As you are probably aware, I love new and innovative hockey products. Recently, I was sent some cool new “All Laced Up” bracelets and necklaces to try out with my family. These bracelets and necklaces are made out of skate laces, in the colour of your choice, and feature a tidy plastic clasp that make it easy for every player to put on and remove. For the hockey lover? Very cool.

All Laced Up creates their bracelets and necklaces in over 30 colours of hockey laces giving you the option to custom design. There are also opportunities for team discounts (if you want a team set) or fundraising efforts (if you are looking for something different in your association).

All Laced Up is ready to provide you with the opportunity to win a necklace, or a team set of bracelets made out of skate laces through a giveaway! All you have to do is sign up HERE to enter. There will be  one winner of a necklace drawn each week for the next 8 weeks. During the final week, one additional name will be selected to win a team set of bracelets in the colours of their choice.

So sign up HERE if you are interested in All Laced Up Giveaway.

Comments or questions? Send us an email at contactus@hockeymomincanada.net, or leave a comment on our Facebook page.

My family loves books about hockey. In fact, for the longest time, my oldest son would not read anything that wasn’t about hockey. That’s why I’m thrilled with two new sets of children’s books sent to me by Fenn/Tundra, the children’s division of Fenn/McClelland & Stewart.

The first set of books is called “My First NHL ® Book Series” by Christopher Jordan. What better way to introduce your child to the action-packed world of hockey than through a series of books aimed at the youngest of hockey fans? Children will count players, sticks and Stanley cups, explore colours through team logos, and learn the animals of the NHL.

The second set of books are for the slightly older reader. The Puckster Series was written by Lorna Shultz Nicholson and illustrated by Kelly Findley, and is an officially licensed product of Hockey Canada. We can all relate to the excitement that our children feel playing their first game, and getting their first hockey sweater. These two books offer entertaining stories that young fans everywhere will love to read, or be read. As a mom who reads lots of children’s books, I personally enjoyed both stories and the colourful illustrations on every page.

You too have a chance to enjoy these books! Fenn/Tundra has offered to provide our readers with five sets of each series. You can enter HERE to win one of five sets of “My First NHL ® Book Series”, OR one of five sets of the “Puckster Series”.

Enter quickly, because the giveaway closes on Friday, December 16^th!

Comments or questions? Email contactus@hockeymomincanada.net or leave a message on our Facebook page.

On our first night away from the rink in over two weeks I was still not surprised that last night my kids could not wait to get to the garage and take some shots. It is hockey ALL the time here and my kids can never seem to get enough. Once again this year, I’ll be trying to come up with some innovate and original hockey gifts to give my kids for Christmas. Since they ask for hockey stuff EVERY Christmas, I’ll be trying to give things I’ve never given before. And, with six tournaments in a row, today, on December 2^nd, I will admit I’ve barely begun my Christmas shopping. This makes a site like HockeyShot the ideal place to quickly and easily pick up some Christmas gifts for my hockey fanatics, and have the hockey stuff delivered to my house before Christmas!

Hockeyshot offers many original and creative options. Consider the Roller Guard (for kids who want to lace up their skates at home and roll their way to the rink…might be tricky during our icy/snowy winters, but also helpful for those nights you need to dress your wee one at home), Lit Biscuit Light Up Hockey Puck (a puck that lights up at night for the game that never ends), and the Mini Goal Set (a favourite amongst kids).

Or, maybe you want to pick up a hockey book, pucks or balls, shooting targets and tarps, off-ice training devices (to help improve your stick handling or shot), or for the coach in your life, some off-ice coaching aids!

HockeyShot.com is excited to partner with our group for some great giveaways. So if you are interested in winning some great products sign up HERE and you could win one of three giveaway prizes:

1 – HockeyShot Extreme Passing Kit One –Timer Model

2 – HockeyShot Professional Shooting Pad

3 – 2 FlyPuck 4oz.

All you have to do is FILL OUT THE FORM HERE and answer a couple questions. The draw for these prizes will take place on December 14, 2011, so sign up now!

As for me? I’m going to use my last 10 minutes before leaving for ANOTHER weekend tournament to get my order in to HockeyShot.com Can’t wait to see my kids’ faces Christmas morning!

Comments or questions? Email us at contactus@hockeymomincanada.net or leave comment on our Facebook Page!

How cool would it be to win your child’s team an all expense paid trip to P.E.I for Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada in February? It’s not too late! You still have time to enter your team!

You may recall that last year we talked about the Scotiabank Big Save contest, where  teams were asked to pledge to save for their hockey expenses and entered a contest to attend Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada in Whitehorse (by the way, the winner of that prize heard about the contest here on our website!)

Once again, Scotiabank and CBC have teamed up to send one minor hockey team to win a trip to Charlottetown, PEI to participate in Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada on February 11, 2012. If you go to the Scotiabank Bigger Save contest  page on Facebook, you can enter your team to win!

Grand Prize includes:

• Round trip airfaire (where applicable)
• Three nights standard hotel accommodation in Charlottetown
• Transportation to and from Hockey Day in Canada events
• Team meals while in Charlottetown
• Approximate retail value of the prize is $45,000

AND, on top of THAT, you can enter HERE to win one of three prize packs from Scotiabank Hockey Club (see below). Be sure to enter NOW to win one of your packages!

So to recap:

1)      Don’t miss out on the opportunity to take your child’s team to PEI for Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada! Go HERE for more details.

2)      Enter HERE to win one of three prize packs from Scotiabank Hockey Club!

Good luck, hockey moms!

Comments or questions? Email contactus@hockeymomincanada.net or leave a message on our Facebook page!

Its closing in on the end of November, and Hockey Moms are busy with Christmas Shopping, the majority of us picking up at least one (and usually more) hockey related items to wrap for  under the tree this Christmas. If you are looking for something new and original, consider Stickheads, the maker of the hockey stick hat. Yes, that’s right, the hat actually has a hockey stick on the end, perfect for your avid little player!

Even better, all Stickheads products are made in Canada, and a portion o all sales are donated to three charities that support; children playing sports, cancer research, and the environment. Stickheads also offers some great fundraising opportunities for teams or schools.

Stickheads has partnered with Hockey Mom in Canada to offer a great contest that could net your youth hockey team a set of Stickhead hats! Enter today to win the grand prize of 17 Stickheads hockey stick hats customized in your team colours with team logo crests and player number crests. Stickheads will also give away three weekly prizes of one stock colour hat to anyone who likes on Facebook and follows on Twitter both our page, and Stickheads (follow both @hockeymomcanada and @StickheadsInc)

It’s super easy to enter! Check out the CONTEST RULES here.

So, if your child’s head is in the game, consider a Stickhead hockey stick hat for Christmas! Another fun, innovative, Canadian made hockey gift for our kids!

Comments or questions? Email contactus@hockeymomincanada.net or leave a comment on our Facebook Page.

I get a lot of requests to try out hockey products and post reviews on this site. So, when I was contacted by Dean Dachyshyn, Vice President at Skillz Systems Inc. about trying out QuickStickz, I wasn’t sure what to think. QuickStickz was pitched as a product to improve stick handling by teaching kids to keep their heads up…all though playing a video game on your home computer.

QuickStickz was invented to address the issue of kids not practicing the very important skill of stick handling as much as they should. The creators believe that to become a good hockey player, kids need to learn to stickhandle with their heads up! In an era of X-box, Wii and Playstations, kids are not interested in learning by the old method of stick handling around objects on the floor, they want action!

I’m not much of a gamer myself, but I do happen to have two sons who can get caught up in playing video games when they have some down time.  I was curious, would they see the QuickStickz product as “practice”, or a game? Would they have as much fun with it as they do other, more traditional video games? And, would I be able to get QuickStickz set up without much effort on my computer?

With these questions in mind I set out to learn more about QuickStickz.

The first thing to be noted is that the design is quite simple, and it’s easy to get started. There are two main parts to the apparatus; the camera, and the ball. After following the simple instructions to install the software, we plugged in the camera to our laptop, went to the QuickStickz website to set up a user name and password, and we were off! The initial set up took less than 10 minutes.

OK, so I can imagine you are wondering exactly how it works. Picture this:

• Camera and monitor are perched on a table. The camera points down to the ball, and the ball’s motions (on the floor) are tracked.
• Your child uses their own stick to manoeuvre the ball through a series of drills or games on the screen.
• The WHOLE TIME, players are watching the screen, but not the ball, because they have to see what is coming next!
• They can use their own stick to play allowing them to transfer skills to the ice.

My sons started with simple drills, but soon moved on to the “games” section of the website. Picture your child playing “space invaders”, manoeuvring the ship (the ball) to blow up  asteroids. Or, imagine a race car game where the speed at which the ball is moved side to side determines how fast your car moves.

After a very slight initial learning curve, my kids were hooked. In fact, we had company over on the weekend, and our adult company took turns with the kids for over an hour playing all the games. With 20 drills and 5 video games, your kids won’t get bored. Drills are timed and players get scores at the end of the drill, making them want to play on to beat their “best score”. It never even dawned on my kids that they were actually practicing a hockey skill, but they did keep asking for more. By the way – I also tried the product and quickly realized a) how hard stick handling is, b) how good my kids are at it compared to me, and c) how fun and challenging the QuickStickz games are!

It truly is an innovative product.

So, for those of you who are looking for a cool hockey related gift for your kids this Christmas, consider QuickStickz.  And because you are a reader of our website, you will even get a deal! QuickStickz typically sells for $199 plus tax and shipping, but if you use the promo code HMC, you can get QuickStickz for only $189. As well, you will get an additional 3 months of VIP service ($30 value), for a total of $40 off.

So, check out QuickStickz! Another innovative Canadian Hockey Mom Approved product!

Comment or question? Email contactus@hockeymomincanada.net or leave a message on our Facebook Page.

I’ve asked the question before, “How many sets of skates does a hockey mom tie in one year of hockey”. For me, it’s at LEAST two sets three (or more) times a week. That’s on the low end. …it gets much worse than that, and I’m not including my own skates that get laced up at least 3 times a week as well. This incessant skate tying, coupled with the cold weather and dry arenas means that my hands, especially my right index finger and thumb for some reason, end up rough and chapped, and painful.

So, when I received an email from George’s Cream, a Canadian based company that specializes in skin cream for dry skin, asking me to try out their product, I said I’d be happy to. After all, I’ve tried lots of things to try to get rid of this dry skin of mine. I was interested to learn that the product was named after “George”, a pharmacist who was asked by a dermatologist to create a rich moisturizing cream for dry skin.  The product worked so well, it’s now being sold in stores across Canada!

 In hopes that the Special Dry Skin Cream would help out my already cracked hands and sore cuticles (and it was only October at the time – a long season ahead of us), I used George’s special dry skin cream for a week. Coincidentally, my daughter’s eczema flared up on her legs at the same time, so I used it on that as well!

I’m pleased to say that after a week of at least daily (sometimes more) use, there is a noticeable difference in my cuticles (they don’t hurt anymore), and my hands feel softer and smoother to the touch. My daughter’s eczema has also diminished noticeably after just a few applications of the cream. And, I found the cream to be virtually odourless, and though the Special Dry Skin Cream is thicker than others I have used, it has a relatively non-greasy feel and absorbs rather quickly.  On top of that, its simple packaging makes it something my husband (notorious for dry hands in the winter due to his refusal to wear gloves) might give a try.

So, if you see George’s Cream in your local pharmacy, grocery retailer, or convenience store, and you have chronic dry hands through the winter like I do, don’t hesitate to give it a try! And, if you are interested in winning a George’s Cream gift bag (pictured above) so you can try it out yourself, sign up HERE for a chance to win! And if you have the chance, drop by the George’s Cream Booth (Booth #613) at the National Women’s Show in Toronto (Metro Toronto Convention Centre) November 11-13, 2011.

Comments or questions? Email contactus@hockeymomincanada.net or leave a comment on our Facebook Page.

By now many of you will be familiar with the Manitoba hockey hazing incident, the one where it was uncovered that the “rookies” on a team in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League were allegedly forced to undergo some pretty cruel and demeaning activities, all as part of “teambuilding” and ritual initiation. One 15 year old rookie spoke up, prompting an investigation into the team’s activities, and resulting in a $5,000 fine for the team, and multiple suspensions. All 16 players have been suspended at least one game, and the coaches received suspensions as well. I won’t go into the details, but check out the story here.

I will admit that I have some real mixed reactions to the reports coming out about the story. I don’t mean that I condone hockey hazing, I most certainly do not. I suspect I would react similarly to this young player’s parents if one of my old boys was ever forced to participate in such degrading acts at the hand of anyone.  “Team building” or not, they would have one fierce mama bear to deal with.

My mixed reactions come from knowing that 20 years ago when I was a youth I knew similar activities were taking place all around me, and somehow it was just an accepted part of the hockey culture. I had sometimes wondered if the stories I heard were exaggerations since they seemed to be passed around for shock value. I remember stories coming from  the coaches themselves recounting their own rookie initiations (replace water bottles in the current story with a bag of pucks) and some of the virtually torturous rites that were performed, many of a sexual nature.  So, while there was a definitely an element of shock value to this particular story coming out of Manitoba, somehow, at the same time, I was not really surprised. Twenty years ago, these stories were all too common. Now as a Hockey Mom, I’m on the other side of the fence, the side who is not really SUPPOSED to know what goes on in the dressing room. I can no longer say for sure if these things happen commonly or if this was an exception. I’d be interested to know what you think of this, and how hockey hazing plays out in your part of the country.

What I do know is that there are parts of hockey culture that I will always love, and there are parts of hockey culture that I have always absolutely loathed. For example, I will never understand any form of initiation that is based on cruelty or degradation, as opposed to fun and good spirit. But I’m also well aware that there are examples of this nastiness alive and well in hockey across Canada. I can almost picture many middle aged men reading about the incident and recounting their own initiation days, thinking “I survived it –what is this kid’s problem”. The fact that the coaches on the current team allegedly forced the player in question to apologize to the team after the incident went public – and then suggested he take some time off from playing – demonstrates to me that this mindset still exists. Truthfully though, it puzzles me as much as the attitude of coaches who think it’s ok to yell and swear at our young children in the dressing rooms, or parents who think it’s ok to berate their children during or after games, or yell and scream at referees, or other parents. For some, these activities seem to be as much a part of hockey as zambonies and tape balls. I know that our readers think so as well, because you tell me frequently through your emails, and on our Facebook page that you are also witnessing these behaviours take place. No, I’m not comparing hockey hazing to hard-core parents and coaches, but I am saying that there are parts of our hockey culture that are less than desirable, in my mind.

So what is the solution? I’m not completely sure of that, but I know that not talking about it isn’t going to solve anything. We need to have discussions about these issues with each other, and with our children. I want my kids to know that they do not need to ever participate in something that is demeaning, whether it is at hockey, or elsewhere.  And, if I’m going to be (lovingly) dragging my kid around several times a week to play hockey, I want to know that the coaches of my children have expectations not only for how players are treated by the coaching staff, but also how players treat each other. After all, I do not have my children in hockey just to learn how to play the game. For me, and I know for many of you, it’s also about learning to work together as a team, develop fitness, and develop socially, which includes learning to respect both themselves and others.

I’ve had my chance to vent a bit about this issue, what do YOU think about hockey hazing? Does it still happen, or is this an isolated incident? Are there other parts of hockey culture that bother you?

You can email contactus@hockeymomincanada.net or leave a comment on our Facebook page.

COLD-FX is doing it again! Once again, COLD-FX is honouring Hockey Moms by hosting a VIP luncheon in London, Ontario. This is the 6th such event, following others in Halifax (2009), Manitioba Legislature (2009), Edmonton (2009), Ottawa (2010), and Calgary (2011). And once again selected Hockey Moms and one hockey playing childw will be able to attend the event that features non other than Canadian hockey icon, Don Cherry!

I have a limited number of tickets to hand out to the event being held in London, ON on Friday, November 4th, 2011. If you are intersted in attending with one hockey playing child (preferably Atom age or older), be sure to SIGN UP HERE! You will be contacted by email shortly if you are selected to attend.

Comments or questions? Email contactus@hockeymomincanada.net, or leave a comment on our Facebook page!

How do you know if you are REALLY a hockey mom? I get lots of emails and comments from first time Hockey Moms – those women being thrown into the hockey culture, often without previous exposure. And these same women will often write back later saying things like “I guess I’m a real Hockey Mom now”.

Earlier this week, I asked women to finish the sentence “you know you’re a Hockey Mom when…” Just for fun, I’ve summarized the responses (and there were LOTS of responses). Enjoy!

You know you’re a hockey mom when…

1.  1. You are up at 5am on weekends and driving around in the dark to get to a 6am practice.
2. 2.  The smell of multiple hockey bags in your vehicle overpowers your air freshener…and you are okay with that.

3. You base your new vehicle purchase on how many hockey bags you can fit in the back.

4. You purchase a new vehicle because the sticks no longer fit in the trunk.

5. You draft your own hockey pool with your family…and enjoy it!

6. You have more hockey sticks and skates and sticks lying around than pairs of shoes.

7. You have a million travel coffee mugs.

8. They know your name at the skate sharpening store.

9. All you can think about is the next game, on or off the ice.

10. You take on the VP of recreational hockey for two years (or any other executive role).

11. You can’t go to family and friends’ events because you have hockey games to attend.

12. You have blisters on your fingers from tying skates.

13. Your calendar is dominated by hockey practices and games.

14. Your entire weekend is dedicated to hockey, and you don’t mind it!

15. You enter the dressing room and take a deep breath and say to yourself…
“Aaaa..the smell of hockey, I missed you so!”

16. You are happy to see your extended family at the rink because you have been missing something during that one weekend you got off over the summer.

17. There is no off-season.

18. You start dreaming of hockey.

19. You have nightmares about missing hockey games or practices.

20. You spend more time at the arenas with your “hockey family” than you do at home.

21. You buy a Toyota Sequoia because it fits 6 hockey players and all their hockey bags.

22. When buying gloves/mitts you test how loud they clap.

23. When someone asks for your home address you answer with the address of the arena.

24. When asked the ages of your children you respond with their birth year “He’s a 97”.

25. You schedule holiday celebrations around hockey tournaments.

26. You own several winter coats and know which one to wear depending on the temperature of each rink.

27. You join a ladies team to learn that games are scheduled around all minor hockey in the community.

28. You have a reserved parking spot at the arena.

29. You set your alarm for 3:30 am to transfer wet hockey equipment so it will be dry for a 5am trip to the rink.

30. Your  purse is really a carry all for hockey tape, extra mouth guards, Tylenol and Advil.

31. You find yourself using hockey tape for everything, including wrapping presents, band-aids, household maintenance.

32. You won a travel mug that says “Hockey forever, housework never”

33. You can’t travel over March Break because it’s playoff season.

34. When purchasing clothing you first ask yourself “will this be warm enough for the rink”.

35. You give up your spot in the garage to keep stinky hockey equipment out of the house.

36. Your hockey tape is right next to the silverware drawer.

37. All gifts you receive have something to do with being more comfortable at the arena (e.g. travel mug, rink blanket, loud mittens).

38. You resign yourself to the fact that the holes in the drywall can be fixed in a couple years when junior is no longer practicing their slap shots.

39. You can’t wear open toed sandals in the summer because it’s too cold in the rink.

40. You found out why you should not wear open toed sandals in the dressing room, and you learned it the hard way.

41. You purchase a third vehicle just to transport hockey equipment.

42. You know the closest location of every Tim Hortons to every rink.

43. You would rather watch your child play than go to the salon, gym, or dinner.

44. Even though you despise UGGs you own them and wear them proudly at the rink.

45. You have an “arena bag” of toys and treats for your younger children so you can maybe catch five minutes of your older child’s game.

46. You hate those blasted candy machines at the arenas.

47. You have hockey equipment hanging in your dining room.

48. You can justify a $300 hockey stick, but hesitate to purchase a $3 toothbrush.

49. You know what a “blade pattern” is.

50. People sitting next to at the game give you extra space because you mimic every movement of your child.

51. You spend your spare time looking up hockey tournaments or hockey camps for your child.

52. You know about Network 54.

53. You own flannel lined jeans.

54. You know which arena has the best greasy arena fries.

55. You have let your child stay home sick from school but taken them to hockey practice that night.

56. You have a baby on a Tuesday and are back at the rink Wednesday.

57. You own a lot of Febreeze…for your car.

58. You know every kid at the rink by name but have no idea who his/her classmates are.

59. You carry multiple hoodies/scarves to change depending on what child is playing.

60. You have spent hours decorating your child’s room in his favourite NHL team colours.

61. You can relate to any of the above.

Something to add? Comments or questions? Email contactus@hockeymomincanada.net or leave a comment on our Facebook Page!