Almost every Parent I have ever came across in the ice hockey world has the same lingering question on their mind.. How can I get my child to be one of the best hockey payers out on the ice? Parents seem to go to great lengths and show no boundaries trying to get their child the edge in the sport..
At what age should they start playing? How should they practice? how much should I pay? These are just a few questions I have heard over the years while coaching one of the greatest winter sports ever to be invented. And there is, without a doubt, no limit to the testosterone level a parent will release in an intense situation regarding their child out on the ice.. But I'll save that subject for another entry. When I get more footage of parents fighting in the stands, or with the referees at t local ice rink.
Here are just a few things to keep in mind if you are looking to give your child the "egde" in hockey.
1. Equipment -The thing you must look at when getting the equipment, is weight. The higher the cost, generally means less weight, better comfort, more durable material, better ventilation, etc. These are all luxurious factors to have, and while I'm at it, i"ll have my butler make sure all my equipment is neatly packed in my hockey bag.. If I had one. The only thing that matters on that list is weight. Ive never seen a child have the "edge" in a game cause his skates dry quicker than most. But take a few ounces off each piece of equipment and you can lose some unwanted pounds on the ice, giving them the edge they need.
2. Protection is a key factor - Definitely make sure the equipment fits your child and is not constricting them. Too bulky of equipment and/or overprotective equipment can constrict the movement of your child, hence interfering with their advancement.. Having gloves or skates too big just pauses the child's ability to improve to their fullest potential until they catch up with their equipment. So think of how much protection is really needed when choosing equipment. For example, if the gloves, elbow pads and shoulder pads are all over lapping, its a little to constrictive.
3. Practice Whenever, Wherever -Just signing your child up on a winter hockey league is not enough to secure a spot on the "best" list. Hockey Is a very competitive sport, and parents fork out thousands to keep there kids in elite groups. No matter what your budget is, there are many ways to keep your child active in the sport consistently. And the key word there is "consistently." If you think about it, a league usually has a game on the weekend and a practice during the week, so add that up, and it isn't much practice at all for improving talent. By finding camps, clinics and leagues(specializing in player skills) throughout the year for the child, or simply doing some dryland skill building with a stick and puck/ball in the driveway regularly will increase the child's talent amazingly from one year to the next.
4. Age is Everything -If you are trying to get your child into a competitive role in hockey, the earlier you start them the better. Even if it's just skating to start.. it's an advantage. Going into mites already knowing how to skate gives a huge edge on the competition. It seems as though the older they get joining the sport, the more catch-up they have to do. Its never too late, but the older, the more work cut out for them.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
How to Tweek Your Resume For Employers
THERE ARE.. a few important things you need to know about what to put on a resume, that I've learned throughout the years.. So why do I feel I know a little about this subject?? Other than personally researching resume pros and cons and editing my resume time and time again at my college's career center, I have also had over 50 jobs over the course of my life.. Why so many, you may think?? When one travels the world and has had education in most of their life, it adds up to a lot of part time, temporary and seasonal work.. Now I have heard wide debates about the multi job history verses the solid consistent job history, and I will definitely be going over that in a bit.. So without further ado, here are some of the important things a resume should include... in my opinion, of course.
1. Correct Spelling and Grammar - There is nothing more embarrassing then applying for any job and having an employer find out that you can not spell, write, and furthermore are too lazy to spell check.. Make sure you have another set of eyes look at that resume.. Your eyes can play tricks with you, and like the saying goes, "two eyes are better than one."
2. Single Page Resume - Fitting your resume on one page is a very smart thing in my opinion, because it it easy for the employers to see all of the information at once. Flipping pages can be a hassle, as well as create a break in the employer's mind when parusing over your resume. Having the info always in sight makes it easier to create a mental note or reference. If everything you want on your resume does not fit on one page, I suggest you should try playing around with a couple of fonts or sizes (keep in mind that an employer does not want to read your resume in old english-stlye or cursive), or revise and cut out some of the non-important non-relevant information. All the information should be on a single page, so it is always in front of their nose while they are silently debating to themselves whether you would make a good fit for their company..
3. Bold Words - Again, this is my opinion, but the many interviews I have been on, I've always noticed the employers talk about the subjects where I have a specific word in bold. For example, if I were applying for a management position, I would bold all "managed, manager, managing" words in my experience and skills sections. This seems to strongly stick out on your resume, showing the employer that you have experience in a management role, and catch their attention for discussion.
4. No Reference list - These are your personal references, and shouldn't be just handed or sent out to every job you include a resume with.. A real employer, if interested, will ask for them during an interview process.
5. Relevant Information - Having a few different resumes isn't a terrible thing if you have a lot of, or specific employment history. For instance, a resume with a construction employment background, and an additional resume with a educational employment background (if you have those experiences). Does a construction company really care if you worked at a daycare, or vice verses? In my experience, I found employers like resumes that show relevant experience to the position that is open, as well as lengthy time at an previous employer. If you tried out a couple quickie temp or part time jobs, I would leave them out unless it directly supports the position you are applying for or your employment history is limited. In addition to relevant employment, employers do like to see a little diversity as well(i.e. sales, marketing, and advertising other than just sales). I BELIEVE, that an employee with a diverse employment history shows the employer a more "well rounded" individual verses a employee that has been in one job, one situation, one experience for years.
So these are just a few things I think could help you out on a resume building mission. Just remember that every employer is different from the next, and looks for different things, so its easy for people to write a bunch of "top 10 thing to have on a resume" articles. I have seen some real unorthodox hiring concepts made by employers I have worked for, least to say, like throwing out resumes based on names of colleges, excluding applications that included resumes for a position that they deemed not necessary to have, and based on sexual status.. So don't be discouraged when not receiving responses..
1. Correct Spelling and Grammar - There is nothing more embarrassing then applying for any job and having an employer find out that you can not spell, write, and furthermore are too lazy to spell check.. Make sure you have another set of eyes look at that resume.. Your eyes can play tricks with you, and like the saying goes, "two eyes are better than one."
2. Single Page Resume - Fitting your resume on one page is a very smart thing in my opinion, because it it easy for the employers to see all of the information at once. Flipping pages can be a hassle, as well as create a break in the employer's mind when parusing over your resume. Having the info always in sight makes it easier to create a mental note or reference. If everything you want on your resume does not fit on one page, I suggest you should try playing around with a couple of fonts or sizes (keep in mind that an employer does not want to read your resume in old english-stlye or cursive), or revise and cut out some of the non-important non-relevant information. All the information should be on a single page, so it is always in front of their nose while they are silently debating to themselves whether you would make a good fit for their company..
3. Bold Words - Again, this is my opinion, but the many interviews I have been on, I've always noticed the employers talk about the subjects where I have a specific word in bold. For example, if I were applying for a management position, I would bold all "managed, manager, managing" words in my experience and skills sections. This seems to strongly stick out on your resume, showing the employer that you have experience in a management role, and catch their attention for discussion.
4. No Reference list - These are your personal references, and shouldn't be just handed or sent out to every job you include a resume with.. A real employer, if interested, will ask for them during an interview process.
5. Relevant Information - Having a few different resumes isn't a terrible thing if you have a lot of, or specific employment history. For instance, a resume with a construction employment background, and an additional resume with a educational employment background (if you have those experiences). Does a construction company really care if you worked at a daycare, or vice verses? In my experience, I found employers like resumes that show relevant experience to the position that is open, as well as lengthy time at an previous employer. If you tried out a couple quickie temp or part time jobs, I would leave them out unless it directly supports the position you are applying for or your employment history is limited. In addition to relevant employment, employers do like to see a little diversity as well(i.e. sales, marketing, and advertising other than just sales). I BELIEVE, that an employee with a diverse employment history shows the employer a more "well rounded" individual verses a employee that has been in one job, one situation, one experience for years.
So these are just a few things I think could help you out on a resume building mission. Just remember that every employer is different from the next, and looks for different things, so its easy for people to write a bunch of "top 10 thing to have on a resume" articles. I have seen some real unorthodox hiring concepts made by employers I have worked for, least to say, like throwing out resumes based on names of colleges, excluding applications that included resumes for a position that they deemed not necessary to have, and based on sexual status.. So don't be discouraged when not receiving responses..
Monday, March 1, 2010
How to Blog
I guess the first step in the adventurous world of "blogging" is googling the web for the platforms in which to Blog in. Maybe type in the phrase, "Blog platforms." Once you find one to blog on, such as blogger.com, you simply create a blogger account. In just a few short steps, you will be writing your first blog, just as I am now, and finding out all the mysteries behind the blogging world...
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