Building Regulation One Shift at a Time

Why We’re Proud to Support the Richmond Roller Hockey League

At Heart & Mind, we believe regulation isn’t built in one big moment—it’s built one shift at a time.

That’s why we’re proud to sponsor the Richmond Roller Hockey League. This photo captures more than a team and a sign; it represents something we see every day both in our therapy rooms and on the rink: children learning how to manage their bodies, emotions, relationships, and challenges in real time.

What Makes the Richmond Roller Hockey League Special

One of the highlights of the Richmond Roller Hockey League is the intentional balance of competition, skill-building, and community. Kids are challenged—but not shamed. Supported—but not rescued. Encouraged to grow—not just perform.

The league creates an environment where:

   •   Effort matters

   •   Learning is valued

   •   Kids of different skill levels can belong

   •   Relationships come first

That kind of culture matters more than most people realize. It sets the tone for how children experience stress, feedback, teamwork, and recovery—on and off the rink.

Sports as a Regulation Practice

Roller hockey is full of manageable stressors—the kind that help expand a child’s window of tolerance rather than overwhelm it.

   •   Waiting on the bench for your turn

   •   Missing a shot

   •   Falling down and getting back up

   •   Losing a game

   •   Winning and staying sportsmanlike

Each of these moments asks a child to pause, recover, and re-engage—the core skills of nervous system regulation.

Just like in hockey, regulation isn’t about never falling. It’s about learning how to get back on your skates.

Rhythm, Movement, and the Regulating Brain

Roller hockey supports development in ways that align beautifully with neuroscience.

   •   Rhythm: Skating involves repetitive, patterned movement that helps organize and calm the nervous system.

   •   Crossing the midline: Stick handling, skating strides, and defensive movements require both sides of the body to work together—supporting coordination, focus, and integration across brain hemispheres.

   •   Whole-body movement: Fast starts, stops, and changes in direction help children practice regulating arousal—learning how to speed up and slow down without losing control.

These are the same foundations we intentionally support in therapy—here, they’re happening naturally through play.

Learning to Win. Learning to Lose. Learning to Stay in the Game.

Hockey teaches children that emotions are part of the game—and that they don’t have to derail it.

   •   Frustration after a missed pass

   •   Disappointment after a loss

   •   Excitement that needs to be contained after a win

   •   Patience while learning a new skill

Each experience strengthens emotional flexibility. Kids learn that big feelings can show up—and they can still stay connected, respectful, and engaged.

That’s regulation in action.

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A Polyvagal Lens for Coaches and Parents

Why Regulation Starts With the Adults

From a Polyvagal perspective, children don’t learn regulation primarily through fear, pressure, or rigid control. They learn it through felt safety, connection, and relationship.

Coaches and parents are the nervous system anchors on the rink.

When adults:

   •   Stay calm during mistakes

   •   Use connection before correction

   •   Model recovery after frustration

   •   Emphasize effort over outcome

…children’s nervous systems stay more regulated—and learning happens more efficiently.

Research and real-world practice consistently show that fear-based or overly regimented coaching may create short-term compliance, but it undermines long-term confidence, resilience, and performance.

In contrast, connection-based coaching:

   •   Expands a child’s window of tolerance

   •   Improves focus and learning

   •   Builds trust and motivation

   •   Supports emotional recovery after setbacks

Professional tennis coach Michael Allison has demonstrated how applying Polyvagal Theory in sports helps athletes perform better—not by pushing harder, but by helping their nervous systems stay regulated enough to access skill, strategy, and creativity.

The same principles apply on the roller hockey rink.

Relationships Are the Real Team Sport

Youth sports are never just about individual skill. Leagues like Richmond Roller Hockey help children build:

   •   Peer connection

   •   Trust in teammates

   •   Respect for coaches and officials

   •   Repair after conflict

Kids learn how to stay in relationship even when emotions run high—a skill that transfers to classrooms, families, friendships, and life.

Why Heart & Mind Sponsors Youth Sports

Because healing and growth don’t only happen in offices.

They happen:

   •   On skates

   •   With teammates

   •   Through movement

   •   In moments of effort, failure, recovery, and success

We’re honored to support the Richmond Roller Hockey League and the families who make it such a strong, connected community—helping children build regulated nervous systems, confident identities, and resilient hearts, one shift at a time.