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UNLOCK YOUR TRUE POTENTIAL THROUGH MENTAL CONDITIONING

Mindfulness Training For The Competitive Athlete

Increase awareness, harness instincts, develop the right habits, and condition your mind to reach peak performance. For players to reach their full potential, they must make mental conditioning an integral part of their training regimen. By increasing awareness, harnessing your instincts, developing the right habits, and conditioning your mind, you will reach peak performance as an athlete and a person.

Our Process

IS YOUR MINDSET HOLDING YOU BACK?

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TEXT COACH VINNY!

(215) 584-4984

MEET COACH VINNY

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INTRODUCING COACH VINNY & THE BLOODLINE PHILOSOPHY

https://bloodlinehockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/welcometobloodline-1-1-1-1-1.mp4
Learn More About Coach Vinny

If you are looking for some awesome, knowledgeable people to work with, these are the guys I highly recommend. Their friendliness and result-driven approach is what I love about them.

John Doe

Designation

Who We Work With

mindSET Method

If you are looking for some awesome, knowledgeable people to work with, these are the guys I highly recommend. Their friendliness and result-driven approach is what I love about them.

John Doe

Designation

Latest Bloodline Hockey News

Vinny Malts Joins Edmonton Oilers Player Development Staff

By marisamalts | Sep 11, 2024
Our very own Vinny Malts, founder of Bloodline Hockey, has been appointed to the Edmonton Oilers’ Player Development Staff. This new role with an NHL organization is not only a major career milestone for Vinny but also a testament to his dedication to the mental and performance development of athletes. For over 30 years, Vinny…
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Atlantic Affiliate welcomes Vince Malts to Player Development Program as Director of Mindset & Performance

By marisamalts | Jul 30, 2024
“HO-HO-KUS, N.J. – The Atlantic Affiliate is thrilled to announce the appointment of Vince Malts as the new Director of Mindset & Performance for the USA Hockey Player Development Program in the footprint. Malts brings a wealth of experience and a unique skill set to the department, solidifying the affiliate’s commitment to enhancing player and…
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Bloodline’s Noah Powell Drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers

By marisamalts | Jul 23, 2024
At Bloodline Hockey, we strive to empower athletes to achieve their ultimate potential through the power of mental performance. Today, we are excited to share the news of Noah Powell’s selection in the 2024 NHL Draft. Drafted 148 overall by the Philadelphia Flyers, Noah’s journey from a young player to an NHL draftee is a…
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The Impact of Showcasing Young Talent: A Call for a Balanced Approach on Social Media

By marisamalts | Jul 16, 2024
Today, I want to share some thoughts on a trend I’ve noticed in youth sports, particularly hockey, and its potential long-term impacts on our players, their families, and the sport. I recently watched the Brick Invitational Tournament, where the best 10-year-old hockey players from different regions compete. While it’s impressive to see such young talent…
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The Power of ACTION over Analysis

By marisamalts | Jan 17, 2024
In the world of extraordinary performers and leaders, a recent insight from one of our Evolving Athletes family members sheds light on the importance of perspective, especially during challenging phases of the hockey season. The wisdom shared emphasizes the potential pitfalls of fixating on the “WHY” behind every feeling, as it can often lead to…
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The Truth About Unlocking More Playing Time

By marisamalts | Jan 15, 2024
In the realm of hockey, understanding why playing time may be elusive is a challenge every player faces. The journey to optimal performance often lies in asking the right questions. In our latest video, we delve into three fundamental questions that ANY player, irrespective of skill level, can pose when trying to unlock more playing…
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We take 67 pretty seriously in Philly #iykyk We take 67 pretty seriously in Philly #iykyk
We have a supply and demand issue in leadership ri We have a supply and demand issue in leadership right now #facts

The demand calls for more people who take ownership — who can stay accountable, communicate clearly, and care deeply for others.

But the supply is low. There just aren’t enough people willing to step up and lead themselves first. If you’re observing differently, please share.

That’s why ideas shared in this video matter.

When a player says “coach doesn’t like me,” most stay stuck thinking about it instead of doing something about it. They imagine scenarios, create stories, and get lost in their own head.

Einstein said it best, “Imagination is more important than knowledge.”

He nailed it. We imagine scenarios in our lives far more than we think about the reality of the situation and challenge the knowledge we are receiving.

Because thinking isn’t the same as awareness #DYOR

Awareness comes when you take one small deliberate action — have a conversation, ask a question, seek clarity. Then you reflect on what that action revealed.

That’s mindset performance work.

It’s the same in hockey, business, or life — leadership isn’t about waiting for someone else to fix it. It’s about moving from imagination to action, from judgment to responsibility.

Because when you take one step forward — that’s when clarity begins.

Observe your reality. Think about a solution or step you would like to take to improve that reality. Test your thought in a real world context. Reflect on the experience of that thought you tested. Think about the next best step to take.

It’s as simple as that…or not.

#play4THATfeeling
Just got off a call with Scotty Livingston talking Just got off a call with Scotty Livingston talking about something that’s been on my mind for years:

Why don’t we work on the things we ALL agree matter most?

Ask any high performer what causes the most problems in their team, their organization, their life - and #communication comes up every single time. We all know it. We all see it. We all nod our heads when someone mentions it #iykyk

Yet how much time did we actually invest this week into improving that skill?

We’ll add another training session. We’ll dial in our nutrition. We’ll optimize our sleep. We’ll film our games and review our videos. All important stuff. 

But the conversation we’ve been avoiding with our coach? 

The misalignment with our linemates that’s been there for weeks? 

The inability to clearly express what we actually need? 

We let that sit.

Here’s one part of what I feel is happening: We default to what feels tangible and measurable because it protects us from what feels real and vulnerable. We can count reps. We can’t count “getting better at difficult conversations.”

We hide behind certainty because we are blinded by our fear of uncertainty.

But here’s the reality - once we reach a certain level, everyone has ability. Everyone has talent. Everyone can skate. Everyone can make plays.

So what separates people at the highest levels? Alignment.

Can we get everyone on the team seeing the same game? Can we have the hard conversations before it becomes a problem this season? Can we clearly communicate what we need and what we are seeing in real time?

One way to go deeper on this reality: look into constraints theory #DYOR The idea that your system is only as strong as its weakest constraint. You can strengthen everything else around you, but if communication is the bottleneck and the greatest constraint, you’re just adding pressure to a system that’s breaking down somewhere else.

Something to think about.

What’s the obvious thing you keep avoiding?

Why do you keep avoiding it?

Why do we keep avoiding it?

It’s as simple as that…or not.

#play4THATfeeling
⚠️ Rated R warning — language in this clip. ⚠️ Rated R warning — language in this clip.

One of our D1 prospects and I were talking about toughness the other day, and I shared this perspective with him. 

Most people still think toughness means yelling, cursing, or “acting hard.” That’s easy. Any adult can lose control and blow up. 

The real toughness is in staying calm when you want to snap, in being consistently supportive even when players repeat the same mistakes, in showing up every day with the same champion energy, in modeling values and principles when it would be so much easier to just react and lose control.

That’s what’s actually tough. 
That’s #leadership

And for our young men, this is the lesson we want you to take from every season, from every locker room you step into. 

When you see how someone controls themselves — or fails to — it gives you a powerful insight into the kind of #mindset and #skills that actually matter later in life.

You learn more from observing the behavior of adults than you may realize #facts

That’s what our mentorship and culture is committed to. Are we perfect at it? Of course not. But are we consistently growing and doing the work to get better at it? You better believe it #iykyk 

What we believe this game is about is preparing the next generation to lead with more clarity, consistency, and mental/spiritual strength than we ever had. 

Hockey is the perfect tool to develop great leadership and character💯

The real education the game provides is in learning how to deal with what’s actually hard in life — which is — learning to lead yourself so you learn to know how to commit to leading others.

It’s as simple as that

#play4THATfeeling
To truly understand anything, we need its opposite To truly understand anything, we need its opposite.

Hot only makes sense because of cold.

Winning means more because of losing.

Forcing only makes sense when we understand receiving.

We call this “the duality of hockey” in our culture ♾️

Most of us default to forcing energy — pushing harder when things don’t work, speeding up when we’re impatient, muscling through resistance. But the best players — and the wisest people — know when to force their will vs when to let reality come to them.

On the ice: The greats don’t just chase plays, they read them. They trust the game will flow their way, and they position themselves in the right spot to where they know the play will go. Sometimes you plow through. Sometimes you wait and let the puck — and the play — come to you.

Awareness of my position is the 🔑 to my mobility #iykyk 

In life:

With my kids — I don’t always force advice; I wait until they’re ready to receive it.

At work — I don’t always push ideas; I read the room and move where the opportunity naturally wants to go.

For personal growth — I stay consistent and patient, letting progress arrive in its own time.

The magic happens when you can dance between both energies: “This moment needs my force” vs. “This moment needs my patience.”

REFLECT: Where in your game — or in your life — are you stuck in only exploring one energy? What could potentially shift if you mentally leaned into its opposite?

Think about it

#play4THATfeeling
Had this conversation with one of our students the Had this conversation with one of our students the other day about the cost of a group mindset vs individual mindset.

The real cost of this individual “best” mindset isn’t just distraction from #teamthinking - it’s the unnecessary mental weight and thoughts that impact your own attention and state of mind.

There’s a real tension between wanting to be the best ON the team vs. being the best FOR the team.

When you’re focused on being the best ON the team, you constantly compare yourself to teammates, thinking about outdoing everyone rather than optimizing your game collectively. This creates a “singularity” in your thinking - prioritizing personal standing over team interests.

But here’s what this mindset can cost you mentally: speed in collective decision-making during games and reduced ability to optimize plays with teammates. While effective for a very small group of players, this “I must be the best” approach typically hinders more performers’ minds than it helps.

When you shift to being the best FOR the team—The mental load feels lighter. You become more receptive to what your team’s collective energy actually needs from you, you can feel the spreading out of the work load, and you feel less stressed about trying to be better than the team you are trying to be successful with. I see you Mr I didn’t score today, so now I’m upset even though we won😉

The ironic part? When you focus on being the best FOR the team, it naturally reveals whether you’re actually the most valuable player or not. You can’t force the truth. But when you’re operating from natural flow and collective intelligence rather than ego and willful tension, you find yourself thinking and creating plays you didn’t see available before #iykyk 

MICRO STEP: Before your next practice or game, ask yourself: “What is one thing I KNOW my team needs me to execute today?” Then pay attention to experiencing that behavior. Pay attention to what you observe about your energy when you make this shift. Most players find they actually play more freely and effectively.

If you feel a difference, comment below or shoot me a DM. This shift can be a game changer for high performers.

#play4THATfeeling
Had a great conversation with one of our #USHL pla Had a great conversation with one of our #USHL players today about #flowstate — it got me thinking about how many of us typically approach this concept.

Most players tell me about flow state like it’s this mystical feeling they’re chasing. “Coach, there was this one game…”

Here’s the thing: individual #flow absolutely exists. I’ve felt it myself. But in a game like #hockey — one of the most complex, interdependent systems in sport — consistent flow doesn’t come from chasing a solo feeling. It comes from the collective #iykyk 

Recent #sportspsychology research confirms this. Studies on team flow show that if we want to experience flow reliably, it requires shared understanding: common goals, clear systems, mutual trust, and knowing how your teammates move and think. 

When I think back to my own playoff run in #juniorhockey where I felt in flow game after game, it wasn’t magic — it was because I knew my linemates, our system, the opponent’s tendencies, and we adjusted together.

So if you’re a player chasing flow, stop looking for that one magical game. Start paying attention to your teammates, your coaches, and the culture you’re part of. That’s where sustainable flow lives.

What do you think — does this align with your own experience? 

#play4THATfeeling
Game speed ≠ all-out speed 🏒 Here’s someth Game speed ≠ all-out speed 🏒

Here’s something I notice: most players think “game speed” means go, go, GO all the time. But watch any #NHL game closely - you’ll see star players actually slow down A LOT.

🤔 Why don’t we practice this enough?

We’re so focused on #training #speed and urgency (which is important!) that we forget to train the art of slowing down to make better decisions.

🏒 Where you can practice this:

→ Slow down to support the puck instead of racing away from it
→ Vary your zone entry speed - sometimes decelerate to read your options
→ Pause after winning a puck battle to survey before your next play
→ Ease up on the backcheck to maintain good gap control vs. flying by

📺 Your homework: Pick your favorite NHL player and watch how often they move slowly with the puck. Once you see it, you can’t unsee it.

⚠️ Important: Not everyone needs to slow down in the same situations. Figure out where YOU personally feel it would help you speed up your decision-making #play4THATfeeling

Got a specific scenario where you think this might apply to your game? Drop it in the comments and I’ll break it down - others can learn from your question too! 👇
I choose love. I choose service. I choose compass I choose love.
I choose service. 
I choose compassion.

It’s as simple as that

#play4THATfeeling 
#iykyk
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