Does hard work and perserverence lead to triumph? Working hard unfortunately without working smart leads you no closer to success no matter how much you train or how good your intentions. So how does a player reach peak performance? The answer is simple but not easy. You train correctly for the long term!

Preparation, in itself, is not the key. The key to preparation is in knowing "how to prepare" and that is why so many players fall short of their goals. They work long and hard but the training techniques that they were using were not the ones that would lead them to success. This incorrect training is what leads to burnout. There is more to hockey than mastering just on element. The successful players are those who have mastered the fundamentals of skating, passing, puck handling, shooting team play, nutrition, rest, strength training work ethic and more.

The player who is trained properly and pushed over a long period of time using correct training techniques is the player who will see the greatest improvement. As a rule to improve, players should be pushed hard to work at an intensity level that forces them to break their "comfort zone." Any player can train hard for a week or a day but it takes discipline, sacrifice, and hard work to train consistently day after day, week after week, month after month and year after year. Players cannot expect to turn their performance or training "on and off" like a light switch.

With growth and hormonal changes occurring at these players young ages the body responds positive to more intense training tempered by the developmental stage. The individual athletes are challenged by the workout protocol to work to their own higher intensity. Simple and complex motor patterns against resistence heighten the adaptability of the athlete to competitive situations.

The biggest problem that faces the young dedicated athlete and his parents is lack of education in the proper training formula that will eventually breed success. But the question that plagues these athletes is usually not the dedication and sacrifice but the How, What, Where and Why of training. Even at the professional level too many athletes have tried to get by or made the mistake of trying to get by with cheap and ineffective training. Hockey players are not born, they are made! And in order to be self-made you must invest in a high-performance "hockey specific" program.

Many people of the "old school" do not believe training for off-ice while at the same time playing on-ice. This is unfortunate because it has been our experience and through scientific research speed, strength, power, anaerobic threshold and aerobic capacity can all be improved with off-ice training. Off-ice exercises such as bounding, plyometrics, lateral lunges, sprinting, flexibility, mechanical efficiency, motor patterns, strength, and dynamic balance are all key factors that must be worked on consistently for all hockey players.

Players who do not push themselves constantly will feel tired, burdened, weighted and heavy on their feet. The body cannot handle and sustain hard workouts when they are performed at random. On the contrary, a player who is focused on a "hockey specific" training program while he plays will feel stronger and more energized as the season progresses. While the player is improving his overall hockey ability he is simultaneously building on his strength, speed and skill which is the purpose of the Ice Jet program.

We believe a better athlete equals a better hockey player. We are also aware of the fact that through our on and off-ice training we are not only building skill levels but confidence in our athletes. As they get stronger and see themselves improve it drives them to push themselves past their current "comfort zone" and on to the next. This is the process of developing an athlete for the long term and the small successes they build along the way lead to the big successes a player has with this type of training program it also serves as a great arena for character development.

Looking at the game as a training ground to cultivate strength, values, and character can help players realize the value of their efforts.It is rare a player can say they are the best in the world. Therefore, the rest of us must prepare properly, develop our skills to the maximum, challenge ourselves to be the very best we can be, and compete as hard as we can when it comes our turn. If we do this, we will always be champions. And as the commercial says, that's "priceless!"