Pro Athlete Academy

Getting your child started in youth sports the right way can make all the difference in their long-term success and enjoyment. In this episode, we break down the key factors parents can focus on to get their athletes sports journey started on the right foot.

In today's episode, I will walk through the process I use to vet coaches that you can start using today to identify coaches that will be the best fit for your athlete. ----------------------- As we're helping you be the general manager of your child's career, what questions do you have for us? Ask us anything at ProAthleteAcademy.com/ask to have your question answered in an upcoming episode.

For better or worse, youth sports organizations are a businesses that need to generate revenue for the owner/operator. In this episode, we talk about the underlining costs organizations face that drive tuition fees and what we can look for as parents to make sure we don't get taken for a ride. ------------ Want more information on navigating youth sports? Head over to proathleteacademy.com and join our waiting list to be the first know about upcoming services.

Getting the most out of our time spent in sports is directly correlated with our ability to make the best decision. In this episode, Kevin walks through his decision making process that has helped in during his career + afterwards as a parent.

I am currently weighing the decision of which activities to sign my daughter up for. Navigating what might be things that she "should" be doing versus what she actually "wants" to be doing + how sports fit into her activity line up. A challenge in this decision is that the ability to play is there, but he interests are focused elsewhere. In today's episode I talk to my thoughts on how sports benefit children regardless of interest or ability + why it is important to tie in the child's interest to maximize these benefits.

Today is going to be a quick and to the point episode. I was thinking about how to extend this topic in a bit more detail and the more and more I did it just watered down the message. So…. GO INSULAR. Focus on your athlete's progress, not everyone else. This is extremely difficult in all walks of like. And I should take my own advice more often. Comparison is the beginning of the end for careers.

Today we are going to be talking about what I am calling The Social Media Trap. There is a lot of great content out there from people who are pushing the limits of skill development. The purpose of this show is to talk about the purpose of the content that is being consumed + how our kids are potentially interacting on the platform to become a better player or achieve their goals.

I have been approaching creating content for you all by answering the questions I am starting to have as my daughter approaches the age where she will start organized activities. Whether it is music, dance or sports - I am researching and asking a lot of questions to understand each decision. One topic that consistently comes up for me is - what about private coaching? Is it necessary + how do I tell if someone is the right fit for my athlete + for our goals? In this episode - we walk through the what + why of private coaching.

Sports are expensive. Getting that out of the way up front. There will be a many of episodes focused on the expected and unexpected costs of playing youth sports and one of those topics is: Equipment. So today - I am going to walk through what to watch out for when looking for equipment, where you do not want to sacrifice performance for budgeting, where you can sacrifice performance for budgeting, how to max out the life time of equipment and lastly - why equipment eventually will matter in competition.

Today's show we are talking about how sports can bring value outside of the field of play. Joining a particular sports is not only about improving that skill. At least not at a young age from my perspective. As a parent, I am looking to sports to teach my children valuable life lessons + skills that they will be able to use off the field. Things that they can apply to anything that happens in life. Here are 5 ways sports will help your child off the field that they will take with them for the rest of their life.

Let's save everyone a lot of headache and bring in the joy of sports by making sure expectations are set for you as a parent and your child as the athlete before going into a new sport, season or team. Set the baseline that success will be judged and hold everyone accountable.

Making decisions as a sports parent is critical. Building a decision making process to guide the direction of your child's career is so important. Why? If you are getting into sports for fun, but end up putting your child onto an elite travel team - the experience of sports is going to be very different than what the original intention was.

Andddd….we are back! Welcome to the Pro Athlete Academy podcast - Season 2. I am excited to be back recording episodes. It has been a bit since the end of season 1 - had the opportunity to work on another project, spend some time with the family + get clear on the direction I wanted to take the podcast/business as a whole. Today is going to be a re-introduction to who I am + what to expect from the show. Things are going to look a bit different from Season 1.

Isn't it a kick to the gut when you find yourself at the bottom of the depth chart? This doesn't only happen in sports, but also in the professional world. Whether it is your first job out of college, a change in companies or a career change - there will be many times that we all will find ourselves at the bottom needing to work our way to the top. It is a mental challenge, but one we can accomplish with persistence and staying consistent. Today we talk to my good friend, Ross Gaudet. Ross's story is based on his ability to stick with the process in order to see the reward at the other end. He got this experience when he worked his way from a walk on to a staple in the line up at Boston University. Then was able to leverage the lessons learned into the professional world by building a network that helped him get started in software sales and then eventually meeting with hundreds of brokers before getting his shot in the commercial real estate world. If you take one thing away from this show, it is to keep moving forward. No matter what the odds are, if you continue to show up every day and execute to the best of your ability - the reward will be there. ------------------------------ Click here for more information on our business community, Pro Athlete Academy

College athletes have the difficult task of balancing life as an athlete, a student and a kid in college. Ever wonder what type of mindset it takes to be successful in both? Today's guest is my brother, Mike Gilroy, and he shares how he manages a full course load, social life and staying on top of his game on the ice. Being a collegiate hockey player can overwhelm the other areas if you let it. Mike has developed the proper mindset through high school and has been able to stay focused on enjoying life as a college athlete, but keeping his eye on the bigger picture as to why he is at college: to get a degree. Enjoy! -----------------

We have all heard that energy drinks are not a staple in a healthy lifestyle. Yet, the products are extremely effective in enhancing our abilities to stay focused, accomplish a task and perform at a higher level. We are willing to sacrifice a little bit of health for the results. What if there was an option that tasted great, performed well and was made from natural ingredients that fit a healthier lifestyle? That is the question our guest today is in the process of solving. Jack McNamara is the co-founder of Tru Inc., a beverage company that is focused on disrupting the energy drink market by pursuing healthier ingredients that perform better than their counterparts. Jack has a great back story that I encourage all of you to look more into. We get into it a little bit - but it is definitely worth diving deeper into. Today we talk about the basics of creating a product in the beverage industry. Developing a formula, partnering with distributors, manufacturing processes and where to start. Jack shares a ton of insights that will help anyone get their idea off the ground. ----------------------------- Take a look at TruEnergy's products @ DrinkTru.com Follow TruEnergy on Instagram as they prepare to launch their new product line @DrinkTru

This week Austin from HockeyGear.com shares his start in business that led to him purchasing HockeyGear.com and now running the e-commerce site successfully. From running a pro shop to slinging payroll services to purchasing a business - Austin was able to navigate his way by being self-aware of what he wanted to do and taking advantage of opportunities because of it. ----------------------------- Subscribe on iTunes and leave us a review! Need gear in the hockey space: HockeyGear.com Want top level customer service or custom gear not on the site? Shoot Austin a text: (203) 733-9462

Co-founder/owner of Hoser Hockey, Sean McVey, joins the show today to share his experience building a company based on his love to the game of hockey. The main focus of the show is around whether to work with a manufacture to source products or produce them in-house. --------------------- Check out the website for products and partnership opportunities: Hoser Hockey Follow the HH journey on Instagram: @hoser_hockey

Pro ice hockey players, 2x world champion roller hockey player, and entrepreneur John Schiavo (@jschiavo44) joins the podcast to talk all things hockey. John touches on how his love for the game growing up on Long Island set the tone for his career on and off the ice. His work as a player, entrepreneur and his work in the community is all about growing the game he loves as much as possible. Enjoy! --------------------------------- Follow John on Instagram: @jschiavo44, @jschiavo44_training Check out Good Wood Hockey: www. goodwoodhockey.com Help support the next generation of hockey players through Hockey For Good.

This week's episode is a special one for me. Craig Churchill is the head coach of Women's hockey at New Hampton. Many years before that, Coach Churchill was my prep school coach and the catalyst for my success not only on the ice but off. One of best human beings around, great coach and if you or your child has the opportunity to play for him: DO NOT PASS IT UP! Coach and I talk all things prep school from how to get noticed, what to look for in a school and if prep is a right fit for you.

Playing low minutes in a game is going to be a reality for most athletes. Whether it is getting benched for bad play or just the role that the athlete finds themselves in. In today's episode I talk about how to approach these situations to keep your spirits up, be ready to play and build trust with your teammates and coaches.

Building connection is crucial to relationships. Coaching is no different. Understanding how to connect with your athletes, know how to push them and how they respond will give you the ability to get their best. Anthony has refined the skill of connection while training elite athletes, youth athletes and the everyday individual. Today we talk about how to build our relationships to have influence in the weight room. ---------------------- Follow Anthony on Instagram @ammo33est84

In team sports, everyone has a role to play that is important to the success of the team. Goal scorers need to score goals, goalies need to stop shots and defenders need to stop the offense. If individuals are not executing their role, the team fails. That is why it is crucial to know, understand and embrace your role within the team. It will lead to more playing opportunities, build trust and make you successful. -------------- JOIN THE PAA COMMUNITY

There are enough critics. We need more solutions than problems. It is our job as coaches, players and parents to set ourselves up for success. Bringing solutions to the challenges we face is the way to do that. If players are having trouble running, bring them tips on how to run. If the team is having trouble understanding the breakout, sit them down with a video and walk through it. This is about developing confidence in sports and in life. ------------ JOIN THE COMMUNITY ----> www.proathleteacademy.com

Introducing our Spotlight Series! These episode I sit down with a current youth/high school coach, player, trainer or parent to talk about what is going on today in the world of sports. Talking with the professionals is valuable, but their experiences could be based on things that happened 5-10 years ago or more. The Spotlight Series is set up to fill in that gap. It is also to give the everyday athletes and coaches the recognition they deserve for the work being put in.  This week we have Ben Devlin. Head Coach for the Oliver Ames lacrosse team in Easton, MA. Ben has 15+ years of coaching experience at the high school level and since taking over the OA program 2 years ago, he has taken the program from from an after thought to contenders. Basing his approach around building a culture where the players, coaches and parents come together like family, Ben has built something special with the OA lacrosse program.  Enjoy! ------------------------------- If you have a coach, parent or player that you would like to nominate to be on the show, send an email to hello@proathleteacademy.com. Include your name, the nominee's name, level of competition and a short description why they should be part of the spotlight series.  IF YOU ARE NOMINATING A PLAYER: Players must be competing at minimum the HS level. If under the age of 18, parents are required to attend the recording. 

Eventually a career as an athlete comes to an end. Making that transition can be difficult, but it can be easier if you put in the groundwork while still playing. Eric Gryba did just that. By using his platform as an NHL defensemen to launch multiple businesses around his passion for cooking and hunting. Now he has a great starting point to launch his next career in a field he is passionate about. In this episode Eric shares his mindset around starting his cooking brand Grilling with Gryba and how to leverage your position in sports to help set up life after it. Three takeaways: 1. Connect people by building relationships. 2. Your network is everything. 3. Be coachable, humble and put in the work. --------------------- Follow along with Eric on Instagram @grybes02 and check out his website: ericgryba.com Come join our community of athletes, coaches and parents improving their careers in sports and beyond at proathleteacademy.com

Everyone, no matter what position they play, wants to score more goals. In my solo episode this week I go through 3 tips that will help improve your ability to improve as a goal scorer. --------------------- Videos from the show: 1. Paul Rabil Shooting Seminar: Entire video is great for lacrosse shooters. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOL9J7-pEoc) 2. What the goalie is looking for: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whPypqPlmUw) & (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlLcSyYu_zA) 3. Auston Matthews breaking down his shot: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FP0X4AtvAMM) -------------------- Join our weekly newsletter and check out the free community @ http://www.proathleteacademy.com/ Submit questions to be featured on the solo episodes to hello@proathleteacademy.com or on our Instagram @proathleteacademy

We welcome Kyle Czech to the podcast. Kyle is currently the strength coach at Boston University focused on several teams including the Men's Ice Hockey program. This show has a lot of great takeaways for parents, coaches and players. No matter what your role is in sports, this is a great listen. From specialization and training for youth right through to developing great habits - Kyle shows us what it means to Train Like A Pro. Main takeaways for today: 1. Develop great habits early - nutrition, sleep, work ethic, etc.. 2. Attention to detail - the "little" things matter. 3. Train like a pro - are you a hockey player? or someone who plays hockey? ---------------------- Follow Kyle on Instagram @kpczech If you want to train with Kyle, you can contact him directly by email - kczech@bu.edu ---------------------- Check out proathleteacademy.com to join our community of athletes, coaches and parents improving their careers in sports and beyond.

Financial - Commitment - Ability. These three factors are what I believe are the most important to consider when deciding where a child should be playing. The goal is to put your child and your family in the best position to succeed!

Today I sit down with former NHL video coach, JP Buckley. Our conversation talks about JP's journey to the NHL through a non-traditional route. While looking for a work/study program at Boston University, he found himself becoming a huge part of the coaching staff at one of the most historic programs in the country under the most historic coach in college hockey history. Excelling at his craft he was able to reach a childhood dream of being in the NHL. Only he wasn't on the ice, he was behind the bench. The semantics do not matter to JP when you talk to him. It might not have been exactly what he envisioned while playing in the driveway as a kid, but it was just as amazing. In the episode we cover the use of video in the NHL and how you can apply the same practices to the game, where analytics in the NHL began/are/going and how you can leverage math or computer science to reach the professional ranks. PAA's 2 main takeaway's from this episode are: 1. Analytics and technology isn't going anywhere, embrace it! 2. Find your comparable, analyze your shifts and identify what works/what doesn't.

In this solo episode I answer a question from a coach inside the Pro Athlete Academy community about what should be the focus for in season practices? Skill development or game strategy/systems. ----------- To submit questions and join in on the conversation, check out the community @ members.proathleteacademy.com

Today I sit down with NHL defensemen Brian Strait to talk about how he navigated his way from Massachusetts youth hockey to prep school and then out to the US National Development Program. Brian has put together an impressive career including a world U18 championship, multiple Beanpot and Hockey East championships, a National Championship in 2009 and 10 year professional career playing for the Pittsburg Penguins, the New York Islanders and the NJ Devils organizations. We cover a lot of great points through the show from what to focus out on workouts to dealing with "family advisors", but the 2 biggest takeaways for me are: 1. Everyone has a different path, find yours not someone else's. 2. If you find your sport early, run with it. --------------------- Join the Pro Athlete Academy Community members.proathleteacademy.com Learn more about our skill development programs at proathleteacademy.com Follow us on Instagram @proathleteacademy -------------------- Show notes 2:15 - Realizing that hockey was the sport 4:34 - No two kids are the same 6:40 - Avoiding burn out 7:50 - Listen to your child 9:50 - Focusing on what the next step is 12:00 - Being recruited as a 12 year old and meeting my agent 14:35 - Do your homework on “family advisors” 16:20 - Experience with prep school 18:30 - Wanting to be one of the elite players 20:00 - Realizing that you have a chance at a dream 22:33 - Our take on off ice training at the youth level 25:20 - Focus on plyometrics: box jumps, hurdles etc.. 27:30 - Living like a professional athlete 29:25 - Playing to your strength to get to the next level 30:55 - Living life away from home 33:40 - Eliminating distractions 35:45 - Stay the course, verbals don't matter and you have time 37:00 - The factor that put you over the top

Pro Athlete Academy was started to help athletes, coaches and parents reach their full potential. This podcast is another avenue to help with that mission. Today I talk about what you all can expect from the podcast and share the story that inspired PAA.

Launching on May 4th, 2020 - here is the Pro Athlete Academy Podcast