The Give-N-Go: Contest and an Interview
8 years ago
What do you do when you’re a hockey coach and you’re looking for a
rebounder, a tool that can return passes predictably and naturally, but there
isn’t one out there that lives up to your standards? You can either wait for
someone to build one for you or you can go out and make one yourself. The
latter is exactly what Brian Klanow and Jim Marinoff did. What they ended up
with is called the Give-N-Go.
rebounder, a tool that can return passes predictably and naturally, but there
isn’t one out there that lives up to your standards? You can either wait for
someone to build one for you or you can go out and make one yourself. The
latter is exactly what Brian Klanow and Jim Marinoff did. What they ended up
with is called the Give-N-Go.
It’s not hard to find a rebounder that is ready to go for off-ice
work outs, but these usually involve bungee cords or heavy elastic bands. And,
in order to keep them in one place they have to be clamped down.
work outs, but these usually involve bungee cords or heavy elastic bands. And,
in order to keep them in one place they have to be clamped down.
Finding a rebounder that actually works on the ice? One that a
coach can use during an actual practice? That’s a different story altogether.
coach can use during an actual practice? That’s a different story altogether.
Brian Klanow has been Head Coach at Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Prep in
Michigan for more than a decade. He played in AAA programs as a youth, the
USHL, and tried his hand professionally in Europe for a time. He and his
business partner Jim Marinoff wanted a tool that they could take on the ice and
rely on. It took them a while to come to this design but eventually the
Give-N-Go was created.
Michigan for more than a decade. He played in AAA programs as a youth, the
USHL, and tried his hand professionally in Europe for a time. He and his
business partner Jim Marinoff wanted a tool that they could take on the ice and
rely on. It took them a while to come to this design but eventually the
Give-N-Go was created.
They have two models now:
1) The On-Ice model has two 60 inch solid rubber bumpers, a steel
frame, and permanent gripping teeth that prevent it from sliding out of
position when it takes hard passes.
frame, and permanent gripping teeth that prevent it from sliding out of
position when it takes hard passes.
2) The Off-Ice model has two 30 inch solid rubber bumpers and a
steel frame that make it perfect to fit in the garage or basement for your
off-ice sessions.
steel frame that make it perfect to fit in the garage or basement for your
off-ice sessions.
Now, it’s being used by professional hockey clubs,
including the Montreal Canadiens, as well as big NCAA programs in and around
his home state of Michigan like OSU, the University of Michigan, and Michigan
State.
including the Montreal Canadiens, as well as big NCAA programs in and around
his home state of Michigan like OSU, the University of Michigan, and Michigan
State.
I had a chance to ask Brian about the Give-N-Go and coaching in
general. He’s also graciously offered to donate one On-Ice model and one
Off-Ice model in a very simple contest exclusive to our readers that I’ll
outline below.
general. He’s also graciously offered to donate one On-Ice model and one
Off-Ice model in a very simple contest exclusive to our readers that I’ll
outline below.
Brian, thank you for speaking with OilersNation. I would like to
start with your Hockey story. Can you tell me a little bit about your playing
career and what made you get into coaching?
start with your Hockey story. Can you tell me a little bit about your playing
career and what made you get into coaching?
I grew up playing here in Michigan for local AAA programs including
Compuware for much of the time. I went on to play in the USHL for Sioux City
Muskateers who were Nation Champions in 1985-86 season. I then went on to play
in the minors for the Virginia Lancers where John Tortorella was my Head Coach.
Needless to say he was the best coach I ever played for. I went on to play in
Europe for a while and started coaching there as part of my duties was to work
with the local youth programs. When I came back to the States I immediately
started coaching with the Honey baked organization and eventually led into
Orchard Lake St. Mary’s where I currently have been coaching for the past 16
years.
Compuware for much of the time. I went on to play in the USHL for Sioux City
Muskateers who were Nation Champions in 1985-86 season. I then went on to play
in the minors for the Virginia Lancers where John Tortorella was my Head Coach.
Needless to say he was the best coach I ever played for. I went on to play in
Europe for a while and started coaching there as part of my duties was to work
with the local youth programs. When I came back to the States I immediately
started coaching with the Honey baked organization and eventually led into
Orchard Lake St. Mary’s where I currently have been coaching for the past 16
years.
When you have a chance to play for someone like John Tortorella
what impact does that have on you as a player and eventually as a coach? How
much of Torts is with you now even though you’ve been a Head Coach for a long
time?
what impact does that have on you as a player and eventually as a coach? How
much of Torts is with you now even though you’ve been a Head Coach for a long
time?
I knew right when I met Torty that he would go on and be a great NHL
Coach. His professionalism and attention to details regarding his team was
unbelievable. The work ethic that he put in as a coach transcended to his
players work ethic on the ice. There are several things that I carry with me
from Torty and several other coaches. My ability to help develop players all
come from those who taught me as a player. I am happy that I can pass that
knowledge on.
Coach. His professionalism and attention to details regarding his team was
unbelievable. The work ethic that he put in as a coach transcended to his
players work ethic on the ice. There are several things that I carry with me
from Torty and several other coaches. My ability to help develop players all
come from those who taught me as a player. I am happy that I can pass that
knowledge on.
You have been a Varsity Coach for more than a decade now. What is
it about coaching High School aged kids that keeps you coming back to the rink
everyday? What keeps you up at night?
it about coaching High School aged kids that keeps you coming back to the rink
everyday? What keeps you up at night?
I really enjoy seeing the players come in as boys and leave as young
men and being a part of that growth.
men and being a part of that growth.
One of St. Mary’s most successful alumni is former Oiler Jeff
Petry. Did you know you were coaching someone with more than a good chance of
playing in the NHL one day?
Petry. Did you know you were coaching someone with more than a good chance of
playing in the NHL one day?
Jeff was a special player right from the start. He was a player that
worked and took everything we gave him and used it to make himself a very
dynamic player. One never knows if a player will make the NHL but he certainly
took off in his Junior year and we knew he would go on to do great things in
Hockey.
worked and took everything we gave him and used it to make himself a very
dynamic player. One never knows if a player will make the NHL but he certainly
took off in his Junior year and we knew he would go on to do great things in
Hockey.
How did the Give-N-Go come into being? How long have you been
working on this piece of equipment?
working on this piece of equipment?
Jim Marinoff (My Partner) and myself have been working on the
Give-N-Go for the last 2 years. The reason we started to work on it, was a need
to have a heavy duty rebounder that could be used for several different types
of on and off ice developmental exercises.
Give-N-Go for the last 2 years. The reason we started to work on it, was a need
to have a heavy duty rebounder that could be used for several different types
of on and off ice developmental exercises.
How much change has the Give-N-Go gone through over those years of
development and what can you tell us about it now?
development and what can you tell us about it now?
It has changed considerably. Our first effort completely failed, but
that failure has helped us develop the product that it is today. The Give-N-Go
is ideal for so many things related to player development. When you add the
elements that the Give-N-Go bring to an everyday practice for all players
including the goaltender it sets itself apart from other development products
out there.
that failure has helped us develop the product that it is today. The Give-N-Go
is ideal for so many things related to player development. When you add the
elements that the Give-N-Go bring to an everyday practice for all players
including the goaltender it sets itself apart from other development products
out there.
As a Coach, how do you see this product helping other coaches and
ultimately building skills in developing players?
ultimately building skills in developing players?
The Give-N-Go has so many uses that we have put together a 30 drill
video that can be printed off from our website. This drill book covers
everything from Goaltender development to Defensive and offensive development.
All teams should have a few of the Give –N-Go’s it allows players to use for
shooting, passing and unique situational drills that one would see or use in a
game setting.
video that can be printed off from our website. This drill book covers
everything from Goaltender development to Defensive and offensive development.
All teams should have a few of the Give –N-Go’s it allows players to use for
shooting, passing and unique situational drills that one would see or use in a
game setting.
Is there a drill that you keep coming back to in your own
practices?
practices?
We do a lot of speed with the puck while adding passing to the Give-
N-Go with both Defenseman and our forwards. There is a great goaltender drill
where the goalie has to push hard as the coach shoots a puck from behind the
net off the Give –N-Go. Goalie must react quickly identify what side the puck
is coming from and make the save.
N-Go with both Defenseman and our forwards. There is a great goaltender drill
where the goalie has to push hard as the coach shoots a puck from behind the
net off the Give –N-Go. Goalie must react quickly identify what side the puck
is coming from and make the save.
The Give-N-Go is a development tool for all skill levels, but you
guys must be pretty excited to see it being used by NHL and NCAA clubs. What
does it mean to you to see some of the world’s most elite hockey players use
your product?
guys must be pretty excited to see it being used by NHL and NCAA clubs. What
does it mean to you to see some of the world’s most elite hockey players use
your product?
It is exciting to see top level players enjoy and create their own developmental drills. Seeing the different ways teams use the product is really
neat. We love when people send us new drills so we can publish them. We should
have a contest for the best new drill each month. That would be fun.
neat. We love when people send us new drills so we can publish them. We should
have a contest for the best new drill each month. That would be fun.
The Give-N-Go is manufactured entirely in Michigan. How important
was it for you make sure that you kept the manufacturing and assembly of the
Give-N-Go in your home state?
was it for you make sure that you kept the manufacturing and assembly of the
Give-N-Go in your home state?
Loyalty mean a lot to Jim and I and
we felt that being able to do this in our home state was the only way to go.
we felt that being able to do this in our home state was the only way to go.
I’d like to extend a huge Thank You to Brian and the team at Give-N-Go for taking
the time to answer my questions and especially for being willing to donate his product
to us for this contest! If you don’t want to wait for the contest to be over in order to get you hands on one then just visit their website here.
the time to answer my questions and especially for being willing to donate his product
to us for this contest! If you don’t want to wait for the contest to be over in order to get you hands on one then just visit their website here.
THE CONTEST
The contest rules are simple. OilersNation wants to help out
a minor hockey coach or program by providing an On-Ice and Off-Ice Give-N-Go.
We want to be able to give a tool that someone might not otherwise have
access to or maybe didn’t even know was out there!
a minor hockey coach or program by providing an On-Ice and Off-Ice Give-N-Go.
We want to be able to give a tool that someone might not otherwise have
access to or maybe didn’t even know was out there!
All you need to do to win the contest is write in and tell us why your program or the team you coach needs one and how you’re going to use it. That’s it! Tell us who you
are, what you plan on doing with one, heck, draw up a drill you want to use
with it and send it in! The fine crew at OilersNation (BaggedMilk & Chris
The Intern) are going to go through all the submissions and find the most deserving submission.
When we choose a winner, the team at Give-N-Go Hockey are going to send you the
models straight from their factory.
are, what you plan on doing with one, heck, draw up a drill you want to use
with it and send it in! The fine crew at OilersNation (BaggedMilk & Chris
The Intern) are going to go through all the submissions and find the most deserving submission.
When we choose a winner, the team at Give-N-Go Hockey are going to send you the
models straight from their factory.
I can’t think of anything better we can do with these than put them in the hands of someone who is going to use them to help build skills in youth players. We know you coaches are logging a lot of
thankless hours and we want to reward you for it. Make sure you direct your
submissions to BaggedMilk@OilersNation.com
before the deadline of March 12th, 2016, and we will determine a winner the following week.
thankless hours and we want to reward you for it. Make sure you direct your
submissions to BaggedMilk@OilersNation.com
before the deadline of March 12th, 2016, and we will determine a winner the following week.
Recent articles from Matt Henderson
