Editor’s Note: This is Part 1 of a four-part series to help educate and guide hockey families this offseason. Learn more about long-term athlete development and the American Development Model at www.MinnesotaHockey.org/admkids.

The season’s over. You reminisced about the year and had fun at the team banquet.

Now what?

The answers change a little bit at each age level, but there is one common theme: break time.

“Playing year-round hockey is not healthy for anybody,” USA Hockey ADM Regional Manager Guy Gosselin said. “Even our professionals take a break. They know it’s healthy, physically and mentally. Then, when the season comes around, you’re hungry to play again.”

Avoid Overuse and Burnout

Playing year-round hockey can really take its toll on a child. Don’t let perceived short-term gains override long-term development and enjoyment.

“We don’t want kids to peak at 16 years old and then burn out and suffer overuse injuries,” Gosselin said.

For more information on overuse injuries and how they can impact your young athlete, read Too Much of a Good Thing?. It’s happening far too often in youth sports today.

Some Hockey Still OK, but Get Creative

So your child really, really wants to continue working on hockey. That’s great! But encourage them to get creative in their training.

It’s OK to attend a weeklong hockey camp or two in the summer. It’s more than OK to grab your friends and play some pickup hockey at the local rink every now and then.

But 40 games and multiple spring and summer hockey teams are not the answer for youngsters.

Shoot pucks in the driveway and work on new stickhandling moves. Play roller hockey with friends. Continue to train, exercise, build muscle, quickness, flexibility, endurance, etc.

Changing up the routine is healthy.

“Keep it fresh,” Gosselin said. “When it comes time to really specialize [is] when they’re older. It’s really easy to plateau when you’re strength building, so you want to mix it up and use different muscle groups.”

Try new workouts – even Pilates or yoga. Train with a kettlebell. Spend time developing and honing a dynamic stretching routine.

Your child’s body will thank you.

Know Your Window

What’s the best age to develop speed? What about strength? Should your 8-year-old be focusing on flexibility? The answers are different for each age level. Get to know your Windows of Trainability and what they mean for your child’s development at this stage.

Download the Minnesota Development Model Association Best Practices Brochure as your guide throughout the entire year.

Play Other Sports

Even if your kid wants to focus on hockey training, they should also be participating in complementary sports and activities.

Hockey is a late-specialization sport. There are so many different skills needed to play the game. Playing other sports – lacrosse, baseball, swimming, soccer, etc. – allows kids to work on speed, quickness, strength, range of motion, hand-eye coordination and mental strength and awareness and much more.

“The goal should be to create athletes, not just hockey players,” Gosselin said. “The best hockey players are the best athletes.”