Reply To: Cougars Pounce – Clarification

[Kai K]

hockeygod wrote:
However, if this is an Novice to PeeWee team (house to AA), perspective must be kept… will these kids remember they 'almost' beat a better player / team in the playoffs at the expense of #6 through #17's ice time? Or they win? Or they get blown out – even though the coach double-shifted his top 5? I know I don't remember much about minor hockey outcomes; just the people and the highlights and lowlights.

At the end of the day, how will this decision impact the kids NOW (if it works and if it doesn't – you must consider both outcomes) and their memories about this year in the FUTURE?

These comments come from the voice of experience. I know I had ice time taken away from me in the playoffs as a minor hockey player, and I still have a sour taste in my mouth towards that coach and the entire year because of it. It came out of nowhere in the finals – so nothing like this had occured to anybody on the team during the season – and I really started to dislike hockey because of that incident.

Many times, the adults make adult decisions based on their age and logic and the philosophy it is all about winning. I think they should try to put on the 'kid's hat' more often and consider that perspective…

With Peewee team they are 11-12 years, right?. LTPD and playing just to win are not good pair. Is it all about the result? or is it what we do and how we do it? How much effect one winning season has compared to the hard work of that season in LTPD?

Kai