Testimonials
"I have always had good hands and a good shot, however when Brett introduced me to
an off-ice skills program using using steel balls to enhance my hands, they became quicker and stronger. Additionally, the interval sprint training that Brett introduced me to made me become a lot faster than I used to be. Brett showed me how to become in top physical shape as well as in top mental shape.
He taught me to vizualize myself in game situations which made me a better player. Brett
taught me to be an elite athlete by preparing me both mentally and physically. The
player that I am now has a lot to do with Brett's influence on me."
-Greg Gozzo
"Hello. My name is Taylor Vincent and I am a 1992 birth year from Lafayette, Louisiana. While Louisiana may not be thought of as a traditional hockey bed, or even a hockey bed at all, I started playing ice hockey at the age of four. I grew to play in the local youth league and eventually progressed enough to play travel hockey. Due to lack of talent and numbers I never had the opportunity to play a high level of competition to properly challenge my play as a hockey player; by the time I was a freshman in high school I barely had enough teammates to play at all. The following year, after following the advice of friends who had played in Florida, I played AAA for the first time in Jacksonville with the Ice Dogs and Coach Brett Strot. I was lucky enough to play in an environment with elite players and coaches around me. We moved up to Jr. B, where we played for the following two years. The three years I played in Florida were a great experience for me; I went from being an average U16 AAA to a highly competitive Jr. A player in three short, but highly developmental, years. I owe this to Coach Strot and his program. I will soon be playing for the Northern Cyclones of the Atlantic Junior Hockey League but it will because of the great development I have undergone.
Coach Brett Strot and Hockey International have changed my life. I changed because Coach Strot wanted to develop me as a person rather than an athlete. The manner in which he did this is much more noteworthy – I was changed from the inside out. Coach Strot always made it obvious that I could become an elite athlete, but it had to be founded by a deep-rooted moral fiber. I, along with my parents, could not have been any luckier than to have an experienced leader in my life to properly steer me in the right direction. Coach Brett understood that conscience actions are seeded in one’s character and he made sure to strengthen my character to enable me to reach my potential.
While it was key that I improve my own personal character, the next step was to train my mind. Like any sport, career, or activity in your life, the mind is what needs to be sharp and in control. The two most significant ways in which Coach Strot developed my mind is by what he taught me about visualization and the use of all senses. Visualization, if done correctly, has the potential to increase in-sport chances because of the way the mind works. Coach Brett taught me that nerves throughout our body do not know the difference between actually doing activities and visualizing them. When I unlocked this secret, it was like I was practicing away from the rink at any time of the day. My game immediately became more instinctive and I saw results right away. The other method that I worked on with Coach Brett was using all five of my senses while playing. It was crazy to ever think that it would work, but once I put faith into and started applying it, I realized it actually benefitted me. New aspects of the game that I never knew existed were unlocked. It allowed me to play without my sense of sight being overloaded and, therefore, overwhelmed. Again, I raised my game and became a much bigger impact for my team. These two methods have changed the way my mind works and I am now able to apply them to all aspects of my life. Thus, I have been able to become much more astute at all times.
The last and possibly most comprehendible way Coach Brett affected my career as an athlete is the way I have learned to train. The training techniques of Hockey International cannot be rivaled. Interval and overload training are the best ways to train for hockey and this is exactly what we did. Overspeed hockey practices increased my speed and raised my comfort level in game, while the overload and plyometrics drastically increased my power. I loved being able to test and track my progress from the time I entered the program until the time I left. I will continue to train and test the Hockey International way no matter who I play for.
I cannot begin to thank Coach Brett Strot, Hockey International, and all of the related parties enough for everything I have learned and taken from my experiences with them. Coach Strot has changed me as an athlete, but more importantly as a person and I owe a lot to him for that. Coach Brett focuses on personal development in addition to athletic improvement and I encourage anyone to work with him if given the opportunity. For further questions or comments, you can contact me by email at Vincent.taylorc@gmail.com."
-Taylor Vincent