Between the Shifts — Presented by StopNStarts Hockey

In this episode of Between the Shifts, Marc Genest and Joe Woolworth introduce a new segment called 10 in 10, answering ten common questions from families navigating youth hockey. They discuss the financial commitment of the sport, the chances of playing college or professional hockey, and why no coach or program can guarantee a player's future.

Marc shares advice on choosing the right development program, finding coaches who prioritize player growth over winning, and deciding whether travel hockey or playing away from home is the right fit. They also explore burnout, multi sport participation, the importance of passion, and the long term life lessons young athletes can gain from commitment to a team.

The conversation takes a closer look at the proposed National Development League, including concerns about costs, opportunities for elite players, and whether youth hockey is becoming too focused on families who can afford expensive programs. Marc also discusses changing junior hockey pathways and options for players pursuing NCAA Division I, Division III, ACHA, or Canadian university hockey.

Throughout the episode, the message is clear: every player's path is different. Families should focus on development, education, passion, and finding the right environment rather than chasing promises or assuming there is only one route to success.

00:00 Introducing the 10 in 10 segment

01:00 Is youth hockey worth the cost?

04:00 Does your player have a chance at college or professional hockey?

06:00 Red flags when programs promise success

08:00 Does a player need AAA hockey at ages 12 to 14?

09:00 When should hockey become a priority?

12:00 How often should young players train?

15:00 Choosing a coach who prioritizes development

19:00 Learning from experienced hockey professionals

23:00 Does playing away from home help development?

28:00 Recognizing passion and commitment in young players

32:00 The life lessons of sticking with a sport

34:00 When players may decide to leave hockey

36:00 Marc's thoughts on the National Development League

43:00 How the NDL could affect U18 hockey

45:00 Understanding junior hockey pathways to college

49:00 The future of youth and junior hockey

52:00 Helping families find the right path

Marc interviews former pro player and skill development coach Hunter Bishop about shared values in mentorship and teaching skills that translate into games. Bishop recounts his path from Fairbanks, Alaska, through NAHL, USHL, BCHL, North Dakota, Ohio State, and signing with Montreal, crediting early power skating, strong coaching, and gut-driven decisions supported by a trusted circle. They discuss evaluating coaches and advisors, the importance of structured, purposeful skill work, and how off-season development should change by age group, emphasizing habits, foundations, safety in off-ice training, hockey IQ, and avoiding burnout. Bishop explains how he built Hunter Bishop Hockey in Charleston, his approach to position-specific development, and introduces the new HBH Academy with on-ice training, video, testing, and an app featuring puck-shooting logs and goal tracking.

00:00 Show Intro

01:43 Meet Hunter Bishop

02:38 Alaska Roots

04:21 Junior to Pro Path

06:30 Skill Camps Origins

07:25 Coaches and Mentors

14:16 Advisors and Agents

16:19 Modern Hockey Choices

20:03 Building HBH Brand

22:59 Skills That Translate

30:19 Sponsor Shoutouts

31:55 U12 Summer Blueprint

37:16 Youth Passion Check

38:18 15U Training Balance

40:08 Choosing Great Coaches

46:37 Gym Ice Weekly Plan

47:08 Building Hockey IQ

50:33 18U Pro Habits

52:18 Picking Showcases Wisely

01:00:10 HBH Academy and App

01:06:51 Wrap Up and Resources

Marc Genest introduces Between the Shifts and Stop and Start Hockey’s mission of guiding players through youth, junior, and pro hockey decisions, then welcomes former teammate Mike Fournier, founder of Built Different Hockey (BDH). Fournier shares his non-traditional path from central Massachusetts (no AAA) to the Boston Junior Bruins, the QMJHL (which ended his NCAA eligibility), the USHL and Maritime League, and a cutthroat minor pro career (234 games). He explains why he joined the Air Force, served 20 years as an analyst with deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, and recently retired. Returning to hockey through coaching his son Zachary, Fournier describes BDH’s small-group, classroom-style sessions focused on game details, off-puck skills, and teaching concepts, and both discuss the importance of coaching quality, long-term development, and choosing teams for true development over a “shiny nickel” pathway.

00:00 Show Intro

00:19 Stop and Start Mission

01:09 Meet Mike Fournier

03:34 Growing Up in Mass

07:21 Jump to the Q

09:32 Built Different Origins

11:18 Minor League Reality

14:04 From Pro to Air Force

16:10 20 Years of Service

18:18 Back to the Rink

20:14 Partners and Sponsors

21:50 Youth Hockey Today

25:21 Teaching Game Details

27:41 Coaching vs Teaching

28:40 Why Skating Matters

29:46 Built Different Model

30:44 Teaching Real Hockey IQ

34:14 Bad Coaching Problem

38:55 Developing Hidden Gems

42:50 Coaches Who Shaped Me

44:20 Lessons From Mentors

51:59 Advice Choosing Teams

54:33 Wrap Up And Links

https://builtdifferenthockey.com/

Two-time Stanley Cup champion Rod Brind’Amour joins In Between the Shifts for a candid conversation about youth hockey, player development, parenting, coaching, and finding the right path for young athletes.

Rod shares the story of his own unconventional hockey journey—from quitting the sport as a young kid, to Notre Dame, Michigan State, the NHL, and eventually winning the Stanley Cup as both a player and coach. He also explains how his perspective has changed now that he’s navigating youth hockey as a parent himself.

The conversation tackles one of the biggest problems facing hockey families today: the pressure to move kids too far, too fast. Rod discusses prep schools, academies, AAA hockey, recruiting, rankings, development camps, and why families can lose sight of what youth hockey is actually supposed to accomplish.

Rod and Marc also discuss why skating remains foundational, why hockey IQ matters as much as individual skill, the importance of off-ice training, and the trait Rod looks for in players that can’t be measured at a skills session: compete.

Most importantly, Rod reminds parents that every player’s path is different—and if a player is genuinely good enough and continues developing, people will eventually find them.

In this episode:

• What winning the Stanley Cup really feels like
• Why Rod quit hockey as a young child
• How Notre Dame changed the trajectory of his career
• Choosing the right college based on opportunity and fit
• Why coaching at ages 14–16 can shape a player’s entire career
• Rod’s experience coaching and parenting youth hockey players
• Why families are sending players away too early
• The growing financial and logistical burden of AAA hockey
• Why kids don’t need to be on the ice every day
• Building an everyday training mindset
• Why skating is still the foundation of development
• The youth hockey skill Rod believes is being overlooked
• What NHL teams actually look for in players
• Why development-camp skills don’t always translate to games
• The importance of compete, character, and work ethic
• Why education must remain a priority
• Keeping hockey fun while pursuing higher levels

Learn more about Stop & Starts Hockey, coaching, private lessons, player evaluations, and membership https://stopnstartshockey.com/

00:00 Welcome to In Between the Shifts
00:55 Introducing Rod Brind’Amour
01:20 What Winning the Stanley Cup Feels Like
05:46 Where Rod’s Youth Hockey Journey Began
06:20 Why Rod Quit Hockey as a Kid
07:30 Growing Up in a Small Hockey Town
08:03 Has Youth Hockey Become a Rat Race?
08:24 Why Rod’s Dad Made Him Play Defense
10:04 The Opportunity That Led to Notre Dame
11:24 Why Notre Dame Changed Rod’s Career
12:27 Playing Up Against Older Players
14:12 Building Notre Dame’s Junior Team
15:26 Why the Right Coach Matters So Much
16:02 Choosing Michigan State and Finding the Right Fit
17:54 The Coaches Who Shaped Rod Brind’Amour
19:34 Rod’s Perspective as a Hockey Dad
20:53 Why Keeping a Great Team Together Matters
22:00 Should You Send Your Kid Away to Play Hockey?
23:24 Why Winning at 13 or 14 Doesn’t Matter
24:34 The Financial Burden of Youth Hockey
26:17 What a Good Development Program Needs
26:56 Why Weekend-Only Hockey Doesn’t Work
28:03 What Youth Hockey Development Is Missing
28:26 Kids Don’t Need to Skate Every Day
29:03 Creating a Daily Training Mindset
30:48 Why Skating Is Still the Foundation
31:59 Surround Yourself With Hard Workers
33:32 Show Partners
35:06 Is Hockey IQ Being Neglected?
36:16 Every Practice Should Translate to Games
38:05 What Makes a Player Stand Out at Tryouts
39:23 How Youth Hockey Has Changed Between Rod’s Sons
40:17 Are Prep Schools Right for Everyone?
43:18 “It Shouldn’t Be This Difficult”
44:24 The Life Lessons Hockey Teaches
45:32 The Puberty Olympics and Late Bloomers
46:53 What Rod Sees at NHL Development Camps
51:49 Skills vs. Compete
52:41 Why Hockey Families Need Better Guidance
54:33 Making Hockey More Affordable
56:25 Every Shift Is an Opportunity
57:58 Rod’s Advice to Hockey Parents
58:40 Know Whether Your Kid Actually Loves Hockey
59:17 Why Education Has to Remain a Priority
1:00:09 Rod’s Closing Thoughts
1:00:47 Stop & Starts Hockey Membership

#RodBrindAmour #YouthHockey #HockeyDevelopment #HockeyParents #HockeyTraining #HockeyIQ #NHL #CarolinaHurricanes #StanleyCup #AAAYouthHockey #HockeyPodcast #StopAndStartsHockey

In this episode of Stops and Starts, Marc sits down with longtime hockey coach, former professional player, and Universel Academy leader Marco Pietroniro to talk about one of the biggest questions facing players and families today:

What is the right development path for your player?

Marco shares his journey from youth hockey in Montreal, to junior hockey in the Q, to playing professionally overseas and in North America, before shifting into coaching and player development. The conversation dives deep into the modern hockey landscape, including prep hockey, junior hockey, the NCDC, USPHL Premier, CHL opportunities, college pathways, and why development is not always about chasing the biggest logo.

Marc and Marco also discuss the importance of trust between families, coaches, and players, why some athletes need more time to develop, how Universel Academy structures its program, and why the right environment can make all the difference for a young player trying to reach the next level.

This episode is especially helpful for hockey parents, youth players, junior prospects, and families trying to understand the many different routes available beyond the traditional “all or nothing” hockey path.

For more information about Universel Academy / Collège Universel hockey, contact Marco Pietroniro at [email protected].

00:00 – Welcome to Stops and Starts
00:32 – The mission: helping families understand different hockey paths
01:37 – Introducing Marco Pietroniro
02:03 – Marco’s youth, junior, and professional hockey journey
02:57 – Finding his “NHL” overseas
03:40 – From pro hockey to coaching and junior hockey
04:20 – Shifting from winning to player development
05:51 – Why trust is critical for hockey families
07:18 – Honest conversations with players and parents
09:15 – Why not every player is a D1 or NHL prospect
11:54 – Marco’s move into Bishop’s College School
12:10 – Coaching to develop instead of only coaching to win
13:09 – The vision behind Universel Academy
15:15 – Giving young players a challenging development environment
17:28 – Why Universel Academy plays younger players at higher levels
19:00 – Confidence, opportunity, and learning from mistakes
20:30 – Why ice time and special teams opportunities matter
22:58 – The gap between youth hockey and junior hockey
23:45 – Why experience at the junior level is so valuable
24:28 – Universel Academy team structure and locations
24:50 – U18, USPHL Premier, NCDC, costs, travel, and academics
27:50 – A day in the life of a Universel Academy player
29:10 – Ice time, skills sessions, and practicing up a level
30:50 – Universel as a bridge to higher levels of hockey
33:07 – Global Advancement and player placement
35:10 – The changing junior hockey landscape and rule changes
36:16 – How college hockey timelines are changing
37:08 – Who benefits most from the new hockey landscape?
38:42 – D3, U Sports, Europe, and nontraditional pathways
39:36 – Marco’s thoughts on the future of the NCDC
40:52 – Why the NCDC can be a stepping stone, not an endgame
41:59 – More opportunities through CHL, OHL, QMJHL, and other camps
43:03 – Why opportunity and development matter most
43:37 – How to connect with Marco and Universel Academy
44:05 – Closing thoughts

In this episode of Stop and Starts, Marc Genest sits down with Patrick Schafer of Schaefer Hockey Group to discuss one of the most important topics in youth hockey: finding the right path for player development.

From youth hockey and junior hockey to college recruiting and professional opportunities, Patrick shares insights from his playing career, coaching experience, and years of advising players and families through the ever-changing hockey landscape.

The conversation covers development versus exposure, why every player's journey is different, the role of advisors, what scouts are really looking for, the importance of hockey IQ, and why playing time often matters more than logos on a jersey.

Whether you're a player, parent, coach, or hockey family trying to navigate today's development system, this episode offers valuable perspective on making decisions that support long-term growth and success.

00:00 – Why Stop and Starts exists: development over destinations
02:00 – Introducing Patrick Schafer and Schaefer Hockey Group
03:30 – Patrick's hockey journey from Ohio to professional hockey
06:00 – Playing for legendary coach Mike Hastings
09:30 – Why today's players look more prepared than ever
10:45 – The missing piece: hockey IQ and game awareness
13:00 – Skill development vs. understanding the game
16:00 – Creativity in hockey and developing decision-makers
18:00 – Why heart matters more than size
20:00 – The challenge of evaluating players at showcase camps
24:00 – What Patrick looks for in players and families
26:00 – Why self-awareness matters in player development
29:00 – The importance of fit, timing, and opportunity
34:00 – Do hockey players need an advisor?
36:00 – When should families seek an advisor?
37:00 – AAA vs. AA: Does it really matter?
39:00 – Why college hockey remains a powerful development path
41:00 – The value of Division III hockey and alternative routes
43:00 – The mission behind Stop and Starts
45:00 – Helping players through adversity and growth
46:00 – Final thoughts on development, opportunity, and success

In this third episode of Between the Shifts from Stop and Starts, the host welcomes Erin Bratcher of EB Athletics to discuss off-ice training and athlete development for parents and players. Bratcher shares her background as a Division I basketball player at Charleston Southern, four-year pro in Germany’s Bundesliga, and her path into strength and conditioning, including building EB Athletics during COVID and developing a 5,000-square-foot facility. They cover how strength gains translate to speed, power, injury prevention, and confidence, and discuss early specialization versus multi-sport benefits, recovery and readiness (sleep, hydration, nutrition), and age-appropriate progression from coordination to loaded lifting. Bratcher explains her TeamBuildr-based in-person and remote coaching, form feedback via video, pricing guidance, and sport-specific programming like groin prevention for hockey and ankle focus for basketball.

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro

01:39 Erin Bratcher Background

03:54 EB Athletics and Results

05:39 Old School vs Modern Training

06:39 Why Strength Matters

09:15 Sports She Trains

10:46 Early Specialization Debate

13:19 Building the Gym

16:02 Online Platform TeamBuildr

18:16 Remote Assessments and Testing

18:50 Remote Training Intake

19:09 Stop and Starts Mission

21:14 Building Athlete Confidence

22:47 Recovery and Body Awareness

24:21 When Kids Should Train

26:07 Assessments and Body Types

27:43 Online Coaching and Pricing

29:01 Form Checks via Video

30:16 Fitness Fundamentals and Readiness

31:56 Sport Specific Programming

32:42 Wrap Up and Giveaway

Marc welcomes Mario Therrien of TRUE Hockey as the first guest on the Between the Shifts podcast to discuss Mario’s playing background, how he entered hockey manufacturing through sticks in 2005, and how True launched in 2013 via True Temper, initially selling sticks and gloves. Mario outlines True’s expansion into skates in 2016 and goalie gear after purchasing Lefevre in 2019, noting strong NHL and Olympic adoption and growing youth presence. They emphasize True’s skate fit and the evolution from tracing feet to scanning and app-based measurements. The conversation also covers youth equipment mistakes (poor skate fit, wrong stick length/curve/flex, and lack of lie options), plus broader issues in youth and junior hockey such as winning over development, frequent trades, oversized rosters, costly ID camps, unclear feedback to cut players, and the need for game IQ. Mark closes with a True skate raffle tied to Stop and Start membership and social followers.

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro

00:52 How Mario Entered Manufacturing

02:28 Playing Career Background

03:48 True Hockey Origin Story

05:44 Product Line Expansion

07:08 Why True Skates Fit Better

08:24 Skate Tech and Scanning Evolution

12:30 Choosing the Right Stick

15:08 Curve Trends and Oates Pattern

16:34 Goalie Gear Breakthrough

18:24 Youth Hockey Challenges Today

20:01 Too Many Options

21:10 Winning Over Development

24:21 Healthy Scratches Problem

25:19 Junior Hockey Jungle

26:03 ID Camps Money Grab

27:59 Cuts Without Feedback

28:50 Skills Versus Hockey IQ

30:39 Choosing The Right Fit

34:03 Stop And Start Vision

36:20 Giveaway And Wrap Up

Marc Genest introduces the Stop and Starts podcast “Between the Shifts” and explains his background as a former pro player (450+ games) and AAA youth coach with the Carolina Junior Hurricanes. He describes how families need guidance in navigating today’s expensive, travel-heavy hockey landscape, and how Stop and Starts consults for parents, players, coaches, and associations—focusing on development decisions and off-ice support rather than serving as a placement company. Jana outlines the importance of choosing the right path at ages 14–17, navigating the complexities of junior hockey, and addressing the mental side of performance. He highlights partners including True Hockey, Stanstead College, Universal Academy, Coeur d’Alene Hockey Academy, EB Athletics, Hunter Bishop Hockey, and Schafer Hockey Group. He also details membership pricing and a raffle for custom skates for the first 100 members.

00:00 Between the Shifts Mindset
00:24 Meet Marc Genest
01:06 Why Hockey Families Need Help
02:35 Stop and Starts Mission
05:31 Not a Placement Company
07:44 Every Player Has a Path
09:24 All-in-One Development Model
11:05 Junior Hockey Reality Check
11:39 Partners and Programs Spotlight
16:01 Bridging the Advisor Gap
19:06 Membership Pricing and Services
21:27 Mental Game and Communication
24:59 Choosing the Right Path
26:31 Wrap Up and Call to Action

Welcome to the ice.