It's a new hockey season. How can we get it together a little better this time around? Check out these hacks (solutions) from hockey parents to help you get on the right track in the rink and beyond.
Hacks for Home
- Hockey gear stinks. Build your own drying rack to air out the gear after games and practices.
- Invest in a sport equipment dryer that folds and transports easily. "It allows us to dry gear at the hotel, and between games. It's worth every cent," says Baldwinsville, N.Y., hockey mom Tracey Heatley
Hotel Hacks
- Hotel rewards programs saves Detroit hockey dad Evan Rosenfeld big bucks. He alsochecks Facebook hockey groups for tips on sightseeing,food and road construction before heading out of town.
- Rent an extra room for dinners, socializing and knee hockey. "Everyone brings a dish to pass or chips in for groceries for lunches/dinners in the room," says Syracuse hockey dad Steve Ragan
- The hotel ironing board can double as a drying rack, as discovered by Fulton, N.Y., hockey mom Julie Bennett. Flip it and hang gearon the legs. She also makes meals ahead of time and freezes them in a gallon bag. The frozen bag keeps other items in the cooler, cold. Meals go in the Crock-Pot and voila, dinner is served.
Handheld Hockey Hacks
- Rink Rater lets Scarborough, Maine, hockey dad Johnny Sheppard "learn ahead of time what kind of facility you're steppinginto."
- Google calendar is something Central New York hockey mom Traci McLaughlin can't live without. "It's color coded by person/team to make things easy to find."
- Cozi is king for Dawn Chizek-Walbeck, of Antigo, Wis. "I color coordinate everyone and even add notes. When mykids askwhat we're doing today, I tell them, check Cozi."
Snack Attack Hacks
- Try hockey dietitian, Kim Lukhard of Hockey Mom RD's pre-skate and recovery game plan that includes mozzarella cheese sticks and pretzel twists, three hours before hitting the ice. A bag of 10 pretzel twists, saltine crackers or 3/4 cut of low fiber cereal, one hour before. And a 12 oz low fat chocolate milk and a mini bagel, 15 minutes after.
- A big bag of sliced oranges is a big hit before a tournament game, says Wendy Murray,Syracuse, N.Y. "It's refreshing after a long weekend of processed junk."
Travel Hacks
- The wonder bucket. A five-gallon bucket for under $5 from a home improvement store. Julie Bennett fills it ice, pucks, trash, orsuds for washing and flips it for an extra seat. It will become your travel "pal."
- Cloths and water bottles in the doors of the backseat. Pour water onto a cloth (Bennett prefers Norwex) to clean hands, faces, spots on clothes, spills on seats.
Hockey Gear Hacks
- Shoe repair shops can fix skate boots,even goalie pads.
- Sharpen bargain hunting skills. "Our local store had a yearly blow out on goalie equipment that was a lifesaver and I looked for secondhand pieces that could work," says Arizona blogger Sharon Enck
Lastly, give your gently used gear to another family. Pass along your money-saving hacks to help their budgets shoot and score too.