Play your players

Been out of the posting mode for a number of months, as I've been working on getting my online apparel store (osvhockey.com) up and running to promote this site and with your help making an impact towards a better hockey experience. I'll be adding numerous posts in the future. Here's a topic that's very important.

The above commercial bought back memories of dealing with a fellow coach who was working with a poor town Pee-Wee team a number of years ago. He was trying to convince me that he was not playing a few players at all because in his words "they would rather be on the bench and win, than play and lose". I tried to convince him that nothing could be further from the truth, but it fell on deaf ears to the demise of all those players, many who simply decided to walk away from the game. He also was coaching his own son, who not surprisingly, was not one of those players watching instead of playing.

On the same subject, I was also was lucky enough to have a wonderful experience a few years back to participate in the USA Hockey summer development program and work with the 18-19 year old women's select tournament. Before we had a chance to coach the players, all participants that would work with USA players, that summer, had the luxury of attending a three day hockey seminar in Lake Placid N.Y. This seminar program had numerous presentations by college and professional coaches on approaches to best prepare the players for their summer experience and long term development. Needless to say the experience was tremendous.

After all the seminars, we all attended a "hot stove" like event with a select panel to toss around any idea that coaches thought might add to the discussion on any hockey topic. For those in love with the sport, this forum added great value to the entire weekend. Besides the panel, a number of coaches were asked to add their two cents about any topic that they thought might be relevant to discuss. Lou Vairo, the 1984 USA Men's Olympic coach, approached the group and added a prospective that most coaches needed to hear, from my perspective. He pointed out that many of the coaches in the room had enjoyed successful playing experiences and were usually the top players for most of their playing careers. He went out of his way to highlight many in attendance that had been great players in both youth and college then dropped the bomb.

He pointed out that as great as their past experiences were, those experiences had in numerous ways provided them zero perspective of what it was like to be on the other end of the talent scale. Vairo scolded the coaches for not understanding what it was like to be dismissed to a non-playing role and the sensitivity that most lacked with dealing with players that were banished to the end of the bench. He was more than direct that many coaches were doing the game and these players a great disservice by treating these players this way and that coaches needed to serve this group of players in far more productive manner. He pointed out that many games are far less meaningful in the long term than most coaches think and that their teams and these players would be much better served by participating than watching. He was especially critical of youth hockey coaches that in his words,"should step down" if they were not able to recognize the importance of treating all their players with dignity, being passionate to help them improve and by providing them with playing time. He also pointed out that players at all levels from pros and below need to play as well. He went on to point out that far to many coaches were driving players out of the sport, rather than developing a model were winning was less important than having all your players thrive in the game. Needless to say, I was excited to hear this presentation, as I believe that his view on this topic is far to often ignored. I'll also tell you that from first hand experience, many players that coaches might have driven out out of the sport with this mentality, have gone on to be very productive players by coaches that did not understood what Coach Vairo was stressing. Way to go Lou !!!!
This message, in no way, was trying to promote the idea that all players on all teams should have equal playing time. It is more about understanding the need to develop all your players and giving them all hope that they can be a contributing member of the team by playing them. On the positive side, finding ways to play your players will make your practices more spirited, you will be much more prepared, as a team, when more talented players fall to injury and have all your players be willing to go the extra mile towards success. Also aiding this front is having an open relationship with your less talented players and parents at the youth levels, explain ways they can improve and make sure you credit for making them. This attitude is a win-win for everyone, those players, the team and the coach.