🧠 Mental fitness isn’t a buzzword anymore — it’s a skill. And like any hockey skill, it has to be trained.

Mental fitness is one of the most requested topics in the Our Kids Play Hockey community, and for good reason. Parents, coaches, and players all know it matters — but far fewer know how to actually teach it, practice it, and *build it into everyday hockey life.

In this episode, hosts Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli are joined by Swedish sport psychology leaders Henrik Cronebäck and Johan Fallby, co-founders of PlayWellMinds, a science-backed mental training platform helping young athletes build confidence, focus, and emotional balance through short, daily routines.

This conversation moves mental fitness from theory to action.

🏒 Inside this episode:

~Why mental fitness should be trained just like skating, shooting, and strength
~How elite athletes learn to work with stress instead of fighting it
~Why introducing mental skills early gives kids a lifelong advantage
~The difference between outcome goals and performance goals — and why it matters
~Simple tools parents and coaches can use immediately (including the powerful “Top Three” exercise)
~How teams can build stronger culture, trust, and communication through shared mental skills

💡 From mindfulness and breathing, to emotional awareness, reflection, and celebration, Henrik and Johan break down how mental training can become a daily habit — not a reaction to problems.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone who wants kids to stay in the game longer, enjoy it more, and develop skills that go far beyond the rink.

📩 Have questions for the hosts or guests? Email team@ourkidsplayhockey.com or use the text link in the show description.

🎧 Listen, learn, and start training the mind like the muscle it is.

📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: Training the Mind Like the Body in Youth Hockey

#OurKidsPlayHockey #MentalFitness #YouthHockey #SportsPsychology #HockeyParents #HockeyCoaches #PlayerDevelopment #MentalTraining

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NHL Sense Arena annual memberships are 50% off for the holidays, starting at just $29 a month — plus you can save an extra $25 with code OKPH at checkout.

Gift you hockey family the ultimate hockey training experience with NHL Sense Arena ‘26 — available now at hockey.sensearena.com/OKPH

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🎮 What if your love of hockey could become a lifelong career… even if you’re still a kid?

On today’s Ride to the Rink, Lee, Mike, and Christie are joined by Nick Bowins, founder of Working in Hockey, to open young players’ eyes to just how many opportunities exist beyond playing the game. Whether you love video games, math, technology, social media, photography, coaching, or just being around the rink — there’s a path for you in hockey.

Nick shares real examples and powerful reminders that the traits kids learn in the locker room — leadership, teamwork, effort, resilience — translate directly into careers on and off the ice. He explains how to explore your interests now, how to talk about your passions with confidence, and how to start building connections in the sport no matter your age.

Kids, this episode is your permission slip to dream big — not just about where you’ll play, but about the kind of hockey life you can build.

⭐ Highlights from the Episode

• 🎮 Love video games? There are careers in tech and gaming inside the hockey world.
• 📊 Good at math? Analytics roles exist at every level of hockey.
• 📱 Into social media? Marketing is one of the fastest-growing lanes in the sport.
• 📷 Creative? Photography and videography can open doors at rinks everywhere.
• 🧠 Leadership matters: The same kids who lead in the locker room often become leaders in business later.
• 🗣️ Tell people what you love: Sharing your passions helps others help you.
• 💡 You’re more than a hockey player — and developing your other interests makes you stronger, not distracted.

📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: How Kids Can Start Building a Future in Hockey — With Insights from Working in Hockey’s Nick Bowins

🎧 Listen in and help your young athlete discover how their unique skills and passions can fuel a lifelong journey in hockey — on or off the ice.

#RideToTheRink #WorkingInHockey #HockeyCareers #YouthHockey #HockeyParents #HockeyLife #LeadershipLessons #HockeyKids #HockeyDevelopment #BeyondTheIce

Click To Text The Our Kids Play Hockey Team!

NHL Sense Arena annual memberships are 50% off for the holidays, starting at just $29 a month — plus you can save an extra $25 with code OKPH at checkout.

Gift you hockey family the ultimate hockey training experience with NHL Sense Arena ‘26 — available now at hockey.sensearena.com/OKPH

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Please Be Sure To Subscribe & Leave A Review For Us On Apple Podcasts, doing so helps our show grow!

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For the final episode of this season’s Wraparound Roundtable, we’re joined by Chris Kibui — the creator behind Hockey Tutorial, one of hockey’s most respected and widely‑watched channels. From humble beginnings making “how to hockey stop” videos to producing gear reviews, expert tutorials, and international documentaries, Chris has spent over a decade bridging the gap between gear tech, on‑ice performance, and global hockey culture.

Lee and Chris dive deep into:

🔹 His first spark — inspired by The Mighty Ducks — that got him on the ice and behind the camera

🔹 What it truly takes to produce honest reviews that players actually trust

🔹 How he built a brand that works with every major hockey manufacturer without ever selling out

🔹 Why relatable content (gear, explanation, & real people) matters more than follower count

🔹 What it’s like to travel the world, document hockey in places like Kenya, India, and Sweden, and help grow the game beyond traditional markets

🔹 The positive messages and feedback that keep him creating year after year

🎁 Giveaway: Green Biscuit™ + Puckaround™ + Custom Hockey Tutorial Jersey (your name, number & country!)

🎧 Listen now & enter at: HockeyNeverStops.com

Follow @hockeytutorial on all platforms for honest gear breakdowns, expert tutorials, documentaries, and hockey storytelling you won’t find anywhere else.

Click To Text The Our Kids Play Hockey Team!

NHL Sense Arena annual memberships are 50% off for the holidays, starting at just $29 a month — plus you can save an extra $25 with code OKPH at checkout.

Gift you hockey family the ultimate hockey training experience with NHL Sense Arena ‘26 — available now at hockey.sensearena.com/OKPH

Have A Topic You Want Us To Cover? Let us know!

Please Be Sure To Subscribe & Leave A Review For Us On Apple Podcasts, doing so helps our show grow!

Follow Us On Social Media:

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• X
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