Mike Garman on Development, Recruiting, and the Path to the Next Level

Episode Description:
In this episode, Drew Shore and Lyndsey Fry sit down with Mike Garman, Associate Head Hockey Coach at Notre Dame and former head coach and general manager of the Chicago Steel, to discuss recruiting, player development, and the mental side of hockey success. They explore how young players can continue to improve, why versatility is such a valuable asset, and how parents can best support their kids throughout their hockey journey.

Key Points From This Episode:
00:00 - Season 2 begins: what listeners can expect from the podcast
01:36 - Why college recruiting and NIL make Mike’s perspective timely
02:39 - Lindsay’s recruiting path and the importance of education
04:43 - Drew’s path through the national development program and University of Denver
05:31 - Why academics can narrow college hockey opportunities
06:20 - Introducing Mike from Notre Dame
07:09 - How a temporary goalie-coach role became a coaching career
10:03 - What set elite USHL players apart beyond talent
11:32 - Balancing strengths with weakness development
13:22 - Teaching players to think the game and make the next play
17:34 - Recruiting timelines and why grades matter so much
19:30 - Late bloomers and why 16 is not the whole story
20:29 - What college coaches look for in a recruit
22:44 - Work ethic, attitude, and competing through mistakes
23:50 - How parents should think about development for younger players
26:39 - Where families should invest limited resources
29:47 - Do 3-on-3 and small-area games create bad habits?
32:02 - Shooting habits that create better goal-scoring chances
37:30 - Training game-like situations and using incentives in practice
39:22 - Why versatility at multiple positions increases opportunity
41:41 - Notre Dame freshman Sammy Nelson and rapid fire begins
42:36 - Why trying to fool college coaches is a bad idea
46:01 - Post-interview reflections from Lindsay and Drew
48:00 - Why recovery after mistakes matters more than perfection
51:13 - Top takeaways for parents and players

Links:
USA Hockey - ⁠⁠usahockey.com
Drew Shore - ⁠drewshore.com
Lindsey Fry - ⁠⁠fryhockey.com/%E2%81%A0