Hockey Tough

by Saul L. Miller

No hockey player can reach his full potential without mastering the mental side of the sport. Hockey Tough provides players and coaches proven methods for mastering the mental side of the game. Author Saul Miller shares the psychological training and emotional management techniques he has successfully taught individual hockey players and teams for over 20 years. Throughout the book, NHL stars such as Mark Messier, Pavel Bure, Chris Pronger, and Markus Naslund offer insights and tips on a variety of topics related to achieving a winning mind-set for the sport. These players explain how to focus and score, how to deal with personality conflicts on and off the ice, and how to bounce back with confidence after a subpar performance. Miller, one of North America's most prolific and sought-after sport psychology consultants in hockey, presents mental exercises and assignments to help players -develop a winning attitude on and off the ice,
-stay focused to execute skills and tactics,
-maintain the mental stamina required in this physically demanding sport,
-overcome emotional fatigue and physical aches and pains to perform at the
highest level throughout the season,
-manage their anger to avoid costly penalties in crucial game situations, and
-develop the discipline and tenacity to force and capitalize on opponents'
mistakes. Miller presents many other topics of interest, such as the intangibles that coaches and scouts look for in players and what it takes to make it to the top level of competition. Motivation, teamwork, leadership, and poise are essential factors to successful performance. Hockey Tough will strengthen each of these areas and help players achieve a mind-set to excel on the ice.

Genres: Hockey, Sports, Nonfiction, Psychology

224 pages, Paperback

First published July 24, 2003

Reviews

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read - summarizes some very important concepts in sports psychology into a quick, easy-to-understand format. Nice and short, but with plenty of explanations of ways to develop your hockey game. The assignments after each chapter are a great way to get involved with the reading too! Instead of just mindlessly staring at the pages, the reader actually gets to do some practical examples from the book and apply them to their games. Highly recommended for developing hockey players.

[Raymond Alvarado · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this so I could hand it off to my 13 y/o and we could discuss what he learned. I actually learned quite a bit myself. Most of it is common sense but he broke it down with great examples. I now find myself doing some of his techniques on the ice and even in the gym. You could apply this to almost anything you want to excel at. Worth the read

[Sean · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found it fairly repetitive.

[M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a good read.

[Matteo Calvanese · Rating 5 out of 5]

I totally loved this book and recommend this if you play hockey and want to learn techniques to help you improve on your skills and to control your mind. Hockey is a mental game and you need to be strong mentally to succeed in this sport. Hockey tough gives you pointers to be a mentally stronger player and gives you all the stories of the great hockey players that succeed by using these techniques. This book has taught me how to control my mind on the ice and all the little things to help me improve my game. If you want tips or want to learn tricks to help you improve your game read this book, it has every trick in the book.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an copy of this book from the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program.
I'm not a hockey player (anymore). I'm not going to make the NHL, but damn, did I start to have creeping thoughts of entering the 2017 draft.
If this book had been around when I was a young hockey player, I would have devoured every single bit of it, dreaming of skating with Cam Neely and Adam Oates. I would have practiced my breathing, focused on my goals, and had a more level-headed approach to playing the game.
There is a fair amount of repetition of the core concepts that Saul Miller preaches, but I think that's because (as he says up front) he intends for you to skip around the book a bit, pick up a few chapters here and there, do the homework he assigns, and then come back to chapters as need be. The real life anecdotes from players help inspire kids and give them a target.
As a volleyball coach (and former player), I think he's got a lot of great stuff in here to mine for athletes of all stripes -- it doesn't have to just be hockey tough, though the sport certainly has more of a rep for toughness than, say, volleyball.
The only two issues I have with the book is 1) a minor one, but my first impulse, warranted or not, is to chuckle a little at a book with Sidney Crosby on the cover labeled Hockey Tough. Now, I know they guy is tougher than I am, but as a non-Pittsburgh fan our impression of Sid is not exactly tough. Unfair, I know. The second, more major issue, is that Matt Cooke is in the "Checking Tough" chapter. His on-ice behavior and the way he carries himself is no model for younger players and that type of dirty, over the edge play shouldn't be rewarded with any kind of spotlight.
But that was my only issue, and it came late in the book. Overall this was an excellent primer on an oft-neglected side of training for any kind of sport.

[Cj Meyers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about and for hockey players that are looking to step up there game not only physically but mentally. This book tells you want you should do before a game mentally and it gives you a lot tips. This book isn't written or explained but a random person it is from people with much experience or it is there job to help players succeed.
This is a great book and i personally think that it has helped me. It has taught me how to mentally prepare for a game and what i need to do mentally to be successful. A thing i think that they should have done though is put not just advice for mentally preparing to be successful but also physically. I think that would have made the book better and added a little more excitement and help.
Overall this was a great book and i would recommend it to people who not just play hockey but sports. This book is great for hockey players and can help you succeed in your career if you follow the steps that this book gives you.

[Mary Gamba · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a hockey mom I encouraged my boys to read this book. However after reading it myself I have a greater understanding of the dedication, commitment and drive that goes into being a true hockey player. This book has lessons for work and life as well. A must read for anyone looking to get his or her game to the next level.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book discusses all the stuff that is obvious, and completely ignored by most athletes. Self image, self control, self discipline, and lots of examples of common hockey problems, and ways some players were able to overcome.

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book about your attitude and mental preparation for the game.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

SICKK

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent.

[Darren Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Read, have given to some of my players to read.

[Zach · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was very good and thought me alot

[Nic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goodreads win

This was an interesting read. I had initially entered for a friend. I think they will enjoy this book. It was well written and thought out.