Youth Hockey Podcast · Randy Gifford Lance Alexander

S6 E6 Randall asks about Captain's Practices - Corwin talks accountability

November 9, 2025·36 min·2 clips

I am not even close to bonded to my mom and dad, the way our little family that, that we have right now are bonded together.

This episode of the Youth Hockey Podcast features hosts Lance, Randy, and Corwin discussing the hidden structures and costs of competitive youth hockey. Lance Alexander, a father with extensive experience in the sport, leads a conversation that blends personal anecdotes with broader financial analysis. The hosts explore the unofficial traditions of player-led accountability and the significant financial investment families make. The episode begins by explaining "Captain's Practices," where players organize and fund their own pre-season workouts without coaches, a common practice in high school, NCAA, and pro hockey. Randy shares that his son Chris's team uses this system, while Corwin notes its prevalence in Canada, humorously suggesting it might be called "Captain Kirk Day." The conversation then shifts to team-run accountability systems, often called "court," where players can be fined for infractions like being late or not cleaning equipment. Lance expresses concern about giving teenage captains, whom he calls "meatheads," such authority, though Randy views it as a positive alternative to hazing. The hosts debate the validity of excuses for being late, with Lance insisting a dog getting run over is legitimate, while Randy argues higher-level hockey accepts no excuses. A major portion dissects the economics of youth hockey, with Lance calculating that sending one child to Boston College costs roughly $400,000 when including tuition, room, board, and books. Randy provocatively estimates Lance has spent an equivalent $400,000 on hockey for his two sons over the years, a claim Lance vehemently denies. Corwin contrasts this with lower Canadian university costs, around $20,000 USD annually, which can be a destination for girls' hockey. The hosts argue that hockey's value isn't purely financial, citing the development of fitness, confidence, teamwork, and leadership skills. Lance emphasizes that hockey facilitated family bonding through shared car rides and experiences, something he felt was missing from his own childhood. A surprising insight is that the statistical probability of a girl reaching professional hockey (like the PWHL) is effectively the same as a boy making the NHL, countering critics who question investing in girls' hockey. Lance reveals his son met his fiancée at Shattuck-Saint Mary's hockey academy, illustrating how the sport can forge lifelong personal connections beyond the rink. The hosts agree that hockey people often remain down-to-earth, with Randy sharing how NHL players his son knew still reach out personally. The episode concludes with trivia about Hockey Hall of Famer Martin St. Louis, who was cut from his U12 and U14 teams but later scored a Stanley Cup-winning goal and is now head coach of the Montreal Canadiens. The tone is conversational, humorous, and candid, with hosts freely debating and sharing personal stories. The style is anecdotal and opinion-driven, blending education on hockey culture with heartfelt reflections on parenting. This episode would resonate with parents deeply involved in competitive youth hockey who are navigating its costs, traditions, and long-term value. Listeners interested in the sociology of sports parenting and the economics of amateur athletics would find it compelling. Those seeking highly structured analysis or gameplay strategy might skip it, as the focus is on off-ice culture and family investment.

As heard by us

Captain's practices open a funny, practical conversation about youth hockey's rules, costs, and pathways.

The episode starts with captain's practices and lays them out plainly: the players run the workouts themselves, captains lead, and coaches and school funding stay out of it.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You want the rink-side talk behind captain's practices and hockey's price tag.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Youth Hockey Podcast