text: While books can be a valuable source of information, why not locate instructional videos? They are even more helpful, in that you can see the entire technique that's demonstrated (whether it be skating, shooting, defensive play, checking, and even conditioning). I'm sure the internet has a large number of hockey store sites that you can peruse. As a former hockey coach, I have a collection of both instructional hockey books and VCR's, and I tended to favor the tapes for getting tips on technique improvement.\nAs for the mental aspect of playing, I think that reading about successful players (and how they got to be successful) will be helpful to you - I'm sure the common denominator in all their stories will be hard work, talent, and more hard work. Take stock of your strengths and weaknesses, and focus on improving your weaknesses. Find someone who is knowledgable, like a player or coach, to help you with your training. And don't underestimate conditioning....make sure you get in proper playing shape. Off-ice training is a very important aspect of conditioning for hockey. Good luck.