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Youth
Hockey Teams: Each of us has a role
By:
Tim Hannen
RMHS Instructor
After playing
varsity hockey for 4 years and graduating from RPI, Tim played
professional ice and inline hockey before serving as the Director
of Hockey at Big Bear Ice Arena in Denver, CO for 4 years. Currently,
Tim is the Athletic Director for South Kent Prep in CT.
Enjoy the experience by understanding your role
and following through…
We all play different roles in the molding
process of a young hockey player. Parents, coaches, and players must
understand where they are needed to add value to the total hockey
experience and where their good intentions may hinder or even confuse
a child's development. Part of the fun of hockey - and it should
be fun! - is growing with and into the sport while accepting new
challenges as size, strength, and ability mature. Enjoy the experience
by understanding your role and following through as well as possible.
Players
The number one role of the player is to learn while having fun. Parents
sacrifice money and time, coaches sacrifice time and effort; you
are expected to sacrifice by using the lessons learned in hockey
as a benefit to the rest of your life experiences. Learn how to
learn, respect those with experience (they are there to teach you
much more than hockey), be a reliable student and person, and let
your commitment to the learning experience begin.
The youth hockey player's main objective is to foster a positive
spirit towards playing and allowing the sport to bring out life's
positive as well as negative experiences. Players must develop the
drive to embrace life's little challenges and learn to win and lose
gracefully. Work ethic and sportsmanship are two of the most important
lessons that will follow a person their entire life. One's ability
to play hard and maintain that level of sportsmanship is and will
always be a lesson well learned.
Every player is responsible for being a positive part of the development
of his or her team. Be a part of the solution, not a part of the
problem. You will make friends that you will never forget. Be a part
of the positive memories, and most important of all, HAVE FUN!!!
Coaches
You shoulder an incredibly high proportion of the "team"
responsibilities. The coach dictates the actions of both players
and parents by the example he/she sets. The direction and scope of
a team's development is the coach's responsibility. There are six
major components to a program the coach puts together:
- Basic skill assessment of individuals
- Season long planning and team goals
- Enhancement of individual skills
- Guidelines and rules
- Management and staff
- A good rapport with the parents
Coaches must realize that the early season plan will vary greatly
from the final product, but the journey from beginning of the plan
to the end of the season is all about coaching. The quality of maintenance
and attention to the early season plan greatly affects the overall
quality of the final product. Since the plan will change, keep the
players informed as to how it is changing and how it will affect
them. This is important to maintain player interest.
The coach is the role model for the players - good or bad. Young
people are a lot smarter and more perceptive than most adults give
them credit for. It is very important for the coaches to do nothing
to give any player a reason to doubt the team or the plan. The plan
is the glue that can hold a team together through thick and thin
and the players should have no reason to doubt it, themselves, or
their team.
Coaching is the chance of a lifetime. Whether you are prepared or
not, you are creating a life altering experience for every player
you work with. Be fair with your players and you can expect trust
and loyalty. Use your opportunity wisely because there is nothing
scarier than a parent whose child has been slighted.
Parents
The hockey parent is the most important part of the hockey experience.
They are responsible for providing the best learning environment
possible, adequate resources for their child's development, and
support for the team program.
Parents should participate in a summer long search for the best coach
they can find. The parents and players should map out realistic goals
for the upcoming season, determine the best coach and team to help
the player achieve these goals, and enter the season with an open
mind. Once the team, the coach, and the roles have been set, there
should be no further variables introduced by the parent to hinder
the child's development.
Help your child learn by getting more involved in a positive
way. If you don't understand something or disagree with something
or someone, keep it to yourself, speak with someone who does
know privately, or try and learn more about it. Above all do
not complain about it or share your anger and frustration with
your child. This will only discourage your child and take away
their enjoyment of the game. The last thing you want to do as
a hockey parent is confusing your child or "decoach" them.
They already have a coach, they do not need you to be another
one, they need you to be a parent and offer them encouragement
and support.
There is a delicate balance between the coach's
direction, what the players understand, and what the parents perceive.
All three must realize going into the season that a breakdown within
any of the three units will greatly hinder the learning experience
and the player’s development. Players, coaches, and parents
alike must all realize that there will be conflict, I guarantee you
that - just be sure that whatever role you play, you provide positive
solutions.
Good Luck!!
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