Witnessing coaches coach this weekend at the 42nd Monctonian Challenge was awesome to see and it certainly didn’t go unnoticed. Obviously, coaches coach that’s what they are supposed to do, but noticing coaches coaching and communicating with their players in that form is often times rare these days.
The game has changed a lot over the years, in the same breath players and coaches have changed a lot over the years as well. Philosophies change or shift, hearing direct and instant feedback positive or negative, or constructive criticism has given way to a new look coaching philosophy of “we coach during the intermissions.”
To each their own, but in all honesty it was enlightening to see so many coaches and staff going to the board and providing “in game” feedback.
Again, differing perspective and philosophies are nothing new to the game. Clearly, each and every kid learns and develops differently and it’s a coach’s job to know their players and which ones need a pat on the back or a kick in the arse (metaphorically speaking of course) to get them going.
The art of coaching isn’t easy, no one ever said it was, but it was really great seeing so many coaches communicating with hand gestures, providing feedback on the board and getting kids to turn around “in game” and focus in on their instruction.
You know something that also didn’t unnoticed, how receptive all of the players were to receiving that specific feedback, which is often times rare these days with all of the entitlement sneaking into the game.
Every scout have a number of “lookfors” that we all zero in on, and body language is definitely at the top of that list.
Receptivity or as some people would say “coachable” is one character trait that some players are potentially lacking these days, rest assured that doesn’t go unnoticed either. Body language speaks volumes about the character of a player.
Talking with coaches during end of season interviews or mid-season reports for that matter, that’s one of the first questions I always ask. Is the kid coachable? Answers vary.
Every coach wants coachable kids, they want character kids, they want players that listen, who are receptive to instruction, advice and at the end of the day apply it, legitimately work on those things and improve on those aspects of their game to get better.
We all know messaging is vitally important, its everything these days given the “new age” athlete but talking and communicating with kids/players in hopes of getting the best out of them while providing constructive criticism has always been considered “good” coaching.
The role, title and identity of the coach has and continues to vastly change, in many ways those lines become somewhat blurred based on the kids or players in front of the coach. Every coach wears several hats these days, but that’s the job, each and everyone of them know that going in, if they don’t, that doesn’t go unnoticed either.
It was great catching up with so many coaches over the weekend, those discussions are always so invaluable. The game needs great coaches who make a difference, the game needs those coaches to continue to develop players, but more importantly they need those coaches to enjoy and be passionate about coaching. Obviously, sometimes it wouldn’t matter what some coaches do they’re criticized at every turn, that comes with the job, everyone knows that going in, but that gets old very quickly.
The game of hockey can’t afford to lose quality coaches, but more importantly the players can’t afford to lose quality coaches and that doesn’t go unnoticed either.
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