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W I T H S C H O O L S C L O S E D a n d h o c k e y o n h o l d , p l a y e r s n e e d a productive alternative to playing nonstop video games, binge w a t c h i n g N e t f l i x o r st a y i n g p l u g g e d i n t o their phones for hours on end. The danger is that too many kids may treat this enforced time off as an extend- ed vacation. When that happens, the curse of the couch potato not only takes its toll on the body, it can also impact a player's mind as he or she deals with the loss of a season and the uncertainty of the future. "It's definitely a punch to the gut," says Jim Afremow, a sports psychol- ogist and one of the creators of an app called championsmind. "There is a lot of shock, and I think a lot of players went through stages of grief. Maybe there is some bargaining: 'Maybe we can get the season going again.' I think there's some denial that is happening. There's some anger and frustration, but we have to make the best of what happened." EXPERTS HAVE NO SHORTAGE of a c t i v i t i e s t o k e e p y o u n g m i n d s and bodies sharp. The key is that players have to be motivated to do them. While they may consult with a coach or trainer by internet or phone, it's up to the individual to make it happen. " T h i s i s a g r e a t e x e r c i s e i n a c c o u n t a b i l i t y, " s a y s J o r d a n James, the director of wellness and sports performance at Archbishop Murphy High School, in Everett, Wash., who has worked at var- ious USA Hockey player development camps. "Their own motiva- tions are going to have to take over. That's a skill they are going to have to learn. "I'll send mes- s a g e s t o t h e i r p h o n e a n d d e l i v e r a n e xe r c i s e p l a t f o r m [using the program Team Builder], but I'm not sitting there in the room telling them what to do. They actually have to do it." HEATHER MANNIX, AN EXPERT on exercise psychology who works with USA Hockey as an American D e v e l o p m e n t M o d e l r e g i o n a l manag er, urg es players exercis- ing on their own to develop what s h e c a l l s " p hy s i c a l l i t e r a c y " o r "movement literacy." She defines this as "getting a kid to be proficient and confident in a wide variety of movement skills. That way PHOTOS BY USA Hockey Magazine Archives W 20 // APRIL/MAY 2020 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM Dealing With