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ILLUSTRATION BY Darren Gygi The NHL successfully rolled out its plans to return to play. Now it's our turn to come up with a playbook to safely bring hockey back into our lives. There's no doubt things will be different this season. From our kids walking into the arena fully dressed, to the constant cleaning of their equipment and the envi- ronment inside the rink, we'll face plenty of challenges while ensuring the game can go on. Detroit hockey mom Sherri French, who is also a lifestyle and parenting expert, is here to assist with a few helpful hacks. "By being organized, we can help our kids keep track of everything that pertains to hockey and keep it clean at the same time," she says. Be Rink Ready Keep a five-gallon bucket in your car and fill it with disposable masks, hand sanitiz- er, wipes, water bottles and cloths to clean faces and hands. Keep the small stuff, like mouthguards, helmet repair kits, hand sanitizer and wipes, in a toiletry bag so you're not fish- ing around the bottom of a hockey bag looking for them. If your kiddo has to arrive at the rink already dressed, bring a towel or small rug to place outside the car for those parking lot changes. And you may want to bring snacks and drinks with you as concession stands and machines may be closed. Stay Safe With Good Habits USA Hockey's Player Safety Manager Kevin Margarucci reminds us to wipe down every piece of equipment with disinfecting wipes after each use. Most equipment can be washed in household washing machines with regular detergent. This should be done weekly or at least every other week. Don't let equipment sit in the bag. Clearly mark water bottles, towels or other equipment. No sharing. Prep With Positivity For many families, hockey has been knocked down the list of life's pri- orities for the first time in a long time. It's been a constant evolution with a steep learning curve. There's little doubt that hockey will look different this season. Summer showcases and traditional holiday tour- naments may be benched and road trips detoured well into the new year. Body checking may earn two minutes in the box as many state and local guidelines stress social distancing on the ice. What's most important is that kids are back on the ice playing the game they love, and it's up to us to set the tone and remember that any day on the ice is a great day. A Team Effort The hockey community is a unique one. We are brought together by a shared love of the game and forged by the sacrifices we gladly make for our kids. So many have struggled through this time. It's important to tap into your inner Gretzky a n d o f f e r u p a n a s s i st i n a ny w a y y o u can. And as we come back to the rink, it's important to welcome everyone back (from a safe distance, of course). There will be plenty more to learn as we navigate our return to play, knowing that life for us won't truly get back to normal until the puck drops. P COACH OF THE MONTH THE HOCKEY MOM By Christie Casciano Burns JOHN O'BANNON Age: 64 Stevensville, Mont. Whether it's in the classroom or on the ice, John O'Bannon can be found developing young minds. The Montana coach may have retired after a 33-year teaching career but he's found that the same les- sons transfer from the chalkboard to the whiteboard. "Your instructions have to be clear, concise and simple," he said. "You have to be a good communicator. And it helps to be respected." O'Bannon coaches Missoula's 6U and 8U teams, and he sees himself as the base of the pyramid in their hockey growth. While he's there to teach key skills, the most import- ant takeaway, in his eyes, is that the kids love the game above all else. In addition to teaching the fundamentals, O'Bannon remembers that you're never too old to learn. "Learn from your mis- takes," he said. "I've made every mistake in the book that we tell our coaches not to do but if you learn from them. That's life and you go on. "If you don't learn from them, then you're in trouble." Hacks For When The New Normal Isn't All That Normal COACH OF THE MONTH R I N K RAT BEH I N D T HE G L A SS Now it's our turn to come up with a playbook to safely bring hockey back into our lives. 16 // OCTOBER 2020 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM