OHL Owen Sound Attack

5 Traits Young Attack Fans Can Learn from Their OHL Role Models

Published on December 30, 2015 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Owen Sound Attack News Release


Many of the best performers, whether it is in hockey, business, music or life in general, have modeled their lives after people they look up to. As a coach, it is up to me to help guide my athletes to success by providing them a compass for direction and assistance keeping them on the right path.

Over the past 6 years working with the Owen Sound Attack in a strength and conditioning coach role, I believe there are 5 main traits that the players of our team perennially display, all of which you can apply to your daily habits and hockey development initiatives. These traits, if displayed on a regular and systematized basis can serve as your own "road map" to help you stay on course in your development both athletically and academically.

Focus- players at the OHL level did not get to where they are today by being easily distracted. The players that succeed in the Ontario Hockey League and beyond are those that have very specific goals in mind and they make accomplishing that goal a priority over all others. That means paying attention to your coach, executing drills on the ice with all your focus and focusing in class instead of being on your phones. You have to look no further then the numerous Attack alumni who are competing and succeeding at the next level of hockey and life.

Training- why do your Owen Sound Attack hero's train anyways. Well the answer is simple. They train so they can increase their capacity to practice the skill of hockey. If they can practice faster, longer and with more athletic proficiency, they will be able to display their skill at that pace more consistently on the ice. They also train so they are more resilient to injury. If our players are injured, they can't practice and if they can't practice, they can't play. You get the point right?

Positive Attitude- no matter how good a team is, sometimes your going to lose a game. It is so important to remember that the best athletes in the world have a unique ability to remain positive, even when times are tough. Don't get down on yourself, but pay special attention to what you can do better next time and focus your efforts on that.

Determined and Passionate- the players who succeed as an Attack player in the OHL and beyond in the professional ranks are those who flat out want it the most! What does the phrase "wanting it" really mean though. To me as a strength coach it means waking up with a burning fire/passion to be better and doing whatever it takes with every opportunity you are give to be better, all at the same time loving what you are doing!

Prepared- each year we ask our players to plan their meals ahead, get homework done ahead of time and get their chores done before they are supposed to be so they can focus their full efforts on hockey when the time comes. Whether it is studying your teams systems, reading ahead before a class that contains difficult content or getting your homework done before the weekend starts, the best players in the world clear their heads of distractions so they can focus on the task/game at hand.

To our young "cubs", we as a team are obviously here to be the best hockey club possible, but we also hope to pass on some valuable information to help you with your hockey career and life.

Stay tuned for more articles on training, nutrition and life habits that we as a team use on a regular basis to stay on the cutting edge of strength and conditioning in the CHL.

Coach Hopf

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from December 30, 2015


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