The Right Direction

Winning isn’t everything, and losing isn't the end of the world. To win by one goal is usually more satisfying than a ten-goal lead. The same can be said for losing by one goal as opposed to a blow out. Hopefully a win equals a well-played game, while a loss doesn't automatically mean your team did not play a good game. How well you play reveals more about your coaching than how many games you've won, however I won't deny I prefer to win if it is within the reach of the team's ability. My focus is not to win for winning’s sake, but to develop players that have the skill and ability to do very well as team contributors and individual players. This usually makes for a pretty decent team. If I do my job right, things often work out. A coach should look for the good and the bad in every game. The good things we capitalize on and the mistakes we work to eliminate. Sounds simple doesn’t it? Luckily we have someone doing a very good job of keeping track of stats during the game. This is a good way for coaches to analyze the game after the fact. Hockey is a great game that I believe everyone should get to enjoy and participate in. Building a team is much more of a challenge than picking a team.
Sometimes picking the top players does not automatically result in the best team – case in point – NY Ranger’s last few seasons. A team works well if everyone contributes by doing things such as passing and supporting the play. Sometimes this is referred to as generous team play.
If your team is progressing in skill and teamwork throughout the season, than you are most likely on the right track, but if your players are not progressing, regress, play below their potential, or don’t play as a team, than you have a problem. Focus on the achievements in player development during the early years of minor hockey, so that players will be ready to move on to high school and college level competition where winning becomes a bigger part of the game. Hockey is supposed to be fun, but sometimes it isn't easy. It takes hard work, determination and heart to do well. It also takes a far amount of natural ability. If it was easy, it might not be so rewarding when your team does play well. Are players playing because they love the game, or are they only there because someone else wants them there? If your players aren’t on the ice because they want to be (hopefully because they love it), then how much effort will they put into the game? Hockey should always have an element of enjoyment even at hard practices. You defiantly don’t want a player turned off from hockey because of a bad experience with a coach. If you see a negative trend in your games, you need to recognize it early and make sure you are focusing on the right things that will move your team in the right direction. There’s a lot to be said for creating a positive attitude on the bench and on the ice.