Getting better isn’t pretty. Trevor Ragan says that his fascination with learning has sent him on the most incredible journey of his life, and that during his crusade, he’s discovered some important concepts that have totally changed the way he looks at the world. Trevor believes that a growth mindset is the key to success in learning.

Age appropriate off-ice activities can help a child to grow and develop their on-ice skills but knowing the right skills to teach and train is the name of the game. It is important for coaches and parents to gain an understanding of how children learn and how sports skills will relate to their interpersonal life skills.

Ken Reid, co-anchor of Sportsnet Connected, has been a huge sports fan and hockey card collector since he was a kid growing up in Nova Scotia. After accumulating 40,000 hockey cards and filling a closet at home in Toronto, he became interested in the stories behind those hockey cards. We chat hockey cards with Ken and discuss his first book titled “Hockey Card Stories.”

The position of defencemen is being redefined. The terms ‘stay at home defenceman’ or ‘defensive defenceman’ have become popular in the hockey community, but the players that have gained the reputation matching those terms are vastly becoming castaways due to the increased importance of the transition game starting at defence.

Dr. Anders Ericsson, a psychology professor out of Florida State University, conducted a study and came to the conclusion that it takes 10,000 hours of dedicated practice to become an expert in whatever you were working on.

Whether you’re a serious athlete or a recreational exerciser, it’s important to make sure you get the right amount of water before, during, and after exercise. Water regulates your body temperature and lubricates your joints. It also helps transport nutrients to give you energy and keep you healthy. If you’re not properly hydrated, your body can’t perform at its highest level.

Checking is a critical skill in the game of hockey that when performed properly can create quality scoring opportunities or help a team regain control of the puck. Just like skating, puck control, passing and shooting there are key progressions to the skill of checking when taught effectively, can greatly enhance a player's enjoyment of the great game of hockey. A common misconception is that the skill of checking begins at a certain age or age category of play. As with all skills, checking is a progression that begins the first time a young player steps on the ice. Each step builds upon the previous step and brings the hockey player that much closer to being able to give and receive body checks competently and confidently. Hockey Canada's Corey McNabb joins us this week on Breakaway, the Minor Hockey Podcast.

With some teams having limited ice time, how can coaches make the most of practice? Stan Butler is the Head Coach of the North Bay Battalion and is the longest serving coach in the Ontario Hockey League with one team and joins the Breakaway Podcast.

In today’s game Coaches are responsible for developing athletes’ mental, physical, technical, and tactical abilities, and in addition to all of these responsibilities, there is an underlying expectation to win. When it comes to judging coaching performance, the player’s perspective can be easily overlooked at the grassroots level. Jeremy Cross is the Director of Coach Development at the Coaches Association of Ontario and joins us to discuss what makes a great coach.

Should youth sports organizations be providing players with trophies and medals simply for showing up?