Our Kids Play Hockey
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.
Our Kids Play Hockey
The Ride to the Rink: What Elite Players Do Before They Step on the Ice With Sandy Cohan
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
🚗 What if your best shift actually starts before you step on the ice?
On this episode of The Ride to the Rink, Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli are joined by mindset coach Sandy Cohan to talk about something every player can control — how you prepare mentally on the way to the rink.
Too many players think they can just flip a switch once the puck drops. The truth? Your competitive engine needs to be warmed up before you lace up your skates.
💡 In this ride, we break down:
- 🧠 Why your brain doesn’t understand “don’t” (and how negative thoughts sneak in)
- 🔁 How to replace “don’t mess up” with clear, powerful to-do thoughts
- 🎯 Why choosing a simple daily theme beats focusing on stats or outcomes
- ⚡ What it really means to be “impossible to ignore”
- 📈 How to measure gains, not gaps, after every game or practice
- 🕒 Why champions think in today’s, not seasons
This is a must-listen for players who want to compete harder, parents who want to help without adding pressure, and coaches who care about building confident, resilient athletes.
👊 Wherever you are on your hockey journey — we believe in you. You should too.
Skate hard. Have fun. Get better every day.
📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: The Game Starts Before the Rink — How to Build Your Competitive Mindset Early
#RideToTheRink #HockeyMindset #YouthHockey #MentalPreparation #CompeteEveryDay #HockeyDevelopment #GainsNotGaps
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Lee MJ Elias
Host
Christie Casciano Burns
Co-host
Mike Bonelli
Co-host
Katelynn Reiss
Producer
Xavier Cruz
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