Crazy Hockey Dads Podcast

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/

Episode 65: “If You’re Good, They’ll Find You” w/ Connor & Kellen Jones

Scott and Jamie sit down with Connor Jones [https://goprincetontigers.com/sports/mens-ice-hockey/roster/coaches/connor-jones/10381], assistant coach at Princeton, and Kellen Jones [https://goholycross.com/sports/mens-ice-hockey/roster/coaches/kellen-jones/1722], assistant coach at Holy Cross, for a raw look at twins, recruiting, compete, and what college coaches actually notice. The Jones brothers talk about growing up in a small-town hockey environment with no spring hockey, no summer hockey, no power skating, and no early hype - just hard work, other sports, and a family standard built around competing.  Now on the recruiting side, they explain what really jumps out when watching players: body language, response after mistakes, motor, work ethic, and whether a kid gives up on plays. They also explain why parents need to stop over-talking and let the player show who they are on the ice.  In this episode: *  What college coaches actually notice  *  The red flags: body language, quitting on plays, and parent noise  *  How recruiting has changed with agents, the portal, and more players available  *  Why compete, character, and fit still matter  If you think recruiting is just points and exposure, this one will reset your brain. Princeton Men's Ice Hockey: https://goprincetontigers.com/sports/mens-ice-hockey [https://goprincetontigers.com/sports/mens-ice-hockey] Holy Cross Men's Ice Hockey: https://goholycross.com/sports/mens-ice-hockey [https://goholycross.com/sports/mens-ice-hockey] Partners: * 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 64: Dr. Alicia Naser, Ph.D - Stop Turning the Car Ride Home Into a Therapy Session

How hockey parents accidentally make the mental game harder. Scott and Jamie sit down with Dr. Alicia Naser [https://doctoralicianaser.com/], behavioral scientist, board certified behavior analyst, and founder of The Naser Institute for Behavioral Sports Psychology, for a parent-first conversation about pressure, confidence, mistakes, and the ride home from the rink. Dr. Naser explains why kids need space to make mistakes, why parents should be careful about watching every practice, and how constant feedback can quietly damage the parent-child dynamic. She breaks down what to say after a bad game, how to handle comparison, why “just forget about it” doesn’t work, and how players can build confidence by learning to recover emotionally after mistakes.  In this episode: *  Why the car ride home matters more than parents think  *  What to say when your kid is frustrated after a game  *  Why comparison can crush confidence  *  Why confidence is learned, not something kids are just born with  If your kid is already hard on themselves, this episode might change what you say next. Disclaimer This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical or mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Listening to this content does not establish a professional or therapeutic relationship. Always seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare or mental health professional with any questions you may have. The views and opinions expressed by Dr. Naser are her own and do not represent those of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB). Dr. Alicia Naser - https://www.instagram.com/doctoralicianaser [https://www.instagram.com/doctoralicianaser] Partners: * 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/