Starting Young
Keep in mind that the main point is to have fun. Don't expect that he or she is going to go pro, as very few do. Encouraging your child to get better is because it's fun to be good at what you do. It's not for trying to get your child pro. Make sure that your kid knows that hockey isn't always going to be fun and easy. You have to be the one to make sure that when it gets hard and miserable for your child, he/she can count on you to make it fun again.
Start at a young age. The younger your child starts to play, the better. There's a definite pattern; the better hockey players are the ones who started earlier. Take your child to open skates, learn to play programs, and stick and pucks. Emphasize practicing stick handling.
Enroll your child in a club early. This will give your child a huge advantage with selection for school teams. Enroll your child in a house league. When you enroll in a club, try to get them to join with a group of friends - this will make it much more enjoyable.
Get them a good hockey kit. This will raise their morale and see that you treat their participation in the sport seriously. Make sure their equipment is not what you want, but what they want. Make sure their equipment fits correctly and protects them. At young ages it doesn't need to be big and bulky. Your child needs to be able to move and turn. Don't spend too much, as they will be needing new equipment all the time. Also make sure that their equipment isn't way better/way more expensive than the other kids at their club, as it will be embarrassing for them. However, if the child becomes the best player in a school club later on, then it's okay for them to have the best equipment.
Encourage their interest by taking them to see national hockey games and other game plays. Treat these as fun occasions out for the whole family.
Perfecting Style
Encourage your child to practice. If he or she likes to play video games or go on the computer, limit it to either an hour a day or one day a week. Get your child to practice instead. At Young ages focus on quantity of ice time over quality. The more time your child has on the ice the better. Don't push them. Ask them and encourage them. This is roller hockey's big advantage over ice, your street is a practice place. But roller hockey is also excellent training for ice hockey, so make use of both.
Encourage good sportsmanship from an early age. This is key to being a good team player and having the support of other team members.
Encourage passing. Even if your child is one of the best, always encourage him/her to pass. Why? For one, everyone will like your child as a team player more. Also, unselfish players are much more valuable to a travel team than selfish ones. Passing is one of the most important skills in hockey. Recognizing if someone is open or not is one skill, as is making the passes hard and accurate. Passing is how hockey is played. In the NHL, you rarely see someone hold onto the puck for more than 2 seconds. Teach your child to keep his or her head up.
Show an interest. This means watching their games and practices. Cheer, but don't get super competitive and embarrass them.
Advancing in Hockey
Travel. If your child is a good player and enjoy the sport, it may be a good idea to put her or him in travel, when she or he qualifies for 10u (8u travel is frankly a waste of money for the travelling and tournament fees).
Continue advancing if it's warranted. As your child moves up the age groups in travel, keep encouraging him/her, but don't put too much pressure on your child.
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