6 Best Hockey Training Journals For Young Players That Coaches Recommend

You see your child’s passion for hockey every time they step on the ice, but you also see the frustration after a tough game or the wandering focus during a long practice. You wonder how to help them channel that energy and develop the mental resilience all great players need. The answer might not be another stick or a private lesson, but a simple, powerful tool: a training journal.

Why a Journal Boosts On-Ice Development

Have you ever asked your child what they learned at practice, only to get a shrug and an "I don’t know, we skated"? This is completely normal. Kids live in the moment, but a journal helps them step back and process their experiences, which is a huge step in their development both on and off the ice.

Writing things down—or even just drawing them for younger players—moves thoughts from the chaotic, emotional part of the brain to the more organized, logical part. This simple act helps a player identify what went well, what was challenging, and what they want to work on next. It shifts their focus from just the score of the game to the process of getting better, which is the foundation of long-term athletic growth and personal resilience.

A journal isn’t a report card for you to inspect. It’s a private space for your child to build self-awareness and take ownership of their progress. It teaches them to become their own best coach by asking questions like, "What’s one thing I can do better in the next drill?" or "How did I help my teammates today?" This habit of reflection is a skill that will serve them far beyond the rink.

Coach Traub’s Journal for Mental Game Focus

If your player is technically skilled but gets easily rattled by a missed shot or a goal against, their next breakthrough will likely be mental, not physical. This is where a specialized tool like Coach Traub’s journal shines. It’s less about tracking stats and more about building the mindset of a confident, resilient athlete.

This journal is built around guided prompts that target the mental game: visualization, positive self-talk, and bouncing back from mistakes. It’s not the right fit for a seven-year-old just learning to love the game. This is best for the competitive player, typically 11 and older, who is starting to understand that what happens between their ears is just as important as how they handle the puck.

Think of it as a structured conversation your player has with themselves about their confidence and focus. It helps them prepare mentally for games and process the emotional highs and lows afterward. If your child is ready to move beyond just the physical skills of hockey, this journal provides an excellent framework for developing their mental toughness.

Hockey Think Tank Notebook for Goal Setting

Does your player have big dreams but struggles to connect them to their daily effort at the rink? The Hockey Think Tank Notebook is designed to bridge that exact gap. It’s a fantastic tool for helping players understand that big goals are achieved through small, consistent actions.

This notebook is structured around setting clear, hockey-specific goals and then breaking them down into manageable steps for practices and off-ice training. It’s perfect for the 8 to 12-year-old who is passionate and ready for more direction. They’re past the "learn to skate" phase and are starting to think about becoming a better passer, a stronger skater, or a more reliable defender.

What makes this journal effective is its blend of goal-setting templates and open-ended reflection. It prompts players to think about their personal "why" and connects it to the drills they do every week. It helps them see practice not as a chore, but as a direct path to becoming the player they want to be.

The Complete Player for Skill & Habit Tracking

For the young athlete who loves data, charts, and seeing their progress laid out in black and white, The Complete Player journal is a dream come true. It’s also a great fit for the parent and player who want a holistic view of development, connecting on-ice skills with crucial off-ice habits like nutrition, sleep, and mindset.

This journal is one of the most comprehensive options available, with dedicated sections for tracking everything from shots on goal to daily water intake. Because of its detail, it’s best suited for a dedicated player, likely 10 or older, who is serious about their training and mature enough to handle tracking multiple aspects of their life. It can be overwhelming for a younger or more casual player.

The real strength of this journal is how it teaches a young athlete that they are more than just their performance during a game. It reinforces the idea that being a great player involves being a healthy, disciplined person. If you want to instill the habits of an elite athlete early on, this journal provides a powerful, all-in-one system.

Field Notes Memo Book for On-the-Go Notes

Sometimes the best tool is the simplest one. If your player is young, new to journaling, or easily intimidated by structured pages, a simple Field Notes Memo Book might be the perfect starting point. There are no boxes to check or prompts to answer, removing all the pressure.

This approach is fantastic for the youngest players (ages 5-8) to build the habit of reflection in a fun, low-stakes way. The goal isn’t a detailed entry; it’s capturing one small thing. Ask them to draw their favorite part of practice or write down the one word that describes how they felt during the game. It’s about making reflection a quick, easy, and positive part of their hockey routine.

This is also a great, budget-friendly option for any age. A small, durable notebook can be tucked into a hockey bag to jot down a quick note from a coach or a personal reminder before it’s forgotten. It proves that you don’t need a fancy, sport-specific product to build a powerful habit of self-awareness.

My Hockey Training App for Digital Tracking

Is your player’s phone or tablet practically attached to their hand? Instead of fighting it, you can lean into it with a digital solution like the My Hockey Training app. For the tech-savvy kid, tracking progress on an app can feel more engaging and less like homework than a physical book.

This option is best for older, more responsible players (12+) who are motivated by digital interfaces, progress charts, and multimedia features. These apps often allow players to log workouts, track stats, and even link to video clips of their shifts for analysis. It centralizes everything in one place that they already carry with them.

Of course, the main consideration is screen time. You have to decide if this is a productive use of their device. For the right kind of learner—one who is self-motivated and enjoys seeing data visualized—a digital app can be a powerful and modern tool for taking ownership of their development.

Clever Fox Planner for Young Player Habit Building

Hockey is a huge part of your child’s life, but it isn’t their whole life. A tool like the Clever Fox Planner, while not hockey-specific, is brilliant for teaching young athletes how to integrate their sport into a balanced life. It helps them see how time management, schoolwork, and on-ice goals are all connected.

This type of planner is ideal for the pre-teen and early teenager (roughly 11-14) who is starting to juggle more responsibilities. They can map out their week, setting goals for homework, chores, and hockey practice all in one place. The built-in habit trackers are perfect for monitoring things like "stickhandle for 10 minutes daily" or "stretch after every practice."

Using a general life planner frames hockey development as part of a larger picture of personal growth. It teaches invaluable life skills—planning, prioritizing, and consistency—using their passion for hockey as the motivation. It’s a fantastic way to support their athletic ambitions while reinforcing the importance of being a well-rounded person.

Helping Your Player Build a Journaling Habit

Simply buying a journal and handing it to your child rarely works. The real magic happens when you help them build the habit of using it. Your role here is to be a supportive guide, not a manager checking their work.

Start incredibly small. For a younger player, the goal might be to write down just one word or draw a picture after each ice time. For an older player, it could be answering a single prompt. The key is to make it feel achievable, not like another chore on their to-do list. Five minutes is better than zero minutes.

Tie the habit to an existing routine. Maybe they fill it out in the car on the way home from the rink or while they have their post-practice snack. Linking the new habit to something they already do automatically makes it much more likely to stick.

Most importantly, keep it their private space. Let them know you won’t be reading it unless they choose to share it with you. A journal is a tool for honest self-reflection, and that requires a sense of privacy and trust. Your job is to provide the tool and the encouragement; the growth that comes from using it is all theirs.

Ultimately, the best training journal is the one your player will actually use consistently. Whether it’s a detailed planner or a simple pocket notebook, the goal is the same: to help them become a more thoughtful, intentional, and resilient player. By fostering the habit of reflection, you’re giving them a skill that will help them succeed long after they hang up their skates.