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This is my third go around and in all my time i have seen 3 outstanding elite coaches that do a great job with the kids teaching, preparing and developing. Everyone else is a bozo on skates.
aaahhh Bill Belicheat never played D1.......
Sometimes you don't know how good your kid has it with a coach until that coach moves on
It really is amazing how bad some of these coaches are and how bad people still kiss their asses
Ken Hitchcock, Jon cooper, bob hartley, pat burns, Scotty bowman, roger neilson never play at high level or never played at all.
Good coaches know how to coach kids and teach them how to compete. Sure, those who played at a high level know the game, but if they can not connect with kids, the kids do not develop. Remember, these kids are 8,10,12,14 years old not High School or older. If you can not connect and teach kids, i don't care what your credentials for coaching are.
Perfect
spot on. I believe the number is less than 1% of youth hockey players go on to make a career out of hockey, so lets remember it is about building good people, before building hockey players.
I have had this debate for years as everyone has their own opinion of an Elite coach.
What parents dont realize (myself included at times) is that it is a 50-50 balance between coaching staff and player.
When you have a coach who can communicate with the kids (not the parents) and the kids take responsibility for their actions on the ice, have a good attitude and give effort every practice, game, etc..then the coach is considered Elite. Sounds simple? Heres where it all goes bad...US, Parents. 90% of the time your kids hear you talking trash about the coaches, their process, questioning every single drill, decision, etc...Not to mention trashing other players on the team to your kids directly "Dont pass to Johnny"
What many of us dont realize is that our behavior is passed on to our kids and what we also dont realize is that all coaches talk to each other(organizations, high school, JR) Stop and watch the coaches from each team before or after a game at any Elite level, always talking. At the high end high school or JR level, an ELite coach will call your players prior coachs and ask 3 important questions
1. Is the player coachable
2. Is the player a decent student (high school)
3. Any issues with the parents (across the board)
If this happend today, how would it work out for your kid?
90% of coaches at any age group coach their players the same way, its the coaches that have buy in from players and parents that have a chance of being Elite.
unfortunately some "Elite" coaches trash kids on their way out the door to who ever will listen to make themselves look better. Even when kids are leaving for the right reasons
if your coach is good - he should be able to tell you that your kid sucks and you will feel good about the conversation...
I was just introduced this this board a few weeks ago. I've been checking in here and there and have not ever posted. I just read this post and was so relieved to finally see something of substance.
Yes, those top 3 questions are by far the most important.
1. Is the player coachable
2. Is the player a decent student (high school)
3. Any issues with the parents
Sadly, #3 has moved it's way to the top of that list. Dealing with parents is by far the most difficult issue for any coach, "Elite", "AAA", "Youth", or "HS". Parents have gone off the grid in all Youth/HS Sports.
My father once told me, "Son, if you want to play more, or on a certain team, go earn it and make it happen", "If you have a problem with your coach, go talk to him yourself". My father certainly had his flaws, but I thank him every chance I get for making me earn everything I ever got. It set the groundwork for becoming a hard working person. I'm doing the same to my kids now. I had my chance, this is their time and their responsibility to earn it or not. Be a parent, be supportive, don't hand them everything they want or think they can get better elsewhere every time things get rough.
These coaches volunteer their time, try to do the very best they can, try to be role models for your kids, have families and jobs of their own, and just love the game. Think about that the next time you want to tear them apart.
what do you mean earn it? my kid is an elite hockey player!!!
As a wise man once said, I'm not sure I can define an elite coach, but I know it when I see it.
Elite coaches need Elite players in order to be an Elite coach. Give me an Org that is not in the top 5 of their league and has a coach considered to be Elite, does not exist. Words like Elite are 100% tied to winning, and in order to win you need a roster of Elite level players.
No such thing as an "Elite" 8,9,10, etc year old hockey player. A good coach develops the players(not just their own).
People love to say their kid is on an elite hockey team. Nonsense
"What program other than town hockey has coaches that volunteer their time? Elite coaches are getting paid one way or another.
You sir are not an Elite Coach. Go back to town hockey and leave your daddy issues for your psychiatrist"
Posts like this only prove that I'm right. Parents are the biggest issue for any and all coaches.
Who said blindly handing over your child? If you haven't done your homework your an idiot! If you haven't watched a game or two or spoken to other parents also an idiot. Like the previous poster said yes your player is the one who should speak to their coach if they have a problem/issue. If it is about about playing time, water breaks, shortening of benches etc....these questions are just annoyances and doesn't help Johnny get more time.
Not an elite coach never said I was.. I referenced my son's coaches. We definitely knew how to pick them. Great coaching skills, fast pace, development and above all took no BS and knew how to handle the parents. A good rule is, talk to your kids coach, just not about hockey!
It has been my experience that the head coach is responsible for overall team performance, practices, ice time, development. The other coaches are needed to organize practice and up to PW hockey open/close doors during games. At the older levels all the coaches should have a role: Offense, Defense, PP, PK with the head coach managing the game. This is what I have seen with 4 boys over the years.
If your kid is any good you would NEVER mention to anyone that your kid is on an elite hockey team. My friends with kids that are the best in the state intheir age groups on the top teams ...if you met them at a party you would have a hard time even getting out of them that their kids even play hockey. Definitely not what team & league. The people that brag have mediocre or subpar players. They are tuition payers ...
Yes he is a E9 goalie not one of the top goalies in the state in his age group... hence the bragging.