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Our Kids Play Hockey

Our Kids Play Hockey

By: Our Kids Play Hockey
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Our Kids Play Hockey is a podcast that focuses on youth hockey, offering insights, stories, and interviews from the hockey community. It provides valuable advice for parents, coaches, and players, covering various aspects of the game, including skill development, sportsmanship, teamwork, and creating a positive experience for young athletes. The show frequently features guests who share their expertise and personal experiences in youth hockey, both on and off the ice.


The show features three hockey parents, who all work in the game at high levels:

  • Christie Casciano-Burns - USA Hockey Columnist, Author, and WSYR Anchor
  • Mike Bonelli - USA Hockey Coach and Organizational Consultant
  • Lee M.J. Elias - Hockey Entrepreneur, Author, and Team Strategist


In addition to the main podcast, there are several spin-off series that dive into specific aspects of youth hockey:


1.Our Girls Play Hockey – This series highlights the growing presence of girls in hockey, addressing the unique challenges they face while celebrating their accomplishments and contributions to the sport.


2.The Ride to The Rink – A shorter, motivational series designed to be listened to on the way to the rink, offering quick, inspirational tips and advice to help players and parents get into the right mindset before a game or practice.


3.Our Kids Play Goalie – This series is dedicated to young goalies and the unique challenges they face. It provides advice for players, parents, and coaches on how to support and develop young goaltenders, focusing on the mental and physical demands of the position.


Together, these shows provide a comprehensive platform for parents, players, and coaches involved in youth hockey, offering insights for all aspects of the sport, from parenting, playing, or coaching to specialized positions like goaltending.

© 2025 Our Kids Play Hockey
Hockey
Episodes
  • The Ride to The Rink: Pro-Level Thinking for Youth Players: Satoshi Takano’s Simple Hacks to See the Game Better
    Dec 11 2025

    🎧 Want to become a better hockey player before you even step onto the ice? Today’s Ride to the Rink is a special one — because cognitive performance coach Satoshi Takano joins Lee, Christie, and Mike to share simple, game-changing ways kids can think faster, scan better, and make smarter decisions on the ice.

    Young players often focus on chasing the puck or scoring the goal… but what about the other 95–98% of the game when the puck isn’t on your stick? Satoshi breaks it all down in a way kids can immediately use the next time they skate.

    Here’s what we cover:
    SPDM: See → Process → Decide → Move — the model that shapes hockey IQ
    🧠 Why putting the phone down and playing visual “pattern games” helps train your brain
    🏒 How to use pre-scanning to avoid mistakes (and even prevent injuries!)
    🚗 Fun thinking drills to try in the car, driveway, or garage
    📱 How tools like the SwitchedOn app build decision-making skills at home
    🔥 Why obsession — not perfection — is the secret ingredient of elite players

    Whether you’re a beginner or dreaming of the NHL one day, this short conversation gives kids REAL tools to build better habits and a sharper hockey mind.

    If you liked this quick episode, go check out our full conversation with Satoshi — it’s packed with deeper insights every young athlete should hear.

    📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: How Young Players Can Train Their Hockey Brain: Insights from Cognitive Coach Satoshi Takano

    👊 Kids — whatever part of your hockey journey you're on, we believe in you. Keep working!

    #YouthHockey #HockeyIQ #CognitiveTraining #HockeyParents #HockeyKids #PlayerDevelopment #HockeyMindset #OurKidsPlayHockey #RideToTheRink #SatoshiTakano

    Click To Text The Our Kids Play Hockey Team!

    NHL Sense Arena annual memberships are 50% off for the holidays, starting at just $29 a month — plus you can save an extra $25 with code OKPH at checkout.

    Gift you hockey family the ultimate hockey training experience with NHL Sense Arena ‘26 — available now at hockey.sensearena.com/OKPH


    Have A Topic You Want Us To Cover? Let us know!

    Please Be Sure To Subscribe & Leave A Review For Us On Apple Podcasts, doing so helps our show grow!

    Follow Us On Social Media:

    • Facebook Group
    • X
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • YouTube


    Show More Show Less
    10 mins
  • GIVEAWAY - Trailer Park to Puck Drop: Will Stephens on Building Hockey From the South
    Dec 10 2025

    Welcome to this week’s Wraparound Roundtable, where the game meets grit and grassroots passion. We’re joined by Will Stephens — founder of Trailer Park Sports Network — a one‑man media machine operating out of a trailer in North Alabama, with a mission to grow hockey (and other under‑the‑radar sports) in nontraditional markets.

    Once a skeptic, Will became a fan of the game after witnessing the intensity of the 4 Nations Face-Off — and that moment flipped a switch. Since then, he’s used roller hockey, street‑hockey scrimmages, commentary, and social content to build community where ice rinks are rare.

    In this episode we dive into:

    • How a southern upbringing and a chance view of the 4 Nations Face‑Off ignited Will’s love for hockey
    • Why he believes street and roller hockey are the keys to growing the game in the South
    • The founding story behind Trailer Park Sports Network and how one man can start a movement
    • The challenges and surprises of being a hockey voice outside traditional markets
    • His bigger goal: shining a spotlight on athletes and sports that mainstream media often ignores

    If you believe hockey belongs everywhere — not just in cold‑weather cities — this episode is for you.

    As always: remember to head over to hockeywraparound.com, hit the Roundtable button, and enter for this week’s prize pack: Green Biscuit + Puckaround, plus Will’s bonus: a Hockey Wraparound.

    Click To Text The Our Kids Play Hockey Team!

    NHL Sense Arena annual memberships are 50% off for the holidays, starting at just $29 a month — plus you can save an extra $25 with code OKPH at checkout.

    Gift you hockey family the ultimate hockey training experience with NHL Sense Arena ‘26 — available now at hockey.sensearena.com/OKPH


    Have A Topic You Want Us To Cover? Let us know!

    Please Be Sure To Subscribe & Leave A Review For Us On Apple Podcasts, doing so helps our show grow!

    Follow Us On Social Media:

    • Facebook Group
    • X
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • YouTube


    Show More Show Less
    29 mins
  • GIVEAWAY - From Nashville to Michigan: Katie Cummings on Grit, Growth & Women’s Hockey
    Dec 10 2025

    This week on The Wraparound Roundtable, we’re honored to welcome Katie Cummings — a women’s hockey forward whose journey from a non‑traditional hockey market in Nashville all the way to collegiate ice proves that passion and perseverance break barriers.

    From starting hockey at age 12 as one of just a few girls in her area, to logging basement stick‑handling hours to catch up — Katie opens up about what it truly takes to chase the dream when the odds aren’t stacked in your favor. She also talks about discovering a deeper mission: giving visibility to women’s hockey, creating representation for girls who never saw someone like them in the game, and using her platform to inspire others.

    📲 We dive into:

    • Her late start and relentless dedication — how she balanced basement drills, travel hockey, and stick handling to make college hockey.
    • What it was like growing up a female player in a city with limited ice access — and how her love for the sport kept her driven.
    • The moment she decided to share her hockey journey on social media, and how the reaction helped her realise there was a hole to fill: female hockey representation.
    • Stories from her followers — including one fan who reached out after moving to Nashville, picked up hockey because of Katie, and ended up on the ice herself.
    • The bigger picture: why she believes visibility and authenticity matter more than follower counts.

    If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to chase hockey from an unlikely place — or how a simple social‑media post can spark inspiration in someone else — this episode with Katie Cummings will hit you right in the heart.

    🎁 As always: don’t forget to head to hockeywraparound.com, hit the Roundtable button, and enter this week’s giveaway — a Green Biscuit + Puckaround, plus Katie’s bonus: a Hockey Wraparound.

    Click To Text The Our Kids Play Hockey Team!

    NHL Sense Arena annual memberships are 50% off for the holidays, starting at just $29 a month — plus you can save an extra $25 with code OKPH at checkout.

    Gift you hockey family the ultimate hockey training experience with NHL Sense Arena ‘26 — available now at hockey.sensearena.com/OKPH


    Have A Topic You Want Us To Cover? Let us know!

    Please Be Sure To Subscribe & Leave A Review For Us On Apple Podcasts, doing so helps our show grow!

    Follow Us On Social Media:

    • Facebook Group
    • X
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • YouTube


    Show More Show Less
    21 mins
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