Confidence, Courage, and Self-Discipline
The purpose of our boxing program is not to develop fighters in hockey but to help players acquire more confidence, courage and self-discipline. Plain and simple, some players love to give hits in a game but lose control of their emotions when they get hit. Boxing helps players learn to control their emotions. We find that it improves a player’s game intelligence. He/she learns to read and react more calmly under pressure. It improves a player’s peripheral vision. Unlike golf, hockey players need a broader vision and players improve their vision by learning to see everything coming at them from the side as well as in front of them. Boxing also helps our players improve their focus and concentration. The players quickly learn to block out all internal and external distractions.
Dave Habib
Most importantly our boxing coach, Dave Habib, has a real passion to help kids in all of the above areas. Dave is extremely qualified to teach players how to handle themselves on the ice. During the off season, he works with such players as Jerome Iginla and Chuck Kobasew. Dave, however, is very careful to ensure that players learn proper boxing technique and discipline first before sparing at his boxing centre with any other player in the program. Toward the end of the program players are permitted to spar with other players their height, weight, and ability. If a player is uncomfortable with participating in the boxing portion of the program, he or she is free to join one of our other off-ice groups instead.
