In this episode of 'The Next Next,' host Jason Jacobs delves into the intricacies of youth sports and athlete development, drawing from his experience as a founder and a sports dad. Featured guest Brian Collins, a former BU hockey star and current club hockey coach for his two little guys, discusses his journey from high school hockey at St. John's Shrewsbury to playing at BU and briefly in professional hockey. The conversation touches upon the evolving landscape of youth sports, the importance of fostering passion over pressuring young athletes, and how today's structured, overscheduled environment contrasts with the more organic, free-play days of the past. Both Jason and Brian share their philosophies on balancing competitive development with ensuring kids still enjoy the game. Collins offers insights on how coaching and athletic development can adapt to better suit the current generation while also reflecting on his own experiences both as a player and a coach.
Navigating the Challenges of Youth Sports Development with Brian Collins
In this episode of The Next Next, host Jason Jacobs delves into the intricacies of youth sports development with guest Brian Collins, a former high school hockey star and collegiate player at Boston University. They explore various facets of modern-day youth sports, from the challenges faced by sports parents to the differences in athletic development paths between generations. Collins shares his unique perspective as a coach and a father, discussing the balance between fostering a love for the game and pushing for competitive success. They also touch upon the impact of privatization in sports and navigating overwhelming schedules for young athletes. This insightful conversation provides valuable takeaways for parents, coaches, and anyone interested in the evolving landscape of youth sports.
00:00 Introduction to The Next Next
00:55 Meet Brian Collins: High School to Pro Hockey Journey
02:19 Brian's Coaching Philosophy and Youth Sports Today
02:48 Podcasting and Hockey Conversations
06:58 Brian's Early Hockey Days and Family Influence
12:57 Youth Sports Evolution and Free Play
16:41 Challenges and Changes in Youth Hockey
25:25 Balancing Sports and Development
28:50 The Rarity of Offensive Coaches
30:02 Balancing Free Play and Structured Training
30:56 The Struggle with Technology and Kids
32:57 The Importance of Enjoying the Game
35:20 Building a Development Platform
37:29 The Role of Video Analysis in Development
42:06 Fostering Passion and Work Ethic in Kids
44:41 Reflecting on Personal Experiences
50:21 Advice for Sports Parents and Players
53:58 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
[00:00:00]
Jason Jacobs: Welcome to the next. Next, I'm the host, Jason Jacobs. This show sorts through the nuances of athlete development, specifically focused on youth sports. I'm coming at it from the angle of a founder who's potentially building my next company. Youth sports, specifically focused on athlete development and building a digital platform that helps kids and families navigate that journey.
But I'm also coming at it from the perspective of a sports dad. It's hard to be a sports parent these days. There's plenty of areas that are black and white that are easy. There's a right and there's a wrong, but there's a ton of gray area. And sorting through that nuance is hard. This show is, uh, an interview style show where I bring on a couple of guests each week that are experts that are well placed, and I am, I am inquisitive.
Ask a ton of questions and try to inform my worldview on these topics and help listeners to inform your worldviews as well. Today's guest is Brian Collins. Now Brian is an [00:01:00] interesting one. He, uh, played his high school hockey at St. John's Shrewsbury and as senior captain in 1999, which dates him, but he led all Massachusetts in scoring with 38 goals and 35 assists.
And in the division one state final against Springfield Cathedral, he scored four goals in their five to one win. Uh, and he then spent four years at bu. So no prep school, no reclassing, no juniors, no any of that. Just went to bu uh, so kind of a path that. It almost doesn't exist anymore and played four years.
There was assistant captain, his senior year, scored almost a hundred points during his tenure, and a couple fun facts on Brian. One, he scored his first collegiate goal on his first shot. And he also helped lead the Terriers to three bean pot titles in his four years. Played a few years of pro after, and then he got an office job.
He works in real estate now and has been ever since. But he also coaches [00:02:00] his, uh, um, his little guys. He's got a, I think it's a 2017. On the, um, junior Eagles and also, uh, 2019 in the development program for the Junior Eagles, and he coaches both of them, so plenty to talk about here on Brian's journey in the sport as a player and his path.
We talk about what it's like today and what's different from when Brian and I were coming up. In the game. We talk about coaching and his philosophies as a coach and what he learned as a player that's relevant to that. And we also talk about just the state of the game and the path forwards. That's a great one and I hope you enjoy it.
Okay. Brian Collins, welcome to the show.
Brian Collins: Jason, thank you very much for having me. It's, um, it's great to be chatting today.
Jason Jacobs: I didn't ask you before we got going, but have you done a podcast before?
Brian Collins: have never done a podcast
Jason Jacobs: All right.
Brian Collins: I've listened to far too many in the last five years though on far too many topics.
Jason Jacobs: Do, [00:03:00] do, uh, do you listen to my much of the hockey ones? I.
Brian Collins: Oh, yeah. I'm into, I, um, I enjoyed the hockey think tank. That's a pretty good one.
Jason Jacobs: I've been enjoying that one too. Yeah. I've never met Topher, but I'm, I'm planning on cold emailing him at some point. 'cause he sounds awesome.
Brian Collins: I enjoy that one. Obviously I enjoy the rink shrinks.
Jason Jacobs: I like that one too. And those guys are local,
Brian Collins: Yeah, I know those guys both from, many years ago, Mike Mato and Brian Yandell, and then of course everyone loves Chits. And I played with Ryan Whitney for a couple years at BU and knew him from even before bu, so I always
Jason Jacobs: he's still local too, I think.
Brian Collins: Yeah, no, he lives in Milton. Um, I've been chat with him occasionally about hockey. He's into this crazy world as well too,
Jason Jacobs: well, thanks for coming on the show. You know, a as you know, we both met through my brother who is a good friend of yours and who. Uh, I don't have a choice about being related to but uh, yeah. Yeah, I grew up, uh, like I was a, such a bu hockey fan boy growing up, and my brother told me that, [00:04:00] you know, one of his good friends played BU hockey and I was like, that's not possible because have you met yourself?
But
Brian Collins: hold on. You're saying, you're saying he wouldn't have friends or you saying he wouldn't have
Jason Jacobs: have cool friends.
Brian Collins: friend that
Jason Jacobs: cool friends.
Brian Collins: Okay. Yeah. Not that. Yeah, just 'cause you play doesn't mean you're cool.
Jason Jacobs: But, um, yeah, I got to know you when your kids were too little to play. And then my oldest is a little older, and so I became a crazy hockey dad first. And what I heard anecdotally through Josh was that you were like, whoa, like he sounds like a crazy hockey dad. Whereas I feel like once your kids got to be the age, like you have not only caught up but surpassed me.
Brian Collins: Yeah, I don't know about that, but Yeah. Well, I think, I think Josh. I think yeah, I, I, I, yeah, no comment on that. But even, um, you know, like I said, your brother, we, I think, what was it? A lot of like little birthday parties we originally met at.
Jason Jacobs: Yeah. When the kids were little, and now, time goes by
Brian Collins: yeah. And.
Jason Jacobs: little, but not nearly as little as they used
Brian Collins: Yeah. So yeah. Your, your brother. Yeah, he was the first, him and his wife.
Uh, good friends of ours, the first people we met in Needham, [00:05:00] and even the last couple years, done a little coaching with Josh and he keeps it, um, he, he, he, you know, one I respect anyone that's always out there volunteering, helping kids, but Josh always keep, kept it light. Even a couple years ago when we first got out there, no one knew his name and, but he had a wood Sherwood stick.
Possibly from high school, so we just called him the guy with the wood stick.
Jason Jacobs: No, I love torching my brother as much as anyone, but like I, he's great and and it's all in jest,
Brian Collins: Yeah. Yes. No, I, like I said, I love him.
Jason Jacobs: Yeah. But at any rate great to have you on the show. You know, while I've known you for a while, I've never actually heard the story. And I've been doing a little prep and gosh, I mean, you had I think a zillion points your senior year of high school.
You were a public school kid that that went straight to be you. No juniors, no reclassing, no, billeting, no. Like, any of that stuff. You had a great career at BU assistant captain, several years in the pros, injuries, concussions, uh, [00:06:00] you know, had to, had to hang 'em up.
But now you're, you know, you're coaching two of the Eagles teams, um, for the for the little guys. And, um, and so it'd be great to. Dive into your journey, but also fascinating I think to then turn to, you know, what you're gonna do the same as your parents did and maybe how you're gonna do it different.
And also just how the landscape of development has changed for now versus, versus when you were coming up. I.
Brian Collins: Yeah, no, I mean that's, uh, yeah. I mean, I can, I can get going on all that, but even, when I look back my story or my path that, was fortunate enough to end up playing at bu you know, drafted didn't play as long as I would've liked or, you know, I, I dreamed of doing, but it was still an amazing ride and amazing experience.
Met some amazing
Jason Jacobs: Fruit. You made it a lot further than most.
Brian Collins: Yeah. Yeah. You know, it is what it is with how it ends. It always, no matter who you are, it never ends exactly how you would like to. And some, I think the old adage is we all end up at men's league. We just, some of us just get there sooner than others. But even like my story, I grew up in [00:07:00] Rebury, Massachusetts.
I played Rebury youth hockey all the way through until I was a Bantam minor. My dad always.
Jason Jacobs: like that doesn't happen now. I mean, it happens, but it doesn't happen for anyone that's gonna end up playing at bu.
Brian Collins: Y Yeah, it doesn't, it's kind of a different, it was, yeah. I, I mean, again, you know, not that I feel old, or not that we're old, but it was almost like a different time where Yeah, I had opportunities to play on, the local, you know, NBHL, which is now the Fed team, the flames. And I think, my, you know, at the time my parents were probably just like, no, like, you're playing shoes.
Breathe youth hockey, you're skating a couple times a week. Like my dad coached me. I. It was
Jason Jacobs: wait. Can we go back for a sec? Did your dad play.
Brian Collins: My dad was one of seven from around here. And probably, you know, during that era, a lot of, you know, they, a lot of those people that grew up there were big Bruins fans and, you know, he played, I think men's league when he was older and did a lot of pond skating with his siblings, um, growing up, but didn't play [00:08:00] like, what's, or like organized hockey growing up.
But, you know, always knew the game well enough to, to co to coach me.
Jason Jacobs: So how'd you get into it?
Brian Collins: I, you know, they always tell the story that I'm a September birthday, so I couldn't go to kindergarten. That, that I, I missed the cutoff. And like, I was a, this won't shock you. I was a pretty active kid. And they're like, well, we need something for him to do.
And, you know, I was four years old, or, and they're like, all right, let's try hockey and. Pretty much from four years old to probably 26 when I stopped playing, it was the only thing I ever really thought about, ever wanted to do. Yeah, it was pretty much like my life and, you know, enjoyed every minute of it.
Probably by the end I was like, ah, I think I'm good. Let's try something else here with like, injuries and multiple professional teams. But it was, uh. You know, it was an amazing experience from, you know, from start to end. But like I said, I started at Shrewsbury Youth Hockey, did that all the way through till I was a Bantam, and [00:09:00] then I played on the, uh, the Minuteman Flames for I think I ended up doing two years there.
But, you know, even when I looked back at just, how it's all evolved kids today are already playing on all these, you know, club teams, like very few kids do the town stuff all the way through. You know, my entire life, up until my entire hockey career, up until I played varsity hockey, I was lucky enough varsity hockey, my eighth grade year at Shrewsbury High School, where there was a a nuance where at the time in Shrewsbury, the eighth grade was in the high school.
So you were able to play high school sports. And even when I look back like that was, I don't know, was I 14 maybe? And that was the first time in my life that I'd ever skated more than twice a week. So my entire, you know, childhood growing up, it was one practice, one or two games from like, let's just say September, October to April, bags went away.[00:10:00]
Maybe one hockey camp, maybe probably one week of hockey camp during the summer, just a lot of baseball. And then back at it September, October. I didn't start playing in the summer. Until I was 15 years old and I started, you know, getting introduced to the USA hockey stuff. Um, you know, like the, I did the Massachusetts 15, 16, 17 festivals you know, for Team Massachusetts.
But that was really my first experience ever playing in the summer. Where now today kids, I think everyone kind of skates for the most part year round. You know, I, I think, I
Jason Jacobs: And not only that, like they, they'll do like a, like if they have practice at night, it's like, oh, maybe you can sneak in, you know, some edge work in the morning before school on the same day.
Brian Collins: Yeah I'm not in that camp. I know some people are, you know, I'm not gonna comment on that. But yeah, I am still of the, of the mindset where it's like, yeah, you got your. You know what, the way I sort to do with my boys is like, you know, one of 'em is six, one's eight. It's like, hey, you have your practice, you're gonna go to your [00:11:00] practice.
We don't need two practices. You know, it's always you know, it's, you get that hour and you wanna focus on that hour and, more isn't always better is sort of my
Jason Jacobs: D does your daughter play?
Brian Collins: My daughter plays as well too, so my daughter plays. She's 10. She plays, uh, Needham girls, and you'll actually laugh at this.
My wife coaches the Needham youth hockey girls team, my wife did, she didn't play growing up and it was maybe like last year. My daughter, no, she likes it. Like she's doesn't love it. She's like the jack of all trades. She does probably 10 different activities. Hockey's one of them. She is very social, so she loves the social aspect.
Of it and it was a girls team. And I said to my wife, I'm like, it might be a good opportunity for you to, coach Norris's team. And I had coached some of her other teams and you know, I think with the girls, not that I fully understand that landscape, but it gets to a point where you kind of want, mo women coaching the girls.
And I said, this could be, I. You know, a good experience for you two to spend some time together. And, you know, this upcoming season, my wife's the head [00:12:00] coach and like I'm gonna make as many practices as I can to sort of help and just sort of help my wife, like set up the practices and structure it, even though, uh, my wife's far smarter, far more organized than, you know, probably in six months from now she'll be a better coach than I am.
Jason Jacobs: Well that, I mean, that's one of, in addition to all the, all the changes on the boys side. One of the biggest changes I've seen with the game is just like, look at the girls, like they're nasty.
Brian Collins: Yeah, no, I think, uh, yeah, it, it is ama, I mean, I, I think any of these kids today, they're on the ice a lot. They're doing a lot of stuff, and they're all like, they're, you know, I think everyone skates better than the, the people of my era. I mean, you know, the trend that I sort of see from, you know, listening to people, talking to people, and even starting to see myself is like.
All right. Like where's their hockey sense versus the guise of the players of, 25 years ago. And that's what's, you know, like I said, as I'm getting going, coaching, like that's gonna be interesting to, uh, you know, to sort of watch, develop.
Jason Jacobs: So when you were coming up and you were doing, a [00:13:00] practice a week and one or two games what happened the rest of the week?
Brian Collins: So probably growing, like I, I played a, I mean, again, guys of my generation that did like a lot of street hockey, like I was I, you know, I was fortunate enough to grow up on a, um, my house was on a circle and
Jason Jacobs: Wait, what funny story there on your BU bio, which is still up there from back when you played, it didn't just list your, it didn't just list your parents' name and what town you're from. It listed your
Brian Collins: Uh, that's, yeah, that's, they don't do that today, do they?
Jason Jacobs: yeah.
Brian Collins: Um, so I played, I played hours and hours and hours of street hockey and like roller blade hockey. And there was, I had a really, really, really good group of buddies growing up that like everyone was athletic. Everyone played like we played, we all played baseball hockey.
There was just, and you know, and even at one of the guys that I grew up with, I ended up playing with in high school, we knew like he, he ended up playing Merrimack, Tim Reedy, [00:14:00] like, and, and when you look back, it's like, oh wow. Two kids that used to play Shucky, they, they both ended up playing in Hockey East.
You know, pretty impressive. But just, you know, played Little League from April to July, and. With those same kids, it might be like, all right, come over. Like, we're gonna play, we're gonna play baseball in my backyard and then we're gonna go play street hockey for an hour or two. And it was just a lot of that a lot of that stuff growing up.
Jason Jacobs: It's funny you hear now it's like, what are the kids missing? It's like they're missing free play. They're missing just going out with no pressure and being creative and trying stuff and like, you know, they should just be playing more street hockey. And it's like, and so the first. The first place that our overscheduled brains go is like, well, how do we schedule in more unscheduled time?
Right. Because it's sad, like, uh, and I've talked about this in prior episodes with guests too. It's like, I grew up the same. It was like you look out the window and it like, you didn't have to schedule anything because if you had downtime, it wasn't downtime. You just look out the window and there's a zillion kids playing something [00:15:00] outside and there was always feed hockey nets out there and baseball or tennis or.
Bikes or mopeds or whatever it was like there. Yeah. There was, there was always something to do. And like that infrastructure doesn't exist because everyone's so overscheduled, so it's like, and the phones do exist, so it's like, all right, sure. I want my kid to go play in the neighborhood, but there'll be no one out there and he'll still have his phone, so
Brian Collins: I mean, nothing, you know, and, you know, even one of the activities like in the fall, like a lot of the kids now are into, is like, there's like flag football leagues everywhere. And I kinda laugh at that one. Like that used to like growing up. All that is, is this kids playing like touch football, which when we were growing up, like you would just grab the kids in the neighborhood, but like, not now, it's like a big league with like dad's coaching and like calling plays.
Jason Jacobs: can't even show up to the field because it's like, no, this field needs to be booked. If you want it for recreational use, you know?
Brian Collins: Even like that one, like my, my, my 8-year-old and 6-year-old both do that and that's like September and October and, but of course like hockey [00:16:00] season is like full on by Labor Day, so like they'll, you know, it's like a six to eight week season. We'll make three or four of them. And even when my wife and I like, you know, sit down in the fall and start thinking or start thinking about like the schedule, she's like, oh my God, that's another activity.
I'm like, well, that's not an activity. They're gonna go play flag football three times out of eight if they don't wanna have a hockey. And all that is you're just playing outside with your friends. It's just, you know, it's just packaged up in a nicer bow in 2025 than it would've been in like 1992. And it's just, yeah, I think to your point, it's just sort of, you know, that's all it is, is everyone's schedule.
Everyone's got this, this, and this. And yeah. It's just, you know, it's just the world we live in.
Jason Jacobs: I mean, all the scheduling and all this kind of sliding down, it's almost like the BU standard slid down to the, to the seven year olds kind of thing. Right. And does that. Does that lead to better athletes? What does that lead to?
Brian Collins: uh, yeah, I, I mean, you know, uh, we're gonna find out. You know, I, I think here in. [00:17:00] You know, I mean like when I played at bu, I think pretty sure like half the team were Massachusetts guys, right? Like, I don't know. I'd have to like this coming year, I'd have to look at the roster and see how many the.
Jason Jacobs: I scanned it and I was like, wait a minute. All these guys are still involved in Massachusetts hockey. Like this is crazy. Like I recognize so many of the names on that, on that roster.
Brian Collins: Yeah, 'cause I mean, a lot of us grew up here and then, you know, we're fortunate enough to play at bu and you know, again, I don't know the exact makeup of their like coming season, but I don't, I, I'm pretty sure like in the last handful of years, it wasn't like half just
Jason Jacobs: Oh, oh. I was talking about your roster.
Brian Collins: my roster was Oh yeah, my roster.
Yeah, that's what I mean. My roster like 25 years ago, like half the three cores of the team were like local guys. And I think
Jason Jacobs: and they're all the coaches that they're all now the coaches now in the club.
Brian Collins: yeah. Well, yeah, well, I mean, yeah, there is a lot of guys that, you know, all have kids around the same time and, you know, it's nice for me to pick brains of, some of the guys I played with that have older kids that have sort of seen it. What it looks like as the kids get older.
Jason Jacobs: Yeah. No, [00:18:00] but I agree with you now. It's I mean, they're coming from anywhere and especially now with some of those rule changes in Canada, right? I mean,
Brian Collins: yeah, I think it's, I mean, again, I'm I have no idea, but it's gonna be fascinating to see what happens to, you know, prep school hockey here. And just different things like that where kids can now go to the Quebec League, they can go to the USHL. Like there, you know, there's just three kids that just made the US National team.
You know, the really good players are gonna have far more options and, you know, you can go do two years in the Quebec League or two years in the USHL and you can step right, if you can play there, you can play in college. Where it doesn't seem like there's many kids that are not even like the public private, that are like, can, like, it seems like those kids really can't jump to like a division one school from there.
And then now even at the prep school, it seems like the really good ones are. Doing like a something else before they show up at, you know, X, Y, Z school in no East.
Jason Jacobs: Yeah I ran into one of your old teammates. I'm not gonna say his name because I don't have. His permission to, [00:19:00] mention what he, it wasn't anything sensitive, but he just said it to me. He didn't say it to me like it was gonna be broadcast, but, um, but he was saying how he thinks that because the best prep school kids are leaving, that it's gonna create, uh, more of a gap of talent in prep school and that the prep school is gonna get younger and not force the kids to, you know, reclass one or even two times by the time they graduate high school.
Brian Collins: Yeah, no, I could, I could see that. Yeah, I mean, again, I don't, I don't really fully know that world, but I would imagine that, that's like the really, really good players still might do a little bit of time there. And if you, if you make the US national team, like you're gonna go do it, you're not gonna turn that down.
If you're a junior and you're drafted in the second round of the Quebec League, or you're probably gonna go to Quebec for two years and then try to go play in hockey East.
Jason Jacobs: So people talk a lot about how. Privatization has ruined the sport and it's a path to burnout and it's a path to specialization too early, and it's a path to lack of [00:20:00] overall athleticism and lack of hockey iq. At the same time, I feel like every generation longs for the generation, you know, for what they had growing up and complains about the state of where things are now.
You know, as someone who came up in the game and is now living the state of the game now with your kids how do you think about the state of the state and the pros and the cons of where we are versus when you were coming up?
Brian Collins: I, I mean, again, I don't have the numbers in front of you, in front of me, but it seems like it's far like the numbers of kids getting drafted. Even I think, the NHL draft US tonight. 26 years ago, I was drafted again, I didn't play in the NHL, but I
Jason Jacobs: Third round,
Brian Collins: Yeah, I was a third round pick. I was 87th overall, and I think there might have been three or four kids from Massachusetts that went before me, three or four kids from Massachusetts, maybe more that went after me.
So there might have been like 10 kids from Massachusetts that were drafted. And again, that doesn't mean you're gonna play in the NHL. And even if those 10, I like, maybe only one or two got games. [00:21:00] Again, that was even a different era then. And I, I would guess there aren't gonna be 10 Massachusetts kids drafted tonight.
Yeah, I mean I, you know, I, I think it's, I think it was back to when they said, I, I don't necessarily always feel that like more is better and more equals, playing at XX, Y, Z level. I think a lot of it is just, um, yeah, I think the people involved and the people coaching these teams just need to be, you know, smart with.
How they're designing a practice or how they're thinking about it. And you know, as you're saying, like with the privatization, professionalization of, of sports, like, you know, everyone wants to win, but these kids are 7, 8, 9, 10 years old, 11 year. Like it doesn't matter. You know, like I'd rather coach like an Eagles team for the next seven years and.
14 kids and you know, and again, some of the kids might be like, I wanna play football or baseball, or whatever their chosen sport is. And you know, I'd love to see 10 of them play prep school hockey. Like, you know, I'm not gonna remember whether we, [00:22:00] at eight, went 35 and three and people were like, oh, wow.
Like, look at that team. That's a wagon. You know, it's not what's really important. You wanna see the kids like. Like to me, if they're like having fun and they're improving every year, like that's like all you can ask for and that's, you know, that should be the goal.
Jason Jacobs: Yeah. Um, I mean, one of the tensions that I see is it, it feels like from the club standpoint, that the clubs feel like if they win, then they're more sought after and they're more sought after and they get better players. And if they get player better players, then it's self reinforcing. And then and then, they, you know, they build a stronger brand and there's more, more money to be made. Right? And at the same time, from the, from the kids standpoint, right? Like people develop at different rates and puberty comes at different times and, and and people's athleticism pops at different times and they might go through slumps and, and things like that.
And it, and it seems like, and [00:23:00] granted of course there's exceptions, but a lot of these clubs. They're not really developing, right? It's, it's like they'll just take the best that they've got and if the kid and the kids and the family are fending for development for themselves and then at the end of each year they'll just, cut from the bottom and try to bring in at the top and try to win, right?
And uh, and there's also just a lot more. Transiency, if that's a word. Right? Where like it used to be, your team was your team. 'cause you played on your town and and it was all about development because you have who you have, whereas now everyone's moving around and and everyone's kind of jockeying for a better position.
And, um, and like it, it seems like in a way there's just no continuity to development anywhere.
Brian Collins: Yeah, no, I've definitely started to notice that where, there's, I mean, I think there's naturally changes on, any sports team from like seven to whatever. I mean, you know, you're even seeing some of that obviously with the portal and college and which wasn't even around 25 years ago, obviously.
But, you know, I sort of, my, I think my [00:24:00] philosophy is. You know, and the guys that I, I coach with as like, you want to be able to get a core group of pe kids, and hopefully you're coaching them that, that particular group for, you know, the 7, 8, 9 years. You know, I, I just think even it starts young where it's like, oh wow, like that's not a good situation.
Like, we're not winning or this isn't happening. Or then you jump to one team and then before you know it, you're on another team and then before you know it on another team and you know, I think one of the. When I look back at my career, one of the, the greatest things was all the friends I made from doing it.
If you're jumping from team to team from a young age I mean, how, how, you know, what kind of relationships are you really like, really forming along the way, which, you know, I think is, you know, one of the best gifts you can, you know, you can give your kid from playing hockey. It's just sort of friends they make.
Jason Jacobs: But I mean, you're coaching in. Historically, one of the strongest programs, and granted it depends on birth year and and all that but like year after year, right? The [00:25:00] Eagles are, are a top program and there's a lot of pressure on kids and families to keep up, to stay on the train and not everyone does.
Over time. And I think that's what pushes people to do more and more and more and to be year round and stuff because they feel like, you know, the train's gonna leave the station with or without them, and if they wanna stay on the train, they have to kick real hard to try to keep up. You know, what are your thoughts on that generally, and also how you're navigating that with your own kids?
Brian Collins: Yeah, so I, I think the one thing that I noticed, sort of even back to where it used to be, April, like I'm done, everyone plays baseball and like I'll see in September, October yeah, you, I. I mean, if you think about that from April to September, if someone feels like it, which some people do, you can almost take down another season worth of skating from April to September.
And a lot of people do that. Sort of the way I've handled it, with my kids is again, six and eight, pretty much just like a couple date camps. They did a three on three league. They did. [00:26:00] And they're gonna do some, probably some like drop in skill sessions with like one of my former teammates, Freddie Meyer.
So I, I do have, you know, my kids skate far more than I ever did, but they probably end up hitting maybe a third and half of what some kids do. And again I think that's to, to each his own and, and whatnot. And you know what I hope to do is still like with them. Season ends like March, April, it goes away, right?
You might, don't touch the ice for like a month or so. Get into your baseball. Play, play some baseball. They both played baseball for the first time this year and both really enjoyed it. But like, the difference would be like, which I did this year was like, all right, like, we're gonna do six weeks of three on three on a Sunday night, right?
So. You know, you still get that hour skate, once a week and you know, I'm a let's do two to three spring tournaments, you know, versus, and again, some people might do 10, what does that look like two to three years from now? I don't know. Like they, my kids are gonna be behind 'cause they [00:27:00] didn't do 10 tournaments.
Like, I don't think so. But they might be I mean, I think sort of the way I look at it is it's just like such a marathon. And there's just no need to sort of, sort of rush the development. You can't rush it. I think you just gotta stay consistent with like, or just listen to the kid.
I mean, I think you know, I think that does determine or drive like how much you can really put them on the ice. But I, I, I, but I am a believer of doing like, Hey, it's baseball season. Go play baseball or go play lacrosse, or, or, or whatever it
Jason Jacobs: isn't the rushing it all around you on all sides.
Brian Collins: I think when you take the big picture is these kids are like, again, what I'm dealing with is the kids are so young and everyone grows and develops at like different like stages.
Like the kid that's the best 7-year-old probably isn't gonna be the best 10-year-old. The kid is the best 10-year-old. It's probably not gonna be the best 15-year-old. And I even, you know, and, and even at that age, that's when [00:28:00] I sort of can remember some of the guys that I played with, like the kids are the best.
15 year olds aren't gonna be the best 17 year olds. Like I distinctly remember doing 15, 16, 17 mass festival. You know, before they changed sort of the rules where it used to play, like on your state. Massachusetts obviously was Massachusetts. And you know, the game hadn't fully spread to, you know, the southeast in different areas.
So it was still a traditional, like, not like when I was 17, I think we lost in the, you know, there were 10 teams we lost in like the gold medal game of like the festival to like Michigan. So it was Massachusetts and Michigan. And I remember when I was 15 I was like maybe middle of the pack on that team and then by the time I was 17 I think that tournament, I was one of the leading scorers made the all tournament team.
And
Jason Jacobs: were a goal
Brian Collins: I scored. Yeah.
Jason Jacobs: You scored a lot of goals,
Brian Collins: know what? I, I, I,
Jason Jacobs: there's a dearth of people like you in coaching. At least. At least from what I've seen, it's a lot of defensemen behind the bench. I dunno why
Brian Collins: I don't, yeah I [00:29:00] don't know. I mean, I, I, I could score goals in the sense where I, like, I knew how to get to the front of the net. I was good around the net. I sort of had like a knack for. Understanding where the goalie was, you know what, what of the many things that kept me from playing in the NHL was like, I didn't ha like as I got up, I just was not one of those guys and there were not a ton of 'em, which is why, you know, in that era there wasn't as many.
I mean, I'd have to look at the numbers as many guys coming out of like Hockey East to the NHL as there are today. But like. I was not that goal scorer to get the puck in the slot and it's under the bar. You know, I, I think I, I look back at my stats, I think I scored anywhere every year at bu like 12, 13, 14 goals.
There might have been a couple where I might have like really ripped one, but a lot of it was like getting to the front of the net tipping pox, like finding rebound.
Jason Jacobs: Dirty goal is a goal.
Brian Collins: No, and I, and again, when I was in high school, like I scored 'em any which way, I scored a and I scored a, you know, pretty healthy [00:30:00] amount there too.
Jason Jacobs: I'm of two minds because on the one hand, if it's free play, then you let the kids find their passion and it happens naturally, right? And I think that's a really good thing. But the challenge is there's not a lot of free play around. Right. And, then on the other hand, it's like, wow, these kids have so many resources that we didn't have growing up, and there's just so much more sophistication about how to break down the game and so many more tools and so much more knowledge and, and, uh, such a better idea how all the different pieces fit together, and then how to pull out different components of it and work on them, and then bring it back together to get the whole machine spinning better.
Right. And so, on the one hand, I think I yearn as a dad for less structure. And on the, because actually that'll lead to better development and a more on a more healthy natural path. Right? And then on the other it's like, well, there's so many tools here and there's so much you could do, and you just want to get kind of surgical about it.
And like turn up the, turn up the flame, right? And I know, listen to the kid, right? But I like. For [00:31:00] me, it's a little confusing because the kids aren't equipped to fight off the dopamine. Right. And so if you listen to the kid, the kid's just gonna be glued to the phone, right?
But then when the kid's out there, granted listen to the kid. Like if you try to get the kid out there and they're like, I really don't like this. They're body language is such, they're not dialed in, they're not working hard, then that's one thing. But like. I look at my kids, for example, when the phone is there, they're on the phone, but when they're out there, tails wagging, dialed in, hardworking, two-way player loves the game, right?
But like needs a little nudge to remind 'em to like, get the f away from the phone, right? So, it's a struggle. 'cause then it's like, all right, so you get 'em away from the phone and it's like, are you getting him away from the phone? Because they want to be away from the phone or you're guarding them away from, but it's a drug.
So I don't know,
Brian Collins: Yeah,
Jason Jacobs: and I know your kids are younger, but like, what do you think?
Brian Collins: even I, I joke around with my wife when I'm like, like growing up I was like, obviously we had no, no phones, no internet, no nothing. I, I joke with my wife. I'm like, I get to, I used, my parents used to allow us to watch like one 30 minute show a [00:32:00] week when we were older. Like, like my kids are taken down, two episodes of Bluey before school.
You know, like it's just a different, different, yeah, it's just, it's just a different time. I mean, you know, it's gonna be fascinating to watch. I mean, you know, I think we limit the best we can. All that technology stuff. Um, got the boys their first set of roller blades about a week ago, and, um, you know, I'll be, I'll be curious to see how much they use them outside.
Jason Jacobs: Do you live on a street where
Brian Collins: we love at the end of like, sort of a, uh, at right at the end of a cul-de-sac. So they could you know, I'll go out there and play with them sometimes too, but I. Yeah, it'll be, it'll be interesting to see how much you know, they do that. But even in that sense, like, like for instance, like today they have like swim lessons, tennis lessons, and, alright, by the afternoon, like, alright, they're probably cooked from all that.
Do they want to go play for two hours? Play your ducky? I don't know. We'll see. Like, I'll, I'll, I'll mention it to them and, 50 50, they, um, 50 50 they bite.
Jason Jacobs: My kid, when he gets back he's at overnight camp and when [00:33:00] he gets back, he's got a pretty structured hockey. Summer with, down downtime and kid being a kid and golf and other stuff. But like, he's gonna play a lot of hockey when he gets back. But for this month, there's no phones. And the only communication with him is handwritten letters.
Or we get these like AI tagged, you know, they take a lot of pictures at camp, they send photographers around, and then you get. Pictures of your kid and every day I'm getting pictures of, of, actually both kids are at overnight camp but the hockey kid he's doing different stuff and it's none of it, it's like all free play.
Right. And it ki it warms my heart. It's like, uh, it like alleviates my guilt of being a crazy hockey dad. I'm like, look, he's he's spreading his wings. Freeze a bird. Uh, but I do, I do wrestle, right? Because like even. I don't know. I mean, you've got like Kobe Bryant rest in peace, but like he's got old clips in your head, like mamba mentality.
Like every rep that you do, that's one rep more than you could have done is like a, you know, it compounds over time, right? And, uh, and like the earlier you start, you know, the more it compounds, right? And stuff like that. And [00:34:00] then, and then you have all these clips, like every time you like open Instagram or something, like all you see.
Are like everyone else's kids ripping shots and running with parachutes and like doing hill runs and playing in tournaments and flying all over the place and written up on scouting reports for the little tweenie boppers and stuff. And it's like, Jesus, like I'm so behind.
Brian Collins: I, I think it's like anything in life, like, I think you just gotta, like, don't get fomo, and I think that's easier like said than done.
Jason Jacobs: Especially when the path's getting harder and
Brian Collins: yeah, I mean it's, it's really, there's just a lot, lot, lot of hockey players out there and. I mean with that rule change that, you know, where there's gonna be even more Canadians playing college hockey around here.
I mean, again, like you wanna play at bu you better be a first round pick. I mean, you know, in, in any of those blue blood schools. But, you know, there's, there's still schools and you know, I think a lot of is, like I played at bu I had a great experience. My brother played division three at Salve [00:35:00] Regina. And he had a great experience.
He made some lifelong friends there too. Like it isn't. It there's a school for everyone. There's a hockey program for everyone if you love it. And I, I think it's just, you know, gonna be interest in how it all, shakes out in the years to come for, you know, again, you and I'll be paying attention from a Massachusetts local standpoint.
But yeah, it's gonna be interesting.
Jason Jacobs: Well, I wanna talk through some other stuff I've been thinking about because I've been contemplating. Building a platform of some sort to really put the kid at the center of the development path. Right? And I wanna play the long game where I am not just helping them like, scramble to like be part of the rat race and make that AAA team or something but actually like set them up with good habits and a good development framework.
For the long term that might be focused on athletics, but have applications far beyond athletics and life. And that's also how I'm trying to parent. Like I want my kids to be, sued with a capital S and athlete with a capital A and just reach their fullest form. But it's not like. To get a scholarship or [00:36:00] to play in the NHL or something like that.
Like it's just, it's just to reach their fullest form. And like burnout is not their fullest form. Overuse injuries is not their fullest form. Hating the game is not their fullest form. Right. So I'm just really sensitive to that. It's one of the reasons I'm leading with content before I build is that like.
I gotta pressure test my own worldview because of the stuff I struggle with as a dad. Right. But there's been this kind of, um, evolution for me where like, a few years ago it was like tournaments, tournaments, you know, gameplay, gameplay, gameplay. And then it's like, gosh, I feel like I'm doing too.
I feel like he's doing too many tournaments and not enough skills. Right. And so then it was kind of like. Skill this, skill that skill this. Right. And then the skills are coming along, right? And then I've been talking to people like, as I'm learning here, and some of the perspectives I'm getting are like, hey like blind gameplay, you know, especially if you're kind of like playing over your head or something like that.
Like that's not gonna do anyone any good. And then more, and more and more and more in skills like, like you said. More isn't always better, but like if you start with video analysis and you look at what's happening in the games and then you identify, a few key things, [00:37:00] not a ton, but just two or three high leverage things where it's like a high frequency thing in the game with a high failure rate and there's just little tweaks you can do, you can actually be a lot smarter with how you focus those skills to get a lot bigger bang for your buck where maybe you can actually do less.
But get more from a development standpoint. And I, I know, again, I know your kids are, are little, but you have, you have such deep experience with the game. You know, how, how are you thinking about development and also like how does that scale with age or, or set another way? How does it dial back with
Brian Collins: Yeah, I mean, I think, again, back in my day, like I didn't really like in high school, like the games, like we had the games on tape, but let's not, like we were reviewing them and breaking it down. So then. I got to bu we'd always be watching film and I can only imagine how much more detailed the film was than it was like 25 years ago.
And, there were things that I would learn at 18, 19 by watching film that, you know, some of these kids could have access to now at 10. Again, I don't know the [00:38:00] age of like them, like, like watching and, fully understand what you're saying. Like, like my two kids, like my two boys who I like to watch a pretty good amount of hockey with.
Like they wouldn't, like, they'll watch a game with me and watch me, but like point here or there and hey, that guy should be covering that guy. Or like, look where that stick is right there. Or, and, and I, I don't know the age, but something like that is a good way to, teach kids.
Like, hey, like you, it's great that you skated back to your net like a hundred miles per hour. You worked hard, but. You skated by the guy that ended up scoring the puck because as the kid got older, the player understands how to pull up and hit the late guy and score a goal. Even though I was watching the Stanley Cup finals and with my two kids, I was like, Hey, look at this goal right here.
Connor McDavid, best player in the world went to the wrong guy, right? Like, and it's like it, the video doesn't lie. And it's a great teaching tool and you know, the kids today will have access to it far earlier [00:39:00] than. People of my generation and you just hope the people that are pointing out to them like the things to do, like know what they're doing and the kids are able to watch.
And, you know, I think, um, I think one of the things too, even on that note is like, how many kids like really do fully watch full hockey games today, or full bits and pieces where, 'cause everything being consumed in those smaller clips. You know, I think with, with my kids, they'll usually watch. They, we will, we'll usually watch like a period of night and like, we'll go to a, we'll go to a, we'll go to games and, you know, they, they're pretty good about, um, about watching at Decent Hawke.
They both enjoy watching it, and my daughter actually really enjoys watching it too. It was funny, last year at one point my boys were already in bed and she had some activity she got home for and she was calling for me. She's like, dad. And I'm like, what's going on? She's like. I need to go back to the Toronto game.
I switched it to see the score of the Bruins game. I'm like, oh my God, you are my daughter.
Jason Jacobs: As your kids get older and [00:40:00] I guess this, this answer might change, but how do you predict that you'll be in terms of your role in stewarding their athletic development?
Brian Collins: I think for me, with the hockey on the two of them, it's like. You know, I think they they know I didn't play in the NHL, but they know I played at BU and they know that I played professionally. They know that I love it. And there's probably a time where they're, you know, where like I'm hopeful they're gonna come to me and like, alright dad, like I really want you to really like, put your finger on me and really teach me how to play.
And, and that's, but you know, even with them now, it's like. You can't, I, I can't like grind them like they're 16 year olds and if like one of them is playing center and be like snapping at 'em to be like, Hey, you gotta be down low supporting your d You're out at the, you're out at the blue line looking for a pass.
Like, I can start to like gently be like, like that's not how you play that position. Right. And you know, I think. [00:41:00] You know, even like the kids I coach my own kids, like as they start getting older, like I think it's my responsibility to start imparting some of that on them. But even at the young age, like, you know, at eight, like I can't expect them to know something at eight that I didn't learn till 18, but because of my experience, I wanna make sure that I'm sharing that and sort of start putting that in their, their brain.
Like this is, this is how we play and you know, you want to create players or where from eight to. You know, however old when I'm done with them or I'm done coaching my kids, where like I've instilled to them like, hockey concepts and skills that are like transferable like all throughout their career, right?
Like you don't wanna see an 8-year-old that is a good player could just 'cause he's bigger, stronger, and better than everyone and scores a lot of goals. 'cause he can flip it from the blue line and no one else can flip it from the blue line yet, right? Like, that's not a transferrable goal. Like, or that's not a transferrable play.
You wanna. You know, you want to be preaching [00:42:00] habits that you know that they have at eight that they can still have at 18.
Jason Jacobs: And I mean, I guess this is less of a hockey question and more of a philosophical parent one, but but as a, as a parent, how much of our role do you think is fostering love versus identifying love and fostering worth ethic versus identifying areas where it doesn't feel like work and they just, they just wanna do it themselves?
Brian Collins: I mean, I, I think I. When I first got started, like maybe like four or five years ago and started to like think about some of this, I'm like, really, at the end of the day, all we can do is like, get them to the rink, right? Like just, and then they gotta like get out there and like learn to skate on their own and do it all on their own.
Like, I think as far as like fostering, creating a passion for it, like I take them, like I said, I live in, I live in Needham probably the last two years. We went to watch like Rivers High School, played 20, 25 times, like five minutes from our house. Fun to watch. We go to as many BU games as we can.
Jason Jacobs: [00:43:00] Season ticket holder over here.
Brian Collins: yeah, I know. Yeah. I got,
Jason Jacobs: Behind the bench.
Brian Collins: I haven't, I haven't sprung for the season tickets yet, just because again, my kids are now, like last year I brought my 5-year-old. To a game and in like the second period, he is like falling asleep. I'm like, I think just now I'm at the age where even the youngest, I, I don't have to worry about like a seven 30 game in the city.
Not that I live far but like, I think things like that. And even last year the two boys Eagles team that got to play a 30 minute game at the Boston Garden before a Bruins game. You know, I think it's. It, it's, I think one of the ways to build passion is to probably put them in situations where they're like, oh, wow, this is cool, or this is a lot of fun.
Or, like this is a fun tournament. Like last year my, um, my middle guy his team had a, a tournament in Waterville Valley. So he and I went, stayed at a hotel for three nights and played a hockey tournament and they played like floor hockey and spent time with the kids. Like, I think things like that are fun and, you know, just add to building the passion of, [00:44:00] hopefully enjoying the sport.
Jason Jacobs: I really wanna revisit this conversation in five years because I think a lot of the, I think it gets more complicated as they get older. Yeah, I wanna almost like put a marker
Brian Collins: You think? Am I, am I, am I sounding way too
Jason Jacobs: No, I think there's just I think it, I just think it's more glaringly obviously not the right thing to do, to be putting that structure in place for the littlest guys.
Right. And I think. As they get older, right? My, my oldest 13, right? It is, it is getting to be about that time to grind, right? And then the question is, well, who's steering the ship? But one way or another for any kid that actually wants to make a go of it, it is time to grind, right?
Yeah.
Brian Collins: And yeah, I mean, even on, even on that, I mean, my parents like grow, like never ever pushed. We gotta do this. Like, you gotta go do that. Like you gotta do this, you gotta do that. Even my dad coach, the only time they ever really got on me is if they saw me, maybe have like bad body language or my dad coaching, maybe I might've, you know, I [00:45:00] was, I've always been extremely competitive where I might've, you know, had words with a referee, like he didn't enjoy when I did things like that.
Or, you know, even after a game they, I'm like, how think I played? They're like, well, like you didn't really back check tonight. Or like, little like nuanced, like. Things where it's like, all right, like you, you could've worked harder out there, but it was always like, you know, you played hard. Like good job.
It was never how, like, it was never like, oh wow, like you scored like four goals. I mean, you could score four goals in a hockey game and not play well. And
Jason Jacobs: could do it in the state championship game and win five to one
Brian Collins: know I should, I should've had, should had seven that night. But um, you know, and even. My parents were never like, oh wow, you need to do this, this, and this if you wanna play it.
B it was just something I was always like extremely passionate about. I mean, from the age six on, I wanted to play in the bean pot. And you know, yeah, like as I, but it was, it wasn't like work to me, right? It wasn't like, oh, I need to be, you know, I remember back when I was 15, like doing the USA hockey satellite [00:46:00] stuff, which was.
You know, I had a sense that it was gonna be extremely important to, show well there, or get on some of those festival teams. It wasn't like, oh my God, I need to prep for this. It might've been like, all right, I just came from baseball. I'm gonna go play hockey now and just get out there and play.
It was never work. It was just like, I just loved it so much. Like I never ever considered it work. And even, you know, when I look back now, like. Was even, you know, post-college when I played three years professionally, probably my funnest part playing professionally was just all the off season work.
It was awesome. I mean, I would I'd go to the gym for, you know, I'd be part of a workout group with buddies for like two hours and then I probably would go skate.
Jason Jacobs: That's this week too, right?
Brian Collins: Yeah. Go skate for two hours. Like that was, it was awesome. And
Jason Jacobs: still, you're still doing that,
Brian Collins: what, like working out for two hours. Yeah. Yeah. I don't know.
I'll make sure I hit my 10,000 steps today is pretty much the goal.
Jason Jacobs: For me, it's a sleep score on my
Brian Collins: Yeah. There you
Jason Jacobs: just, I, I'm trying to, trying to put, beat my record.
Brian Collins: you [00:47:00] go.
Jason Jacobs: I, what percentage of these AAA kids do you think would say the same? That it, that it never feels like work because I had an IMG Academy I was gonna say sports psychologist, but their title's been changed to Mental Performance consultant on the show.
But he was saying that there is a big disparity between what the parent thinks the kid's motivation is and what the kid tells him their motivation is when the parent's not in the room.
Brian Collins: I can only, yeah. I mean, you know, and even I, like, even like someone like me who kind of grew up with like parents that weren't really like, put, like, it eventually becomes a like, like I could feel it and it wasn't. It was probably maybe midway through BU or at BU and then like obviously professionally afterwards, like, wow, this is this is a job.
And I was even joking around with one of my buddies that I played with at BU like a couple weeks ago. Like he and I had a similar experience where like neither played in the NHL and played a couple years after in like the East Coast League. And I'm like, yeah, I was burnt out. I mean, I was 26, [00:48:00] right?
And like I was 26 and I was like cooked. Like, I mean a lot of it was like. You know, I had concussions, like I had a bad back. I hadn't played a game pain-free in years, but like I was burnt out. And again, I don't know what it looks like with a lot of these kids, or what it looks like when you're 14, 15, but you don't wanna burn 'em out before you get to 1415.
'cause as you just said, that's when you're really, you know, if you're into this, like that's when it, appeals like you, you gotta, you gotta put the work in.
Jason Jacobs: It. It's so tricky though because like, I mean I love to build companies and I love sports and I spent eight or nine years back in the day building a sports technology company and it like combined all my passions and I did it for the love and I. You know, halfway through I was effing miserable. And yeah. And I was just like, you know, I was like getting up every day wearing a lead suit and like hated my days, right? And but yet it's like, don't take this away from me. This is what I love. Right? And so it's like, I mean, there's always gonna be parts of [00:49:00] that on the journey. And I think working towards mastery in anything that's the case.
And I mean, I even wrestle with that now. It's like, like I'm sitting here recording this from Vermont and it's like. It's beautiful out there. It's a beautiful day. Like, why am I not out like on a standup paddleboard or on a trail run or mountain biking or, sitting at the brewery or like doing anything, taking advantage of this.
Why? Because I'm trying to build something. Why am I trying to build something? Right? And, and I I think it's the same for the kids. And, and, um, it's hard because on the one hand it's like you wanna set your kids up for success in life. And, and I actually like, it feels like, like our kids are gonna have to work harder just to get to par from what we did.
Right? Um, and so you wanna instill that work out there because you want your kids to be successful and provide for their families and, and things like that. But on the other hand, it's like you want your kids to enjoy life and you don't wanna accidentally pass on your own demons to them. And like, I dunno, I struggle with that all the
Brian Collins: I got plenty of demons. But yeah, no, I mean I think that is, you know, one of the many great things about hockey is like, it really does teach like [00:50:00] work ethic. Like you gotta show up, you gotta work hard. There are other people that are accounting on you, you. And like anything in life, it's like, it's never just, a straight arrow upwards.
There's ops, there's downs, and you know, I think if you're consistent with like effort, like you're, you're gonna be fine.
Jason Jacobs: Well, Brian I guess speak to all the players who might be listening or, uh, sports parents who might. Be listening. What advice do you have for them and, and what takeaways do you wanna leave them
Brian Collins: Yeah, I would, I would say, you know, I've done a, the last couple years, like a lot of, one, it's like this period where your kids are young and even like me, I'm like fortunate enough to. Be coaching my kids like fortunate enough to have played at a level where like I'm afforded the opportunity to coach them.
I think just enjoy the moment. It goes quick. I mean, that's what I've started to really like, think about when I look back at my own career. I mean, [00:51:00] even there were numerous times last year where my younger guy. Would come practice with my middle guy team. So all year I'd be like, wow, this is pretty cool.
I get to drive both boys to practice next year. Who knows like how many practices of the older ones the younger one will attend to, 'cause it's his own team, but then they're also on the same need a MIC team. Like they might never be on another team together. And even I think it's just enjoy the process.
Enjoy the moment. They're not this young forever. They're not at this stage forever. It's only a moment in time and. And even me, I look back at my career and like I wanted to play at bu so bad, like I wanted to play in the NHL so bad. There were times that I, I just didn't always enjoy like, like the moment like even when I was at like St.
John Shrewsbury was an amazing experience. My senior year won the state championship. But even then, I was always so like, I wanna play at bu, like I wanna play in Hockey East. I wanna play in the NHL. Like, like [00:52:00] I, I absolutely a hundred percent, like, enjoyed my time there, but like up until my senior year there, there was every year I'm like, all right, like.
Am I gonna go to the, like, I had chances to go to the USHL, like I could have went to, not too many prep schools because I don't know if they wanted me in there academically. Like I could have went to the, I could have, you know, the one that I, I still sometimes, always look back at and chuckle that I didn't do it was I made the US National team the first year of Ann Arbor and I didn't do it.
And
Jason Jacobs: you could have played with Pat,
Was he in the same class?
Brian Collins: yeah, pat and I were both 1980s. It was actually funny that select 17 All Fest tournament team that I made me, and he made it as well. He and I, so I've known Pat for well before bu but like if I did the US national team, I wouldn't have had the experience of winning a state championship, my senior in high school.
And I think it's, and I, I think all of these are just experiences and you know, everyone's path's different. And I think just sort of, just sort of slow down and then, [00:53:00] enjoy the moment, which is 8-year-old hockey, 10-year-old hockey, like 7-year-old hockey. Enjoy it because you know it.
Yeah. It's, it's just a, it's just a moment in time.
Jason Jacobs: Well, you, have you ever seen these, um, clips on social? Of media where it's like, um, like someone, like take a picture of every day and then they, it's like a flip book where like at the end of the year it's like, here's my year in review.
Brian Collins: And it's just like, yeah,
Jason Jacobs: I almost wanna set like an annual reminder to do another recording with you every year for the next 10 years.
Brian Collins: But you know, let's be serious. Neither of us can hide from each other because of our mutual. Friend brother.
Jason Jacobs: I mean, it is a good way. I mean, we started by roasting Josh, and, and maybe it's a fitting way to end is by roasting Josh yet again. So Josh, I know you're listening to this. We love
Brian Collins: Yeah. Josh. Josh. Maybe next time we'll have Josh. We'll have Josh join.
Jason Jacobs: Yeah, he can moderate.
Brian Collins: he can. Yeah. There you go.
Jason Jacobs: So Brian, well thanks so much for [00:54:00] coming on the show. I mean, it's fascinating to sort through this stuff. It's not easy answers. I don't know if there is a right answer, but I mean, the point of this show is not necessarily to find the right answer, but it's just to help inform my worldview and also help inform listeners' worldview so that everyone can kind of have a more informed worldview as they're sorting through these topics.
'cause it's not, it's not easy, it's not obvious, and every everyone's path is
Brian Collins: Yeah, no, I think, I think, I think one, as you said, like everyone's path is different. There is no answer. And I think at the end of the day, everyone's just trying to do the best for their kids. And you know, I think if someone does more or less than me or somebody else, it's 'cause like they're doing what's best for their kid.
Everyone knows their own kid and everyone, you know, just trying to give their kid as much as they can and as much of an opportunity to pursue whatever dreams it is they have.
Jason Jacobs: And you can't fault them for that.
Brian Collins: no,
Jason Jacobs: All right, Brian. Thanks a lot.
Brian Collins: Awesome. Thank you.
Jason Jacobs: [00:55:00] Thank you for tuning in to the next, next. I hope you enjoyed it. If you did and you haven't already, you can subscribe from your favorite podcast player, whether it's Apple, Spotify, or any of the others. We also send a newsletter every week on the journey itself. The new content that we publish, the questions that we're wrestling with, how the platform itself is coming along, that we're planning to build for player development, and where we could use some help.
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