Nov 28: NO 317 Hockey League games (Thanksgiving Break)

Dec 21 - Jan 3: NO 317 Hockey League practices/games (Winter Break)

Jan 4: 317 Hockey League practices resume

Jan 9: 317 Hockey League games resumes

Jan 15 - 18: Indy Full Throttle Tournament

Feb 25: Final 317 Hockey League practice

Feb 26 - 28: Guenin Cup Championship Tournament for the 317 Hockey League

Fanimation
10983 Bennett Parkway
Zionsville, IN 46077
Phone: 888.567.2055
Fax: 866.482.5215

Fanimation fans are the perfect fusion of beauty and functionality. With designs for every style and technology-driven controls for your convenience, Fanimation fans inspire your home. They integrate into any space and allow you to make a statement that is all your own.

Jace Clifford and Oliver Peterson have been playing hockey together since they were three years old! They started together in Chicago and now play for the IYHA Jr Fuel 2010 AAA team, headed by Indy hockey legends Coach Todd Grant and Assistant Coach Jan Jas. 

In addition to playing travel hockey, both Jace and Oliver really enjoy growing the game of hockey by helping coach kids in the IYHA Jr Fuel Learn to Play Hockey program. They love to help kids find their passion for hockey and feel equally rewarded when they see kids execute a new stop or turn that they were not able to do before.

Being a part of the hockey community has taught these two kids valuable life lessons and they hope to continue to be part of the growth of the sport now and in the future. When not on the ice, Jace and Oliver enjoy playing travel soccer and LAX. 

#GrowIndyHockey 

Each newsletter will feature players who are nominated by their coaches for standing out with their hard work, leadership and representing the IYHA Jr Fuel on and off the ice. Congratulations to x for being the IYHA Jr Fuel October Players of the Month!

We also want to recognize our great coaching volunteers whose dedication does not go unappreciated. Congratulations to Nick Johnsen for being our October Coach of the Month! Want to nominate a coach for November? Email iyhamail@iyha.com

 By Jimmy Mullin

Over the past decade or more the ongoing debate about "multi-sport" VS "single sport" athletes has never been more prevalent. Players like Tiger Woods, and Serena Williams have made a name for themselves and completely dominated their respected sports. After years of pure dominance, people want to know the why and the how are they so successful? For some, the answer was "obvious".... Tiger and Serena didn't have outside distractions, and their sole focus was on schooling and their individual sport. The single sport thinking and training strategy has now been brought to the hockey forefront and many parents, coaches and directors are forced to answer this question.... "What is the best thing for "my" kid?"

The point of this piece is not to suede someone away from either training approach. Many NHL players have never picked up a baseball bat, or even played in a soccer game but many have tried every sport and swear it helps them in decision making, overall athleticism and credits their overall success to multi sport involvement. The point of this article is to spark a conversation and force you to think about what is right for your child. Below I will attach a TED talk that touches on many of these points. David Epstein (NY Times Best Selling Author)  does a fantastic job speaking about "Specialization" in this 14 minute episode. 

Personally, I do not know which method is the most beneficial. To me, some of the best hockey players in the world are the best problem solvers. So, if we hope to help advance our kids to the next level, then let's advance our thinking to the next level too! 

Please Enjoy the Podcast! 

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1Lt5cHhhGX3maMxQ5rswDj?si=3bfw605oRie52S9t3zwP3Q&context=spotify%3Auser%3Akonomax7615%3Aplaylist%3A5o7i6Am96HyQkjUAneUGn8

Why specializing early doesn't always mean career success:

Episode Description

A head start doesn't always ... well, help you get ahead. With examples from sports, technology and economics, journalist David Epstein shares how specializing in a particular skill too early in life may undermine your long-term development -- and explains the benefits of a "sampling period" where you try new things and focus on building a range of skills. Learn how this broader, counterintuitive mindset (and more forgiving timeline) could lead to a more fulfilling life, personally and professionally.

Jimmy Mullin
Head Coach- U18 AAA Indy Jr. Fuel
Director of Player Advancement
Email:jamescmullin@gmail.com
Instagram:@hockeyspecific 

 By Brent Gwidt

Development quote of the month:
“Train insane or remain the same”

Development drill of the month:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13IwtOv9_8E

Small area game of the month:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GHV32t-OII

Paying attention to habits:

Skating, stickhandling, shooting, passing, positional play. These skills are all seen as the important elements to becoming a good hockey player. Are these skills important to a player's development? Absolutely! These broad skills are just a fraction of what truly goes into the “whole hockey player”. Within these skills, there are countless habits that are extremely important to get the most out of each player. Focusing on the small details every time we train, or play is what will ultimately help a player fully develop into the hockey player they want to be. 

Here are few of the habits that I think are most important in the game:

1. Preparation: Your practice or game starts as soon as you walk in the door. Mentally and physically preparing for your training or competition will give the player an advantage. Hockey is fast, physical, and requires quick decision making. Being fully prepared will help with all of those. When a player prepares like an elite athlete and sees results from a good practice or a good game, remind them how their preparation helped and let them know to do that every time they are training or competing.
    
2. Nutrition: Having a healthy diet and drinking plenty of water should not just be a game day thing. To perform at a high level, young athletes need a healthy diet, not only for performance fuel, but for proper growth and development.

https://www.usahockey.com/playernutrition

1. Communication: Hockey is a loud sport, maybe the loudest of them all. In gameplay, communication is extremely important for the team to be on the same page. Whether it is calling for a puck, helping a teammate with on ice positioning, yelling your position as you change, bench communication, or just positive encouragement. All types of communication are important to a player becoming a whole hockey player. If a player is loud and has constant communication, it shows they are fully engaged and will bring energy to the team.
    
2. Being a Good Teammate: This one is maybe the most important habit of them all. Hockey is a sport where everyone is being used throughout the whole game. Respect, work ethic, positive energy, discipline, and selfishness are all keys to being a good teammate.  Being positive and supportive for your teammates will not only help the individual but will help the team succeed.
    
3. Embrace Mistakes: The game of hockey is filled with mistakes. Every player makes multiple mistakes in a single game. A player that understands its ok to make mistakes can learn from them and ultimately teach themselves on what works and what doesn’t. Being creative and trying new things is what makes hockey so special. Work on your skill and creativity in practice as much as possible, and then translate that work into the games.
    

Brent Gwidt
Head Coach- U15 AAA Indy Jr. Fuel
Director of Player Development
Email: bgwidt37@yahoo.com

By Nick Johnsen

Topic: Concentration Grids

What is a Concentration Grid?

A concentration grid is a fun way for your goalie to work on decision making, focus and processing speeds. The objective of a concentration grid is to find the number 00-99 in order as fast as you can. Concentration Grids come in a variety of forms, the link shared is for a 10x10 grid. Concentration Grids are used by some of the top NHL Goalies, Carter Heart (Philadelphia Flyers) has said that these have helped his game tremendously. 

Concentration Grid Link:

• http://concentrationgrids.com/

• The Main page gives you a lot more information about the benefits of adding concentration grids into your daily routine. 

I love doing concentration grids. They are pretty difficult to start and can be a little overwhelming but once you get the hang of it you will see and feel the results. I would suggest using a touch screen device for the best results.

I hope all of the goalies and their families have a great Thanksgiving!

By Adam McHugh:

By Ryan Beck:

Junior Fuel Learn to Play Hockey group class program is available for ages 3-Adult. Players learn how to skate and how to play hockey in a safe, fun environment. A perfect introductory program for new skaters interested in playing hockey!

Register today for November or December classes at www.iyha.com/ltp

Saturdays 10:30am - 11:30am
Arctic Zone Iceplex 16616 Southpark Drive, Westfield 46074

Sundays 3:15pm - 4:15pm
Indy Fuel Tank 9022 E. 126th Street, Fishers, Indiana 46038

Mondays 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Carmel Ice Skadium 1040 3rd Avenue SW, Carmel, Indiana 46032

Thursdays 5:15pm - 6:15pm
Indy Fuel Tank 9022 E. 126th Street, Fishers, Indiana 46038

Due to COVID-19, the 50/50 raffle at the Indy Fuel games is suspended until further notice.

The IYHA Jr Fuel is the largest youth hockey association in the Midwest, with over 1200 local boys and girls ages 3 – 18 participating. We are committed to providing opportunities for all skill levels to ensure each player has a positive experience that they will always remember. To review sponsorship opportunities, please CLICK HERE