Playoff Tales – Falling a Bit Behind While Charging Forward

The Boy and the Devil’s teams are both well into their playoff schedules taking my better half and I wildly off in all directions.  Including a trip to the drug store to pick up bleach for da Boy’s playoff hair; an annual tradition on most teams the kids have been on. Other boys have gone the mohawk or mullet route all in the name of good fun and team spirit.  The girls, for their part, have gone with strips of blue in their locks.

hockey hair

The Boy’s team unfortunately made a relatively quick departure from the provincial championship round; though they put up a valiant effort going out in four games.  They fell behind a good, if not overly cocky team, in the first round; a function of finishing lower in the regular season standings than they probably should have. They battled through two initial losses staving off a sweep, but found themselves relegated to what’s pejoratively known as “The Toilet Bowl” or regional playoffs.

At the Midget level, there are several players who may be participating in their final year of hockey so for some the games at this level may be the last of the competitive hockey careers. Some may move on to play college, university or Junior level, but others may not have the talent or interest to carry on.  This fact brings an extra level of challenge to playing any team you face where you have players looking to go out in a blaze of glory.  Couple that with dangerously high levels of teenage male testosterone and you have a potentially explosive cocktail on ice.

Such was the case in the Boy’s most recent series against a rival to the North.  On paper, the boys faced a squad they should have been able to handle quite easily. However, a two game scoring drought, some questionable refereeing and a hot goalie actually saw the good guys facing elimination. The lads would battle back pushing a normally five game series to a sixth match, which is when it all got a little ugly.  On the scoreboard, the Boys were able to open up a 4-1 lead heading into the third period of the deciding game. With the contest and series out of reach for the other side, a parade to the penalty box commenced.  The losing side’s reserves dwindled down to just a couple of players as one by one they were ushered off the ice after an extra jab of the stick, elbow to the head or wild swinging left arm – not exactly what you would call hockey or good sportsmanship.  The game would end unceremoniously with one of their players exiting the penalty box only to make a bee-line towards one of our defencemen.  Sensing the oncoming wrath, our player braced and knocked his assailant to the ice. Said assailant jumped up looking for another victim which happened to be the goaltender standing innocently nearby as the buzzer sounded to end the game.  The now crazed combatant flung himself at our keeper in a flurry of fists which fell meekly on the netminder’s well padded blocker and gloved hands.  Seeing the attack, another of our players strode in to provide assistance. The skirmish was really much ado about nothing.  Meanwhile, another sour opponent, who had been a chippy player all series, took it upon himself to rush at our players’ bench as the clock ticked down to zero – another classless move. The referees were somewhat able to restore order.  Handshakes were exchanged with a few remaining and thankfully more civilized players from the defeated side.  One such player actually commented to my hockey-wife/trainer that his teammates were “psycho”. She told him she was sorry he and a couple of others had to be part of that. On to series two for what should be something less akin to the WWE.

Unfortunately, as I write this the Boy’s are already down two games to none in their next series, facing elimination in game three. This is a particularly interesting round from the Boy’s perspective as one of his best friends, a former school and teammate from when we lived in another town, plays defence for the opposing squad. His friend has been a visible agressor who’s gained no fans on our side. Both games so far have been much more pleasurable to watch versus the previous gong show; though the outcomes have not been favorable with 3-0 and 4-3 losses.  In both contests, our lads have actually seemed to be the more skilled side or at least have had more scoring opportunities. That being said, they’ve been consistently knocked around by an aggressive group of opposing competitors; with the Boy’s buddy leading the charge. Our guys will certainly need to make the most of their opportunities and push back a little more in their next game if they hope to advance.

– – –

Meanwhile, the playoff story so far on the girls’ side has been wild and unpredictable; so not all that different from what we’ve experienced all season. My troupe of young ladies are actually in two playoff series for two different regions at the same time.  One is for their regular league championship while the other is a playdown to see who will represent our region in the provincial championships in April.  Having posted a meek, albeit misleading, regular season record of 3-11-8 they are decided underdogs in both series.

By finishing in last place on the league side, the girls would draw daunting task of having to play the number one team in the division.  As it turns out this same number one team had a scintillating record of 18-1-3.  In a best out of three scenario, we would have to beat our first round counterparts twice as many times as they’d been beaten all year. That being said, we had competed with this and so many other teams that a ray a hope shone through in a short series scenario. One of their coaches did us a bit of a favour as he was overheard telling his players that the only reason they had been able to come back and beat us in a previous match was because we were “just a last place team.”  A slight like that was not lost on me.  I quickly related the same comment to our players hoping it would incite and enrage them to new heights of competitiveness.  Unfortunately, the erstwhile ray of hope was fleeting and my incitation seemed to fall on deaf ears to say the least when we opened the round with a 7-0 loss. It was only 3-0 heading into the third period, but then the wheels completely fell off and the rout was on. Not the best of ways to start or build momentum.  Now the chore became larger as the two games we needed to win became of the consecutive variety.

Before game two I did what I could to buoy the team’s spirits; letting them know I had not yet seen a plump lady enter the building as yet. This series was hardly over.  Their fate was in their hands. Only they could reverse their fortunes. The coaching staff had every confidence they could because that was what needed to be said.  The second match started with a decidedly negative tone as one of our opponents managed to dipsy-do her way around all five of our players on the ice, depositing the puck in the back of the net with only a few ticks off the clock.  Not at all the start we wanted.  However, I stuck to my shift-by-shift mantra, imploring our players to keep fighting. And fight they did, eventually tying the game at 1s heading into the third period. With unwavering effort and dogged determination the home side would take and hold a 2-1 lead to tie the series at one game apiece. To say the visiting team was crestfallen would be a significant understatement. As mentioned, this represented only the second league loss they had endured to this point.

Handing the league leaders only their second loss would have one of two effects.  A truly elite team would come back harder than ever or a team with a questionable foundation might not be able to bounce back. We naturally hoped for the latter.  I decided to try to use the the other coach’s words against him again; only this time I would put marker to paper and hang a poster in our dressing room as a constant reminder of the opponents misguided opinion of our charges’ abilities.  In my pre-game attempt at psychological warfare I told the team I had two words for the enemy coach “BULL SHIT” as I scribed a giant B and S over the dastardly quote. The theatrics were perhaps a bit much for tender young ears (or who am I kidding when it comes to 13 and 14 year olds these days?)  but I believe I succeeded in at least grabbing their attention. I also made a half-pledge to tape the offending poster to the other team’s door following a win for our side.  A promise I knew I might regret should we have the success we desired.

The game was a back and forth affair with our side striking first with what I’ve come to call a beautiful, ugly, garbage goal; of which our ladies have become adept at scoring.  In girls hockey putting the puck on the net and then driving hard after it is never a bad strategy.  We would hold the lead through the first two periods, reconvening in the dressing room for a final chat before the final 15 minutes.  I untaped two corners of the poster to indicate we were halfway to the promised land. The next quarter hour seemed like an eternity.  To begin with, we played a good part of it with at least one player in the penalty box.  The game would be tied with about six minutes left; an opportunity for our players to fold up their tents, lose momentum and cede victory to the first placers.  However, their demeanor on the bench remained resolute. They simply talked about turning the match back in their favour. Then with only four minutes left a 2-on-1 advantage ended with one of our forwards sending a lazer shot over the outstretched glove of the opposing goalie. The bench erupted along with the parents in the visitors perched in the stands above. The final challenge between us and a huge upset was a lopsided 5-on-3 penalty kill for 90 seconds of the final two minutes of the game. Our carousel of three players somehow hung on amidst a frantic onslaught by the desperate home team.  The final buzzer mercifully sounded. The visitors bench re-erupted. Our underdogs’ incredible comeback was complete.  Hockey’s David took down Goliath.  Post game handshakes were marked with a distinct dichotomy of ear-to-ear grins and streaming tears. The mood in our dressing room was unsurprisingly euphoric.  I, of course, was exhorted to honour my pledge to give the poster a new home; however, I was able to convince them otherwise in the interest of good sportsmanship. Instead, the poster was signed by each player to become a banner for future series.  It will be hung in every dressing room along the journey moving forward.

the poster

Moving forward, as mentioned, also includes our Provincial qualifying series.  After a 3-0 win yesterday, the Sharks have moved into a two game lead in a best out of five series.  Perhaps most importantly was the shutout recorded by one of our two goaltenders who has been challenged both physically and mentally of late as she has dropped a few games in a row including the 7-0 decision in our other series.  In her defence, the team has not played particularly well in front of her.   My concern has been what appears to be a bit of a vicious circle. 3-0 last night was just what the hockey doctor ordered.

Next up is round two of league playoffs where we’ll look to ride the crest of a now four-game winning streak. Yes, one more win than we were able to secure through the entire regular season. That fact is not lost on me by any stretch.  But like we said at the start, the playoffs represent a whole new season where inadequacies of the past can quickly become faint memories in the bright light of present success.  Onwards and upwards we go with plenty of hockey still to play.  BELIEF, which the girls now seem to have in abundance, can surely take them a long way. So I will keep preaching that important B word, combined with the occasional S, when and where necessary.

#imahockeydad

Befuddled, Bemuzed and Generally Bedeviled

This hockey coaching thing sure ain’t gettin’ any easier.  My team of 13 and 14 year old girls is struggling mightily to say the least and while I’ve not yet thrown my hands in the air, I’m certainly near the point of calling on the Hockey Gods for some divine intervention.  To be blunt, the team hasn’t seen a check mark in the W column dating back to late November. Frustrations among the players, parents and most certainly the coaching staff are mounting as the potential exhibited by this squad to start the season, including a home tournament win, has been quashed by inconsistent, undisciplined play mixed with odd flashes of brilliance.

The latest case in point came last night when our last place team played two periods of seemingly inspired hockey and a took 1-1 tie into the third frame against the top team in our league, who to date have the same grand total of losses as we have wins (ONE!)  My assistant coaches and I, having been to this dance before, implored our charges yet again to hone their focus for the final period. We commended them on their play through the first two and let them know they have the talent to win against any team they face when the put forth their best effort. I believe we could all sense small cracks in the armour as orange peels were flung gaily at a garbage can in the middle of the room.  A couple of players were noted to be brushing their hair in un-hockey-like fashion, though for some this is a necessary evil of supporting abundant locks. In previous games I’ve suggested we focus on playing one period at a time.  In this case, I demanded even smaller shift-by-shift chunks for added clarity. And yet, the first shift of the third period ended with a puck in the back of our net followed by the same result less than a minute later.  All the hard work the players had put in up to that point was a faint memory.  Body language was not good across the board as I’m certain the phrase “Here we go again” reverberated in each player’s head.  The play would turn somewhat in our favour again for fleeting moments, but the final score signaled what would otherwise look to be a lopsided 5-2 victory for the opposition to anyone just seeing the numbers.

I am convinced at this point our biggest challenge is one of a psychological nature; yup, it’s in their heads.  When we reach the third period with a slim lead or the prospects of a win, I can almost see the players grips on their sticks ratcheting up a few notches.  Pucks are handled with more trepidation.  Passes are made with more urgency and less precision.  Battles for pucks are enjoined with hesitation.  No one wants to make a mistake, but inaction and/or ultra-caution leads to the same.  Far too often these mistakes manifest themselves as penalties which only serve to exacerbate the situation.  A little over a week ago one of our defencemen took a rare delay of game penalty for covering the puck with her glove at the end of a game; an infraction which led to us giving up a game-tying goal with only 30 seconds left.  Yet another victory narrowly aborted.  We coaches will try to counteract fear and doubt with positive reinforcement, but I’m afraid for the most part it’s falling on deaf ears; deafened by our recent failures.

Some folks around our team are no doubt lobbying for a harsh response to our undisciplined play. Some have suggested I “bench” players who are exhibiting undisciplined behaviour, which is leading to some of our downfalls. I understand their intent.  However, I contend that the team tends to hit the proverbial wall en masse, which I attribute back to hitting the panic button.  I would be hard pressed to select just one player deserving of being benched when entire lines seemingly stop skating for a shift.  That being said, I am increasingly open to doling out stiffer consequences (i.e. benching) those players who are consistently taking “bad” penalties; those who aren’t learning from their mistakes.  In principle, I am against benching players as I feel in developmental hockey sitting on the bench does little to improve the player; but perhaps sending a subtle message in the form of a missed shift might be just what the sports psychologist ordered.

With only a few games left in our regular season and playoffs to follow shortly thereafter, there is still plenty of time to salvage some positives.  I recently sent an open letter to our parent-group asking for their honest feedback, to which I received several thoughtful, positive and constructive responses. I shouldn’t have been surprised to note that each looked at the situation from the perspective of their child.  I will also be holding a pre-playoff team meeting where I intend to speak with each player individually about their strengths, weaknesses and responsibilities moving forward. The learning experience for this first-year head coach and his developing, challenging, evolving, group of young athletes continues.  While challenging, I am still managing to smile and have some fun along the way.  A couple of wins down the stretch would sure help though.

#imahockeydad

Play Like a Girl?

This National Post article makes some good points about girls vs. boys hockey, but from where I stand, the competition level is just a high on the Devil’s team as it is on the Boy’s. You need only watch and listen to what’s happening in the stands, on the bench or in the dressing room to gauge the level of competition involved.  That being said, fun is and should always remain part of the equation or we’ve lost sight of the bigger picture.

#imahockeydad

More Highs and Lows

I’m finding out quickly that being a minor hockey coach, in addition to being a hockey dad, is akin to riding roller coasters to borrow an oft-used, and in this case, highly appropriate metaphor.  In the last week alone, my young Sharks team has hit some fantastic high notes and some equally amplified lows.

Early in the week our team’s home-town tournament victory was heralded on the front sports page of the local newspapers complete with colour photos Barrie ExaminerSimcoe.com.  The articles were no doubt clipped and magnetically attached to the fridges in several players’ homes, while others passed links along to distant friends and relatives.  To push our notoriety a step further, a local TV sports journalist, having seen the positive press, decided to reach out to offer an “Athlete of the Week” honour to one of our shining athletes.  On a team who’s success has been primarily driven by their ability to play as a unit, it was truly difficult to single out one member, but I did so judiciously I believe. Our next practice became the focus of pre-skate interviews and a post-practice presentation of the coveted award amidst the high-pitched cheers of the honourees comrades. Of course, The Athlete of the Week segment airs tomorrow night when we’ll all be on the road or on our way back from an away game, so the PVRs and YouTube will have to come to the rescue.

The aforementioned practice itself left something to be desired as the distraction of the television camera appeared to have a distinct affect on the girls’ abilities to pass, receive and/or shoot the puck.  The coaching staff and I hoped this was merely distraction and not a full-blown victory hangover with a critical game against a bitter rival scheduled only a couple of days away.

The match against the bitter rival actually went quite well, though we had to settle for a 1-1 tie, which was only secured in the final five minutes of the contest. As usual, the ladies out-hustled and out-played their counterparts for a majority of the game, yet were only able to put one lone shot beyond their able keeper.  That said, a tie in enemy territory is obviously preferable to a loss.

Fast forward a couple of days to a game versus one of the apparent top teams in the league.  It’s taken me a few days just to digest, though not quite fully or comfortably absorb, the events of last Saturday afternoon, which is really just one lost game in the grand scheme of things.  Before the game, I was sure to instill the notion that we were up against a formidable opponent.  I knew from previewing the standings that this side had put up some big scores against other teams in the league to date.  I also reminded everyone we need to start winning some regular season games if we hope to rise from our current cellar-dweller status.  These messages seemed to be heard loud and clear as the Sharks went on the offensive from the get-go.  Constant pressure seem to stun the visitors who were slow and relatively weak to respond. The first period ended with our side ahead 1-0, a lead which was then doubled by the end of the second.  At our level of hockey a not-necessarily-wanted break to flood the ice is taken between the second and third frames. We retired to the dressing room, hoping to maintain the focus which produced the results to this point.

Now they say a two-goal lead is the worst thing to have in hockey.  A single goal in response cuts the lead in half. Then a tying goal brings the panic of a decided momentum shift.  Knowing this, I tried to say all the “right” things in the dressing room.  “Play smart, aggressive, but defensive hockey.”  “Don’t let your goalie down now.”  “Keep the pedal to the metal.”  “The other team is going to come out with a vengeance so be prepared.”  A mere 15 minutes later I was staring a the scoreboard in disbelief as the clock struck 0:00. The board read Home 2 — Visitors 3.  It felt like there was nothing I could have done to stop it – try as I may with pleas seemingly falling on deaf, or at least, muzzled ears.  Added to the drama was a failed penalty shot with 30 seconds left, which would have knotted the score at two.  While less so, at that point, even a tie would have stung following the terrific two-period start.  Opportunity lost indeed.

I’m sure there were some who hoped I would go back into the dressing room to proverbially peel the paint off the walls.  But as I walked in to address the beleaguered throng, I could see most players were as stunned as I. To be sure, the gravity of the situation was not lost on anyone.  I said, “I don’t get mad often, but I’m a little mad right now. More so, I’m disappointed.”  I could sense hearing I was disappointed hit a sharper chord versus simple, assumed anger.

Of course, all we can do is learn from our mistakes; take lessons from our failures.  We’ll see what, if any, effect this loss has on our team’s growth and development. Halfway through our regular season, we have only one win, five losses and three ties, which places us firmly at the bottom of the standings, though not out of reach of those above us. The frustrating part to date has been the competitiveness of our team in every game but one. We’ll focus on this positive to buoy their efforts.  Perhaps this latest loss will leave an indelible mark only to be removed with renewed vigor in future contests.  I guess we’ll see tomorrow night when the Sharks brace as they reach the next crest of the wave.

As for the Athlete of the Week, her segment airs tomorrow night at 6:15 and 11:20 when we’ll all be on the road or on our way back from an away game, so the PVRs and YouTube will have to come to the rescue.

#imahockeydad

A Banner Weekend

The Devil and her Shark teammates turned a corner at their home tournament this past weekend treating we, the coaching staff, and their biggest fans, their parents, to four of the best hockey games they’ve played all year culminating in an all-important victory in the Championship game.

2011-Sharkfest-Champions

2011 Sharkfest Champions

They started the tourney by shattering their scoring woes with a five-goal performance. Which they desperately needed because as quickly as they scored a goal they would turn around and give one up – except for after the last one. The odd thing is we seem to have found a favorite venue as this five net-bulging outburst occurred on the same ice where they last scored a full handful of goals.

Game two presented its own challenges in that our teenage, beauty-sleep craving girls were presented with the first pre-8am ice time they’d seen in a couple of years.  Early morning games are generally reserved for the younger kids, but in tournaments you never know what schedule you might get.  On the way to the rink, the Devil complained, “I feel like a Timbit,” referring to the four and five year old minor hockey players across Canada who are graciously sponsored by the country’s largest coffee shop chain.  In the pre-game warm up our troops looked anything but ready to play.  I implored them to get focused when they gathered at the bench for final instructions.  And then, at the drop of the puck to start the game it was like a switch was turned on. They would only win game two by a score of 1-0, but they were full measure for the effort. For a second game in a row, they played as a solid collective rather than a loosely connected group of individuals.  They looked for and called for passes.  They supported each other at both ends of the ice. Our manager helping out of the bench commented, “We’re starting to see a real team come together.”

Going into game three we were pretty confident we had a playoff spot secured, however a decisive win could propel the team directly into the Final.  I certainly let them all know that in case there should be any question as to the level of effort required.  And so, in the third game they did not disappoint, in a dominant 3-1 win, which could have easily been more lopsided with a few more accurate shots. With the victory we did gain direct entry to the Championship game; awaiting an opponent from a semi-final match between the second and third place squads.

As it turned out we would play our game two opponent again. From my perpective this was not a preferred scenario as it’s generally difficult to beat a team twice in a row.  I knew we had only beaten them 1-0 in our first meeting and they would come out looking for revenge.  Before the final match I reminded our charges how they felt after finishing second in a tournament only a couple of weekends previous.  In trying to raise their emotion level in the dressing room before the game, I was surprised by a muted reaction. They were either quietly focused or unsure of the task at hand.  My bench staff also felt an uneasiness at the mood in the room.  We all hoped for the former mindset. As in game two, we were pleased to watch as the initial puck drop acted as a virtual ON switch.  The Sharks came out hard; dominating the play for the first half of the game. The first goal of the contest came on a breakaway capped by a pretty, patient deke move past a helpless, flailing goalie.

The slim one-goal lead would stand until about five minutes left in the third period when our opponents buried a rebound to make it 1-1.  We did fall back on our heels for the back half of the second and a good part of the third period.  Many teams would have folded up their tents at that point with momentum potentially headed in the other direction. Yet, our girls re-focused their efforts and re-dominated play; finding a way to take a 2-1 lead with just over a minute left in the game.  Of course the story couldn’t just end there as the slim 2-1 lead was put in peril by a tripping penalty taken in our defensive zone with only 50 seconds left.  A quick timeout was taken to again refocus the troops; to remind them to play smart and get the puck out of our end at all costs. With the opposing goaltender on the bench, we faced a shorthanded four on six situation.  Continuing to battle, our four were able to clear the zone as requested, ultimately depositing the puck in the empty net at the other end of the ice. To put icing on the proverbial cake, the ensuing face-off saw our winger streak forward with the puck and fire a laser shot top shelf where Grandma keeps the peanut butter. The final 4-1 score did not do the much closer game justice.

Our jubilant girls streamed onto the ice for the traditional mauling of the goalie followed by a quick presentation to our Captain and Assistants and then finally a series of photos of the victors.

Now we’ll look to carry the momentum of this victory into our next string of regular season games as we look to make our way out of the league’s basement.  This weekend again proved that when we play aggressive, smart hockey as a team we can compete with any team at our level.  A good part of the battle in any sport is gaining the confidence in yourself and your teammates to do whatever is required to win.  It feels like our ladies took some big steps in that direction with some shiny gold medals and a much deserved Championship banner to show for it.

#imahockeydad

A Goal Drought Thankfully Ends

The Sharks struggled through a rough last week in going three full games without scoring a goal starting with their 3-0 loss in the tourney championship game last weekend. And it wasn’t like they were playing particularly poorly in two losses and a tie.

In fact, in their first game after the tourney last Tuesday they managed to outplay and out-shoot the over-matched opposition 35-14.  In taking 35 shots, their inability to put one behind the goalie was nearly inexplicable.  At one point about halfway through the game I grasped at my already thinning hair in desperation as I watched a point-blank shot somehow get foiled by a flailing keeper.  That particular shot of course came off the stick of the Devil herself.  We did face some strong goalies and the girls, out of their own apparent desperation, did try to get too close in to take their shots, thereby limiting their angles of opportunity.  Or maybe they gripped their sticks at little too tightly,which is an oft heard hockey malady. But surely 1 out of 35 attempts should be able to weasel its way through. No such luck and yes I would have taken and/or prayed to the hockey gods for a little of that too.

In the next game the girls needed more than luck as they came out of the gate terribly flat. They were challenged by a team who pressured them the way we have been instructing them to pressure others….and they did not respond well.  In what was probably their poorest effort of the season the girls continued to not score while allowing four goals against.

We entered our fourth game in search of a single marker to break through the drought with nary a regular season win to boot.  A record of 0-3-2 positioned us firmly in the basement of our eight-team league. Perhaps the only heartening fact was a quick look at the standings revealed that no squad was particularly dominant or scoring at any type of record pace.  Two goals per game, or more often less, appears to be the norm.  I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that one of our goalies was herself on a three-game shutout streak.  Our rivals haven’t been scoring on us either. But we still encourage our players to get out on their driveways and fire shots at nets, or more specifically the corners of those nets where enemy goalies are less likely to be. Sometimes it certainly feels like the crests on opposing keepers sweaters are mistaken for puck-intended bulls-eyes.

A few minutes into “game four” the seemingly impenetrable seal was broken.  A scramble in front of the other team’s goal mouth ended with our girls disproving the existence of an invisible goal blocking force field. The proverbial monkey was off their communal back. As in the game before the previous less-than-stellar effort, my charges out-hustled their counterparts, controlling the bulk of the play in both ends.

As an aside, I unwittingly did the team a disservice by simply saying to our hot netminder “Let’s keep it up.”  A presumably harmless quip of encouragement that she immediately took to be a potential shutout jinx.  I should know not to tempt the hockey gods with such talk, particularly where goalies are concerned; though a hex was definitely not my intention. But, of course, the first post-comment shot against us would end our backstop’s shutout ride with a resounding thud.  From now on I will keep such pre-game comments to myself so as to avoid the harsh brush of blame.

We would flirt with a 1-1 tie all the way down to five minutes left in the third period when our Captain would release a slap shot from the slot heard round the rink.  To that point, the same Captain had played her best game of the season thus far; something the coaching staff has been looking for. In almost prescient fashion, I had noted similar slap shots in pre-game warmups and said, “If she ever gets one of those off in a game, it’s gonna go in.”  Feel free to call me Swami if you will.  Captains, in my estimation, need to lead by example. She certainly did in this important match. Her teammates took the cue and the Sharks held on for win to vault themselves up into sixth place, only two points out of third quite early in the season.

We hope our scoring woes are behind us with continued hard work leading to more second-chance opportunities – the most effective recipe for success in girls’ hockey. If history is any indication, there is plenty more hair pulling to come.  I may need to don my coach’s fedora before too long.

#imahockeydad
#imahockeycoach

Not Quite the Right Colour

The weekend unfortunately ended on a semi-sour note with a 3-0 loss and a silver medal in the championship game versus the host team.  As in previous games, our players came out with guns a-blazin’ registering several good scoring opportunities in close.  We were literally all over them for the first half of the first period, but our scoring woes continued.  Looking back we were able to win two games and tie one other with only three tallies in total.  To their credit, at the other end of the ice, our goalkeepers kept us in each one of our five games holding the opposition to a total of only five goals. Yet the opposition would bounce one past us near the end of the first and another partway through the second period.  Press as they may, our shooters would come up empty…on at least a couple of occasions inexplicably.

Silver Tournament Medal

I believe there were a few contributing factors to our loss in the final game including having to play the home team (who got to sleep in their own beds last night as well as play a meaningless game as a warm-up this morning) and perhaps a hangover from last night’s tumultuous victory.  No matter I contend the loss was only semi-sour because the girls get full credit for the effort they gave this weekend. Though the players’ post-game faces would tell a different story. I’m selfishly happy they were disappointed at the loss.  Someone along the way has said you have to lose before you can really learn how to win.  Losing in a final like we did today may benefit us down the road.

If tournaments are about growing as a team, practicing team tactics against some different competition and having a little fun, I believe I can successfully say, “Mission Accomplished”.  At the same time, I’m confident the girls themselves recognize there is still much work to do to get this team to next level.  While there was no lack of effort, there was still some questionable decision making, and some selfish play with the puck – stuff we will continue to address in practices and games.  While both are important to success,  you can teach skills or systems to follow, but you can’t instruct desire or effort – that has to already be flickering inside just waiting to be ignited.  We certainly saw some flames burning over the last three days.

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Period by Period

Yesterday was one long, but ultimately very satisfying day of hockey. We started with a 7:30am wake up call in a foreign hotel room.  We were actually fortunate to get a relatively quiet hotel room, which could not be said for one of the Devil’s teammates who apparently listened to Moose Calls and barking dogs (yup, in a hotel) until 5am.  Still the Devil, like most teenagers has a deep-rooted appreciation for her weekend beauty sleep, so 7:30 was not welcomed.  I don’t think the shower actually shut off until 8:15, which left just enough time for a light breakfast before heading to the rink for the first of three games spread out over 12 hours.

sharks girls hockey team

My plan of attack for the day was presented in the pre-game talk of the Sharks’ first match. “There’s lots of hockey to play, so let’s just try to focus on one period at a time.”  Clichéd I know, but in order for these girls to succeed I thought bite-sized chunks made sense. I’m trying hard to remember not to overload the message – keep it simple just like I would want it delivered to me.

Game one found us dominant from the start against a team from our regular league. The game began with a tic-tac-toe passing play ending in a scoring opportunity.  Several other scoring chances would follow, however, as is too often the case in girls hockey, the red lamp would not be lit.  They would remain merely unconverted chances.  Between missing the net on point blank shots, the opposing keeper making some brilliant stops and in at least two cases the puck simply not finding a way to reach the mythical mesh, the first contest would end in a 0-0 tie. One particularly spectacular play featuring a pass from the point, a shot and a great deflection struck a startled goalie in the shoulder. She had no idea where the puck came from or where it was headed. Some would say she was in the right position.  In this case she just got hit by the puck. There was no actual save made. That’s the way it goes sometimes.  Our own keeper was given full marks for her shutout effort as well.

After an incredibly well organized team lunch (all team lunches have the potential to go sideways depending on the preparedness of the establishment, which is a topic for another day), we headed to rink two to tangle with team from the city hosting the tourney.  We watched them play earlier in the day and knew we would be in a battle.

The arena we arrived at was a charming old venue somewhere between anywhere and nowhere. It brought me back again to some of the rinks I played in many moons ago.  The ice surface appeared to be quite a bit smaller than a standard rink, which would require a specific game plan against a fairly big team. Even the player bench configuration was unusual as the two teams would face each other across the ice instead of being side by side. And finally, the girls were presented with a new and novel experience of jumping over the boards and down onto the ice as the doors to enter the bench from the ice were situated in a fashion which would not allow for an easy exit. After one of the first shifts, I heard one of our players quip to another “How was your first trip over the boards?” to which she replied “It was a lot of fun, but a long way down.”  Priceless.

Before the fourth period of the day, I told the girls their tournament destiny was in their hands.  A couple of victories would place them in a one-game, winner-take-all final on Sunday. But the focus (and there’s that word again) would be on period four to start.  Focus and fight they did.  They used their superior speed to cause turnovers by their opponent. They battled hard along the boards and in the corners for loose pucks. They won the first period, if only from a moral perspective.  About halfway through the second period  a large, labouring forward from the opposing side would wind up for a slap shot just outside of our blue line. A seemingly harmless salvo would suddenly dip and dive under our netminder’s glove. Our goalie had played so well in this and the previous tournament game that I implored our troops before the start of the third period to continue to fight; to pull even as reward to her.  However, we would remain scoreless for a second consecutive contest only this time it would result in our first loss at 1-0, setting up some good potential drama in our third and final game of the day.

In order to advance, the girls would need to dig down a little deeper to defeat an opponent near and dear to my heart; the oft aforementioned arch rivals including a couple of post-tryout “defectors”.  We knew they hadn’t played since the early morning and hoped a long layoff in their hotel pool (maybe even the hot tub or sauna) would provide something of an advantage.  Our side, on the other hand, needed to get through periods 7, 8 and 9 in that order.

As the game began, we were the decidedly more aggressive, dominant team.  Our players were putting their exhaustion behind them; pushing forward with a tangible determination. Yet, it still felt like goal scoring would be at a premium as shots zinged by the net or found their way into the glove of the animated backstop of the other team (her antics along with those of other goals are perhaps another topic to be explored down the line). The scoreboard screamed out 0-0 at the start the third (or for us, the ninth) period.  I told the team we had made it to the end. We now just needed to win a single 12 minute contest.  Halfway through the third our opponents did us a favour taking two consecutive penalties to give us a two-player advantage.  While we again had opportunities, we were not able to convert. It looked and felt like a second 0-0 tie would be our fate, making a trip to the Finals a little bit more of a dicey proposition requiring other positive outcomes in other games we could not control. Then, will a little over a minute left in the game, our young charges decided to turn their intensity up one more notch; an impressive feat some 15 hours after this day of hockey began.  An end-to-end rush by one of our defenceman culminated in a mad scramble in front of the cage holding our fate. I didn’t actually see who made the final poke at the puck, but I clearly saw it resting victoriously at the back of the net. The bench, parents in the stands and conquering players on the ice erupted.  Five seconds later I was down in front of the next three forwards to take the ice shouting “FOCUS!”. The Devil reports that my eyes were a little wild, if not bulging out of my head, with excitement. Thirty seconds can be a lifetime in a hockey game. I wanted to be sure we spent that lifetime out of our defensive zone, far away from any potential tying goal.  Indeed we did as the final five successfully defended our suddenly slim, but oh so welcomed 1-0 lead. The game unfortunately ended with the increasingly incensed little goalie darting out of her net and launching herself inexplicably into one of our players trying to pin the puck on the boards to finalize the proceedings. I am hopeful there are no lasting effects from that contact. The buzzer would sound  bringing with it one more small off-the-bench, on-ice eruption.

In a few hours we have another date with the host squad, only this time on a bigger, more familiar rink. Regardless the outcome, our team has had success here this weekend.  It will no doubt be a hotly contested affair where goals will be at a premium.  I think we’ll just plan to take it one period at a time.

#imahockeydad

Focusing on the Same Thing

At our practice last night I called the Sharks out as I and another coach noted a distinct lull in intensity.  A couple of players were heading to and lingering around the water bottles a little too long, others were down on a knee for extended period of time while a couple of others were actually splayed out on the ice at the end of drills like they’d been shot. I was fairly confident the problem wasn’t one of conditioning, but rather one of focus. The same problem has seemingly been plaguing this squad in all of the games they’ve lost so far this season. To date, we’ve been able to match the speed of nearly every team we’ve played. We’ve been able to out-work and out-hustle most teams.  Yet we’ve only managed to do that for an entire game on maybe one or two occasions.  Even our finest effort to data, a five-goal outburst in the first period, of a game was followed by two periods of hanging on for a 5-3 victory.

So I posed my “loss/lack of focus” theory to the players at practice. They all, to a player, contended conditioning is not an issue.  Though that may have in this been prompted by the realization that admitting a conditioning problem = conditioning drills, which in turn = lots of skating followed by even more skating.  I tried to reinforce how important it is for them to maintain their intensity for three full periods. We’ve told them in games where they are not the most talented group that they can compensate by being the hardest working.  In this they are not unique, as sports are chock full of successful teams who reap their successes via their determined efforts.  As always, I try to be careful to temper my expectations with the realization that we are instructing 13 and 14 year old female athletes; who have yet to mature psychologically and who may have any number of other influences on their developing minds; from parents, to school, to boys, etc. That is not to say they don’t comprehend the message being delivered, but rather they may not fully realize how, nor have the capacity, to process what we are attempting to relay along with all of the other conflicting messages they are receiving.  We plead for our roughly 30-40 minutes of focus per game all the same.

And so today we entered a guaranteed four-game tournament a few hours north of home with games against two familiar rivals from our regular league, who we get to play in 2 of our 3 games tomorrow (a busy day, indeed).  Tournaments represent opportunities to refine team tactics and build team bonds.  I was heartened to hear that before our first game tonight the team held its own meeting, without prompting from any coaches, to talk about their focus.  Sounds like my message was received, which again is all I can ever ask for. I’m genuinely pleased if even a little bit of what I say sinks in.  My plan for today’s pre-game speech was to continue the focus discussion. Their own pre-game chat served to reinforce my motivational intent. The start of the game to follow was further validation as there was a distinct sense of focus displayed on the ice.  And while there were some tense moments in what would ultimately be a 2-1 triumph, buoyed by a fine goaltending performance, we could not question the girls effort or desire to win. Our only criticism tonight came in the form of a plea for the players to not rush in pressure situations, which is always much easier said than done from behind the bench. The only goal against us this evening came with 9.5 seconds left on the clock when support broke down.  An errant puck found its way slowly through a sea of skates and sticks to wreck a deserved shutout for our keeper.

Tomorrow’s challenge will be to establish and maintain the desired focus through no less than three games beginning at 10am and ending at 10pm, with the third contest coming against perhaps our greatest league rival, who dealt us a  2-1 loss only seven days ago.  Quite the task for a group of 17 teenage athletes, who may rather want to hang out at the hotel pool and who certainly didn’t want to hear me announce a 10:30pm curfew after tonight’s game.  Yet, I’ve faith the majority will indeed honour the bedtime policy.  My own Devil lies slumbering in a pull-out hotel couch only a couple of feet away as I record today’s events.  I am hopeful of reporting back on a playoff berth tomorrow evening, however, as usual, only time, effort and a decided level of focus will weave that tale to its conclusion.

#imahockeydad

Round One to the Bad Guys

In the first of several games the Devil’s Sharks will have with previously mentioned rivals we’d all really like to beat, our girls were able to dominate play for all but the last five minutes of the second period. Unfortunately, that was also all the bad guys needed to score a couple of goals in support of an eventual 2-1 victory. Their second goal with under a minute left in the second frame was a killer. It was a close game as games against this team will all most likely be.

Our Sharks have inexplicably had a few second period let downs this season, which have ultimately resulted in their demise in those games; something we certainly need to address moving forward.  One of our assistant coaches quipped “We had a fart that smelled just a little too long”.  Indeed, our girls dealt and smelt it, but it took the full 300 seconds to clear the air.  We’ve talked on several pre and post-game occasions about having to play three full periods of hockey. I’m fairly certain momentary lapses are something nearly every team in every sport struggles with  Winning teams are those who are able to limit their let downs; mitigate their mistakes. These messages will continue to be delivered and hopefully sink in as the team progresses against this opponent and all others.

One odd occurrence from yesterday’s match was sporadic whistling by a coach on the other bench. Whistling which closely mimicked the a referee’s own whistle and subsequently had our players stopping in their tracks on more than one occasion.  A couple of our players, including the Devil, came to the bench after their shifts complaining about being confused and distracted by the opposing coach.  I’m not sure what would possess a coach/adult to employ an obviously questionable tactic like this, but it will definitely be brought to the attention of referees in all of our games against this team moving forward.  I did make mention of the incidents to an official between the second and third periods in yesterday’s contest, yet reports came in that the distraction continued. If all else fails, I may find myself approaching the opposing staff directly to call their sportsmanship into question. I hope this does not need to be the case.

And so, we look forward to the next meeting with these particular foes, which comes in just one week at a tournament a couple of hours to the North.  We will go into that game knowing our charges can play at, if not above, the level of these rivals.  They just need to be committed to doing it from the first drop of the puck to the final tick of the clock.  Drop the puck on Round Two.

#imahockeydad