The Northwest Hockey League announced its academic recognition program that honors hockey players who make their school Honor roll and beyond in their respective grade levels. Program details are as follows: 

• GRADE SCHOOL (Through 8th grade): All "A's". The only exception is Gym, PE or Art Class. Students are allowed to receive a "B" in these classes. If a letter grade is not given out by the school, it is up the club to decide if the player should be awarded the academic patch.
• HIGH SCHOOL (9th through 12th grade): Attain "B" Honor Roll status during the first or second marking period of the current year. 

A copy of the report card must accompany all requests for this award as proof of academic status. Report cards must be turned in to your team manager no later than Thursday, January 22nd. Please note that the league will not accept late requests.

As we all know hockey players must be Strong, Fast, Explosive, Agile and Flexible and possess a great deal of endurance. Here are some of my favorite movements that we use at The Functional Athlete that are Basic Bodyweight exercises that will cover the strength components of being a successful Hockey player.

BODYWEIGHT STRENGTH EXERCISES

Push-ups: One of my all-time favorites. What is great about the push-up is there are so many variations of performing this exercise. Push-ups are a great foundation builder that can be performed anywhere at any time. No Equipment needed.

How to perform a push-up: Start with hands shoulder width apart, making sure that your shoulders are directly over the top of your hands and your feet are together or slightly apart and your head is in a neutral position. Then, without lifting your butt in the air, lower your body by bending your elbows and trying to barely touch your chest to the floor. Make sure your body stays straight, keeping your abs tight and making sure your hips follow all the way thru the movement (this will help keep the butt down). If you can't do a full push-up, don't worry you can do them off your knees using the same technique above or you can go down as far as you can and each week try to go a little further. Perform this movement 3 x 8 using good form and then adding 1-2 reps per week. If you are advanced and can do more by all means do so.

This issue, get to know Squirt A3 Coach, Steve Sawatzky. His assistant coach, Tony Rossi, posed the following questions... 

Tony: How long have you been coaching overall and how long at the Hawks?

Steve: I've coached hockey four years overall, all four with the Hawks.

Tony: What is your favorite moment as a coach?

Steve: Coming back from a 4 to zero deficit to win the St. Patrick Shootout championship game in overtime with Squirt 4 last year.

Tony: It is said that you have a list of things a player never should do on the ice (your list of 15 Rules). Name your top five:

Steve: My Top five:

1) Never let the puck go past you on the boards.

2) Never lose the puck at the blue lines.

3) Don't just rim the puck up the boards, pass to your teammates stick when you can.

4) Don't throw blind passes, always take a look.

5) Don't forget the other list of 15 things that you ARE supposed to do on the ice.

Tony: Where in the world is Flin Flon?

Steve: Flin Flon is a Canadian mining town in northern Manitoba, near the Saskatchewan border. Where my father grew up the nearest Junior hockey team was the Bombers, who played out of Flin Flon. My dad was also a youth coach, and he always referred to a particular drill by the name of the town. Many other coaches may know it as the full ice St Louis drill, but in the Sawatzky household it was always the Flin Flon drill.

Click HERE to Read FULL Interview

• What team do you play for? Squirt A3
• What position do you play? Right Wing
• What was your favorite Christmas gift? Blackhawks winter classic hat
• What is your favorite pre-game meal? 2 Vanilla long johns from Dunkin' Donuts
• Who is your favorite NHL Hockey player? Patrick Kane
• What is your favorite hockey memory? Played in the NIHL state championship game last year.
• Who is your coach? Coach Sawatzky
• What is the funniest thing your coach does? Coach Sawatzky leaves most of the jokes up to coach Rossi!
• What song do you like to listen to before a game? Centuries - Fall out Boy
• What is your most embarrassing hockey story? I had to chase one of my teammates out to the parking lot after a game, because he accidentally took my pants with him!

• What team do you play for? Chicago Hawks Silver Mites 
• What position do you play? 
  I like to play center, so yes, center.
• What was your favorite Christmas gift? An Xbox 360 and NHL 2015.
• What is your favorite pre-game meal? Pancakes
• Who is your favorite NHL Hockey player? Kaner
• What is your favorite hockey memory? Scoring my first goal this season and hearing people cheer for me.
• Who is your coach? I have 4 coaches...Coach Rob, Coach Teddy, Coach Lewie and Coach Paul.
• What is the funniest thing your coach does? Calls me big head on the ice.
• What song do you like to listen to before a game? Light 'em up
• What is your most embarrassing hockey story? I tried to celebrate after a goal one time and ran into the boards - then after I got up I fell again.