Sure, you could head to the gym on your own and push yourself through high intensity workouts, break a sweat, and lift some weights, but it’s not going to make you a better athlete. When it comes to off season training, there needs to be a structured plan that translates into your athleticism on ice. Your own gauntlet of bicep curls, box jumps, and back squats isn’t going to cut it if you want to be taking draws instead of taking stats in the stands next season.

Keeping kids active through multiple sports is best for their long term development. However, sports are more expensive than ever and have an increasing commitment to travel. A child as young as 8 years old can be expected to travel up to 3 hours for a single hockey game and play multiple games per week. Both playing the sport and the travel commitment can cost parents thousands of dollars. This leaves parents with little choice in enrolling their kids in multiple sports. There’s just not enough days in the week to get multiple kids to multiple sports.

Early specialization can actually hinder an athletes ability to perform long term. A child needs to be exposed to…