextplay 17:34 - Recruiting timelines and why grades matter so much 19:30 - Late bloomers and why 16 is not the whole story 20:29 - What college coaches look for in a recruit 22:44 - Work ethic, attitude, and competing through mistakes 23:50 - How parents should think about development foryounger players 26:39 - Where families should invest limited resources 29:47 - Do 3-on-3 and small-area games create bad habits? 32:02 - Shooting habits that create better goal-scoringchances 37:30 - Training game-like situations and using incentivesin practice 39:22 - Why versatility at multiple positions increasesopportunity 41:41 - Notre Dame freshman Sammy Nelson and rapid firebegins 42:36 - Why trying to fool college coaches is a bad idea 46:01 - Post-interview reflections from Lindsay and Drew 48:00 - Why recovery after mistakes matters more thanperfection 51:13 - Top takeaways for parents and players
Episode Description: In this episode, Ken Martel, Senior Director of Player and Coach Development at USA Hockey, shares his extensive experience on building a resilient, versatile, and player-centered hockey culture. We dive into how development strategies have evolved, the importance of multi-sport participation, and the future of hockey player development.Key Points From This Episode:00:00 - Introduction: Ken Martel’s role and background in USA Hockey00:47 - Ken reflects on his journey from player to coach and organizational leader02:30 - Evolution of the U.S. national development program and its greater capacity for coaching03:44 - Impact of technology and tailored player development in the NTDP04:54 - USA Hockey’s philosophy on athlete and coach development as a systemic approach08:52 - Balancing competition and learning in youth hockey11:27 - Building confidence and retention through process-oriented coaching12:31 - Addressing coaching strategies for players with varied skill backgrounds15:49 - The rationale behind the creation of the American Development Model in response to participation challenges19:58 - The role of small-sided, live-action games in skill and decision-making development22:55 - Clarifying the difference between technique and skill execution in game settings25:12 - Developing versatility through positional changes and embracing discomfort29:36 - The importance of multi-sport participation for athletic adaptability35:01 - The value of exposing young players to multiple environments for long-term growth43:09 - Selecting and cultivating future coaching talent in USA Hockey44:42 - The qualities that make a coach stand out, beyond technical skills48:47 - Key attributes for young athletes: resilience and perseverance49:13 - The fulfilling aspects of USA Hockey’s mission to serve and help players and coaches50:39 - Closing remarks: the importance of collaboration and continuous growthLinks:USA Hockey - https://www.usahockey.com Drew Shore - https://www.drewshore.com Lindsey Fry - https://fryhockey.com/