Minor Hockey

Question
QUESTION: Hi Rob,

My Son just started Bantam hockey, he is 6'1" 180 and the last 5 years has played R.Wing.  Each year he gets more training and improves his game in fact last year he led his team in points, hits, and #2 in penalties.  Because of his size he gets a bad rap from parents who are nervous when he is out vs. their children or he is all over the ice having fun.  Funny thing is the last 2 years he has ended up on the teams that the coaches were the on ice evaluators and in the last 3 years the coaches try to put him on Defense (which is very uncomfortable and humiliating for him and he tries it but is built and wired for Wing.  Being a coach should I confront his coach on this?  He can skate backwards better than most and looks intimidating and it is not fair for him to come so far being a winger to be used in this position.  This is a house/Rec. league and it is about fun.  He has been wanting to try out for the Rep team (we have 3) and I said wait til your second year in Bantam and I think you will be ready.  My son has never had a 5 or 10 min or game suspension, all his penalties have been 2 min.  I have been telling him this is the growing pains of the game you are large etc... and don't let Coaches or Parents ruin your enjoyment. I think with others wanting to Submarine him and parents cheering when he is hit is wearing down his confidence and he will most likely leave this organization.

ANSWER: Mike,

Incredible story.  Now is that 6' 1" without the skates?  If so, then add another 3 inches.  However, let me say this.  Shame on your Hockey Director for allowing him to play at the Bantam Level.  If I were in charge of your program, he would be playing at the midget level.  Having him play down in Bantam is only causing problems for you, your son, and the parents.  I would suggest that you talk with the hockey director and ask if your son can play up before someone get hurt.  Now, if the Hockey Director say...NO!  Then ask the director if it can just be a test phase to see how he will fit.  Beside, your son might like where he is at in bantams and that it is easy for him to score goals.

I would recommend that he be challenged in his game if he wants to play Rep hockey.  Let me tell you a couple of things about your son's future.  First, I'm not sure what his goals are for the future, whether he wants to get to the next higher level and beyond.  But, if he ever has the dream of holding the cup, then he will have to be challenged in everything and every part of his game.  Most kids of your child's age are generally on a fast track to the NHL because of their size, and yes....size does matter.

Second, in order for him to ever be scouted, he must be playing Junior Hockey at the age of 16.  Now, if he wants to make it to the pro's, he will have to take as many power skating classes as possible.  Now, depending on where you live, I recommend two camps that will get your child to that next level in his skating.  One is in Victoria, B.C. during the Summer and the other is in Monterrey Mexico in June.  These are power skating coaches that work with NHL players all around the world.

Now, let's talk about your child's current game.  If you child is the leading scorer on the team and the house league, then you hockey director isn't doing him job.  Now, when I select kids to play for my University teams, one of the main prerequisites to making the team is that they know how to play defense.  If they can't play defense,I don't need them and they get cut.  Yes, you and I know that the game should be fun.  But the game can also be fun and have him also be challenged at the same time.

You can not make it to the Stanley Cup without great defense.  Anyone can put the puck in the net, heck my grandma can put the puck in the net.  But not everyone can skate backwards, just as fast as a player skating forwards and that's what I look for when I make my selection.  Why?  I allow my defensemen to take the puck up on the rush...all the time.  Why? It has a tendency to confuse the defending team when my defenseman take it up on the rush, then the defending team has to think about correct man coverage.  Nine times out of ten, they get it wrong and I am able to get the puck into the attacking zone with ease.

Now as for his confidence.  This is a major lesson in itself.  I guess I could write you a book on the subject, but I will try to limit this to a couple of lines.  First, everyone forgets that this is for kids...not for them to live their life's through their kids.  Is it nice that our kid has reached a certain level of success?  Yes, every parent wants that.  But, people hate when someone is doing better then them or their child.

But most people don't react with this type of hatred for your child unless it is mainly do to his continuing arrogance after he scores a goal.  As far as the other parents are concern is that when your child scores a goal because he can and then rub's it in their face.  Trust me, I have been doing this too long.  All the parents feel, (with the exception of the parents on your child's team) they all feel that your son is playing down to "Hot Dog" it and beat the crap out of everyone on the ice.

Ok, maybe I am way off base here and maybe that isn't the case and parents are just mean.  But 9 times out of 10, it's not the case where they just hate your child just because they like to hate your child.  Generally it's because your child is good and they feel that your child shouldn't be playing in that age class.  Now, most parents probably won't say this to your face in fear that you will just tell them to go screw themselves.  So, they just keep to themselves,and berate your child in the stands hoping to throw his game off.  Why?  Because that's the only thing they can do hopefully even out the score.  Funny isn't it.  If fact, kind of sad some times.  It reminds me the The Magic Helmet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWjBvcfhRX0

Years ago, when I was the Head coach at the University of Washington, my team were getting spanked 8 to 0 and after the 8 goal went in, one of the players from the other team, road his stick down the full length of my bench screaming....YeeHaaaaaaaaw!  It started at the far end of the bench and ended right in front of me.

It was perfect and just want I needed.  Once the rider got to me, all of my players were looking at me and they could see the pain on my face.  We had 10 minutes left in the game and it took all of those full ten minutes to come back and win the game 9 to 8.  I learned something that day because of the other teams mistake.

The mistake wasn't that they were winning.  The mistake was that he road his stick down the length of my bench spouting off how wonderful he was.  Rather then my team empty the bench and go kick his ass, we got the young man back, in the place where it hurt him the most...his pride!

On that day, I learned how to win and be humble at the same time, because it only takes one player to turn the tide of victory to the other team.  Teach your child how to be humble when he wins and the berating will stop.

I hoped some of this information helped.
Rob Lopez - CEO / Commissioner
Pass the Puck, Inc. / University Ice Hockey League - Mexico
www.passthepuck.net / www.toroshockey.com.mx












---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I like the Magic Helmet, great kid.  I will have to forward that to one of the Dad's on my son's team who last season taunted my son from the stands Yelling "Hit him, his head is down".  This now is very awkward as we are all part of the same team.  This is the guy that I will run into while at a tournament in a hotel hallway being next to eachothers room,   Hockey is very big in our City, as we have over 800 minor hockey players.  My Son E mailed his coach this evening to let him know that he gave it some thought and will pass on playing D, the coach replies to let him know he can stay on wing but if during a PP or PK can you help out play the point and my son replied sure.  I got so frustrated last year in Pee Wee from the parents and his peers (saying he hits to hard) that I was thinking of putting him into Bantam.  But then others were telling me that would be wrong...etc...Interesting you spent part of your career in Seattle as that is where I was born and now have lived in B.C. for 20 years, but thought of going back and letting my son try it in the greater Seattle area.  What would you say was better school wise playing Hockey for the Seattle Jr. Hockey Club or staying in B.C. It is very political here at the Minor House level.

Thank you very much for the input, it helps to get an opinion.  What can he do to a kid who tries to Submarine him everygame they play?  Last game this boy did this twice and got a penalty each time but can you get kicked out for having 4 penalties?  If you have any other advise that would be great.

Mike

Answer
Mike,

Wow...B.C.  Hum, I remember there use to be a Burnaby 4 rinks we use to go to all the time, but now from what I understand, it's now a Burnaby 8 rinks.  Hell it was really cold at 4, now I bet people in the stands are really freezing their you know what's off.

Listen, I have a really good friend that I respect and admire and every year, he does a power skating hockey clinic in Victoria, BC.  This is really a camp that you should never miss.  If you want your son to make it to the next level, this is the guy to help him do it.

His name is Boris and he is from the Ukraine.  Every, June he goes up to Victoria and works with elite players.  Plus, he is so good, that NHL players fly him into their city so they can work with him.  Not that I am trying to give you a sales job, but If I lived back in Seattle, I would have every kids that was part of my family at his camp.  He has been training kids out of Phoenix where I have my home base and he now has two students that will be drafted in the NHL next year.

As for the kid that likes to trip you son all the time...let him.  Yes, if I am not mistaken, you can get ejected from the game for too many penalties.  Plus, in USA Hockey, after the coach has had 15 penalties on his team bench in one game, he gets ejected from the game as well and he has to sit out the next game.

I absolutely live Seattle, If I could find a hockey director's job there, I would be all over it.  But, for the last 30 years, I have struggled getting jobs with my last name of Lopez.  The majority of the comments are like..."What...you?  You coach hockey...why not soccer? the response is..."Simple, Soccer is for pink card carrying players and when they make it a full contact sport, rather then a "hollywood" type of game, then I will get interested in it...maybe!"  It's just too boring and slow for me...IMHO.

As for politics, it comes with the sport.  Why?  Because parents don't know when to shut up!  They are only after one thing and one thing only...how can I position myself on the board so my child can be on the best team or the travel team!  This why when I go to work, I can tell all my co-workers that my son plays on a travel team.

This is why, when I go into a rink to build programs, I build the program for the rink owner, not a parent's board.  With a parent's board, once the league get's to 600, 700, 800, 900 kids, the board starts asking certain demands of the rink owner.  If the rink owner doesn't give in to their demands, the board generally goes to their local bank and gets a loan and build their own rink.  Then the owner is screwed.

Anyway, if you need help, just give me a text.
Rob