Mental Edge Hockey Founder Sandy Cohan on Confidence, Belief, and Youth Sports

Jan 15, 2026

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🧠 What if the most important skill your hockey player needs isn’t taught on the ice?

In this powerful episode of Our Kids Play Hockey, Lee Elias, Christie Casciano-Burns, and Mike Bonelli are joined by Sandy Cohan, founder of Mental Edge Hockey and author of the 99 Rules book series, for a deep, honest, and eye-opening conversation about mindset, confidence, and what it really takes to develop resilient hockey players — and strong humans.

Sandy breaks down why mindset isn’t a “specialty skill,” but the foundation everything else is built on. From youth players struggling with confidence, to parents navigating the balance between protection and pressure, this episode delivers practical insight every hockey family needs.

🏒 In this episode, we discuss:

Why confidence is built, not born
The real difference between belief and confidence
How defining “success” changes everything for young athletes
Why kids don’t need to avoid failure — they need to learn how to get back up
What parents and coaches often get wrong about motivation and grit
How mindset training can (and should) start as early as 6–8 years old
Why hockey is just the vehicle — and character is the destination

📘 Sandy also shares the story behind his 99 Rules Every Athlete Needs to Know and 99 Rules Every Sports Parent Needs to Know books — simple, powerful reminders that resonate far beyond the rink.

If you care about your child’s long-term development, love for the game, and life beyond hockey, this is a must-listen.

🎧 And don’t miss it — Sandy also joins us on The Ride to the Rink for a kid-focused follow-up your players will love.

Listen now and start building confidence from the inside out.

#OurKidsPlayHockey #MentalEdgeHockey #YouthHockeyParents #HockeyMindset #SportsParenting #PlayerDevelopment #ConfidenceAndGrit

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