Episode 70: Hockey Is Becoming Unaffordable (with Zechariah Thomas)

Episode 70: Hockey Is Becoming Unaffordable (with Zechariah Thomas)

The former junior player trying to make hockey cheaper. Scott and Jamie sit down with Zechariah Thomas, founder and CEO of Swift Hockey, to talk about the rising cost of hockey and why more families are getting priced out of the game.  Zechariah shares his unconventional hockey journey - starting at age 10, playing major junior and pro hockey, and building businesses while still playing. He explains how seeing teammates struggle to afford equipment inspired him to start Swift Hockey and why he's obsessed with making the game more accessible.  The conversation covers hockey stick myths, expensive equipment, prep school costs, youth hockey spending, and the reality that parents often spend money in places that don't actually help development.  In this episode: *  Starting hockey at 10 and still reaching the junior/pro level  *  Why hockey is becoming unattainable for many families  *  Why kids don't need a $400 stick  *  Building a hockey company from the trunk of a car  If you've ever wondered whether youth hockey is getting too expensive, this episode is for you. Swift Hockey: https://swifthockey.com/ [https://swifthockey.com/] Partners: * https://www.pacificrink.com/ [https://www.pacificrink.com/] * https://www.instagram.com/bigjohndangles/ [https://www.instagram.com/bigjohndangles/] * https://hockeytraining.com/ [https://hockeytraining.com/] * https://www.titanbattlegear.com/crazyhockeydads [https://www.titanbattlegear.com/crazyhockeydads] * https://howieshockeytape.com/ [https://howieshockeytape.com/] * https://www.athleticperformanceinsight.com/ [https://www.athleticperformanceinsight.com/] Socials: * TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@crazyhockeydadspodcast]: https://www.tiktok.com/@crazyhockeydadspodcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@crazyhockeydadspodcast] * X [https://x.com/Crazyhockeydads]: https://x.com/Crazyhockeydads [https://x.com/Crazyhockeydads] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/crazyhockeydadspodcast/]: https://www.instagram.com/crazyhockeydadspodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/crazyhockeydadspodcast/] * Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/people/Crazy-Hockey-Dads-Podcast/61578631923150/]: https://www.facebook.com/people/Crazy-Hockey-Dads-Podcast/61578631923150/ [https://www.facebook.com/people/Crazy-Hockey-Dads-Podcast/61578631923150/]

Episode 69: Bring The Juice w/ Princeton Head Coach Ben Syer

Why development, confidence, and culture matter more than systems. Scott and Jamie sit down with Princeton Head Coach Ben Syer for a conversation about what actually helps kids develop in hockey.  Ben shares the youth hockey lesson he learned from his own daughter, why confidence comes from teaching rather than yelling, and how coaches can help players compete regardless of size or physical maturity.  The conversation also dives into what Ben looks for when recruiting players, why culture and energy matter so much, and how great coaches create environments where kids are challenged, engaged, and having fun.  In this episode: *  Why confidence comes from teaching, not yelling  *  How smaller players learn to compete against bigger opponents  *  What Ben looks for when recruiting players  *  Why culture and “bringing the juice” matter  If you're trying to figure out what actually helps kids develop, this episode is for you.  Princeton University Men's Ice Hockey: https://goprincetontigers.com/sports/mens-ice-hockey [https://goprincetontigers.com/sports/mens-ice-hockey] Princeton University Women's Ice Hockey: https://goprincetontigers.com/sports/womens-ice-hockey [https://goprincetontigers.com/sports/womens-ice-hockey] Princeton Sports Camps: https://www.princetonsportscamps.com [https://www.princetonsportscamps.com/Home_Page.htm] Partners: * https://www.pacificrink.com/ [https://www.pacificrink.com/] * https://www.instagram.com/bigjohndangles/ [https://www.instagram.com/bigjohndangles/] * https://hockeytraining.com/ [https://hockeytraining.com/] * https://www.titanbattlegear.com/crazyhockeydads [https://www.titanbattlegear.com/crazyhockeydads] * https://howieshockeytape.com/ [https://howieshockeytape.com/] * https://www.athleticperformanceinsight.com/ [https://www.athleticperformanceinsight.com/] Socials: * TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@crazyhockeydadspodcast]: https://www.tiktok.com/@crazyhockeydadspodcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@crazyhockeydadspodcast] * X [https://x.com/Crazyhockeydads]: https://x.com/Crazyhockeydads [https://x.com/Crazyhockeydads] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/crazyhockeydadspodcast/]: https://www.instagram.com/crazyhockeydadspodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/crazyhockeydadspodcast/] * Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/people/Crazy-Hockey-Dads-Podcast/61578631923150/]: https://www.facebook.com/people/Crazy-Hockey-Dads-Podcast/61578631923150/ [https://www.facebook.com/people/Crazy-Hockey-Dads-Podcast/61578631923150/]

Episode 68: Keith Mondillo - The Youth Sports Machine Is Out of Control

Scott and Jamie sit down with Keith Mondillo [https://www.keithmondillo.com/] - longtime college coach, athletic director at Gwynedd Mercy University, and recruiting expert for a brutally honest conversation about recruiting, NIL, youth sports pressure, and what families are getting wrong.  Keith explains why the biggest recruiting mistake parents make is waiting for coaches to “find” their kid, why most early offers are hype, and why families need to understand where their player actually fits instead of chasing unrealistic levels.  The conversation also dives into NIL money, the transfer portal, roster cuts, private equity entering youth sports, and why high school athletes are now often “last on the list” behind transfers and older players.  In this episode: *  The biggest recruiting mistake families make  *  Why “they’ll find you” usually isn’t true  *  How NIL and the portal changed recruiting  *  Why older transfer players are taking roster spots  *  The business side of youth sports nobody talks about  This one isn’t just about basketball or hockey...it’s about where all youth sports are heading. Keith Mondillo Coaching: https://www.keithmondillo.com/ [https://www.keithmondillo.com/] Partners: * https://www.pacificrink.com/ [https://www.pacificrink.com/] * https://www.instagram.com/bigjohndangles/ [https://www.instagram.com/bigjohndangles/] * https://hockeytraining.com/ [https://hockeytraining.com/] * https://www.titanbattlegear.com/crazyhockeydads [https://www.titanbattlegear.com/crazyhockeydads] * https://howieshockeytape.com/ [https://howieshockeytape.com/] * https://www.athleticperformanceinsight.com/ [https://www.athleticperformanceinsight.com/] Socials: * TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@crazyhockeydadspodcast]: https://www.tiktok.com/@crazyhockeydadspodcast * X [https://x.com/Crazyhockeydads]: https://x.com/Crazyhockeydads * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/crazyhockeydadspodcast/]: https://www.instagram.com/crazyhockeydadspodcast/ * Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/people/Crazy-Hockey-Dads-Podcast/61578631923150/]: https://www.facebook.com/people/Crazy-Hockey-Dads-Podcast/61578631923150/

Episode 67: Spring Hockey Is Out of Control… and Hockey Parents Know It

No guest. Just Scott & Jamie going old-school CHD. In this episode, Scott and Jamie talk spring hockey overload, expensive programs kids barely attend, parenting teenage boys, and the reality of trying to balance development, burnout, and family life.  The conversation also drifts into hilarious childhood stories, digital parenting, and why today’s kids can’t get away with anything the way parents used to.  In this episode: *  Why spring hockey scheduling is chaos  *  Paying for skates and clinics kids miss anyway  *  Parenting through the teenage years  *  Stories that definitely would’ve ended badly if phones existed back then  Just two hockey dads yapping about youth sports, parenting, and life. Partners: * https://www.pacificrink.com/ [https://www.pacificrink.com/] * https://www.instagram.com/bigjohndangles/ [https://www.instagram.com/bigjohndangles/] * https://hockeytraining.com/ [https://hockeytraining.com/] * https://www.titanbattlegear.com/crazyhockeydads [https://www.titanbattlegear.com/crazyhockeydads] * https://howieshockeytape.com/ [https://howieshockeytape.com/] * https://www.athleticperformanceinsight.com/ [https://www.athleticperformanceinsight.com/] Socials: * TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@crazyhockeydadspodcast]: https://www.tiktok.com/@crazyhockeydadspodcast * X [https://x.com/Crazyhockeydads]: https://x.com/Crazyhockeydads * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/crazyhockeydadspodcast/]: https://www.instagram.com/crazyhockeydadspodcast/ * Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/people/Crazy-Hockey-Dads-Podcast/61578631923150/]: https://www.facebook.com/people/Crazy-Hockey-Dads-Podcast/61578631923150/

Episode 66: The Man Building “Hockey Paradise” in Florida - Larry Robbins

Scott and Jamie sit down with Larry Robbins - hedge fund founder, former Chicago Steel owner, builder of Longwood Hockey, and the driving force behind the Florida Surf - for one of the most honest youth hockey conversations CHD has had yet. Larry pulls back the curtain on how he went from a self-described “bad hockey player” to helping build powerhouse development environments that produced NHL stars like Lane Hutson, Macklin Celebrini, Adam Fantilli, Owen Power, and Alex Laferriere.  But this episode isn’t about flexing hockey résumés. It’s about what youth hockey is becoming and whether parents are chasing the wrong things.  Larry talks about: *  The pressure cooker of “elite” youth hockey  *  The insanity of hockey becoming a business  *  Why some families are leaving states like Michigan, Illinois, and New Jersey for Florida hockey  *  What actually creates development (hint: it’s not always the logo)  He also explains the vision behind Longwood Hockey and the Florida Surf: building a full development ecosystem in Florida with AAA hockey, academy training, a new two-sheet rink, strength training, academics, and a pathway designed to keep elite players in-state instead of leaving at 13 years old. Florida Surf: https://www.floridasurfhockey.com/ [https://www.floridasurfhockey.com/] Longwood Hockey: https://www.instagram.com/longwoodhockey [https://www.instagram.com/longwoodhockey] Partners: * https://www.pacificrink.com/ [https://www.pacificrink.com/] * https://www.instagram.com/bigjohndangles/ [https://www.instagram.com/bigjohndangles/] * https://hockeytraining.com/ [https://hockeytraining.com/] * https://www.titanbattlegear.com/crazyhockeydads [https://www.titanbattlegear.com/crazyhockeydads] * https://howieshockeytape.com/ [https://howieshockeytape.com/] * https://www.athleticperformanceinsight.com/ [https://www.athleticperformanceinsight.com/] Socials: * TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@crazyhockeydadspodcast]: https://www.tiktok.com/@crazyhockeydadspodcast * X [https://x.com/Crazyhockeydads]: https://x.com/Crazyhockeydads * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/crazyhockeydadspodcast/]: https://www.instagram.com/crazyhockeydadspodcast/ * Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/people/Crazy-Hockey-Dads-Podcast/61578631923150/]: https://www.facebook.com/people/Crazy-Hockey-Dads-Podcast/61578631923150/