About the Book
Bar Down: Highly Competitive Youth Hockey and What Can Lie Just Beyond explains hockey basics as well as deeper insights on various issues, challenges, and decisions that are often encountered as a driven player progresses. Perfect for players and parents 6U though 18U, Bar Down showcases the valuable advice and wisdom of experienced parents, coaches, and other hockey experts. Topics include:
- Youth hockey lingo and basics-terms, gear, tryouts, training, parents, coaches, travel
- Do head coaches want direct contact with parents?
- Does player attitude and off-ice behavior really get noticed?
- Do team coaches typically provide direct feedback on a player's performance?
- Is roster selection ever based on anything other than skill, performance, ability, or potential?
- Is puberty really a factor?
- Coaches on parent and player behavior-dos and don'ts
- Want to get scouted?
- Should you work with a player's advisor or agent?
- Coaches from a prep school, Juniors teams, and a D1 college-what they value in hockey prospects
- How one online "NHL Prospects Scout" sizes up teen prospects.
About the Author :
Doug is the father of a 2010 St. Louis AAA Blues (Bantam Major, 2024-2025 season) youth hockey player son and a twenty-year-old college junior daughter. His daughter, who is pursuing a degree in sports business and is actively involved with sports photography/videography, was a competitive figure skater when younger and captained her high school varsity golf team to competing at the state championship level. Doug, thus, has at least some familiarity with competitive youth sports. But, as with most parents of youth athletes, he primarily has expertise in getting gear together and carting young players around from one place to another. Doug grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, graduated from Brown University, and has an MBA from UCLA Business School. He co-captained his middle school, varsity high school and varsity college water polo teams. He has also served as an official interpreter (French and Mandarin) at a summer Olympics games.
Review :
Book Review 1 - Christie Casciano Burns, Columnist for USA Hockey magazine, and the author of two books on youth hockey
"Our daughter now plays college hockey and while the journey was fun and exciting, there was always a learning curve along the way. A first-year hockey parent can find themselves overwhelmed with a new language to learn and culture to embrace. But it doesn't have to be that way for you thanks to Doug Heller's Bar Down. This complete guide will help you get it and get it right!"
Book Review 2 - Barret Jackman- Canadian, was a defenseman in the NHL with the St. Louis Blues, and the Nashville Predators. He was selected 17th overall in the 1999 NHL draft by the St. Louis Blues. Barret played junior and major junior hockey in Canada for 5 years before being drafted into the NHL.
"Bar Down is a great read for hockey parents of all levels. A-to-Z of youth hockey. I especially like the comments from coaches about parents' Do's and Don'ts."
Book Review 3 - Diana Schaefering - former figure skater and Gold Medalist in Figures, Free Style, Dance and Free Dance. She has spent years learning and analyzing the mechanics of body movement on the ice. Diana has instructed thousands of hockey players and her list of clients includes players in the NHL, AHL, KHL, ECHL, OHL, USHL.
"Parents whose children are new to the game will be faced with the daunting task of learning a lot in a short period of time. From the very beginning of purchasing equipment (your first $$) and learning how to put it all on properly ("Where do I start?") to watching your child fly down the ice with the puck and finding yourself in the stands cheering enthusiastically. The smile on your child's face says it all. You are both now officially hooked! Bar Down will help you navigate through the recesses of the hockey world as well as give you some insight into what to expect as your player continues to develop and play the amazing game of hockey!"
Book Review 4 - Mike Eruzione - Captain, 1980 Winter Olympics, Team USA "Miracle on Ice" Hockey team, now Director of Special Outreach at Boston University and sought-after motivational speaker
"Youth hockey has exploded around the country from when I first started playing. It's no longer just a winter sport. The youth hockey season has become nearly year-round for many. However, parents sometimes aren't sure about what they should do to best support their youth hockey player with regard to navigating team schedules, the long season, travel, private lessons, ever evolving sticks, skates and other gear...What has become the youth hockey 'sub-culture' can be mysterious.
Bar Down, light-hearted and entertaining, but also full of serious insight, advice and comment from very experienced current parents, coaches and others who are 'in the know' about competitive youth hockey can help 'de-mystify' some aspects of this fantastic, growing sport. A sport which has been a big part of my life -- and perhaps it will be of yours, as well!"
Book Review 5 - Ian Lodin - MyHockey Ranking's (MHR) Director of Business Development, grew up playing competitive youth hockey in Indianapolis, initially for the Indianapolis Jr. Ice, then the Indianapolis Checkers, followed by the Indy Jr. Racers.
"The youth hockey world can be difficult to navigate and overwhelming to new and/or inexperienced hockey families. Bar Down provides hockey parents with first hand insights, experiences and knowledge into traversing the complex world of youth hockey both on and off the ice. It's a must read for rookie (and veteran) hockey parents looking to support their children's aspirations of playing at the next level."
