Glass and Out

For episode #172, we welcome a familiar face to the Glass and Out podcast. Dr. Cassidy Preston is a High-Performance Coach and the Founder of Consistent Elite Performance. He is also the co-host of the Beyond the X's and O's podcast, and has been a regular contributor at The Coaches Site and presenter at our past virtual events. On top of all that, he will be presenting at TCS Live, our in-person hockey coaches conference taking place at the University of Michigan from June 15-17th.  Dr. Preston grew up in North Bay, Ontario, where he played hockey; he was selected in the 4th round of the OHL draft and played five seasons of junior hockey. Following a brief professional career, he attended and played hockey at York University and later the University of Toronto, where he obtained a PHD in Sport and Performance Psychology. In addition, he also spent time coaching hockey at the grassroots levels in the Toronto area. With his education and the experience gained from his different positions in the game, he decided to create Consistent Elite Performance, an organization that assists athletes, coaches, teams and businesses in enhancing their mental performance and well-being. In this week's podcast, find out his thoughts on the evolution of performance psychology, hear tips on how to get your team into the optimal mindset, and why he feels process over results is the key to an athletes and team success.

In episode #171 of the Glass and Out Podcast, we're joined by Brad Ralph, Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations for the Florida Everblades of the East Coast Hockey League. Ralph is currently in his sixth season with the Everblades, quietly helping them develop into one of the top programs in the ECHL. During his tenure, Florida has captured four South Division titles and advanced to two conference championships. In the 2017-2018 season, he helped the club set a record for most wins (53) and points (112) in a season. The Blades also advanced to the Kelly Cup final and he was awarded the Jack Brophy Award as ECHL Coach of the Year. His 45 career wins in the Kelly Cup playoffs currently ranks him fifth all time in the ECHL. Ralph got his coaching career start at just 30-years-old in Augusta, Georgia, with the Augusta RiverHawks of the Southern Professional Leagues. After being handed the keys to an expansion franchise with no coaching experience on his resume, he led the team to the league final and was recognized as Coach of the Year. After three season with the ECHL’s Idaho Steelheads, he made a brief stop in the Western Hockey League as Head Coach of the Kelowna Rockets, during which he led the team to a 48-20-4 record and an appearance in the Western Conference Championship. Find out his strategies for managing the grind of an ECHL season, why preparation is key to developing relationships with his players, and why he believes every player has the potential to achieve their dream of playing the NHL.

In anticipation of our upcoming Global Skills Showcase, we welcome Danny Heath, renowned skills coach and Founder of Project Hockey, for episode #170 of the Glass and Out Podcast.   In addition to Project Hockey, Heath is also the Skills Coach for the Minnesota State Mavericks, who just finished the college season as the #1 team in the country.   Heath grew up in the Phoenix area and credits the arrival of the Coyotes for igniting his love for the game. As a player, he spent time in the USHL with the Tri-City Storm and Des Moines Buccaneers, before landing a scholarship at Minnesota State.   After four seasons with the Mavericks, he retired from playing and decided to take on creating Project Hockey. Coming from the non-traditional hockey market of Arizona, he recognized motivated, passionate kids didn't have the resources or access to development programs in their part of the world. With Project Hockey, the app enables kids to train at home and get access to quality coaching, all at an affordable price.   Find out how Project Hockey is providing kids with the ability to compete with their hockey playing peers from around the globe, how he balances his love of hockey with being a husband and school teacher, and what he's got planned for his Global Skills Showcase presentation on angling.

For episode #169 of the Glass and Out podcast, we're joined by power skating instructor Cathy Andrade. She is also one of the 10 coaches selected to present at our upcoming Global Skills Showcase! Through hard work, striving to master her craft and word of mouth, she's built a reputation as one of the top skating coaches in hockey. Andrade grew up in Calgary, Alberta, where she competed competitively as a figure skater before obtaining CFSA certification, which is comprised of Gold Figure, Gold Free-Style and Gold Dance. In the early 90s, she set up shop in San Jose, California, and by the turn of the century, was training hockey players exclusively. Today, she trains a lot of the top players to come out of Northern California, as well as many of the top players who move to the Bay Area to play professionally, including current San Jose Shark Kevin Labanc and former Shark Joe Pavelski. Find out her philosophy on creating better skaters and athletes, how she's gained the trust of some of the top players in hockey as a former figure skater, and how her Global Skills Showcase presentation on "3-Turns" will challenge your players like never before.

We've got a very special edition of the Glass and Out podcast for you this week. To celebrate our announcement of TCS Live, our return to an in-person hockey coaches conference taking place June 15-17 at the University of Michigan, we're taking a look back one of our favourite presentations from our 2012 Hockey Coaches Conference.   Mike Keenan is a man who truly needs no introduction. The Stanley Cup, Calder Cup and Canada Cup champion is one of the most iconic figures in hockey. While it’s fair to say that a lot of Iron Mike’s methods wouldn’t fly today, what stood out most during his talk on "Having a Sense of Mission" was his ability to own the room. He clearly has that "it" factor that you can't teach and every great leader has.   During the talk, he shares stories from his personal coaching journey and stresses the importance of creating expectations for your team and reinforcing those expectations on a daily basis.   You won't want to miss this one!

For episode #167 of the Glass and Out Podcast, we welcome Pete Lenes, Co-Founder of Eleva802 hockey training company/media company. You might know him better on social media as "Swaggy P," the stick handling sensation who was recently invited to be a special guest of the NHL at the All-Star game festivities in Las Vegas. In addition, Lenes will be presenting at next month's Global Skills Showcase, along with nine other of the top skills coaches in hockey. The Burlington, Vermont native played for his hometown University of Vermont Catamonts, before embarking on a 10 year pro career that included stops in the ECHL, AHL and Austrian League. After retirement he, along with friend and former NHLer Torrey Mitchell, decided to open a training centre called Elev802. The company includes their former college coach Dave Sneddon, who manages their business operations, and Stanley Cup Champion Scott Gomez as a silent partner. Thanks in large part to an emphasis on social media promotion from Swaggy P himself, Elev802 has established itself as a leader in individual skill development. The company aims to empower players to be creative and learn by making mistakes, while providing direction on how to correct them in a fun and supportive environment. Find out how Lenes utilized the power of social media to help grow Elev802, why he believes creativity and keeping the game fun are an important part of growing hockey, and what he's got planned for his upcoming #GlobalSkillsShowcase presentation.

In episode #166 of the Glass and Out Podcast, we’re joined by former NHLer Andy Sutton, whose company Verbero is partnering with The Coaches Site in showcasing 10 of hockey’s top skills coaches at our upcoming Global Skills Showcase. After a career that had him play 687 NHL games as an undrafted player, Sutton saw the need for a change in the hockey equipment and apparel industry. Recognizing the cost of outfitting a young player in gear was a major deterrent for parents allowing their kids to participate in the sport, he embarked on a mission, to make safe, quality equipment available at a reasonable cost. With Verbero, he’s developed a direct to consumer model that makes it easy for anyone to go online, or work directly with their local Verbero representative, and order quality, custom equipment and apparel at an affordable cost. As a player, Sutton's journey to a long NHL career is definitely one you'll want to hear. After going undrafted, he made a name for himself at Michigan Tech, leading to 14 contract offers with NHL teams. He would go on to play for six teams and some iconic coaches like Darryl Sutter, Roy Sommer, Bob Hartley, Jaques Lemaire, and Tom Renney. Find out how Verbero is helping provide a more affordable option for young players, how he battled his way to a long NHL career, and what lessons he learned while playing for some of the game's top coaches.

In episode #165 of the Glass and Out Podcast, we're joined by Theresa Feaster, who is the Director of Hockey Operations for the Providence College men's hockey team; she also represented Team USA as a video coach for the past two World Junior Championships.   Feaster grew up in a hockey household, as her dad Jay was the former General Manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Calgary Flames, which included a Stanley Cup in 2004 with the Bolts. Despite the connection and no playing background, it was while attending Providence College as a student that she got her first chance at a role in hockey. After volunteering under head coach Nate Leaman for four seasons by taking on various roles, such as breaking down video and stat tracking, she was promoted to a full-time role as a player coordinator in 2016. After two seasons, she would take on the role of Director of Hockey Operations, which includes providing video and statistical support and analysis for the coaching staff.   During her time on Leaman’s staff, the Friars captured the program's first NCAA Championship in 2015 and made a return trip to the Frozen Four in 2019.   In addition, Feaster was a part of Team USA’s Gold Medal entry at the 2021 World Junior Championships and returned to Edmonton with Team USA at this year’s tournament, which unfortunately was postponed due to the pandemic.   Find out why volunteering is an important aspect of starting any career, her process of learning the ropes as a video coach, and her tips for operating a successful program behind the scenes.

Brock Sheahan, head coach of the Chicago Steel, shares his journey in developing a championship-winning culture in junior hockey. He discusses innovative player development methods that prioritize situational awareness and teamwork over traditional metrics. With a focus on analytics and personalized training, Sheahan reveals how a structured coaching staff enhances individual player growth. He also highlights the importance of maintaining a positive team environment, balancing skill development with cognitive understanding, and fostering camaraderie among young athletes.

We’re going outside the box for episode #163 of the Glass and Out Podcast. We're joined by Scott O’Neil, the former President Madison Square Gardens and CEO of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, whose portfolio includes the New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia 76ers. He is also the author of the book Be Where Your Feet Are: 7 Steps to Keep You Present, Grounded and Thriving, the main focus of today's interview. In the book, O'Neil provides a humbling and vulnerable peek behind the curtain as well as a framework, anecdotes, and exercises to guide the reader towards self-discovery. It's must read for anyone looking to improve every aspect of their life. O'Neil earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing from Villanova University and his Master’s in Business Administration from Harvard Business School. At 38-years-old, he was named the President of Madison Square Gardens and prior to that was the Senior Vice President of Team Marketing and Business Operations for the NBA. In July of last year, he stepped down as CEO of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, which included acting as an Alternate Governor for the NHL and NBA for nearly a decade. During this time, he received several awards and accolades, including Philadelphia Business Journal’s “Most Admired CEO” honour in 2018. He was also named 2017’s “Most Innovative Executive” by SportTechie and was recognized at Sports Business Journal’s acclaimed “Forty Under 40” Awards on three occasions.   Find out about the tragedy that led to him writing the book, his strategies for staying present, and why coaching his daughters basketball team is one of his proudest accomplishments.