🏒 The 5 Biggest Mistakes Parents Make in Youth Hockey

You want the best for your kid.

You support them, drive them to the rink, invest time and money into their season.

But what if, without even knowing it, you’re holding them back?

At Pro Performance Hockey Lab, we focus on player development. But we know that’s not enough. As they say, “It takes a village.”

If your player has real goals in hockey, you can’t afford to keep making these 5 BIG mistakes.

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Mistake #1: No Clear Goal

This is where everything starts.

If your player is just playing for fun, that’s great. No stress. 

But if there’s even a hint of wanting to compete, improve, or chase a higher level, then you need to be clear about that.

Because the path changes the second development becomes the priority.

The higher the goal, the tighter the plan needs to be.

Just “playing” isn’t enough.

Mistake #2: Letting the Player Drive the Plan

A lot of parents want their child to “choose their path,” and while the intention is good, it’s NOT how development works.

Most young players don’t know what they need. That’s not a knock on them, they just haven’t lived it yet.

Kids will always pick games over clinics. It’s more exciting. 

Parents usually do the same when given the choice. But this is where development flatlines.

We see players skating in 100+ games a year. More than most pros.

And those games come at the cost of skill work,  the thing that actually moves the needle.

We did a lesson on The Building Blocks of Elite Hockey Players that showed how skills and mindset are equally important for development.

Mistake #3: Prioritizing Wins Over Growth

Coaches do it. Parents do it.

They start chasing wins like it means something long-term.

It doesn’t.

The goal of a youth season isn’t a perfect record. It's an improvement. 

You want your player pushed just enough to grow, but not so hard that they lose confidence.

If your team went 28–5, the schedule was too easy.

If you went 5–28, it was too tough.

Somewhere just above .500 is often the sweet spot.

What matters isn’t the trophy, it’s what your kid becomes along the way.

Mistake #4: Relying Solely on the Team Coach

Team practices aren’t built for your individuals.

They’re built for systems, flow drills, and team tactics.

We’ve seen teams spend 30 minutes on the power play when half the players can’t stickhandle with their heads up.

Or running a complex forecheck when the group can’t skate well enough to make it work.

If your child wants to level up, they need more.

Clinics. Camps. Private training. Something that’s tailored to their weaknesses and strengths.

You can’t outsource development entirely. You’ve got to help guide it.

Mistake #5: Too Many Games, Not Enough Practice

The numbers don’t lie.

Playing 80, 90, or 100 games a year without 3x that in practice is a guaranteed way to stall out.

Most players are nowhere near the 3-to-1 practice-to-game ratio that models like USA Hockey recommends.

It’s often closer to 1-to-1, and it shows.

If your player doesn’t bring consistent intensity to every game, that’s not attitude, that’s burnout. 

No one can bring full focus and energy over 100 games. It’s not realistic.

The mix is off. And that mix is everything.

The Takeaway

What you choose to prioritize - games or growth - will shape your player’s future in this game.

If you want your player to have a real shot, you need to give them the right plan, the right balance, and the right support.

If you’re not sure where to start, we’re here.

When you’re ready to elevate your game, here’s how I can help you:

1. Elite private training to provide the 1 on 1 attention you deserve.

2. Spring 2025 clinics for offseason skill development.

3. Summer Camp 2025 to prepare for the upcoming season.

See you on the ice,

Coach Scott Rutherford
(716) 912-4465