MacPherson-Hockey

Character, Class & Commitment

2011-01-07T16:52:00.000-08:00

Another year and how time flies so quickly. It has been almost 10 months since I have posted any thoughts. Where has the time gone? For me, it has been a busy 10 months. I am now working for an OHL team; it has been a great experience working with a group of people with so much NHL experience. In addition, I have 2 boys playing this great game of hockey, so I am usually at an arena 5-6 days a week.

As I watch players grow from young adolescents to young adults to young pros, there are some common characteristics that certainly help them rise to the top. Three of the most important characteristics are

Character: The ability to be a team player and someone who is an encouragement to his teammates. The ability to be open to learning as a player. A player who makes others around them better because of who they are.

Class: from language to dress code to general deportment, the little things that separate the average from the outstanding. From the way that you treat the opposition to the way you leave the room.

Commitment- the willingness to work hard and not be discouraged by setbacks. The willingness to put in the time both on and off the ice.

Three players with whom I have had the opportunity to coach in high school and work with on ice in the summers who have displayed all of these 3 characteristics are:

Simon Mangos- Simon has been playing pro hockey for the past several years after completing his engineering degree at Ferris State. Simon was a graduate of Notre Dame Catholic Secondary in Brampton, Ontario. I coached hockey there from 1995-2001 and had the privilege of coaching Simon. In Grade 12, he went on to play Junior and then on to NCAA D1 hockey in Michigan. He was a second team all star defenceman in the CCHA. After leaving college, Simon has had a great pro career as a puck moving defenceman. Above all, no matter where he plays, he is first and foremost a class act.

Nicholas D’Agostino- Nick is a skilled defenceman currently playing at Cornell. What a privilege it was to have spent some time with Nick back in high school. A graduate of Robert F Hall Catholic in Caledon East, Ontario. Never drafted out of Minor Midget, he played high school and major midget and then moved on to play Tier 2 Junior “A” at St. Mike’s in Toronto. From there, he was able to get the attention of many Ivy League schools, not just because of his hockey skill, but also because of his attention to his school work and honor roll status as a high school student. Nick is in his second year at Cornell after being drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Nick Crawford- Nick left Robert F. Hall in Grade 11 and not only had to travel a distance, but had to leave Canada to play Major Junior in Saginaw, Michigan. I remember sitting in my office with his family and helping to plan his courses. This young man would play 4 years in the OHL, capped off by leading the OHL in scoring amongst defenceman in 2009-2010. He would be drafted by the Buffalo Sabres and in the summer of 2010 would sign his first NHL contract. He is a rookie this year in the AHL and having a great start to his pro career. An outstanding young man who was always so positive with his team mates, classmates and his coaches.

As a teacher, administrator and coach, I have been blessed to have had the opportunity to work with the above 3 players as well as many more who have not only excelled on the ice, but off the ice. They are young players whose daily life includes a commitment to be a solid citizen.

Not every player will have the same opportunity to play at the level at which these three examples have; however, every player does have an opportunity to make themselves a better player, but more importantly, a better person.

Respect in Hockey

2010-03-28T09:50:00.000-07:00

There has been much discussion over the past weeks, months and year about the lack of respect that is being shown by players, coaches, parents / guardians, etc at several levels of hockey.

Much of this has focused on some of the hits that have occurred at the NHL, OHL and QMJHL. It certainly has led to the discussion of what is happening in hockey. Let me try and touch base on what I believe are the causes and also suggest possible solutions.

Causes:

1. Lack of respect by players towards the opposition.

There is what I refer to as an "escalation" of inappropriate behavior at all levels of hockey, most notably at the minor / youth levels, where we are seeing an increase in problems. We only have to look at the ages of which younger players are starting to play competitive and rep hockey; unfortunately at this age, winning can be reinforced as the goal. We even see players as young as 7 year involved in games where the score is being run up in a game. This is sometimes being reinforced by parents , coaches and even associations. And we wonder why we have a culture where "respect" for the opposition has dwindled.

2. Sense of Entitlement

With the growth of the game and the rising costs in both ice time and equipment, we now have an entire generation of children who because of "socio economic" factors, will not have an opportunity to play this great game.

As a result, we have many players who have been cultured in an environment where they can do no wrong; whatever obstacles are in the way towards their goal, they are encouraged to just roll over them. In some jurisdictions there is a growing trend where parents are now purchasing teams at both the minor hockey and junior level.

3. Ridiculous Salaries of NHL players.

When we look around the world and see and hear the economic and social situations that children face, it is hard to fathom someone getting so much to play the game of hockey. We now have a whole sector of the hockey economy that tells young people, and more importantly, their parents, that if they have the $, they can get closer towards their goal of being an NHL player.

As a result, we have seen the explosion of training opportunities, new equipment, off ice training, as well as professional consultants, coaches who can help you reach your goal.

In so many ways, this is bad advice. When you look at the statistics, it is evident that only 1-2 percent of players will ever have the opportunity to play at a professional level.

We would be far better off to invest in our children's education, while cultivating those core skills and attributes that hockey has to offer.

4. Coaching

It is no secret that a coach has a tremendous impact on the life of a hockey player. The coach who is expected to be a role model has great responsibility for helping to mold and shape those young persons whom have been entrusted in his / her care.

Unfortunately we have seen way too often, coaches who have taken a "hands off" approach in allowing and even reinforcing poor behavior. In some cases, coaches have been allowed to veer away from the values of the association in favour of a win at all cost.

This has been a poor example to young people who have learned that it is ok to not play by the rules, or not to treat everyone with respect and that winning really does take precedent over development.

Now, those are just a few of the reasons why we have witnessed an escalation in issues in hockey.

As important as this is, what are the solutions. Let me offer 3 that I feel will make an impact on all levels of hockey, and ones that are realistic.

1. Accountability

Whether it is coaches, players, managers, minor hockey Executives, officials, those who continue to bring disrespect to the game, need to be consequenced.

2. Education
We need all parents and all coaches to take part in mandatory education prior to the start of each season in regards the following topics:

A. Creating safe environments

B. Recognizing Abuse, Bullying and Harassment

C. Difference between Winning and Development

D. Reality of the Hockey Landscape- playing for the love of the game vs playing towards a career.

3. Philosophy

Minor hockey associations need to drastically overhaul and articulate their mission statements. If they are about serving the needs of the youth by instilling "core values", they need to take a long look at the value of some of the things they are doing like, travel teams, rep vs House league, coach mentoring, hitting, age at which formal competition begins, etc.

I never remember as a kid the issues that we now experience in minor hockey on a weekly basis. For me it does have a great deal to do with the overwhelming emphasis on games vs practices, winning vs development.

Unless we make some drastic changes, we will continue to see the escalation of issues at all levels of the game.

For the first time in Canada, parents are really beginning to question the value of hockey versus other activities in the overall development of their children.

Practice vs Games

2009-10-12T05:11:00.000-07:00

This is always an interesting topic and one that comes up for discussion. More recently this has been a topic in the Peewee league in which one of my boys play. The discussion is whether we should practice more or play more.

I must start by telling you that it would be much easier for a coach to play more at this level. If we are simply looking at this from a time and commitment standpoint, the case would be for more games and less practice. Why? Well, it takes way less preparation for a game at the peewee level in comparison to a practice.

As a coach for the 2009-2010 season, I usually spend anywhere from 30-90 minutes pre preparation for a practice. This includes looking at the previous week's sessions, reviewing the desired outcomes and goals for the team and reviewing any notes from previous games. When a plan is thought out, it is then placed on drill sheets, reviewed and then scanned electronically to be sent to the other coaches. This alone is a time consuming process. This does not even include the extra equipment that is required for practice (pucks, pylons, etc)

The benefit of the planning and record keeping is that you can go back and review the work that has been done over time and you have a electronic copy of your work to date, which is great to review.

Compare this to preparing for a game. As long as I have my lineup and maybe a good pre game speech, I am set to go. Don't forget, while managing a practice, you need to manage the flow, the movement, the timing of the drills and the time constraints. So for a volunteer, managing practice can be way more time consuming than a game.

Am I advocating that???

Certainly not. I am a big fan of practice. This was something that was instilled at a young age and it has been a part of my coaching philosophy for many years. As a player in Midget, Junior and University, we practiced at least 5 times for every 2 games. It was our routine and it allowed us the max amount of time to work on skills.

This routine is certainly in line with what Hockey Canada is promoting along with Ontario Minor Hockey and USA hockey. It is certainly consistent with what European players are being taught. In fact, they play way less than we do in North America and one can certainly argue that their skills are very advanced, if not superior in many areas.

What does all this mean for kids playing minor hockey. Well, I am not naive to think that players do not want to play- it is one of the fun things to do in hockey. However, we have to look at the facts according to Hockey Canada:

- one well run practice is the equivalent of 11 games.

- the average 12 year old peewee player will touch the puck for only 8 seconds in a game

For me, this is data driven decision making. It is about time on task for these young players. It is certainly more work for coaches and it means that coaches must look at their own reasons for coaching.

I hear comments such as:

"When they reach 11-12, it is only about playing games, as development is over".

This is so far from the truth. If development was over at age 12, why is that at the highest levels of the game, players spend enormous time on the fundamentals of the game.

I am a big proponent of allowing players the opportunity to develop at their pace, but the evidence is that up until Midget age, the gap between the highest skilled players and those below them is not as great as some would think. At the developmental level, I have witnessed many young people who have closed that gap and become elite level players because of the commitment of associations, coaches and parents to development. I have also worked with elite junior and pro players who spend signigicant time in the off season, not on games, but on skill development (skating, passing, shooting).

So for me, I love to watch the kids play, but also love to be involved in helping them to develop their skills in a fun environment.

The Upcoming Hockey Season – What is in Store?

2009-08-04T15:45:00.000-07:00

Where is the time going? As we move through the first week of August, it is that time when the hockey season is beginning to look like it will be soon here. For a busy coach the summer should be a time when we get away from the arena and have some down time. I must say that I have not missed hockey after spending a long winter with 3 different teams. As I reflect on the upcoming season, there are many thoughts and ideas that come to mind. Let me share a few thoughts on what will be both the rewards and the challenges.

1. Preparation

This is always different between players. For some young hockey players, they will not have touched the ice since the season ended. For others, they have played spring hockey, summer hockey and even had additional training through hockey school and other. As a coach, this affects a great deal your approach. First and foremost, you have to be concerned with safety. When starting a new season, you will need to adjust your tempo to make sure that players are given the time to catch up and get back their legs. As a parent, I would like my boys to be able to improve their skills during the off season, but I am also very sensitive to their developmental need to be able to get away from the game for some time. In our house, summer hockey is restricted to playing in the driveway as well as one hour skates the last week in August to help them prepare for the opening week of hockey or fall tryouts.

2. Tryouts

As much as they can be a fun time for players, they can be a very stressful time for parents / guardians and coaches. As a team, you are given a very limited time (usually 2-3 hours) to evaluate all players in a fair, equitable and respectful manner. Many parents already have pre conceived beliefs as to where their son / daughter fit in the association. This can put added pressure on all parties, including the coaches. The unfortunate aspect for the coach is trying to come up with 15-17 players whom he/she feels will be the right mix for the team. I am often asked about the characteristics that are important to me in terms of evaluating players. Please know that all coaches differ in what they bring to the tryout experience and what they bring in terms of their own skill set in evaluation. For me, it is not about the most skilled individuals. If it was only about skill, then we might as well have a skills competition and pick the team based on the results. Let me build on this thought.

As the game continues to change, many players are becoming faster and stronger. But that does not mean that they are better. They may go from 0-60 metres in the fastest time; this means they are fast. In today’s ever changing game, it is just as important to have quality as quantity. Can a player make the play? Can they see the ice while they are moving? Can they make the adjustments? Are they good on the defensive side of the puck? It is for these reasons, that coaches have an ever increasingly difficult task in assigning names to only so many slots. In coaching and player selection, we all see different things in the traits of the young player. The coach and his / her staff is entrusted with trying to decode all of this and place their trust in what they feel are the best players at the time for the team. Not an easy task for anyone.

3. The 2009-2010 Season

What type of season will we have? I think that this season may pose some unique challenges to all of us here in North America. There is a widespread belief that the H1N1 virus (Swine Flu) could play a major role in what we do as hockey organizations. It could also play a major role in what we do in education. As we speak, several school districts in both Canada and the US are making contingency plans in the event that schools may have to be shut down for a period of time. We should not think that this would not affect us in hockey.

Some of the most memorable experiences for me as a coach and father have come over the past several years as we travelled to tournaments in the USA. We have had a great deal of fun in both Pittsburgh and Cleveland. In fact, I have been taking both Minor hockey and High school teams to the USA since the early 1990’s. I recommend that everyone visit Lake Placid in the winter time. As well, I have had great success in instilling lessons in young players with visits to Shady Side Academy in Pittsburgh.

If this virus hits hard as some expect it may, it could impact our ability to travel for these types of things. Safety and liability are always at the top of the list when planning excursions with players and students. We hope that for the health of the entire world that this virus does not hit in a major way. If it does and we have to cancel some of our anticipated travel across the border, it may give us an opportunity to stay closer to home and take part in some of the great tourneys in the province of Ontario.

Only time will tell.

Enjoy these remaining weeks prior to September and best wishes as you embark on another season.

Two Great Teams that I will never forget

2009-04-28T04:41:00.001-07:00

For the past several years, I have had the distinct pleasure to have the opportunity to coach in house league hockey. It has been nice to watch so many young players mature and develop. I have often said in our local association that a House league coach has to be a coach of all the players, not just his / her own team. I believe strongly in this, because if you stay connected to the division for several years, you will have the opportunity to coach many of the players, especially when the teams are changed each year.

Let me tell you a story about two amazing teams that I had the chance to coach this year. First, is the Lantic Sugar Minor Peewee House league team. It was an awesome experience to be part of this group of players, parents and coaches. They were always willing to learn new things and always open to work on the skill development piece. On those cold winter Friday nights, it would have been easy to not show up at practice. Yet, this group was very enthusiastic on most nights. As a result, we came together as a group and became cohesive. As one of their coaches, I was very proud of how they came to respect each other in the dressing room, on the bench and when we gathered for some team bonding prior to the playoffs ( floor hockey, basket ball). In the end, probably the most significant thing that happened in the playoffs was a loss in game # 4. It was devastating at the time for the boys, but we tried to remind them that we usually learn more from losing than winning. Losing helps us to identify with our weaknesses and also reminds us that maybe other teams are as prepared as maybe we thought we were. I don’t advocate losing all the time, as it is a hard lesson to swallow and see value. For our team, it was an important lesson in helping us to reach farther, believe stronger, and come together. The end result was the Minor Peewee championship against the only undefeated team in the playoffs. It was an awesome game for both teams and it was an experience that our boys will never forget.

In addition to this wonderful team, I had the chance to work with 16 fabulous young men on the Select team. For those who don’t know about select under the Ontario Minor Hockey Association, we are allowed to practice once per week and play only 2 games per month. The select team is made up of players from all 8 of the House league teams. From September until March, this group of 1997 birth year practiced on Wednesday morning’s at 6 am. That is commitment. Some would say it is crazy and maybe even abusive towards such a young group of players. It certainly is commitment and it certainly can only happen successfully when players get the proper rest and nutrition in order to not let the most important commitment they have, education, slide. As important as hockey is, the key in life is Education.

During the year this team competed in three major tournaments and had great success:
1. Pittsburgh Vipers – Tourney Finalists, Lost 4-3 to Pittsburgh in final.
2. Cleveland Rock n’ Roll- Tourney Champions, defeated Burton, Michigan 3-0 in final.
3. Boston Pizza Challenge Cup, Mississauga, Tourney Champions, defeated Oakville, Ontario 3- 1 in final.

As a coach and as a parent, I am not sure if you can ask for a more successful season. Please remember that success is not measured by wins and loses. More importantly than the victories, are the life lessons that we try and instill in the hearts and minds of these young players. It was a privilege to be a part of both of these teams. These young men will soon be teenagers and begin to experience and face some tough decisions with peers, school, with relationships, family and hockey. If we can help them to be confident and to walk with character, we will have accomplished much more than a tourney win or championship season.

Thanks to the parents, my fellow coaches and the players of these two outstanding teams for enriching my life as a father, coach, volunteer, and educator.

Coach Mike

It is Time for a Break

2009-03-13T04:07:00.000-07:00

As the hockey season winds down, it is time to begin to think about finding some time away from the arena. As a kid, this is what always occured as the season ended. The equipment went away in March and it was away until the fall.

There were no arenas that had ice in the summer. We played baseball, soccer, hung out with friends, family and relaxed. We did not think about hockey. It seems that for many those days are long gone, especially those in rep hockey. Many play all season and spend some significant time during the summer preparing for the next season. With the growth of off ice training, many coaches are bringing players together at younger ages to train off ice during what was once the off season.

Over the past few weeks, I have watched, listened, discussed, debated, argued and quite frankly have been sickened by the conversations that have taken place in arenas as the season winds down and the speculation and gossip begin about who is going to be the new coach.

To make matter worse as soon as the season ends, we start the next one up by ramping up the tryouts. As adults, I wonder why we follow this model. We have just come through 8-9 months of a season where there has been success and failure, and in some cases not a lot of fun.

It is time for a break for players and maybe even more, for coaches. But what happens? We have rep tryouts right away. We put large numbers of players on the ice in what many would describe as a cash grab. Many of these players have no chance of making a rep lineup. In some cases, these sessions can have as many as 50 or 60 players on the ice. And we actually cut players at the end of one session.. And we say we are interested in development. This is not about development. It further alienates parents, it frustrates players and it is not healthy.

When we look at the pressure that has been placed on many young players at the competitive level, we really have to look at what we are doing. There is a reason why students get a break from school at Christmas, March break and in the summer. This is because they need a break emotionally from the classroom. The game of hockey is no different. It is time we step back and do what is in the best interest of children's emotional, social and physical well being. We should not be doing what is in the best interests of the adult driven beliefs in this game, as these appear to be the ones that are causing us the most harm.

Lessons from Obama's Speech

2009-01-23T11:04:00.000-08:00

Minor Hockey lessons from Obama's speech.

As I reflect on the words that President Obama spoke in Washington, I tried to take some things that we can apply to the game of hockey. As such, here are four quotes from his speech that are important, as we move forward in the game.

1. "Grateful for the trust you have bestowed".

As a coach, I am always grateful for the support and trust that we recieve from parents / guardians. The role of coaching, like teaching is a difficult role. Since all of us have been to school, we all feel that we have valid points when it comes to our children and their education. With hockey, as we move through the years, we also develop an "attitude" towards what we feel is best for our children. This it makes it harder for coaches and is a reason why many decide to leave. I am thankful for the opportunityy to work with great young people and to work in partnersip with parents, as we help shape and mold character in our children's lives. I am also grateful to my parents who never once criticized my coaches and always supported them in their roles.

2. "The challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many".

As a parent, coach, observer, there are so many issues that encompass this great game of hockey. But we are currently facing many issues that are causing great problems. As I write this piece, the biggest debate that is currently taking place in the NHL and Major Junior is the fighting debate. Lets be honest, fighting is not part of the game. We clearly have shown that we do not need fighting in the game. What we have is many who "want" fighting in the game, for the entertainment. However, with the recent death of 21 yr old Don Sanderson, the issue has been brought to the forefront.

We have seen some of the best hockey in recent years played at both the NHL and our own Canadian Junior team which did not have a single fight, yet was exicting and entertaining. This issue is open for discussion and will be interesting to follow over the course of the next year, as many leagues look at this issue.

This is only one of the issues; what about the age at which we begin hitting, when to start competitive play, coaching development, parents, rep hockey, etc.

3. "For everywhere we look, there is work to be done".

This can apply to many aspects of minor hockey. At all levels of minor hockey, there is much work to be done. As a coach of 3 teams, there are many things that must be done on a weekly basis: review practice plans, develop practice plans, prepare for games, communicate with coaches and parents, etc.

At a bigger level, there are many issues that an association is / maybe or should be working on. As the challenges grow, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find volunteers to carry much of the load. This is something that many associations are dealing with in many different ways, including the hiring of paid staff.

4. "People will judge you on what you can build".

This is a great quote that can be applied to many areas of our lives. As coaches / parents / volunteers, we all have an opportunity to make an impact on the lives of young people. More importantly than winning, is the valuing of a young person and the teaching and transmitting of messages that will have a lasting impression on their lives.

Long after they have finished their experiences in the game of hockey, they will remember the core values of what they were taught. As a young hockey player, I was blessed to have 2 former NHL players as coaches. More importantly than their NHL experience, was their belief and committment to teaching in a character building environment. Everything from how we dressed, how we behaved in a restaurant or a hotel to how we conducted ourselves on the ice, was laid out in a simple plan from these 2 coaches. They were builders and they have had a lasting impact on me as a teacher, coach, father and husband.

As we move forward in whatever role we have in minor hockey, I encourage you to value this time with your children and always remember there is a need for people who want to get involved.

A Hockey Player's Christmas List

2008-12-10T06:22:00.000-08:00

It is that time of year when we are all making lists and reviewing what we can purchase for all those significant people in our lives. As a result, I thought that it would be fun to put together a small article on what "every hockey player wants for christmas.

Being the father of two boys who both play hockey and being the coach of 3 different teams, I put together a list of things that I think players would enjoy receiving or being part of this Christmas. Let's start with the hockey related items:

1. New equipment- whether it be a new composite stick or the new RBK 8K helmet, there are always items that my oldest is showing me pictures of on the internet. With the beginning of checking, this helmet is even more important and has become a daily topic in our house.

2. A good tournament to play in. Find me a player who does not like to play in a tourney. Today, many players play in multiple tournaments and for them, it has almost become like a part of their schedule. But for those who maybe are new to competitive hockey or for those who are playing house league, tournaments are such a highlight. They can be a very powerful event in the life of team, as you spend time together with parents, players, coaches and family members. For the past 2 years, we have taken our house league team to an out of town tournament. It has become the highlight of the year, as players come together for a day of fun. It is also a very big confidence booster for many players, as they realize they can compete with other players their age from other hockey centres.

3. Waking up on Boxing day and looking forward to watching Canada's World Junior team. From the time that I was a young boy, until present day, we always look forward to the opportunity to sit around and watch our young Canadians compete on the world stage. It has become as much a part of Christmas for us, as turkey, shortbread and family time.

4. Attending or watching some local or out of town tournament. There are so many tournaments that take place during the holidays, one could be busy watching all of these. If you want to get a look at future OHL and NHL players, you could visit the highly scouted "Toronto Marlies Midget Tournaments. It has become one of the strongest midget tournaments in Canada, and will feature many of the top picks in the 2009 OHL draft, as well as future US college players. It is a jam packed few days of competition that takes place in Etobicoke and will feature all of the OHL teams in attendance.

5. A good game of hockey on outdoor ice. Growing up only steps from the Atlantic Ocean, we were very fortunate that we could play hockey on the harbour when it froze. These games featured children and adults, in a fun filled day of hockey on the water. We don't have as many outdoor rinks as we did when I was a child, but I would certainly look for an opportunity to play outside, if you can. It helps us to identify with the great game of hockey and allows us to connect with people who maybe don't play organized hockey.

Now, lets look at a few items that all players want to have, not only on Christmas day, but all days of their hockey season.

1. A Team- this is one thing that often gets overlooked in a season. It is one thing to assemble a group of young players and put on jerseys and play a game. It is quite another thing to bring together a group of young people and build something special. This takes an enormous amount of work, energy, planning and commitment. I have seen many players who have played on teams, but yet did not have the chance to learn much. I have met many of a player who played on a winning team, yet were not champions. As coaches, parents, hockey administrators, we must do everything to build character in the lives of young athletes. We must teach them that winning is nice, but it should not come at any cost. It should not come at the cost of compromising key things such as character, integrity, honesty, ethical decisions, dignity of the player. This is a tough task and one that must be adhered to, if we really want to build championship people.

2. Parents who support- regardless of where our kids play, we should support them in their desire to continue to improve. We should step back and remember that participation in hockey and other extra curricular activities allows our children an opportunity to socialize, compete, learn and be involved with age related peers. It also allows us as parents to meet with and become friends with some great people who become life long friends. We must remember that very few will make a living out of hockey, but many will make a lifetime out of the lessons that we allow them to learn in a positive environment. I was so thankful to have a father and mother who never put pressure on me, never criticized me, my coaches, other players, etc. They were such great role models. If only I could be a fraction of what they were.

3. A Coach- not just a volunteer, but someone who truly takes an interest in the lives of the young people whom he / she is working with. Someone who plans practices with all of the players in mind and whom remembers that skill building will give all of the players the best opportunity to improve as players. And a coach who treats all players with the upmost respect, recognizing that we have an awesome opportunity to impact young people in such a positive manner.

I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I hope that your holidays are filled with great memories.

The Rising Costs of Hockey- What are the Effects?

2008-11-02T10:00:00.000-08:00

Over the past several years, we have witnessed the rising cost of playing the game of hockey. There are several reasons why this has occurred. The most obvious are the following:

Equipment – with the advent of all sports radio, tv and internet, equipment has become an industry of its own. The huge costs in sticks alone is just one example of how the game has changed. Back in the 90’s there were only wooden sticks. Now, you will have a hard time finding players using a wooden stick. We have players now playing with sticks that can cost as much as $300.

Growth of Organizations – as the game has grown, the associations that support the players has grown with it. To support the rising administrative costs, including salaries of employees, rental / lease of space, etc, associations have had to raise their registration fees.

Cost of Ice – this is a huge drain on the budget of an association. In most centres, the cost of an hour of ice is at or above $200 per hour. Coupled with increased costs for officials, the players have had to bear the brunt of these costs.

Culture of Rep Hockey- as Rep hockey has continued to grow, the costs to play has increased as well. In Ontario, it is fair to say that one must be able to absorb a min of a few thousand dollars to be able to pay for all of the fees and associated costs of travel, tournaments, clothing, etc. In some centres it is widely documented a season at rep can cost as much as $15 000.

As a result of the above, several things have happened:

Families are having to decide between hockey and other activities. For many, they may choose to play another sport, where the cost is lower and the need for equipment is not as great. For example, soccer and basketball. In the city of Guelph, I can register a child for both basketball and soccer and the cost is still not as great as hockey. For families with multiple children, this is becoming a concern in the ever changing economy. As a result, hockey is becoming less available to many children.

Rep hockey is becoming more and more of an elite sport. It is no longer available to all children in the association because of the costs. How many parents have the disposable income that they can support a minimum of a few thousand dollars? How many have a flexible work schedule to accommodate the travel out of the city, including a min of 4 tournaments a year.

Has all of this been good for the overall game of hockey. I am not the best determinant of this. However, I can tell you that there has been an increase in the number of players who are dropping out of hockey. It is not all for financial reasons. In many cases, it is because of the enormous pressure that is placed on young people at an early age. And we are not fielding teams with the best players from the age groups. It is not attractive because of many of the above reasons.

We need to evaluate all of the programs that we are offering in minor hockey in Canada. We need to step back and look at the statistics in terms of players moving on to higher levels of hockey. I am not against High performance hockey; but the current model, whereby all organizations try to field elite teams at every division is not working. We need to look at the development of regional programs, combined with education so that there is a package, not focused solely on one or the other.

The most important question needs to be: Is this in the best interests of young people? Not, can you afford to play?

Parents- What Role should we be playing?

2008-10-05T14:20:00.001-07:00

As parents, I think we strive to want what is in the best interests of our sons / daughter (s). We have many opportunities to help influence the decisions that our children make- our most important task is to be a positive role model for our children.

It is well known that over the past several years, we have seen a huge increase in parental issues in hockey. There are many documented cases where parents have had to be removed from arenas for inappropriate conduct towards officials, coaches, or other parents. We have also seen education in the forms of information available for parents, including some very popular television commercials by Hockey Canada.

Why have we seen this type of behavior? What has changed in the great game of hockey? Let me list 7 reasons why I believe that this has happened:

1. Increased opportunity in hockey- there are more leagues, more teams, more associations. Players travel away from their home centre to play on other teams.

2. Growth of the Rep Game- children playing in highly competitive environments, beginning as young as age 6, where they travel out of town for games and where there is a dress code.

3. Marketing of the Game- everything from clothes, equipment and teams have all increased what is now the culture of hockey.

4. Salaries of hockey players- some parents believe that if they provide their children an opportunity, they may have a shot.

5. Aggressive parents who are trying to buy their kids way in the sport- this is becoming more prevalent. Rep hockey is not available to all children, as the cost is too high. As a result, hockey is becoming an elite sport.

6. Players are on the ice way too much. It is supposed to be a developmental game. When you are on the ice 5-6 times per week, this is one of the things that happens. Your life is hockey.

7. Everybody has an opinion on other children- just spend some time in an arena and you will not take long to hear someone talking about somebody else’s child and what is “wrong” with their game.

As a result of these reasons, we have seen this huge escalation in aggressive behavior. One does not have to go far in any minor hockey association to see the issues that are fragmenting relationships.

Unfortunately, this is the not the game that I remember as a kid. As I look back on all the years that I played competitive hockey (Houseleague all the way to Midget), including Midget AAA, Junior "A" and Canadian University, I never remember my parents making negative comments towards any of my coaches. First, my Mom never attended any of my games until I was 16. We never heard of the term “Hockey Mom”. For most of my minor hockey days, it was my Dad who took me to all my games and practices. He never once got mad at me or showed any dislike for my playing ability. He only said one thing: good game. Wow, as I reflect on that, I realize how blessed I was to have my Dad. I never heard him make one negative comment about any of the coaches, parents or players from any team.

As a parent of 2 boys now, I think sometimes I am too hard on them. I probably put pressure on them, when I try and analyze what they did right and what they did wrong. How many of us do that?

As I drove home from the arena today, I thought that maybe as hockey parents we should focus on the following:

1. Encourage our children to love the sport.
2. Praise them for their efforts.
3. Encourage them to play with sportsmanship.
4. Support all the volunteers who give a great deal of time so that our children can play.
5. Respect the officials, for they are not perfect and they will make mistakes.
6. Let them explore other interests. Kids are quitting hockey in Canada, and I think many times become it is no longer fun, and I think as adults we have something to do with that.

As these years move by quickly and our children grow up, mature and begin to develop other interests and habits, I am going to try hard to enjoy this time. Soon it will be gone and all that will be left for me are memories. For our children, they will be left with a foundation that includes friendships, life skills and hopefully fond memories of their parents.

Where will I play this Year?

2008-09-20T15:03:00.000-07:00

This is a question that many have had to deal with during this time of year. Whether at Minor hockey, Junior hockey, University/College or Professional, this question and all of its surrounding issues is on the mind of many young people. Over the past few weeks, I have had to be the bearer of bad news to several great young men and their families, as final decisions were made in regards to final roster spots. This is not an easy thing to do, nor is it something that anybody really wants to be part of. But unfortunately it is one of the aspects of dealing with competitive sports. But as a coach for over 21 years, I must say that it was one of the times when I have least enjoyed being part of the game. I know when I left the arena that evening, that several players felt crushed. And this time around it was much harder, having known some of these players as both their coach and a friend to the family.

Over the past 2 weeks, I have spoken to several players who have been successful and unsuccessful at their respective junior camps. For the successful ones, it is a joyous time as they and their families celebrate this accomplishment. But for those on the other side, it is crushing. Many times they are given a small amount of time to pack up and be out of town. How hard it has been for these young people as they see all the effort and hard work over the summer, appear to be for naught, as they are released from the clubs and sent home. When they arrive home, it is very hard for these young athletes, who for days, months, and years prepared for this, only to come up short. What can you say to someone who is in this position? What do they say to their friends? More importantly, what do their friends say to them? And what do they now if they are enrolled in a post secondary institution with the hopes of playing hockey for the school. One player who represented his school last year was the last cut this weekend, after the coach decided to go with some new recruits over him. After spending several weeks in the summer working on campus helping with hockey schools, it all comes to an end. That is a very hard thing for a player, regardless of age.

This weekend I addressed several parents who are new to Minor Hockey, as I am convening the Skills Development Program for new players to our home association. I told them to enjoy these first couple of years. Like Kindergarten, enjoy the pace, before the rigors of curriculum and standardized tests, etc, start. I think these next few years (5-8 years old) are the most enjoyable of all. In fact, I think they will have more fun and enjoy lasting relationships if they stick on the house league side, versus the competitive rep hockey. Maybe not the opinion of all, but as a parent, it has been in house league that we have had the most enjoyment - no player releases, evenly balanced teams, equal ice, coaches helping coaches, reasonable fees, etc.

And in a few weeks, I will be watching some pro exhibition games where I will add some input into roster selections. All of these players will have experience at the highest levels of hockey, including NHL, AHL, ECHL, US college and Major Junior. Yet, there will be a few, who will be told that there is no room. They and their agents will now have to look at other options, including possibly another league or maybe returning to school. Not easy for someone who has had great success at every level.

All of these examples should remind us of how fragile the game really is and how important it is for parents to keep this in mind, as the years pass quickly.

School and Hockey- Can there be a healthy balance?

2008-09-01T13:12:00.000-07:00

As families prepare for the start up of school in Canada, many kids are preparing for the beginning of another hockey season. For those who play at a competitive level, there is a distinct chance that students can miss significant chunks of school for hockey games and tournaments. How much is too much? Is this an issue? Should students be playing late games out of town on week nights and missing school the next morning to get caught up on sleep? If you have noticed how the game has changed, you will notice the extreme pressure that is now being placed on children as young as 8 and 9 to play in ultra competitive environments. Here in Canada, especially in Southwestern Ontario, children play in leagues that require travel up to and including 2+/- hours; many of these games are played during the week. Many rep teams play a minimum of 3 tournaments and as many as 6+ tournaments. I have yet to be part of a tournament where school has not been missed.

As a kid growing up in the Maritimes, I never had to worry about this. For me, I was 16 when the opportunity to play at the Midget AAA level came along. All games were played on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. Yes, we had road trips, but we rarely missed school time. It was unheard of to miss school for hockey. Today, it is common for players to miss as much as 1 day or 1/2 day a week during the winter. For those students who are academically gifted, they are able to catch up. However, I have witnessed many who have suffered for their commitment to their team; it has been at the expense of their education. This is a huge price to pay in a world where opportunity in hockey long term is becoming so restricted (to read more on this subject, chek out this link: http://www.cbc.ca/fifth/main_hockey.html). As a parent and as a coach, I always struggle with this issue; I don't like taking my children out of school for hockey- when they are out of school they miss out on things. And trying to find the balance can be a difficult thing for parents; if you are playing at the Rep level here in Ontario, it would not be a politically correct thing to denounce games that are interfering with school. It is so ironic to witness the steps that parents will take in an attempt to further their children's hockey future. How many parents would sell their home and move 2,3,4,5 hours away to be closer to a public school? I have not met any in my career in education. I have met many who will drive their kids across the city for another school, but none whom would move the above distances.

Yet, I have personally spoken to several who have moved their entire families away from their roots to pursue a AAA opportunity here in Ontario; some as young as 10 years old. All for a chance to be drafted and play in the OHL. In some cases, it has been for NCAA, but in most, for major junior. I guess many would call this dedication and commitment. But it sure comes at a cost to the whole family. Not to mention the enormous pressure that it places on these young players, as they watch the family be uprooted for their sake. When this happens, the end result is always positive or negative.

Let's face it, this move is about providing the young person with the opportunity to be drafted high in the OHL and then be in a position 2 years post their OHL draft, to be drafted in the NHL . Wow- what pressure on a young person. I think we know about the $$$ benefits that can come from this, if all things work out. However, it is a huge risk and there are many people affected by this.

I have had the opportunity to talk to many young people who have decided to leave competitive hockey and take a break. They talk about the pressure, the politics, the lost connection with childhood friends; these are things that I don’t want my son to lose. At this point in his young hockey career, we have stayed away from the competitive rep system, for some of the reasons that I have talked about here, and for some others that I will address in later blogs.

I don't remember the game like this as a kid. Maybe in the Maritimes we didn't have the same opportunity. Before the QMJHL, we just had Junior "A" and most kids stayed at home. It was only after high school that some would venture away. A few like Al MacInnis left and we know all about his Hall of Fame career. I am sure that this scene is played out more now in Atlantic Canada, as players have more options with Major Junior. When reflecting on some of these stories, hockey seems to control most decisions and education takes a back seat as the wheels turn. I hope as the season begins, you can find the balance that has the best interests of your son or daughter at stake. These decisions will impact his / her development for a long time.

The Season of Tryouts

2008-08-16T16:26:00.000-07:00

It is that time of year when many young people will be preparing for spots on teams. As much as this is to be a fun time, I think many times it becomes very stressful in the lives of young players. Most young people play because they enjoy the game and they bring that spirit to every encounter. When they experience success with tryouts, it is a very positive experience. I wonder whether we do a good job with the players who do not experience success. How do we handle those players whom for whatever reason have not been deemed to be "good enough" to make the team? What steps are in place to allow some dialogue to occur between player, coach and/or player-parent, coach. Are we trained as coaches to be able to effectively manage this encounter? Are we open as parents to hearing that maybe our son / daughter is still a few steps away from making the jump, if that is the case. Is there time to really allow this?

Like education, we should be using these opportunities to build up, encourage and talk about next steps. Much easier said than done. I spent many hours this summer speaking to parents as they struggle with understanding where there son / daughter fits in the hockey world. Sometimes, a lifetime of investment can seem for naught, when things don't go well. This is ever more reason why the "total experience" of the game is so important. It should be helping players grow as people and preparing them for life, outside of hockey. Sometimes this is not the case, when players are in highly competitive environments for several years and then it comes to an end. That appears to be very hard to deal with; sometimes it is harder for parents than the young person. These are important questions for all of us to reflect on. Even the whole experience of tryouts. As they are currently delivered in most organizations, are they the most effective? Is 2, 3, 4 practices a sufficient time to evaluate a young player. In many cases it is because of the difference in skills, but in others it is not. Is skill the only determining factor and can those other intangibles be measured by a short tryout; do we have a method of finding additional information. Just some things that come to mind as I reflect on this topic.

The Purpose of the Blog

2008-08-09T18:40:00.000-07:00

Hello friends:

Thanks for taking some time to review this blog. Over the past few weeks, I have been thinking about a way for me to share what I have learned from the game of hockey. I have been blessed to have been part of this game for the last 30+ years as a player, coach, spectator, scout and observer. As a hockey player growing up in Atlantic Canada, I was blessed to play in the following leagues: Maritime Midget AAA, the Maritime Junior "A" and the Atlantic University Sport. I have had the opportunity to be coached by many people who have helped shape me as a person. Over the last 9 years as a scout, this game has given me an opportunity to meet, work with, coach, mentor, and learn from some very interesting people. As we go through this journey, I am hoping that in sharing this it may help you grow as a coach, parent / guardian, player or fan. I look forward to the future as we share this space, in an effort to continue to grow as fans of this great game we call hockey.

Mike MacPherson