Marco Pietroniro: Building Better Hockey Players Through Development

Marco Pietroniro: Building Better Hockey Players Through Development

In this episode of Stops and Starts, Marc sits down with longtime hockey coach, former professional player, and Universel Academy leader Marco Pietroniro to talk about one of the biggest questions facing players and families today: What is the right development path for your player? Marco shares his journey from youth hockey in Montreal, to junior hockey in the Q, to playing professionally overseas and in North America, before shifting into coaching and player development. The conversation dives deep into the modern hockey landscape, including prep hockey, junior hockey, the NCDC, USPHL Premier, CHL opportunities, college pathways, and why development is not always about chasing the biggest logo. Marc and Marco also discuss the importance of trust between families, coaches, and players, why some athletes need more time to develop, how Universel Academy structures its program, and why the right environment can make all the difference for a young player trying to reach the next level. This episode is especially helpful for hockey parents, youth players, junior prospects, and families trying to understand the many different routes available beyond the traditional “all or nothing” hockey path. For more information about Universel Academy / Collège Universel hockey, contact Marco Pietroniro at mpietroniro@collegeuniversel.ca [mpietroniro@collegeuniversel.ca]. 00:00 – Welcome to Stops and Starts 00:32 – The mission: helping families understand different hockey paths 01:37 – Introducing Marco Pietroniro 02:03 – Marco’s youth, junior, and professional hockey journey 02:57 – Finding his “NHL” overseas 03:40 – From pro hockey to coaching and junior hockey 04:20 – Shifting from winning to player development 05:51 – Why trust is critical for hockey families 07:18 – Honest conversations with players and parents 09:15 – Why not every player is a D1 or NHL prospect 11:54 – Marco’s move into Bishop’s College School 12:10 – Coaching to develop instead of only coaching to win 13:09 – The vision behind Universel Academy 15:15 – Giving young players a challenging development environment 17:28 – Why Universel Academy plays younger players at higher levels 19:00 – Confidence, opportunity, and learning from mistakes 20:30 – Why ice time and special teams opportunities matter 22:58 – The gap between youth hockey and junior hockey 23:45 – Why experience at the junior level is so valuable 24:28 – Universel Academy team structure and locations 24:50 – U18, USPHL Premier, NCDC, costs, travel, and academics 27:50 – A day in the life of a Universel Academy player 29:10 – Ice time, skills sessions, and practicing up a level 30:50 – Universel as a bridge to higher levels of hockey 33:07 – Global Advancement and player placement 35:10 – The changing junior hockey landscape and rule changes 36:16 – How college hockey timelines are changing 37:08 – Who benefits most from the new hockey landscape? 38:42 – D3, U Sports, Europe, and nontraditional pathways 39:36 – Marco’s thoughts on the future of the NCDC 40:52 – Why the NCDC can be a stepping stone, not an endgame 41:59 – More opportunities through CHL, OHL, QMJHL, and other camps 43:03 – Why opportunity and development matter most 43:37 – How to connect with Marco and Universel Academy 44:05 – Closing thoughts

The Truth About Hockey Development with Patrick Schafer

In this episode of Stop and Starts, Marc Genest sits down with Patrick Schafer of Schaefer Hockey Group to discuss one of the most important topics in youth hockey: finding the right path for player development. From youth hockey and junior hockey to college recruiting and professional opportunities, Patrick shares insights from his playing career, coaching experience, and years of advising players and families through the ever-changing hockey landscape. The conversation covers development versus exposure, why every player's journey is different, the role of advisors, what scouts are really looking for, the importance of hockey IQ, and why playing time often matters more than logos on a jersey. Whether you're a player, parent, coach, or hockey family trying to navigate today's development system, this episode offers valuable perspective on making decisions that support long-term growth and success. 00:00 – Why Stop and Starts exists: development over destinations 02:00 – Introducing Patrick Schafer and Schaefer Hockey Group 03:30 – Patrick's hockey journey from Ohio to professional hockey 06:00 – Playing for legendary coach Mike Hastings 09:30 – Why today's players look more prepared than ever 10:45 – The missing piece: hockey IQ and game awareness 13:00 – Skill development vs. understanding the game 16:00 – Creativity in hockey and developing decision-makers 18:00 – Why heart matters more than size 20:00 – The challenge of evaluating players at showcase camps 24:00 – What Patrick looks for in players and families 26:00 – Why self-awareness matters in player development 29:00 – The importance of fit, timing, and opportunity 34:00 – Do hockey players need an advisor? 36:00 – When should families seek an advisor? 37:00 – AAA vs. AA: Does it really matter? 39:00 – Why college hockey remains a powerful development path 41:00 – The value of Division III hockey and alternative routes 43:00 – The mission behind Stop and Starts 45:00 – Helping players through adversity and growth 46:00 – Final thoughts on development, opportunity, and success

Strength in Motion: Erin Bratcher on Athletic Development

In this third episode of Between the Shifts from Stop and Starts, the host welcomes Erin Bratcher of EB Athletics to discuss off-ice training and athlete development for parents and players. Bratcher shares her background as a Division I basketball player at Charleston Southern, four-year pro in Germany’s Bundesliga, and her path into strength and conditioning, including building EB Athletics during COVID and developing a 5,000-square-foot facility. They cover how strength gains translate to speed, power, injury prevention, and confidence, and discuss early specialization versus multi-sport benefits, recovery and readiness (sleep, hydration, nutrition), and age-appropriate progression from coordination to loaded lifting. Bratcher explains her TeamBuildr-based in-person and remote coaching, form feedback via video, pricing guidance, and sport-specific programming like groin prevention for hockey and ankle focus for basketball. 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 01:39 Erin Bratcher Background 03:54 EB Athletics and Results 05:39 Old School vs Modern Training 06:39 Why Strength Matters 09:15 Sports She Trains 10:46 Early Specialization Debate 13:19 Building the Gym 16:02 Online Platform TeamBuildr 18:16 Remote Assessments and Testing 18:50 Remote Training Intake 19:09 Stop and Starts Mission 21:14 Building Athlete Confidence 22:47 Recovery and Body Awareness 24:21 When Kids Should Train 26:07 Assessments and Body Types 27:43 Online Coaching and Pricing 29:01 Form Checks via Video 30:16 Fitness Fundamentals and Readiness 31:56 Sport Specific Programming 32:42 Wrap Up and Giveaway

Behind the Brand: Mario Therrien on True Hockey's Evolution

Marc welcomes Mario Therrien of TRUE Hockey as the first guest on the Between the Shifts podcast to discuss Mario’s playing background, how he entered hockey manufacturing through sticks in 2005, and how True launched in 2013 via True Temper, initially selling sticks and gloves. Mario outlines True’s expansion into skates in 2016 and goalie gear after purchasing Lefevre in 2019, noting strong NHL and Olympic adoption and growing youth presence. They emphasize True’s skate fit and the evolution from tracing feet to scanning and app-based measurements. The conversation also covers youth equipment mistakes (poor skate fit, wrong stick length/curve/flex, and lack of lie options), plus broader issues in youth and junior hockey such as winning over development, frequent trades, oversized rosters, costly ID camps, unclear feedback to cut players, and the need for game IQ. Mark closes with a True skate raffle tied to Stop and Start membership and social followers. 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 00:52 How Mario Entered Manufacturing 02:28 Playing Career Background 03:48 True Hockey Origin Story 05:44 Product Line Expansion 07:08 Why True Skates Fit Better 08:24 Skate Tech and Scanning Evolution 12:30 Choosing the Right Stick 15:08 Curve Trends and Oates Pattern 16:34 Goalie Gear Breakthrough 18:24 Youth Hockey Challenges Today 20:01 Too Many Options 21:10 Winning Over Development 24:21 Healthy Scratches Problem 25:19 Junior Hockey Jungle 26:03 ID Camps Money Grab 27:59 Cuts Without Feedback 28:50 Skills Versus Hockey IQ 30:39 Choosing The Right Fit 34:03 Stop And Start Vision 36:20 Giveaway And Wrap Up

Introduction to Between the Shifts: A New Era in Hockey Guidance

Marc Genest introduces the Stop and Starts podcast “Between the Shifts” and explains his background as a former pro player (450+ games) and AAA youth coach with the Carolina Junior Hurricanes. He describes how families need guidance in navigating today’s expensive, travel-heavy hockey landscape, and how Stop and Starts consults for parents, players, coaches, and associations—focusing on development decisions and off-ice support rather than serving as a placement company. Jana outlines the importance of choosing the right path at ages 14–17, navigating the complexities of junior hockey, and addressing the mental side of performance. He highlights partners including True Hockey, Stanstead College, Universal Academy, Coeur d’Alene Hockey Academy, EB Athletics, Hunter Bishop Hockey, and Schafer Hockey Group. He also details membership pricing and a raffle for custom skates for the first 100 members. 00:00 Between the Shifts Mindset 00:24 Meet Marc Genest 01:06 Why Hockey Families Need Help 02:35 Stop and Starts Mission 05:31 Not a Placement Company 07:44 Every Player Has a Path 09:24 All-in-One Development Model 11:05 Junior Hockey Reality Check 11:39 Partners and Programs Spotlight 16:01 Bridging the Advisor Gap 19:06 Membership Pricing and Services 21:27 Mental Game and Communication 24:59 Choosing the Right Path 26:31 Wrap Up and Call to Action