Built From Steel Podcast

In this Q&A episode of the Built From Steel Podcast, Eric and Andy answer listener questions covering some of the most common situations players, parents, and coaches navigate throughout youth hockey.

From resetting after a bad shift and creating alignment between coaches to practice volume, fear of making mistakes, conflicting advice, winning, injuries, and favouritism, this episode tackles the everyday issues that can have a major impact on a player’s development.

The conversation focuses on separating perception from reality and giving players, parents, and coaches practical ways to think through situations that rarely have simple answers.

Development requires learning how to respond to mistakes, manage competing messages, and understand the difference between what feels unfair and what actually helps a player grow.

Key Moments

0:00 – Intro

7:45 – How good players reset after a bad shift

10:30 – Three things to focus on when the game isn’t going your way

16:00 – How a coach’s reaction shapes the team’s reaction

20:15 – How to get coaches working together within an organization

21:30 – Why creating alignment between youth coaches can be so difficult

24:00 – The pressure every coach feels to win

25:35 – Does your organization actually know what it stands for?

30:10 – Are young players practicing too much?

32:00 – Why additional training needs to be driven by the athlete

36:00 – What happened to players practicing on their own?

39:30 – Are coaches making players afraid to make mistakes?

40:00 – Sitting young players after mistakes

42:00 – What happens when a private skills coach and team coach disagree?

46:45 – At what age should winning actually start to matter?

48:50 – Playing hurt: toughness versus making a bad decision

53:50 – Do coaches really have favourite players?

Key Themes

• Good players develop the ability to reset quickly after mistakes

• Coaches help determine how players and teams respond to adversity

• Organizations need clear development standards while still allowing coaches individuality

• More training is not automatically better training

• Players need opportunities to experiment, fail, and solve problems

• Private training should complement the player’s team environment rather than compete with it

• Winning can matter without becoming more important than development

• Learning the difference between being hurt and being injured is part of becoming an athlete

• What looks like favouritism may sometimes be a coach placing greater trust in a player who has earned it

Stay Connected

Watch the Academy docu-series Built From Steel on YouTube.

Follow on socials:

@BuiltFromSteelSeries

@BioSteelSports

@BioSteelSportsAcademy

@CoachEpzolo

The Built From Steel Podcast is a division of BioSteel Sports.

Learn more at www.biosteel.com

Youth hockey is changing, and so are the players, parents, and coaches involved in the game.

In this episode of the Built From Steel Podcast, Coach Eric and Coach Andy explore 10 observations Andy has made from behind the bench in 2026 and how the youth hockey environment continues to evolve.

From communication and feedback to the professionalization of youth sports, player preparation, and the growing dependence on coaches, trainers, and advisors, this conversation explores both the positive developments and concerning trends shaping today's game.

While players have access to more resources, information, and development opportunities than ever before, are we losing some of the fundamental lessons and experiences that make hockey so valuable?

The game continues to evolve, but we can't lose sight of the fundamentals that make great players and great people.

Key Moments

0:00 – Intro

5:00 – Kids are still kids: the importance of guidance and patience

9:00 – Understanding that development is a process you can't rush

10:00 – The communication problem in today's youth hockey

16:45 – Players want feedback and need to understand how to improve

20:00 – How video technology like LiveBarn has changed the game

22:30 – Coaches have more resources than ever, regardless of playing experience

25:00 – How coaching has evolved over time

31:50 – Players need to understand WHY they're doing things

37:30 – Today's players are generally more skilled, but are they better hockey players?

45:10 – Are we losing important details and habits in the game?

46:30 – How players prepare for games today

49:30 – The desire to be elite before earning it

52:00 – Why players can't skip steps in the development process

56:00 – Players want to train, but does everything require a coach, trainer, or advisor?

1:03:00 – Have we gotten too far away from the roots of hockey?

Key Themes

• Youth athletes still need guidance, patience, and strong relationships with adults

• Communication and meaningful feedback are fundamental to player development

• Modern coaching resources have created new opportunities for coaches to improve

• Players need to understand the purpose behind what they're being taught

• Increased skill development doesn't necessarily translate to better hockey habits

• Preparation, accountability, and attention to detail still matter

• The professionalization of youth hockey is changing player and parent expectations

• External coaching and guidance should complement, not replace, player independence

• Development takes time, and players can't skip the process

• Preserving the fundamentals, enjoyment, and culture of hockey is essential as the game evolves

Stay Connected

Watch the Academy docu-series Built From Steel on YouTube.

Follow on socials:

@BuiltFromSteelSeries

@BioSteelSports

@BioSteelSportsAcademy

@CoachEpzolo

The Built From Steel Podcast is a division of BioSteel Sports.

Learn more at www.biosteel.com

This special episode is presented in collaboration with The Coaches Site. 

Sign up for a premium membership and save 25% on your first year using code NEWSEASON.

Visit thecoachessite.com or download the app to sign up!

Matt Doumochelle hosts this webinar discussion with panelists Eric Palazzolo, Maco Balkovek, and Lukas Havlicek. Drawing on their work at BioSteel Sports Academy, Rink Hockey Academy Kelowna, and HC Slovan Bratislava, they compare ways to create alignment, give coaches room to work, start a season with staff, and bring new coaches into an organization.

From culture and parent communication to delegation and coach development, the panel discusses the day-to-day work behind a successful youth hockey program. They also take on development versus winning, the timing of systems and skills, how much a group can understand, difficult player personalities, and the non-negotiables they would put in place when building an organization.

Key Moments

0:00 – Intro

10:15 – Establishing organizational alignment

12:50 – Giving coaches freedom within an established program

17:30 – Onboarding new coaches

19:45 – Defining a development-focused program

22:55 – Guiding coach-parent interactions

26:00 – Building culture at HC Slovan

32:40 – Delegating across a hockey organization

37:10 – Structuring coach development

44:25 – Non-negotiables for a new organization

51:55 – Managing coaches' urge to win

54:30 – When to teach systems versus skills in youth hockey

57:40 – Deciding how much a group can understand

59:40 – Managing difficult player personalities

1:02:45 – Improving yourself and your organization

Key Themes

• Alignment, culture, and non-negotiables give a youth hockey program direction.

• Coach freedom works alongside onboarding, development, and support.

• Development-focused decisions balance skills, systems, winning, and player capacity.

• Parent communication and delegation shape the day-to-day running of an organization.

• Leaders need to keep improving themselves and their organizations.

Webinar Panel

• Matt Doumochelle, webinar host

• Eric Palazzolo, BioSteel Sports Academy

• Maco Balkovek, Rink Hockey Academy Kelowna

• Lukas Havlicek, HC Slovan Bratislava

Stay Connected

Watch the Academy docu-series Built From Steel on YouTube.

Follow on socials:

@BuiltFromSteelSeries

@BioSteelSports

@BioSteelSportsAcademy

@CoachEpzolo

The Built From Steel Podcast is a division of BioSteel Sports.

Learn more at www.biosteel.com

Coach Eric and Coach Andy respond to an email from a U9 coach planning a development-first season: rotating players through centre, wing and defence, using balanced lines, and encouraging kids to communicate directly with coaches. On the Built From Steel Podcast, they discuss the mixed parent response, including concerns about preparing for AAA next year.

They also talk about the approach and feel behind coaching young players, managing a bench with 10 forwards, and learning what interests each player. The conversation considers the learning curve created by new drills and why a coach may need to adapt roles and plans as the season progresses.

Key Moments

• 0:00 – Intro

• 15:30 – A U9 coach's development-first season plan

• 19:41 – The coaching approach behind player development

• 24:30 – Developing a feel for what players need

• 27:30 – Managing 10 forwards on a youth hockey bench

• 32:10 – The case for changing positions

• 38:00 – Player preferences for playing centre

• 48:00 – Avoiding doing too much as a coach

• 51:00 – The learning curve for new drills

• 1:01:10 – Learning player interests and getting them to speak

• 1:03:00 – Adapting as the season progresses

  
  

  Key Themes

• Player development at U9 can include communication, accountability and self-advocacy.

• Changing positions and playing with different teammates can build a broader understanding of the game.

• Coaches need a feel for individual players, including what interests them and how to get them talking.

• New drills and season plans come with a learning curve and may need adaptation.

• Parent expectations about early AAA preparation can clash with a development-first plan.

Watch the Academy docu-series Built From Steel on YouTube.

Stay Connected

Follow on socials:

@BuiltFromSteelSeries

@BioSteelSports

@BioSteelSportsAcademy

@CoachEpzolo

Coach Eric and Coach Andy were invited to speak with the Grey Bruce Highlanders organization about getting noticed and choosing a hockey path. This Built From Steel Podcast episode shares their full conversation on what development means, why love of the game matters, and how practice, roles, identity and intent fit into a player’s growth.

They also cover evaluating games beyond goals, the balance of skill and hockey IQ, what scouts care about, the urge to move away from home, and what can get a player noticed. The conversation includes guidance for parents as they help their kids manage disappointment and make sense of the development process.

Key Moments

17:00 – Managing disappointment

19:00 – What player development actually means

20:00 – Why love of the game matters

24:20 – Evaluating games beyond goals

26:00 – Helping kids assess whether they played well

28:00 – Skill development and hockey IQ

29:00 – Practice players

31:50 – When player roles begin to matter

33:00 – Developing a player identity

34:45 – What scouts care about

38:00 – The urge to move away from home

41:00 – Playing with intent

43:00 – What actually gets a player noticed

47:30 – Supporting kids as a hockey parent

Key Themes

• Development is about more than goals

• Love of the game matters alongside skill and hockey IQ

• Roles, identity, practice and intent shape a player’s growth

• Scouts look beyond obvious production

• Parents can help kids reflect on games and manage disappointment

Stay Connected

Watch the Academy docu-series Built From Steel on YouTube.

Follow on socials:

@BuiltFromSteelSeries

@BioSteelSports

@BioSteelSportsAcademy

@CoachEpzolo

The Built From Steel Podcast is a division of BioSteel Sports.

Learn more at www.biosteel.com

In the third episode of this Built From Steel Podcast mini-series, Coach Eric covers positional play for centermen, from acting as a third defenceman in the defensive zone to protecting middle ice, supporting battles, and sorting out coverage when the puck changes sides.

He also breaks down getting underneath the puck on breakouts, creating short passing options and speed, staying connected through the neutral zone, and shifting into F1, F2, or F3 in the offensive zone. The episode closes with faceoffs and the responsibility that starts as soon as the puck drops.

Key Moments

4:30 – Third-defenceman responsibilities in the defensive zone

7:00 – Protecting the middle of the ice

11:00 – Supporting a defensive-zone corner battle

15:30 – Moving through the middle when the puck switches sides

19:00 – Reading the play as the defensive-zone quarterback

23:20 – Common defensive-zone mistakes for centermen

26:15 – Getting underneath the puck on breakouts

29:00 – Creating short passing lanes and support

33:00 – Questions to ask when supporting a breakout

35:00 – Staying low and connected in the neutral zone

40:00 – Forechecking inside-out in the neutral zone

44:00 – Forward roles on entries: F1, F2, and F3

48:00 – Faceoff responsibilities after the puck drops

Key Themes

• Centers protect middle ice and stay defensive-side rather than chase the puck.

• Patience below battles helps centermen cover loose pucks and dangerous ice.

• Getting underneath the puck creates short passing options and speed.

• Offensively, a centerman’s role shifts to F1, F2, or F3 as play becomes fluid.

• Faceoff responsibility continues with the read after the puck drops.

Stay Connected

Watch the Academy docu-series Built From Steel on YouTube.

Follow on socials:

@BuiltFromSteelSeries

@BioSteelSports

@BioSteelSportsAcademy

@CoachEpzolo

The Built From Steel Podcast is a division of BioSteel Sports.

Learn more at www.biosteel.com

In Episode 2 of this Built From Steel Podcast Mini-Series, Coach Eric continues on the white board with transferable foundations for defencemen, from defending the rush to making decisions with the puck. He focuses on protecting the middle, controlling the gap, defending inside-out, and recognizing that good defence starts with managing time and space rather than chasing every play.

He also breaks down defensive-zone responsibilities, puck retrievals, partner support in the neutral zone, and when a defenceman has earned the chance to join the rush. The conversation closes with offensive-zone habits, pinching decisions, and a defence-first approach to faceoffs.

Key Moments

3:00 – Defending the rush

9:10 – Gap control and managing attacking space

16:28 – Defending a 2-on-1

19:00 – Defensive-zone coverage responsibilities

23:00 – Defending out of the corners

27:00 – Protecting the front of the net

31:00 – Communicating switches in coverage

34:30 – Puck retrievals

37:00 – Puck management under pressure

40:00 – Neutral-zone responsibilities

40:30 – Using the D-to-D hinge for partner support

45:00 – When to join the rush

47:00 – Offensive-zone positioning

52:00 – Pinching and understanding the risk

55:00 – Defence-first faceoff responsibilities

Key Themes

• Protecting inside ice gives attackers fewer dangerous options.

• Gap control is about matching speed without surrendering space.

• Scanning before puck retrievals helps defencemen solve pressure earlier.

• Good puck movement gives teammates usable options instead of passing along pressure.

• Defencemen can join the offence when possession and support are in place.

Stay Connected

Watch the Academy docu-series Built From Steel on YouTube.

Follow on socials:

@BuiltFromSteelSeries

@BioSteelSports

@BioSteelSportsAcademy

@CoachEpzolo

The Built From Steel Podcast is a division of BioSteel Sports.

Learn more at www.biosteel.com

In the first Built From Steel Podcast Mini-Series episode, Coach Eric lays out the foundations of playing wing, using a right winger’s responsibilities to explain key terms and reads across the ice. This solo episode starts in the defensive zone with coverage areas, weak-side support, strong-side positioning, switches, and common mistakes that can open dangerous ice.

Coach Eric then moves into breakouts from both sides, options along the wall, and neutral-zone responsibilities after a change of possession. He also explains why players shift from C, LW, or RW into F1, F2, and F3 as play becomes fluid, before closing with basic winger responsibilities on faceoffs.

Key Moments

4:00 – Defensive-zone coverage areas for wingers

5:00 – Weak-side defensive-zone coverage

10:45 – Strong-side defensive-zone coverage

13:35 – Coverage responsibilities near the boards

15:00 – Adjusting when defencemen switch

22:00 – Common defensive-zone mistakes

24:00 – Dot lanes and protecting middle ice

28:50 – Defending the point and angling lanes

31:30 – Defensive-zone coverage summary

32:20 – Strong-side breakout transitions

36:10 – Weak-side breakout options

38:00 – Keys to successful breakouts

40:00 – Breakout options along the wall

44:00 – Strong-side neutral-zone responsibilities

49:30 – Changing from position labels to F1, F2, and F3

Key Themes

• Wingers need to recognize when to protect middle ice and when to pressure.

• Strong-side and weak-side responsibilities require different reads.

• Defensive positioning affects how quickly a winger can become useful on a breakout.

• As play becomes fluid, forward roles matter more than fixed position labels.

• Faceoff responsibilities begin with knowing the immediate threat.

Stay Connected

Watch the Academy docu-series Built From Steel on YouTube.

Follow on socials:

@BuiltFromSteelSeries

@BioSteelSports

@BioSteelSportsAcademy

@CoachEpzolo

The Built From Steel Podcast is a division of BioSteel Sports.

Learn more at www.biosteel.com

In this Q&A episode of the Built From Steel Podcast, Eric and Andy answer listener questions across some of the decisions and conversations that shape youth hockey. They talk about earning a role on a stronger team versus being the go-to player elsewhere, how parents can handle the car ride home, and how coaches can communicate without turning every decision into a negotiation.

They also get into helping young athletes build steadier confidence, phones and comparison, when promotion or advisors may be useful, moving from smaller markets, getting cut, and how their opinions on NCAA/OHL pathways are changing.

Key Moments

3:30 – Question 1: Go to a strong team or be the go-to player?

8:00 – Making limited minutes count

13:50 – Question 2: What should parents say on the car ride home?

14:45 – Helping a player understand what made a good game

22:30 – Question 3: How to find the right balance in coach-parent communication?

28:00 – Communicating with players versus parents

30:30 – Question 4: How to help players become more emotionally steady?

34:00 – Building confidence as a young athlete

40:20 – Question 5: Are phones that bad?

43:00 – Managing phone use on a team

49:30 – Question 6: When do youth players need promotion from an advisor/agent?

50:30 – Why a player's performance is the best promotion

58:30 – Question 7: Do small market players need to move to bigger centers?

1:05:10 – Question 8: How do you help a player work through getting cut?

1:08:00 – Question 9: How have your opinions on NCAA/OHL pathways changed?

Key Themes

• A stronger team can still be a good development setting when players make their opportunities count.

• Parents can support players by listening and helping them process games rather than taking over the conversation.

• Clear communication matters, but coaches need boundaries around decisions and roles.

• Confidence needs to hold up when a young athlete makes mistakes or faces disappointment.

• Performance and patience matter amid phones, promotion, movement, and changing pathways.

Stay Connected

Watch the Academy docu-series Built From Steel on YouTube.

Follow on socials:

@BuiltFromSteelSeries

@BioSteelSports

@BioSteelSportsAcademy

@CoachEpzolo

The Built From Steel Podcast is a division of BioSteel Sports.

Learn more at www.biosteel.com

The best coaches are not always the loudest, most intense, or most tactical.

In this episode of the Built From Steel Podcast, Eric and Andy break down the undervalued qualities that make coaches truly effective, especially in youth hockey.

From clarity and emotional control to confidence in your identity, patience with development, and relationship building, this conversation focuses on the coaching traits that often separate the adults who simply run a bench from the ones who actually impact players.

A lot of coaching problems are not system problems. They are communication problems, emotional problems, or relationship problems.

Players do not need perfect coaches; they need clear, steady, intentional coaches who actually care.

Key Moments

0:00 – Intro

5:20 – Clarity as a coach: expectations, roles, standards, and feedback

6:20 – Aligning vocabulary and keeping coaching language simple

9:00 – What coaches need to be clear about with players

12:00 – How confusion from coaches affects player performance

17:00 – Emotional control behind the bench

17:10 – The danger of being proud of “snapshow” coaching

24:05 – Berating refs and losing control of the bench

28:00 – How the coach sets the emotional tone

32:00 – A key lesson for every coach

34:00 – Confidence in your identity as a coach

37:00 – Putting players in positions to succeed

39:30 – Understanding your priorities as a coach

44:00 – Knowing your coaching identity

45:00 – Having confidence without becoming stubborn

50:00 – Patience with development

50:50 – Writing players off too early

51:55 – Why you shouldn’t fall in love with players too early either

54:30 – Finding ways for different players to contribute

58:00 – Building relationships with players

1:01:00 – Why relationship building may be the most important coaching skill

1:05:00 – The impact coaches can have on people beyond the game

Key Themes

• Players cannot meet standards they do not understand

• Clear roles, simple language, and consistent feedback matter

• The bench often takes on the emotional state of the coach

• Emotional control is a coaching skill, not just a personality trait

• Coaches need an identity, but they also need the humility to grow

• Knowing the game and teaching the game are not the same thing

• Development requires patience from adults who usually want immediate proof

• Relationship building creates the trust needed for accountability

• Players do not need a best friend, but they need to know the coach cares

Stay Connected

Watch the Academy docu-series Built From Steel on YouTube.

Follow on socials:

@BuiltFromSteelSeries

@BioSteelSports

@BioSteelSportsAcademy

@CoachEpzolo

The Built From Steel Podcast is a division of BioSteel Sports.

Learn more at www.biosteel.com