This newsletter is distributed to all registered coach=
es
and hockey families in Minnesota and others who have subscribed to the
list. Feel free to forward to others outside of Minnesota who can then
sign up to continue to receive the monthly publication by logging on =
to www.minnesotahockey.org a=
nd
scrolling down the page to the signup box on the right-hand side.
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A New Season Begins
With cooler nights signaling the return of fall I wond=
er
just where the summer months went. The time was spent on family
vacations, training, lacrosse camps and hockey camps but now the kids=
are
all back in school for another year. The summer is much too short and
September means hockey for many associations in Minnesota and around =
the
country. Hopefully many of your children play other sports besides ho=
ckey
as the skills learned in other sports will transfer and help develop =
the
whole athlete. I know of one high school junior who is a solid defens=
eman
on his high school hockey team and is suddenly getting more attention
from college lacrosse coaches than college hockey coaches. It is alwa=
ys
good to have a back up plan.
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I would like to welcome all of our new readers as we h=
ave
expanded this newsletter to include all families in Minnesota who play
hockey. We did this because of the important role that parents play in
youth hockey programs. Many of you are coaches, managers and team
volunteers. All of you are parents of kids in the youth programs. As
parents you have a responsibility to insure your children are having a
good experience playing hockey and are able to reap the benefits of
participation. Parents have the ultimate power in each program and
hopefully we can assist you with information and education. Each mont=
hly
issue will have an article or two that will better inform you about w=
hat
playing hockey is about. Your comments and suggestions are always
welcomed and you can reach me at halt@minnesotahockey.org.
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The first two articles deal with early season issues. =
“Parent Survival
Guide” is a reminder of how to best support your chi=
ld
during the tryout phase of the season. The second article, “Cold Dry Hands=
”
reminds coaches and team parents that all players need to participate=
in
every game. This article first ran 4 years ago and is still timely and
frequently requested. When your teams are formed make sure everybody =
is
committed to all of the players on the team, not just the top ones. M=
ake
sure you have the conversation with the coaches at the beginning of t=
he
season meeting to make sure everybody understands how play of players
will function. Take a copy of this article with you to the team meeti=
ng
and have the discussion as a group.
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“Mite Hockey
Programs” is an overview of what mite hockey should =
look
like and how it needs to be organized. If your program is run like ba=
ntam
hockey you need to make some adjustments. Most but not all youth prog=
rams
understand the development process and this article reviews those bas=
ics.
To support this article Dr. Paul Stricker offers his second article i=
n a
series on “The Arena of S=
port
Development..’ This article is important for parents=
of
our younger players as it deals with developmental issues of young
players.
Why do kids love this game? There are lots of sports t=
hey
could play but hockey seems to attract players unlike other sports. I=
n “The Essence of
Hockey” I try to explain what is so compelling about
this great game and why kids keep coming back to the rink. Even paren=
ts
in southern states comment to me that their kids love hockey more than
other sports and playing hockey in the southern regions of the countr=
y is
a serious financial commitment compared to other sports. They still
choose hockey.
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For Coaches:
The best practice planning tool available to you can be
found at www.flexxcoach.com=
. The
site has hundreds of drills, practice plans and other resources. I
encourage you to check it out. Many associations will cover the annual
cost for their coaches. Multiple subscription discounts are available=
.
Coach Education Program: (CEP) Clinics are being poste=
d on
the USA Hockey Website. All youth hockey coaches must be certified to=
the
appropriate level as established by USA Hockey or they will not be ab=
le
to coach after December 31st, 2009. Each Minnesota Hockey District wi=
ll
host at least one of each of the first three levels. Several districts
will host multiple clinics. Registration and level requirements can be
found at www.usahockey.org .
Clinics will be posted by mid September.
As you prepare your for your season the first team mee=
ting
with parents is critical for setting the proper expectations for the
season. Instead of dictating and injecting what your goals might be t=
his
year, perhaps you should ask the parents what their expectations are =
for
the season and try to come to a mutual understanding of how the team =
will
operate. With parental involvement from the beginning you will have a
much better season. “Suggestions fo=
r A
Successful Parent Meeting” will help you get the sea=
son
started on the right note and minimize problems along the way. <=
/o:p>
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Raising the Bar:
Coaching youth hockey is a complex activity that requires on and off =
ice
competence to effectively have a positive impact on your players. The=
old
style of coaching no longer works as players and parents are demanding
more from their coaches. The CEP clinics are a start but competence t=
akes
time, energy and inquiry to master the art of coaching. Players need
repetition and new ideas and so do coaches. Be open to suggestions and
seek out answers. Work hard to have a life long positive impact on yo=
ur
players.
Watch the for the next issue for Minnesota Hockey Jour=
nal
and our new program “Respect and Protect” designed to
increase awareness of the dangers of unnecessary physical play especi=
ally
aimed at the head and upper body.
Please support our sponsors. They believe in youth hoc=
key
and the programs we provide.
Keep your stick on the ice….
See you around the rink…
Hal Tearse
Coach in Chief. Minnesota Hockey
Issue 57 September 2009
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