Surviving one of the wildest hockey paths you’ll ever hear.

Scott and Jamie sit down with Alex Kim - former pro, Colorado College standout, and now Director of the Jr. Ducks to unpack a hockey journey unlike anything in the sport.

Alex walks through growing up in non-hockey Southern California under a tiger-mom who preferred harpsichord, abacus, and speed-reading over slapshots, negotiating just to play the sport, and leaving home at 15 for the Soo - where culture shock, racism, and sheer grit shaped everything that came next.

He also shares the twists that defined his career: turning down Ivy League offers, transferring colleges, and playing professionally in Europe and Korea. It’s a raw look at development, identity, sacrifice, and how much parents shape the journey without even realizing it.

In this episode:

• Growing up outside the traditional hockey pipeline
• Facing cultural and racial adversity in Michigan
• Billet challenges and the mental toll of leaving home early
• Why parents chase the wrong milestones
• The “hockey as a vehicle” philosophy

If you want perspective, humility, and a real look at what development actually requires… Alex delivers.

Socials:
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Why real development takes patience, perspective, and a lot less panic.

Scott and Jamie sit down with Bob Mancini - one of USA Hockey’s most influential minds and a key architect of the American Development Model (ADM) - to talk about what it really means to develop players the right way.

Mancini breaks down how small-area games, delayed checking, and skill-first systems aren’t just buzzwords, they’re the building blocks of a generation that can think the game, not just play it. He also gets candid about the cultural challenges holding youth hockey back: parent pressure, fear of falling behind, and mistaking busyness for development.

In this episode:

• The science (and sanity) behind the ADM
• Why delayed checking created smarter, safer players
• How “more” hockey often leads to less growth
• What parents misunderstand about the path and what scouts actually see

It’s the reminder every parent, coach, and player needs mid-season: progress isn’t instant, but it lasts a lifetime if you do it right.

Socials:
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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crazyhockeydadspodcast/

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Real stories. Real questions. Real hockey chaos.

This week, Scott and Jamie open up the inbox for a round of listener write-ins - the unfiltered questions and confessions from hockey parents everywhere. From kids getting moved to defense mid-season to dealing with burnout, overthinking, and team drama, this one’s part advice column, part group therapy.

In this episode:
- When your kid’s position changes and it messes with both your heads
- The parent who realized they needed a reset more than their player
- How to stay supportive when the season feels heavier than it should
- The fine line between “helping” and hovering

Plus: Scott and Jamie’s take on why sometimes the best thing you can do… is shut up and drive home

It’s an honest, funny, and surprisingly relatable peek into the real questions every hockey family wrestles with, whether they say them out loud or not.

Socials:
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@crazy.hockey.dads

X: https://x.com/Crazyhockeydads

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crazyhockeydadspodcast/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576627751551