Product Description
Do you believe in magic? Tracy does. When she starts using Wayne Gretzky's hockey stick, won by her parents at a charity auction, she suddenly becomes the best player on her hockey team. She hasn't become a better player overnight-it's the magic of The Great One's stick! But while Tracy's star is on the rise, Wayne's is steadily dropping. He's in the greatest slump of his career. Tracy knows that Wayne needs his magic stick back, but she needs it, too.The question is: Who needs it more? This heartfelt story, with its clever rhyme and vibrant artwork, will delight young readers.

"Even children who have no knowledge of hockey will be entertained by this book and impressed by its message. Maloney and Zekauskas have scored a winning goal with this one." (School Library Journal) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Bedtime Favorite
This book has been a bedtime favorite in our house for years, first with my older son and now with my second. It has even been to school a few times for "share". Great for any young hockey fan/player.

More than just a hockey book
My 6 year old son is a big sports fan and even bigger hockey fan.Even though he did not know Gretzky before reading this book, he loved the story from the first read.After hearing stories from his Dad about the Great One, he loved the book even more.I am very happy with my choice.

The Magic Hockey Stick
A great read! My 4 year old can now recite just about every page word for word. The main character is is a girl so the story line promotes equality!

nice book
Nice illustrations, good story with rhyme. Better for ages 6 and up probably.

The Magic Hockey Stick
Once again, you have sent a book that will also become my grandson'sfavorite reading.It is a pleasure ordering books through this website.
Jan ... Read more

Product Description
Here is the definitive exposé of the distorted science behind the iconic global warming graph centrally responsible for the global panic about climate change.

From Steve McIntyre's earliest attempts to reproduce the Michael Mann's Hockey Stick graph, to the explosive publication of his work and the launch of a congressional inquiry, The Hockey Stick Illusion is a remarkable tale of scientific misconduct and amateur sleuthing. It explains the complex science of this most controversial of temperature reconstructions in layperson's language and lays bare the remarkable extent to which climatologists have been willing to break their own rules in order to defend climate science's most famous finding.

The book also covers the recent leak of the email archives of the Climatic Research Unit which has led to the resignation of its Director, Professor Phil Jones, and exposed the degree to which climate scientists on both sides of the Atlantic have hidden and manipulated data to support their claims. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (34)

Thorough and thought provoking
I just finished the HSI this morning and highly recommend this book, even to those who are opposed to the skeptical viewpoint.One of the key insights of this book is how complicated the determination of historical global temperatures is and the potential pitfalls (and maybe impossibility) of reconstruction.The McIntyre McKittrick (M&M) critique of the Mann 1998 hockey stick paper identified questionable statistical techniques used to generate the HS, followed by interminable stonewalling of data requests by Mann et al.I deal with data in my work and I know how easy it is to make data mistakes, even with no political or professional issues.Data and computer programs must be available along with papers in order that other scientists can confirm/replicate results - what were Mann et al hiding?Careers and funding are highly dependent on the correct viewpoint on Anthropogenic Global Warming (AGW) and skeptics are definitely not welcome.When you consider how Michael Mann's career and status are dependent on that 1998 paper and its successors, you understand how a scientist can be locked into a position.

Jaw Dropping
I couldn't put this book down. Having completed 3 degrees heavily weighted in the maths used in the science I found it unbelievable the extent to which the science has been corrupted. If I'd submitted my assignments using the approaches used by the IPCC advisors I would have been failed by my lecturers, and rightly so! Each page I read my jaw dropped further. And to think most governments around the world are using said science as proof that we should tax the hell out of successful economies in order to save the planet. Give me a break! The only ones who will benefit from the corrupt science are those already trading carbon credits. My parents like most pensioners will find themselves unable to afford to leave the lights on and our countries will be the poorer for it.

Please, please read this book
Just finished reading "The Hockey Stick Illusion".It is astonishing to read clear, compelling evidence (some would say proof)of a conspiracy to promote junk science in the name of selling a catastrophic climate change agenda.I know, I know.Many who will say that all the experts can't be wrong; the debate is over.Well, read this book and decide for yourself how they did get it very wrong.If you want to get a taste before delving in to the actual book, do yourself a favour and read Matt Ridley's review in Prospect Magazine first. Then READ THIS BOOK.

A book well worth reading
Yes, there are hundreds of other books on this subject, but read The Hockey Stick Illusion anyway. It is an exciting story of fraud in climate science. The hero of the book is Steve McIntyre, a mining consultant who's an expert in statistics. With the help of a few other climate skeptics, he takes on the climate science establishment. The villain in The Hockey Stick Illusion is Michael Mann, a climatologist who he thinks is manipulating date to prove the 20th century was uniquely warm. Whatever your opinion is on global warming (I firmly believe it's real), you should be upset about climate scientists manipulating data in the service of a political agenda. Montford also has a interesting take on peer review, which he argues is not as useful or important as most people think.

Purchased for fear the truth would not be available
When I was looking for reference materials for my bookcase, I was not surprised that a book on global-warming would not be available from a USA publisher; that's right, the book comes from England (the same place where Al Gore's movie must be accompanied by an errata sheet).

The book is clear and concise, and when my children are old enough to ask about FACTS, TRUTH, and a intellectual honesty, I will have a source document for their investigation. ... Read more

Product Description
Carve out a spot on your bench, and in your library, for hockey's most comprehensive playbook.

Hockey Plays and Strategies presents all of the popular offensive, defensive, and special teams systems used in today's game, as well as tactical advice on making in-game adjustments and player match-ups at every level of play.

Veteran coaches Ryan Walter and Mike Johnston share more than 160 plays, systems, and strategies to control the ice and light up the net. In this one-of-a-kind guide, you'll learn these skills:

• Puck movement within the neutral zone to set up for attack zone entry and scoring chances on the rush
• Capitalizing on all odd-man rush scoring chances and shutting down the opposition's opportunities
• Executing lock-down defensive play in all zones to eliminate good scoring chances and shots on goal
• More than 25 power play systems for both the one-man and two-man advantage to keep the defense off balance and produce more scoring chances
• Penalty kill strategies that will stymie any attack and routinely clear the zone
• Controlling the puck and breaking up the opposition's play with aggressive forechecking and backchecking strategies
• Controlling the game with top-notch game management tips on line pairings and changes, key momentum changers, and many more in-game adjustments to keep your opponents on their heels throughout the game

Customer Reviews (3)

Best hockey book available
I have to agree with the other 2 reviewers.I have read practically every hockey coaching/drill book and watched nearly every video out there, and this one is in a class all by itself.This book has plenty of diagrams, but also the detailed explanation that is lacking in drill books.Other books tell you how to run the drill.This book does that too, but also focuses on the subtler teaching points.This book explains what you are trying to do (e.g. having the second forward drive in hard splitting the defenders and isolating one to create a 2-on-1) and why it works.I wish I would have had this book 10 years ago.

Nothing else like it
For years I have been searching for a book that goes beyond simple charts; arrows directing players without much explanation on why?Most books will describe the general concept of the play but provide little insight for each individual position.Being a right winger,I always found myself asking how would I read the play and choose the right course of action; read and react.Hockey plays and strategies is the first book I have found that effectively combines play diagrams with reading and reacting for each individual position.As a beer leaguer, I just wanted a book that could help me understand the subtle nuances of the game so I am grateful that Ryan Walter and mike johnstone decided to write this book and hope that there will be more in the future.

Another great book for technique is power skating by Laura stamm...

Hockey Plays and Strategies
This is an awsome book: it explains all aspects (from plays to bench managing) of hockey in a very simple and clear way. No "water", right to the point! Hockey theory and practice live together in this book. It's definitly great for both coaches and people (like me) who want to improve their skills on their own. ... Read more

Product Description

For many sports fans theres no such thing as too much hockey. And in I Spy with My Little Eye Hockey, young readers get double the fun. Matt Napier, author of Z is for Zamboni: A Hockey Alphabet, teams up with photographer David Milne to create a visual puzzle book that challenges the deductive skills and sharp eyes of young readers.

Customer Reviews (4)

not worth it
I purchased this book for my son. The pages looked like cheap copies. If this weren't bad enough, the pages were bound upside down!

If you love hockey and pride yourself on having a very keen eye for detail you're going to enjoy this book!
Do you know what a Zamboni is?If you do, perhaps you are a hockey fan.Long ago the "ice was resurfaced by a tractor pulling a scraper to shave the ice."People then rushed onto the ice shoveling, watering, doing a bit more touch up and then waiting for the water on the rink to freeze again.There have been many advances in the game of hockey over the past 150 years.Helmets have only been used extensively since the 1970s, players use one jersey for home play, another for their road games, and most sticks are now made from "composite" materials.In this book you'll learn a lot of trivia in the "Photo Fact" section beneath each "changed" photograph.

If you love hockey and pride yourself on having a very keen eye for detail you're going to enjoy this book.On the left-hand page you will see an interesting hockey-related photograph with a mini poetic clue underneath.On the right-hand page you're going to find the same photograph with many changes and a Photo Fact section beneath it.One photograph has only 14 changes while you can find another with a whopping 39.There are fourteen puzzles for you to explore.You're going to have to have a lot of patience to find thirty-nine changes!

I thought this book was well written and the photographs exciting and interesting, but there is an "almost" fatal flaw you won't notice until you get the book. Unless you are willing to mark up your copy of the book circling the changes, it is hardly worth the asking price for one use, especially if you'd like to have more than one youngster take advantage of this marvelously fun book.However, I did find one way to solve that dilemma.I took a piece of clear plastic wrap and covered the right-hand page with it and then I could easily circle the changes and count them.I had a great time, but unless you are a smarty pants you'll have a LOT of trouble spotting some of the very subtle changes in these pics.Have fun!

Good book- for older kids
This is a cute hockey story, but it doesn't hold the attention of my 4 year old as well as some other ones.

Great fun
It is a lovely book with wonderful hockey pictures, but much too difficult for my 4 year old and a few too many differences on some of the pages to keep track of for even an older child/adult. My 4 year old does love the photos and hockey theme, though. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Dino-Hockey RULES!
The author put a lot of thought into the wording in this book.My boys rave over Dino-Hockey, it will be a keeper for many years to come in our house!

My 6-year old son LOVES this book!
My kindergartener loves this book, and he's not even into dinosaurs or hockey.It's a favourite of all the kids in his kindergarten class, and the teacher often has to referee fights over who had it first, who gets it next, and who's already had a turn!(and these kids can't even read yet)

Hockey and Dinosaurs all in one book
Great Illustrations and Cute story line. I read it to my 4yr old. It combines his two favorite subjects.

Perfect for the hockey fan
My son (2.5) is a hockey fanatic, and he adores this book. I love the rhyming and illustrations. It's very cleverly written, one that I don't tire of reading over and over and...

My Daughter picks another winner.
This is a cute little story about a hockey match between meat and plant eating dinosaurs.

My girl likes both hockey and dinosaurs so it was easy to understand why she picked it.She also likes the type if illustration that is used in this book. Just for the artwork alone; the book is worth it.

It is also a well crafted story.It reads like a game announcer who is telling the game in rhyme.

A good story for bedtime but read it first as it is all but guaranteed to keep your child awake for the want to look at the pictures.

Now on to Dino-Soccer! ... Read more

Product Description
The official NHL guide to the hottest game on ice--now revised and updated!

Featuring the latest on Olympic hockey, the women's hockey phenomenon, and the latest NHL expansion teams, this Second Edition brings the game to life for fans, players, coaches, and parents. Action photos and play-by-play diagrams illustrate key plays and drills and offer conditioning tips for players at any level. This comprehensive guide features:

• All-new skill-building drills for kids and coaches
• More coverage of hockey Web sites, TV, and magazines
• Official photos and stats from the NHL
• Detailed diagrams that show what's really happening on the ice

Customer Reviews (22)

Thanks to this book, I can say "bye, bye NBA"
I grew up a basketball fan.I'm not sure why my parents let that happen, but John Davidson has helped to correct one of their few mistakes.

As a junior at SUNY Oswego, I was elected sports director of the college's radio station and found myself in a position where I would have to call play-by-play for school's most popular sport: hockey.My parents purchased this book for me and it was a life/career saver.I went from a guy who didn't know what "the point," "the slot," or "the half-boards" were to an announcer who was considered to be among the best in division III college hockey (I'm not making it up! Check the [...] message boards and search my name.)This book, and [...] Joe Gladziszewski are largely responsible for that transformation.

Know the rules
Very informative book.Know the rules and you can enjoy the game even more!

It's a good book.
Growing up in "winter country", my friends and I would often shovel-off some frozen pond out in the woods to skate and play a rather unorganized form of ice hockey. Now, I enjoy watching my grandson playing on a Mites team. However, I never really understood the game. What I have found, by reading this book, is that I now have enough information with which to talk hockey with my friends and get even more information on the sport from them. Going to professional and college hockey games is a real blast for me too, now that I understand more about the sport.

Satisfied
Though it wasn't received as quickly as I had hoped, it was in excellant condition and well handled!

Hockey for dummies book
The book is easy to read and understand. It has a nice flow talking about the game of hockey that makes it a good book. ... Read more

Product Description
"Z is for Zamboni" is an alphabet book for hockey fans young and old across America.Matt Napier's "breakaway" rhymes and "hard-checking" expository text team up with the "top-shelf" illustrations of Melanie Rose to elucidate this increasingly popular game for every beginning hockey aficionado.Highlighting rules, players, coaches, teams, and the history of the game, it is both fun and educational. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (30)

Z is for Zamboni
Very cool, well thought out book!Not only does it reitterate the alphabet, but it relates to something the children love.

Best. Thing. EVER.
The Product: I bought this for my nephew's 2nd birthday who runs into my hockey decorated room calling it "Hockeytown" and turns on my television always expecting the Red Wings game to be on.He opened it and immediately squealed "hockey!" and began turning it's pages pointing and laughing and saying hockey to the pages that obviously display the game.It's perfect for children just learning their ABC's and have a love for the sport, but also perfect for any hockey fan as it has the simplicity of learning the alphabet on the pages, but also on the edges of each page a more higher learning reading experience to the wonderful game.It is a book that he can have for many years and learn from far beyond his ABC's.He just simply loved it.Best thing ever!
The Seller: It was shipped and received quicker than I expected, and it was very well packaged.Thank you so much.I will be a repeated customer in the future. :)Have a wonderful day!

Good "beginner" glossary for young hockey fans
This is a decent beginner book for young hockey fans.I would've used different words for a couple of the letters, but overall it is a good book.This is not a glossary, as I originally expected, but instead incorporates some history and legendary players.We take our 19-month-old son to quite a few PENS games, and this helps to pass time at intermissions.

A great introduction to hockey!
I am always curious to learn just what letter will be used in the title of an alphabet book. "Z is for Zamboni" is perfect! Why? Because what I know about hockey is contained in the title: a zamboni (to quote the book) is "a machine that cleans the ice, ensuring for tomorrow's game/ a surface smooth and nice."

I looked at all the hockey books in the children's division of Amazon, seeking just one representative, informative book about hockey. I had a request from one of my younger patrons/students for a book on hockey. Being familiar with the alphabet books, I knew this one would not disappoint. In fact, I am sure it will delight.

But back to that zamboni. "The ice of the hockey arena becomes rough and chopped-up after the players skate on it for awhile." Repairing it was difficult until Frank Zamboni, in 1949, "invented a motorized ice-resurfacing machine" which "scrapes off a thin layer of ice and lay(s) down an even amount of water" at the beginning of each period and each game.

Does the above wording seem written for ages 4-8, the intended audience? The way all these alphabet books works is this: the little rhyming quatrains and illustrations are for kids and the more detailed information on the sides of each double-paged spread is for older audiences, making this book one for all ages. That is pretty much true for all the alphabet books.

The history of hockey, players, terms, sporting events, and participation in the sport are items included in the book. And, wow, I learned quite a bit in my read-through. Young readers will have a field day with this book. No, make that: Young readers will have a hockey game with this book. No, that means hitting and shoving and perhaps a P: penalty for two, five, or ten minutes. Do you know that, unlike other sports, when a player is sent to the penalty box, there is no replacement player? That's the double-edged penalty: against the player AND the team. Interesting item: P is for puck, "black rubber to the core." Obviously, puck represents the P, not penalty, because the word "puck" is lesser known than "penalty."

K is for King Clancy: "How much can one man do?/ Not only did he play and coach,/ he was a manger, too." And a referee. In fact, he is such a legend that an award was set in his name and presented annually to the player that "best displays leadership skills on and off the ice."

Oh yes, I forgot. I know Gretzky, in addition to zamboni. Wayne Gretzky "is considered by many to be the greatest player to ever play the game of hockey...and holds over 60 NHL records for scoring and playmaking." Indeed!

Other letters: E is for equipment (Jacques Plante was the first goalie to wear a mask--1959)--the illustration shows two boys, age 8 or so, sitting on a bench in the locker room, intently putting on their uniforms with their equipment next to them (my favorite illustration!), S and T are for penalties--Slash and Trip, H is for the Hall of Fame, which opened in Toronto in 1961, U is for Team USA, "Who, to everyone's surprise,/ at Lake Placid won Olympic Gold/," and O is for the "Original Six,/ the first teams in the NHL:/ Boston, Toronto, New York, Montreal, Detroit, and Chicago, as well."

This review began with the last alphabet letter and will close with the first: A is for Arena, but also All-Star game. An interesting factoid: "The fans often pick the team starters."

It is widely known in educational circles that a good test is also a teaching tool. I hope this review serves the same purpose, not only to enlighten about the book's contents, but also to offer a few hockey facts for brain storage.

Although intended for audiences 4-8 (I want to extend that to 12), "Z is for Zamboni" is the kind of directly presented information with excellent illustrations that entice adults to appreciate it along with their children. Highly recommended to those seeking background knowledge of the game.

Hockey Lovers will love it!
We are a hockey family, so we've enjoyed this book since the little guy was a year old.There are in-depth hockey descriptions or short.Now he's 2 and can say many of the short phrases.He loves this book! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (5)

A Worthwhile Collection
Quibbles first: I don't know if anyone can fairly claim to have collected "The Greatest Hockey Stories Ever Told." There are far too many to fit in one volume, and no matter how varied your selection, you're going to miss several stories that some diehard hockey fan somewhere will gripe about. (Which is why I'm going to end my complaint there.)

That said, please don't make the mistake I did and assume that this book will fall short of your expectations. Urstadt's collection is worth every penny. From 1980's "Miracle on Ice" to junior hockey in Flin Flon, Manitoba, Urstadt has managed to capture the many sides of the game, offering blow-by-blow accounts of hockey games from around the world--including Romania and Corpus Christi, Texas. (Believe it or not, they're actually quite similar.)

There are highlights, including Red Fisher's memories of Hector "Toe" Blake; "The Style of the Man" by Hugh Hood, which uses near-scientific poetry to describe the graceful ferocity of Jean Beliveau; and Jeff Robinson's painfully accurate take on the hockey fan. Yet, almost every selection will have you flipping to the back of the book, looking with hope to see if it was merely an excerpt. (I myself have added several books to my wish list thanks to this volume.)

The one disappointment, oddly enough, is a short article by William Faulkner ("An Innocent at Rinkside") originally printed in Sports Illustrated. It's clear that Faulkner didn't understand and didn't like hockey, and in the end, he uses his presence at Madison Square Gardens to question the common practice of beginning sports events with the national anthem. Blech.

So, even if I can't help but complain about the title, I have to admit: this book serves up some darn good tales. You'd be sorry not to pick it up.

Great find.
The title is true to it's word - a great collection of extremely interesting hockey stories. Very happy I made the purchase.

A very eclectic and enjoyable collection
I've read a lot of hockey books and found most of them to be light on substance from either a literary or technical standpoint. This collection, however, captures so many of the nuances and back stories that make the game of hockey so incredibly unique. E.M. Swifts piece titled "A Reminder Of What We Can Be" is my favorite hockey story ever. I was a 15 year old hockey player at the time the United States beat the Soviet Union and I remember following that team in the papers all winter. When the big game was tape delayed, I was so disappointed because I had a game that night and we didn't have a VCR back then. One of the fathers had a B&W television going in the penalty box and although we new the outcome, both teams decided to stop play and huddle around that television to watch the 3rd period. We hugged and high fived as if we had beaten the mighty Russians ourselves. That moment in time was a rare convergence of what is great about life and hockey. E.M. Swift clearly understands the meaning.
"Facing The Shooter" by Wilkinson is a fantastic account of what its really like to play the most stressful position in sports, hockey goaltender.
This book may be a bit difficult for younger readers to get through and grasp, but older fans will appreciate the depth and quality of the writing.

Any true hockey fan will relish this special book
Reviewed by Beverly Pechin for Reader Views (2/07)

Being an avid hockey fan I wasn't too expectant upon reading "short stories" about the great moments in hockey and being surprised by what they had to say. Imagine my delight when I found not only interesting and completely out of the ordinary tales of some of the most memorable moments in hockey, right before my eyes, but stories told that I knew with inside looks that make them seem completely different than any other I've read.

"The Greatest Hockey Stories Ever Told" is a wonderful compilation of stories regarding the greatest game on ice, hockey. With everything from "The Miracle Team" from a perspective you probably have never heard before to "A Portrait of The Great One," Wayne Gretzky, you will find each story with its own form and style, told like no other. With so many authors contributing to the book, there is an infinite amount of perspectives that you probably have never seen before on the game. Hockey greats like Toe Blake, Wayne Gretzky, and the infamous Montreal Canadiens and their years of reign are all topics of conversation in this great book of hockey stories and memories.

The style and content are so unique to any other hockey book I've ever read that I am somewhat speechless as to how to compare it to anything else. Loaded with stories, insider's views, coaches' memories, team moments and so much more, any true hockey fan will relish this special book and all its content. The ability to read a story and put it down to come back to later makes it a great book to simply keep around to get your "hockey fix," especially out of season! So after the Cup Craze is over, pull up a seat and enjoy an inside look at the real life stories of hockey and all of its glorious moments. Even the most well-versed and trivia filled amongst us will find an inside look at this great life on and off the ice in "The Greatest Hockey Stories Ever Told."

Wide variety of stories
This mini-anthology has a wide range of hockey stories from one written by the American, Pulitzer-winning author William Faulkner (this story was junk, though well written if you like Faulkner) to life on the road as a minor league player hoping to be called up (poignantly and rawly written like the life itself), to a homily to Toe Blake, to a portrait of The Great One (Gretzky) by Peter Gzowski, to how to make your own backyard rink.

The quality of writing is generally very good and virtually every story offers an interesting perspective on the game. Stories are short so you can read one on the subway or before you go to bed at night. All in all, a decent hard cover to have on your bookshelf. ... Read more

Product Description
With 446 drills covering every facet of the sport, The Hockey Drill Book is the most comprehensive resource for today's players and coaches.

Former National Hockey League and World Championship gold-medal coach Dave Chambers has spent thousands of hours in the world's top rinks. In The Hockey Drill Book he provides you with the same drills used by North America's and Europe's elite.

Along with detailed diagrams, illustrations, and coaching tips, the 446 drills cover each position, offensive and defensive systems, pregame warm-ups, on-ice conditioning, and game-specific situations, including power plays, penalty killing, and face-offs.

Whether your goal is to improve your game or lead your team to glory, rely on The Hockey Drill Book--it is the only drill book you'll ever need. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Terrific Practice Manual
I've had the book for about a month and it's already paid for itself. I've already used or modified a dozen drills in Squirt-level practice.

Speaking as a house-level and part-time-travel coach, this book is a terrific guide for adding to your practice plan repertoire.

Great Book
Great drill book, has almost every drill you could ever want. It is good for any age group. Very easy to use, and understand. I was a big help for me to create my coaching drill planner.

coaching ice hockey
this drill book is excellent. dave chambers does a great job of diagraming
various drills that are easy to understand. A coach from any level can benefit from this book.Also, Amazon.com is very prompt in sending anything
you purchase through them. I've had a great experience doing business with them.
Thanks, Wayne Glover ... Read more

Product Description
The bible for hockey coaches at all levels of competition.

The Hockey Play Book is a practical handbook for coaches seeking better players and better team-play.

The book features systems for defensive, offensive and special-team situations, all accompanied by annotated, easy-to-understand diagrams. The systems range from conservative to aggressive -- some are intended for big, physical teams; others for fast-skating and highly skilled teams; and some work for both. Also included are teaching methods and drills for honing specific skills.

The first challenge for every coach is to determine the abilities of each skater. The approach in The Hockey Play Book is effective with players of all ages and levels of ability. Coaches can match systems with team strategy, bringing a special creative magic to one of the fastest team sports in the world.

The Hockey Play Book includes:- 500 step-by-step diagrams- Dozens of plays and skill-building drills- Conservative and aggressive systems- Teaching strategies for all levels of play ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Not bad
After searching the web endlessly for any help with winger positioning, I went ahead and took the risk of buying this book.I was very suprised at how much I didn't know about the game I play.Even though this book is flooded with play after play, I gained a better understanding of all the drills I've had to run over a lifetime of practices.I recommend "reading" this book if you're someone who, like me, needs every line explained and detailed in order to understand why your coach keeps yelling at you when you thought you were executing the play correctly.

Incredible hockey book
This is the most important book in my coaching collection. It has everything a coach needs. Positioning, systems, drills, and it has alot of options for each. This may be the only book a coach needs.

Learning Hockey movements....organizing the Chaos
I remember learning basketball as a kid...watching it on TV was boring, one team scored, the other scored and not much looked different.

Then I learned about offense and defense and it all changed...became a lot more enjoyable and to this day I can watch a game and get involved.

Well, I'm learning Hockey now...as an adult.I don't have coaches around me to teach me...this book gives a good insight on what to look out for in a game...Offense and defense.

After one reading I went to a game....and it was a different experience.More enjoyable...a deeper connection with the game.

I didn't know exactly what was happeneing on the ice, but knew the basics and was able to more fully follow what the guys were trying to do.

I look forward to a few more readings through this book...and getting ready to watch the playoffs this year....with a more tuned in eye.

Very nice layout
The book is layed out well, and the drills are helpful.My only disappointment was that the book is taylored to older kids who can more readily grasp the basic concepts.Most of the book is too advanced for Mites and squirts.

A good resource for more advanced teams
A good resource for an inexperienced coach to find the info needed to introduce the X's and O's to a house Pee Wee team. Very helpfull ... Read more

Product Description
A perennial favorite now in its third edition, Ice Hockey Made Simple: A Spectator's Guide helps guide viewers through the rules of the fast-moving and often confusing sport of ice hockey. This book helps answer the questions the growing number of people who would like to learn about hockey are afraid to ask!!

This soft-covered handbook covers everything a new fan needs to know to understand and appreciate hockey. Short, easy-to-understand chapters along with diagrams and action photographs explain:*The object of hockey
*The simplified rules of the game
*Strategy
*What viewers should look for during the game
*Biographies of famous hockey personalities, past and present

The book also helps guide the reader through the confusing jumble of numbers and statistics published in the sports page every day.

The existing hockey fan will also be attracted to this book for its coverage of the lates t National Hockey League (NHL) rule changes and updated statistics.With the growing popu larity of this sport all over the United States, especially in California, Florida, Texas and Colorado where newly established teams are flourishing, this book is a must.

Follow the action with this handy reference guide.

A complete glossary and index makes finding information a snap Makes a great gift Pocket-sized - take it to the game ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Buy this if you like hockey.
I love to watch the Sharks, but I don't always know what the heck is going on.This will help you understand the rules and then you'll be a hockey fan too.Way better than football and basketball.Enjoy!

JUNIPER
The service was great. And I really like the book. A lot of good info that I can understand.

Ice Hockey
I found the book to be everything i had hoped for.Being a new fan to the sport of ice hockey i loved watching, but knew i would enjoy it much more if i knew the rules.This book supplied all the knowledge you need to know about what is going on out there on the ice.It truly enhanced my appreciation of the sport.

Just what I needed
As a brand new Ontario Reign fan (ECHL) I've been enjoying the games, but realized I don't know what's going on 1/2 the time (not that I REALLY minded). But now I feel I have a good idea why some of the 'strange' stuff I've seen is being done. Makes more sense to me now. I can't wait for the next game, and I'll start to see how much more of it I will catch now. It's such a fast game, it still make take me a bit, but at least I have a head start now.
Not for anyone who has a clue, but perfect for those of us itching to get one.

Good book for an introduction to hockey
Needs to be updated to reflect significant rule changes in NHL in last 3 years, but otherwise it is a good introduction to hockey.Has lots of good, clearillustrations.The greatest value of this book is the illustrations of referee signals since when watching amateur hockey or league hockey the ref's signal is not announced over a PA system. ... Read more

Product Description
The companion volume to our bestselling, Blue Spruce Award winner, Z is for Zamboni: A Hockey Alphabet. Like our alphabet series our counting books are written in a two-tier format with charming poems for young readers and expository text for older readers. Young sports fans see numbers everywhere - the scoreboard, the retired jerseys in the rafters, the numerology of sports stats - and Hat Tricks Count: A Hockey Number Book delivers them faster than an assist from the Great One, number 99 himself. Hat Tricks Count will answer many of the fast paced questions kids have. What is a Hat Trick, anyway? Cross checking, high sticking, and hooking penalties add up to what? Who scored more career goals - Gordie Howe or Wayne Gretzky? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

A Simple Book
The greatest achievements in Hockey are celebrated in this book as well as simple rules. There is additional information on the side bars of each page. And for someone who knows nothing about hockey, this book taught me a lot. It also kept the attention span of my oldest, which is not always easy to do.

Mr. Napier put a lot of information into terms most younger kids could understand. I was impressed as well as how interactive the book was as well. I definitely would love to read more of this author's work.

Every hockey mom or grandma should have this book
I was given Z is for Zamboni as a gift a few years ago.This book completes the set!!!!For the hockey lover in your family no matter the age!

It's informative, interesting, and the illustrations are BEAUTIFUL!

Not for kids learning to count
The title is misleading.I bought the book for my 3 year old who is learning to count.The book is essentially a bunch of text from a hockey history book (which does not engage young kids) with some numbers added to magically make it a counting book.Very bad book.

Look to the "Brady, Brady" series for good hockey books for kids.

Little Hockey Fans
This sturdy board book is colorful and fun especially for a 2 year-old boy in my family daycare who is obsessed with hockey right now. We keep it in a special place in our cozy book corner for him. Another 4-year old who is a hockey team drop-out at the moment is rebuilding his interest in playing and this book is a great help and encouragement. I gave them their own copy for Christmas and it has a place in the 2 year-old's crib at home.

Good to go with Z is for Zamboni
This book is a good follow up to Z is fo Zamboni.It has numbers rather than letters, and the two would make a great gift together.As a stand alone book it is not as good as the Zamboni book though. ... Read more

Product Description
You thought you'd read them all, did you? Well, you haven't.

Simultaneously loved and loathed, Don Cherry is one of the most talkative and talked-about personalities in hockey today. His more than twenty-five years as a player and coach have informed his popular Hockey Night in Canada commentary segment, "Coach's Corner." And now he's got more stories to share.

In Don Cherry's Hockey Stories, Part 2, Grapes tells us about the 2010 Stanley Cup, relays the lessons he's learned both on and off the ice, and takes us inside hockey's mythical players' "code." You'll encounter familiar names from the game and find out who this idol looks up to. You'll travel back in time to Cherry's days playing in the minor leagues. You'll share his experiences of being named Coach of the Year in the NHL and in the AHL. And you'll hear from his kids about what it was like growing up with a dad like Don..

Don Cherry tells it like it is, for better or for worse. You won't be disappointed.

P.S. Don wants you to know it's a book the whole family can enjoy. ... Read more

Product Description

An all-star collection of wise, sarcastic and hilarious quotes.

Shooting from the Lip is full of the off-the-cuff comments that keep millions of fans not only watching games, but also avidly reading the sports pages. They're fresh, they're frank, and they're all about hockey. For example:

• You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take. (Center Wayne Gretzky)
• I was kind of hoping it would straighten it out. (Center Rod Brind'Amour, after suffering his fourth broken nose)
• I'm not dirty, just aggressive. Fighter pilots have machine guns. I have only my mask and stick. (Goalie Gerry Cheevers)
• I don't want to tell you half truths, unless they're completely accurate. (Coach Alain Vigneault).

There are 300-plus quotes representing 50 years of hockey, further enlivened with colorful graphics and photographs of the featured players, coaches and other personalities.

The book is organized into a wide range of topics, including attitude, blowouts, coaching and fans, hockey hair, injuries and feuds, penalties and goons, taking shots, and winning and losing.

Whether consumed in random nibbles or devoured in one sitting, Shooting from the Lip will entertain hockey fans of all ages.

Customer Reviews (5)

Awesome!It's a fun read for any hockey fan
I bought this for my husband, the hockey guy, after reading the reviews.I've been a hockey fan all my life as well, so when it arrived, I thumbed through it.An hour later, and I was still flipping through it, laughing at the comments written inside.It's now put away for Christmas, anbd I think he's going to love it.It's a very funny read.Good stocking stuffer!

very entertaining reading
This book was very funny and easy reading, lots of laughs, really enjoyed this book and would recommend to other hockey fans.

Great Gift
I purchased this book as a gift for a 15 year old.His mother told me he loved it almost as much as his father!

Hilarious
Although a quick read, this book is still hilarious for anyone who's enjoyed the team locker room environment, and especially so for hockey players. Great for the coffee table.

Great Quotes and fun to read
This book was a lot of fun to read. I found that some of the qoutes in the book are useful for your own friends. It's not a serious book in anyway. It's just a good time and will make you laugh. ... Read more

Product Description
Develop the focus, tenacity, poise, and team attitude needed to excel on the ice. Hockey Tough builds on physical skills by strengthening mental factors that apply directly to the game. Performance consultant Saul Miller presents the training techniques he has taught hockey players and teams for more than 20 years throughout North America. In addition, NHL stars such as Mark Messier, Pavel Bure, Chris Pronger, Steve Yzerman, and Markus Naslund offer inside tips on how to play with a winning mind-set. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Good stuff
This book Hockey Tough I bought for my son who is playing competitive AAA Midget hockey.My older son read the book and thought it was great.He really likes the suggestions on hockey as a mental game.It gives advice on how to work through situations that you might be dealing with in the game of hockey.Good book for the hockey player!

Hockey Tough
good book, but save yourself the cost of expedited shipping.I chose this option from a used book seller, but it still took a long time for the book to arrive.

Excellent book for the underestimated "mental" game
O.K., so everybody says sports (at a certain level) are 90% mental and 10% skill.It's so common it's a cliche.So...why doesn't anybody take getting mentally prepared for the game seriously?Good question.And that's the one Saul Miller tries to tackle in this book.

I'll admit, I was a little skeptical at first.I though "probably a little too touchy feely."But I gave the book a chance, and I'm glad I did.Miller lays out in plain language how simple mental preparation can really affect your gameplay.The funny thing is, after reading it, it just seems like common sense that you should prepare mentally.Everyone always complains about players who "just didn't show up today" or "have their heads in the clouds."These techniques offer simple ways to stay focused, in the game, and able to execute when needed.

These techniques are similar to any endeavor that requires lots of skill and precise execution.Military service, aviation, etc. are examples of professions where having the mental toughness to persevere and succeed are prerequisites for success.Miller translates these same techniques into the hockey vernacular.

The book covers pre-game preparation and visualization, handling of positive and negative emotions inherent in the game, and techniques for forwards, D and Goalies to use to keep them focused on the game at hand, not the shot they missed 2 shifts ago.It is an easy read, efficiently laid out and well written.The advice given is practical and easily put into use in your next game.I highly recommend it.

Great book
I bought this for my teenage son.The book focuses on keeping a positive state of mind, keeping your spirits up and expecting the best.It's a great message for life in general, not just hockey.My son says it really helped his game, and helps him deal with things when they don't always go his way.Highly recommended.

Hockey Tough is a Great Book!
I've played ice hockey on and off my whole life, but it seemed like my game had hit a wall. I did not feel like I was improving any longer. Instead I felt I was doomed to be an average player forever. About 6 months ago I discovered Hockey Tough and it has changed the way I look at my game. Furthermore my game has improved because my confidence has improved. Now all of my teammates want to borrow it. If you buy this book do us all a favor and keep it a secret. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Good book but...
I was looking for a book that wasn't a dummies book that had all the info I was looking for, this is a great book but not exactly what I was looking for. Instead of info and facts it gave me a quis and a million questions, the answers are on the back but in the end it doesn't tell you what you need to know to understand the game.
... Read more

Product Description

A revealing look at the good, the bad, and the ugly of minor hockey culture

Known as TSN's "Hockey Insider," Canada's Bob McKenzie is synonymous with the sport and one of its most respected analysts. In Hockey Dad, McKenzie describes firsthand the joys and heartbreak of raising two sons, with entirely diverging athletic futures. He details their separate paths, describing Michael, a 22-year-old playing NCAA hockey on scholarship, and Shawn, now 19, whose competitive minor hockey life was cut short at age 14 because of multiple concussions. Their deeply personal stories, and the trials and tribulations of a father creating futures for them, offer readers a compelling look into the world and culture of minor hockey.

• Includes funny anecdotes, debates on numerous hockey issues, and personal reflections on the game and its culture

With an unwavering look at his own strengths and weaknesses, as well as the entire system of minor hockey in Canada, Hockey Dad is an honest, irreverent and sometimes moving look at a sporting culture that is not so much a recreation as it is a way of life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

True true confessions.....
The culture of being hockey parent is truly a mystery to anyone who has not been indoctrinated into the fold.Yes, some relate it to being a soccer parent, little league parent but there is nothing like waking up your little player in the wee hours of the morning, shoving something warm and nutritious into their mouths every time they yawn, driving to a rink in the dark, hauling out the gear and lugging it to a locker room located in the deep recesses of a rink; only to find you forgot your little player in the car..., dressing him/her while trying not to gag from the funky odor permeating the room. After all is said and done, you sit, feeling like a Popsicle, for an hour or more in a rink that doubles as the local freezer storage for the town.Afterward, you reverse the process of what you did an hour ago. Yep, nothing like being a hockey parent.Bob McKenzie hit the proverbial nail right on the head or should I say, one timed the frozen biscuit into the basket.Spending the whole weekend, camped out on a lawn chair at your local rink just for an opportunity to sign your little one up for an in house league? The stories he mentions in the book has all the hockey parents of the world nodding and laughing their heads off simultaneously.For those who have yet to wander down that path, are curious what makes a hockey parent tick or just want to get a good laugh, I highly recommend this book.It's a fast and easy read.I just picked up additional copies for our coaches.

Great Read
A thoroughly entertaining and informative book that reads almost like a diary. I recommend it to all the hockey parents out there as well as their children when they're old enough to understand and appreciate all the trouble their parent's went through. Although it isn't preachy, there are stories with subtle morals that can be used by anyone.

Hockey Dad; True Confessions of a (Crazy) Hockey Parent
Bob does a great job of sharing his view on being a parent, coach, and member of the world of youth hockey and sports in general. He reminds us in many suttle and not so suttle ways at the end of the day, its just a game. That being the case, our goal as parents and coaches is to simple embrace our kids and encourage them as they use sports to develop their character. Must read for anyone involved in youth sports. Must read even if you're nothing more than a simple parent.

A MUST READ FOR ANY HOCKEY FAN WHO IS ALSO A DAD!
This is a must read for any hockey fan who is also a dad. Bob M. is my hockey GOD! I have watched him for many years and have always put my 100% complete faith in his knowledge of the game. His information is timely and is a big help in my keeping up with the current situations that arise during the hockey season.

If you are a dad and especially a hockey dad you will feel what Bob feels when it comoes to his sons and their hockey lives. He is a proud dad and his sons are so lucky to have an "in" when it comes to the inner workings of hockey at ALL levels.

There are dozens of new hockey books being published these days and the FIRST one that should be on your reading list is HOCKEY DAD! ... Read more

Product Description
For young fans aged six to 16, this book answers virtually any question they may have about the game. Chapters cover the basics, history of the game, rules (from offside to face-offs), penalties, officials, scoring, equipment, players, strategy, and much more. There is also a handy appendix of hockey terms and their easy-to-understand meanings. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Too wordy!
The average kid is not going to enjoy this book.Too many long, wordy chapters, too few diagrams and pictures.I was very disappointed in this book.

Buy this book!
No book covers the game of hockey as clearly and entertainingly.The book is organized in question and answer format which makes it easy to understand and to quickly reference any fact "on the fly". Kids'Book of Hockey is definitely not just for kids - I've been a hockey fan forover 10 years and am amazed at how much this book has taught me.Thanks tothis book, I now (finally) know everything that's going on when I watch agame.

Buy this book!
No book covers the basics of the game of hockey and the game's history as clearly and entertainingly. The information is organized in question and answer format which makes it easy to understand and to quickly referenceany fact "on the fly".Kid's Book of Hockey is definitely notjust for kids - I've been a hockey fan for over 10 years and am amazed athow much this book taught me. Thanks to this book, I now (finally) knoweverything that's going on when I watch a game. ... Read more

Product Description
In the days of Roch’s childhood, winters in the village of Ste. Justine were long. Life centered around school, church, and the hockey rink, and every boy’s hero was Montreal Canadiens hockey legend Maurice Richard. Everyone wore Richard’s number 9. They laced their skates like Richard. They even wore their hair like Richard. When Roch outgrows his cherished Canadiens sweater, his mother writes away for a new one. Much to Roch’s horror, he is sent the blue and white sweater of the rival Toronto Maple Leafs, dreaded and hated foes to his beloved team. How can Roch face the other kids at the rink? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

classic
i had to watch the film for this in elementary school once or twice, so when i read it i have the voice of the narrator in my head. but, as all of the other reviews have said (making this repetitive and somewhat unnecessary) it is a classic children's book. it encapsulates the tension between Quebec and Ontario, that still exists today, but not as much i think. I'm not at all into hockey myself, but am around hockey players so have been exposed to it in some form or another all my life, which might be why i relate to it. but hockey player or not pretty much anyone can relate as its about a kid not getting what he wants and having to cope. and if you don't read it, at least go watch the short film, which is debatably better (or that might just be my preference as i saw the film first).

Started out great, but the ending was odd
The story started out great.A little boy who wanted to be like his Hockey idol.He had always worn the same jersey for years, but this year his Mom bought him a jersey from a different team.He was not happy.But he wears the jersey anyway.The ending is what was weird.It was like it was missing some pages or something.It just didn't end well in my opinion.

The Cultural tension of Canada told through hockey
The Hockey Sweater is a book that I grew up loving and when I entered Teacher's College (Primary) I made it priority to have it in my library. I have found the book is excellent to read to students of all ages. The religious connotation is not a problem for public schools as long as a pre-intro is given to tell children that the Quebe education system was for the majority made up of Catholic schools.
Living in a different country where ice hockey is not well known it has been a perfect book to describe hockey, which I get a lot of questions about. For the older students I have used it too describe the hidden cultural tension that exists behind the sport.I.E. the french and english rivalary and then expanded this to incorporate how rugby for example is similar when we look at New Zealand...North and South Island or even in a larger context....New Zealand versus Australia.

blah ending
what i thought would be a great book for my 2 hockey players ( ages 6 + 9), we were all dissapointed in the ending.the story builds as the boy is the only one with a different sweater from everyone else.Instead of something great happening to him, it ends with him in church praying that moths eat the sweater.period , thats the end. not very inspirational for your kids.want a great hockey book?get "The Magical Hockey Stick" its great!

Classic Canuck Childrens Book Hits Home with American Dude
The Hockey Sweater is such a nice little childrens book that can melt the heart of any hockey fan no matter how old. The book is great for young people, the illustrations are adorable and there is some hockey history laid in the book as well. It is a nice look back on a semi-forgotten time and it is nice to introduce old-school hockey to the youngsters. I am going to read this book to my nephew once he is old enough and if that is not recommendation enough to get your hands on this book yourself, then I am lost for words. ... Read more

Product Description
The Story of the Greatest Sports Moment of the Twentieth Century

Once upon a time, they taught us to believe. They were the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team, a blue-collar bunch led by an unconventional coach, and they engineered what Sports Illustrated called the greatest sports moment of the twentieth century. Their “Miracle on Ice” has become a national fairy tale, but the real Cinderella story is even more remarkable.

Wayne Coffey casts a fresh eye on this seminal sports event, giving readers an ice-level view of the amateurs who took on a Russian hockey juggernaut at the height of the Cold War. He details the unusual chemistry of the Americans—formulated by their fiercely determined coach, Herb Brooks—and seamlessly weaves portraits of the boys with the fluid action of the game itself. Coffey also traces the paths of the players and coaches since their stunning victory, examining how the Olympic events affected their lives.

Told with warmth and an uncanny eye for detail, The Boys of Winter is an intimate, perceptive portrayal of one Friday night in Lake Placid and the enduring power of the extraordinary.


Also available as an eBook ... Read more

Customer Reviews (36)

Relive the Game and Get to Know the Players
Coffey writes an awesome book, capturing not only the drama of the game with the Russians, but also providing snapshot biographies of the key players.Like an expert skater, he weaves in and out with game and player details.The story never gets old and the insight as to the boys in red, white and blue is fascinating. Matters not if you are a hockey fan or sports fan or even if you weren't yet born in 1980, pick it up and give it a read.Great book about a key moment in sports and our nation's history.

Good read
My son actually had to read this book as part of a report for his English class, but said he really enjoyed reading it. He is a huge hockey fan and plays the sport himself, so it probably wasn't a stretch.

The Boys of Winter:The Untold Story of a Coach, a Dream, and the 1980 Olympic Hockey Team
The book arrived in new condition, even though I paid used price.The content of the book is very detailed with every USA Olympic hockey player featured thoughout the book.In addition, the author interviewed the Soviet hockey players and gives their view of the game.A must read for hockey fans.

Good read...Great memories
Anyone who fondly remembers the "Miracle On Ice" will find this book to be an enjoyable walk down memory lane of the greatest sports event in the history of the United States.The author's unique storytelling intertwines the play-by-play of the semi-final game between the USA and USSR with the individual stories of the game's major "characters."

The story of the game and circumstances surrounding that time in US history has been told so many times, that many of the tales in the book are familiar but the author keeps it interesting.He also provides more insight into the Soviet team and its background than I've ever previously encountered.The only dissapointment for me was the lack of attention to the other games that the United States played during its Olympic run.

I was at that game
I just finished reading Wayne Coffey's book "The Boys of Winter" and old memories came back,
as I was at that game on February 22-1980 in Lake Placid. The book tells this incredible story
in a fascinating way. Once you start reading it, you cannot stop reading, so interestingly it
is written. You learn a lot what happened befor and after this game.
I highly recommend this book.
Bernard SamterFebruary 25-2010
... Read more