Honest assessments
If your player doesn't need us yet, we'll tell you. If the footage isn't usable, we'll tell you that too — at no charge.
The story behind the program
It wasn't a
straight line
I'm Coach Brayden Castiglia — founder and owner of Mindset Hockey. I'm not telling you what worked twenty years ago — I'm telling you what worked recently, at the level your player is trying to reach.
Coach Brayden Castiglia
16U A player. Two broken ribs. Alternate captain. AAA. Signed to play Jr hockey. Every drill and rubric point on this site came out of that climb.
I own and run Mindset Hockey — the vision, the training systems, the coaching standard and the day-to-day operation. I'm also still on the ice with players, and I'm the person who answers your first message.
The journey
How it actually went
The starting point
16U A — overlooked
Not the fastest. Not the most skilled. Not on anyone's list. Working hard and going nowhere, because working hard without a system is just being tired.
The setback
Broken rib — the first time
Months out. Sitting in the stands watching the game move on without me. This is where most players quietly disappear — not because they can't play, but because the time away breaks how they see themselves.
The decision
Rebuilding the shot from zero
If I couldn't skate, I could learn. I studied shot mechanics frame by frame and built a training system I could run in a garage. That framework is now the 7-point rubric.
The second setback
Broken rib — again
The second one is harder, because the first already cost you a year. That's when I stopped training only my body and started training how I thought.
The turn
Alternate captain
I came back more reliable, not more talented. Coaches started using me in the moments that mattered. Then they gave me a letter.
The jump
AAA
The level I was told I'd never reach. Same body. Different mechanics, different habits, different head.
Then
Signed — Jr Hockey
Talent helps. Mindset, discipline and consistent work change careers. Everything I did is written down, filmed, and now coached.
Today
Founded Mindset Hockey
I turned the system into a business, based at The Capital Clubhouse in Waldorf, Maryland. As owner I set the program's direction and standards — and I brought on a development coach who's a current Jr hockey player, a former captain, and chasing NCAA opportunities, because your player should learn from people still living it.
How we work
What you can expect
Named coaching
Every video review is done by a named coach who recently played the level your player is chasing. Nothing is outsourced to a queue.
No outcome promises
We never promise placement at any level. We promise better mechanics, a real plan, and a player who handles a bad game better.
24-hour responses
Every inquiry gets a reply within 24 hours. Members get breakdowns back inside 72 — usually under 48.
Want to talk it through?
No pitch. Tell us where your player is and we'll give you a straight answer.
The staff
I don't coach
this alone
I built the program and I run it — but your player also works with Coach Jack Magill, a development coach who is a current Jr hockey player, a former captain, and pursuing NCAA opportunities. Two coaches, one system, both still living the game.
Coach & Owner
Coach Brayden Castiglia
Owner & Lead Coach · Jr Hockey Player
- Jr Hockey Player
- Program Founder
- Lead Coach
Coach Brayden owns the business and set every development system here — the 7-point rubric, the six pillars and the standard the whole staff coaches to. Still on the ice and in the film room every week, and the person who answers your first message.
Development Coach
Coach Jack Magill
Development Coach · Jr Hockey Player
- Jr Hockey Player
- NCAA Prospect
- Player Mentor
Broke his collarbone and wrist at 16 playing Single-A, rebuilt his shot from the ground up, and reached the Jr hockey level by 20. He's currently exploring NCAA opportunities — and he coaches the climb he's still on.
Talent helps. Mindset changes careers.
Tell us your player's age, level and what's frustrating you. We'll come back within 24 hours with an honest read on what to work on first.
⏱ We respond to all inquiries within 24 hours