The"best"...

[DannyG]

Variations on a theme that has been discussed before:

How about, everybody that thinks they are a real coach in this sport, walk into a rink, and sign up the first ten 10 year olds that want to play, take that team of kids (regardless of talent, skill, or physical ability) for the next six years, and turn them into all they can reach in terms of their potential.

You don't get to hold try-outs. You don't get to drop any kids. You don't get to recruit any from the league over at the other rink. You don't get to pick up any kids from out of town, out of state, or anywhere else. You have to take the kids you got, and actually coach them...skills, yeah, but also the tactics of the game, and the spirit of the game, and everything else that truly goes along (or should, at least) with kids' sports. You must be knowledgeable, as a coach, of age-development stages, technical, tactical, physiological, and psychological components of inline hockey training.

You take your team, I'll take my team, and let's meet once a year, from different parts of the country, to play in a legitimate, level-playing-field, national championship. Regardless of who wins, we'll have a bunch of real fun...

I have never recruited kids to any team I have coached. I take anybody that wants to play. My teams, in general, could never compete at the NARCh high gold level, let alone the platinum level. They have, however, in their respective divisions of other tournament series, made it to four national championship games. They have won eight (8!) USAHIL National Team Sportsmanship awards.

I get fairly tired of hearing about how this team or that program is all that...

Anybody, player or coach, can make "the best" team by recruiting better skilled players than anybody else.

How 'bout we think about what a real team is, and how we use this to develop real players, not just the latest group of hotshots?

To the coach that takes any players, and turns them each into his/her highest potential...

To the player, who will loyally play with their local team, and do his/her best to make that team all that they can be...

My hat is off to you, the real players and coaches in our sport.



<font color=purple>DannyG</font color=purple>

[NLane]

I coached 2 seasons (1 month each)of a rec league in the 10 year old bracket. I had exactly 8 kids and a goalie. Had 4 that could skate and 4 that couldn't each month. Only had a few of the same kids in both sessions. I played that ones that couldn't skate in the 1st half and the ones that could in the 2nd (poor kids-always had to play catch up). I told the players they could not blame the goalie for any goals because it had to go passed 4 of them before it got to the goalie. Placed 2nd the first month and 1st the second month. The other teams were just out-coached! You may never place 1st with the "home grown" kids but you can make a great showing and have a good time doing it.

[thebenchman]

Danny

I am SURE this will shock you. That is exactly how I started out. I coached what I had and had players wanting to play for me. The players wanted more, they wanted to play tougher and better teams. Some players lost the desire to play or other sports came in. Some times even when it was financial in league play I paid for them to get re-imbursed sometimes. I hauled and carried kids sold candy had all kinds of fundraiers to give thiese great kids an opportunity to get to see a higher and stronger level of play. I did that for several years. Like you I took just about any one who asked. Some times in house leagues I have taken kids that had never played before and coached them. I remember times when we would not win a games for weeks on end that then get to the playoffs and we some how would win a game then 2 then win the Championship. These kids never stopped coming to the game NEVER complained m NEVER even talked back to me. These were 16U, 14U and 12U. Many of them are STILL playing and have gone on to bigger and better things in the game. Many kids are not happy with status quo in sports. They want to be the BEST. How do you get them there? Do we as coaches want to not let them see there is a different level that just localized play? I strongly believe that there is room for BOTH types of hockey. My problem is right now there are 289 DIFFERECT tournaments ALL making boo coo bucks and selling them selves as the BEST. For year I have said there needs to be some diversity in the levels of play. From the recreational to elite and beyond. You are correct in what you say on some of this I do agree, but, as I have said earlier, what would happen in collegiate basketball if you could only recruit from your city or state? How good would your U of Texas be? How good would UNC be? While you may not like it, it is part of the sport. Even in ice it is only held to a certain age or level of play.

Good Post, Danny.

Die hard hockey nut.

[fbr3of4]

Just give me kids that want to play. We took all the kids that came out to try and play . . . a total of 11! I can remember the days when we were happy enough to score a goal, never mind win a game!