As you all start your new season, keep a few things in mind. You may be a Starter, a Sub or a Bench Player. All players have a role on the team and are an important part of the ride. Keep in mind that coaches want to win and that they are giving more playing time to those who they believe merit more playing time. If you are a Bench Player you have a difficult role but remember that you are skilled enough to have made your roster. There are ways you can move up the depth chart if you dig deep, be patient and work really hard(many times harder than the Starters and Subs to prove yourself, which in turn is enabling improvement.) Your attitude on the bench and the morale you reveal for your team is a significant cog in the wheel to becoming a championship team, a close knit winning and formidable team. The Bench Players must push themselves harder to prove themselves and push starters to be better during practice, keeping starters on their toes. You must catch your coaches eyes in practice with speed, attitude, body language, consistency, punctuality and one hundred percent effort. The lessons learned from the bench are life long and will reveal themselves on and off the ice for years to come. The grit and determination of a Bench Player that does not give up will end them up a Sub or Starter. Nothing is forever either. Hockey growth spurts of youth players are erratic, some youth players reach their ceiling quicker than others. Never count out The Bench Player. Dust the cobwebs off from the summer and get to work right out of the gate and remember that first impressions are lasting. We conduct small group skills and privates every Saturday and Sunday mornings from 730-930am at Boch Arena in Dedham. If you are not training someone else is. It is a good idea to train privately away from your team with professional coaches with unbiased eyes. Sale, new schedule, new programming, new site launch and annual tips of the day begin October 1 and end Oct 31 as always.