North America’s leading authority on youth hockey, RUSH has a reputation for trusted guidance and unrivalled success. This tradition continues on the RUSH Hockey Talk podcast, which provides valuable tips for parents and players alike.
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Season 03 Episode 01: The journey from player to coach
Guest: Darryl Giancola and Courtney Kessel
For the first episode of RUSH Hockey Talk’s third season, Darryl Giancola returns for a conversation with Courtney Kessel, his choice for the greatest hockey player he ever coached. Kessel fondly recalls her experience with Giancola and discusses her evolution from star player into her current role as coach at Princeton University.
Season 02 Episode 17: Mentorship in youth hockey
Guests: Darryl Giancola
Darryl Giancola – teacher, coach, meditation instructor and longtime friend of Kelly – joins RUSH Hockey Talk to discuss meditation and the importance of mindfullness in both sports and in life. He also touches on youth coaching and what it actually means to be a good coach. Surprisingly, it means more than how many ‘wins’ a team gets. Have a listen to find out more.
Season 02 Episode 16: Hockey in the South
Guest: Tim Healy
Tim Healy joins Kelly on RUSH Hockey Talk to talk about his various roles with the Junior Canes program in Raleigh, North Carolina. He speaks about the juggling act of being assistant director for the girls Jr. Canes program, the coach for the boys Jr. Canes program and the coach for the ACAJ Division One Men’s hockey team. Healy also discusses how his various roles extend far beyond just being a coach or director, but to be an advocate to help grow the game of hockey down South.
Season 02 Episode 15: Life as female pro hockey players in Europe
Guests: Becca Vanstone
Becca Vanstone, a close friend of RUSH Hockey and rising junior star at Yale, joins Kelly on RUSH Hockey Talk to discuss her experience growing up playing in leagues around the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), winning the championship for Team Ontario and the feeling of winning gold for Canada’s U18 team against the United States. She also elaborates on college and hockey life in the U.S., as well as some of the key factors that helped her decide to go to Yale.
Season 02 Episode 14: Great news: Prom isn’t cancelled!
Guest: Jimmylee Steinfeld
For a super special edition of RUSH Hockey Talk, fashion designer @JimmyleeSteinfeld joins Kelly to talk about his new initiative, Prom On – a virtual event hosted on Jimmylee’s IG Live on Thursday, June 25 from 7-8p.m. Filling the void for all the students whose proms have been cancelled this year, Jimmylee speaks on how this is not just a great opportunity for people to join in on the fun, friends and fashion that makes prom so special – but to also have the chance to win 1 of 100 JLS designer dresses being given away during the event!
Season 02 Episode 13: Life as female pro hockey players in Europe
Guests: Noora Räty and Melanie Jue
Finnish goaltender and four-time Olympian Noora Räty and player turned coach (turned player again) Melanie Jue join Kelly on RUSH Hockey Talk to discuss life as a professional hockey player in Europe and how it differs from playing in North America. Both guests discuss playing with boys for the majority of their junior careers, the challenges involved, and how at the time, there was a complete lack of female hockey role models. Melanie speaks on her wild transition from player, to coach, back to player again – which was an unheard-of journey then, and still is to this day. Noora enlightens viewers on life in the WHL, from the teams to travel, stress and everything in between.
Season 02 Episode 12: Sports, academics and the NCAA
Guest: Joe Corapi
Joe Corapi, an ex-Penn State athlete, joins Kelly on RUSH Hockey Talk to discuss how he got involved with SAT training and provides insight for students on balancing being both a great athlete and an exceptional student. This involves not only training the body physically, but also preparing for American standardized testing (SATs and ACTs), which is necessary to qualify for certain NCAA programs.
Season 02 Episode 11: Coaching on a national level
Guest: Josh Sciba
Josh Sciba, head coach of Union College women’s hockey team, joins RUSH Hockey Talk to discuss his life as a coach. He speaks on his experience being part of a program that suddenly ceases to exist and the effects on players. He also touches on his involvement with the USA U-18 women’s national team (which won gold in Slovakia in ’19), the type of steps required for coaches to get involved with national team programs and why he continues to go to coaching conferences every year.
Season 02 Episode 10: COVID-19 and hockey: a roundtable discussion
Guest: Josh Piro, Mike O’Grady, Casey Handrahan, Jerry Harrigan,
Kelly chats with an all-star lineup of coaches, scouts and consultants about navigating the hockey landscape within the world of COVID-19, and what the future might look like. Guests include our very own Josh Piro, senior consultant and director of scouting, Mike O’Grady, head coach of Chatham women’s ice hockey, Casey Handrahan, assistant coach of UConn women’s ice hockey and Jerry Harrigan, former coach of Laurentian University women’s ice hockey.
Season 02 Episode 09: Research and relationships
Guest: Jeff Hicks
Sports media specialist and award-winning journalist Jeff Hicks visits with Kelly to give expert insights on the world of sports journalism. From maintaining relationships with the people around you to doing your homework on those you’re profiling, Hicks explores the secrets of being a successful hockey writer and reporter.
Season 02 Episode 08: Path to the pros
Guest: Jamie Goldsmith
Jamie Goldsmith, former pro hockey player and current girls’ hockey coach & assistant director of admissions at The Gunnery in Connecticut, joins RUSH Hockey Talk to discuss the path to the pros and the benefits of attending prep and boarding schools.
Season 02 Episode 07: Feel well, live well
Guest: Kevin Duguay
Kevin Duguay, managing director and sports therapy consultant at VoxxLife, returns to RUSH Hockey Talk to discuss the neuro path to faster wellness. Duguay goes in-depth on how VoxxLife products can help both performance and recovery – as well as simply help people be their best at any activity – every day.
Season 02 Episode 06: Training during quarantine
Guest: Billy Larkins
RUSH Hockey founder and owner Kelly Katorji once again joins Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) trainer and facility owner Billy Larkins to answer all of your questions about training – but this time with a focus on conditioning during quarantine. From setting schedules to getting REM sleep, Larkins discusses what you need to know about how to push through this pandemic.
Season 02 Episode 05: Views from the Atlantic
Guest: Katherine Purchase, Carly Jackson, Stephen Friars
RUSH Hockey founder and owner Kelly Katorji talks to former National goaltenders Katherine Purchase and Carly Jackson, as well as former college assistant coach Stephen Friars. All hailing from the Atlantic provinces, our guest discuss their experiences playing and coaching hockey at home and abroad, and what helped make them successful.
Season 02 Episode 04: Focus on flexibility
Guest: Ryan Herszkowicz
RUSH Hockey founder and owner Kelly Katorji talks to personal trainer and stretch therapist Ryan Herszkowicz about the often-forgotten importance of flexibility training. Herszkowicz explores how specific stretch training can improve your overall game and gives you the tips you need to get started at home.
Season 02 Episode 03: Hockey and summer camp collide at Adrenaline
Guest: Richard Woodstein
RUSH Hockey founder and owner Kelly Katorji talks to Camp Robin Hood director and owner Richard “Woody” Woodstein about his long, storied history at the camp and his desire to see kids enjoy the one-of-a-kind summer hockey experience known as Adrenaline, powered by RUSH Hockey and Camp Robin Hood. As Woodstein sees it, this is a rare and extremely worthy opportunity for kids to broaden their athletic ability, while also taking a much-needed break from the technological distractions that play an overpowering role in their daily lives.
Season 02 Episode 02: The show can’t go on (for now)
Guest: Eric Guzdek
RUSH Hockey founder and owner Kelly Katorji talks to Eric Guzdek, general manager of the Northtown Center at Amherst, and Peter Gout, general manager and director of hockey operations of the Brampton Canadettes Girls Hockey Association, about their need to cancel many upcoming events in light of the COVID-19 crisis. As Gout sees it, the inconvenience and disappointment involved is of little importance compared to the health and well-being of all those who were set to participate in these events.
Season 02 Episode 01: Hockey in the time of COVID-19
Guest: Grant Kimball, Ted Wisner
RUSH Hockey founder and owner Kelly Katorji talks to Grant Kimball, assistant women’s hockey coach at Yale University, and Ted Wisner, associate coach of women’s ice hockey at St. Lawrence University, about the impact of COVID-19 on the lives of university hockey players and coaches. With all their usual activities cancelled, Kimball and Wisner explore their reactions and the various ways their lives have changed in recent weeks.
Episode 13: Starting the new season, on the right foot
Guest: Grant Kimball
Grant Kimball, Yale Bulldog assistant coach, joins Kelly Katorji in-studio to share how he’s starting the season off right, with insights he’s gleaned from more than 19 years of coaching. This conversation covers it all, from the importance of creating a low-stress environment through structure and habit-forming, to advice on how parents and players can handle the new college recruitment rules. Don’t miss this episode if you’re looking to start your 2019-20 season in high gear!
Episode 12: Training insights from a trainer of pros
Guest: Billy Larkins
Kelly Katorji is joined by Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), trainer and facility owner Billy Larkins. He’s worked with a wide range of athletes, from collegiate players to pros in the NBA, NFL and NHL. In this episode, Larkins answers your burning questions about training – everything from how to vary the type and intensity of workouts from in-season to off-season, how to make the most of your training, how much is too much and how hockey camps should fit into your training schedule.
Episode 11: A revealing look at the RUSH College Showcase
Guest: Kelly Katorji
Guest host Mandi Gosling talks to RUSH Hockey founder and owner Kelly Katorji about the RUSH College Showcase, which runs over four days every June. One of North America’s most experienced hockey scouts, Katorji uses his knowledge of young players to keep the teams in this event balanced and competitive. In this behind-the-scenes look, he reveals how the Showcase allows players from all over North America to build lasting friendships, while gaining a better sense of their relative skill level – and what’s required to excel.
Episode 10: Ivy League admissions
Guest: Ashley Kilstein
Ashley Kilstein, assistant coach of women’s hockey at Princeton University, dispels common myths about the Ivy League’s admissions process. As she sees it, GPA and standardized test scores are important, but they’re not the only variables that matter.
Episode 9: Navigating the NCAA’s new recruiting rules
Guest: Grant Kimball
Grant Kimball, head coach of the women’s hockey team at Aurora University, talks about his role as representative of Division III women’s hockey on the American Hockey Coaches Association’s board of governors. Specifically, he considers new NCAA rules aimed at slowing down early recruiting and the ways these rules are likely to impact coaches, players and their families.
Episode 8: How players get noticed
Guest: Josh Sciba
Players and parents navigating recruitment, this one’s for you! Josh Sciba, head coach of the women’s hockey team at Union College, offers his insights on what he looks for in players, what you can do to get noticed and what to avoid.
Episode 7: The road to the NCAA Division III tournament
Guest: Tim Crowley
Tim Crowley, head coach of the nationally ranked women’s ice hockey program at Elmira College, discusses everything you need to know about the NCAA Division III tournament: the criteria to make it in, the selection process and the approach he takes with his team. “It’s about your body of work… a game in November is just as important as a game in February.”
Episode 6: The state of youth women’s hockey
Guest: Ted Wisner
Associate head coach of the women’s hockey team at St. Lawrence University Ted Wisner has worked in this area for well over a decade. During this time, he has seen a significant improvement in the quality of skating among female hockey players, though he believes there is still plenty of opportunity for those who “can skate like the wind, keep their head up and have a rocket shot.”
Episode 5: The changing rules of recruitment
Guest: Eddie Ardito
Assistant coach of the women’s hockey team at Quinnipiac University Eddie Ardito offers tips for parents and players struggling to navigate the recruiting process. Specifically, he breaks down the current communication rules and offers some idea of what to expect when they are revised in the months ahead.
Episode 4: Youth hockey and the off season
Guest: Nick Carpenito
Associate head coach of the Northeastern University women’s hockey team Nick Carpenito has advice for parents and players curious about how to manoeuvre the off season. Should players keep busy with tournaments and showcases? Don’t miss Carpenito’s insight!
Episode 3: The rules of recruiting
Guest: Richard Reichenbach
Richard Reichenbach discusses his recruiting efforts as head coach of the University of Maine’s women’s hockey team and recent changes to the rules regarding the recruitment of young players. He also explains his family-focused approach to coaching, offering advice for parents determined to see their children succeed on the ice.
Episode 2: Building character
Guest: Casey Handrahan
Assistant coach of University of Connecticut’s women’s hockey team, Casey Handrahan explains what he looks for in the players he recruits. While performance and ability are most important, Handrahan puts a great deal of effort into finding players with character, as this makes for a more positive environment, maximizing the commitment of everyone on the team.
Episode 1: Ivy League recruitment
Guest: Dean Jackson
Assistant coach of Cornell University’s women’s hockey team, Dean Jackson talks about the key differences between Ivy League athletic opportunities and those available at other post-secondary institutions. Rather than offer scholarships, Ivy League universities are only permitted to provide financial aid.