Reply To: Diary of a Season 2013-14

TomM wrote:
We won the first play-off round with two consecutive 2-1 wins vs. the other Calgary AAA team. We then played the top team a 3 of 5 series. Game one we had a 4-3 lead with a minute left but the scored with the goalie pulled in the last minute and won in OT. Game two they clobbered us 6-2 and then we had two practices. Game three we returned the favour and clobbered them 5-2. Game four was very tight. We led 1-0 after one, they tied it in the second and scored with 5 minutes left to lead 2-1. We got about 4 good chances with the goalie pulled but couldn't score. So we lost the series 3-1 are are eliminated.

I was very happy with the way we played in the play-offs. The team that beat us out scored over 100 goals in the 32 game schedule compared to our 54, We were offensively challenged but basically matched them in our series.

We have a practice on Wednesday and finish off with two exhibition games in Banff vs. the Banff Hockey Academy. We stay overnight.

Another sports school is starting up in Calgary. They are after our players and the ones who played for the team that just beat us out because those players live in the surrounding communities. I have no idea why parents pay between 18 000-35 000 to go to these sports schools. They seem to think that it enhances their child's chances for a college scholarship. We added a 90 minute practice per week to our schedule and now practice 4:15 hrs. per week as opposed to 4:45 at these schools. We do spin on the exercise bikes every Monday for an hour. They train off ice a few days a week.

If you are good enough you will get scholarship offers. Every player I have coached the last three years who has the talent has been offered a scholarship.

It is hard to fight perception; especially when these schools need students to pay the teacher salaries and facility costs. They tell them stories that just ARE NOT true and convince them that they need to attend these places if they want to play at the next level.

What you do need is.
1. High compete level
2. Talent.
3. Good coaching.
4. Adequate training time.

We offer that in spades.

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It is amazing isn't it.

I ran a Select Team for our Atom Division this year, and we were able to keep the cost to $5.00 per session. We even had one of the Dad's Ref our games for free (a junior A coach)
We need to keep the cost of hockey down…… We are losing great talent because of the cost.

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Nike – Bauer etc. are making the game a rich person sport. Dany Heatley took his family down to Mexico to tour the Easton stick plant about 6 years ago. It costs them about $17 to make the one piece they charge $350 for. They are killing the Golden Goose with this 2000% markup. People think young kid's must travel to play with elite players at young ages and the travel cost is huge.

At some point parents may realize the key is: How good does the player skate, shoot, puck handle, compete, see the ice. etc. If you are good at these things then you will end up playing at the level your skill and compete level earns you.