5 Questions Rec Hockey Players Must Ask

By Coach Warren Nye

As most rec hockey players and teams are entering the halfway point of their season, I always ask my players five questions to gauge where they’re heading. The responses I get could help me tell if a player is with the program or against it, in the home stretch to a good season.

The skilled and successful athlete always has the ability to objectively evaluate him/herself. Pretty much on a regular basis, rec hockey players should step back and analyze how their preparation and actions may be affecting their progress toward both theirs and their team’s goals.

A top player doesn’t ‘sleepwalk’ through their season and just go merrily through a routine. He/she is active both in their thinking of the game, always questioning themselves on how they can be better, but through this they are never second-guessing themselves.

Here are 5 questions rec hockey players need to ask themselves:

1. Am I in the Right Frame of Mind?

Rec hockey players must continuously have the passion or they won’t be consistently motivated. To be successful on the ice, you must be motivated for all the right reasons so that you can overcome the barriers, injuries and other obstacles that may come your way. If you feel your motivation is waning, then you must find what got you there in the first place.

2. Am I Learning from My Mistakes?

The old saying, Learn from your mistakes and you will be successful, is so very true. But also very important to ask is, once you’ve recognized a mistake and have corrected it, are you still making the same mistake? If you are, then I suggest you reevaluate what went wrong, what needs to be changed and then learn how you can prevent it from happening again.

3. Am I Consistently Pushing My Own Boundaries?

Are you willing to try new things come game or practice time? Are you willing to push yourself to a limit more than others? Are you creating new or more goals for yourself to keep the passion ignited, and to strive to be your very best, game in and game out?

4. What is My Game Plan?

You and your team may have a game plan, but are you constantly challenging yourselves? And while you are, you (and the team) should be mapping out strategies that will help you overcome even more challenges that lay ahead in the second part of the season.

5. Do I Still Believe I Can Do This?

One of the most important ingredients of success is the belief in yourself and what you are striving for. You must be convinced you can actually reach the goals you have set forth to accomplish. As an athlete, you must ask yourself if you have the drive and enough passion to match up with your aspirations. Skills can take you only so far. But if you don’t believe you can do it, it will be hard to convince everyone else to either.

Coach Warren Nye is the founder and CEO of UltimateHockeySource and the UHS ProShop. He has served as player, coach, and manager, and has coached many players who have gone on to play professional hockey.