So it is tryout time. The time of year that coaches, players, and parents all dread. The age old question of how do we choose our team crops up again.
Should a coach pick the best set of athletes and figure out positions later?
Should a coach pick by position?
Does every team need a role-player, that good locker room kid?
Any way you look at it the answer isn””t easy, and tryouts stink.
I recently had a debate with a hockey parent about what makes the best coach.
The options in this argument are:
1) NHL player who “made it” — this guy has been there, done that!
2) Student of the game — this guy doesn”t have the resume, but knows and loves the game.
My opinion is that neither of these people is a great coach based on just that criteria. The ability to teach is not something that is in anyway related to having played NHL hockey. Yes, NHL experience brings instant respect, and often times has exposed a person to more situations, but that alone does not qualify a person. Locally many of our Colorado hockey directors are “almost made it” guys. I am not sure why, maybe because the “made it” guys are playing hockey instead of teaching it.
In the long run, the best coach is someone who relates to kids, teaches kids, and helps our kids grow up. If they can do all of that, and they are an alum of the NHL, sign me up.
After watching the Av’’s game last night (Go Jose!), with my adreneline still pumping the local sports anchor was nice enough to mention that the Rockies game was still going. Being a true man, I immediatly dialed up the Rockies game. The time was about 10:20, and I was planning on a full nights sleep.
Two and a half hours later I failed.
I failed to finish the Rockies game (20 innings = approx. 1am)
I failed to get a full nights sleep (five hours)
I am so disappointed in myself, I should have nailed at least one of the two options presented to me. Next time I will!
I observed an interesting thing in the Avalanche-Wild game. With about ten and half minutes left in the game, Ian Laperriere approached the Av”””””””’’s bench during a time out and chatted with assistant coach Tony Granato. Tony then walked over and chatted with Coach Q, who was I could clearly see saying “Okay”. Now I am not a lip reader, but the next action confirmed my suspicion, as Ian promptly dropped the gloves, with the goal of pummelling Stephane Veilleux. Veilleux was the villan in a cheap shot hit on Stastny earlier in the game. It was interesting to watch, I just wish I could have heard the conversation between Laperriere and Veilleux on the ice. After all the theater, its too bad the fight was a dud.
As a side note, the earlier hit would have been a clear, no questions asked 2+10 in any youth game I have ever attended.
As we enter yet another off season, the first question is, are you taking the season off?
This is a classic debate, and one I can take either side on:
1) Play summer hockey — there is no replacement for more time on the ice, and if you love it, why not? Experience can”t be replaced and it is a chance to put distance between you and the crowd.
2) Take the summer off — the mind and body expands with new activities. Gretzky played baseball, so did Turgeon and Drury, and they turned out all right.
While I can argue either side, my heart says take the summer off. Skate a little, play a “for fun” 3 on 3 league (shameless promo www.theiceranch.com), or simply play some baseball, golf, Lacrosse, or whatever other activity floats your boat.
In closing I will say that doing nothing at all is a bad option. Full time hockey is better then a summer of video games and twinkies.
Now I have to run off to a baseball practice.
The Colorado Thunderbirds are hosting the AAA regionals this weekend. Get out and watch some world class hockey!
What are kids playing hockey for if now to learn how to be better people and better teammates? As we all know whether it is bosses or coaches we rarely find the perfect situation, however good situations abound. In a world where we are the only one’s that can really push ourselves why are we disappointed when someone won’t do our work for us? If a kid can’t read, I believe that is the parents fault first and foremost, but why don’t we apply this logic to kid sports? Being on a team should be about loyalty to those teammates that suffered with you and for you and love of the game. If it isn’t why play?
Physical play and parents
Hockey is a physical game, and checking is part of it. If it good check is made, and your kid makes it we cheer, if someone puts a good check on our kids we get angry? This is crazy, if you play a game that includes checking, it is going to happen, and bad checks are going to happen. Why does is not surprise us when a kids misses the net with a shot, but if they check is off it is dirty?
Okay, now I have completed my second hockey belt tournament of the year, and after freezing my rear off I have drawn some conclusions:
1) The hockey in Minnesota at the top level is not really any better then Colorado hockey. The FHA PWAA team was as talented as any team in the New Hope Invitational tournament. While the team lost two very close games, this happens quite often in Colorado, and is more a symptom of a team and an association that hasn”t learned how to win then of hockey talent.
2) The FHA PWAA team was as deep, or deeper then most Minnesota teams when is comes to pure physical potential an speed, but was not even close in the “hockey sense” catagory.
3) The level of goalie training and performance is far more advanced then in Colorado. All the goalies are big, fast, and after watching 10+ games I never saw an out of position goalie. After talking with local parents it is clear the committment to training goalies from a young age, and consistently as they get older is something we don”t see in Colorado. I can tell you this — it paid off in Minneapolis.
4) We have essentially no hockey tradition in Colorado. It was great looking at the pictures of the 20+ alumni of the local hockey association who played NHL hockey. Current Av Jordan Leopold was just one of many recognizable names on that wall. Now that we have an NHL team, two perennial NCAA front runners, and two successful minor league teams there is no excuse for the lack of tradition.
My conclusion is that Colorado hockey is good, even great, we just don”t believe it, or admit it. Colorado hockey is like a teenager lacking confidence. T
It is time for Colorado hockey to grow up.
I have recently heard the story (second hand only) of a Bantam AA team that had the police called to two straight games. According to everyone from the team, in both cases is was the other teams fault. Can this be? While it is obviously possible, and there is little doubt it takes two to tango, at what point do you look in the mirror and say ” maybe it’’s us?”
Yes, another crazy parent situation, I am not suprised, but I am amazed (again!).
Can you imagine going to jail, or being sued and financially jeapordizing your family because of your kids hockey game?