A lot of kids who want to get a better shot know that it takes a lot of practice.
Coaches will tell them to take 100 shots a day everyday.
There is nothing wrong with that advice because it's been proven to work and everyone knows someone or read about some player that has done just that and developed a great shot.
My own kids have done that too.
Going in Peewee level hockey my son was seriously determined to improve his shot.
So he decided to track all his shots and he recorded more than 10,000 shots, and his shot definitely got better - in the garage.
To go from the garage shot to the on ice shot was still proving to be a significant challenge for my son..
After seeing what my son went through, I decided it made a lot of sense to invest in synthetic ice.
Eventually, encouraged by my own kids' results I started selling synthetic ice and now market, distribute and sell it all over the world.
What my experience with my own children showed me was that it was not necessarily practice that makes perfect, it was having the right tools combined with practice that makes perfect.
Buying the kids the synthetic ice for home training certainly made all the difference.
Once my son got on synthetic ice at home, his world changed.
He became the best skater on any team he played on and went from average puck skill to a player with excellent puck skills and a new level of confidence.
Practicing with skates while on synthetic ice allowed him to exactly duplicate at home what his body mechanics would be in the arena.
Some kids just naturally pick up on things and it comes easily.
My son had to work really hard for all his improvements.
He has skills and abilities now that will serve him for as long as he plays hockey, and he keeps working on it.
He now plays Junior hockey and his skating and puck skill as an offensive minded defensemen really show up.
Meanwhile my daughter was recruited last year during a hockey camp to attend an all hockey private school and was offered a very generous scholarship to do so.
There are certainly those out there who would think investing in synthetic ice would not be worth it? Well we certainly know different now.
An investment of three or four thousand dollars of synthetic ice seems like a lot of money to most people, and it is.
The initial synthetic ice investment was made back many times over in the case of my daughter.
We did not see that one coming and did not expect it.
Significantly showing improvement in individual skills certainly has huge value.
For me it was the pure excitement and satisfaction that comes from being a proud parent watching the kids continuously improve.
It was the thrill that comes from setting athletic goals and then achieving them.
Prior to the synthetic ice experience, there were a lot of frustrating moments for child and parent alike! The reality is sports cost money.
Rightly or wrongly, us parents have high expectations for our athlete children.
So maybe hold off on that kitchen reno, or buying that new car, and seriously think about investing in a small synthetic ice surface for home use.
Do your research and buy a good quality product.
Spend the extra money to ensure your child will like it, and then use it.
You"ll see immediate returns.
Your kid will have fun and improve rapidly, and then like me you"ll wonder why you waited so long!
Coaches will tell them to take 100 shots a day everyday.
There is nothing wrong with that advice because it's been proven to work and everyone knows someone or read about some player that has done just that and developed a great shot.
My own kids have done that too.
Going in Peewee level hockey my son was seriously determined to improve his shot.
So he decided to track all his shots and he recorded more than 10,000 shots, and his shot definitely got better - in the garage.
To go from the garage shot to the on ice shot was still proving to be a significant challenge for my son..
After seeing what my son went through, I decided it made a lot of sense to invest in synthetic ice.
Eventually, encouraged by my own kids' results I started selling synthetic ice and now market, distribute and sell it all over the world.
What my experience with my own children showed me was that it was not necessarily practice that makes perfect, it was having the right tools combined with practice that makes perfect.
Buying the kids the synthetic ice for home training certainly made all the difference.
Once my son got on synthetic ice at home, his world changed.
He became the best skater on any team he played on and went from average puck skill to a player with excellent puck skills and a new level of confidence.
Practicing with skates while on synthetic ice allowed him to exactly duplicate at home what his body mechanics would be in the arena.
Some kids just naturally pick up on things and it comes easily.
My son had to work really hard for all his improvements.
He has skills and abilities now that will serve him for as long as he plays hockey, and he keeps working on it.
He now plays Junior hockey and his skating and puck skill as an offensive minded defensemen really show up.
Meanwhile my daughter was recruited last year during a hockey camp to attend an all hockey private school and was offered a very generous scholarship to do so.
There are certainly those out there who would think investing in synthetic ice would not be worth it? Well we certainly know different now.
An investment of three or four thousand dollars of synthetic ice seems like a lot of money to most people, and it is.
The initial synthetic ice investment was made back many times over in the case of my daughter.
We did not see that one coming and did not expect it.
Significantly showing improvement in individual skills certainly has huge value.
For me it was the pure excitement and satisfaction that comes from being a proud parent watching the kids continuously improve.
It was the thrill that comes from setting athletic goals and then achieving them.
Prior to the synthetic ice experience, there were a lot of frustrating moments for child and parent alike! The reality is sports cost money.
Rightly or wrongly, us parents have high expectations for our athlete children.
So maybe hold off on that kitchen reno, or buying that new car, and seriously think about investing in a small synthetic ice surface for home use.
Do your research and buy a good quality product.
Spend the extra money to ensure your child will like it, and then use it.
You"ll see immediate returns.
Your kid will have fun and improve rapidly, and then like me you"ll wonder why you waited so long!