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Our Kids Play Hockey

The Ride to the Rink: Gabe Malinski of TeamGenius on Playing Your Best at Tryouts

July 25 · 7 min · Season 1 · Episode 550 · 5.7 MB
0:00-7:49

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🏒 Feeling nervous before your next hockey tryout? Take a breath—you have already done the work.

In this episode of The Ride to the Rink, Lee and Christie are joined by Gabe Malinski of TeamGenius, a hockey evaluation expert who helps organizations improve tryouts through better technology and evaluation methods.

Gabe reminds young players that tryouts are not the time to become someone different. They are an opportunity to trust their preparation, play the game they love, and show coaches who they are as players and teammates.

The conversation also explores what to do when a drill goes wrong. Instead of allowing one mistake to affect the rest of the skate, Gabe recommends creating a simple reset routine—whether that means brushing snow from your stick, clearing your skates, rolling your shoulders, or taking one deep breath before the next repetition.

🎧 In this episode, young hockey players will learn:

  • 🧠 How to manage nerves before stepping onto the ice
  • 💧 Why sleep, hydration, and proper fuel matter before evaluations
  • 🔄 How to reset mentally after a mistake
  • 🗣️ What questions to ask coaches before and after tryouts
  • 🤝 Why evaluators notice encouragement, effort, and teamwork
  • 💪 How to respond when equipment problems or adversity strike
  • ❤️ Why enjoying the game can help your best hockey shine through

Gabe also shares an important reminder: evaluators understand that players will make mistakes. One bad drill, one fall, or even one difficult tryout does not define who you are—or who you may become later in your hockey journey.

Listen before your next evaluation and remember: skate hard, support the players around you, and trust the work you have already put in.

No matter where you are on your hockey journey, we believe in you. Make sure you believe in yourself, too.

📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: How Young Hockey Players Can Handle Tryouts With Confidence

This episode is powered by NHL Sense Arena.

#YouthHockey #HockeyTryouts #HockeyEvaluations #HockeyConfidence #MentalPerformance #HockeyParents #TeamGenius #RideToTheRink #HockeyDevelopment #YouthSports

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Keep your player sharp this summer with NHL Sense Arena. Save $25 on an annual plan with code OKPH at hockey.SenseArena.com/okph

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