Tips for Tryouts From Our
Hockey Coordinator
By Searrah Herendeen
Have an idea for a blog article? Email Searrah Herendeen.
Tryouts are what stands between a player and the team. It brings out the best in the crowd. This is an athlete's chance to show off their skills and impress the coaches. Tryouts are about to begin for the Meijer State Games of Michigan Summer Games in the upper peninsula in Marquette. Starting in May, there will be hockey tryouts in the Grand Rapids area almost every weekend. Here is a checklist of things to do to prepare for these tryouts. The Hockey Coordinator at Meijer State Games of Michigan, Will Healy, shares his tips on preparing for tryouts. Will has to prepare for tryouts yearly since he plays on Davenport University’s hockey team.
Photo courtesy of MSGOM Staff
Agility Training
During a game, players must be able to stop immediately, change their direction, and make split-second decisions. That can be hard enough without wearing skates. Agility may be defined differently by everyone. Sheppard and Young from the Journal of Sports Sciences define agility as, “a rapid whole-body movement with change of velocity or direction in response to a stimulus.” Not only is it a matter of physical movement, but also cognitive strength.
Will, makes sure to have enough time on the ice before tryouts begin to work on edge work and conditioning skating. He practices his footwork with an agility ladder to do ladder drills. In addition to that, he goes for runs and stretches and does explosive training drills to work his lower body.
Photo courtesy of MSGOM Staff
Sharpen your skates
Tread helps runners grip the ground and not slip during a race. Studs on cleats are incredibly helpful to athletes that play on grass fields. The sharpness of a skate determines how much grip a hockey player will have on the ice. The sharper the blade, the better the grip. This will give an athlete more control over their movements. If you want to sharpen your skates at home, you will need a sharpening jug, a flat file, and a burr stone.
Will makes sure his skates are correctly sharpened. He recommends, “stopping at a pro shop or hockey store, like Perani's Hockey World.”
Stock Photo
Understand your role
You may not know the best position for you if you are starting out. Athletes that have played hockey for a while will have a better understanding. This understanding aims to realize how you can best help the team and what role makes you a valuable asset. Some positions are stay-at-home defenseman, defensive forward, goal scorer, offensive defenseman that can run the powerplay, or checking line forward.
Our Hockey Coordinator, Will, concentrates on the prior season and the feedback he was given from the coaching staff. Identify your strengths and weaknesses. He states, “Everyone wants to be the guy who scores and gets all the glory, but there is much more to hockey than that.” In his experience, goal scorers are easy to choose. Still, the most challenging positions to decide upon are the 3rd and 4th line players responsible in the D zone. Not every position will score many points, but the team will not succeed without these roles.
Stock Photo
Maintain a healthy and consistent diet
A hockey player will perform their best when fueling their body with proper food and nutrients. A diet of pop and sugary food will not help their body with recovery either. Monique Ryan and Sarah Klemm from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics say to include whole grains, low-fat or fat-free milk and yogurt, and of course, fruits and vegetables. This type of diet will only help an athlete if they are consistent with it.
While Will is not a dietician, he understands what he needs for his body. He stressed the importance of staying hydrated and getting enough protein. His high-protein diet allows his body to perform at its best.
Photo Courtesy of MSGOM Staff
Register for tryouts
Remember the point of this checklist. It reminds hockey players that tryouts are coming up and they must prepare. Most importantly, they have to register for tryouts. If they don't register, they cannot play in the Meijer State Games of Michigan Summer Games. Registration is open for athletes. There are multiple divisions, so everyone has an opportunity to play. Divisions are 11U, 13U, 15U, 18U, Girls 7th - 9th grade, and Girls 10th - 12th grade.
The Meijer State Games of Michigan is a multi-sport, Olympic-style event(s) that welcome athletes regardless of age or ability level. The Games embody the values of participation, sportsmanship and healthy living.