Coach JLou

09/03/2026

Starting this week, every Rink Report gets graded. A-F, and yes, the bottom of the scale really is just a used puck bag.

First graded Rink Report drops this week:
East West Ice Palace. 🏒🏆


Rink Report is my honest, occasionally satirical, breakdown of every SoCal rink, and starting this week each report receives a grade of A through F. Swipe to see the grading scale which is based on a scouting report for pro players 🏒

Rink Report: real talk on every SoCal rink with overall ratings that grade ice quality, parking, best times, what it’s good for.

At the Elite McDavid level, which are rare, these rinks have anything and everything you may need to stay comfortable watching your kid play hockey. These rinks are so great you may inquire about how to live in those rinks because you don’t want to leave.

At the B rated High-End Pro All-Star Tier, you’ve almost got everything you need, maybe there’s 1 or 2 non High End details that drop it out of contention for the coveted A rated Elite McDavid level. But overall these rinks are great and have plenty to offer to keep things running smoothly and cater to all of your hockey needs.

A lot of rinks fall into our C rated Marchand tier, and that’s not bad, just like if it’s your rink you probably love it, but deep down you know there are better options you could trade for. These rinks definitely get the job done on any night of the week but you will likely have fomo on the A and B tiered rinks.

D rated rinks need help, and may suffer from a lack of support or 4-5 issues that prevent it from being in the C and B tiers. Just like Denis Lemieux in Slapshot, you’re on the phone asking for a trade to another rink right now!! It works for now, but you’re not sure how much longer and if the lights may turn off soon… plus that free WiFi is sketch at best. 😳

F rated tier is usually unprofessional and bad, either from constant cost cutting or just overall mismanagement and poor service, that you’d only be able to trade a used and puck bag for this rink.

The ice has a hill near the faceoff dot that launches players into the air and it’s being held together by duct tape and twist ties. Avoid

08/31/2026

Spring: 75%. Fall: 95%. That’s the percentage of my rosters that moved up a level to A or AA each season. Prior to this age group as a AA and AAA coach, each player moved up as well.

Not luck. Not a rare and exceptional group of kids. A system, run the same way every time, compounding season over season with kids at different levels.

This is what real development looks like when it’s the priority, not the byproduct. 🏒🏆

Coached under a USA Hockey Level 5 certification. Clinics and tournament team info - link in bio.

(California Selects and California Wave rosters)
USA Hockey

04/01/2026

11/27/2025

Thank you for a great weekend!

One of the best quotes of the weekend was “Be grateful for luck, but don’t depend on it.” We were grateful for a win in OT for our Bronze medal finish, but still realize there is a lot more work to put in with the rest of the season and 2 more tournaments.

From team walks to views on the lake, and from knee hockey in the hallways to watching the pros and feeling confident in our play, the team leveled up in multiple ways. The kids worked hard in all of the games, even getting praise from the referees as we ended our games, along with great compliments for the coaching too which is always nice to hear. There were some ups and some downs, but we were never out and we played until the last whistle.

We keep working, always improving, and leaving it better than we found it. Let’s go Wave! 🌊 🙌

08/11/2025

Check out what we were up to all summer!